exersize with a 2 yr old following me everywere

Cheesburgerlover

Im a stay at home mom so how do I get a variety of exercise when I have a 2 yr old toddler w/ me all the time? All I currently do is go on long brisk walks pushing him in the stroller. Sometimes I run while pushing him on the stroller but its hard to manuever when Im turning. I take him on hikes also but Im getting bored of just walking and hiking. When I try to do crunches or strength training. He gets in the way and I never finish. During his nap time is when I usually feel sleepy too so I cant do it during his naps either.

desertrat01

When my son was that age I moved my weights into the living room and I put him in a walker or one of those bouncy seats while I lifted. For sit ups I actually held him on my chest as weight. He thought it was fun.

angeldaae

Have you asked him if he'd like to try to do it with you? He might dance beside you while you follow a workout DVD.

gsmithnp

Any chance of getting in 15-20 minutes of exercise in the mornings before he wakes up? You may not be able to do large blocks of time, but every little bit helps.

Do lunges while you brush your teeth. (carefully)
Do toe-touches while picking up toys.
Kick laundy into the appropriate piles while sorting.
Dance around the living room with the kiddo.
Do five squats every time you go to the bathroom.
Do ten wall pushups while you're waiting for something to cook in the microwave/water to boil/etc
Stand on the balls of your feet for a count to 3 repeatedly every time you wash your hands.
Try getting one of those trailer things for kids that you pull behind a bicycle and go for a ride.

Add all that to the walking etc and you've got a good thing going!

hippietofugirl

I always put my 20 month old in his pack 'n play with a coloring book and some crayons while I'm working out

isabellalabella

For me I have a two year old constantly with me and I do Jillian Michael 30d shred as well as befit in 90 early in the morning before he wakes,, if however I get up late, he just tries to join in on the fun and i still get my exercise in...

Newmammaluv

Zumba for the Wii with toddlers is fun and funny LOL

Also 2 might be a little young for your area but look into a preschool or daycare co-op. Super cheap, normally only for 2-3 hours AND being a stay at home Mom you can work out on your days not volunteering and work out when you are too! It might be something to look into.

floridaboater

I lost my baby weight by taking my twins on an hour walk every day after nap...several years later I still walk but in the morning before they get up. But I do understand its difficult! Just got to fit it in when you can.

roxedy

I get up at the crack of dawn and get it done before my son wakes. He also likes following along (at least trying to) with aerobics so it is easy to keep him entertained with that if I do it after he is awake.

rebeccalray5

I have an almost 2 yr old. He will be 2 in November. If I don't get up early enough, I won't pull out my treadmill or dangerous machinery. Instead I will put on a dance workout on Netflix or Hulu and make sure I don't step on him. I utilize nap time usually and on nice days I'll load him up and we'll walk to the grocery store to get dinner. I figure a little bit is better then none!

Midnight_Sunshine

I kennel my kids when I workout.


Then again they are dogs...

lexiyoo

I have twin toddlers, I sometimes go to the YMCA where they have child watch, or while they take a nap or after they go to sleep at night! They go to bed at 8 . Sometimes, I'll get up at 6 before they get up at 7.

emnk5308

DANCE! Plaything with kids is so damn fun! Use him as a weight.. =p Put in an exercise video, maybe he'll do it with you Tell him to be your cheering squad!

WendyTerry420

When my daughter was two, she did the bouncy seat and the Johnny Jump-up. That was good for about 30 minutes. Add Barney DVD and Cheerios and I could count on an hour.

theoneandonlybrookie

I wake up before they do. It's much easier than trying to schedule it during the day, and you get some time to yourself before the day begins.

msshiraz

You know- my grandson is 2 1/2, and I always say I need to channel his energy- I teach fitness classes all week long but nothing makes me more exhausted than after he goes home, we run, chase, play all over for hours! That is not the same as a routine workout, but it will definitely give you a calorie burn- have fun with it, and I'd do the strength training during naptime or before he wakes up or after bedtime. You can do it- it takes discipline just like any other fitness challenge (for me I just cannot work out at home- but that is me)

raisingbabyk

What about at night when she goes to bed? I did the same kinds of workouts with my boy.. walking with stroller/carrier and jogging with stroller. Otherwise I did workout vids at home or ran by myself while hubby watched him.

carrieo888

A friend of mine has a 3 yr old (which does make a difference in activity level) and she simply follows HIM around and does everything he does. She says she's usually exhausted after 30 minutes of running, jumping, swinging, dancing, playing, playing and more playing. I've heard of this from more than one fitness guru, too. :-)

Restybaby2012

I dont have a 2 year old child to work around but I do have a 4 leg kid that loves working with me. Her name is Killer and it's her pic over there
<~~~~~ Its hysterical how she intertwines between my legs and dashes back and forth...she watches every move.

Anyway...sorry I derailed your thread. Stand strong and I wish you much success in this endeavor.

Cheesburgerlover

Thanks for all the good advice and feedback people.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I wish I could still put mine in a stroller on some days, LOL!

