Calling all moms..... how to you fit exercise into a crazy schedule?

I get up early and exercise first thing. However I get up at 5.20 to to get enough time - you would have to get up even earlier, unless you could find a way to speed up your getting ready in the morning?

As above, there are good workout DVDs like Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. If you only have 30 minutes you have to go hard and get the most out of it.

Good luck!

Firefly0606 wrote: »

You are already really busy and burning a heap of calories with your lifestyle, working, keeping your house, raising a young child. A structured workout time is probably going to be very hard to achieve.

I found it impossible to fit in regular structured workouts as a full time working mother before my kids started school. You will get your time back eventually, and structured workouts will become possible again. But later, when your child is a little older.

Apart from eating at a reasonable deficit, I used to sneak in extra movement whenever I could. 50 air squats whenever you go to the bathroom? Pushups against the kitchen bench while waiting for the water to boil? 10 minutes of kettlebell exercises straight after he is in bed, and before you start the housework? 10 minute walk in your lunch break at work? Bust out 2 sit-ups while he is playing on the floor. Turn the radio on and dance. Make your play with your son an active time....tires him out and benefits you.

Don't give up precious time with him now and burn yourself out trying to cram more into your already full day. I found I wanted to lose weight at the time, but in hindsight, I will never get those very few pre-school years back and they go so fast. Overweight but as active as I could possibly be WAS the best version of myself for my kids at that time.

I agree with Firefly0606 . My children are done with school already, but I also do everything myself and being support for my husband and son who is competing in a very big cycling competition at the end of the year. Pack lunches for both of them, because my son got so thin and skinny of the training that he was sick for almost 2 months. And working full time.My watch tell me to move every hour, then up and down the stairs once. Counting all the stairs every hour makes a difference. Sneak in some little exercises during the day, makes you burn lots of calories. Wall push-ups etc. in the bathroom also maybe twice or so a day.

Also make a work out by playing with him. Use him as a weight for example. He gets heavier and in the same breath your weights is getting heavier.

And it gets better as the children get older.

Good luck

This was always my issue.. couldn't do it in the morning because my son would wake up as soon as I laced up my sneakers, the evenings were family time, and by the time everyone was asleep I was so darn tired that I'd just pass out. The only me time I have is an hour lunch so I joined a gym that's 5 min away (I can leave work a little early so I get a full hour at the gym), then just eat at my desk after. I've been doing this for 2 years and it's working out great! I do come back to work a sweaty mess most times but no one cares lol!!

My son is autistic and therefore would never really follow the leader, but to get him accustomed to the idea of physical exercise I did find things like 'flying squats' (hold him securely by the waist in a standard squat, then when I stand up, launch him into the air. Not so much of that these days, but then he's 7 and only about 18" shorter than I am. And heavier than when I first started) or 'airplane' (lie on your back, balance child on one or both feet with legs bent, straighten legs) when he was pre-walking. I also really like @Firefly0606 's and @nelja 's suggestions of squats and press-ups when you're just waiting, or stairs once an hour.

But in general it sounds like your life is pretty full-on. Try looking at your life as a whole (does the house have to be cleaned every day? Are there ways you can minimise the amount of food prep you need to do? Just as examples...) and don't try squeezing more in than you can. If the only thing you can do is 10 jumping jacks when you get out of bed (maybe waking your son up with a crazy dancy song? 3 minutes of that would get your heart rate moving) that's something.

What's your goal? Do you want to lose weight? Build muscle? Get more movement into your day? See if there's anything your employer can do to help you achieve whatever your fitness goal is (it's in their best interest as much as it is in yours). And if, for the time being, you don't get a workout in: that's okay. You're doing so much. You're doing amazing.

That sounds hard. When my son was that age I don't think I could have fit it in. I was nursing him and every morning just took FOREVER. I had to get up so early just to get me and the kids out the door. Now my son is almost 2 and It isn't as time consuming. I get up at 4:50 to go to the gym.

I get up at 4am to go to a crossfit class at 5am. Evenings don't work because of the mom life. Got 3-9,7, and 4 month old.

You could try working out during your play time with them. Use him as a weight, kids love that. My 9 and 7 year old still love to jump on my back so I can squat them lol. Or hold in front of you, squat and thrust him in the air. Bet he would love that. If he's running you can pay tag and chase him. Little things like that.

Take 15 minutes before bed or before dinner and exercise. I have a 9 month old I normally do mine right before bed!

I'm a single, workout outside the home mom to 3 kids. Some things you have to remember...your house doesn't have to be "clean" all the time. Clothes can sit in laundry baskets for the kids to pick through and find an outfit. Kids watching their mom/dad workout is a healthy trait to show them. Cook a big meal every other or 3rd night and eat leftovers which will provide some extra time for a 30 minute exercise dvd. Crockpot meals are fantastic! And lastly, for me, I decided to get paper plates to minimize the clean up after dinner.

Mom of a 3 year old and 6 week old, after babies are in bed I fit in my workout, or wake early, or during naps. I used to workout with my dd, just put her in her swing. I recommend fitnessblender.com