making time for work outs

not in the same situation, but I just make sure I'm up and at the gym at 5AM. That way, I get my workout out of the way before the rest of "life" kicks in.

Im fortunate enough that I get time on my lunch to work out. My boss even gives me extra time to shower and eat!

If I cant do it at lunch time, I do it when my son is in bed and I do a fitness DVD if my husband isnt in.

Unfortunately, life sometimes makes it hard to work out. You just got to do your best and try and find that balance.

Could you come home, see your kids, put them to bed, then go work out?

My kids are 2 and 4 and when they're being good, they're in bed by 7:30, sometimes earlier.

I'm luckier than you with time to workout as I work part time, plus as a teacher I finish work early anyway, and I get lots of holidays. My husband does shift work too, which in a way makes it easier as he can watch the kids while I go to the gym.

Me, Me, Me. 40 hour work week, plus commute, plus second job. 4 and 6 year old.

I'm a night owl, but the only way I could get consistency is an AM workout. I'm getting more use to it, but I know it will be harder when the bed is warm and the room is cold. I prefer night but like you, I can't take what little time from them, and one has sleep issues so he's often awake until 10. Doing a workout then is just too late for me.

I'm starting T25 on the 9th. Its 25 minutes a day. I'm looking forward to the timing of it versus my sometimes one hour workout.

I'm also doing a facebook group for encouragment for this program, so friend and message me if you'd like to know more.

Our time is so limited with our little ones. Its hard when we are pulled in so many directions but I find I feel so much better when I get a workout in. This was Never me until the last two years, and I've just started the morning thing this year. I'm not perfect but getting better on not hitting snooze too much!

Your kids are at fun ages too.
Nancy

I treat my workouts as part of my job. But much more fun than actual work. I get up early and do my workout or wait till my daughter gets on the bus then I workout before I have to go to work. Have you tried incorporating your kids in with your workouts? Do you do workouts at home or do you go to a gym? I find that doing in home workouts are the best because then I am at least still at home with my kid and she sometimes joins me. If she doesn't at least she knows I am around. So I don't feel like I'm not spending time with her. I also think that I have to take care of myself. If I don't work out then I'm not going to feel good to take care of my daughter. It's like a circle. But DON"T EVER feel guilty for doing something for you!!!

Maybe you can combine playing with the kids and working out? I have 4 year old twin boys and you'd think they'd play by themselves while I get on the elliptical machine, but they don't. So when the weather's nice, I take them to a park and we run around, play baseball, play soccer, etc. Or if they are on a playground, I'll take a brisk walk circling the playground so I still have an eye on them. Do you have a jogging stroller for the 9month old? or a baby carrier, like a baby bjorn? You could get a really good workout if you walk fast carrying an extra 20 lb baby.:-)

I usually workout at home after the kids have gone to bed, or just do it as soon as I reach home, and my littlest one tries to join me in my workout.
I'd love to do it before work, but I already have enough trouble waking up on time to make it to work....NOT a morning person!

I have a soon-to-be 5 year old. I get up at 5AM and I walk 3.5 miles before she's awake. If I want swimming, I take her with me to the gym, and put her in the drop-off babysitting. I get an hour of free babysitting with my membership. Works fantastic. When she starts preschool in 2 weeks (at the YMCA), I have 3 hours 3x a week for the rest of the school year to take advantage of the gym/pool facilities and/or walk the trail that's not too far from it. That's 3 hours I can focus on ME!

Not exact same situation, but I also have young kids (aged 6 and 9) with all sorts of after school activities, plus I manage the house and work 25 hours a week. I used to wait for my husband to come home from work so he could watch the kids and I'd go to the gym. I'd leave dinner prepared for the three of them, go work out around 6 pm, then come home, shower, eat my dinner around 9 pm, and fall into bed exhausted. I had no time to hang out with my family or just chill and after several months of this I started to burn out.

I decided to start getting up earlier. It's not ideal -- I'm not a morning person! I've been getting up at 5:45 and working out in my home gym (treadmill, free weights, DVDs) before the kids get up. I'm about to up my work hours to full time, so here's how my schedule is going to go:

5:45 get up
6 - 6:30 run on treadmill (at home)
6:30 - 7 shower, dress
7 - 8 get kids up, fed, dressed, off to school, etc.
9 - 12 work
12 - 1 go to gym near office, lift weights, take a class (can't do this every day -- meetings, deadlines, etc. -- but my goal is to try at least twice a week)
1 - 6 work
7 - 11 RELAX WITH FAMILY

This new and revised schedule goes into effect next week. Basically, you have to do it when everyone else is asleep or otherwise occupied.

edited to add: I bike a lot on weekends. I find that if I take the kids with me I don't really get a workout, but if I get up super early I can go for a nice long ride and be back by the time the kids are getting up (8-ish). Of course this will change when the days get shorter and colder. hmmm....

I'm in the med field, I travel A LOT for work and put in 14-16 hour days on average. Plus I'm a student, a father and a husband. I work out 25-30 minutes a day, and it has to be intense not easy. Let's be friends and I WILL help you out.

Early morning bro. Sometimes I get up at 4:30 to hit the pavement. I don't like to mess with my family time in the afternoons either. I can always catch up on some sleep... but it's tough to catch up on exercise.

I have to force myself to go to bed earlier though, or I just wont do it.

Same here... I'm a night owl!

Same situation. I didn't start working out more until my kids got a little older and started sleeping better. But now that they are, I made working out a priority and work out when my kids are sleeping. I wake up early in the morning to run on the treadmill at home before kids are up. And I lift weights at night after my kids are in bed. I work out at home to eliminate the travel factor for working out. And I find that running in the evening makes it harder for me to fall asleep but lifting at night doesn't cause the same issue. Of course, the problem is that I don't sleep much. There's only so much time in the day.

Loving all these suggestions!

Same situation here! I have a 2 month old baby and am trying to figure out a new routine. I feel guilty going to the gym after work like I used to. I've been eating my lunch while I work at my desk and then spending my 30 minute lunch walking. I think I really need to start getting up really early to workout before work like everyone suggested.