Homemaker and mother of 2 can't get to the gym

The daycare at the gym won't be strange once you check it out. And you're right there!

I do all my workouts at home...no need to leave the house when I can do everything I need to stay in shape in the comfort of my own home.

Is there a local park nearby? I take my kids down to the park a block from my home and we have a deal, they walk the track with me twice, they can play on the playground and i do lunges and stretches and such while they play and can still watch them. We go on bike rides around the block, we bought a spiral notebook and everyday we will go for a LONG walk and they find a pretty flower or a leaf and they each tape it to a page and we write about where we find it, the colors of it when they found it, things like that! I am not a stay at home mom, i work full time, but i only work 3 days a week. So most of the week I am at home with the kids, I was worried about not finding good exercises while at home. The more creative I can get with my kids, the more exercises we come up with.. Good Luck!

One of the great benefits of exercise is that you don't have to do it all in one shot. Try to do something for 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon and, IF YOU CAN, 15 minutes at night. And it can be something your kids can do WITH you. I.e. in the morning, put on some dance music and get DANCING. You'll work up a good sweat and your kids can dance with you. In the afternoon, if they're napping, walk up and down the stairs or do a pilates video or some floor exercises. At night, if there's a partner around to take care of the kids, go for a walk for just 15 minutes! (If there's a partner in the picture I'm SURE they can give you just 15 minutes for yourself!!!)

If you do this, you'll have done 45 minutes of exercise!

I have found that I can motivate myself to do 15 minutes of exercise. There's no excuse NOT to just do 15 minutes. (And the great thing is that once I get started, it usually turns into 20 or 25 minutes!)

Hope this helps!

Lots of choices you can do at home. DVD's. Wii.

I also second the suggestion of going to check out the gym daycare first.

I understand how hard it can be to make it to the gym. I'm also a stay at home mom, I have twin babies and a toddler to take care of. I was fortunate enough to invest in a home treadmill to do my runs. There are other alternatives to working out from home...dvd's or even internet videos for workouts. Try to get at least some exercise but 80% of dieting is what you are eating. Once your mind is set everything else will follow. Good luck to you :flowerforyou:

It's difficult, I understand. I have two children (4 and 1) and work outside the home. I have always felt the same - too hard to wake up before the children, don't want to pick them up from one daycare and bring them to a second so I could work out, hate to exercise at 9:30pm after they are asleep. Within the last month or so I have been successful with putting my youngest (he wakes at 5am) in the jogging stroller and going around the neighborhood while my older one and husband are still sleeping and I have been trying to exercise with my older one after the little guy goes to bed. If you don't want to invest in videos right away, there are many free ones on OnDemand (or something similar if you have with your tv) or on the internet (you tube, etc). The WiiFit is great too if you have that. My 4 year old thinks it's hysterical to "exercise" with me. Granted it's not the most effective work out, but it's something.

Hope some of these ideas help!

Get a Netflix subscription and rent workout videos. Then if you find any you like, you can buy it and just return the duds.

2 small children - too old for pushchairs? If not - get power pushing! Brisk walks with the buggy.

How about a mother and toddler dance class? - if there are any in your area.

personally I'm loving 'Your Shape Fitness Evolved' on xbox kinect - expensive if you don't have one! And you need the space.

Just get the kids involved can they ride trikes while you jog/power walk?

Can you do a child care swap with a friend - they have your kids while you gym it and you in return have theirs while they have some 'me' time.

I hate the gym so its a case of thinking around it. How about evenings? Can Daddy watch them while you go to some classes? Getting motivated on your own can be a struggle - I'm a social exerciser - I play for a Netball team and I go to dance classes.

Summertime_girl is right though - the daycare will only be strange the 1st couple of times - and you know you're close by if they need you.

I am a mother of 4 and I home educate so they are pretty much always with me. I agree it is difficult but it's possible. I think you need a range of strategies, some will work one day and some another. For me, this is how it works. I sometimes run in the morning before my husband goes to work but only if I have the energy to get up really early, which depends on how well the kids have slept! Other times I play football in the garden with the kids or do yoga with them. I have Rosemary Conley DVDs which I use in the evenings where possible, and I go to at least one class a week, sometimes paying a babysitter if my husband is not back in time, which is annoying but better than missing my class. I walk with the kids as much as possible, either pushing a buggy or carrying the baby in a sling, and I sometimes go for a faster walk in the evenings. I agree about the gym problem - I wouldn't leave my kids in a creche in that kind of setting, though that is just a personal choice. Good luck!

