Parents with no time

My son is 13 months, and I make time after he goes to bed to work out. I'm either in the garage on the elliptical or doing a 30 minute work out tape of Jillian Michaels. I also do most of the work around the house and the transporting of my son to daycare. After his bed time is the only time I've found that I can fit working out in. I only work out 30-40 minutes a day, but it works for me. Do you have any tapes that you could do? I really like Jillian's tapes, they are quick, and you get an awesome workout with them.

Get your husband to help you. Seriously, you're not doing your son a favor by setting such an example... There's no reason why you should take care of everything.

I am a mom of four boys 11, 9, 7 and 5. I also am a Kindergarten teacher, so busy is my life I just got a kettlebell (under $20) and do the workout at home....20 min! One website says
"Every kettlebell exercise is a ballistic (explosive) whole body exercise. It's cardio and weights at the same time. Remember those days when you had to walk on the treadmill for an hour, then work the weight machines for 30 minutes to get in your cardio and weight training? No more. Working with kettlebells 20 minutes a day, your cardio and weight training is done!"
It is really amazing and after five days of doing this I am seeing definition in my arms, abs (didn't know I had those after having kids) and my legs and glutes.
Anyways, Every little bit counts is my point. Maybe kettlebells is the thing that would work for you. They are totable (take them to work for your lunch break) or get a little one for your son and he can do it with you
Hope this helps

website for the workout is http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/kettlebell-workout

I'm kinda in the same boat, except the father to my children and I aren't together and they go to his house on the weekends so I have plenty of time then...but during the week...I get up at 3:30am to get myself and kids ready for me to drop them off at their grandparents and for me to be at work by 5am, work til 1:30 and 2 days out of the week I have school til 7pm, so on those days I never get to see my kids til i pick them up and go home, which is usually by 7:45-8, by then I have to go through their backpacks,pack lunches, get school clothes ready for the next day, feed them if they were too picky to eat at grandma's, get them bathed and ready for bed, then shower and get myself ready for bed and to do it all over again the next day...on the days I don't have school, I have about an hour and a half before I have to pick them up from school, which is usually when I try to run errands, I guess I could fit some type exercise in there on those days...Sorry, for rambling. My suggestion, dont pay for the gym, find things to do WITH your kid that's fun and can be counted as exercise. Could play some games on the wii or kinect together, jumping jack competitions, get an exercise ball for you and your kid, nature walks when it's nice out...

Been through all that with 5 kids myself.

You just need to make fitness a priority and just do it, letting your husband take up the slack or at the very least knowing your boy will be safe at home with him'.

And once he realizes you won't bail out your own plans to come to the rescue, that will get him off his butt.
Right now he has you trained well.

It's time for YOU to train him.

I am a mom of four boys 11, 9, 7 and 5. I also am a Kindergarten teacher, so busy is my life I just got a kettlebell (under $20) and do the workout at home....20 min! One website says
"Every kettlebell exercise is a ballistic (explosive) whole body exercise. It's cardio and weights at the same time. Remember those days when you had to walk on the treadmill for an hour, then work the weight machines for 30 minutes to get in your cardio and weight training? No more. Working with kettlebells 20 minutes a day, your cardio and weight training is done!"
It is really amazing and after five days of doing this I am seeing definition in my arms, abs (didn't know I had those after having kids) and my legs and glutes.
Anyways, Every little bit counts is my point. Maybe kettlebells is the thing that would work for you. They are totable (take them to work for your lunch break) or get a little one for your son and he can do it with you
Hope this helps

website for the workout is http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/kettlebell-workout

I keep thinking about getting a kettlebell but I end up forgetting about it. bump bump bump!

I agree asyouseefit. There is no way my husband wouldnt help when he was healthy. Trust me, its a bad example. My husband had a mom that did everything and a husband that did nothing and I had to put my foot down and tell him I aint his mother. He didnt know how to cook, clean, nothing! I had to teach my husband how to do everything. He is lazy too, but I had to break him in. He helped me with almost everything. Especially our son. He loves taking care of him. He did more of the day to day stuff when he was an infant than I did! I promise you my son will be independent and self sufficient so his wife or husband doesnt have the pain of making him do it!!! I cant believe women put up with men like this. Unless you are a stay home mom then maybe...maybe! But If he and I both work then no way, no day. Not this girl. I can be by myself if I wanted to be a single parent!

