Stay at home mom= no time to workout

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Replies

  • WindmillSong
    WindmillSong Posts: 81 Member
    My momma used to get all kinds of excersize chasing me around yelling stuff like, "You better not light that!" and "Spit that frog out right now!"

    figure you are getting more than you realise.

    Lol!

    I'm a stay at home mom too-right now it works for me, because my husband can watch my 19 month old while I'm on the treadmill, otherwise I wait until they go to sleep-I am Not a morning person, so I'd rather stay up later and exercise.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
    Okay, now for my real tips. :) I don't think I'd be able to fit 2 hours in a day either but I at least aim for 30-45 minutes. I probably could do more than that if I tried to get up super early before my little boy woke up but I am not that committed yet! Plus my husband is trying to get out of the house for work then and has his own routine in place that me exercising would mess up (not exercising... watching TV... yeah....)

    Anyway... I am fortunate that my 5 year old is old enough to occupy himself for a bit without attention from me. I take advantage of 30 minutes or so (or even 15 sometimes) to do a quick Walk Away the Pounds DVD or some activity on the Wii (I have Wii Fit Plus and Gold's Cardio Gym). He also likes to "coach" me on the Wii Fit or sometimes exercise right beside me, or exercise with me on the walking DVDs. Kids are great weights too... mine is getting too tall for me to pick up much (he is only about 1 1/2 feet shorter than me!) but younger kids love doing Superman flies or being swung up and down and things like that. Let them count reps for you while you do weights. See who can do jumping jacks the longest. Play Simon Says and throw exercise in there (Simon Says... jump up and down 10 times or touch your toes for a count of 10 or do 25 jumping jacks).

    Also, when it was warmer outside I would go out to walk (run?) after supper while my husband did bathtime. That is much easier when it doesn't get dark until 7 or 8 pm though. I loved it because it was some time with just me and my iPod and I got exercise too!
  • Angel1029
    Angel1029 Posts: 459
    I may be in a different spectrum with my point of view as 1) a male and 2) im not just at home, but; I do have a hectic schedule and still manage to fit in exercise. My day begins like this wake up at 4am so I can get ready to take my wife to work so we can leave at 5:15 so we can be there before 5:45 ( when she has to clock in ), I eat and do my bicep curls, squats, shoulder presses (all with dumb bells) and my 500 crunches, then once I get home from dropping her off, I get the boys ( my 7 yr old and my 3 yr old ) up and have them go use the bathroom and do what they have to do, while they do that I make their breakfasts ( usually fritata and toast or oatmeal ) and when they are done getting themselves dressed I have them come eat. I then clean up their dishes and have them read aloud until its time to get my older boy on his bus. I get him on the bus and then I play with my 3 year old for until 10:00 am and we watch Lets Make A Deal, then I make my lunch and his lunch around 11:00, we eat, I clean up, I reapeat my morning work out again, he doesnt bother me, he usualy mimics me. Then around 2:00pm we go to pick my wife up from work as she is done at 2:55pm, then when we get back, I get ready for my job. Me and my wife wait for the bus to drop him off, I go to work from 4pm to 1230am and repeat the process Monday thru Friday, but beings as she works Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, we dont really have a day where we can both chill. My point is, even though im not a stay at home mom, no matter how hectic the day, there is time to exercise.


    Right on!!!
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    What do you mean, you don't have time? We stay-at-home moms get to make our own schedules. You make time. Get the kids involved, or do it during naptime. If they don't nap, set them up with a coloring book and a snack and a drink and tell them that Mommy's going to do her exercises, and you'll play with them when you're done. Instead of flopping on the couch for your "me" time, turn on a show you like and do some step aerobics while you watch, with pushups and crunches during the commercials. Plop the kids in a stroller or wagon and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Lead them in jumping jacks or a fun game of "follow the leader" where you do the craziest dance moves you can think of and they get to copy. If you spend time on the computer during the day (I know I do), trade off some of that time for working out.

