Busy working mom's...

kbrown1171
kbrown1171 Posts: 48
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Any suggestions on where to stick in some exercise time? What do YOU do to add some fitness to your day? I seem to be swamped with a fulltime job, two kids (8 & 2 years) & a husband - as I am sure many of us are. Would love your suggestions.

Thanks guys!!!!!

Replies

  • Hello! I completely understand what you're juggling. I have two part-time jobs, school, and taking care of my two-year-old. Fitness comes where I can squish it in. I take walks with my son, do Zumba while he jives to the Latin beat, play with the kids at my child care job...even though sometimes it's only 5 minutes each segment, it's SOMETHING.
  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
    In the AM....if I dont do it then, I dont do it. I am not one who works out for 90 min either. I tell myself, If I can sit and look at MFP for 20-30 min, I have time to exercise!!! :) LOL (But that is just me....)

    also, full time job and 2 kids...and a farmers wife. :D
  • I know just what you mean. I am married, two kids (13 & 9), and also working full-time. It used to be if I couldn't fit in a hour of straight exercise I would think, its not worth it! (and eventually I found myself hardly working out at all, til it all would come to a complete stop!)

    This time, I am fitting in 20-25 minute exercises and realizing that some calories burned are better than none! I will workout while making dinner...I will take a walk up the road after dinner....Even while watching TV I usually wiggle my foot around so I am never completely still it seems!

    I had to realize that yes my family is very important...but so am I! :)
  • lili200
    lili200 Posts: 200 Member
    sometimes I wake up at 5 so I have gym time before the day starts.u cn give the elder kid bikes, take the other on your bike and ride together in the afternoon.
  • lisabstrong
    lisabstrong Posts: 165 Member
    I'm a busy working mom of 3 with a hubby who runs a business. It sure is busy around here. I have found that 30 minutes of excercise between 3 and 5 times per week is realistic for me. I did invest in a treadmill that I started with a year and a half ago-- I started out walking for 30 minutes and now I am up to jogging 3 km's in 30 minutes. I do find this to be the best strategy for me. The rest I focus on high nutrition packing my cooler full of food everywhere I go...plan for meals ahead of time and cook up on the weekends for the week. I also do my excercises at 6 am before the small people get up. Now that they are not babies it's much easier for me...

    I also hired a housecleaner!

    Set small realistic goals and you will get there...
  • MamaBear57
    MamaBear57 Posts: 336 Member
    I am also a working mom and my two girls are 4 and 6. Totally understand where you are coming from. One thing I do is get up early to do one workout in the morning. This ensures that 1 I do it, 2 no interuptions, and 3 it is time for me alone. It took me a long time to enjoy this since I am not a morning person and HATE getting up. Second thing I do is workout after the kids go to bed. Total I do 3 or 4 different types of workouts every day. It is rare that I miss a day right now because I have so much to loose. Your kids are older so maybe get them to workout with you.

    My older daughter loves doing the videos and things on the weekend. (even though I cannot do them with you, she drives me nuts) She does them when I am done.

    Good luck and You can do this.
  • MichelleFirestone
    MichelleFirestone Posts: 212 Member
    I exercise on my breaks at work. I get 2 15 min breaks during the day. I go for a walk or jog during those breaks. Then it doen't cut into any time with my kids. I work full time, and also part time at night. have 2 kids ages 3 and 2. and house full of animals and a husband. if I can't work any other time, at least I know I got 30 min of exercise in.
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Full time working mom here, with one kid (20 mo) and a partner. I try to walk as much as I can during the day (I walk to work unless I'm wearing high heels) and follow a short workout DVD when my son's asleep. I'm currently doing the 30 Day Shred, which is pretty effective even if only 22 minutes long! Once I'm done with it, I can finally sit and relax in front of television, while making bracelets for my Etsy shop. I don't have much down time and could certainly not commit to going to the gym several times a week... But workout DVDs seem to work for me!

    If you have enough space in your house, you can also invest in an elliptical/treadmill to do extra cardio.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    My kids are grown and gone with kids of their own, but when they were young I used to run and they would go along on their bikes or roller blades. Great exercise for all of us, plus their constant chatter about school and friends and such kept my mind off how much I hate running. :wink:
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    Lunch time! That is best for me... I am not a morning person. I am blessed with a gym at work... so I make use of it. Occassionally, I will do something in the evenings. Then on the weekends, hubs watches our son while I work out and then I watch him while hubs goes for a bike ride.

