Looking for busy parents for inspiration

danifo0811
danifo0811 Posts: 544 Member
in Introduce Yourself
So I have 2 kids (1.5 and 4.5y). I was a SAHM last year and I went to the gym 5-6 days a week and I ate decent with some binge issues. i started a new job in October and i think I've done one DVD. I knew I wouldn't be going to the gym but this is ridiculous! My eating has been horrible although I have been lucky I've been maintaining.

My day is pretty booked from 5:30 am when I get up to about 9-9:30pm when kids are in bed and I'm done cleaning up after supper and prepping lunches and supper for the next day (out of the house 7am-after 6 pm at work and commuting). Sometimes i watch 1 episode of a show, do extra jobs like pay bills and sometimes I just go to bed. Unless there is a reason for me to be up, I'm in bed by 10:15. My husband leaves with me in the morning but doesn't usually get home until after 8:30.

I'm exhausted and it affects my willpower and motivation. I can go months with eating a high quality diet and then any break and I'm back at eating crap.. Most of the time I over eat junk food, it has nothing to do with being hungry but rather I want the taste or feel that if i eat it, I will have more energy. I'm hoping if I can get over the initial hurdle for eating better and exercising, it won't feel like that much effort.

After my first child, i got up at 6 to exercise and left the house at 8am. I know that I need to get up at 5 to get a DVD in but I'm really not motivated then. I'm hoping if I have friends with similar time restrictions I will quit whining about my lack of time and be inspired :)
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Replies

  • TrishDLish81
    TrishDLish81 Posts: 24
    I'm a lot like you. I have a 3.5 year old and a 1 year old, and I also work full time. In order to get the kids to daycare and get to work on time, I'm up at 5:30am (or 5:45 if I skip washing my hair, lol) and I usually don't get home until 6:00 or so. Then, it's my precious couple of hours per day to spend with my kids (even though most of that time is spent cooking/cleaning up from dinner, doing baths, etc) that I would rather be 600 pounds than give up. Finally, at about 8:30 or 8:45, the kids are in bed and I somehow have to squeeze in all of the chores, bill paying, and errand running before passing out myself, and that includes gym time.

    For the longest time I resisted it, thinking that there was no way I had time to work out. Then, something changed in my head. Ever heard the phrase "you don't have time for working out, you make time for working out?" Pretty much that. My butt goes to the gym for 1-1.5 hours at 9:30pm or so 3-4 days during the week and then during my daughter's nap time on Saturday and sometimes Sunday (luckily I have an awesome husband who fully supports this). Does it suck? Yup. Do I wish I was at home watching TV? Yup. Do I wish for 2 more hours of sleep every morning? Hell yes. (Yes, a lack of sleep isn't good for your health, either, but right now at 50 pounds overweight getting to the gym is more important.) But, I do it because I have to.
  • BeanCounter3
    BeanCounter3 Posts: 158 Member
    in the same boat here, up anywhere between 4:15-4:45 to go to the gym for 1-1/2, have 3 kids at home, 2 of which are pretty self-sustaining, but the third makes up for them both! I work full-time till 5pm & then twice/three times a week I'm swapping kids over to their dads house within an hour of me getting home...supper having to be made & served before hand of course.

    To top it off, tax season is coming up...where then im working 6-7days a week plus 12-13 hr days during the week to see my clients...busy, busy!!
  • Kempossible
    Kempossible Posts: 158 Member
    Im actually too busy to go into detail right now but I completely understand your pain. I am a single parent. Working two jobs, in school full-time and balancing all the extracurricular activities of my son. It CAN be done but YOU really have to get creative. Feel free to add me. Fyi, my days start at 4:45 a.m. and end at 10:30 p.m. usually. Good luck on your journey, looks like your doing AWESOME thus far!
  • tymberlynn2
    tymberlynn2 Posts: 4 Member
    Now that my son is 18, and I think back on his life, I thank God that I spent the time with him that I did. Your kids grow up fast, so all I can say is try to enjoy the time you have with them. Teaching them good eating habits might help inspire you. Somehow I managed to sneek the snacks while he wasn't looking, but our meals were intensely healthy (I often say I eat a very healthy diet which I supliment quite well with junk). Take them roller skating up and down the street, or even in the stroller if they're too young, or to the playground, and do the monkey bars yourself while you're there. It can be a substitute for going to the gym. It'll be time they eventually remember, and it's worth the effort and the creativity.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I have two little guys 2 years and 8 months. When I need to work out, I usually ask my wife to watch them, or use the jogging stroller if its warm out.
    So, I advise you to get a jogging stroller, and a wife.
  • MuslimFitnessInstructor
    MuslimFitnessInstructor Posts: 119
    I have 3 boys. 6,4 and 19 months. I started working out and losing weight after my 3rd baby was born last yr in may. then in september for my birthday i got cerfited to teach cycle.