    No excuses here. If you want to do this, you'll do this. If you don't, you won't. I used to think I "didn't have time," but you know what I realized? You have the same number of hours in the day as everybody else, and somehow people all over the world are finding time to make these changes, because it's important to them. Make it important in your life! You are worth the time it takes to get healthy! Set a good example for your kids by making health a priority.
  • BrandNewMia
    BrandNewMia Posts: 461
    I am also a stay at home mom, my son is 4 (also have a daughter age 6, but she's in school). My son knows that I have my exercise time, each and every day. Sometimes he does it with me, like when I was running (Wii Fit) he literally ran circles with me in the living room for 20 mins. Or I lay on my back, he sits on my feet, and I do leg lifts. He likes to dance, so he stands in front of me and does aerobics with me (reduces my chances of stepping on him, though it happens on occasion). Sometimes he sits and watches me, he is an incredible cheer leader - when I stop, he tells me to keep going. But most of the time, he is occupied with something else - his Moon Sand, his room, his lunch, or even the TV. Do I get interrupted during my workout? EVERY TIME. But that's OK! And on the rare occasion that I am home by myself, I work out like a maniac.

    Bottom line - there are no good excuses. If you want to work out, you will find/make the time. Commit to it, and it will happen.
  • gogetter765
    gogetter765 Posts: 10 Member
    I would definitely either stay up late or get up early. I'm a huge fan of jillian Michaels, I have just about all of her dvd's she has an excellent dvd called 30 day shred. It whips you into shape if you are consistent with it. 3, 20 min. exercise's they are not easy, but you work your way up , from level 1-3. do your children go to school? Or take naps? if you want this, you really have to make the time..Thats all there is to it. Tae- bo is also good, because both of these trainers have you working all your muscles in their dvd's.
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member

    No excuses here. If you want to do this, you'll do this. If you don't, you won't. I used to think I "didn't have time," but you know what I realized? You have the same number of hours in the day as everybody else, and somehow people all over the world are finding time to make these changes, because it's important to them. Make it important in your life! You are worth the time it takes to get healthy! Set a good example for your kids by making health a priority.

    100000000000% agree!!!!!!!!!
  • Enduranze3
    Enduranze3 Posts: 45 Member
    I'm a stay at home mom too. I have a 4 month old and he keeps me busy! I try and workout when my husband gets home. Somedays are easier than others. I am also a full time student (take 4 classes online and go to the college for 1) so I have to work that in with cleaning, cooking, and baby. We have stairs in our home so when my son goes down for one of his famous 10 minute naps I try to sneak in a few reps on the stairs.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
    I think there just comes a time when you can't take it any more.....getting in shape becomes a "need" not a "want" .....when you just absolutely have that "moment", then getting up early or finding a way, becomes a necessity. As old and corny as it is, "where there is a will, there is a way"

    The last time I "gave up" working out, I told myself that I preferred to relax when I got home, that I had no time to take care of my fellas if I worked out, never made it to the grocery store, or got the laundry done, etc etc etc.....all excuses.

    Well, I had the "moment" I had NOTHING to wear and had to go buy a pair of bigger pants just to go to work. I felt horrible, tired all the time etc etc etc..................getting healthy and losing some weight to be healthy, became a necessity, it wasn't that I just wanted to look cute, it was a "moment"

    Now, I ALWAYS make time for a work out --- some days it's short, maybe just a 10 minute "burn buns" video, but I do something. Put those babies in a stroller and go for a walk - easy peasy and they will love it.

    If you can make a small goal to wake up early for one week and work out, see how it goes, I think you will be so pleased with the results that getting up early to work out won't seem like such a terrible thing :)
  • BrattyLori
    BrattyLori Posts: 101 Member
    Hi there! I am SO on your side! I have been getting up at 5 am to work out for almost a year. It is a BLORK sandwich to have to get up so early, but honestly, I've started to enjoy my solitude! "Thank you Dear Lord for "first thing in the morning:" when my children are still safe and cozily asleep! Amen!"

