Full time parents - how do you exercise?!?!

tanyakay87

I have my daughter 5 days a week and I struggle to find time on those days to exercise.

My little one is full on, she wakes up before me and usually falls asleep after me. If I exercise during the day, I have to take a shower which usually involves her trying to get in with me and gets soaked. It's not a fun experience. She doesn't have an afternoon nap either.

Any ideas please?! I miss exercising and long for the days when she used to sit still lol. She's two in June, I've tried to include her in my exercises but she thinks they're hysterical and usually jumps on me or lies in front of me lol. She's adorable as heck but I really wanna get back to my exercises!!

meglet175

My kids are older now, but I can remember those days. I used to put the kids in my double stroller and go for a long walk. I'd give them a snack and drink and a couple of little toys to keep them occupied. If they were good, we'd stop by the playground afterwards. They loved getting outside.

Shelbert79

I wake up an hour earlier so I can work out before I have to get ready for work or I will do it first thing when I get home from work and before I get them from daycare. On the weekends when I have them full time, I will work out durning their nap times (I have 4 kids). If I decide to nap with them, then I'll wait until they go to bed at night.

gabiinacio

I feel you, I have two little girls ages 5 & 6 and it took awhile for me to finally find the time. (I think I may have also used it as an excuse not to workout)

I live 3 hours away from all my friends & family, so I dont have help and I also work a 8-5pm full time job. What helped me initially was working out during my lunch breaks. I have a full hour, but you can do it in 30 minutes as well. I would walk / jog / or bring in a video and sit in one of the empty offices.

This year I found a gym that provides child care, so now after work I just bring the girls to the gym with me. Which has made life alot easier. lol

highmaintnance

You can do some home exercises while she naps. I belong to a gym with a child care room so I will take my daughter with me to the gym. She loves playing with the other kids and I get my workout in. Strap her in a stroller and go for walks/runs. You can even do lunges while you walk her.

Blondie251975

Hey! It is tough, but you have to make time! Get up a 1/2 hour to an hour earlier (that's what I do). Go for walks...push her in the stroller....stay up later. Lunch break? Babysitter? Gym with daycare?

Good luck!

Mhaney

I know I'll get bashed for this cause ERMAHGERD VIDEO GAMES ARE THE DEVIL but my 3 year old has a DS, and it keeps his attention just long enough for me to do what I need to do. Mariokart is easy for little ones to control. It doesn't hold his attention for long though, if I don't push through it and get it done he's put it down and is on to destroying the kitchen.. again.

chljlleal

Have you tried putting her in a pushchair and going for a run/walk?

As far as the shower goes, my 4yr old still wants a shower/bath whenever I or my OH has one. If I'm having a shower I make my 4 yr old undress and let him get in with me (this also means I have time to dry and dress myself while he is entertained)

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MaryinBflo

You need to get your daughter on a schedule. I know you can't help when she wakes up but she should have a set bedtime. You then could workout when she goes to bed or I don't know how old she is but I have kids 2, 5 and 7 and if they are up and around when I'm wokring out they just play near me or join in with me. It's a good thing for them to see you working out you are setting a good example for her.

Me personally I work full time and have 3 kids. I get up about 5:30 am and workout while they are still sleeping. On the weekends I usually sleep a little later so they are around when I'm working out no big deal.

twentyco

I guess I would say to try to broaden your definition of exercise. If you can, try to get outside with her and get moving --- take a walk, go to the park and run around (you can chase her --- my almost 2 year old used to love that), or dance together. Or maybe try to find another mom and switch off your kids --- go to one person's house/apartment, and one of you watches both kids while the other works out, and then vice versa. If you have the resources and will, you could try joining the Y or some other gym and make use of their child care --- many places have somewhere that you can drop your child off for an hour while you work out (and, bonus, shower alone!!) But I know that may not be possible financially.

nxd10

When they were little, I'd wear them in a backpack and walk, walk, walk to the park. Pushing on swings is better than weights. And yes, you can do it in the winter (though I don't like rain).

They got older and it was frisbee and catch and still a LOT of walking. Gardening is excellent exercise.

This is a fantastic workout at home:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

And free!

I found it a lot easier to exercise when I was home full time with my kids than I do now at work with them older. I am NOT a gym person.

lazirlott

It is really hard to to ANYTHING when they are that age, so I know it is a challenge. I didn't really work out when my were that age, but now with work and dinner it is still hard to fit in time. The most I could do when they were little was as meglet175 suggested: go on long walks. when they think they are too big for the stroller, a wagon is a fun way to haul them along and adds a little extra workout too.

Now I get up really early and excercise before I have to get the rest of the house up. I get up at 4:15 a.m. and must be finished by 5:15 to wake up my son and get his breakfast, then I take my shower while he is eating and get out in time to wake up my daughter (he is in Middle School and she Elementary so their start times are different).

