Other working moms.. how do you do it?

shoniej

Looking for any advice and any support from other moms who have already lost the weight or are looking to lose the weight!! How did you do it? Share any tips you may have

HelenDootson

I stopped buying rubbish treats for the kids and now just buy shed loads of fruit - Better for all of us.
I bulk cook and freeze portion size meals too
My friends swear by a slow cooker, for healthy meals that are ready when you get home.

gixychick

Hi, If you visity body building.com or JNL page she has a special section on post pregnancy and fitting a workout in to your day with kids and a family

michellesz

I drop my daughter off at daycare around 7:10 Monday thru Friday. Work from 7:30-4:00 or so. Get to the gym around 4:20/4:30a and do 30 minutes of stairstepper/cardio and 30 minutes of strength training daily. Pick my daughter up about 5:30 or so. Head home and eat a sensible dinner. Try to never eat anything left over from her plate. Ha ha. Maybe try to even get in a walk with her in the stroller a few times in the evening. Do what you can. My daughter is 3 1/2, but when she was younger, I would even exercise while she was in her bouncer or playpen while doing exercises in my living room. Whatever you can fit it. This site is wonderful. Log everything for accountability, eat sensible (plan your meals), follow the plan and do the exercises that you can do and drink lots of water. I hope this helps. On the weekends, it depends. Sometimes I ride the stationery bike first this in the morning or take her to day care at the gym there and take a class or work out. Sunday/no day care is usually indoor exercises and maybe a walk. A good rest or recovery day. Now that its summer. A little time in the pool. Good luck.

JediSwan

I am trying really hard to put my workouts in the mornings before the kids get up and I have to get ready for work. It works really well. I get my P90X in, then do the normal day stuff and when I get home, I take the kids and go for a walk, play, etc. I get my me time and then time with then without interrupting their time with me with my work outs. I plan meals ahead of time if I can. I also stopped buying junk and we all eat healthier now. We still buy chips on occasion or something like that for the weekend but for the most part, its all fruit and veggies for snacks. Slow cooker is a savior on really busy nights. So far so good. Good luck to you!

byebyeluvhandles

It was a lot harder for me to get my workouts done with the kids school/athletic events. Now that the kids are out of school, it's ME time. I know that sounds harsh, but I have to do things for myself.

Once I get off of work, I pick up the kids from the summer program and I change to my workout clothes and get started. I find that if I don't workout as soon as I get home, I will find/make excuses.

I also try to make at least 2 slow cooker meals a week, so that helps w/dinner.

It can be done! Good luck!

ShanaGore

1. I use my lunch break at work for my exercise time. This helps in 2 ways, it ensures I exercise at least 4 days a week (I save one day to run errands). And because I will be working out, I have to pack my lunch and I am much more likely to pack a healthy low calorie lunch in the morning, where if I went out to pick up lunch during my lunch break it would be mostly be high calorie junk!

2. Plan, Plan, Plan! When I have nothing planned for dinner, when I am coming home from work, it is too easy and too convenient to stop and pick up pizza or other unhealthy options. Moms are so busy in the evening between running kids to basketball practice, dance class, scouts, ect. Some nights I leave work, pick the kids up and head off to activities and we don't get home until 8 pm at night. I keep healthy snacks in the car and in my purse to hold myself and the kids over. If I know it will be rough night, I make sandwiches in the morning and leave in the fridge or make a salad or something like that. Use the crock pot. If we cook on the grill on Sunday afternoon (which we do often) I grill lots of extra meat so I can just reheat Mon-Wed evening and add steamed veggies or salad for a healthy meal.

3. Squeeze in extra exercise where you can. When I am sitting at the baseball field, I walk around the field instead of sitting in a lawn chair watching practice or games. Same thing at swim lessons, I walk laps around the pool while my kids are swimming. When I have meetings for work that are across campus, I walk instead of drive. On the rare evenings that we are actually at home, we go for a walk as a family. The kids groaned at first that walking was boring, but we play games, look for things, make up stories whatever, and they now look forward to it. My kids are 8 and 12 and both jog with me many evenings.
Some mornings if I am really motivated, I will get up and go walking/jogging before everyone wakes up, but I know if your kids are really small of if your husband is not home, that is not always possible.

I have lost 15 lbs so far and will continue to lose more. I work 40+ hours a week. It is tough some days, but it is doable with some creativity. Just remember, there will be day here and there, where someone is sick or schedule gets messed up, don't let it discourage you, just get back on track and keep at it! You have to find what works for you to get in the exercise, and even 3o min a day is awesome!!