How do moms fit in the exercise?

Now I am lucky enough to have joined a gym with a nursery. The promise of a little kid free time is enough to get to me the gym every time. Before the gym I would throw my youngest in the stroller and run or walk with her. Another option for me has been exercise DVD's with both the kids playing near by. Often my four year old will get up and join in.

Good Luck!

I have an 11yo, 10yo, 5yo, and 3yo. I get up an hour before them and do a dvd. Then, I will either put them in the double jogger (the younger 2...while older ones are at school) and go walk/jog/run. I have a rain cover for rainy days. I also have been known to put in a movie for them (or put on their favorite show), and go in another room to get my workout in. My 3yo LOVES to do Jillian Michaels workouts with me

i didn't fit it in for a long time, but just over a year ago i decided it was time to prioritise me, and give myself an hour every day. so i started doing exercises in the shed on my cross trainer and bike. and i would just let them play around me, and ignore their constant requests for things. and say to them, no you have to wait for 40 minutes. sure there was some carry on, fighting, screaming, yelling, but hell, they aren't going to starve in an hour, surely.

then i started at the gym, and put them in the creche. every week for 52 weeks, i have been to the gym 4-5 times a week excepting maybe 2 weeks. now, it's just part of my day. do the school run, then straight to the gym. sure, it gets in the way and i have to change things to fit it in, and make sacrifices. but I AM WORTH an hour a day and everything MUST wait.

We don't go to playgroup anymore, we go to the gym creche instead. really, what is the different? I constantly cook, clean, vacum, wash, fold, put away, tidy, run around after, find activities for my kids. so an hour for me, gives me fitness, health, sanity. and probably gives the kids a nice break from me and nagging them to tidy up their mess.

It's not always convenient, and often is a pain in the butt. but i rely on it for my stress relief now, for my hour of sanity and just chilling out with nobody asking me to wipe their bottom, nobody asking for food, drinks, nobody fighting and wanting me to take their side.

Yep, i've made excuses, and put on ridiculous amounts of weight while doing so. Now, no more excuses. i am worth the money i spend on the gym. and it's not more than i spend on activities for the kids. so why should i miss out?

when your oldest is at school get the pram and walk with your two youngest children to the park. That way your 3yr old will actually want to go with you. I have a 3yr old, my partner is only home on the weekends, I study full time at university am 8 months pregnant and even I exersize I just take my daughter with me walking or we dance lol she loves to dance

I too am lucky enough to have found a gym with amazing "club care" - not only do I get to work out, the kids get to play with other kids, do crafts, play ball, etc. My kids get up early in am telling me "let's go to the gym":)

Also,I will get them all to bed (8:30pm-ish) and do a half hour on the treadmill or elliptical. I feel so good for bed

Good luck. It is tough to figure the right routine, but well worth it!

how abt taking them in a stroller when you go for a walk?

I have a 3year old and a 6month old at home with me all day. A 9 year old during non school hours. My husband works straight night shifts so he doesn't get up until about 2pm, leaves for work at 6pm.

I've been told I need to stop making excuses and find the time to exercise. I just don't know when.

Getting up early doesn't work, besides the fact that neither of the two youngest sleep the night...the baby is super attached to me, and if I get up/out of bed he's up within minutes as well.

I've tried through the day, but I can never get both to nap at the same time so I'm always being interrupted.

Even when he gets up DH is useless unti 3ish, and by than I'm helping my daughter with her homework and starting supper/baths etc.

Its frustrating, because after the first and the second I had the time, now I just don't seem to have enough time in the day to fit anything in.

Drugs... Funnel in benadryl....

Seriously...

I wait until after bedtime.

I have a 3.5 year old.

When I do cardio I get her to join in with me doing sit ups, push ups, jogging etc.

When I do weights I just have her watch her cartoons while I work out, or color, play with her toys etc... I can still see what she is doing.

I have a 6, 4, and a two year old. My 6 yr old is in school. However my other two will work out right along side of me when I am at home doing my dvd or copy my moves I do when doing any of my wii exercises! Plus I also go to the local YMCA where they have babysitting. I also have a membership at a gym that is open 24 hours, that way if I can't get it in when I am at home with them, I can always do it after work or when the husband is home. There is always an option. Another great thing I do, that lets my children be involved....................DANCING!!! My girls love to dance, my youngest always has me hold her, that has to burn even more calories!!!

