Moms finding time to workout

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MColette
MColette Posts: 62
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everybody!

I'm having a very hard time to find time to work out in my day, I have 2 babies under 3 years old and I'm always busy with them, it's hard for me to find 20 minutes in a row without interruption.

Sometimes a miracle happens and I'm able to get 30 minutes all for myself, but sometimesI work out 10 or 15 and somebody needs a diaper change or a bottle LOL So I just pause it and then come back to it later, I wonder if this would be as effective.

I'm working out to Marisa Tomei's "Core and curves" and somedays if I have more time the Shape bikini body boot camp since both require no more than 20 or 30 minutes. And I also love dancing so I dance while I cook and wash dishes or 1 song or 2 during the day.
Back in the day when I had just one baby I got back in shape with Cindy Crawford's New Dimension, but that one is 40 minutes long and that's a luxury I can't afford right now that I barely have time to take a shower! I have to wait for my husband to get back from work.

Are there some other moms here with the same issue, how do you guys do it? I found it extremely challenging, I love to workout and it is frustrating for me having so little time :(:(:(

Replies

  • mommamills
    mommamills Posts: 437
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    sadly to say....most of the time I have to wait until my boys go to bed....around 9:30!!!! ugh! I have gotten to the point where I just have to tell my husband "look! I need some "me" time!" and I go to the gym 2-3 days a wk for 1 hr. That's really not too much to ask for. It's for your own sanity! I have to be able to have a little time to myself. It's a balancing game. you just have to find what works for you. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    Not sure how young your youngest is, but if old enough for a stroller can you put them in a double stroller and spend some time walking or jogging? That is the best option I've come up with to exercise with kids in tow!

    I also really like Walk Away the Pounds DVDs. One mile usually takes about 15 minutes, or if you DO have more time you could add on more miles.

    Everything I've seen says that exercise broken into smaller increments is just as effective.
  • h_eloise86
    h_eloise86 Posts: 124
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    My son is five months old.
    I am doing P90X and most of the dvds in that are about 55 minutes long.
    I wait until Aiden, my son, has his nap-time bottle. That gives me about an hour.
    Before, when he wouldn't be occupied for so long I was doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.
    High intensity for only 20-25 minutes. Great workout.
    Now if you do over a 40-60 minute workout and you are taking a quick break to make sure the babies are alright (and you don't sit) I don't see it making the workout terribly less effective. As long as you can get 20 minutes in a row most days, you should be fine.
    Good luck!

    P.S. on my husband's days off I always make him take care of Aiden so I am guaranteed a no-break workout day!
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    I have two sons 1 1/2 & 3. I also work part time. I ride my bike to work so that is a for sure workout as I need to get to work somehow, LOL.

    But I also made it a point that when my husband was home that I got at least a half hour to myself. I could go run, do a workout DVD, or even just hide in the bathroom!

    Get your hubby on board to let you have some you time. Maybe after dinner he could bath the children and get them ready for bed while you did something. then you can tuck in and clean up.

    Its hard to balance life with all those balls in the air. You have to get creative and you have to make time for yourself a priority.
  • BrattyLori
    BrattyLori Posts: 101 Member
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    I have twin babies who are almost 2 and a 7 year old. I just get up at 5am and workout b4 my husband goes to work. My favorite time of day! LOVE when everyone else is asleep!
  • CreativeRedhead
    CreativeRedhead Posts: 2,166
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    I have 4 kids all under the age of 10 so squeezing in some time is tricky but I sat them all down awhile ago and said look this is what I am doing. Now of course you can't tell that two darling little babies but you can let your husband know you need some time. I was also going to suggest getting up half an hour earlier in the mornings to work out. That helps alot of people! I wish you all the best!
  • SunnyGirl32
    SunnyGirl32 Posts: 6 Member
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    :bigsmile: I agree with all the mommy's. I ask for "me time", too. I either work out early a.m. or wait until my hubby gets home. I have my son, and he's VERY active. So running around with him in the yard helps, too. I pull him in the wagon fast or chase him to play. Every little bit counts. But when it comes to getting a real sweat on, I run or go to the gym for an hour.

