Motivation to work out at home?

Matilda_Swan
Matilda_Swan Posts: 3,342 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have tons TONS of aerobic, 90 day program, yoga, etc dvd and even VHS tapes (from the 80s and 90s of course!)
I have been doing the yoga pretty good for abut a week now.

My problem is if I am at home I am SO DISTRACTED
the dogs are whinning the kid is calling, the dishes are piled, dinner needs to made!

I am in a downward dog thinking "look how dirty this floor is!"

When I go to the gym or yoga I have no relief either...I am thinking "what if my kids need me? Are the dogs whinning? I should have done the dishes! My floor is so dirty!!" I hate the time the gym takes away from home becuase I relish my "home" time. And going to the gym isnt just "an hour"

You have to pack up drive there, once you are there it is a battle for the machine you like. People are crammed up against you, slamming weights, staring each other down...... after you do your work out and battle for your machines and wait, then it has been like an hour and a half...then it is stretch time..and by now it is two hours...then you drive home and realizze you have been gone 2.5-3 hours. The dogs need to go out, the kid is whinning because he wants dinner, the floor is dirty, the dishes need to be done, homework needs to be done, and dinner made.

It drives me bonkers.
Reality, I cant afford 2-3 hours away from home on a work or school night.
I am a single mom, I work long and hard.

So my question is what do other people do to get away from the home distractions to work out at home?
I dont have any other space to do my work out besides my living room!

How do I "turn off" the dogs, kid, dirty floor, dishes and just give myself the gift of 45 minutes or so to pop in a video that I already have and just get moving, for me?

How do moms do it?
It is so hard!

Replies

  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
    I'm not a mom (yet), but I am a super busy college student. I don't know how I tune out for my home workouts exactly, I just...do. I know that in that moment, that is my "me time." Sometimes it is the only part of my day where I can focus 100% on me and my own body and what it needs.

    You have to get past the idea that focusing on you for an hour or two is selfish or taking away from the people around you that need you. By caring for yourself, you are making yourself more capable of caring for them. :)
  • Heavyd2g
    Heavyd2g Posts: 61 Member
    There really is no easy solution to this. You can't "turn off" those distractions. You just need to try and find some time, possibly even later at night and do a workout then before bed. You can only do one thing at a time so when you start working out, ignore the housework. You could also try a shorter workout plan. I have made my own 15 minute 'high impact' workout for those days when I know that's all the spare time I am going to find. Good luck.
  • fimary
    fimary Posts: 274 Member
    I know what you mean have 2 kids and one dog, i work 9-5 monday- friday, get the kids home from school in my lunch hour so no time to fit in any exercise then, then both of them do swimming club and triathlon club so i am then after dinner a taxi service getting them to their activities as well. and by the time you get them to bed, do dishes lunch boxes etc etc... i know how you feel.

    I have tried to ask the kids to help with my exercise it doesn't work all the time, but make them (they are 12,9) responsible for making me get on my exercise bike and help me counting my minutes etc... can you all do the video together, and have a laugh my daughter thought it was hilarious watching me doing the 30 day thred until i made her join in, if they are old enough can they do a swimming class and maybe you go a walk whilst they are there, i did this last year, but ill health has caused probs this year, while they were working out i took a long walk.

    its i hard i do know, i wish you well.
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  • susanp57
    susanp57 Posts: 409 Member
    Perhaps headphones would help you tune out the ambient noise. Also a rule for the kiddos that there will be consequences for interrupting mom's workout unless something is on fire or there is blood.
  • PrincessCorinne
    PrincessCorinne Posts: 9 Member
    I understand the situation completely; one slight addition - I run a non-profit (am a salaried employee) from home and work is NEVER DONE!

    I have let these worries rule my life and have regained almost all of the 110 pounds I lost from hard work and dedication in 2007/2008.

    What I found works best - and I am JUST babystepping back here - is to schedule the workout time. I am BABYSTEPPING ... So I have put 20 minutes into my schedule twice a day. Almost every day I have been able to squeeze an hour in because once I get going, I am able to let go of the other pressures.

    Feel free to friend me. I have two daughters at home half time (15 and almost 11) and a step daughter 50% in summers, every other weekend in school year ... all play sports. Plus, working ... it gets crazy :-)

    Edited to add: I find best times to 'get away' are first thing in the morning, right after kids are on the bus and right before I start cooking dinner.

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