exercise, young children & work

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bonnivillaman
bonnivillaman Posts: 8
in Motivation and Support
Hi all,

I have started working on my diet using MFP. I would like to start working out but find it hard to do while balancing work and a family, not to mention keeping my house clean! Any good suggestions on how to fit exercise in? I thought about waking up early...but I am not naturally a early bird and don't want to set unattainable goals,
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  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I hate getting up too but it's pretty much my only option. Its either in the morning before the kids wake up (and they get up at 6:30 or 7) or in the evening after they go to bed at 8 (which is usually my house cleaning time). And I just can't sleep if I work out at night. So 5am the alarm goes off and even then, sometimes I have an audience before I'm finished.
  • TriumphNow
    TriumphNow Posts: 526 Member
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    I had to start forcing myself to get up early. After a while, it wasn't really a problem. My kids are 6 yrs and 19 months so I exercise early (5 or 5:30 a.m.) before they wake up . If I don't do it in the morning, it doesn't get done. Exercising in the morning also makes me stay on track for the day because I feel good about that accomplishment. I hope you find what works for you :)
  • koylefam
    koylefam Posts: 142 Member
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    I too am a mother to 4, a wife, and I work. I never consiered myself a morning person until i learned that if I REALLY wanted to exercise I HAD to do it BEFORE my children wake up.... So I have learned I must be in bed by 10:30 at the latest (preferbly 10) and I get up at 10 minutes to 5.... And let me tell you I feel better, and get more accomplished then I EVER have..... It is hard. and yes sometimes I do turn my alarm off... But give it a try for a few weeks....
  • TriumphNow
    TriumphNow Posts: 526 Member
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    So 5am the alarm goes off and even then, sometimes I have an audience before I'm finished.

    Ditto. And LOL about the audience. My kids try to join in if they wake up (even the 19 month old) that's why really try to get it in before they wake up...that's my private time.
  • Shells06
    Shells06 Posts: 109 Member
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    Ugh I hear you! Between work, commutting, cooking, cleaning, and kids it is very hard to fit exercise in. Somedays my husband entertains the kids while I work out and something just doesn't get cleaned that day. Other days if the weather is nice we walk or ride bikes. I started doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred a couple days ago. Its a good work out and doesn't take too much time. I 'd love to hear other ideas as well!
  • hypotrochoid
    hypotrochoid Posts: 842 Member
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    I go to the gym in the evening after my moochie is tucked into bed. I also work out with her in the afternoon when I get home from work. Those 34 pound toddler presses are getting easier!
  • mommybrina
    mommybrina Posts: 5
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    Hello, I can relate as I work full time and have a young one. I really enjoy riding my bike for working out. Just an idea, you could go on a bike ride with the kids :-) If they are small, maybe a kid seat or trailer. My son is 6 and he goes with me on the bike trail. It still burns calories! We go either before or after dinner. On days that doesn't happen, I try to workout to a dvd right after he goes to bed. Good Luck!
    ~Sabrina
  • evesacks
    evesacks Posts: 94 Member
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    Do shred / ripped in 30 etc etc every night at 9pm.
  • Erin_26
    Erin_26 Posts: 97 Member
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    Hi,

    I, too, am a mommy, working girl, housekeeper, etc. The only way I've found to have daily exercise is to go for a walk with the kiddo and then do some calisthenics on the living room floor with my 2 yr old crawling all over me. It's not a perfect workout, but it's something!!
  • LeelaLosing
    LeelaLosing Posts: 237 Member
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    Time management is a tough challenge for me too, curious to see what people suggest. Some things I do and have done in the past....exercise as part of something else.... I can exercise outside where it's pretty and relaxing so i use it as down time sometimes....or walk to do errands (grocery store, dryleaner, post office, whatever...), take the stairs when you can. I don't know age of your kids, but do they nap, do they go to school, can you pop them in a stroller, is there a gym with kidcare (mine does and only $30 a month), do you have help (partner/babysitter/friend you can trade off with?), but yes, my housework suffers and I've tried to simplify meals until I figure it out better....
  • Nancymcgregor
    Nancymcgregor Posts: 150 Member
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    I get my kids involved. My 5yo daugthers cycle with me every other day and do my strength training with me. They obviously don't really do much but it occupies them so I can get on with it.
    On the housework front, I have no answer, I still struggle to fit it all in but I do have a mega clean on saturdays.
  • lanek3007
    lanek3007 Posts: 11 Member
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    I tottaly feel your pain. My kids are 3 and 10. I have never been a mornign person and I hate to have to get up and pee inthe middle of the night. I guess waking up early is our only option. I havent started but I am gonna try it....lets be friends and see how it works for the both of us!!!!! Oh....by the way.....GOOD LUCK!!!!!
  • demery12371
    demery12371 Posts: 253 Member
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    As a mommy of 3 (6.5, 4.5 & 2.5) I had the same issue... *plus add in the hubby=extra kid*

    I was trying to do a workout tape in the evening but more often than not didn't even try. I started getting up and running in the morning... (hate getting up early)
    I have found that doing it in the am before everyone is awake gives me a little me time, some quite do to my workout *running* and then when I get back I have soooo much more energy to make it through my day. Also on my off days from running I work out at the gym at our work. Before that I would just go for a 40 min walk at lunch either around the parking lot or down to the park right close.

