Where is the balance?

My blog is private, but I just wrote about the same exact topic!! lol. Bump

The best way I hear over and over is to wake up before everyone else and do it then. You might start going to bed earlier, but that's alright. You'll wake up and burn a ton of calories, and on top of that, you'll have a ton of energy for your day.

I don't think working less is the answer. Also, getting up earlier means going to bed earlier, which means less time with the hubs, so that might not work for you.

Use your downtime. Take a brisk walk on your lunch break -- you don't have to walk the whole time, just take 15 or 30 minutes and book it around the block a few times. Just something to get your heart pumping. Avoid the elevator, and when you're strong enough, take the stairs two at a time. In the evening, set aside 10 minutes -- just 10 minutes! -- and do a quick workout off of www.exercisetv.tv or www.bodyrock.tv. While you're waiting for dinner to cook, do some bicep curls with a milk jug, or some wall push-ups. Do squats while you wash dishes or fold laundry. While you're watching tv, you can get something to use as an aerobic step, and step through the whole show, using the commercials for pushups, crunches, and planks. Take walks with the family in the evenings. Good for everyone, and you get to spend time together.

Work it in wherever you can. You don't have to have an hour of dedicated time. 2 minutes at a time is better than none.

TBH, in your situation, I probably wouldn't manage to find time to work out either! I just don't do much housework, and don't mind living in a bit of a mess, but I don't work, either, I just have the children and husband factor.

If I were you I would try to exercise at work. Do toe taps, pelvic floor exercises, etc as you are sitting at work. How far is your commute? Can you walk or cycle it? Save the aerobic exercise for the weekends, would be my advice. Don't burn yourself out trying to pack too much in. No one really does it all.

Maybe making gym an activity you and your hubby do together? I'm not sure about your gym but mine also has a daycare center you can drop your kids off at if they are not old enough to stay home alone. Also maybe even family outings to the park or kicking around a ball in the yard together could be a why for you to get in some activity and still have time to spend with your family.

I have seen a couple of 6 mins a day exercise videos. Could/would you do something like that? My children want to join in the 30 day shred with me! (they are 3 and 5).

This has been a struggle for me too, but I have started to ask my husband to give me 30 minutes either before or after dinner to get in my workout while he handles the kiddos. Fortunately, he is very supportive of my new health kick! My littlest goes to bed around 7pm or so and the older two are ok on their own really so around 7:30 is when I usually get to exercise.

That's right - you can't do it all. That's the myth of the Superwoman syndrome. That said, welcome to reality!

The first thing you need to do is prioritize what is most important right now in this moment in your life and make all your actions support that decision. Now that doesn't mean you have to quit your job or stop cooking and taking care of your kids. It just means that if exercise is really important and you have to work, then look for ways to support exercise while at work. Same for home.

The misconception most people have is that they think they have to work out for 35 consecutive minutes to benefit from exercise. This is not true. You can do five 30-minute exercises throughout the day and still receive the same benefits so long as you make those five minutes count. That said,

Whenever and where ever possible, take the stairs instead of escalators and elevators.
Do squats and lunges on your breaks.
Do walking lunges to and from your car or the bus stop.
Go for a brisk 10-15 minute walk on your lunch.
However, if it's cold and snowy outside and the place you work has stairs, then climb stairs instead of going outside for a walk.
If you work in an office at a desk, keep a pair of dumbbells in your desk and do five minutes of shoulder presses, bicep curls, and tricep extensions at your desk on your break.

After work, either before or after dinner, take the kids to the park and 'play' with them. It's amazing how many calories you burn chasing after little one and climbing up and down ladders, slides, etc. Take a ball outside and kick it around. Kids love that sort of thing. You can even do this in the cold snowy weather too. Kids don't care how cold it is so long as they're bundled and having fun. Take their cue - bundle up and get out and play with them. Your husband can join too for quality family time!

As for meals, prepare large meals in advance and portion out enough for each person, then freeze it for future microwavable use. I spend every Sunday, which also happens to be my REST day from physical activity, preparing and cooking all the meals for the week ahead. I freeze what I can. I chop all veggies and put them in clear see through containers to help make snacks and salads easier to prepare. This makes coming home after work and preparing meals so much more easy and effective and time saving.

As for the housework, do a little each day instead of trying to do it all at once and save your big clean AS A WORKOUT on the weekend. I sweep my floors every second day, clean one bathroom every third or fourth day, clean the kitchen as I go, and do a major clean once a week.

If you have little ones, get your kids involved. Even little ones can drag dirty clothes to an empty laundry basket across the floor and think it's fun. Or let your husband have one hour of quality play time with the kids while you clean house, or vice versa (if he cleans - mine doesn't).

As for appeasing your husband and spending quality time with him, it's amazing what a five minute back rub or head massage does for a man. With my husband, five minutes of quality touch time enables me almost 2 hours of workout time! A pretty good trade off I think!! Too, I spend at least three days of the week walking 45 minutes with my husband. This is considered part of our 'alone and intimate' time together. Because we have no kids on our walks, we can truly focus on each other while supporting each other in a healthy lifestyle.

Just some things to consider. They may or may not work for you. Only you know that for sure.

All the best to you

BTW I really like what the lady in the post above mine had to say- those are all great ideas, esp. about making the big meals in advance so there is less cooking time!

Second, is there some way your husband can help with the housework and cooking?

This was my first thought. I exercise while my husband bathes and puts the kiddo to bed. We have "our" time after.