When do you find time to workout w/ having busy kids???

bushidowoman

For me personally, I think a big part of getting it done is that I have assigned it a place of high priority in my life, and I also really like the workouts I do. I look forward to them rather than dreading them.

I look at it the same as...would I skip showering/brushing my teeth/fixing my hair/getting dressed *every day* because I am too busy? Yes, there have been days as an exhausted mother when I've had a hard time squeezing these things in, but those days are due to extreme circumstances. So are the days when I truly don't have the time to exercise. And exercise really is as important to my well-being as the rest of my morning routine. I refer to it as "my happy pill". It keeps me off medication and out of doctors' offices. It makes me calm, relaxed, focused, and energetic in the face of all I'm expected to accomplish in a day.

So once I assigned it as top priority, I figured it was best for me to work it into my morning routine, before getting into the shower. I can get a good, solid workout done in 15 minutes if I have to. Most days, I am able to take 30 minutes. But I started out in the beginning saying that I was just going to do *something* every single day, even if it's just a warm-up. (After the warm-up, I always want to do more. ) That mindset got me going, and it turned into a habit.

My workouts are all done at home. I have a set of dumbbells in my bedroom that I lift 3x week (and I fold a couple pieces of laundry while resting between sets so that it's done by the time my workout is done). I practice martial arts at home also, but there are plenty of other cardio exercises I can do in the house or the yard with the kids--wii, dancing, walking, bikes, jumping rope or other calisthenics...

LindsayE007

I go to a local gym after work with a co-worker three times a week. I need the accountability. I would like to become one of those morning runners because I have mom guilt about being away from my kids. I figure an early morning jog while they're sleeping would give me some guilt-free "me" time. I haven't been successful with this plan though.

This. I only work 2 days a week now but I have such Mommy guilt going to the gym the days I work. I have 3 kids ages 7, 5, and 2. I used to hate running in the mornings but I have gotten where I like the quiet and love the feeling of getting my workout in before the day even starts. The days I don't work I have an awesome gym that has childcare. 2 kids are in school and I only have to take 1 and I don't feel guilty about that. We have all day together and he has lots of little friends he has fun with at they gym. I have just made it a priority.

_Cheyanne_

I lift from 12a to 1a, after work, kids get me up by 7, gets me about 5 hours of sleep.............for years i talked myself into sleeping instead because i "needed" that more than the exercise..........now i do the opposite. I will sleep when I'm dead.

WOW. i commend you. if i don't get my workout in during the day, i usually have no choice but to do it after my 11 month old goes to bed at night. by that time, sleep is much more appealing. but you have a great point

DisneyAddictRW

Early morning workouts while they are sleeping or we have a family fun night. Just dance wii games or a walk together is our favorite things,.

boomboom011

i work out during my lunch hour and on the weekends.
one thing i have found is that my kids love love love to work out with me. i take my 12 year old daughter to zumba on wed and sat and she loves it. we get in some bonding time and a good workout.
sometimes i just turn on the tunes and we have a dance off. 30 minutes has gone by before you know it and we are a couple of sweating fools

in my house my kids eat what we cook. they hardly complain. now they try to get us to go out all the time and thats my biggest struggle is taking the time to cook. get them involved in that too.

btw i am a married mother of 2. i have a 2 hour commute everyday. my husband travels a bit and we get about 48 hour notice that he is leaving.

i told a girlfriend of mine that was IM-ing me on FB "how do you find time to workout? im super busy,etc." i said "if you have time to FB then you have time to workout". I didnt mean it ugly but its the truth.

P.S. you have your hands full! Dont give up. You can do this.

christenwypy

My kids are getting bigger (8 and 4) so this week with them on Spring break I say "Mom needs to work out for an hour." They have to play on their own during that time. Sometimes I cannot get to it til they go to bed at night with the running around to activities and homework. Sometimes I get lucky and wake up early so I have 30 minutes before they get up. Sometimes we go to a park with a track that I walk around and then they can play.

I have not had any big results yet either. But I know I have to do this for my health so I am trying to not get attached to the outcomes of it but just trying to take it one day at a time, kind of like an addict deals with addictio- just make it through today within my calorie and exercise goal and not look beyond that.

LeanerBeef

Find the time....time won't find you.

Jen16226

It is hard isn't it? It's more that guilt we feel than anything else I think.....or at least for me it is.


I work full time, my husband is on the road for work and really only scheduled home from Labor day to Memorial day with a few days here and there during the other months, we have a blended family of 5 kids (20, 17, 14, 14 and 10). The 4 younger are ALL in sports year round.

I realize I am new on here, but I have recommitted myself to being healthy and have done it in the past and this is what works for me.
When hubby is on the road, the crockpot is my best friend. No matter the weather, you can make anything in that!
So I get home from work, check homework change and then have to usually take the youngest one to a practice(the older ones fields are closer or at the HS around the corner..they can walk). Once I drop him at practice that usually lasts 2 hours, I run up to the YMCA and get my workout on.
Then home to eat. Apparently with baseball/softball games coming up, I will have to really start scheduling my workouts.

When my hubby is off the road for the summer(he then does all the cooking) and the ball season is really in full swing, I get up at 5, get my workout clothes on, grab my bag that I packed the night before and head to the YMCA and get the workout done in the morning so I have no excuse not to get it done later. I am able to shower there and head straight to work after.

Nikki582

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/04/12/playground-workout/
More ways to find time rather than finding excuses.

LenaMena87

Find the time....time won't find you.

You're amazing for this!!!!!!!!


I work out when I get my son off to school...usually 7am...on weekends and breaks usually in the afternoons and he joins me.

robot_potato

When and if they sleep, or include them in the workout. Mine are 7 and 3, i work nightshifts and still find time to work out. If it's important to you you will find a way.

dcgonz

I also work full time and have a three year old. I get up at 4:00am and workout. I rather like the time by myself and no one bothers me. I make sure my son eats what I do so no making special meals unless I have a salad, he's kinda young for that! :laugh:

Diana

jwkime

I have 3 kids under the age of six and work full time, plus have a husband that works nights. 4 a.m. is the time I fit my workouts in, if I wait until the end of the day, I find too many excuses (tired, laundry, work, etc) to blow it off. I started AM workouts last spring and actually feel guilty missing them now. It takes a while to make the habit, but once you do, you won't regret it.

kaymd

I am a SAHM mom of 4 ages 11, 6, 4 and 4 months. They keep me very busy. I work out 20-30 minutes everyday on my treadmill. My older three know I need to do that one thing for me everyday. Even when my baby is fussy, if I put him in the treadmill next to me it usually puts him to sleep or he just watches me and I workout. If you want it bad enough you will find the time.

Temple_Fit

I lucky to be a stay at home mom w/ all the kids in school so I workout after I send them off to school. However, when I was working I would go to the gym at 5:30am while everyone was still in bed or I would go to the gym after I put the kids to bed. If that doesn't work get yourself some dumb bells, an exercising ball, and a Julian Micheal's workout dvd, lock yourself in your room and workout.

twseast

Visalis