Busy mom of 2 young kids and full time teacher

The pounds are beginning to accumulate and i want to stop them before they add up to anything more! I put all my time and energy into my 2 and 4 year olds and my job as a 5th grade teacher. I could use some tips and support and making myself a priority and finding time to exercise.

Ill be happy to return the support back to you and we can tackle this issue together...

Hi, I'm also a teacher (secondary school French - UK) but I work part time, and I have a 1 and a 3 year old.

I had a year off for maternity leave which was great and I went to the gym loads (my husband does shift work so I fitted it round that) and I went back to work in April.

What do your kids do for childcare? On the days I work my 2 are at nursery until 6pm, so I can get to the gym after work before collecting them. On my days off I fit the gym round the hours my husband's working, or if it's the morning I put the kids in the gym crèche for a couple of hours.

I make sure we have simple, but healthy food for dinner, like chicken or fish and veg, or jacket potato and tuna, so it doesn't need much preparation time. My husband is on late shift one week in two so I am on my own to do dinner and bedtime routine.

On my days off I always take the kids out somewhere. My 3 year old son loves his scooter so we end up walking quite far.

I take my own food for lunch at work, and UK schools don't have vending machines in them, so there's so temptations. Also, as you know, it's a busy job and you're on your feet all the time.

I'm not sure what i'll do when my son starts school next Sept as when my husband's on lates and i'm at work I won't be able to get to the gym after work as i'll need to pick my son up. I guess we'll go for long walks and to the park or swimming pool. My daughter will still be at nursery until 6.

Feel free to add me.

Hi, I'm a teacher, too. My first year I put on 20 pounds from the stress of teaching in the inner city, and kept gaining. Four kids later, I realized I needed to take my life back to tackle being the husband and father I need to be...so I can certainly identify. Good luck on your goals.

I'm a teacher but not a school teacher, a martial arts teacher. I only do that part time and I'm a stay at home mom to my 2 and nearly 4 year old kids. I started running and I normally go sometime in the Morning before my husband has to work. On days that I really feel like I need to get moving I will go for a walk either outside or often in figure 8's around my house while watching a show. I can do that when the kids are in be even when my hubby is at work. There are tons of workout videos that are 20 to 40 minutes long that are also great for after the kids are in bed. Trying to get tons of veg really helps to feel full without having to load up on calories. I also cut down on time by having a go-to breakfast and a couple lunches that I have a lot to cut down on prep/cooking time and also they are fast to log because they are always right there in my meal history. Good luck with it all.

ETA: Also you can burn a few extra cals by pacing as you teach. You don't have to move fast but if you're always moving you will burn more than just sitting or standing in one place.

Wow! You seem to have a great routine for the gym and meals! I have tried squeezing in a workout after school but before i pick up the kids from daycare. It didnt last because i would feel guilty about not getting them right away or spending time at the gyn and not playing with them. You could say i have a very healthy dose of "mom guilt"!

I suppose because I work part time that I can do it. The kids are only at nursery 3 days a week, and they do a term time only contract so are off the 13 weeks I have of holidays. I assume you get as much holiday, if not more, in the US?

We get 6 weeks for the Summer holidays, 2 weeks off over xmas, 2 weeks at Easter, 1 week at the end of May, 1 week in Feb and 1 week at the end of October. Teachers in the UK are fully paid for holidays.

I'm off today for example and we've all had breakfast together and then we'll go for a walk (my 3 year old son will go on his scooter) and then this afternoon he has his gymnastics lesson.