    :)
    Happy workout!
    Stacy
  • Fancy_Nancy2
    Fancy_Nancy2 Posts: 545 Member
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    I just have one child but I still found it really hard to get my workout in. Caia alway woke up while I was working out. So I got a gym membership and leave every day right after my husban get home from work. It dose make it so we have late dinner but we also stay up late lol. My husband is very supportive of me working out so he dosen't mine. He also like haveing one on one time with Caia.
  • MColette
    MColette Posts: 62
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    Thanks ladies for all your ideas!

    My husband is supportive in some ways, like he loves the healthy cooking, we go to places where I can order stuff that won't ruin my diet and he buys me my dvds and workout clothing, etc, but he barely lets me go to the gym, I do it sometimes on fridays when he works from home.
    When I tell him I will like to go to the gym he always gets upset and says that I have no time for him, and stuff like that :(

    I would love to at least go twice a week instead of one, but well, maybe the idea of waking up earlier than them will work for me, sounds hard LOL but I will try! :):):)
  • Fancy_Nancy2
    Fancy_Nancy2 Posts: 545 Member
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    Is there a gym you can join that has child care or a friend that would be willing to watch your kids?
  • kylielouttit
    kylielouttit Posts: 512 Member
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    I have a little boy who just turned three on the 2nd and a 9mo old girl. I get how busy you are!

    Right now, I am doing P90X and loving it! Today I woke up at 5:45 and did my workout and it was awsome! The kids were asleep and i felt energized and happy the whole day long. My suggestion is to get up before your kids do! A great, quick workout is the 30-Day Shred!

    Rock on momma!
  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
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    I have six kids, and before I worked in the fitness industry I did the 10-10-10 workout, which means 10 minutes in the morning, 10 at lunch 10 in the afternoon/evening..the thing is you have to make them COUNT! once the kids go to bed, I did my ab and I picked one body part, say my biceps, and picked three exercises that I did...I built a routine around that, and as time went on and I could steal more time, I added to it, before you know it, the kids are joining in wanting to do what you're doing and it's now a family thing!
  • erinliz
    erinliz Posts: 43 Member
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    My YMCA has a child watch. It's the greatest thing ever!
  • MissyMorganFit
    MissyMorganFit Posts: 37
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    So many good suggestions here! I am a mom of a 16yo, 12yo, & 2yo. For me personally, it works best when I am up to workout at 6am before my house gets crazy. At other times I have been known to do it after 10pm. Now that school is out, my 12yo daughter helps occupy the toddler for an hour for me & the most difficult but fun is when I actually have the 2yo working out with me LOL! As mommies, it is definitely a FULL TIME job to be a mom, wife, housekeeper, keep in shape, etc!
  • MColette
    MColette Posts: 62
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    Thanks a lot :smile:

    I feel so inspired now with all you moms like me telling me what you do, so do you guys think my belly will look nice and flat again if I follow a healthy diet and workout? Do I still have hope?

    I have a membership for the 24 hour fitness but they won't take the 5 month old, just the 3 year old, and have you noticed that they have the big kids mixed in with the little ones? I don't like that very much cause bigger kids play rough sometimes. I live far away from family and friends I only have my husband for support . Hoping to make friends here, new in town and as you may know is hard to make friends if they don't have kids like you to understand.

    I guess finding whatever time I get even if it's 10 minutes or waking up early will be the thing for me.
    I'll keep it up with the hard work!

    Colette
  • Fancy_Nancy2
    Fancy_Nancy2 Posts: 545 Member
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    If you are in a new town you should look in to MOPS ( mother of preschoolers) they take from babys to end of preschool. the group is wounderful and they are all over. It is realy good way to meet other mom's and meet some new friends and best off they know what you are going through.

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