Balancing Life

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amtrust
amtrust Posts: 178
in Motivation and Support
My biggest challenge is finding time to exercise.

I need to exercise today. I also need to do laundry and clean house! All after I get home from work, cook dinner, help my child with homework, and get him ready for bed. Then, where's the energy to take care of myself? I need help/advice.

Advice on balancing life, anyone?

Replies

  • Fiedems
    Fiedems Posts: 52 Member
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    So when you clean today, instead of making one trip with all the items you find out of place. Go ahead and make multiple trips, esp if you have stairs. squat when you put something away, add in bigger movements to do the cleaning on the mirrors or the vacuuming. Will it add a huge amount to your exercise calories?? no, but it will be MORE than you would have used.

    Park the car the farthest you can away from the door (considering safety first of course) that is extra steps/mileage.

    If your child is old enough for homework, then is he old enough to get himself ready with just a spot check by you? Then put in a 10/15min exercise dvd and get that in....

    Small steps are not bad, it just takes more of them.

    GOOD LUCK!!
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,428 Member
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    I sympathize with you. I truly don't know how working mom's do it all and am so blessed that I'm not a working mom. First of all, the world will NOT end if you don't clean the house TODAY. Do a quick 15 minute pickup (and have your child help you-it's good for him). If one particular room is making you nuts, clean that room. Throw a load of laundry in before dinner, help your son with his homework while dinner is cooking, cycle through another load of laundry, get him ready for bed. How old is he? Can he be left alone long enough to go out for a fast 20 minute walk? If not, once he's in bed, rather than collapsing on the couch (which I know is incredibly appealing!) do some exercises then.

    You must make yourself a priority-nobody else will. Just like you pick your battles with your son, you pick what's important. You can clean the house on the weekend, do the laundry on the weekend. YOu take care of you every day! Good luck, I'm thinking of you.
  • CudyBug
    CudyBug Posts: 742 Member
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    it is very difficult and not just for working moms but us sahm as well. I thought that by being home all day it would be easier to find the time. I was wrong. I dont think there really is any advice other then figure it out and stick to a plan or switch it up when life happens. Try incorporating family into it. I walk everywhere , if possible, with my kids. If you have equipment at home jump on it while helping with homework. Simple things like bending while picking up the laundry one peice at a time. Or I always stand while folding and hanging laundry and only take a few items at a time to the closet or dressers and make extra trips. I do most my workouts at night at the kids go to bed and I find it hard to get the motivation to just do it. Once you figure out what works for you it becomes slightly easier. I know a lady who said she does leg lifts while washing dishes and cooking.
  • LovingMe19
    LovingMe19 Posts: 380 Member
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    My mom has a very busy lifestyle like you have just mentioned, but add 4 more kids to the picture lol. But to get her exercise in, she wakes up at about 5:30 every morning to run on the elliptical and treadmill. I know it sounds really unappealing to be up that early, I can't even get myself up at 7! BUT you can get in a great workout that will give you good energy for the rest of your day. Worth a try! And good luck!
  • suzikelley
    suzikelley Posts: 210 Member
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    Could your husband help your son with his homework after dinner while you go for a 30-45 minute walk? Or if it's too cold, you could do an exercise dvd while they work on his homework and bedtime routine? My only other suggestion is to get up before work to exercise. Good luck! It's sometimes hard to balance life and fitness, but you can totally do it! :-)
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Don't take this the wrong way, but there are a lot of things you do that can be changed just a little to make them in to exercise. Remember that every movement your body does, will burn calories. All you have to do is add some high stepping to your movements, twist your upper torso in doing things. Take stairs never escalators or elevators.

