this isn't working

NoAdditives
NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
edited September 23 in Motivation and Support
I'm having a really hard time getting to the gym this week. My husband and I are both in school, him during the day, me in the evening. We both go to the gym 5 days a week but the gym doesn't have childcare so we have to go a separate times. He has to leave for school at 10am. Mondays and Wednesdays he gets home around 1pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays he gets home about 5pm. I have to go to school Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5pm.

We worked out a gym schedule and it has me getting up at 7am and leaving for the gym at 8 or 8:30 so that I can spend 1-1.5 hours working out and can still be home by the time he needs to leave. He is supposed to go after school, ideally before he even comes home.

The problem is that my 9 month old son still isn't sleeping through the night. He usually wakes up twice and it can take me up to an hour to get him back to sleep in his crib. So getting up at 7 and being ready to work out an hour later is really, really hard for me. I'm just not getting the rest I need.

Mondays and Wednesdays there's just enough time for us to both get to the gym after my husband is done with school and I do have time to take a quick shower. But, there isn't time for that on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our exercise routines are such that we need to go Monday through Friday.

I'm not sure what to do. I keep hoping it will get easier, that my son will start sleeping through the night, but until that happens it's just so hard.

Replies

  • TrainerRobin
    TrainerRobin Posts: 509 Member
    If your goal is losing weight, I will tell you what most trainers won't -- while exercise is highly desirable for many reasons -- 90% of weight loss is diet. Even if you can't get to the gym (but keep trying, and if you can't make it, get out for at least a walk), get plenty of quality, nutritious food and control your calories in and the pounds will still melt away. I promise.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    It's hard to make time for yourself when so many other people need you!

    Is there any reason why you have to go to the gym to workout? There is a library of home workout dvds available, which you'd be able to do on a schedule that's more in line with what you can commit to right now. Once your little one starts sleeping through the night, then 7am won't seem too early or impossible.
  • Rosy67
    Rosy67 Posts: 282 Member
    All of the above apply, but if you want to actively get your baby to sleep through the night for your general sanity as well as to get to the gym, have a look at this book- it saved my life!....

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=richard+ferber&x=16&y=19

    All the best. It DOES get easier!
    :flowerforyou:
  • bri1720
    bri1720 Posts: 254 Member
    Both responses are spot on. When I started, I only monitored my diet. Then once I got that under control, I added the workouts. It can be very overwhelming to try so many things at once. Workout videos are great if you find one that you like. There are some available online and OnDemand (if you have Comcast). Maybe try doing a video one day a week and see how it goes. I have three boys and believe me when I say I know how hard it is to fir everything into one day.

    My other suggestion is regarding your son. Is he waking up during the night for feedings or just waking up? If it's for feedings, I would suggest adding a smidge of baby cereal to his nightly bottle. As soon as I did that, my son was out for the night.

    Good luck and stay strong!!!! The payoff in the end is well worth it!!!
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
    I'm sorry you're life is so insane right now. That said, you CAN squeeze exercise in! If you're doing anything that involves waiting, do jumping jacks, squats, jog in place, jump an imaginary rope, take extra trips up and down your stairs...

    Places I sneak in this type of movement:

    - while watching television (during the actual show, sometimes. Other times, during commercial breaks).
    - while waiting for the food to finish in the microwave or on the stove (reheating my coffee, popping popcorn, waiting for the cheese to melt on my omelette...)
    - while giving my face wash 30 seconds to work its' magic.

    YOU CAN DO IT!!!

    Charmagne
  • nursevee
    nursevee Posts: 344 Member
    Yes, a good diet can really really help you shed the pounds if you're well controlled and strict. Get plenty of water in and eat as clean as you possibly can. I have learned that while the gym is great, it is not the be-all and end-all of the equation. If my schedule was as hectic as yours you can be sure the first sacrifice I would make would be a gym routine. Purchase a few DVD's that you can do at home (I like kickboxing or bootcamp styles because I get a really good burn OR if you have cable Fit TV has some good workouts you can record. If I can't get to the gym I make myself go for a walk (you can pop baby in the stroller and do a brisk 60 mins) or a DVD. You don't need a lot to achieve results at home and in this case, I would say that is where your focus needs to be now so you don't burn out.

    Being that your son is 9 mths old you can probably commence a sleep settling routine now. If you need some advice I am more than able to assist you. I have worked in Mother/Baby units at hospitals and had to take my child to a sleep settling in patient stay.

    Good luck!
  • Leannek74
    Leannek74 Posts: 374 Member
    Just wanted to sympathize! I have a 2 (almost 3 year old) and a 9 month old!
    Sleeping through the night wasn't happening for us either :cry: :yawn: until just a week and a half ago. The not sleeping thing to me was weird because the older one slept through from day one. I thought it was because my second daughter was premature.
    Her doctor gave me some simple tips and she has slept through 8 out of 10 nights since! From 7 pm to 8 am the next morning! :bigsmile: And those other 2 nights I didn't even pick her up and she went right back to sleep!
    Just thought you might need to know there is light at the end of the tunnel!
    -Leanne
    PS: Friend me if you like, it sounds like we have a lot in common! I don't want to bother you with unsolicited advice but if you'd like to know what I changed with the baby's night time routine I'll be happy to share!
  • angelmuss
    angelmuss Posts: 45
    I know what you mean about kids not sleeping! I have 2 horrible ones! My baby is 2 years old and still doesn't sleep through the night.

    Anyhow - is there anyway you can workout during their nap times at home? Or maybe have someone that can come and watch them (maybe even during their naps) so you can get to the gym?

