Hey busy parents, What are your biggest challenges in the health and fitness realm??

The most helpful thing I do is to be a morning person. I am still not up nearly as early as some but to force workouts or housecleaning while still in the “morning haze” gives me motivation for the rest of my day. It seems to have taken me way too long to learn this unfortunately; but it makes the evenings freer to spend time with my boys and husband, and it reduces stress drastically because I get home and the house(at least the important parts like laundry, kitchen, and vacuuming) the workout or both are done. And I can either add to those tasks in the evening if I have time, or I can just plan my next day appropriately.

I was forever stressed even as a stay at home parent years ago because I have a tendency to let housework pile up and save my workouts for late afternoon or evening. Getting parts or all of this done in the early morning is my goal every day now.

Doing that, packing school lunches the night before, and at minimum taking meat out of the freezer for the following days meal are my biggest, but easiest tips.

My biggest challenge has been scheduling my workouts around the kids sports. During water polo season for example practice ends the same time my class ends across town so my choices are -
1. Pick up wet kids 20min late
2. Leave class early
3. Don’t go to class at all

In theory I know if I kept a bag packed I could change at the office and run after work on these days. In application I’m doing nothing but pouting because my Jazzercize schedule is interrupted.....maybe the biggest challenge is my attitude and flexibility now that I think about it 😂

Biggest challenge was childcare, however I found a gym that includes childcare in their monthly price which is extremely helpful. The next biggest challenge is food for everyone, I’m trying to lose weight, my husband is bulking and my toddler is toddling. Generally this means I eat very little all day and save my calories for dinner so I don’t have to worry about it, but now with doing SL 5x5 I need a bit more during the day on workout days so dinners are more of a challenge.

Time is my biggest struggle. I've tried working out in the mornings and evenings, and I can't stick to either. I simply cannot wake up any earlier (I am already hitting snooze at 5:30), and I am so tired in the evenings.

I started going to the gym during the work day (lunch break). I am very lucky to have a more flexible schedule and a boss who is encouraging.

I started logging my food and being mindful of calories.

I also needed to get to a point where this was even possible. During my daughter's first year, I was pumping during all my breaks, and so going on any kind of work break was just not going to happen. Plus, any decrease in calories caused me to be STARVING, so I just had to wait until I was at a place where I could make fitness and calorie deficits a thing.

It isn't easy now....meal prepping, letting myself be a little hungry until my next meal/snack, the daily logistics of when to get to the gym/packing my lunch/packing my work clothes (or gym clothes), all on top of what my daughter AND dogs AND husband need (although luckily husband is an adult and can take care of himself!)...it's a lot. Also accounting for days that I need to use that lunch break time to instead go to the chiropractor (working on some issues), or the vet, or the pediatrician, or the [insert anything else]. Plus, you know....getting my work done!

I give myself grace for off days or days I just can't get to the gym. The important thing is to keep trying the next day, and the next.

Right now it's complete lack of sleep, time to actually workout (putting baby down I only get maybe 5-10 minutes before I'm interrupted) cooking and eating is a bit of a struggle too but more eating enough to fuel myself.

StaciMarie2020 wrote: »

Allow 'me' time occasionally. As a parent it feels guilty to do something that is JUST for me. It is ok to take care of myself, and actually a good thing.

Multitasking is useful. Making sure everyone in the house carries some of the load. My kids are older now - youngest turns 18 very soon - so not having little ones makes that aspect easier.

Yup, taking the time for ME has been a big struggle for me too. After 12 years of being at everyone's beck and call, I still find it hard some days (I also work in the family business, so it feels pretty relentless that I am "working" for my family all the time in one way or another)

My kids are 12 & about-to-turn-10, so I am working on giving them little tasks and responsibilities within their abilities.

I now workout during the school day. I book in classes in advance - then I have to go. There are a limited number of spaces in our classes, so I can't waste a booking!

This year I have also joined a hobby club that meets 2 nights a month, and try really hard to make sure I go to those (completely unrelated to diet/fitness, but helps my mental health).

I have also been studying full time this year (submitted final assignment yesterday, in fact) and I have had to become quite good at multitasking and prioritising. Hoping I can keep up my level of productivity, giving me a little more ME time in the times I was studying (which I also thought of as my time mostly).

And one of my biggest priorities is making sure I get enough sleep...I can spiral into a pretty bad place, with lack of sleep triggering migraines, which leads to depression and anxiety, no energy, not able to exercise, which all leads to poor sleep... and so it goes.