GraeKat

Do you have a spouse or support person/partner that lives with you? My husband works full time, needing to leave the house by 7:30. So. . I make sure my tail is in bed by 11 so i can get up at 4:30 to get to the gym and get my work out in. The kids are still asleep and he's home in case they need him. Yes, I want to hit snooze and roll over sometimes, but at this point my body is on automatic pilot.
Also, if you have a YMCA near by, they usually have childcare early and late. It's a lifesaver on the days when I wake up too late to go to my local gym.

Jennnifit

Is it possible to go to a gym early in the morning, or at another time of day, where there have a kids club to watch your little ones for an hour? My kids are older now, but I do remember the challenges of working out when they were much smaller. I feel for you.

StephTanis

I wake up before my almost 3 year old daughter and do exercise videos (30DS). On weekends when I sleep in a little, I involve my daughter by giving her pencils for weights and we exercise together. I figure we are teaching her healthy habits so it is good for her to be a part of my exercise. If she doesn't want to be involved, I put the tv on for her and do my exercise video on our iPad so she has something to do and doesn't feel neglected while mommy has her exercise time.

Vain_Witch

I've had the same problem. What I find helps is either to join a gym with childcare available and/or get your exercise in with something they can join you with. Walks and bike rides are a great option. My personal favorite is playing Just Dance or getting them involved in some kind of sport and coaching them so you're being active while spending time with them.

mdhummel

Maybe join a gym that has a daycare/kid zone? If that's not an option maybe you could put her up in one of those play pins while you work out? Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred dvd offers 20 minute videos so you could squeeze in a good workout really quickly.

jessilyn76

If you really want to find time, you will. I do it late at night. Am I more tired in the morning, yep, but it's worth it. I have been managing to exercise 6 days a week and I work full time, my husband works full time and goes to school nights and weekends and we have newborn twins and a 3 year old. Find yourself the time to do it. You deserve it!!

ekz13

being serious here... use her as a free weight.. pick her up , put her down , repeat reps of 10 or whatever... then maybe do a slow jog but push her or carry her like a Yoda weight type exercise.. that'll helpp burn some cals..just watch your back... for showers, have her "read" you a book or tell you a story or sing to you (something ) to "help" momma out.

DRJ311

Ahh, the joys of parenting! I, too struggle to find time to exercise. I have a two year old AND an 8 month old!! Love them to death, but it is very difficult to keep both of them entertained long enough to get a work out in. I work 8 hours a day, so I passed on the gym membership to stay home and exercise, so I invested in a treadmill. My 2 YR old thinks its a toy conveyor belt for his cars and spiderman figurine!! (I have stepped on his toys while running...not fun!) Sometimes he wants to get on the treadmill also and it ends in a crying session. Then ,my little one is tired or hungry so sometimes I have to stop altogether and cut my workout short. Fortunately, I have an amazing partner who helps with keeping them busy while I TRY to at least get a half hour in, 4 days a week. Do you have any family members that could help? (Sig. other, Sisters, Cousins, Mother?) Try using her as a "weight" and she'll think it's a fun game that you lift her up and down. (That actually burns some calories.) You say she goes to sleep after you, (my 2 yr old does that sometimes also) what time exactly? Maybe you can start her on a new routine where she is falling asleep before you, then you can get your work out in after she's down for the night. Good luck, I certainly know what you are going through!!

dontgobacktosleep

My 40 minute workouts usually take an hour courtesy of my 3 year old. Just laugh it off and do your best to keep them entertained. It's not easy but in hindsight I'm sure they'd rather think of you as active and fun - not everytime Mom gets sweaty she starts yelling at us.

Plus a good rule of thumb with 2 year olds is 10 minutes for each half hour must be undivided attention. Try maybe a 20 minute burst, 10 minutes with the LO, then go in for another twenty. Life with little people ain't easy, but it sure teaches you how to be resilient and keep a smile on your face. Good luck!

michellekicks

Sleep begets sleep. Toddlers should be napping during the day and sleeping maybe 10-12 hours at night too. Nap time is one of the graces of life for me. My three year old is on when he's awake as if I feed him chocolate covered espresso beans!

kmccormick42

I bought a used treadmill off Craig's list - still works perfectly. My son can me in one room doing homework and I'm in the spare bedroom on the treadmill. I also try to fit in exercices I can do at home like jumping jacks, squats, crunches, etc. I have a gym membership but having the treadmill at home gives me a lot more flexibility. I have friends that really like the Leslie Sansome walking tapes and they do those at home without any equipment.

DarrenFlyGuy

I can relate to your experience. I have a very active 3yr old who doesn't want to let me exercise. I started taking him on walks during the day, and while it's not exactly vigorous exercise, it does get me out and active as well as getting him used to walking farther. It's getting better the older he gets, and he'll be at school in the fall, so I'll have some real time to work out.

If I can get the kids to bed early enough, I hit the treadmill for 30-40 minutes and give myself a few minutes to unwind before bed. I also try to get in sets of push-up, chin-ups and little bits of activity throughout the day when he's occupied playing or eating.

BlueEyedRebecca

My daughter takes a nap (she'll be 2 in May), I so I exercise then (just started, exercise video). I plan to start running and obviously will have to do that some time when my husband is home.

