Question for the Busy Moms!

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lindawayne11
lindawayne11 Posts: 62 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
And dads too ;) ...what’s your exercise routine? Let’s be honest, I dislike workouts but I need to find something to fit into my day! I’m up at 5 and usually go to bed about 10:30/11. Work a full day at a desk job, I try to get a little walk in at lunch, I run kids to and fro all evening. I do get a second walk in around 9p. I have a yoga-Pilates class on Wednesday (my only “free” night), but I need more. I can’t get up any earlier as I’m a terrible sleeper and if I don’t get enough rest I’m a raging, depressed mess. And no family too help with the kids...I know there are more people in my situation so I need to know how you guys do it?
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  • gcconroy29
    gcconroy29 Posts: 85 Member
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    This thread was really helpful
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/42308391#Comment_42308391
  • youngmommy2
    youngmommy2 Posts: 71 Member
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    Like you, I also have a full time desk job and run kids around all evening. I fit my workouts in at night between 8-10. I also find it helps me sleep better. I prefer to go to the gym but if not, I will just work out at home. I have weights at home or if I'm really lacking motivation, I will pop in a Jillian Michaels DVD. They are only 25-30 min for a full body workout. Sometimes while my kids are at practice, I will even go for a run. It's all about fitting in what you can when you can.
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
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    I work out on my lunch. I get a full hour, which is just enough time to change, run 30-40 minutes, and change back.

    I also have access to Beachbody on Demand so I can workout at home, sometimes while the kids play/watch TV, or sometimes after they're in bed.
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
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    Normally at lunch for an hour. I have a full-body strength program I do three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). I've done workouts in the evening in the past but lunch works out best for my current schedule.
  • Bianca42
    Bianca42 Posts: 310 Member
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    I signed my boys up for Karate...and instead of watching I take it with them. We go 2x a week to karate.
    I am currently also doing Beachbody on Demand workouts 4x a week...usually about 30 minutes.

    We are members at the YMCA and I go there when I'm between Beachbody programs for classes or to lift weights. My youngest goes to their kids center and my oldest works out sometimes.

    What kind of activities are you running the kids to and from? Is there any way you can sneak exercise in here? (think laps around the soccer field during soccer practice.)
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    So if you workout during your lunch, you just don't eat? Is it possible to get up even 15 min earlier and do a quick workout in the morning at home? Something like T25 that's only 25 min?
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    edited July 2018
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    During school year (I work at my kids' school), 1 day a week I'm at the gym by 6am. Dad gets kids on bus that AM. That's deadlift day. I go straight to work at 8am.

    2 days a week...the kids have Tae Kwon Do (after school) in the same shopping center as the gym. I do shoulders one of those day and cardio the other. TKD place is cool with leaving the kids for 45 minutes.

    I lift on Saturday and Sunday mornings (bench and squat days). The kids stay in the gym daycare. I'm there by 8am, so we have afternoons free.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited July 2018
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    I work out after work. I used to go to the gym and I would go straight from work. My husband picks the kids up every day. Now I work out in my basement 3x a week (I am building a home gym) and I just do it when I can. Sometimes I go down there straight after work and sometimes I'll go down there after dinner. I try to get out and go for a run 2-3x a week and since it's so hot I wait until around 8pm when the sun starts to go down, and my husband will get our toddler ready for bed while I'm doing that. My older son (10yo) sometimes actually comes with me and rides his bike lol. He will ride his bike up and down hills and stuff while he's waiting for me to catch up. My kids and I also take the dog for a walk every evening, and my kids ride their bikes while I walk. I have just started doing yoga, and I just do it whenever I can fit it in... the weekends are good or i'll do a quick 10 minute or so video after one of my work-outs. It's hard when you have kids but I really love my different "activities" and I make room in my life for them... it did take me a while to not feel guilty about working out when I could be spending time with the kids but I realized that my health is important too and it's ok to put yourself first sometimes.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    What about weekends? Can you get something in then?
  • lindawayne11
    lindawayne11 Posts: 62 Member
    edited July 2018
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    So if you workout during your lunch, you just don't eat? Is it possible to get up even 15 min earlier and do a quick workout in the morning at home? Something like T25 that's only 25 min?
    I don’t think a lunch workout will work for me. I love the idea but my workplace will have a conniption if I come back sweaty or in any way not presentable lol. But getting up a little earlier may be an option. I do have the ideas rolling around now. 😁
    MostlyWater wrote: »
    What about weekends? Can you get something in then?
    I will be able to eventually...right now my eldest plays weekend tourneys which usually have us at the ball park from sun up to sun down both days. But I’ll be getting a small break from that soon so I can fit more me time in 😉
  • lindawayne11
    lindawayne11 Posts: 62 Member
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    kdbulger wrote: »
    I work out on my lunch. I get a full hour, which is just enough time to change, run 30-40 minutes, and change back.

    I also have access to Beachbody on Demand so I can workout at home, sometimes while the kids play/watch TV, or sometimes after they're in bed.

    I hear lots about beachbody on demand. I’m going to look into it 🤗
  • gcconroy29
    gcconroy29 Posts: 85 Member
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    Tournaments are great time to get a walk in, keep in watching distance while he's playing and go did longer walks in between. It's slthe only i miss about tournaments
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
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    I work full time with a long commute and have a kid with special needs. I finally realized I'm a lot better mom if I get some real me time away from my son. So I started signing up for evening classes. I do yoga two evenings and one weekend morning and Orangetheory two week nights. Since different classes start at different times, I may or may not be home beforehand. Since classes are expensive and I get charged for no-shows, I show up.

    My husband handles the bedtime routine and I come in just in time for kisses. My son misses me more, but also said he's proud of me. I'm also in a better mood.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    So if you workout during your lunch, you just don't eat? Is it possible to get up even 15 min earlier and do a quick workout in the morning at home? Something like T25 that's only 25 min?

    When I worked full time and worked out on lunch, I'd just eat at my desk while I worked (very quickly) later. Luckily I actually worked at my desk a lot (not a lot of meetings) and my boss was super cool with that kind of thing.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    So if you workout during your lunch, you just don't eat? Is it possible to get up even 15 min earlier and do a quick workout in the morning at home? Something like T25 that's only 25 min?

    I don't workout on my lunch but sometimes I run errands. I just eat lunch at my desk before or after.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Wake up at 5 AM knock out a 30 minute kettlebell workout and can be out of the house at 7 if need be. Kettlebells are very effective in short amounts of time.
  • Strongfitmama100412
    Strongfitmama100412 Posts: 90 Member
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    I have 3 kiddos. 7, 5, and 1 year old. I work 3 days a week but have an 1 1/2 hour commute by the time I drop the kids to my parents or inlaws and then go to work. I also teach a tabata/muscle class on Tuesdays mornings.
    My kids have grown up to me working out and teaching. When I had my son I taught a class at a gym and there was no babysitting and my husband always worked so I would have to take him with me. He would sit in his carriage and watch me teach. He loved it. I then moved to another gym after that one closed when I was pregnant with my second. So she has been going to the gym daycare since she was 2 months old.

    I have always worked out at my house too. I have a set up in my basement and the rest of the basement is their toys. now that they are older I let them do 1 hour of wii when Im working out or they just play with their toys together. Sometimes they love to join me especially when I do yoga. I workout when my 1 year old naps.

    As for the days I work, I am fortunate to have a gym at my work. so I eat lunch at my desk and go to the gym on my lunch hour. I have a women's locker room with a shower so I do 45 min of workout and take a 10 min shower (not my hair) Sometimes when I cant get to it during the day I leave a hour early and go to the gym before I get the kids. So I work my lunch. This might be an option for you. Just leave an hour early and find a gym near you before.
    When I worked at a place before they didn't have a gym I would do walks on my lunch hour. I would just get some wipes, deodorant, and clothes to workout in, so I wouldn't be smelly after.

    Weekends my kids are always with me. So the oldest two rides their bikes while I push the stroller. We go for walks on the walking path, the park, around my neighborhood. I made an obstacle course with chalk on our driveway. They thought that was a blast.

    My kids are just so used to mommy works out for an hour every day. After that Im all theirs and they give me that 1 hour.

    If you are walking at 9pm try a video instead. get some weights in.

    My coworker works full time. She loves beachbody. She can do it through her phone so she will do it on her lunch hour or at home.
  • alyssa_6481
    alyssa_6481 Posts: 31 Member
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    What about doing some body weight exercises while the kids play their sports (calf raises, lunges, squats, etc)? Or working out with the team while they practice?
    My old soccer field had a walking track around it and some moms would bring their kids to practice and then go for a walk. Plenty of parents around for safety and you could see the field from all areas of the track. Or even just laps around the field.

    I also work a desk job but my husband gets our daughter off to daycare so I can get up at 4:30am to workout. This also cuts my drive time in half because I go to a gym close to work and there's no traffic that time of morning. But I'm usually in bed by 10pm.

    Can you utilize a standing desk at work to help at least get you up on your feet?
  • mserickson99
    mserickson99 Posts: 21 Member
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    I started with paying a sitter to come to my home for 4 hours and watch kids. Laps at the pool start at 6am so I can go and get back before my hubs wakes.
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Great suggestions!!!!!

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