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

I have a 6 and 4 year old. When I started working out, they were 4 and 2! It was tough, but you have to make time for YOU! I would workout when my youngest was taking a nap. My oldest knew that when I was exercising it was "mommy time" and they learned not to bug me. Now they just ignore me, and entertain themselves while Im doing my thing. Good luck to you! You can do it!

I usually either take my 2 year old with me to the daycare at the gym or have my dh or older kids watch her and I will workout in the other room. She has also done some videos with me...usually I don't get as good of a workout when that happens but it's still better than not at all. Can you do anything during your lunch? Even if it is just taking a walk. At my old job I used to walk on my 2 breaks and lunch so total I would get an hour of walking in a day.

It depends...one kid I could do step aerobics and he was fine. Another kid was totally unpredictable and a ball of energy and adventurous beat common sense with him so in that case I worked out alone. I waited until he was old enough for school but if you need to get your workouts in now, I'd recommend 1) early morning floorwork before he wakes up. 2) a gym with a kiddie day care. 3) workout playdates with another mom, where you take turns watching the kids while the other gets a 30 minute cardio treadmill or laps around the park workout. Put him in a stroller and go around town, or the park, or the school track, or the mall. Get a pedometer to keep track. I used to do this and it would become his morning nap time and my "dont' get saggier in the butt than you already are" time.

I have 3 kids- ages 6, 4 and 2. i'm also a full time shift worker, but i'm lucky enough that my hubby is a SAHD. i started running when my baby was 3 months old. i'd go at 8pm for a jog around the block, and leave the older ones with hubs (they'd be in bed by then anyway), and push the little one in the pram. the other way i would do it was by getting up horribly early (like 430/5am) and going then (before work). i'd take a kid with me if they were awake so they didn't wake up the rest of the house.
now they're a bit older i have had to adjust a bit. they want time with their mum, and i want time with them- but i still need to work out. i picked up an old cross trainer off ebay for $20, and an old tv/dvd player. i put them in the garage. now when i can't go out i'll put a dvd on for the kids- i set it up like a camping adventure or a picnic- and crank it out on the XT until the kids get bored and i have to stop. i usually get about 30mins to an hour before they start wanting my attention. i also do dvds in the lounge- the kids can join in if theyy want, or they can go and play elsewhere. i am conscious about kicking them in the head, and it can disrupt my workout a bit, but it's that or nothing.
besides, i think it's good that my kids see exercise as a normal part of life.

Hiya, I have a 2 year old and a 14 week old. The 2 year old doesnt nap anymore and the 14 week old doesnt like to nap for very long during the day. My partner also works away during the week only coming home at weekend. The only routine iv found to work for me is to get up at 6 on a morning (kids dont get up til 7.30) and workout, have a cuppa, shower and get dressed for the day and if i have any time left over i make a start on housework. If iv had a bad night with baby and cant bring myself to get out of bed at 6 i wait until the 2 year old has gone to bed on a night (between 7.30-8.00) and the baby is sleeping to do my workout before going to bed. Some days i do attempt to do a short workout during the day and my 2 year old loves to join in and do his "up downs" and "lying downs" .

Failing that we go for a walk and/or play chasing games in the garden

How old is your little one? If he is up (And is small enough) just put him in his highchair with a snack or colors or something while you workout. I have an 18 mo and a 5 week old (and a 10 yo). I haven't gotten back to exercising just yet, still have another week, but before I would just put him in his highchair, or get up early while he was still sleeping. Where there is a will... there is a way

I have a 2 years old and I operate a dayhome. I am constantly busy busy busy but make it work. I used to workout late at night but I now do it early morning. I wake up at 5-5:30 and hope she doesn't wake up lol
Also, look at gyms, some have daycare, that's great for little one to interact

I try to integrate it into our day--go for walks, play at the park, wrestle, "weightlift" the toddler, do "airplane" on my legs, etc. Even cleaning the house can be a workout. For instance, scrub floors with your hands instead of an "easy" mop, or bake some bread and knead dough (can be healthier anyways), or take on a "big" cleaning project once a week, like washing windows or wiping down the walls, or fixing something, so you can still have activity while being "productive".

And then for my "real" workouts, I just wait until they're in bed and do the elliptical, yoga, pilates, etc. while I watch TV.

I feel your pain I have a 3 year old and 4 year old my husband is military and even when hes home hes pretty much working. Studying his books and T.O.'s for rank tests or qualification tests or working hours that do not permit me getting help from him to go to the gym or keep kids out of my hair. Our gym is about 40 minutes away and has a "mommy room" (a treadmill, exercise bike, elliptical, and some freeweights) but It's usually packed and my kids are always trying to climb over the little 2 1/2 foot barrier wall between the play area and workout machines so I got sick of hopping off my machine every 3 minutes to deal with distracting them back into play for 5 minutes. I have been trying to use nap time to workout lately but I am lucky if I am not having to constantly chase one of them back into their beds while the other sleeps then by the time that one is down the one that went to sleep on time is back up! I honestly just bust out an activity (which I begrudgingly pay for having to clean up later since I wasn't supervising it) such as playdough or coloring when I fail to get my workout in during nap time. Find something short like the 30DS so it atleast is something. I honestly have knocked my kids over a few times, won't lie because they come busting in and run up to me while I am zoned in on my workout. They do tend to run up to me less now and maintain a few feet radius but still make me stop every 5-10 minutes to get them something, help with something, etc.

I struggle with this, too - Today I put her in her playpen for a few minutes (which is about as much as my flabby butt can handle right now) while I did a workout video. She was content to read books and play with a few toys. In the summer I plan to get a jogger so I can take her to the park and start running again.