    I now work at LA Fitness teaching cycle, water aerobics and bootcamp. between the kids, karate, swim lessons and teaching I am having a hard time finding time to fit in my own work outs. I usually set aside 2 days a week for just me time but with soo many people take time off and me picking up the classes I have not really worked out in 2 months now if you dont count the classes I teach.
  • babbs770
    babbs770 Posts: 27 Member
    I have a 1.5 year old daughter, and work as a teacher in the afternoons. I spend a lot of time grading essays and making lesson plans. Over the last year I have started eating better and doing exercise minimum twice a week. Feel free to add me!
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
    I'm a mother of 2 (9 and 10) and work outside the home as well. Up at 4:30, cardio from 4:45 - 5:25, Shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and out the door about 7 (which will change in about 3 months) We are moving offices so my commute will increase and I will need to leave the house by 6:30 :-(

    I currently work from 7:30-4:30, home by 5:00. Make dinner, clean up, get kids homework checked, ge them ready for bed so at 8:30 it's off to bed they go.

    Currently I do my weight training at home (lucky enough to have a home gym) but I find that I get easily distracted with the family around. My plan is to start pitstopping at the gym on my way home...then it's out of the way and I don't feel the urge to pass on my workouts since I'm at home.

    I'm usually in bed by 9:15 and lights out by 9:30.

    It's a crazy life and all we can do is our best. I found that adjusting my sleep schedule to get up earlier works the best for me to get the cardio out of the way.

    Good luck!
  • MrsBrosco
    MrsBrosco Posts: 295
    This is me to a T! I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. I work 50 hours a week and spend every extra waking second with my daughters. Only getting to see them for 2 (awake) hours a day I am not willing to give up that precious time with them to focus on myself. By the time they go to bed and my chores are done i'm so exhausted I can't come up with the energy to exercise. I am a terrible morning person so I have not been able to force myself to even attempt getting up earlier to get a routine going. I just feel like I always have an excuse but I want and I NEED to find that time for ME ME ME!
  • meghadeath
    meghadeath Posts: 13 Member
    Yup this is me! 3 yr old and 19 month old. Husband and I both work full time. My only saving grace is that I work from home a lot so I can squeeze in an outdoor run pretty easily, but it's hard. My younger daughter is on the ketogenic diet for epilepsy so once kids are in bed, kitchen/dining room cleaned up, meals prepped for next day, we have to then stand in front of a scale and prepare keto meals. It's soooo hard to find time! By 8:30 I just want to crash.
    However, like previous poster said, you have to MAKE time. I'd rather be tired than fat.
    On days when I go into office I'm toying around with doing 30 day shred video in the morning before the house wakes up. Last time I tried it everyone sensed that I was up and sat there watching me.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Im not as bad as some but worse than others. I am able to get my run in during my lunch hour at work. I work maintaince at a rather large facility so I walk alot, also up and down stairs I am able to get some body resistance stuff in throughtout the day. So my workout gets done while im at work.
  • bootsandfros
    bootsandfros Posts: 81 Member
    i have the same issues as you. i will add you. i am honestly going to look at finding a job closer to home this spring. i cannot keep this up any longer. i spend an hour and a half+ each morning dropping off/picking up the kids and commuting to and from work. it is very draining. at one point i was working out twice a day before work and during lunch but it became so draining. i felt like a zombie. right now i'm going to focus mainl on eating and i will more than likely pick up insanity since it is more convenient for me to do something at home.
  • happypath101
    happypath101 Posts: 534
    I'm a single parent. My kid has events 4 nights of the week. I work full time (more than full time). His Dad and are split, so there's the going back and forth to his Dad's. I also volunteer and have a busy social life.

    The answer for me is to work out at lunch or in the evenings.

    And, I really don't strive for perfection. I may have to workout in my jeans. Or just put on some runners and go for a long walk.

    I don't try to get to a gymn at a particular time; that's too hard. Busy parents like us need flexibility, so popping a DVD and working out in while the bath runs is AOK.

