busy mom needs help!

karensoxfan

I'm another working mom who's made it a habit to get up @ 5 and work out for an hour before anyone else is out of bed. I made excuses about "no time" for years, and I've been pleasantly surprised that it's actually easier to get up early (on days that I have no choice but to skip the gym, it's HARDER for me to get up & going later now).

flslp87

I have 4 kids and work so I totally have this problem. During school what I've had to do is my husband takes my daughters to school (twins) and then while my son who is in 8th is getting ready for school, I exercise for 45-50 min then run him to the bus stop. Then I come home and shower and go do my job (I do home care therapy) and am done in time to pick up my daughters at school and start the homework and after school sports cycle.....makes it easy to get my 10K steps a day but for much else, very hard.

DesignGrrl

I'm not a mom, but I just got an email from SparkPeople about busy moms and exercise...

---


Do you feel more like a chauffeur than a parent? We all know that exercise is important for us to stay healthy, but between cooking, cleaning up, budgeting, homework help, and—oh, yeah—sleep, who has the time?

Next time you feel too busy to exercise, try squeezing it in to your schedule with these tips.

During Drive Time
Try some isometric exercises: Squeeze your glutes, contract your abs, and work your calves by raising your legs up on your toes at red lights. Park far from your destination so you have to walk farther. Arrive early to your event, if possible, to allow time for a brisk walk.

At Programs, Practices, and Games
Walk around the facility before or after the event; look for chances to combine a class or activity with those of your children. For example, take aerobics while your daughter has basketball practice at the YMCA.

While Keeping House
Shop at big stores where there’ll be lots of walking; do meal prep and cleanup with a little music and dancing. Clean to music, and shun some of your labor saving devices (like remotes). When doing yard work, keep moving! Use your leg and glute muscles (instead of your back) to shovel, rake, move dirt, etc.

When doing laundry, do squats to pick up unfolded laundry from the basket, and take fitness breaks during homework time, such as stretching or jumping rope for a few minutes. (Your kids will love it too!) Become your dog’s best friend—most dogs are always ready to play or go on a walk!

For Play Dates
Keep in mind the old adage that children live what they learn. If you don't want your kids to be couch potatoes, be a good example. Walk to the library for story hour; plan regular play times at the park or pool; when snow keeps you home, go play in it. By making physical activity fun, you'll lay the foundation for your kids to have healthy, active lives. What’s more, you’ll rediscover that activity can be fun—not just another item to check off your grown-up list!

LauriesTrying2BeFit

i am a mom of 3 young kiddies 4,2, 1 and pregnant with 4, so i am very busy! my eldest just started school so i get in some exercise walking to collect him daily. but my main exercise is insanity that i do every morning while the kids are still in bed. i wake an hour before they do and do the routine. i also go to a zumba class on a monday night at 7pm so my partner watches kids while i do that and im starting swimming thursday nights also 7pm so again my partner will watch kids. i walk lots tho, as i have a 2yr old and 1yr old i have a double pushchair so we go for long walks weekly and i sometimes get the kids involved with dance games on the wii. all the exercise adds up and i usually burn around 400cals a day from my HRM. i have lost 65lbs since the birth of my third and im now maintaining this. no gain so far but im only very early into this pregnancy and dont plan on changing my routine at all!

AsellusReborn

The best thing that worked for me was to get up early. I get up at 5AM and either go for a run or pop in a Jillian Michaels DVD.

That way it's done and out of the way before anyone else in the house even wakes up.

Prior to that, I would walk a few miles at a track on my lunch break.

My solution. And it probably sounds as horribke to you as it did to me when I started, but the honest reality is that until I decided to prioritize it I was never going to find time - until you really want it, until it's as big a priority as the rest of the day, it's just too easy to put off. I finally realized the only way I was going to get in shape is if I made it as much a priority and part of my necessary daily routine as doing other bodily maintenance things like eating and drinking. I realize that sounds sort of...harsh, but for me it was very true - I never consistently did it before because it was only a sort of priority. It was too easy for other things to win against in in that kind of competition.