My husband is in the ICU and has been there for over a month due to heart failure. I have 20 month old and work full time mon-friday. If I can work out anyone can. I work out 5-6 days a week. I am struggling financially, emotionally, but I still work out and eat right. I do have the luxury of a live in sitter who is my niece.

Here is what I do:

Mon-Friday I get up at 4:15 am and hit the gym. I have be at work at 6am. I get off at 3:30 to be home cause my sitter has another job she has to got to at 4:pm. On the weekends, my baby goes to bed around 8:30pm. I take a nap. My niece gets home around 10:30pm. I then go to the hospital to visit my husband either from 11pm-2am or I sleep untill 3:00 am and go visit from 3am-8am. I get home just in time for my son who wakes at 9am. Since I cant take JR to the gym we go for a walk for an hour. I pop him in his stroller and we are off. However, I'm in texas and it is 60 or 70 degrees here. Or jr takes a nap around 2pm. So I get my barbells out and lift weights and do callistenics.

Forget the gym. You have a 2 full time jobs; the one you get paid for and raising your kid. Maybe a 3rd job taking care of your husband. You'll get enough exercise doing those things without adding the stress of trying to find more time in the day than there is. Try to eat healthy, don't smoke, etc.

One thing I find helpful is I will cook a lot of meals over the wekend and then keep some in the freezer and some in the fridge so I have time to spend with my daughter or even better let her watch an episode of Caillou so I can get a quick shower in after being sweatty from working out and then picking her up from daycare (Luckily daycare is open until 6:30pm).

I'm 29 yrs old, married 6 years next week, with a 5 yr old boy.

My husband doesn't do a damn thing to help me. Ever. I'm basically a single parent and I hope nobody takes offense to me putting it that way. But I do it all on my own.

With that said, I was planning to sign up at the gym again. Last time I did this it kicked my butt because it meant getting up at 4 am and relying on my husband to drop our son off at preschool. My husband is lazy and prefers to sleep (who doesn't) and I have no faith that he'll get our son to school on time.

However, I don't pick up my son until 5:30 pm because I work all day too. So if I hit the gym for even an hour it means we don't get home until 7 pm. (The gym has a daycare) Then to cook him dinner, get him showered, then bedtime stories and bed, it's past 9 pm. I have tried like HELL to make that happen but I'm all stinky and sweaty from the gym and can't shower until 10 pm. By then I'm ready to crash myself.

I'm just looking for anyone who is going through this or has been through this. I don't want to make excuses for why I can't hit the gym. I WANT to go. And I'm paying for the darn thing...I want to make it work.

Weekends are always an option but daycare hours are crap on weekends. I'm an early bird. Working out at home is a possibility but truth is...I'll see laundry and want to put it away. Dishes and want to clean up. My son will want to play checkers.

Anyone going through this and have advice to share? I'm trying, for once in my life, to put ME first. Because what good am I to my 5 yr old if Mommy isn't happy and healthy?

What good are you to your boy if mommy is not there? =( If you are not there until 5:30 that is already a whole day. I think you are doing him an injustice taking him from one daycare to put him into another. Poor boy.

I suggest buying wii fit or Just dance or something and play it with him @ home. You can watch tv and turn it into a game that during the show you fold laundry but during commercials you do jumping jacks, squats, push ups, lunges or whatever.
You will have plenty of time in the future to add a fitness routine. I say these precious years with your boy trump ALL.

If I worked full time, I would insist my husband did 1/2 of the household responsibilities . That is not fair. I would change that in 2012 for sure. I say this with empathy, I feel for you & you boy. Best of luck.

