Finding it tough to work out with little ones

eskiadas
eskiadas Posts: 45 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi everyone, I'm sure this may have been posted before but I'm curious how everyone with little ones, does it. I am a stay at home mom with an energetic almost 3 year old and a 5 month old. I used to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week before having my second child. Now I find it almost impossible to go at all!!

I try and put the kiddies for an afternoon nap at the same time so that I can squeeze in a JM DVD (30 day shred). Honestly, when they go for a nap, I feel like napping myself lol. I do prefer going to the gym but I know doing a dvd is better than doing nothing.

I just want to know how you get the motivation to work out at home or at the gym with little ones at home? I want to start going to the gym again at least 3 times a week but I seriously can not find the time. Once the hubby gets home, I'm just too tired to go to the gym in the evening.

Thanks in advance :)
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Replies

  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    can you get up and go before he leaves for work?

    Or does your gym have an area for childcare? Or perhaps another gym in your area?
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    Find a way to make it happen. It may not be the ideal way but you can find a way.


    kids-watching-mom.jpg
  • jpalocy77
    jpalocy77 Posts: 114 Member
    I'm right there with you. My schedule is rough, my man works as a firefighter, and has 24 on and 48 off. So some morning hes not even here and some he is. I am a morning person, so going to the gym in the morning makes more sense. BUT I am attempting to start going at night, does your gym have a daycare? Take advantage of it f you can! How about a teenage neighbor? Sometimes you can pay them a small flat fee to watch the kids for a few hours. Good luck, I know its hard, I am having my own struggles with it as well!
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    You have to manage the time. Either get up and go at 5 or go at night. The other option is to arrange part-time care during the day 2 or 3 times a week. Some gyms offer childcare with membership. It is getting more common, so you might want to look around to see if there is one in your area that does.

    3 year olds are the hardest age for being able to actually get out and do things.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    I work, so the situation is a little different.

    I go to the office Mon, Wed and Thur - I workout during my lunch break.
    Work from home Tues and Fri - I go to the gym in the morning (husband watches the little one, the 6 year old goes to school)

    It is hard but I try to find time. On days I don't go to the gym i'll do a workout with the kids, even if I burn 100 or 200 calories.

    Take them out for a walk in the stroller? Put on a dance DVD and let the 3 year old dance with you?
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Make them a part of your workout. I am not a father however I live with my brother and his 2.5 years old kid. I just bench press my nephew, sometimes he'll just cling to my leg and I do zombie walk with him attached to my leg. Get him on my shoulder and do squats etc. Its fun for them, they're learning to be active with their uncle and I get some workout. Its a win/win/win.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    How about getting the kids involved? I used my kids as weights. They used to laugh and giggle as i picked them up and put them down. If you are near a park or walking trail, put them in a stroller or strap one on in a carrier and have the other one exercise with you. There is also Elmocise and other exercise tapes for kids. The exercises are short and simple to keep kids attention but you can also do it with them. Not quite as intense as going to the gym but it keeps you moving and teaches your children the importance of exercise.
  • WTF7
    WTF7 Posts: 140 Member
    Put in a movie for the 3 year old and have the 5 month old in a seat propped watching you. My kids used to laugh watching me work out- worked at my house....
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Make them a part of your workout. I am not a father however I live with my brother and his 2.5 years old kid. I just bench press my nephew, sometimes he'll just cling to my leg and I do zombie walk with him attached to my leg. Get him on my shoulder and do squats etc. Its fun for them, they're learning to be active with their uncle and I get some workout. Its a win/win/win.

    ^^ I love this! There are numerous other workarounds: (1) gyms with a child care area (I've been a member of a Gold's like this and they even had a bouncy house) and since we got it on special it was $35 a month, (2) jogging strollers for running, (3) kids' backpacks for hiking (this is one of my favorites and my 2 1/2 year old loves to beach hike with me), (4) find a college student/teenager who will baby sit for you while you go to the gym, and (5) work out early morning or late at night when your husband is at home. It's all about how badly you want it.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    I work fulltime, go to grad school parttime, and have a 2.5-year-old. I wake up at 3:40 Mon-Fri to get my workout in before my husband leaves for work. It sucks getting up that early, but there's not such thing as "finding time" to work out. You have to MAKE time.
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
    Does the gym have a daycare? When I stayed at home I was able to work a few hours in, and it was fantastic because it was "my time."
  • msrootitooti
    msrootitooti Posts: 253 Member
    I work full time and have a 6 year old and 19 month old.. I workout three times during the week after they go to bed. I go right when they go to bed so I know they will be asleep. On the weekends, I go during the youngest's nap and daddy watches the older one. It isn't always ideal (sometimes super tired) but now that it is a routine it is helping..

    Once the weather is nicer, we go outside and go in the stroller or hike around with the youngest in the pack on my back.
  • fitcounselor
    fitcounselor Posts: 53 Member
    I agree with what has been said - I make time before the kiddies get up. One concession is that I now workout at home. Getting to the gym became too tough with little ones! And, make it a workout where you don't need to spend too much time!
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    I work fulltime, go to grad school parttime, and have a 2.5-year-old. I wake up at 3:40 Mon-Fri to get my workout in before my husband leaves for work. It sucks getting up that early, but there's not such thing as "finding time" to work out. You have to MAKE time.

    exactamundo!!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    My little ones are grown with little ones of their own now, but when they were little I included them in my exercise. Dancing was a favorite. Who doesn't love to dance? Even before they can walk children love to listen to music and watch mom act silly to it. A walk in the stroller or backpack or a bike ride was another favorite on a good day. I had one of those little seats you attach to your bike, but those pull behind trailer things are nicer and probably safer (didn't have those in my day). Or I'd just exercise while they were playing or watching TV.
  • Woomytron
    Woomytron Posts: 253 Member
    I'm a stay at home mom also. I put the dvd in my computer and do my workout in the computer room, which is right next to the living room. I turn on cartoons for my son and he will half watch the cartoons half workout with me. He loves working out.



    That picture that someone posted is also true. When my son is watching I don't give up... I'm trying to be a good example for him. He is honestly my biggest motivation. Get your kids involved not only will it wear them out and probably get them to take a better nap but they will have fun doing it with you.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I have a four year old and a full time job and my husband works unpredictable hours, so I understand how hard it can be to juggle everything.

    I had to pretty much decide that I was going to do it whether I felt like it or not, whether I was tired or not. I just made myself go. At first, that meant getting up at 4:30 in the morning to hit the gym by 5, so I could be home by 6 to get ready for work. Since I started running, I mostly do it at night. It's still hard to find the time sometimes. I gave up having an ideally clean house. I also don't sleep as much as I would like. But, the trade off is worth it. I feel better, I look better, I'm happier. When I don't get to exercise, I'm a mean b*tch. Yeah, I'm that chick - the one that has to workout 4-5 days a week.

    Make yourself do it. Do it for one week. Turn that into 2 weeks. Make that 4 weeks. Pretty soon, you won't be able to imagine how you ever did without regular workouts. It just takes time and a little dedication at the beginning.
  • Freyja2023
    Freyja2023 Posts: 158 Member
    I made cardboard dumbells for my boys and they worked out with me LOL it was soo cute. You can also get little kid workout videos for kids on amazon and do one with him, they are fun... but you will feel goofy.
  • mrsg2006
    mrsg2006 Posts: 120 Member
    Hi
    I work full time and I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old. I get up at 4:30 during the week so I can get my workouts in. The weekends I get to "sleep in" until 7am. Sometimes I sneak a workout in, during the evening when my husband is playing with the kids.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Find a way to make it happen. It may not be the ideal way but you can find a way.


    kids-watching-mom.jpg


    I love this! My daughter does pushups with me. She goes on short runs with me (less than half a mile). We do jumping jacks, sit ups, planks, wall sits, etc. I want her to be a beast! I don't want her to struggle with the body issues I had as a kid, so showing her how to be fit and active now is the best way to prevent that.
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    I am a night owl, so I work out after they go to bed. I have a 3 year old and almost 2 year old twins. Twins go down at 8, 3 year old at 8:30. If I do JM30, my oldest will do it with me. He loves the workout, and gets to exercise with me. Other days, my husband will stay home with the kidlets and I'll hit the gym. It's exhausting... BUT. For me, the more often I go to the gym, the more energy I have in the evening to actually GO to the gym...
  • MeanSophieCat
    MeanSophieCat Posts: 200 Member
    I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old (turned 1 TODAY!). I can totally feel your pain.

    You don't mention how much/if your husband can help. Depending on the personalities of your children, it will really make a difference on what you can do.

    I have one child who is extremely demanding and will not cooperate if I try to work out. He does not watch movies or read quietly or anything of the sort. I can occassionally get in a few minutes (10 if I'm lucky) of a workout DVD if the music is really loud and he can run/dance while I workout.

    Because of my son, I basically have to wait until my husband can watch the kids to do a workout alone. If the weather is nice, he will ride in a stroller for about 20 minutes so I can get in a fast walk.

    If your husband isn't available, I would check out a gym with daycare (Lifetime Fitness is great for that if you have one nearby). Sometimes they have a six month age requirement but your baby is fast approaching that. Or as another poster mentioned, get a neighborhood teenager to help out. If you workout at home, you can even see how your new babysitter interacts with your children before you leave the house.

    If none of that is an option, just push through your sleepiness at naptime. It stinks for a while but as the nighttime sleeping gets better, you'll be less tired during the day.
  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,644 Member
    My daughter (4) either does it with me or she knows when it is time for mommy to work out she needs to do something by herself. She will usually go back and forth between coloring and "helping" mommy. She cheers me on, counts, tells me to work harder. Setting the example is a wonderful thing.
  • babymamahowell
    babymamahowell Posts: 58
    I work full time, so it's a little different for me. I have found it best to get up and run before the kids get up. I am up at 4:00 M-F and on the treadmill and then doing some strength exercises. Gives me time to myself to better myself with little distractions.

    Run while the world sleeps
  • Apyl32
    Apyl32 Posts: 91 Member
    Its not as hard as your making it. You dont need a gym to work out. Just exercise in your home. Include your 3yo ( or give him/her an activity to do) and put the baby on a blanket for some tummy time. I have worked 3rd shift for 4 years, went to school to get my BS, and stayed awake all day for my then infant , 17 month old, and 6yo. If I can do that and make it thru, you can figure out how to work out at home. Now my kids are 4, 6, and 10. When my 4yo is home from 4K she works out with me or colors.
  • Rum_Runner
    Rum_Runner Posts: 617 Member
    Many ways to get in a workout:
    1) Get up before everyone and workout. I get up at 5a and workout for 1+ hours. My kids wake at 7:15a. Plenty of time.
    2) Go to a gym with child care - most have them
    3) Include your kids in a workout. Use them as weights, take them on a walk/run, play chase (with your older one). Me and my kids play Ninja Monsters....weird their title.... but they stand on the bed and lunge at me, I grab them and toss them back on the bed. Great core, arm, leg, cardio workout. They think its fun and I get in a good workout.
    4) Workout during nap time or let them watch you.


    It can be hard - but don't use it as an excuse. Even if you can only get in 30 min a couple days a week, then get a big burn on the weekends. It can work -you have to want it!!
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
    Make them a part of your workout. I am not a father however I live with my brother and his 2.5 years old kid. I just bench press my nephew, sometimes he'll just cling to my leg and I do zombie walk with him attached to my leg. Get him on my shoulder and do squats etc. Its fun for them, they're learning to be active with their uncle and I get some workout. Its a win/win/win.

    ^This is a GREAT idea, Taunto! :flowerforyou:
  • mrswoodstock
    mrswoodstock Posts: 29 Member
    i have a one year old. i get up an hour before she does to work out. that means im up at 6:30 but in insures i get my workout in. if i need a nap when she does i take it. if i dont need a nap i do another workout. there are some dvds at our local libary that are workouts designed for moms and toddlers to do together. maybe you could look into something like that.
  • jmcreynolds91
    jmcreynolds91 Posts: 777 Member
    Hi! I have a 3 year old and a 7 month old. I have been doing turbo fire for the last 8 weeks. Most of the time my 3 year old plays with his toys and keeps to himself. I put my 7 month old either in her swing, or high chair with plenty of toys to entertain her. Some days she will nap, so I just put her down before I start. Sure, sometimes I have to stop for a couple seconds if one of them need me but then j just continue on. It has definitely been hard to adjust to fitting in a workout but it's been worth it. It's getting to the point where my three year old knows that that is mommy's time and waits for me to finish. Best of luck to you.
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    personally, I take my kids to the gym with me or if they're grandparents are free they will watch them... But I have done countless videos, ran with a stroller, biked with a trailer and rode many miles on the cycle trainer. I make it work

    And I love that picture!!! I want my kids to love exercise as much as mommy (and daddy) does!

    Motivation you ask? With a 3.5 year old and a 19 month old, I need my workouts! It keeps me sane, Besides, they are just a part of who I am, what I do. I never question when or if I will brush my teeth or shower, just like i dont question if Im gonna workouy

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