Calling all FT Mom's!

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24

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  • hotmama1174
    hotmama1174 Posts: 109 Member
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    I never use to be a morning person----still not actually but I have decided that I HAVE to give myself that 30 min in the morning to take care of me. I am up at 6:15 and get a Jillian workout in (I rotate between 30 day shred, ripped in 30, Biggest Winner) I do this 2 times during the week and on the weekends (both Sat/Sun).

    good Luck---make sure to make time for yourself! You deserve it!!!
  • satara_marcellus7
    satara_marcellus7 Posts: 9 Member
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    I try my best to workout in the mornings while everyone is sleep. So I get up at 4am and workout. Yes, I know that is extremely early but if I don't do it at that time then I will have a hard time doing after I get off. I am a single mom of 2 babies that works 8-5. So I can't leave the house to go to the gym. The workouts I do are Turbofire and P90X. Sometimes if I am lucky I can get a 30 minute workout in after I get off before their dad brings them home. So you are going to have a trail period at first to see what time is going to work best for you. Good Luck and Congrats on the Job!!
  • furbutt
    furbutt Posts: 74 Member
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    I hit the gym before work. Hit the bed by 9:00 and up at 3:15 AM to go to the gym. I am lucky to have my husband who stays home while our son sleeps. That way I get in my workout and dont miss a second with my son because hes sleeping!
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Most of the time the only exercise I get in is a walk at lunch! I sometimes try to get up in the mornings and get some Wii time in, but I really count on those lunch time walks.
  • timadotcom
    timadotcom Posts: 674 Member
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    I am at the gym everyday at 5:30 am, at work by 9 am. I'm usually home by 5:30 at night, kid in bed by 8 and I chill for a bit b4 crashing!!

    You might not like to wake up in the morning but after a while this is what will give you the energy. I thought I would be more sleepy, but realy i'm WIRED all day! Not only this, but my gym is practically empty at the crack of dawn!!
  • gvaliot
    gvaliot Posts: 6
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    I'm not a morning person either, but if you are able to get to bed at a time where you can get your 7-8 hours of sleep, I say really try to get your workouts in in the morning. I used to do it and suprisely, I really learned to enjoy it. I have to be at work by 7:30, so I was up at 4:15 to workout.

    Same as me. I have to be at work before 7:30, but I get up at 4:20, get to the gym about 15 minutes later. I spend just over an hour there, get home and get in the shower. I'm lucky, husband gets our son up while I'm in the shower and feeds him breakfast while I finish getting ready. Then, I leave with my son at about 6:45 to get to work/school on time. My husband works at a restaurant, so after work/school, my son and I are alone. I cook dinner while he plays around me, then he's in bed by 7:45 (he's 4) and I try to get in bed at 9 to read and turn the light out by 9:30-10pm. It's not hard, once you learn to not bother watching tv! I'm sure this will be harder when my son is older and will start asking to watch shows his friends watch, but I find I don't miss tv. I watch it with my husband when he is home in the evening, but it's rare. I'd like to get a little more sleep, but for now, I nap on the weekends to make up for the slight lack. Oh, sometimes I throw in a yoga dvd at night to help unwind and stretch out any soreness I have (this happend 2-4 nights week).
    I was never a morning person, but this starts my day so much better. I don't have to worry about fitting the workout in. I have so much more energy and am definitely addicted to morning workouts now! I could have worse problems, right? :)

    Good luck-it's worth it! You, your spouse and your kid(s) will all benefit from you taking care of yourself. :smile:
  • lorie5524
    lorie5524 Posts: 6
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    I work full time with 2 kiddos. What has worked for me is getting the kids and husband taken care of when we get home in the evening, then getting my workout in. It might be 9:00 when I start it, but I feel great once I'm done! I would love to do workouts in the morning, but, like you, I have a really hard time doing anything in the morning, especially working out! :-) I also do TurboFire and LOVE it! I'm a Team Beachbody coach. I'd be happy to help you find something, like TurboFire, that you could do from home and enjoy. Plus, I'm part of an amazing group on Facebook that helps to motivate and support. Shoot me a message if you are interested.
  • bltmgray
    bltmgray Posts: 163 Member
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    Wow! Thank you everyone for the wonderful idea's and support! I know I will figure something out and will have to in order to keep this lifestyle change and new body! You are all wonderful inspiring women! Thank you so much!
  • jend114
    jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I'm a single mom and work full time. Since its gotten warmer, I take my daughter for walks when we get home and when she is with her dad, I use that time to get a full workout out in.
  • Grlnxtdr0721
    Grlnxtdr0721 Posts: 597 Member
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    During my lunch...I can usually get at least a good 30 minutes in. Or right after work- although I don't like that as much because it rushes the rest of the night.
  • amzasmommy
    amzasmommy Posts: 57 Member
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    I'm a FT mom w/ 4 kids ranging from 3 to 17. There are weeks where my only hope for exercise is on the weekend and I accept that. Now that the weather is nice, I've been using my lunch hour at work to take a walk. At least I'm getting in something. There are some nights where I take 10 minutes and do jumping jacks, etc... too knowing that anything is better than nothing. I tried mornings and it just doesn't work for me. Set realistic goals. You'll figure it out! Just give yourself a little slack while you're adjusting and stay aware. You'll make it!

    This is what I'm doing too. We have 4 ranging from 16 months to 15. SO takes the kids on the weekend and gives me an hour each day to do something. I've been trying to use my lunch hour more during the week to get stuff in too. Right now my goal is more daily movement. Morning isn't an option since I'm already up at 5am to get ready. I'm not done for the evening until 8:3-9pm and when I get up at 5am I don't really want to do anything that intense that late (the 15mo doesn't sleep through the night yet).

    ETA: on the weekends I do dvds at home. During the week I do yoga at work, go for a walk on the trails behind work, or go down to the gym. I think i may start running home during lunch and doing the firm express during the week too.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I hit the gym before work. Hit the bed by 9:00 and up at 3:15 AM to go to the gym. I am lucky to have my husband who stays home while our son sleeps. That way I get in my workout and dont miss a second with my son because hes sleeping!

    I would never be able to wake up so early.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I either do my exercise as soon as I get home while DH watches the kids or wait until after they go to bed. Some days, I take walks at work.
  • giag09
    giag09 Posts: 203 Member
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    i am married to a full time firefigher and have a 4.5mth old and 3yo boys i work 4 days a week and do a workout dvd at like 5:30 in the am before everyone is up !
  • KSpinola
    KSpinola Posts: 4 Member
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    I was a single mom of two with a full time job and a dog. I utilized the crock pot a bit. When the kids got old enough, 6 & 12, I let them each choose a cookbook (one chose cuban and another chose all american homestyle favorites) . Each would pick a recipe out of their cookbook and I'd add the ingredients to the weekly grocery list. (actually in those days it was MONTHLY grocery list) And....in retrospect monthly worked out great! 24 hour Walmart. Two nights a week the kids cooked, then we'd have left overs two nights. This freed up the living room where I could work out for an hour and still chaperone in case the smoke alarm went off. So between the cooking day and two left over nights, freed up 4 hours of work out time. The kids have great memories of these times and still talk about it with their own kids!

    I hope this helps. It's frustrating that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done, but you can and will find a way.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 835 Member
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    I use my commute to ride my bike, or hit the gym right after work instead of sitting in traffic,. I also walk at lunch or use what ever I have next to my office to work on.

    with a Bench
    step up
    incline pushups
    dips

    against a Wall
    Wall sits

    Pole to wrap a resistnce band around
    chest presses
    rows
    tricept kick backs


    Also workout with the kids after work, go for a walk as a family or go to the park. Once the kids are in bed find the time for a DVD or play a WII fit game.

    You just need to be creative how you fit in the time.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    It's not just a mom problem, so I'm going to chime in for a couple of reasons.

    The thing about not being a "morning person". Well, I'm not a "working person" either. Nor, am I a "full time dad person". I'm also not a "eat healthy and exercise everyday person". I'm also not a "save your money and buy things when you have the cash rather than just spaz out and buy whatever I want on a credit card person". Ya know? I'm not a lot of things that I do. But, I do them because I either have to, or because they are things that result in positive outcomes rather than negative ones.

    For a working full-time parent, I have found two things that work well.

    1) Either get up early before the chaos and have "me time" where you can do your workouts.
    2) Do it at night, after the chaos settles down.

    There's a third, if you have someone that can watch them so you can go straight to the gym or whatever right after work. That's a nice option, but most single full-time parents can't do that because of homework, sports, etc.

    So, given the options, I opt to get my butt out of bed early and get it done. I don't like doing it like that. If I had my way, I'd wake up around 9 or 9:30, drink coffee and screw around for an hour or two, go for a run, come home, make something to eat. Check email for a bit. Then, go take a nap. Call in to work after nap and see if they need me for anything. Hopefully not. Then, enjoy the rest of the day. Yeah, well, until I win the lotto, that aint my life.

    Re-read this and it comes off a little harsh. Sorry, I'm grumpy. But, it's meant to motivate, not to be mean.
  • Shelbert79
    Shelbert79 Posts: 517 Member
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    I go home first, work out then pick up my rugrats (I have 4!). If that doesn't work then I'll work out after I put them to bed. Good luck!
  • stacyjbaker1010
    stacyjbaker1010 Posts: 161 Member
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    I'm a full time working momma of four kids (10, 7, 6 & 6). I walk at lunch when it's nice out, ride my stationery bike in my living room at night after they've all gone to bed. I also go to Zumba twice a week. Once on Wednesday nights and once on Saturday mornings. I literally schedule it on on the calendar. It's important to me. No one can take that time from me.

    It will take some adjusting but if it's important to you, you will find the perfect solution for yourself.
  • stacyjbaker1010
    stacyjbaker1010 Posts: 161 Member
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    I was a single mom of two with a full time job and a dog. I utilized the crock pot a bit. When the kids got old enough, 6 & 12, I let them each choose a cookbook (one chose cuban and another chose all american homestyle favorites) . Each would pick a recipe out of their cookbook and I'd add the ingredients to the weekly grocery list. (actually in those days it was MONTHLY grocery list) And....in retrospect monthly worked out great! 24 hour Walmart. Two nights a week the kids cooked, then we'd have left overs two nights. This freed up the living room where I could work out for an hour and still chaperone in case the smoke alarm went off. So between the cooking day and two left over nights, freed up 4 hours of work out time. The kids have great memories of these times and still talk about it with their own kids!

    I hope this helps. It's frustrating that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done, but you can and will find a way.

    This is a great idea! I'll have to remember this for when mine are older!

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