Moms with small child(ren)...help me out!

A portable DVD player was a lifesaver when my son was younger. I would put him in front of the Little Einsteins or something I taped for him and then I would have a DVD player plugged in same room. That way he would watch his show and I could still do some time with Jillian Michaels or Leslie Sansone depending on energy level. Plus, I was right with him and could watch what he was doing.

As he got older, we would do various Just Dance videos on the WII. Now that he is five, he is more interested in working out with me for a time period...then goes to his room and entertains himself. I think if they grow up knowing it is a part of your life, it is not so traumatic when you take the time for yourself. But I totally relate. Chasing kids is exercise in itself. Good luck!

I can feel your pain. I have a 3 and 1 year old. I also work full time and do the majority of the cleaning and cooking. I have started working out during my lunch break. I work across the street from a gym. I will admit i do not have time to shower after and i look a little flushed when i get back to work, but it is sooooo worth it to me to get the exercise out of the way before i get home to my family. It also helps me stay on track with eating at dinner since i feel accomplished from the lunchtime workout. Good Luck!!

I have two 1yr olds and a 6yr old. I'm a stay at home mom so I do my workout when the boys nap [they nap for 3-3.5hrs] whether have the energy or not I try to make myself knowing its my only timeframe unless I'm up late. If my daughter is home she joins in if I'm doing yoga, otherwise she amuses herself in her room or watches a movie on my bed while I'm on my treadmill. I do all my cleaning and cooking while the boys are awake, they love watching, and they've already learned to put their toys away from watching me do it soo much haha. In the evenings kids are in bed by 6-630 [my daughter watches a movie or plays quietly for a bit in her room until 8ish] so sometimes ill throw in a yoga dvd then or do another run. My bf has no problem watching kids if I wanna workout at a dif time but I can't get into it knowing I'm missing out on 'family time'. I'm due with another baby in a few months so I'm hoping ill find a new schedule that works or adapt all 3 kids to same nap routine.

I don't recall if you mentioned if you worked or stay at home mom and what age your child is, but there's always ways to work around a schedule you just have to force yourself to take advantage of that window.
Or like someone else mentioned get a gym membership that offers childcare, good socialization for your child and yourself also.

I wake up at 3:45 in the morning to workout while my 2.5-year-old is still asleep. It sucks, but it's the only time I've got.

Same here but not THAT early...LOL When I first started working out I would do just that, workout while my 2 year old and husband was sleeping. I'm so not a morning person, but that was the ONLY time I could find in my day to workout. My husband has to be at work at 7am now, so I had to regroup, because I was not going to stop working out. I get my butt up at 5:00am, get my little one ready and take her to daycare at 6:00am, go to the gym (which also has a childcare center), come home and get ready for work.

Try to find a gym with a childcare area. Or just suck it up and kick him. I've done it a few times. They are all three still alive and well :laugh: If those two options don't appeal, get up early. It's hard to make time with kids. If I didn't have my gym with their child watch, I would never workout. I am NOT a morning person! I dump them off and head to the gym or the class I'm taking. Love spinning!

I mostly workout in the morning. I put on my music or listen to my silence and do my thing during my time while I think through my thoughts. 4:30 - 5 AM is my favorite time to start a run, not because it's fun to wake up that early, but because it's as quiet or as loud as I want it to be. Then I go lift some heavy stuff and BS with the guys in the weight room about what we're training for, what plan we're currently doing, what results we're hoping to get . . . there's none of that catching up on the kids stuff, it's all about sweating and lifting heavy ****. It's nice to have "me" time and I'd rather it look like this. If I want it to look like a bubble bath and a glass of wine I can do that right before bed.

Have a 9 and 6 year old. Come home do dinner, homework, bath, clean up, yada, yada,yada. I work full time as well. Needless to say I really don't have time but I get up the morning at 5:30 to work out. If I don't it's almost impossible. I am not a morning person and am so tired that I rather slept a little more but when the alarm goes off I just think to myself "I am not being fat anymore, I am getting up to look good". I talk myself into getting up. When I do try to work out in the afternoon it's impossible cause my kids sit there and make fun of me, or try to find a thousand questions to ask me when I can't answer them or try to work out with me but kind of get in the way so I gave up the working out in the afternoon. What does work when the weather is nice is that I take them on bike rides and I jog along, if your kids are old enough to ride a bike.

I have a 4 year old, and I have a full time job, cook meals, walk the dog, and workout at home. /WHEW!!!! Yes I know how you feel. What I have done, is I bought her some kids workout age apporiate DVD, and when I work out she puts in her DVE in her room and we have a challenge and who ever finishes first ( she always wins), can have a treat. Or, twice a week she gets to pick out a movie on Netflix to watch while I work out. Currently I can recite the My Littel Pony song. LOL. Just make it fun for them and they weill leave you alone. But don't give up, keep it going, and you will find a way to enjoy it.
Hope this helps you a little. :-))

I am a working mom with a 3 yo son. I set my alarm so I can wake before him. I get right on my spinning cycle after rolling out of bed. I then shower, get ready for work and then wake him to get him ready to take him to pre-school for the day. It wasn't easy originally, but it is getting much better. Today was a bit of a kicker as he climbed into bed with me at 5:00 and kept me awake until he fell asleep at 5:55. Alarm at 6:00 wasn't so nice then.

I was having the same problem and then I realised that a big part of my inspiration to exercise and get fit is to set an example for my children. So at first I used a baby gate until my son was big enough to climb it. After that I just did it anyway and kept a peripheral eye out and figured he'd learn to get out of my way. Now, at 3 and a 1/2, he Zumba's with me, tabata's with my husband and can lead you through a sun or moon salutation. Hang in there! You'll find a solution :flowerforyou: