Mom of a 10 month old.... Not enough time in the day!

kaylaCdewire1311
kaylaCdewire1311 Posts: 110
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, I have a 10 month old daughter, husband, full time job, and a mother and grandmother with health issues. Not to mention all of the laundry and cleaning that I have to keep up with...When do I find time for myself amoungst all of this? I've gotten up once at 5am and get to the gym before work, but it nearly killed me, and by 7pm I was asleep. I am trying to figure out where to fit in time for a workout every day.. but it's tough! Any suggestions?

Replies

  • RTricia
    RTricia Posts: 720
    strap a heart rate monitor on while you're doing laundry and cleaning the house. that is a fine workout!
  • A_New_Horizon
    A_New_Horizon Posts: 1,555 Member
    I do a workout dvd at home after my babies go to bed. I am also a single mother of 2, and I work full-time. I totally get the lack of time to exercise. Most of the workout dvds that I do are about 30 mins long - like 30 day shred, Ripped in 30 or Turbojam. They are great workouts. Just a suggestion.
  • flsunshine
    flsunshine Posts: 188 Member
    you got 10 minutes to yourself -- take 10 minute breaks through out the day- studies show exercising for 10 minutes at a time is as beneficial as working out for 30 minutes -- and anything around the house can be used books make good weights lol
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    what about your lunch break, or immediately after work?
  • tiggergrrl23
    tiggergrrl23 Posts: 98 Member
    I have an 18 month old daughter at home and it can be challenging, so I know how you feel! During your workday try to fit in little bursts of activity. Even 10 minutes is better than nothing. I walk on my lunch hour most days for at least 30 minutes so this way if I am not able to do a workout when I get home I feel that I did something that day. Good luck! :smile:
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Does your husband help with the housework?
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    if you have lees time to workout then focus on clean eating
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
    I am mom to a 2-year-old, work full time outside the home, and have a nearly 1-hour commute to work each day. So, basically I'm gone from around 6:30am to around 6:00pm every day! Combine that with fixing dinner after work and getting my daughter ready for bed, there is zero time to go to a gym. I don't even belong to one. So I totally understand your frustration.

    I finally decided to start exercising to workout DVDs in the morning before anybody else wakes up. I get up at 4:30, do a 25-30 minute workout video (Jillian Michaels), then start getting ready for work. It is HARD to wake up that early, but it's pretty much the only way I can get any exercise in. I also occasionally jog around the park across the street from where I work during my lunch break. I'm so lucky it's there!

    good luck, I hope you find something that works for you.
  • jhollenberger
    jhollenberger Posts: 1
    I have the same issues!! I have a 22 month old! A husband, a house a full time job, etc! I make dinner each night, with fresh ingredients, no dishwasher, and am a neat freak! I NEED MORE MINUTES! Plus-I want to spend every moment avail. with my beautiful baby boy!
    So my tip? Which isn't even that great-beccause I don't get all my excercise in, is this:
    1. Wear a podometer-10k steps a day
    2. Take the steps at work
    3. Park in the farthest spot
    4.Instead of eating in your office--walk somewhere to eat (I am breaking this rule now, as I eat lunch in my office and type this response)
    5. Walk 10 minutes at night with the stroller

    What worked best for me was I got an ellipitacal (my fav excercise) on sale for $30 and did 30-40 minutes a night when the baby went to bed and as I watched my favorite show!
  • quietlywinning
    quietlywinning Posts: 889 Member
    You can do this without a big block of time for a workout. Take 10 or 15 minutes whenever you can and do, whether it's a quick walk or job, part of an exercise dvd, push-ups or jumping jacks.....whatever. Watch your calorie intake and stay within goal. That is much easier to do if eating plenty of veggies. Heathy eating is usually faster, easier cooking (unless you are used to boxed foods, I guess), since you're not making cream sauces, etc. that add the extra calories.