    I hope your little ones starts sleeping soon! Good luck!
  • KayakDeb
    KayakDeb Posts: 19
    Well, my "babies" are all grown and have kids of their own.... but I have a different "baby" - my husband and I started a new business. It also demands a lot of my time....LOL! I could see that my gym member ship was not going to work with my work schedule - so I bought a good elliptical, and a nice used Nautilus home gym. Neither takes up much space - and I'm able to duplicate most of the workouts I did at the gym - only now, instead of doing it all at once, I might sandwich the weightlifting between loads of laundry....
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    I have a stack of workout DVDs (different types) at home, just for one of those busy days, and I will put in one of the DVDs and workout at home. Save time, and feel good. It's also good for a "resting" day, which I can put in a Yoga DVD and get some good stretch.
  • bethy1987
    bethy1987 Posts: 14
    I can't always get to the gym like I want either so I just use workout dvds. I have a wii and a xbox kinect and they both have a biggest loser workout and it is wonderful!!!! Since you wouldn't have to try to and from the gym you could still get in an hour 1/2 of workout and have time to spare if you get up a little later and workout at home. There are so many dvds you can get too so may you should invest in one of those or setting up your own gym area at house! Anyways it is what works for you but be patient and you will get there!!!!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    If your goal is losing weight, I will tell you what most trainers won't -- while exercise is highly desirable for many reasons -- 90% of weight loss is diet. Even if you can't get to the gym (but keep trying, and if you can't make it, get out for at least a walk), get plenty of quality, nutritious food and control your calories in and the pounds will still melt away. I promise.

    ^^^^^^^ What she said.

    Read this article by Drew Baye to put this into context:

    http://baye.com/american-council-on-exercise-responds-to-time-magazine-article/
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I have to go to the gym to get any kind of decent workout because I can't exercise with my kids around. I was able to do some Wii Fit yesterday while they napped, but I also had to do homework. (I'm taking algebra and astronomy and have LOTS of homework.) If they're awake, I can't exercise at all. And it's usually too cold here in Albuquerque to go outside for walks. Not that we have sidewalks to walk on anyway. I do have my diet under control, I don't eat hardly any processed foods, I don't eat out at restaurants and last week was the last fast food I'll have. We just got a Vitamix so I've been making smoothies and soups with tons of fresh fruits and vegetables. Most days I drink 9-12 glasses of water. So that's not the problem. I do really need the exercise though, just reducing my calories makes my metabolism slow down pretty quickly. I can't have much of a calorie deficit because I'll stop burning fat almost immediately. (Thanks Mexican-Indian genes!)

    And as for my son's sleeping...He's no longer waking up hungry, he's just used to waking up twice a night. I can't do the cry it out thing, it just doesn't work for my kids. They never settle down, they just cry for hours. And I just don't believe in making babies or kids cry themselves to sleep. (Also, if he cries too long he'll wake up my daughter, which means she comes into my room crying.) I've tried comforting him while he's still in his crib but that doesn't work either, he either stands up or just sits and screams at me. So I rock him back to sleep and put him back in his crib, but most of the time he wakes up as soon as I put him down. And we have to repeat that process 4-5 times before he actually stays asleep. Or, if I'm too tired for that, I just bring him to bed with me. But even when he's sleeping with me he'll still wake up a couple times. He is getting better, it's just happening slowly. And it's hard for me because my daughter slept through the night at 6 weeks, I feel like he should able to sleep! Oh, and they were both full term babies, there's no medical reason he shouldn't be sleeping, he's just a needy, clingy Mama's boy!
  • sundaysurf
    sundaysurf Posts: 72 Member
    Is it a possibility to switch to a gym that has daycare? Then you and your husband could workout whenever you wanted and maybe you could even workout together. My husband travels a lot for work and the daycare at my gym is a blessing. Sometimes it is the only me time I get during the week.
    My daughter loves the gym's daycare and usually wears herself out playing with everyone and all the fun toys. Then she usually takes a good nap or sleeps well at night.
    I hope it is an option for you and if not try to continue eating healthy and he will be sleeping through the night soon.
    I wish I had your fabulous eating habits. Keep up the good work.
  • jhann16
    jhann16 Posts: 62
    Does your college have childcare? I know many of the college campuses (large and small, main and branch and community colleges) around Ohio have low cost and free daycare for students. I'd check to see if this is an option. Also it will give you a much needed break! Good luck!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    We have a 1 year contract with this gym, so I can't switch until next October. And there is childcare at his university, but it has a 2 year waiting list.

    I think I may just change my workout schedule. I won't go Tuesday or Thursday and will go in the afternoons on the days that I can.
  • macw1_2000
    macw1_2000 Posts: 50 Member
    I can totally empathize...my kids (who are now 19 & 17) NEVER slept. I had no idea how a kid could stay up so long and wake up so many times.

    Try the book by Dr. Richard Ferber "Solve your child's sleep problems." It is hell for a week or two but it's totally worth it after they start sleeping through the night.

    As for the workout stuff - the days I can't make it to the gym (I'm going to school as well), I try to turn on the music and dance while I'm making dinner - walk up and down the stairs as many times as I can - doing laundry, getting cleaning supplies etc, run around the back yard with the dogs etc. Just move as much as you can. Studying takes the time away from the workouts so you just have to get a little creative.

    I agree with the diet control too - a few years back I lost 15 pounds but just watching what I ate. I didn't really move a whole lot.

    Hang in there...just try to breath through it and don't stress yourself out. Stress releases a hormone called corisol and it's not at all good for weight loss.
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