    AND like Lisab - I hired a cleaning lady! I just can't do everything.
  • Where ever I can! If my husband is working nights and I know I can't get out for a walk after supper (dishes can wait til my son is in bed!) I fit it in on my lunch hour, or a quick walk before I pick him up from day care. I walk with the Nordic walking poles so that I can bun more caleries and use more muscles in a shorter tim period (the poles "live" in my truck with my sweats so I am always prepared). I even walked in circles in our yard one night because I couldn't get out during the day and hubby had a meeting that night, I don't really care if the entie town (very small town) might be laughing at me as they drive by my house. I am doing this for my health and always feel better after a good walk. It is up to you to make time for your health. My son (7) even n out and walked around the yard with me for a bit, it is great to show them healthy habits!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I go to the gym after work or I do it early in the morning.

    option 1 - leave work, pick up my son, snack in the car, drop off at child watch, get my burn on, go home, eat dinner, go through bedtime routine, put kids to bed, breath

    option 2 - set alarm for 4:15, actually get up with alarm goes off
  • I have a part time job, full time student and songle mother of 3 girls (3, 5, and 7). I always squeeze my workouts in after they go to bed and on Fridays I bring my youngest to the gym with me while the other two are in school and she goes to the daycare in the gym.
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Its very hard! I have kids youngest 9 mos old work full time night shift. Me and my husband are doing the p90x workouts, which is a very time consuming program. We sit the 2 youngest w us and surround them w toys while we do our DVDs. So far so good because we are almost to our 90 days ;)
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Lunch time! That is best for me... I am not a morning person. I am blessed with a gym at work... so I make use of it. Occassionally, I will do something in the evenings. Then on the weekends, hubs watches our son while I work out and then I watch him while hubs goes for a bike ride.

    AND like Lisab - I hired a cleaning lady! I just can't do everything.

    Ditto (tritto?) the cleaning lady! I will NOT spend half of my week-end cleaning the apartment. :)
  • Gail3260
    Gail3260 Posts: 354 Member
    I'm a busy working mom of 3 with a hubby who runs a business. It sure is busy around here. I have found that 30 minutes of excercise between 3 and 5 times per week is realistic for me. I did invest in a treadmill that I started with a year and a half ago-- I started out walking for 30 minutes and now I am up to jogging 3 km's in 30 minutes. I do find this to be the best strategy for me. The rest I focus on high nutrition packing my cooler full of food everywhere I go...plan for meals ahead of time and cook up on the weekends for the week. I also do my excercises at 6 am before the small people get up. Now that they are not babies it's much easier for me...

    I also hired a housecleaner!

    Set small realistic goals and you will get there...

    I agree totally with all of this. I am losing the weight slowly but steadily by exercising for an hour twice a week. It's only going to work if you find something you enjoy and will stick at once you've reached your target. I go to a gym on a Sunday morning and swim or do aquafit one evening stright after work. I also have a cleaner!
  • jend114
    jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
    single working mom to a 2.5 year old. I try to work out after she goes to bed since we aren't getting in our walks in anymore at night since its getting dark earlier
  • JenGranzow
    JenGranzow Posts: 116 Member
    I used to use my kids and their needs as an excuse for why I didn't have time to exercise. I'm so very glad that I stopped doing that. My kids are 3 and 5, and I am married and WOTH full-time. I exercise first thing in the morning (5:30) and my kids generally sleep through it or wake up toward the end - but they just come hang out with me, have a snack and chat while I finish working out.

    I've got an elliptical machine, and I do exercise videos, so I don't need to leave my house in order to get my workout in.

    I prefer to work out immediately after getting up for the day for a number of reasons. I feel more energized all day but am tired and fall asleep easily at bedtime, and I also know before I even eat breakfast how many calories I have in the bank for the day and I can plan my menus accordingly. I get so much more accomplished in a day now than I ever used to before I started to exercise and get my weight under control. You can do it! You will be very glad that you did.
  • tanner1019
    tanner1019 Posts: 5 Member
    I used to really get down on myself when I didn't workout. When I did find the time I really felt better and I felt I could be a better mom and wife since working out helped reduce stress. I work a full time job and have 2 kids (8 and 6). I made a promise to myself that I would find the time to work out because I wanted to give my family all of me and leave the stress behind. I found that if I get up and do my workout in the morning it works. There were many days that the alarm would go off and I would pull the covers over my head, BUT I eventuallyt got up and went to the gym and I was happy I did. I start my day stress free and it has really helped me stay on track of eating good through out the day since I don't want to undo all my hard work by eating bad.
  • nixickle
    nixickle Posts: 229 Member
    I also struggle with this! I work 3 days a week, married, have a 17month old little one, two dogs and a house that never seems to be clean no matter how much I clean it! My husband is also away alot and we live 8 hours away from any family! So I'm often doing everything myself. I am struggling to fit in some exercise, but I try to walk the dogs as much as poss. I've also taken to dancing around the kitchen when cooking and cleaning (and youcan record this on MFP!), walking where possible to nursery rather than taking the car, running up and down stairs as much as possible! And I've jist ordered 30ds in the hopes that I can squeeze a few mins in here and there. I also now park as far a way from shops/supermarket as possible so that's more walking and even when driving I'm constantly tensing and releasing my bum cheeks lol! It's encouraging to record all these small things on MFP, it does all add up! I burn 300-400 calories per day by doing this, and I'm hoping that 30ds will allow me to now tone up. Remember the exercise doesnt need to be in a solid block, you can do a few mins here and there if that is easier. Not sure if that helps?

