Mommy Thread!

KKJ24
KKJ24 Posts: 19 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
How do you mamas incorporate exercise into your daily routine with kiddos? I have two very small kids so it feels like by the time I get them taken care if it is time to sit down and relax because I have been going and going and going! What are your favorite healthy snacks as well?

Replies

  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    I have 2 yr old twins. I fit exercise in whenever I can. Sometimes (like last night) when life gets in the way, I can't exercise until 9:30pm. I do what I have to. I MAKE time for exercise, even if it's during the twins supper time (leave daddy to supervise after i finish making the dinner) and i run off to the workout room etc. I know you're exhausted by the end of the day, but you have to make it a priority. Let yourself crash out after your workout :)
  • toadiejones
    toadiejones Posts: 605 Member
    I have 4 kids (ages 8, 5, 3, &1.5) and my gym (Lifetime Fitness) has been a lifesaver. It has great free childcare as early as 4 months. My kids love going there to play with their "friends". Because they love the socialization so much, they encourage me to workout as much as possible! So I highly recommend searching out gyms with good childcare.

    As for snacks, I'll be watching this thread to see what people say. We are a big fruit and cheese family but sometimes I really feel like I need something more!
  • rosy_rsls
    rosy_rsls Posts: 114 Member
    I am a mother of a soon to be 3 year old! we walk to the park together almost everyday! we take bubbles and we run back and for for about half an hr trying to pop them lol. Our favorite snacks are watermelon, pineapple and apples with sugarfree caramel . i try to feed her the same way i fed me because when i was little my dad was always a vegetarian and i was able to easily follow his way of living without thinking anything was missing. it wasnt until i met my bf and adapted to his ways that i gained weight. so i feel if we get them eating healthy young its easier for them. my daughter and i have subway all the time and she loves the veggie delight as do i and she doesnt drink juice or soda. just water. when asked she'lll tell you she wants water. =]
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    snacks i eat:
    100 calorie thinsations cakesters
    110 calorie chewy granola bars
    100 calories for 15 crispers
    260 calories for 40 tostitos chips and 100 calories for 4tbsp of spinach dip
    90 calorie rice krispie squares
    brocolli, cucumbers, mushrooms with 60 calories of light french onion dip
    100 calorie thinsations cookies
  • xoArielleMarieox
    xoArielleMarieox Posts: 47
    Its super hard for me to work out with my little man. I have a 21 month old who only takes (1) one hour nap a day and during that one hour I find myself cleaning up the mess of a tornato that just went through my house, then I sit down for 15 minutes, and hes up again....I always used to exercise once he fell asleep, but thats at 8, and I found myself not being able to fall asleep because I have all this energy so that didnt work out for me either. Ive been waiting for my hubby to get home and play with him and I take 30 minutes for myself and work out, then I try and go for atleast a 15-20 minute family walk.
    As far as healthy snacks I dont got much lol. I eat a lot of 100 calorie packs, frozen grapes, and jolly time popcorn is my life saver lol.
  • toadiejones
    toadiejones Posts: 605 Member
    And, yeah like MissAnjy said, sometimes life gets in the way and I didn't step on the elliptical until 9:50pm. Really didn't want to but felt sooo much better afterwards.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    My only son is 5 now and I really just started exercising when he was 4, almost 5. It's hard to fit it in, but I never really relax anyway, so at least if i am not going to be sitting down I am still doing something for me :) Some people try to do it in the morning, but I find it impossible to wake up early on a regular basis and still have time to get ready for work, etc. I do it in the evening, usually after dinner. It helps me eat less because I don't want to be grossly full when I exercise. I look at it as good time for my husband and son to have one on one time.

    Fav healthy snacks, 0% plain greek yogurt w/ about 1/4 cup no sugar added muesli and fresh berries or a drizzle of honey if I don't have any berries. I also like to have 1 oz. of cheese cut into small pieces and I eat it with one Wasa Crisp Break broken up into small pieces.
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    My twins are now 3 1/2. Its gotten easier as they've gotten older. I now will give them something (playdo works great) to try to grab their attention longer and go do my dvd. Sometimes it just doesn't happen until they are in bed, which is when I used to always do my workout. I just have to make it a priority like Miss Anjy said. I fell into a "sleep is more important" phase for some time. Yes, sleep is important but so is being fit and healthy.