Here are a few things- I agree about going and checking out the Y's daycare. It will do you AND your kids well to get out. Kids need to be socialized, BUT so do you. If you make an effort and spend the money, chances are you will exercise more consistently.
However, if money is an issue, then doyour exercising at home and get the kids involved as much as possible or use nap time. A jogging stroller is a great idea - they also make this stroller that attaches to the back of a bike so you can cycle if you want.
I recommend the beachbody turbo series. Chalene Johnson, and theya re for different physical fitness body levels. Start with Turbo Jam, calorie burner and cardio. Next is Chalene extreme - cardio and weights at multiple levels and you don't need tons of equipment. Then there is turbo Fire - you have to be in great shape to do this but also comes at 2 different levels on each disc. Look at Amazon as they are less expensive.
I also like Jilliam michaels stuff (available at Walmart) Mean burn. The biggest loser ones - final workout, and walk are great.

Good Luck

I do all my workouts at home...no need to leave the house when I can do everything I need to stay in shape in the comfort of my own home.

Kudos on Insanity, btw! I do all mine at home too.

I have four kids and will only be going back to work this fall. I have been working out 6 days a week for the last 2.5 years and a 3-4 days a weeks for about a year before that. Between kids i would just get back in the swing of hitting the gym when I would be pregnant again and on bedrest...The gym childcare is strange at first but a God send once you find if you can trust the ladies. When I had my fouth the ladies were morons and would hold my son up to the window so he could see me and that would get him crying because he wanted me...when they just let him be he was fine.....oh well...my son made it clear that from 6-10 months he wanted nothing to do with the childcare...so I would only go when all my girls were going to be there too...the sisters would keep him happy for long enough for me to squeeze in something. Amazingly a new woman joined the childcare and she was a mother to 6 and grandmother to 20 some kids...she figured my little guy out and it was awesome. I could work out for 2 hours. When I can't make the gym work I do something...walk with the kids...get a bike trailer and take them for a bike ride. I do DVD's...i have a whole bunch. 10 minute solutions DVD's are nice...as there are 5 10 minute segments that you can program on the DVD player which segments and what order you want them in...that way if you can only squeeze in 10 - 20 minutes you can still get something done...or you can stretch them out to over an hour if you want...tae bo is fun and a great workout...30 Day Shred are good and short workouts. ...oh another thing I do...is I use the stairs in my house...I do ten up and downs with pushups or jumping jacks at the top or bottom....if the kids are sleeping I might do 20 sets....but remember all those exercises you did in gym class...the calisthenics...toe touches, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups etc...make a routine for yourself...I do it all the time but I am nuts...just move as long as you can...I will do 50 jumping jacks after I empty the dryer....then 50 more after i put the wet clothes in the dryer....I will do torso twists when or march in place while doing dishes.....you can make it work if you want

HOW SMALL ARE YOUR CHILDREN?

playing with them at the park. Most parks around here (New Jersey) have exercise equipment next to the swings and or jungle gyms. Are they at the age you can do your thing while keeping an eye on them while they do theirs?

They make Jogging strollers to take the little ones with you on a jog/walk

treadmill at home. you can pick one up pretty cheap either a cheap model from store, or used from craigslist.

Calisthenics!!! this can be done anywhere! living room floor... bedroom floor... park... anywhere!

Bike riding. Again, depending on the age of your kiddos.... kids love riding bikes... if they are too little... maybe try this:

http://www.netkidswear.com/koolbictrail.html?gdftrk=gdfV22103_a_7c486_a_7c1248_a_7cKS_d_TKL

have to enjoy this weather while we can!

Good luck!

The daycare at the gym won't be strange once you check it out. And you're right there!

This. I love the childcare at my YMCA. It's usually the same staff, they know my child by name as we walk up, and I'm right upstairs if I'm needed. He has fun, gets out of the house, plays with other kids and different toys, and mom and dad get their workouts in. It's an ideal situation.