    Good Luck... It truly makes you feel better though when you do work out. Today was my off day for running and I missed it.
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
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    Life is a balancing act, eh?

    Is your significant other supportive? Maybe ask him if it's possible that he step up and hang out with the kids for 1 hour a day/every other day to work out. You could also incorporate some family activities too..like nightly bike rides/walks around the neighborhood. The time is there, you just have to take it and manage it.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
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    I'm up to run at 4:30. Second workout is during nap time. I am not naturally a morning person either. Trust me, I'd rather sleep but success doesn't come for free. For me it's not a matter of fitting exercise in, everything fits around my training.

    It's possible to make it all happen, you just have to make a schedule and stick to it.
  • Shawnda1730
    Shawnda1730 Posts: 38
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    I know this is difficult, I have two very active children and it is hard to fit in any me time. I must admit I am an early bird and will wake up at 5am to get it in if necessary, but yesterday I went to the park with my daughter who is only 4 and we walked the track together. It was not only getting in some exercise, but spending some time with her was great! I also will take her to the gym with me, afterwork & after I drop my son off for football, the gym has childcare and she loves it, right the the gym I race to pick my son up from practice (that gives just a seek peek at my crazy life). To be honest there is no real easy answer, just have to want it and do it, whenever possible! It is crazy but doable! You will figure it out!

    Good Luck!
  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
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    I'm a wife, mother of 2, and work full time. Plain and simple, you have to make time for yourself, period. I walk our three dogs, eat breakfast, go for a run, and then shower & go to work. I get home from work and walk the dogs again. I go to a zumba class at night for an hour 3 times a week while my husband takes care of the kids. I walk the dogs again before bed. You just have to slip exercise in throughout the day. Your health is a priority too. The house work will still be there after you are done exercising.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    If I don't do it in the morning, it doesn't get done. Exercising in the morning also makes me stay on track for the day because I feel good about that accomplishment. I hope you find what works for you :)

    This too!
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Either:

    5:30pm, get home from work, do cardio in the living room with munchkin "helping"

    or

    8:00pm, kiddo's asleep (hopefully), then husband and I workout.... sometimes taking short breaks to put munchkin back in bed.

    or

    9:00pm, kiddo is definately asleep, then husband and I lift in the carport.
  • outersoul
    outersoul Posts: 711
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    I'm in the same boat as you. I have young kids, 4 total. I work full time. My kids all do sports year around up to 6 days a week. I'm not a morning person either. I had to re-evaluate my days. I had to look at how I was spending my time. What I found out was that I'm extremely unorganized.

    To fix it I started making Sundays my laundry day. I got my clothes ironed and ready for the entire week on Sunday. That's one less thing to do during the week. I also plan my meals for the week. It beats having to figure out what dinner's going to be everyday. I also cook enough on most days to have leftovers for lunch the next day.

    Sad to say but I invested in a DVR. This way I can still watch my favorite shows but I don't have to be glued in front of a TV at a specific time.

    I also looked at how I spent my days, specifically after work. I found out that if I got to work a half hour earlier, that's a half hour I can leave earlier. That gives me a little more time to hit the gym before I have to head home and shuttle the kids to their practices. The other thing that planned dinners did for me was free up some time during the evenings. That gave me an hour a night to exercise. I just make sure that it's after the kids are in bed.

    Of course it gets a little more complicated during school. I have to mix in homework checking amongst everything else but to fix that, the kids have to have their homework done by Tuesday or Wednesday. They get a packet for the entire week. That gives them three days to work on their homework. Each day they have to do some if not all their homework before anything else and after chores (more on that later). I also pitched it to them that if they get their homework done early in the week, it frees up the rest of the week for them to play. So on Wednesday or Thursday night I check their homework and they turn it in on Friday.

    Back to the chores. Everyone in my house has chores, even my 7 year old. I don't know how old your kids are but mine all help out around the house. I can't possibly do it all myself. My kids even fold laundry. You make no mention of a spouse but he should chip in, even if it means just watching the kids for an hour a day.

    Hope some of this helps. Sorry for the novel but I totally understand.

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