    Basically, you think of little things you can add to your daily work. Just standing out of your chair 10 times in a row doesn't take much time, but you just put a little work out in your day.
  • mlh612
    mlh612 Posts: 311 Member
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    I completely understand.. I work full-time, volunteer for my daughter's Girl Scout troop, and still try to work-out. Some days I wish there was a way to add just 45 extra minutes.
    During the week, I try and go to the gym when my husband is home at normal time in the evenings. Most of the time I end up doing my work outs on the weekends. I do work-out dvds at home and run around with my daughter playing - she thinks it a blast when mommy plays chase or hide and seek. I know its not full on gym exercise, but every little bit counts! If you have stairs in your house, run up and down for each item you need upstairs.. I just do what I can when I can.
    Best of Luck!!! :smile:
  • Joscelle
    Joscelle Posts: 93
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    Boy, do I hear ya! Your list sounds like mine! Here's what I've found to be helpful:

    1. Lists - you're halfway there... Now rank them in order of priority. At my house, some days, the laundry has to wait. Other days, vacuuming waits.

    2. Wake up earlier - once school started this year, all my hard work over the summer started going down the drain - I was not able to keep up the after work exercise schedule. I was not about to give up so I slowly trained myself to get up at 4:30 AM and get to the gym by 5:00 AM, finished by 6:00 AM - before hubby and the kids wake up. Hard to do, but believe me, if I can do it, so can you.

    3. Ask for help - hubby doesn't help unless I flat out ask - and yes, our standards our different, but the kids get bathed and homework gets done with his help too. Same with laundry and dishes.

    4. Decide. Half my battle was mental - I had to decide I was going to do it, and do it for me. A healthy mom = good for the WHOLE family. I used to feel so guilty taking 1 hour each day for myself but not anymore. I'm worth it and so are you.

    5. Some days it just won't happen and that's OK. I used to beat myself up over this, but you know, what's one day compared to a lifetime? If I don't go one day, I just work extra hard the next. It's a journey, right?

    Mostly, I just want you to know I hear you and it's so hard to do this, but you're not alone.
  • tiffanygil
    tiffanygil Posts: 478 Member
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    I know how you feel! I have a demanding job, family and still want to incorporate church, bible time, prayer and working out! For me its about routine. I get up early (most days) to read and meditate on the bible, work, straight to work out, than home, dinner, clean up, prep for next day, baths, homework, and bed.

    One trick is pre-cook your meals.... I cook a lot on my off days and freeze it. for instance I will cook 10lbs of chicken 3 different ways freeze them in individual bags with oz written on them and pull out what I need the night before and it will be thawed before I even get home and cooked. I pre prep all my veggies. I cut up my lettuce cabbage and onion put them in freezer bags on the bottom self of my fridge. My dinner cooking time is always less than 15 min. I also prep everything for the next day, my clothes kids clothes, work out bag, lunches so it's as smooth as poss. Those little things always help me shave a lot of time off the day to help me fit in my work outs. =)
  • amtrust
    amtrust Posts: 178
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    but to get her exercise in, she wakes up at about 5:30 every morning to run on the elliptical and treadmill. I know it sounds really unappealing to be up that early, I can't even get myself up at 7!

    Unfortunately, I'm already up at 4:30 on a normal workday.
  • amtrust
    amtrust Posts: 178
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    Plenty of good ideas. Thank you! I like the prepping meal thing....I've failed most times I've tried it. I need to work at that, too. That would save a lot of time!
  • Busybusybee
    Busybusybee Posts: 15 Member
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    As others have said, housework can be exercise if you do it vigorously enough - ok, maybe not as good as a 30 minute gym workout, but it all counts and you can add in the calories.

    When my kids were younger I used to try to fit in exercise alongside them - so we'd all go cycling or walking together.

    Now they're older I spend more time ferrying them around in the car, so not good for my own exercise and it's much more difficult - but I'm trying hard to plan it in, and if I can't exercise, then eat less.

    And I'd recommend a robotic vacuum cleaner - we recently bought one (an iRobot Roomba) and it saves us hours of housework time - I can take the dog for a walk instead ('tho if we didn't have the dog, wouldn't need to vacuum so much :wink:
  • jacywilson
    jacywilson Posts: 2
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    Try walking on your lunch hour, even if it is just 15 min. If you could do that every day you would be motivated to eat a healthy lunch too. I take a Pilates class once or twice a week on my lunch hour ( I am lucky, certain days a week we have a 1 1/2 hour luch! ) But just that extra bit of workout really keeps me going, I am more relaxed and feel better when I return to work. :smile:

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