I'm not making excuses but I need help!

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  • embercakez
    embercakez Posts: 141
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    youre up at 5.
    get up at 4.

    this.

    YOU have to make time.
    You think all these other people don't have a busy life? THEY MAKE TIME!
    stop making excuses and just do it.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    +1 hook up with other parents to delegate some of the driving around.

    Other than that, ??? :(

    I guess you could fiddle with meal planning/preparation (get lunches done the night before, at the same time you make dinner; or make easy, uncomplicated dishes for dinner, eg, grilled meat & veg).

    Running a household is a lot of work for one person, never mind child-rearing - especially while working. I hope you take any help from friends/family that's available. (I actually think single moms could save themselves a lot of grief by sharing homes, but I get that most people wouldn't want to do that.)

    Can your older children help with some things? Eg, oldest son pitching in with helping youngest for homework.

    Lastly, I appreciate that your kids' hobbies are specialized, but maybe, some days, you could all do active things together as a family (bike ride, hike).
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    I'm gonna go another route here. If you say you "have the diet down", why not just eat at a deficit and not worry about exercise? You'll still lose weight. Unless your goal is to be fit and thinner, I wouldn't stress about fitting in exercise.
  • trtmom
    trtmom Posts: 76 Member
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    I'm gonna go another route here. If you say you "have the diet down", why not just eat at a deficit and not worry about exercise? You'll still lose weight. Unless your goal is to be fit and thinner, I wouldn't stress about fitting in exercise.

    THANK YOU! This is what I have been doing and losing, I just feel bad about not getting the exercise part!
  • Nell720
    Nell720 Posts: 7 Member
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    You are going to have to fit in a nice fast walk during your lunch and try to get more hours in on the weekend if you can. Every little bit helps. I have four kids, work, and attend school so I understand your time is limited. You just have to push through it. I try to fit my workouts in the morning. I am up at 4:30am and try to do some cardio. Its hard but in the end it is worth it.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    Lady, if anyone needs sleep, you do. Your brain & body need it to recover, and not sleeping will slow weight loss.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    I lost 35 of the 42 pounds without exercise. I started just walking and doing light body weight exercises to get the last of the pounds off. I've been maintaining just with diet only and I think I look pretty darn good! LOL
  • nickhuffman74
    nickhuffman74 Posts: 198 Member
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    Ok, I know a lot of you are going to say that I'm making excuse but I really do struggle with finding time to work out. I think I have the diet part down though. Here is my typical daily schedule. I have 3 kids btw, ages 6, 12, 13.

    Up at 5 am to get ready for work
    6am - wake up oldest son
    6:30am - pack lunches for self and kids, gather sports uniforms for after school practices
    6:55am - out the door
    4:30pm - rush home to fix dinner
    5:00pm - out the door to drop daughter off at cheerleading
    5:30pm - pick oldest son up at soccer
    6:00pm - back home to do homework with 6 year old
    6:45pm - out the door to pick up daughter at cheer then off to Gymnastics
    8Pm - shower the youngest and get him into bed
    9pm - back out the door to pick up daughter from gymnastics
    9:45pm - finally able to take work clothes and shoes off before passing out

    I have no help with running my kids around or doing any of the household chores (dinner, homework, etc) so I'm busy.
    I'm not complaining because this is my life that I chose to live so my kids are active and happy.
    I'm just asking for some tips on exercises I can do quickly throughout the day. I'm aware that walking is good and I would do this on lunch break but in heels and where I work, that doesn't happen.

    Thanks in advance.

    I have a very active life to but I got to point out a few things.

    1. Why not get the kids to help make their lunches the night before?

    2. You cant tell me that you have soccer, cheerleading and gymnastics every single night. I coach soccer, go to boxing twice a week, take son to football/baseball practice and then games. But never do we do it for all kids every single night.

    3. 45 minutes to help a 6 year old do homework?! What is she in high school?

    4. If you want to do it you will find time to do it period. We all have busy lives.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
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    I'm gonna go another route here. If you say you "have the diet down", why not just eat at a deficit and not worry about exercise? You'll still lose weight. Unless your goal is to be fit and thinner, I wouldn't stress about fitting in exercise.

    THANK YOU! This is what I have been doing and losing, I just feel bad about not getting the exercise part!

    Please remember that exercise is important for many other factors. Perhaps if you don't have a lot of time, lift? Lift at home? You're losing muscle and that lifting will help retain it...plus as you get older, it's so important to have lean muscle mass.

    Find a way to get a half hour of hard lifting in every other day and you may be amazed....
  • WhoTheHellIsBen
    WhoTheHellIsBen Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Well first, your two oldest are 12 and 13, buy thm an alarm clock and make them responsible to wake themselves up same with packing thier own uniforms, stop babying them, In that mindset, have them help your 6 year old get ready, there's no reason why they can't. Bam! One hour shaved off your clock. Lunches, can be mostly pre made on Sunday minus sandwiches and what not but fruits, veggies, ziplocks of chips or what not can all be done and lined up in rows so you pull em and bag em, then sandwiches can be banged out in 10 min or less, using last nights left overs? Pre pack em the night before after dinner, that's even quicker.
    Are their no other kids in the area sharing the same sports teams as your kids? Why not ask the parents to get on a rating schedule of pick ups and drop offs? so you actually get breaks from it as will they and everyone wins, more free time. Power walk for lunch break, avoid elevators, park further away from every destination you go to, the options are endless
  • embercakez
    embercakez Posts: 141
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    I'm gonna go another route here. If you say you "have the diet down", why not just eat at a deficit and not worry about exercise? You'll still lose weight. Unless your goal is to be fit and thinner, I wouldn't stress about fitting in exercise.

    THANK YOU! This is what I have been doing and losing, I just feel bad about not getting the exercise part!