    (And you may have to lower your housekeeping standards or pull back in some other area to make time. But, it's totally worth it.)
  • schaskes
    schaskes Posts: 103 Member
    I am so glad we are all weighing in on this - being a parent is HARD; being a working parent is HARD! I am a teacher, so I have relatively similar hours to my kids (13 & 10), but there is all the work that gets brought home. I get up at 5:15 every morning, which is hard, and it seems like several of you already do this WITHOUT having time to work out. The best thing that I have done for myself lately is to switch to a less pressured job with less grading and fewer ultra-demanding parents. Some ideas for those of you with no weekday time to spare is to get in two really good workouts on the weekends...maybe you can do something with your kids. I love Wii Just Dance, and I think kids as young as 4-5 would enjoy that. Another idea is to pre-cook some meals so your weeknight cooking is less time-consuming. I hope you have a spouse who is as supportive as mine; if you do, see if he/she can help out a little more so you can become more healthy. Ultimately, do what you can, breathe, and don't beat yourself up for not doing more. Feel free to add me as a friend if you want support!
  • daisiemae123
    daisiemae123 Posts: 277 Member
    My little guy is 20 months, I work full time and my husband works crazy hours for the cable company. The gym is not an option for me. I refuse to give up any of the time I have with my little guy when we get home because I feel like we have so little. My answer to exercise was to incorporate him into it. We dance together, we run around the yard and the house and we go for long walks. My husband just bought me a Zumba game for the Playstation and the little guy and I are trying it out together. I don't get to do much yet but he loves it and calls it "Momma Dance" It is very hard. Good luck, you can do this.
  • colourfulchaos
    colourfulchaos Posts: 43 Member
    When I had my first I was so motivated to get back into shape that I exercised every time he went down for a nap. I lost all my baby weight plus 50 pounds extra and was in the best shape of my life. Not even a year later my second came along and I lost all motivation after he was born and never did bother to try and lose it. Now its time to

    You can do this. We can do this. Feel free to add me if you like and good luck!
  • blueeylb
    blueeylb Posts: 297 Member
    i can relate i'm a sahm during the day and by the time my husband gets home i have to scarf down dinner (if i have time)and get ready for my part time job, (hospital ER) i work 12 hrs shifts on everyother sat. and sun. and a 4hr and 8hr shifts during the week i guess that doesn't sound so bad but on the days i work during the week i'm up for 22hrs at a time trying to drive home for
    a 1.5-2hr nap before the kids to wake up! currently i've been slacking on the working out due to no energy but trying to get out of that habbit! you can add me if you want we can help each other stay motivated!! :)
  • lunglady
    lunglady Posts: 526 Member
    I work as a full tie physician and take ICU call. I get up at 5:00 AM to exercise. The only time I can get anything done is before my hubby and son wake up, and before the craziness of the day intervenes.

    There is no other way for me...
  • wolfehound22
    wolfehound22 Posts: 859 Member
    It can be really hard, after my son was born it took me a few months to get back on the workout habit, but it can be done. I just have one he's 2, but we are trying for a second. I work full time, and currently going back to school. My wife is around so that helps, but she also works full time, and is going back to school, so we both a really busy.

    RIght now, I usually split my workout up, so cardio in the morning, so I'm up at 4-430, and have to be out the door by 615 for work. Then get home aroudn 5, usually me or my wife will get a workout in while the other makes dinner. Then who ever didn't get the workout in then, will do it when my son's in bed. It gets a little hectic, but we manage it. Right now I'm getting roughly 90 minutes of workign out in a day. I do it all at home, and I've found that is the easiest for me, then I don't have to factor in driving to the gym, when I'm ready to workout, I just do it. Hang in there.
  • lumox1212
    lumox1212 Posts: 152
    my kids 6, so after the bus and before dinner, he gets an hour of wii(or put on his favorite show). at that point i'll go do my hour long work out. it's not great but you will find that he rarely plays the full hour and would rather come hang out w/ me. he'll do a few exercise w/ me or something he learned in p.e. after that we'll start dinner he'll get boared and i'll find him something new to do.
    as far as working out just do your best give 100% and you will take care of you. let yourself be amazing:glasses:
  • cnelson1974
    cnelson1974 Posts: 235 Member
    Single parent with two kids (14 and 13). They keep me running around with all of their scouts and other school activities. I work full time about 10 miles out of town. I wake up at 6am and don't usually get home until 7pm. Then I still have to cook and clean for the few hours that I'm not trying to sleep. Getting time to exercise is a chore and probably an aweful excuse.

    I'm thinking I might have to do most of it in the morning, because when I used to run at night it gave me aweful insomnia. I definally can't afford gym memberships, so I try to walk or run around the park in front of my house. It has newly paved sidewalks. now if I could only will myself to get up in the 30°F morning air to use it!

    I don't believe my post is very inspirational, but I will look forward to reading information anyone has on your post and try to take it to heart as well!.
  • danifo0811
    danifo0811 Posts: 544 Member
    Thanks for the encouragement!

    I think I have a few things going on.

    1. I am totally rebelling against how structured I have to be to get stuff done. Everything else has some immediate consequence like no food, no dishes, bills aren't paid. Exercise has no consequence and I know that missing a few days is no big deal. Except when a few days becomes a few months....
    2. I would tell someone in my situation to focus on eating well, getting enough sleep and to make the time a couple times a week to exercise. Why don't I do that? Why does it have to be all or nothing? I need to have realistic goals and be happy that I'm meeting them even if it isn't going to the gym each day.
    3. I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight and my average adult weight. I had one year with stomach problems with a severely restricted diet and swimming 5x a week where I was 10 lbs less than now and in great shape. I feel complacent. I know at this stage I don't care too much about weight loss but I still want to be healthy!

    I did do a 30 minute walk yesterday (and today) and I did 30DS this morning. One day at a time!
  • chasfound
    chasfound Posts: 22 Member
    I also am a mother of two, one is in school, the other daycare and have a full time job. My schedule is really really close to yours. My boyfirend works second shift so I usually wait until he gets home and i get him feed before I go to bed. I usually spend that time doing some cleaning or something of the sort. I also need to find time to fit working out in.
  • chasfound
    chasfound Posts: 22 Member
    I have two little guys 2 years and 8 months. When I need to work out, I usually ask my wife to watch them, or use the jogging stroller if its warm out.
    So, I advise you to get a jogging stroller, and a wife.

    LOL. My kids were about the same age as yours at one point, I had a significant other...did do much good. A jogging stoller would have been nice tho.ugh
  • cinnamom17
    cinnamom17 Posts: 8
    I'm a single mom with a three-hour commute. Instead of spending hours at the gym, pop in a few times each week for 20-30 minutes of heavy lifting. I'm lucky my office has an on-site gym. On Sundays cook and package healthy lunches for the work week, and bring healthy snacks. Also bring a large water bottle to work with you, and refill it often. My lunches are chicken or beans with veggies and grains, and Clif bars and pecans are my favorite snacks.
  • nikkifumasta
    nikkifumasta Posts: 21
    I'm a busy parent here, too!
    We were blessed with our little man in September ... and our daughter (at the time) was 19 months. So currently I have a 3 month old, and a 22 month old. I know, I'm crazy!

    I am currently playing the role of "SAHM", however telecommute into work 15 hours a week ... and I'm starting to go back to school Winter Quarter. So between school, work & family - time is limited. I am grateful my husband works for a big company with benefits and decent pay ... he helps me a lot so I can squeeze in working out, etc.

    I'd love to friend you so we can share tips, motivate each other, and most of all - keep each other sane :-)
  • nikkifumasta
    nikkifumasta Posts: 21
    I have two little guys 2 years and 8 months. When I need to work out, I usually ask my wife to watch them, or use the jogging stroller if its warm out.
    So, I advise you to get a jogging stroller, and a wife.

    I bought a double stroller (that converts between four wheels - or into a jogging stroller, 3 wheels). Life SAVER!
    Totally agree to look into a jogging stroller - you don't have to spend an arm and a leg, either! Craigslist!
  • Yolanda4160
    Yolanda4160 Posts: 170 Member
    same here. I am a working parent of 2 girls (ages 3 and 10). My day begins at 4:30 am (gym time) and ends at 10:00pm. I had to get up at that time bc that is the only time I can get to the gym without it interferring with my girls, husband's, or work schedules. I think it's just about sacrificing. I don't do it every day! But I do try to make it to the gym 5 days a week (3X a week at 4:30am and later in the afternoon on weekends when my husband can watch the girls for just an hour for me to hit the gym. ) Its about finding a schedule that would work for everyone. Good luck :smile:
  • mrincredible93
    mrincredible93 Posts: 146
    I've found it's very important to have a spouse or significant other who is going through the same journey. I tried working out at the gym before my wife got involved and she was always resentful about my time away from parenting responsibilities...so I ended up not going. Once she got a membership though and started going herself she realized how important it was to do this. We make time for each other to go. Unfortunately, we rarely can go together (Grandma?) but our visits are short and focused on doing the work, not a social hour at the gym. Better choices are made for meals when both of us have loss goals to meet. It's a lot easier when both of the partners are on board and can support each other. A 24 hour gym within a 10 minute drive helps too!
  • jahnlaw
    jahnlaw Posts: 95 Member
    I have 5 kids ages 3-17. Its quite challenging to balance their want with my needs. Im happy to have new friends in this journey

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