Any working Mommas trying to find time to exercise?

Yilsip

Hi Everyone,

I just joined this community. I'm 37, mother of a toddler and a preschooler, working full time with lots of day-to-day stress.
I have never been comitted to any excecise program or diet and have now decided to give it a go!
I'm looking to make some fitness friends here, get some tips on staying fit and eating healthy, mostly, I would like to meet positive Mommas and others trying to meet their weight goals.

Life is hectic and stressful around here, I mostly feel like I need to take it one day at a time and hope for the best. Hope to make some new friends, I am a pessimistic, sarcastic, funny girl trying to get her groove back! ;-) Come say hi!

EmlyUPitt02

I too am a mother of a 3 year old son and a 1 year old daughter who works full time. My husband and I work opposite shifts to cut the cost of child care. I also commute 1 hr to get to my job, so I leave the house at 3PM and get back at 1AM. When do I have the time to exercise?! I'm trying to work up the motivation to work out when I get home for 30 mins to 1 hr by using an exercise DVD. That way it won't interfere with the little time I have with the kids. It will just interfere with my sleep

Anywhoo, here is to hoping we both can find the time, motivation, and ultimately have it all!

Yilsip

I hear ya Momma! I am now working 9am-6pm and by the time I get home (7pm, also have a 1 hr train commute) it's plyatime for 30 min, dinner, bath, and bed. My 2 year old will never go down before 9pm, my 3 yr old is a special needs kid (Autism) and has never gone to bed by herself, so I stay in her room holding her hand until about 9:30pm. Once I clean up a bit it's 10pm and I am in bed.
I am honestly overwhelmed and find no me time. When the heck does one find time to exercise?!
Hoping we get motivated and work a miracle :-)

akamom704

Hi. I'm so happy to see these posts. I just signed up today (July 9) and I'd LOVE some advice too. I wake at 5am daily and don't get home until about 7pm and just like you, I also have to help my 2 yr old to sleep as she can't go by herself due to her needs. So the people who say wake up early or do it after the kids are in bed, don't really get my scenario. I have NO time for myself and neither does my husband. We run CONSTANTLY and still don't get the basics done until we absolutely have no choice (wash clothes but never put them away just pull them out of the basket as needed, etc). We work full-time and that is an understatement plus have two small children. I don't even watch tv. Listen to snipets of news in the car driving to work. The only reason I had time to sign up for this website was because I'm at work (doubt that I should but I have to try something).

So I was so happy to hear two other Moms in my situation who can understand, because most don't. I eat "ok" but I cannot workout. The last time I worked out, was about a month ago. Was able to leave work early (never happens) and started my video at home but had to stop and go get kids from daycare. My 6 yr old was doing the video with me but my 2 yr old kept turning the tv off - that ended workout time. So I hope we can find some solution or else just focus on food consumption.

eireanngobrach23

I have an infant son and I work 3-11 most of the time, sometimes 7-3, and I've just lost track of my weight. I've added on the the baby weight I had and now I really need to lose it because I want to be able to keep up with my son. I bought an elliptical machine and I'm trying to use that 1/2 an hour a day. It's been hard though.

HeavyLiftGirl

It isn't easy, but I manage. I have an 11 mo old daughter and a 4 yr old son. Here is what I do:
Once the baby goes to sleep (usually by 7pm), I do the Jillian Michael's "Trouble Zones" video or I go for a run. That is about the only way I can do it. My husband watches my older son, and it makes fitness possible for me.

However-- if he isn't home or is working late, I have to wait until 8:30p when my older son goes to bed, and then I workout.

DefyGravity1977

I have three kids: 15, 10 next month, and 5. I work from home so finding time to work out is crucial. I usually get up at 5:00 a.m. to work out before the kids get up and then have my evenings free (unless working) with the kids. My youngest will start full day kindergarten in August so it will get a bit easier. On M/T/F I do 40 to 70 minutes of Zumba and then 30 minutes of Wii Cardio boxing. On W/Th, I do a 2 hour bike ride because those are the days my husband is home from working third shift at the new casino in our area. I also just started the Body By Vi shakes just as a matter of nutrition and convenience, especially during the summer when the kids are home eating junk.

Im_NotPerfect

Yep! I'm there with ya...I'm 35 with a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old. I tend to get up at 5:00 am while my husband is still home to do my runs. It's kinda nice though because I get them done and over with during the coolest part of the day!

senyosmom

Same boat!

I have an 18 month old son, I work full time and go to school part time. Where does the time go????

Sometimes I just have to put my son in the stroller and walk him to get any exercise. Only works for about 30 minutes before he is protesting being stuck in the stroller. Also (and I know its hard) if you can find even 10 minutes the TV (we have Comcast and On Demand has a fitness section) has tons of 10 minutes, 20 minute and half hour workouts.

Good luck fellow mommies!

hsimpson7681

It can be such a challenge to find the time, I have one 16 year old (who thinks I am a taxi) and a 2 year old. I average about 50 hrs a week working, but also travel for work quite a bit. I count on my husband to watch my son so that I can work out, which really means I get up super early while they are still both asleep. I don't work weekends, so I try to get my most time consuming work outs (long run) in on Saturdays and Sundays.

If I cannot get anything else in I will play dance central on Kinects, fitness mode and my son does it with me and then some pushups, situps and squats. "20 ups" are a great work out that you can usually do with kiddos (1 squat, 1 situp, 2 squats, 2 situps, all the way up to 20, and then count back down).

I have accepted that my house may be a little messier so that I can look and feel healthier.

BringingSherriBack

I am a 38 year old mother of an 8 year old daughter. I work full-time 7-3:30 with a 45 minute commute each way. My husband works 3:30-12 so we don't see much of each other either, but that also leaves me with all the evening responsibilites (he does all the morning ones for our daughter though and during summer she is with him all day until he drops her off at the sitter so he can go to work). I am up at 5 am to get ready for work and leaving by 6:15 at the very lastest. Then after work (can't ever get out at 3:30 either) so it is usually about 4:30 by the time I get to the sitter's to get my daughter. Then it's home, helping with homework while making dinner, dinner, cleaning and laundry while she showers and get her stuff ready for the next day. During the summer, it is easier to fit in exercise since we don't have homework every evening and she can stay up later since she doesn't have to be up early for school. But during the summer she plays softball so most evenings are tied up with practices and games. If they are just practicing, I will walk around the fields at the park (we have a 1/4 mile path around the softball and T-ball fields) while they practice. If we have a free Monday, Wednesday or Friday evening, I go to Zumba. Luckily my instructor doesn't mind if you bring older children that can behave and they can either sit do their own thing (play video games or listen to music or whatever) or join in.
Now that ball season is over for the summer, I am taking a kick boxing class twice a week on Thursday night and Saturday morning. My daughter goes with me on Thursday night (this instructor doesn't mind either) and she can stay home and sleep in on Saturday morning because her daddy is there.
So right now I am kick boxing twice a week, trying to get to Zumba once or twice and trying to get a walk or bike ride with my daughter a couple evenings a week as well. I have exercise videos that I can do if all else fails and my daughter will even join in doing them. Too bad I'm not a big exercise video person. I would rather attend the live classes as it is more motivational to me.
It is hard when you have children to care for, household duties to deal with and work full-time outside the home. And it's even harder for those of you with little ones.
Maybe you can take walks and push them in their strollers when the weather is decent and possibly do an exercise video after you get them to bed??? Are the dad's there where they can help so you can have time to exercise by yourself sometimes? You just have to make the time and find something that fits your schedule and works for you whether you have to get up earlier to do it or do it after the kids go to bed.
Good luck everyone.

gettinthere

I am 37 as well and have 3 kids, 2 boys 12 and 15 and 1 daughter that is 5. I work full time Monday to Friday from 8:30-4:30 and my kids are involved in all kinds of activities.

My husband works shift work but he is very understanding of my workout time. He now knows that I am a much better person if I get exercise....which makes it much better for everyone around me! hahaha

I work out on my lunch hour usually. I am very lucky and am allowed to eat at my desk, so I eat a snack around 11 and then head to the gym down the street at noon and work out for 40 minutes and then head back to the office. I am usually sweaty but I reapply my deodorant and a little body spray and I don't really care what my hair is doing by then.

When my kids are doing their sports in the evenings I will walk around the streets while I wait for them. In the evening I will take my dog for a quick run/walk for 20-30 minutes. When we are at home I have some hand weights and I will stand and do a few set of bicep curls. I do sit ups and push ups during commercials. I take my kids swimming and will do squats around the pool and it just looks like I"m jumping around! lol

Feel free to add me for added support, I am always open to more friends in the same situation!
Cheers

lad323

Good luck to you and everyone else. I am also a working mom of a soon to be kindergartener. I have found that the only way I can fit a workout in is at work. I will do 15 minutes of cardio (treadmill or elliptical) at lunch and then another 15 minutes (cardio or weighs) at the end of the day. I don’t have the time for long workouts so I just push myself as fast as I can for the few minutes I do have. On the weekend I do something similar. I try to take a 15-20 minute walk first thing in the morning before everyone else is awake. Also try to make play time include a physical activity. I know my daughter loves to play chase or race mommy. I hope you can find what works for you and your family. .

snalitt

I have 2 kids and am at work or traveling there from 7:30a-7pm. I found that the JillianMichaels 30 Day shred is really good for gettting a daily workout in. It only runs about 27 minutes and i do it in my bedroom at 5:30am. It is a really good quick workout that works out the whole body.

tnkitty

I agree, it's really tough to find the time! The Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is great for packing in a good workout in a short time. I also enjoy Chris Freytag's workouts. Check out her 10 Pound Slimdown series.

jcamby

I'm about to turn 35 with 2 kids (5 and 2)....the only time I find to workout is when the kids go to bed (around 8:30PM) I'm definitely not a morning person (ugh!) so the nighttime is the best for me! Yo can do it! I also love Walk Away the Pounds videos, Jillian Michaels too!

tsizeland34

It's very difficult to stay motivated because once you stop going for a while, it's hard to jump back on the exercise treadmill routine. I'm 38 yrs, recently divorced, working full-time with two children (12 and 9). The only time I have to go to the gym is the two days a week during the time they spend with their Father. Also, that's my free time which makes it that much more challenging to get my tail in there and sweat a little. Luckily, there are a few ladies at work that have joined my gym and we try to go during lunch just to walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes. That is a huge help. Good luck to you!

beccarockslife

I get up early, sleep is for the weak right? LOL

I work shifts so I'm either out late or up early. I don't really watch TV, I just put it right to the bottom of the pile of anything. Exercise is my down time.

Isaanne

Mom of 2 boys 10 and 6. I work FT but also have the ability to work from home in the early mornings, evenings and weekend since it is a global company and I need to be online.

The only way I can do it is to get up at 5 to hit the gym (nearby) for an hour workout each morning. This is new and I had to get over thinking how hard it would be to get up that early and change our morning routine.

I am loving it so far because I get my workouts in and it feels great but there are definitely kinks to work out in the morning routine!

Vercell

You can add me I am a mother of 4 kids 16,13,11,7 I also work full time also. I no about hectic but one thing I have learned working out is just for me so, I make it my duty to get in 6 days a week some form of working out it does help with stress. Good luck with your journey it will be well worth it.

Vercell

I am 37 as well and have 3 kids, 2 boys 12 and 15 and 1 daughter that is 5. I work full time Monday to Friday from 8:30-4:30 and my kids are involved in all kinds of activities.

My husband works shift work but he is very understanding of my workout time. He now knows that I am a much better person if I get exercise....which makes it much better for everyone around me! hahaha

I work out on my lunch hour usually. I am very lucky and am allowed to eat at my desk, so I eat a snack around 11 and then head to the gym down the street at noon and work out for 40 minutes and then head back to the office. I am usually sweaty but I reapply my deodorant and a little body spray and I don't really care what my hair is doing by then.

When my kids are doing their sports in the evenings I will walk around the streets while I wait for them. In the evening I will take my dog for a quick run/walk for 20-30 minutes. When we are at home I have some hand weights and I will stand and do a few set of bicep curls. I do sit ups and push ups during commercials. I take my kids swimming and will do squats around the pool and it just looks like I"m jumping around! lol

Feel free to add me for added support, I am always open to more friends in the same situation!
Cheers

lauren3382

I have a 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son and work full-time in a pretty high stress, intense job in a typical corporate setting. I work from my office two days a week and work from home 3 days a week. I work out during my lunch breaks and on weekends. It's so hard to motivate myself to work out during lunch, but it's really my only option since it's important to me that I keep my nights open to spend time with my husband and kids. It surely is a challenge to balance all the responsibilities of being a mom, wife, homemaker, and employee.

Vercell

I am 37 as well and have 3 kids, 2 boys 12 and 15 and 1 daughter that is 5. I work full time Monday to Friday from 8:30-4:30 and my kids are involved in all kinds of activities.

My husband works shift work but he is very understanding of my workout time. He now knows that I am a much better person if I get exercise....which makes it much better for everyone around me! hahaha

I work out on my lunch hour usually. I am very lucky and am allowed to eat at my desk, so I eat a snack around 11 and then head to the gym down the street at noon and work out for 40 minutes and then head back to the office. I am usually sweaty but I reapply my deodorant and a little body spray and I don't really care what my hair is doing by then.

When my kids are doing their sports in the evenings I will walk around the streets while I wait for them. In the evening I will take my dog for a quick run/walk for 20-30 minutes. When we are at home I have some hand weights and I will stand and do a few set of bicep curls. I do sit ups and push ups during commercials. I take my kids swimming and will do squats around the pool and it just looks like I"m jumping around! lol

Feel free to add me for added support, I am always open to more friends in the same situation!
Cheers

Vercell

Wow I love your post on how you get your workout in great ideas, add me please.

Dupier

I too work a fulltime job and have commitments outside my home preventing me from getting time to exercise. I have a sister in a longterm nursing facility. I try to go 4 nights a week to spend time with her. Recently, I discovered I could take the time talking with her and push her outside in her wheelchair. I burn approx. 300 calories pushing her for approx. 30 minutes. She loves getting to spend time outside and I find she is willing to talk more openly with me. For those with young children, pushing them in a stroller would be alternative or better yet, volunteer at a facility.

orishp

I have a 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son and work full-time in a pretty high stress, intense job in a typical corporate setting. I work from my office two days a week and work from home 3 days a week. I work out during my lunch breaks and on weekends. It's so hard to motivate myself to work out during lunch, but it's really my only option since it's important to me that I keep my nights open to spend time with my husband and kids. It surely is a challenge to balance all the responsibilities of being a mom, wife, homemaker, and employee.

I do this as well, is the only ME time I have. I am a mom of a 4 yr old girl and a 15 month old boy. I work out 40-45 min during lunch time, take a quick shower and then eat at my desk. Also on the weekends, DH and I sort of take turns to go workout.

I have always been a lazy person, but somehow, I am not sure exactly how, this time it clicked and I am finding myself working out 5-6 days/week, I am hoping it stays like that, I am really loving it!.

RobynMWilson

I'm not a biological momma but I was a stepmom for many years with joint custody, a job as an Operations Manager at Commerce Bank working minimally 50hrs per week plus a clean freak whose kitchen floor you could eat off of at any time so when I decided to lose weight I had gained during a failed pregnancy back in 1996, I started getting up at 4:30a to be working out by 5a because I knew if I left it for nighttime, it would never happen and I wanted it THAT BADLY! I work out at home which saves A LOT of time and is convenient at 5am. I've been working out ever since!!

Josie_lifting_cats

I am a mom to a two and three (almost four!) year old. I am self-employed as a "contracting" employee, and work all day every day. Literally. I struggle to find the time to work out a lot! I can totally relate!

Jennimoon215

When my children were younger it was difficult to find time to exercise, I totally understand what you all are saying. I was too exhausted to get up at 5 am to exercise. I am finally back into a routine now that they are older. When they were younger, I felt that I needed to get in a " full routine" in order to feel like I exercised. For now, do what you can and do not beat yourself up. I now have a jump rope and I skip a few minutes here and there when I can not get to the gym. I also do jumping jacks. Make do with what you have for now and doing a little is better than none. Get some resistance bands, they are inexpensive and you can do something at home with those. I may not get a full out "workout" while I am at home. But by busting out a few jumping jacks or jumping rope , I can get my heart rate up, break a sweat and feel a little better. Good luck to you all.

julslea

I am a mom to a 3 year old girl. I work full time from 7:30-4:30 with a half hour commute each way. My husband works 4-midnight so we never see each other during the week. When I get home from work I change into my workout clothes and then go pick up my daughter from daycare and then go straight to the Y...I do that Monday-Thursday and on Friday I try to do a workout DVD at home. It is not always easy to fine the time/energy but once I got into the routine of going to the gym I can't stand if I have to miss a day.

pallen84

Hey ladies!

I'm on a very similar boat. I work full time at a desk job, have a 2 year old, and I'm also a wife - where's ME time?!

I have actually found great joy in indoor cycling (spinning). I recently got my certification and began teaching classes - I now teach 5 times a week on top of my regular job!

I will say, that by having that commitment there of teaching those classes or signing up for the classes has held me accountable. Every cycling class I teach I burn around 500 calories. If you commit to those 3x a week, you'll be burning 1500 calories a week - which is awesome!

Since we're constantly on the go, I highly recommend some sort of protein shake or meal replacement. It's easy, nutritious, and you'll see great results on top of your workouts - this is how I lost most of the 48lbs I gained throughout pregnancy. I got so into it I actually became a coach for BeachBody (the makers of P90X). If you need nutritional guidance, or any kind of motivation, feel free to hit me up! I love this part of my life because not only does it keep me healthy, it keeps me sane! Beachbody also has a ton of good workouts you can do at home if at home works better for you. There are many options, so feel free to ask any questions about any of the programs - some require almost nothing except yourself!

If you have any questions regarding nutrition or the workout programs, I'd love to help you out!! It's really tough, but you can find the time to do it, even if you only have 25mins a day that you can dedicate to it!