Exercising..Need help..have little ones

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mom2monkeyz
mom2monkeyz Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I find it hard to find the time to get any really good calorie burning when I have twin preschoolers. I need all my sleep I can get so I do not want to wake up really early just to workout. I also do not want to workout when I put them to bed because that is my time to get things cleaned up, sit down and relax before I go to bed myself. So does anyone have any ideas on what to do for fitness that doesn't cost me paying for daycare at a gym?

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  • PollyWolly98
    PollyWolly98 Posts: 112
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    Nap time, if they still nap. Or put a PBS or Disney Junior show on an iPad for them to sit and watch while you do a workout DVD in the same room. I'm not a huge fan of letting the kiddos watch tv, but sometimes you have to compromise. I also go running before anyone wakes up (husband at home). Also, some gyms don't charge extra for child care (Golds Gym and YMCA that I know of). There's always a way!
  • jenniferinfl
    jenniferinfl Posts: 456 Member
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    That's the sacrifice when you have small children. My husband will watch our daughter for about 25 minutes for me to use the treadmill at night. My mom will take her a few hours here and there during the week, otherwise my exercise happens with her.

    Today I did 3.12 miles of fast walking while pushing her in her stroller. It was rough, she got fussy, but that's how it works. Sometimes I skip cleaning so that I can exercise. Dishes will still be there when I wake up in the morning.
  • Mom2barefootbabes
    Mom2barefootbabes Posts: 11
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    I've been doing 30 day shed during nap time. That's the best I can do with no babysitter. Today I ran 6 miles, but I had a rare hour treat.
  • shaxnax
    shaxnax Posts: 87 Member
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    I have a three year old and find that I either need to modify my day routine to get clean up done so I can suck it up and work out after she is in bed, even though I don't want to or I find I get good results when we spend a few afternoons at the park (me running after her and climbing up and down everything) or in the yard playing games like tag, she LOVES tag. You CAN do it!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    There's tons of DVD's to do at home. Either do it during nap time, do it with the kids (my granddaughter loves to join in) or have an activity for them to do while you workout (it won't kill kids to learn that they can amuse themselves while mommy does something else).
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I lost all of my baby weight and got in pretty good shape when my babies were 1 and 3 and home with me.

    I did exercise DVDs and lifted in my room w/ minimal equipment and printouts from the Internet.

    It is mostly diet, as long as you keep track of what you eat and get in 30 minutes a day of exercise you can do it.
  • ScrapperCandy
    ScrapperCandy Posts: 31 Member
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    Do you have a local YMCA? All of our local ones offer free babysitting times during the day and a limited amount in the evening. They also have pretty nice facilities. That might be an option for you. I love going to ours b/c I actually exercise. :)
  • mistyj7
    mistyj7 Posts: 12 Member
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    It's rough, I know. I finally broke down and bought a treadmill and now I wake up a little earlier than I was before so that I have 30 minutes to exercise. It means getting up at 4:45 in the morning for me, but it's my time and it's quiet in the house!! LOL Treadmills aren't the most exciting, but I just needed to find something to get myself off my rear end! I'm hoping it will lead to some other good choices and other exercise :) Good luck finding something that works well for you..it's a challenge, but it can be done.

    Update: sorry..didn't see that you didn't want to wake up earlier. I didn't either, but realized it was the only set "me time" that I was going to get. If you find another way, let me know!! :)
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
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    My workmate today told mer her sister does Insanity while watching the little girl. I believe she is 4 and likes to jump around with her. SO, maybe DVDs...
    Or DVDs that will entertain them and aps or routines you can do in the house while they are being otherwise entertained.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I have a 9 month old, and when it was longer daylight outside, I would go running after my husband came home (except on Fridays because I would have to leave at 5:30 to go to games but that was a workout and a half between running up and down the football to interview coaches or go find them in the school buildings and the walks to and from the car plus the stadium stairs to go back and forth into the press box and bathroom :laugh: )

    Nowadays, i have to use the stroller to walk (i don't have a running stroller :grumble: ) during the day with him, and use JM dvds at night to work out after my little one finally tires out to go to bed. Housework gets done during the day during the 2 hour nap he takes, and after working out comes homework, more housework, work related stuff, and then wind down time for me if i get a chance.

    You can do it!!!!!!!!!!
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    What I did:
    #1) You need 2 TV's. One to play YOUR exercise videos and one to play their movies. Get up, make breakfast, take kids to park (tire them out), come home and fix lunch, pop in DVDs, they will come to "do it with" you. That's ok. It's good for them to see mom being active. My profile picture is me during P90X, and my son doing it too.

    #2) Bit the bullet and go to a gym. My gym offered daycare for $20 extra a month per child. He loved to go play with the other kids, and knew I was closeby so he didn't go through alot of anxiety problems. It was just for an hour, but I could have left him for 2 hours. Because there are mothers (and fathers) constantly going in & out of the daycare, I knew the sitters couldn't, even if they wanted to, yell/scream/hurt the kids. Durng the summer, the personal trainers had a "kid get fit" class that my school aged child did. They taught her about exercise, let the kids use the equipment, did a super fun boot came, and nutrition. Very satisfying program. If it's the Y, there might be toddler ballet classes & such.

    #3) There are a few "housecleaning workout" videos out there. You could kill two birds with one stone?

    #4) When you have your 'munchy" hour, preplan to have the kids at an activity and/or at the park.

    #5) Switch with another mom, exchanging babysitting for exercising.

    . . . .

    AND the final tip - DO NOT EAT the kids' leftovers.
  • mom2monkeyz
    mom2monkeyz Posts: 5 Member
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    Great tips everyone! Thanks so much! This gives me a lot to think about and see how I can fit it in my schedule. Unfortunately I do not have my husband around five out of seven days of the week. I think for me too its just pushing myself to do it. Suck it up! This really helped though so thank you all!
  • time4changexx
    time4changexx Posts: 103 Member
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    I have a 2 1/2 year old & workout when he goes to sleep. I get him involved while he's awake to do all the things I used to after he went to sleep. Cleaning, dishes, setting out cloths, etc. I give him little things to do so he feels like he's helping. So when 8 rolls around there's absolutely nothing else I "have" to do. It's all me time.
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    Time4changes is teacher her little dude some valuable lessons. Clean up & Organization. I wish I spent more time on that with my my now middle schooler, back when a toddler. Live and learn,.

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