I haven't tried it, but I read about it on another website. The woman would put her child in their room with some toys if they didn't take naps and put up a baby gate. She told them they had to have quiet time and could play or whatever in there rooms for a set amount of time (half an hour or so). She did that where she could do chores, but I think the same concept could work for you. If/when my daughter doesn't nap, I will probably try this. If it is feasible, you could put the baby gate up between where you work out and the next room, where you and she can still see each other.

You could try doing a set bedtime (particularly if you can get her dad to do the same at his house). It would be hard at first, but eventually it will make it a lot easier for you. My daughter used to regularly go to bed at 830 (time change and staying up later a time or two screwed that up, so I'm trying to get her back to that time).

If you are talking about running or going to the gym, then maybe a friend or family member would be willing to help you out or a gym that offers child care.

MeanSophieCat

If you don't have the support of a spouse - it can be really tough. There are lots of great suggestions but not all of them will work when you have a high maintenance child. I have one easy, breezy baby. I could work out for hours while she'd entertain herself. I also have one high maintenance child. Up early, early in the morning. Wakes up as soon as he hears my bedroom door open. Short, if any nap. Goes to bed late. Will not entertain himself if I am available.

The easiest way is just to workout when my husband is home but I know not everyone has that.

If you have the money, the best thing would be to join a gym with child care. You can get in your workout and shower! The cheapest gym by me that offers childcare is $36/month.
Another option is to look at potential babysitters. Even if you aren't comfortable leaving her to go to the gym, you could get a neighbor to entertain her while you workout and shower at home.
Finally, I think a great piece of advice from another poster was to broaden your definition of exercise. So you can't get in an official workout. Go on a stroller walk. I just saw an advertisement today for a local roller rink that does stroller walk/skates a couple times per week. I'm totally taking my high maintenance child on Saturday morning. You can also just get creative at home. Pull your daughter around in a laundry basket. I easily run 3 miles - but I'm exhausted after 5 minutes of pushing that basket!

Good luck - it does get easier.

Lizzy622

How about getting some kid workout videos? The exercises are fast paced enough to keep kids entertained and simple enough for them to follow. If she thinks she is the one working out and you are just following along it might work. I also used to put my kids in a launder basket and slide them along the floor. Great arm workout and you never heard louder giggling.

_Tara_R

I normally wake up before everyone else does and work out. My youngest will be 2 in May. If I can't work out in the morning I take them to the basement with me. They play while I work out.

kavanaghev

My husband is deployed so I am a 24hr/day mommy and totally know what you are dealing with. I love to run or walk with my daughter in the stroller, and I have an elliptical and so I use that sometimes, but she is clingy right now and tries to climb on it so that can be difficult to manage.

My most effective workout is probably using a Gymboss interval timer (~$25 on Amazon). I set it for 30s intervals with 10s break and I do 45min-1hr of mostly bodyweight exercises. You can do cardio segments, too, if you like (jumping jacks, high knees, jogging in place), but you don't need to because your heart rate will probably get up without it because the 10s is really only enough time to switch to the next exercise. My daughter LOVES this routine. We put on music and I let her climb on my back while I'm doing push ups or she will lay next to me and lift up her legs while I'm doing crunches, haha. It's fun and the interval timer allows me to workout without having to watch a clock or pay attention to reps or keep my eyes on a video (or try to keep up with a video) which then allows me to smile at, talk to, and focus on my kid. I do use a 15lb kettle bell for several exercises, and will probably increase that weight soon, but it has been effective for many months and lots of different exercises in this format and I am of average strength for a female with a 20lb 13 month old.

I pair sets, so as an example I'll do 30s of squats and 30s of tricep dips 4 times for a total of 2m (not including breaks) doing each exercise. Anyway, it keeps me on the floor with my daughter, and she's pretty sure we are playing. It works.

She does the same thing with the shower, haha, but I just strip her down naked and let her deal with the water splashing her face if she is going to get all up in my business like that. A friend of mine puts a baby gate up in the doorway to the bathroom and leaves the shower curtain pulled back so that her 2 yr old can see her but cannot get into the room. She said he cried a little bit the first few times, but is fine now. I would do this if our bathroom floorplan allowed. You could try buying an adjustable shower rod (~$7) and putting that up in the shower at a height that prevents your daughter from being able to climb into the tub. Maybe you could hang toys off of it or something? Just an idea.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

liftingbro

I have a 5 year old daughter so I have to be creative sometimes.

I travel for work so I'm not home 2 days a week and I make sure to get workouts in on those days so that I don't take time from my daughter any more than I have to. I typically go to the gym one other day a week as well.

I've also gotten creative. My daughter loves this Salsa Dance game on the Wii that my wife bought so I will play that with my daughter sometimes, I will go ride bike with her, play tag, take her sledding...ect. all things just to keep active during the day.

It is pretty funny to see a guy built like me doing Latin dance moves but thank God it's only in our basement where nobody can see it. :blushing: