How do you fit in gym time?

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dizzymomma
dizzymomma Posts: 11 Member
Hey Mommas,
I have two LOs - 3 yo DS and 5 month old DD (she is EBF). So the plan was to start working out at the gym again when she was about 3 months. I've made it there 3 times. I thought I would get up first thing in the morning after she nurses so that I don't have to worry about being too full & uncomfortable. Well she is currently waking at 3:30 a.m. & 6:30 a.m. - Sorry, but 3:30 is just too dang early to get up for the day & work out and 6:30 a.m. is too late to work out & get home to be ready for work on time. I nurse on demand, and I really don't want to set a schedule for her. I've also considered going after work, but want as much time with my family as possible. But more than that I want to be healthy so I can live a long life with that family! I have about 100 lbs. to lose and feeling overwhelmed with caring for two (but that's another post)... Anyway, I would love to know what other mommas do to make it to the gym. BTW, my gym does not have child care and giving up my membership is not an option (as I know if I don't go to a gym I'll brush off exercising at home).
Thanks ladies!

Replies

  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    My husband watches our son for 1.5 hours every Monday and Tuesday evening - gives me enough time to get to the gym and do a fitness class.

    I value the "me time" and my husband likes the one-on-one time with our little guy. And I'm only gone for 1.5 hours, so I don't miss dinnertime and I get some baby play time in before the bedtime routine begins.

    The other days I put my son in the gym daycare - it would be nice if your gym had that option!
  • Rubyayn
    Rubyayn Posts: 433 Member
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    I can totally sympathize with you. I have a very hard time leaving my daughter still (she is almost 4) and worry about that with the one on the way as far as fitting in workouts. I know I will not go to the gym unless everyone is sleeping, which is what I do now, because I also refuse to be away from the kids more than work demands. I will also be on demad feeding, so that throws a crimp in scheduling workouts. I plan and hope that I can incorporate the kids somehow into an at home program. I will be doing the Jillian Michael's Body Revolution Program as soon as I am cleared. My daughter loves to work out with me and is very helpful, so it will be fun for us to do together and I can only hope that the new little one will fit in nicely somehow. I will likely end up doing it while he naps. I think it sets a good example anyway, so two birds with one stone I suppose. I do not anticpate it being easy, but I am sure I will fit it in somewhere. I also plan to go on short runs with one of the kids or after they go to sleep if I have to. Report back if you find something that works for you around your schedule without losing any time with the family. I am always looking for tips, too!
  • waltzingaround11
    waltzingaround11 Posts: 20 Member
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    I struggle with the same problem! I can only make it to the gym about once a week if my parents can watch the kids (I can only go to the gym as my husband's guest). they've called me home a couple times because the 3month old wasn't taking the bottle of breastmilk. it was getting really frustrating. so, now i force myself to work out at home if they happen to nap at the same time and use the gym nights as extras.
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    I chose a short workout program with a schedule that would help keep me on track (Jillian Michaels Body Revolution - each DVD is 30-35 minutes and it's 12 weeks). I also work and refuse to be away from my son any more than I have to. My husband washes/sterilizes bottles/pump parts and cleans up dinner after I put our son to bed so I can work out. I don't love to work out at night, but I already wake up at 5AM, so to me, getting up earlier isn't an option. We also nurse on demand, but typically my son is in bed around 7:30 and wakes up for the first time around 9:30 or 10 (unfortunately) so I do have some time to work out then. I had to cancel my gym membership because I knew there was no way I would make it out of the house - and what if he wakes up hungry, ya know? I knew I would worry while being away, so for me, home exercise is best.
  • BoomstickChick
    BoomstickChick Posts: 428 Member
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    I would either find a way to work out at home or set her on a better schedule to accommodate your needs as well. I personally don't plan on going back to the gym until we're both on a good schedule with feeding/sleeping, and my other two kids are on a normal-ish routine as well. I'll be just working out at home when I have the time and not stress about the gym.
  • Rubyayn
    Rubyayn Posts: 433 Member
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    I chose a short workout program with a schedule that would help keep me on track (Jillian Michaels Body Revolution - each DVD is 30-35 minutes and it's 12 weeks). I also work and refuse to be away from my son any more than I have to. My husband washes/sterilizes bottles/pump parts and cleans up dinner after I put our son to bed so I can work out. I don't love to work out at night, but I already wake up at 5AM, so to me, getting up earlier isn't an option. We also nurse on demand, but typically my son is in bed around 7:30 and wakes up for the first time around 9:30 or 10 (unfortunately) so I do have some time to work out then. I had to cancel my gym membership because I knew there was no way I would make it out of the house - and what if he wakes up hungry, ya know? I knew I would worry while being away, so for me, home exercise is best.

