Dieting and exercise when you have young children?

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Replies

  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    Your lil one is precious....

    I have a 7 yr old that actually enjoys going to the gym with me. Brings her little weights and works out in the kiddie area while she's watching me. Then when I'm on the elliptical, they have an indoor track that she walks on. Usually she's making friends with everyone in the place too. I didn't go when she was 3 but, I'm sure it would have been much more difficult.

    edit: just realized I was the first Male to reply. Com'on guys...you don't work out with your kids? sheeesh lol
  • JunkFoodJane
    JunkFoodJane Posts: 150 Member
    I also have a three year old, and he has always been a huge obstacle to my fitness. As a newborn and infant he hated his stroller and carriers/wraps. I would leave him home and walk my dogs to come back to a very stressed Daddy and screaming baby. He is still very mommy centered and has gotten his leg scraped coming up from behind while I'm on my stationary bike, fallen for a bump on my treadmill, gotten popped during 30 DS etc.

    One solution that I found was a bicycle and trailer. When he was smaller even I had a good front carrier and we would ride with him on my chest (we stuck to very quiet sidewalks). Now he rides in the trailer. Sometimes we ride to the nearby park and just play for exercise. I'll chase him all over the playground, climb the ladders etc.

    Also, I bought him a Kindle Fire. When I'm using my stationary bike I take it and when he runs in to get attention I turn it on and hand it over. This works better than giving it to him beforehand, because then me setting up gets his attention from the Kindle, whereas this way the Kindle is the change.
  • megan020103
    megan020103 Posts: 58
    Once my youngest started walking, it was impossible to keep up with my intense workouts at home. I had to join a gym. I am very fortunate to have a gym very close by for only 24.99 /mo. and free childcare. As a stay-at-home mom those 2 hours a day are my break and stress relief!
  • craiggq2
    craiggq2 Posts: 12 Member
    I have a 3 yr old and 20 month old. I have found it nearly impossible to workout at home with them there. I usually have to do it on my lunch hour at the gym at work. That works good usually but work meetings, etc...sometimes interfere and the lunch hour goes really quick. One thing I found that I can do at home is push the kids in the double stroller to the park. It is very hilly so a good workout.
  • GreenEyes_822
    GreenEyes_822 Posts: 7 Member
    I either wake up early & exercise before the kids awake or I power walk (like another poster suggested) as they ride bikes :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,486 Member
    I started taking my daughter to the gym at 6 months old. She just turned 9 and is very involved in better eating and physical fitness.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • fitmom07
    fitmom07 Posts: 215 Member
    I have a 23 month old and a 5 month old and even though I am married, my husband is deployed and I am a single mommy right now technically.

    I do a lot of workout videos at home while the kids nap or I do simple workouts like jumping jacks and crunches and squats all throughout the day. I also put the kids in the double stroller and run around a track close to my house and then I let my oldest play at the park afterwards.

    I always used the excuse that I couldn't work out with the kids, but discovered that I can actually do a lot of things. Involving the kids in your workout will set the example for them.
  • AmazonGoddess_75
    AmazonGoddess_75 Posts: 1
    I have 4 kids and luckily I'm a morning person so I wake up between 5-5:30 AM to get a workout in. If I have to workout in the evening 1 or 2 of the kids my join in but if not they know to leave me alone unless it's an emergency...which of course for kids an emergency can mean trouble with the tv remote lol. That being said I try through hell or high water to workout in the AM.

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