    Also, really enjoying the workout is helping tremendously! Even if I'm tired and can't workout til my girls' bedtime (which is 9:30 right now) I want to do it and that helps a ton!
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
    i usually make my husband supervise playtime so that i can go down to the fitness room. otherwise, i do workout dvd's at home when the baby's down for a nap.

    as for snacks, there are a LOT of great deals on fresh fruit right now - i have 1-cup portions of blueberries, grapes, and strawberries frozen in little plastic bags for snacks to eat all day. I also enjoy 8 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins with a mini Babybel/Laughing Cow cheese. The fruits add up to less than 100 calories per portion, and the crackers and cheese usually come up between 100 and 150 calories, depending on whether or not you want more crackers and which type of cheese you like.
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    Oh, healthy snacks - its summer so its fresh fruit and veggies. We all love them and they are cheaper right now so we'll load up.

    I also love chips and salsa. I get natural, more healthy, salsa and try not to go crazy on the chips. It's not too bad as long as I don't eat too many.

    Popcorn is another fave of our family.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    one of the easiest ways to get in exercise with little ones is to put them in the stroller or baby pack and go for walks. Kids love to go for walks especially to the park, another easy thing to do is to put on music and just dance around with them, kids also like to try to do exercise videos with you depending on the ages and kids. I hope this helps. Like mentioned above a gym with a good daycare is a great option also

    as for snacks apples with peanut butter, watermelon, grapes, mini rice cakes, special K crisp bars, popcorn are all good snacks. there are also several good recipes for low cal muffins on the recipe board
  • knelson422
    knelson422 Posts: 308 Member
    Working exercise in is important to me because it is the only time that I really do something that is JUST for me, all day long. I look at it as my quiet time, me time. At one point I bought a double baby jogger at strollers4less.com. They had the best deal and free shipping. I was too tired to get up early, so I went jogging with the kiddos while they napped in the jogger. They were comfortable and I got my time in. Now I have to get up early to exercise if I want to get it in. That is just how our schedule is. I am finding though with my weight loss it is more about what I eat than how much I exercise. Which is a bummer, because I like to work out, curbing eating is way more challenging for me. But, I am also realizing that my kids are only this small for just so long, and if I miss a workout here and there it is okay, this time is about them too. Good luck. Add me as a friend if you want. We can do this.
  • momma_roo
    momma_roo Posts: 146 Member
    The YMCA has a great daycare which is free for two hours a day. Which is almost worth the cost of a membership period. I walk with my son when my daughter's at preschool, but with summer on the way I will most likely take advantage of the YMCA. We also do an hour long family walk some nights with the kids in strollers. Since it is getting hotter I've thought about getting up earlier and walking/ jogging in the morning before my husband goes to work.

    I love hummus with low fat wheat thins or veggies. Also low cal tortilla chips and salsa or just a handful of almonds.
  • KKJ24
    KKJ24 Posts: 19 Member
    Thanks for all the advice everyone! I am going to reply more later- we are off to the pool to play and get some laps in. Have a great day with your kiddos!
  • megz4987
    megz4987 Posts: 1,008 Member
    My daughters just 3months so I can still do my workouts while she's napping.
    As for snacks... I can't snack. A snack turns into a meal which turn sinto my calories for the day. I just make sure my meals will keep me satisfied until the next.
  • adecker2007
    adecker2007 Posts: 10 Member
    My husband and I have 7 kids between us they are 14,12,10,9,6,3,2 if it's during the day and the kids are napping, I will let the 14 year old in charge and stay in our neighborhood, and take a bike ride, or walk or something, but usually, I just wait till my husband gets home, and I do it when he's home to watch the kids, like I just got back from a 30 minute bike ride! Don't forget, cleaning is also buring calories, you can log some of that, as long as it's not your typical everyday routine, like I hardcore clean my bathrooms once a week, so I count that but on just a normal day when I go into clean pu after the kids, aka wipe the counter down or pick up there laundry since they forgot about the old fashioned cloths baskets lol, I don't count that, because that is normal for me to do! :) as far as snack, I have a little bit of and allergy to some fresh fruits, it's actually and oral allergy, to the pollon thats on them, my mouth get's extremely itchy, so I stick to sugar free applesauce, it's so good, and italian ices, or pop sicles in the summer, they are VERY low calories, also JELLO! :) Good luck to you dear!
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