My kids are almost 6 and almost 8 months. I've learned to fit things in whenever I can. I walk outside pushing the baby in the stroller around the courtyard outside our apartment while my oldest plays, instead of just sitting and watching him play like I used to. I take advantage of naps and do a work out video. I even get my oldest doing the work out videos with me. You just have to find time whenever you can, or use the kids to your advantage as pieces of equipment...lol.

I did it after bed for a while, until I realized that that gave me absolutely zero time with my husband... then I switched to mornings. My kiddos are now 8 and 10. My youngest seemed to have "mom radar" like your little one, though, so I understand the frustration there. Maybe pick up a belly carrier for the baby and a pack carrier for the 3-yr-old (you should be able to get them cheap used) and use them as weights... Take a walk at YOUR speed with both of them on you... they'll help make your workouts more effective. I used to do that when mine were little... I needed both hands free to push my husband's wheelchair. (I'm just glad he worked his way out of that thing... that was hard on the whole family!)

Best of luck! I know you'll be able to find a way!

I have six children; the youngest two are 11 months and 3 years. It really is hard to exercise with children under foot. For years, I didn't do it because it was just too hard to fit it all in.
After baby #6 was born, I was determined to get my mojo back. I started working out as soon as my midwife OK'd it, and I have been going ever since! I just committed myself to get up and do something every morning before getting into the shower. Whether I can get through a full workout, or whether I can only get through 10 minutes, my mantra is "Just do SOMETHING."

I have a strength training routine I do 3x/week with an inexpensive set of dumbbells, and that only takes me about 30 minutes to get through. Most days, the kids can behave for 30 minutes (this is a good time for Backyardigans.) Some days, it gets cut short and I can only do 2 sets. Some days, I'm so exhausted, I can barely make it through one set. But I'm going to pick up the weights and do what I can do anyway. Most often, I let the baby crawl around me on the floor. But there have been times when the baby has been fussy, and I've just picked her up and held her while I do lunges and squats, or picked her up over my head to do presses with her. That never fails to put her in a good mood!
In addition to strength training, I do another 2-3 days of cardio. My workout of choice is martial arts, and I can go through my katas outside in the fenced-in area while the kids play. Hubby also recently helped me clean out the shed and hang up a punching bag. I keep the floor clean so the baby crawl around, and I can see the 3yo playing in the fence through the door and window.
But if I can't do this, I turn on music and we dance, jumping jacks, jog in place, or whatever for 20-30 minutes.
And again, if my workout gets cut short, something is better than nothing! It's this attitude that has really helped me to stick with it and has brought good results.

Drugs... Funnel in benadryl....

Seriously...

I wait until after bedtime.

Omg, that's hilarious. I make the same suggestion to my wife all of the time. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "we can't drug the kids."

I have a busy schedule too and still make it work. I'm up at 4am everyday to work full time and go to school. I'm home in the afternoon in time to pick up my girls from school and daycare. I'm still able to take care of them, squeeze in a workout, and fix dinner for them before my wife gets home.

The only way I managed to maintain my workout was to build a small home gym. Of course, you may not be able to go this route. But, you can still do exercises at home that do not require the same investment of a home gym.

DVD's, a jogging stroller, and some of the gaming consoles have great workout routines. You just have to find the time.

Feel free to add me as a friend,.. and I hope this helps.

I do childcare in my home in addition to caring for my 4 yr old and 7 yr old (when not in school). Ages can range anywhere from 1yr old to 7 and I can have as many as 5/6 at a time from 7:30-5:30 m-f. I like what others have said I CLAIM selfishly for the benefit of ALL (when mommy is happy the effects trickle down and everyone at my house from daddy to the kids including daycare kids and families are reaping the benefits!:) I staked out nap time for a long time, ( I got all the kids on the same schedule it was work but it worked well) even if it was just an hr and sometimes that meant I didnt get other stuff done (it was still there when I came back to it:) or a shower till my husband came home or the kids went to bed but it was worth it and it was MY time, ya know? Like previous posters have said you do and do and do all day when youre a stay at home parent and its not usually for you so a small time of the day, just for you? Its very important and youll feel better right away for doing it!:) I have also put in a movie, pbs kids computer games, etc and I still do because that is MY time and I prioritize accordingly so i can get my workout in at least 6 days a week. Now I dont just do it during nap sometimes I have 1 napping, 1 in the highchair and 1 on the computer (pbs kids is wonderful!) but for 1 hr? Sometimes 1.5 hrs? Its all good! Occasionally I have to stop for help on the computer or adding food to the tray but its worth it!:)