    Ps I am very envious of those of you that have cleaners....one day, one day!
    Xx
  • KimertRuns13_1
    KimertRuns13_1 Posts: 702 Member
    I take a few classes at my gym in the early morning while hubby gets the kids ready for school.
    I go after work a few nights a week and put the kids in my gym's childcare.
    I do my long runs on the weekend with friends and either let hubby stay with the kids, put them in the gym childcare or get a sitter.
    I don't let having kids, a full time job and a hubby keep me from being healthy. no excuses!
  • I woh f/t, have a 4(almost 5) yo and a 7.5yo, and a husband. I commute 2h/day.
    I work out 6-7days a week. I get home around 5:30 (leave at 6:30a), feed the kids (dh doesn't come home until 7/7:30, I eat w/ him then). I work out after kids eat (they watch tv or play). I have a treadmill, but often due workout dvds. On the weekends, I run.
    It's easy to find excuses to not work out. I've been maintaining a pretty faithful workout routine for a couple years now and hate it when I can't work out.
  • lisabstrong
    lisabstrong Posts: 165 Member
    Good to see that other busy mom's bail on the housecleaning and opt for a good burn!!! Yeah us!!! and for all those not quite there yet...it will come. Keep on plugging away!!!
  • I'm lucky that my kids go to bed fairly early so I excerise at 7pm in the evening on the treadmill. Usually my husband will exercise before or after me...or run outside while I'm on the treadmill. I'm afraid if I do it in the morning, I'll wake up the kids.

    Good luck!
  • TheDrBuchanan
    TheDrBuchanan Posts: 89 Member
    I work full-time, and have a husband and 27-mo old. I am not the type of person who can function after waking up early to exercise, so I have to get mine in during the afternoon/evening hours. I shoot for 3 days per week, and sometimes I get 4.

    For weekends, I like to go during nap time. But, sometimes I need a nap too.

    On weeknights, I get home around 6pm and my husband gets home around 6:30-7pm. We all eat together almost as soon as he gets home - sometimes I am able to cook a 30-min-or-less recipe, but sometimes I end up just reheating leftovers. I will usually only eat about half my dinner (I include a late protein-rich snack late in the afternoon so this is not a problem). After I eat, I get ready and hit the gym, track, etc. My husband is responsible for childcare/bedtime on those nights. This way, fit my workout in between 7:30-9:30. When I get home, I finish dinner and get on with the rest of my night (which often means showering and going to bed).

    It's crazy busy and exhausting, but even my husband has noticed that allowing me this time to get my exercise in makes me a much happier person in general. It also means that he gets nights out with his friends any time he asks -- as long as it doesn't interfere with my workout plans!
  • Mornings are best! I have a standing "date" with a neighbor at 5:15 each morning to go on a 30 minute walk/run. That still gives me time to shower/dress/hair/makeup before getting the kids up and ready for school and myself off to work. I then do 30 Day Shred at night. Sometimes the kids are awake (7pm ish) and sometimes it's after they go to bed. I do one level a day which takes about 27 minutes total.

    I saw someone else say they workout while they watch TV. Great idea! Step-ups are good because you don't have to really think about what you're doing (ok, please don't fall off) and can enjoy your shows!

    Good luck!
  • Christinichka
    Christinichka Posts: 171 Member
    I also work full-time, school part-time (8 credits this semester), and I'm a single mom to a 5 year old. I work out in the morning. I usually get up at 5 and study and then start my workout some time after 6. I do exercise dvds. I'd rather go to the gym but that eats more time (getting there) and money (gym membership and child care), plus I feel guilty giving away even more time with my son so I am teaching myself to love working out at home. I study late after my son is in bed and early morning and then do my workout and then it's time to get ready and head off for a day of work. You just have to decided what matters most to you and make it work. If you are a night person do it at night, if you're a morning person do it then, or at lunch. I spend my lunches these days transporting my kindergartener to and from daycare and school (couldn't find any places that could do it for me). Also you could involve your spouse and/or kids walk with them, ride bikes, etc.
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