    Why would you NOT want to be fitter, stronger and healthier? Sure you can lose weight by just eating at a deficiency…but don’t you want to have a healthy heart, look good &feel strong?
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    I'm gonna go another route here. If you say you "have the diet down", why not just eat at a deficit and not worry about exercise? You'll still lose weight. Unless your goal is to be fit and thinner, I wouldn't stress about fitting in exercise.

    THANK YOU! This is what I have been doing and losing, I just feel bad about not getting the exercise part!

    Please remember that exercise is important for many other factors. Perhaps if you don't have a lot of time, lift? Lift at home? You're losing muscle and that lifting will help retain it...plus as you get older, it's so important to have lean muscle mass.

    Find a way to get a half hour of hard lifting in every other day and you may be amazed....

    That's not a bad idea - even 1-2 sessions of HEAVY lifting on say the weekend and one weekday would help.

    edit: I don't want to tell you how to parent (don't have kids), but responsibilities are helpful for children developing a sense of autonomy, & motivation/drive, and helps them learn to organize themselves later in life. It's a way of learning to become an *effective* human being who can make an impact in your immediate environment. And seeing yourself that way.

    I didn't have many (any!) chores growing up (was SPOILED), and in my early twenties, it took me a while to learn to be a productive and organized person. Friends who did have obligations had less of that kind of trouble.

    Also, working together, as a team, can help bind the family.

    Also, whether they could articulate it now or not, I'm sure your kids would prefer hanging out with a less-stressed mom. Not that they wouldn't now, but they are sensitive to that kind of thing.

    That said, I admire your obvious devotion to your kids.
  • juliaamilee
    juliaamilee Posts: 262 Member
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    I car pooling an option with team mates? No help with chores? Get those kids busy, I have a 10 year old and a 13 year old. the 13 yo helps with home work and making sure things get done. Both do laundry and load and unload the dishwasher. We have a chore list, they have to help out to get things they want.
  • Ajessie
    Ajessie Posts: 54
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    I am up at 3:40 every morning to go work out. You do what you have to.

    That's insane and I love it! You are my hero :)
  • wrinju
    wrinju Posts: 93 Member
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    Maybe while you are working on homework you could be getting lunches all ready for the next day. That would save you some time in the morning. YOu could get up a little bit earlier too. It's hard. I do not have three kids. I only have a one year old, husband and two dogs, lol. But I decided this summer to take care of me first. My husband has been very supportive because he knows that means I will be around longer to help take care of everyone else! I now get an hour earlier and head to the gym. I have free access through work. If I didn't have a free gym I would do something at home. I get everything ready for the next day the night before. you will make it work. Doesn't have to be all or nothing. Just do your best.

    While making breakfast do squats. Do jumping jacks. when you have some down time even if its only 10 minutes or 5 minutes or whatever do something.

    Just my two cents!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    try making and packing their lunches at night, same goes for their uniforms and sports equipment. the oldest two are old enough to be able to help get their things ready for their activities the next day. that may free up your mornings to exercise.


    and no ones has time. we make it.
  • MacInCali
    MacInCali Posts: 1,044 Member
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    I'm a mom of two (11 and 8) who also works full time. I wake up at 5:30am to get ready for work and I do not get home until 6pm or later in the evening.

    When I first started, I kept a pair of tennis shoes in the office for breaks and my lunch hour.

    I now workout after 9pm (after the kids are in bed) as I am NOT a morning person and waking up at 4:30am to exercise does not appeal to me in the least.

    Save your bigger/longer workouts for the weekend and choose 2 or 3 evenings to workout after your kids are in bed.

    If you want it bad enough, you'll find the time. :flowerforyou:
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    I didn't see anyone ask what you're doing between 5am and 6am. I know showering, eating etc takes time but at most maybe a 1/2 hour. That's enough time to squeeze in a 20-30 minute workout. And as others have noted, with so little weight to lose, that much exercise 3-4x a week should be enough to jump start weight loss.

    I also agree your kids could do some things themselves, especially at 12 and 13, they should know how to pack their own lunch some days and get their own uniforms ready.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Ok, I know a lot of you are going to say that I'm making excuse but I really do struggle with finding time to work out. I think I have the diet part down though. Here is my typical daily schedule. I have 3 kids btw, ages 6, 12, 13.

    Up at 5 am to get ready for work
    6am - wake up oldest son
    6:30am - pack lunches for self and kids, gather sports uniforms for after school practices
    6:55am - out the door
    4:30pm - rush home to fix dinner
    5:00pm - out the door to drop daughter off at cheerleading
    5:30pm - pick oldest son up at soccer
    6:00pm - back home to do homework with 6 year old
    6:45pm - out the door to pick up daughter at cheer then off to Gymnastics
    8Pm - shower the youngest and get him into bed
    9pm - back out the door to pick up daughter from gymnastics
    9:45pm - finally able to take work clothes and shoes off before passing out

    I have no help with running my kids around or doing any of the household chores (dinner, homework, etc) so I'm busy.
    I'm not complaining because this is my life that I chose to live so my kids are active and happy.
    I'm just asking for some tips on exercises I can do quickly throughout the day. I'm aware that walking is good and I would do this on lunch break but in heels and where I work, that doesn't happen.

    Thanks in advance.

    I have a very active life to but I got to point out a few things.

    1. Why not get the kids to help make their lunches the night before?
    This is what I was thinking. At least get your 12 & 13 yr old to help with their lunches and definitely clothes for practice. They're old enough to get their own clothes ready. I was doing that at their age.
  • TeresaWash
    TeresaWash Posts: 283
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    How long did it take you to log in, type this?
    Winner


    /thread

    maybe she is like some of the rest of us and is sitting at her desk getting paid to be on MFP??? Doubt she could go work out or she probably would.

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