My 4 and 7 year old serenade me with a cacophony of "why? what? how come? what for? why? can i?" while I'm trying to exercise... :laugh: I love the little monkeys anyway.

I've found I have to wait until hubby is home, and then I exercise after supper. Not ideal, but it's the only thing working for me at the moment.

NovemberJune

Other than walks and hikes, I can't exercise with my 2 year old. He just runs all around me and climbs on me
I did over a year exercising after the kids are in bed. I recently started going to the gym during my lunch breaks at work. I think you'll have to either do it before he gets up, during nap, or after he goes to bed.

The post that suggests putting a 2 year old in a bouncy seat or walker made me laugh!

ccckwalk

I totally have a 2 year old too. It is difficult some days she is all about getting her weights and jumps (I am a Jillian Michaels fan) other days she is not going to be happy with me if I am not giving her all my attention. I love having her get involved even if it means I have to stop a few times. She weights 30 pounds sometimes I will pick her up for lunges, hops, (which to be safe are calf raises) and when it is ab time she crawls all over me which is actually harder. I do the girl pushups because she is always on top riding me like a pony when in pushup position. Just holding plank for the same time with a wiggly toddler is tough enough. When you guys are playing on the floor you can do leg lifts, super mans, streches....or just wake up early.
I get workouts in when she is napping I push through the grogginess and do what I can do with the free time. I try to get 5-6 days in. I have a treadmill so that does make it a bit easier. But I don't use it when she is awake. good luck, remember they grow up quick. My 6 year old says "mom aren't you going to workout" or "mom go work out " which is pretty amazing!
Ah, moms of toddlers! ~Corina

earthsember

Set up some toys in the room with you, act really excited about exercise and how it's "how mommy plays!" and see if your kiddo will play with his/her toys while you play with your exercise stuff. I did 30DS, Ripped in 30, and am now doing Insanity. My 2.5yr old tends to watch, join in on her favorite moves, she'll sometimes request certain videos "Can we do the one where Jillian Micheals is in the blue bra????" (ripped in 30), etc. Make it seem really exciting!

vivianahm

I have a 3 and a 5 year old (who were 2 and 4 when I began working out). I work out with them following me around or participating with me. I do a stationary bike and I make them play up on the couch we have on that room, so that they won't get in the way of the pedals, or I do exercise videos (30 day shred) and they do them along with me with weights made of Lego.
If it doesn't work (because they're sick or whiny or whatever) I just work out after they go to sleep, no matter how tired I am. Because I am always tired, I decided not to use that excuse... there will never be a day I'll be so rested that I'll rather work out than go to sleep.
Thay don't take naps anymore and they do go to school, but I go to work while they're at school, so I've had to figure out ways to work out with them, and they've come to understand it. "Don't go bother mommy, she's at the bike now"

BlueJean4114

^photo is too small, but THAT stroller has a way the jogger has hands free, is IN some type of harness thingie.




or, just FOLLOW that two year old around!! hee hee!


or, get together with other parents, one watches the kiddos,
other ones exercise,
then swap turns.

or, set the child up with something to do,
and reward him for doing whatever for however your child can pay att'n, reward can be going somewhere, playing his favorite game, read him a book, chasing him around, whatever.
and after a while,
maybe the child will get routine, "ohhh, i do this here PLayDoh for 20 minutes, and mom will take me to the park! cool!"

jenluvsushi

I have been a single parent for the last 8 months to my DD who will be 2 next month and it has been very challenging (hubby is away on business except most weekends).....what I have done is I get a sitter one week night a week when she is asleep so I can go lift. I've also taken her for several walks (when weather permits), we do a fitness DVD together (she loves to dance) or I work out after she goes to bed with kettlebells. I also work full time....if there is a will, there is a way. Best of luck!

LowFatMama

I'm assuming your little one takes a nap around mid day or so. That's a good time to get one in. If you don't have any work out videos, there are tons of websites you can look up at home workouts with out having equiptment. also YOUTUBE has lots of videos to work out to. BodyRock.com is a website that has tons of at home work out ideas.....if alls fails, have your baby do it with you:) i have my 3 year old...she likes to try to work out with me for fun

InsaneReidy

Sounds like a workout on its own!
LOL

darias_mommy

once I did a leg video a home and accidentally kicked my 2 year old son across the room! I TOLD him not to stand there. it's still a funny story! he was fine, BTW.

tvanhooser

You could try turning it into a game that you can do together. I recently did something like for my 10 year old daughter who needs to stop gaining weight until her height catches up with her! I picked a show she likes to watch that they have on Netflix instant play that has lots of catch phrases and off repeated lines and made her a chart that associated each one with a particular exercise. So for instance every time the theme song plays she does 10 jumping jacks. For another line she has to jump rope 20 times and so on. In between times the rule is she has to keep moving and not sit down. I know a two-year old can't read yet but you could make the list for yourself and narrate it for him as you go along. Say if he likes "Blue's Clues" for instance, every time Joe finds a clue you could do windmills or squat punches or jumping jacks. Anything you like....that way you are both exercising and he is getting a good example from a young age while still spending quality time with mommy....all of which are invaluable investments of time!