    Yes, this program is amazing!!! I finished it a few months before I got pregnant and actually had arm definition and abs starting to peek out. For such a short workout, she really crams in the effectiveness! I highly, highly reccomend it and am looking forward to using it to get my body back as soon as I get the ok from the doc. :)
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member
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    Hi. I just joined a gym with childcare and that is the only way I could get exercise in. My husband is often gone from 8-8 (or longer), and we don't have family in the city. Short of paying a babysitter $15 an hour (the going rate here), there is no way I could get off to the gym. Also, my son doesn't have any set nap-time, and I'm a clean-freak, so I like to use his nap-time to clean, tend to the house, etc.

    Anyway, all THAT is to say that if I were you, I would try to switch to a gym with childcare. What is you current gym's cancellation policy? Could you sell your membership to someone else? Or could you get your doctor to write you a note saying you can't work out there anymore? (My doctor would do this...it is a health issue, after all...)

    GOOD LUCK!!
  • dizzymomma
    dizzymomma Posts: 11 Member
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    I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this! I had my annual exam today and was concerned my marathon-running-ob/gyn would remark about my weight (I'm 10 lbs. UP from post-partum appt. yikes) but instead he empathized and said he knows it's hard for mommas to find the time to exercise, so I feel a bit better that it's not the end of the world if I have to put workouts on the back burner until we're done nursing (or nursing less)

    I REALLY wish our town had a gym with child care - I'd be all over it! We live in a pretty small town and the gym we belong to is THE gym. It's a 24 hour place, but seriously 3:30 a.m. is not gonna do it for me, lol. I like the idea of signing up for a class, though, because then I would treat it like an appointment and the hubby would have to watch the kids. I could pump before I go to make sure I won't be uncomfortable.

    Where can I find the Jillian Michaels DVDs? I want to at least check them out.

    Thanks ladies!
  • LauraLouFace
    LauraLouFace Posts: 56 Member
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    Where can I find the Jillian Michaels DVDs? I want to at least check them out.

    Thanks ladies!

    Wal-Mart, K-Mart, any of the marts really, or Amazon.com. I've seen them at Best Buy as well. Good luck! I highly recommend Jillian's videos! If you don't think you'll get your home workouts in, Jillian will guilt you into it :p
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
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    I have the same problem - I feed on demand and it's NEVER happened that he's up and finished eating so I could get to the gym at a decent time. I haven't tried this, but maybe you could leave a small bottle for your husband to give the baby so you can do a decent morning work out? Of course, doing that after a 3:30 feeding and having just an extra 30 minute sleep doesn't sound super fun, either :)

    Could you squeeze anything in over lunch at work?
  • dizzymomma
    dizzymomma Posts: 11 Member
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    I really wish I could fit in something during lunch at work, but I generally have 20-25 minutes for lunch & pumping (I teach). Maybe once the school year gets under way, I'll be able to find a groove and a time to work out. I was really hoping to establish that habit before school starts, but it isn't going to happen!
  • quebot
    quebot Posts: 99 Member
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    I have found that with each kid, I get more and more creative to find times to work out. I honestly haven't stepped foot in a gym since my first kid. There is too much going on in life for me to be able to figure out gym time. It's much easier for me to put together workouts at home. I bought a cheap treadmill off craigslist, and I started running outside (I thought I would hate it, but I love it). I like to dance, so I look up choreography to learn on youtube and I dance with my kids for 30 minutes every day after lunch (they need exercise too!). Videos like Jullian Michaels and Tracy Anderson workouts can all be found on youtube as well as lots of other workouts. I also pick little things to do around the house, and just try to live an active lifestyle alltogether. Finding time to workout apart from my kids just didn't work for me. I had to figure out a way to include them in on it.