exercise tips for a mom of two small children??

I wake up before they do and go running or to the gym I'm too tired by the end of the day

you and your eldest could do sit ups

I have a four yr old also and I wake up and go for a jog or walk before he does. The evenings just seem to fly by! :happy:

Definitely try getting up early and doing a DVD before they wake up. I work full time and have a 2 year old and hubby is military and not home much, the best thing I found is a gym on my way home that has a really nice child care center - they watch him while I work out in peace :-) I definitely would never be able to get anything done during the day while he is up.

I get up before my kids to workout. I am currently doing Turbo Fire at 4am.

I have a 6yr old, 3 yr old twins & an 8 month old & I go to the gym every monring after dropping miss 6 at the bus stop. My gym has a supervised kids room every morning between 9-10.30 am. Maybe look for a gym that has a creche? If not as others have said go walking, get up before everyone else, or go to the park and run around

When mine were younger I did the workouts with them running around. It was a HUGE distraction some days, but I would set them up with some toys and books and then pop in a DVD. They got under foot a lot, but they also became very interested in what I was going.

I won't lie and say I was never frustrated, or that all my workouts were completed with 100% focus and intensity. I *will* say that I think my kids are better for it. I have never kept working out or cooking healthy as a separate thing, they were always included. Now as they are getting older, they love to exercise, they sign up for 1 mile fun runs when I do 5K races, they make fruit smoothies on the weekends, and they eat more veggies than any adult on either side of the family.

My advice is to figure out a distraction if needed, but incorporate them as much as possible. They will learn over time to not climb all over you, and you will set a fantastic example for them.

Hey I'm a mom of a 9mo old and a 2yr old...I know EXACTLY how you feel. My husband goes to work by 530am and does not get home until 530pm. I value my sleep too much to get up before my husband goes to work thank you.

I've lost over 20lbs by really watching my calories on here and by walking a few miles everyday with a double stroller. We have a huge walking park in our town that's exactly a mile around and there's a nice park in the center. So I tell my toddler that mommy gets to walk (at least) twice around and then we'll stop and play for awhile. Keeps him content knowing he WILL get to play eventually. This park has lots of hills and twists and turns so it is quite a workout, especially when you add about 50lbs worth of children plus the stroller itself. Thankfully my hubby works 4-10s so h's off every Friday-Sunday. So on those days I'm able to go by myself to the same park but with some arm weights. Those days I go around as many times as I can in about an hour and a half. Sometimes 2 hours....depends on how I'm feeling. LOL

I tried the Biggest Loser last chance workout dvd, but I had that same problem with kids around me and trying to "help". If you think of any other ideas, then please share...but this is what has worked for me with our schedule.

Good luck!

My biggest tip for SAHMs is a good gym, with a great childcare. It can cost $, but look into your options in your area. For me, there are a hundred other places I would cut costs before I would cut our gym membership. I'm not even a gym person, I'd rather lift at home and jog the neighborhood sometimes, but the gym is worth it for the daycare. My kids are supervised by great ladies (mostly other moms who get a discount for working there, or teenagers who love to come babysit, too), coloring pictures, playing games, and at my gym they even do classes. My older girls do gymnastics and ballet, my 2yo does dancing and tumbling, while I spin or catch a yoga class. I can't recommend it highly enough! (but try out the options, our old gym had the kids watch tv all the time, not the biggest deal in the world, but I definitely prefer the gym we're using now!).
I also like to jog just after bedtime when my husband is home, but that cuts it close- sometimes it gets too dark before I can get out.

Eta: sorry, I got excited & posted without reading all the responses, now I see your last. I'd call local gyms and see if any offer memberships fir employees and are hiring. Half of our "gym-care" (that's what my 3 little ones call it) workers are moms who put in a couple of hours working in the daycare or washing towels, then their kids stay in the daycare while mom works out after her shift. Worth a try!