    Congratulations on your baby! You can do this!
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I also have a 10 mos. Old along with 2 other kids work full time night shift and have to clean and do laundry also. I manage to get in my workouts every evening (they last an hour or more). I do dvd's at home. I make sure kids are fed and changed, lay out a bunch of toys and just let my baby crawl around and play. For the most part this has worked. Otherwise you can try and do a workout dvd during her naps?
  • daisynsunshine
    daisynsunshine Posts: 37
    I have 5 kids. My last 3 are 1,2,3 yrs old. In the am I feed everyone, everyone works out together and at night after dinner I walk with them in the wagon. I get a better workout with the weight of all 3 littles ones in the wagon. I teach 4 hrs a day so if the laundry needs my attention it gets washed but sometimes not put away lol. Now as for eating healthier I feel like I am cooking alot more but its fun learning new recipes.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    A few helpful tips -
    1- walking on your lunch hour
    2- waking up early (yuck....I hate getting up early to workout)
    3-DVD's at home or if you have Xfinity they have a lot of timesaver work outs On Demand for free
    4-Ask your husband to take over baby duties one or two evenings a week so you can fit a quick work out in at home
    5-a lot of gyms offer child care

    it's hard! i have a 12 hour day myself, but fortunately no little ones at home anymore, just a high maintenance 81 year old mother!!
  • Eleanorjanethinner
    Eleanorjanethinner Posts: 563 Member
    Ditto - is your husband pulling his weight? If you are working full time, you both should be doing half the housework, cooking, childcare etc. Do you need to sit down and have a serious chat with him about this? Your marriage is a partnership and he needs to hold up his end of the deal too. There is NO REASON why a grown man shouldn't learn to cook (in fact, should have learned as a teenager and young adult).

    Also, where else can you get support? An informal babysitting club between you and your friends? Church? Other family members? There is a real limit to how much you can do to support your mother and grandmother with the other stuff on your plate.

    And drop anything you can - maybe your house needs to be a bit less tidy for a bit. Maybe you throw out clothes that need ironing. Get whatever you can to make life easier (i.e. if you don't have a dishwasher, move heaven and earth to get one!).

    Good luck on your journey!
  • shedoos
    shedoos Posts: 446 Member
    Don't get wrapped up in having to identify a block of time every day to workout. Then it's too easy to say "can't find a set time so I won't do anything"...

    Like many have said - find a few minutes wherever you can. Doesn't matter how much because anything is better than nothing, right?

    Just like you have to find the time to take care of yourself, you also have to find a way to allow yourself to be less than perfect... :flowerforyou:
  • wannabehotmomma
    wannabehotmomma Posts: 190 Member
    I work full time and have six kids I totally understand lack of time. I park far and walk 15 min to work. I also run stairs at breaks and lunch. Altogether I burn 500 calories while at work, plus my legs are looking fit!! Best to you!! You can do it where there is a will there is a way!!
  • carlson06
    carlson06 Posts: 22
    I have a 9 month old a 5 yr old married and work almost full time. I make dinner 90% of the nights and do most the housework. I also have a hard time figuring out when to work out because I just want to spend time with the family. At first I was trying in the eve when the little one would nap but that's not working anymore. I'm also not a morning person I don't want to be up before I have to since I don't get much sleep anyways. But I make myself get up 10 min early each morning and get 10 min. of a workout in. I know it is not much but at least it is something. And then on the weekends I usually don't get any in but that is when I like to really clean the house good so I know I'm burning calories that way. Like people have said even if it is just 10 min!! Good Luck!
  • forthefab5
    forthefab5 Posts: 187 Member
    Hi there - I have a 6 year old and 2 year old twins plus a full time job. The way I fit in my exercise is by walking to work and back and going to the gym / run during my lunch break. If not, I go for a quick gym session just before going home or I wait until the kids are all asleep and go. This might mean I don't get to exercise until 10pm at night. Good luck and I hope you figure out what's best for you :)
  • kaylaCdewire1311
    kaylaCdewire1311 Posts: 110
    WoW! Thanks all for the responses. Great tips. For those who ask...no, my husband doesn't exactly pull his weight... but he's "learning" .... we had a come to Jesus a few days ago. But he also is a weight lifter, so at night when he gets home at 6, I have dinner ready, or almost ready, he eats, I feed the baby, put her in her room to watch cartoons, eat dinner myself, he gets ready to go to the gym for 3 hours, while I give her a bath, get clothes for her, and me, ready for the next day, clean the kitchen... and yes I have a dish washer, (DON'T KNOW HOW PPL LIVE WITHOUT IT!)..maybe do a little laundry, and by then it's time for me to take a shower and get to bed. I just need to try to get up at 5am and go to the gym since the husband takes my daughter to his mom for daycare in the morning.... I think that's going to be the easiest thing for me to do, since I run all of my errands on my lunch hour....

    anyway, thank you all so much for your suggestions!!
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