HELP! Moms finding the time and motivation

I used to be a gym rat you could say, then life happened. I got married, had a child (C-section). I am finding it hard to stay motivated when I can't keep a regular routine between work, being a mom (to a 3 year old) and wife with a husband that works a lot. Some days I do good with hitting the gym at lunch time or walking outside, eating well and then something comes up that I am not able to go and my motivation goes out the door. I'm always having to change my plans, grab quick meals to go, or cook dinner, get our child to bed, etc... And I cannot workout (concentrate) with my child in the room, I need focus. :D Give me some of your tips, tricks and advice on what helps you find the time and staying motivated!

Replies

  • UGH..same. To all of this.
  • Lhenderson923
    Lhenderson923 Posts: 102 Member
    Same! And I’m pregnant again so any motivation I may have had is once again out the window! Once I put my son to sleep, the last thing I’m about to do is exercise, but hopefully when the weather gets nicer we’ll be able to go on walks together. He’s just over a year now so I have to wait until the ice on the roads melt. Until then I’m just focusing on my eating habits. I’m not trying to loose right now (since I’m pregnant), but I’m aiming to make sure I eat nutrient dense foods and an appropriate amount. I usually try to meal prep a couple of days ahead of the time- and for me this doesn’t mean actually cooking the food, but knowing exactly what I’ll be making and making sure I have everything on hand.
  • KirstyBabesX
    KirstyBabesX Posts: 25 Member
    I can relate to your post so much. I'm a busy mum of 2, completing a university degree and working part time.

    Working out at home is rather short-lived as something is always needed of me although I do try.

    Looking to lose around 40lbs and just feel fitter.

    Feel free to add me.
  • RealTamaraB
    RealTamaraB Posts: 50 Member
    I understand completely. I have an 11 month old, I work full time, and I am in nursing school full time. I usually get my daughter to bed around 6:30 pm, eat dinner, workout (I recently completed 21 day fix real time, I'm currently doing 630, and then I will be doing Turbo Fire), and then study until I fall asleep. This mom life isn't easy, but I find that the more responsibility I have the more I rise to the challenge of conquering it all.

    It's all about mind set. If you think you can you will. If you think you can't you won't. None of it is easy but it is doable. Strengthen your mind, listen to your body, and put it in work.
  • thisgirlcan38
    thisgirlcan38 Posts: 25 Member
    Mamma of 2 here 👋 I can say after getting my body back 10 years ago with baby number one, I thought it would always be easy. I am still working off weight from baby 2 and he is 7! Finding time comes down to putting yourself first. You deserve an hour of focus on you. I do my workouts at 7pm, perfect right after dinner and still time before they go to bed.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Mom of a 4-year old. My best success comes from when I include my son. We go on walks to the park, walk to the store, hike, swim, and "go on adventures" together.

    For eating habits - I have had to train myself not eat my son's leftovers. It's hard because I hate seeing the wasted food, so I try to give him smaller portions to start with more available and save as much as possible for him for later. But snacking his leftovers myself definitely added up.
  • MommaGemz
    MommaGemz Posts: 494 Member
    Becoming a Mom definitely made weight maintenance much more difficult. Less time for working out, less sleep leading to "hungry-snacking", and as puffbrat mentioned - grazing on my kids' leftovers (I'm looking at you, grilled cheese crusts...) My older is 10, younger is 8, and I'm still trying to figure this out.

    Currently, my only workout goal is to get 10K steps a day. My son does online school, so sometimes I get on the exercise bike while he's in class. Other times I walk behind him as he scooters around the neighborhood. I need to keep hands off on their foods. I try to get more sleep because exhaustion causes me to crave snacks like crazy. I'm definitely a work-in-progress but I absolutely understand your situation.

    Moms - feel free to add me!