    Again - getting up super early is NOT FUN, except for the fact that those little people are NOT AROUND! Hooray! ;D Good luck and God Bless!
  • bdavenport62
    bdavenport62 Posts: 101
    I'm a SAHM and I go to the gym at 5 am, waking up at 4. Sometimes I will work in doing the 30 day shred, which my 1 year old finds hilarious. When the weather is nicer I have a jogging stroller to use. I know it can be so hard, but you are worth making time for!
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    I say do it at night regardless of you wanting to relax. If it's a priority you will find the time.

    I don't think you have to do 2 hours a day either, find a really hard core kick *kitten* program that can burn tons of calories in less time like 1 hour and you should still have some time to rest before bed (maybe try 30 day shred or insanity or P90X etc....there are tons of choices out there)

    Good luck!
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,953 Member
    I don't know how old your kids are but at a certain point you can train them that workout time is "mommy" time and they should leave you alone. This was a requirement for me since we homeschool and I have four kids. From the time they were little I would set them up with an activity and tell them that when I turned off the TV I could talk again. Obviously the younger they are the more flexible and patient you have to be with something like this but they do learn. Just keep them somewhere nearby so you can keep an eye on them and don't make empty threats. If you have to deal with something, pause your video and deal with it but then get back to it. I always allowed mine to join in if they wanted to but they had a "special space" where they could work out and they had to stay out of my "special space". That way I wasn't tripping on them or smacking them in the head with my flailing arms!

    Otherwise, all the suggestions in this thread should have given you some great ideas! Where there's a will, there's a way!
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    No, you're not doomed. You have to make time. Get up early, yes it sucks, or stay up late, sucks equally. But if you are serious, take serious actions.
    this is what my doctor told me exactly...but actually...we re-budgeted and found enough money for me to join a gym that has on site child care. But if thats not an option for you, whether it be where you live or what have you, you may just have to wake a little extra early, or stay up a little extra late! or get the kiddos envolved.
  • parakeet
    parakeet Posts: 28 Member
    That is funny,I try to remember the time how I did it when my kids were little.Now they are both in school,so it is not a problem.
    When my older son was in preschool and my little one was still with me I went to the Gym and she played in that gym daycare until I was done with my work out.When both were at home I tried to do it while their nap time.Yes it was a challenge.
    Maybe you can put your kids in the stroller and go for a nice run outside,if the weather is okay.
  • lesliemk
    lesliemk Posts: 382 Member
    I work out in the afternoon while my youngest takes her nap and I let my 4yr old watch a short movie or join in with me. She understand that this is mommy's time. With that said my workouts range from 35-45 minutes and I think you have to feel realistic about that as a mom who's short on time. I've had great success counting calories and following my ChaLEAN Extreme program. It holds me accountable. You can do it--it's all about determination. Do it mama!!
  • shreddingit
    shreddingit Posts: 1,133 Member
    I have a 7yr old and 16month old, I stay at home too....the day is all about them and the night is all about me, I usually start working out at 9pm and end till 11pm+...at first with my baby it wasnt too easy but he got use to mommy working out and he enjoys watching Jillian Michaels on tv so he leaves me to do my thing....just do it girl!! they will get use to it.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
    SAHM here. I get up a hour before my kids so that I get my workout in every morning. It sucks but it pays off. I get my time uniterupted
  • SassyMissDasha
    SassyMissDasha Posts: 614
    I'm a stay at home mom to 3 kids and I have all the time in the world to work out. I go to the gym at 6:00 AM when they (and hubby of course) are still asleep. I take them to the park, when it's not freezing. We play Wii Active and Wii Fit and Just Dance together. I know not everyone has that option. They have Exercise TV, you can do the Leslie Sansone walk at home, or yoga. Anything.
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