I am a mom of four boys 11, 9, 7 and 5. I also am a Kindergarten teacher, so busy is my life I just got a kettlebell (under $20) and do the workout at home....20 min! One website says
"Every kettlebell exercise is a ballistic (explosive) whole body exercise. It's cardio and weights at the same time. Remember those days when you had to walk on the treadmill for an hour, then work the weight machines for 30 minutes to get in your cardio and weight training? No more. Working with kettlebells 20 minutes a day, your cardio and weight training is done!"
It is really amazing and after five days of doing this I am seeing definition in my arms, abs (didn't know I had those after having kids) and my legs and glutes.
Anyways, Every little bit counts is my point. Maybe kettlebells is the thing that would work for you. They are totable (take them to work for your lunch break) or get a little one for your son and he can do it with you
Hope this helps


website for the workout is http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/kettlebell-workout

i agree with this!! I do kettlebells as well and have really good results.. you can see pics on my profile if you want, and i usually only do between 12-40mins of it.. Anyways, OP have you considered going to the track at the school or a park? Your little one can play and you can walk or run the track. This works for me.. gives the kids a break before homework and gives me a break to!! Good luck you can do this! Dont let anybody hold you back, make up your mind to do it and go!

I feel your pain. I have been married for 20 years. My husband does very little to help around the house,except cook dinner. I work full time each week. Though my office closed & I work from home now which helps a lot. I have 2 children 11 & 15. I also coach preschool gymnastics 2 nights a week @ the gym where my daughter is on the team to help cover tuition. Two other nights a week I have to drop her off & pick her up but don't stay. occasionally hubby will drop off or pick up if I have something else I have to do like Booster Club meeting for my sons JROTC or if I have to work late for my day job. Hubby owns his own business &works when he feels like it. Most of the time he is in bed on the computer or playing video games.

I do all the laundry, dishes & any cleaning that gets done though the kids help some on weekendd. My sons bus comes at 6:50am & my daughters @ 7:15 so I have to have my son up at 6am to get ready for school. I have always gotten up @ right about 6am to get my son up. But on Sunday Jan 1st. I decided that I have had enough of being miserable physically & mentally. I told a few wonderful friends how miserable I am & just getting that off my chest & having their support has lifted a great weight off of my shoulders. I felt better mentally almist instantly. I decided I would get up earlier & exercise. I am getting up @ 5:30 even though for the last 3 years I have told myself I could not get up any earlier. I can, I decided I wantrd to feel better more than I wanted to sleep until 5:50. I am using our elliptical every morning now. Only 15 min right now but I am going to try to bump it to 20 next week. Then I wake up my son & get in the shower. After that I get their breakfast & pack their lunches. I also decided that instead of playing on my tablet on the front porch while waiting for my daughters bus to comeI would read my bible. I have an 'everyday bible' it starts on Jan and has readings for each day.If you are a believer try to make time for that too, if not that is ok to.

Once her bus comes I make my breakfast & start my work day. Supposed to be 8:30 to 5 but I do 7:30 to 4 to get daughter to the gym on time.

I just decided to be happier & healthier. I have heard you had to make the choice,I didn't think it was possible but I am doing it. I am trying to rid the negative thoughts for thankful positive ones for example, the other night instrad of letting the sink full of dirty dishes piss me off because they had been left for me to do I chise to be thankful that we had dirty dishes because that meant we had food to eat when many don't.

It is not easy to change but if I can do it you can do it. I also am like a single mother & my husband is like a 3rd kid but I am tired of being miserable. I cannot change him so I am going to change myself.

Try eating lunch @ your desk & using your actual lunch to go for a walk. It's better than nothing. I also loaded some 5 min workouts onto my tablet & phone so I can take a 5 min break & do some toning.

Good Luck. You are NOT alone & you can do this.

I agree with what everyone else has said. I have a 15 month old son and I work part time. He usually wakes up at 7:30-8 am so I am up at 5:30 to do my workout in my basement. I am lucky to have a treadmill, a ton of free weights (I got them real cheap from gyms that were closing in the area) and a TON of fitness dvds. Yes I have a gym membership at the gym that I used to work for but honestly aside from the weekend, I really dont have time to get there. So while he is still asleep I am down in the basement getting my workout done. I usually workout for about 1 hr or so and then get myself ready for work and by that time, he is awake and I take care of him and then head off to work. My husband has to be to work by 7 am so he cant help out in the morning but if I wanted to sleep in on a Saturday and workout later in the day, he is really good about helping out because he knows how important fitness is to me. Its not just fun for me; its part of my job...I have to stay in shape to be a personal trainer.

I think, with some time management, you can definitely fit it in. If you have that Exercise on Demand channel from Time Warner Cable, that would be perfect. Even if you squeeze in 20-30 minutes in the morning and 20-30 minutes later on in the day. Something is better than nothing at all.