Calling all Working Moms of toddlers!

mmrose00
mmrose00 Posts: 253 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am a working mom of a 1 yr old, getting back to business. I did very well on MFP before my pregnancy, at that time I was able to work out daily or 2x a day if I wanted to. Now I am finding that 1 workout a week has been difficult because of my limited time or limited energy!

How do you get your workouts in? When do you find time/energy?

Thank you in advance for sharing!:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    I try to workout either during lunch or right after work.... if that doesn't work at 10pm after my 18 month old is sleeping
  • Rielyn
    Rielyn Posts: 150 Member
    I have a 3 and 1 year old and it's tough to find the time. I don't work outside the home but I do run a daycare and I have children from 7 am - 5:30 pm Mon-Fri. so I have to do my workouts in the evenings when everyone goes home. Of course that still leaves me with 2 toddlers to feed, bathe and put to bed. My husband works until 11 pm so he's no help. Usually what I do is make dinner and while they are eating I will do my exercise dvd's (sometimes I have to stop halfway through, put it on pause to clean them up) then when I'm finished the workout I eat my dinner and then give them their baths.

    Even though it's so hard to fit it all into the day I make sure that I do at least 3 times during the weekday and then both Saturday and Sunday. It's important to make time for yourself even if it's in short supply! Some people can get up earlier in the morning to workout but I'm just not one of those people :)
  • bhurley1424
    bhurley1424 Posts: 927 Member
    I made myself work out after my daughter was in bed (she is 15 months now) which is typically anywhere from 8 - 9 pm. Yes, I was tired but I just made myself do it. Of course, my husband was doing the same thing so I had him to 'push' me to do it also. You just have to make the time - I know how difficult it is with a toddler believe me. I am know a stay at home mom but I was working full time for the 1st year of her life. Good luck - you can do it!!
  • kellyjb80
    kellyjb80 Posts: 10
    I'm a working mom of two, 5 year-old and 3 year-old, so I definitely feel your pain! It's definitely tough to balance it all but in the end you just have to carve out that time for yourself and stick to it. I generally workout at night (mainly because I'm so not a morning person and can't get my butt out of bed.) I run every other day, usually after dinner for about 30 minutes. And right now I'm mixing in some Jillian Michael's on my alternating nights after the kiddos are in bed. It's taken sometime to figure out what works and to balance the kids, the hubby, and my household responsibility but I enjoy the time to myself so I make it work.

    Best of luck to you!
  • kltobin2010
    kltobin2010 Posts: 80 Member
    I hear ya, it is very difficult to find the time when you have work and children. I have two little one, 5 and 2 and I work full-time and I'm in grad school. The nights I have class, I get up early to do my workout before the girls get up and the other nights I do my workouts after the kids are in bed. My husband keeps me motivated and the changes I see my body go through, but I still have those days I just want to sleep in or just go straight to bed after work, but you gotta keep pushing through and find out what works best for you! Keep smiling!! :)
  • Determined523
    Determined523 Posts: 49
    I bought a Zumba game for the wii and work out when my son goes to bed. I also try to make it a point to take my dog for a long walk at least 3x per week.

    Another thing I have tried was when I leave work, I go directly to the gym at least 2x a week. Even if its just for 45 minutes or so. You can burn a lot of calories on the stationary bike in a little bit of time.

    Maybe you could get some light weights and just take 5 minutes here or there to work on your arms.

    I am also on an appetite supressant/energizer... ( All natural ) but a B12 vitamin might help you also.
  • eawilkrsn
    eawilkrsn Posts: 43
    i joined a gym with childcare.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Working, single parent here. I go during lunch and I use www.bodyrock.tv after my 2 and 3 year old boys go to bed.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    Time - I guess I'm lucky. My husband does most of the cooking. So I tend to do it then. Or when my three year old is at preschool, because my 2 year old daughter will happily "work out" with me.

    Energy - Nope. Maybe a cup of coffee, energy shot if I'm really dragging.

    I'm kind of a different case though, because we do daycare two days a week, my son does preschool two days a week, and I spend one weekday either working with the kids on the road or working from home. I sell foreclosure properties, so I can take them with me, and I'm so blessed that I can, but at the same time I can get SO MUCH MORE done when alone on the daycare days! I just wish I wasn't so busy that I could cram my workouts in while the kids were at daycare. I often feel like I give up my evenings with my family to work out. I'd much rather be reading books with the kids or something at that point.
  • Rielyn
    Rielyn Posts: 150 Member
    Working, single parent here. I go during lunch and I use www.bodyrock.tv after my 2 and 3 year old boys go to bed.

    I love bodyrock.tv!! I'm always afraid of working out after my kids are in bed in case I wake them up with all the jumping and stuff....the one time I tried it during nap time they all woke up (5 kids!!!) it sucked.
  • KristenStone
    KristenStone Posts: 106 Member
    Ah, a post I can actually answer! :)

    I'm a single workin mommy to a 3 1/2 year old little girl. I live in a city with no friends or family so I danced around with the same issue for years! Finally I came to the conclusion that I have options!

    Signed up for a gym and go on my lunch break 2-4 times a week.
    I jog in place when I am watching TV and the kid likes to watch me exercise at home too.

    I am thinking about buying a jogging stroller too to get in some outside air once spring hits!

    Where there is a will, there is a way! :) Good luck!
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
    I have a 4 year old and 2 year old and work full time. Oh and I'm 14 weeks pregnant with baby #3. I find I have no other obligations at 4:30 in the morning other than sleeping, so that is when I work-out in my basement. Sometimes I'll do it after kids go to bed.

    You have to make you a priority. If you want it badly enough, you find a way. We all have 24 hours in our day, it is our choice how we use that time.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    My son is 3 and I work, now, an extremely stressful demanding job as comptroller for an international manufacturing facility (just got promoted!!) and I just started working out again. It really helps my stress level being able to run until I almost throw up!! As soon as I get home, I change in to my workout clothes. My son's bath/ bedtime routine starts at 730ish and is in bed by 8ish. As soon as I put him down I go straight to my workout room and run on the treadmill.

    Honestly, you just have to force yourself to do it. I had to do that tonight and now I am happy I did.

    Good luck!
  • mmrose00
    mmrose00 Posts: 253 Member
    Thanks everyone! Very helpful tips out here! I work in the field so my days are unpredictable, who knows what my day will look like, and I typically am rushing to pick up my daughter from daycare at 6 pm. at that time, as you know it's dinner, bath time and bed for e little one.

    Im going to start a morning routine!

    Thanks again!!!
  • mmrose00
    mmrose00 Posts: 253 Member
    Thanks for all of your suggestions!
  • may2490
    may2490 Posts: 65 Member
    i joined a gym with childcare.

    ^^^This! Mine has a 2 hour limit, but I love it.

    But before I joined, I would work out after I put them down to sleep. I am not a morning person, so I would rather stay up a lil later than do it in the morning... it just won't happen.
  • Lena1967
    Lena1967 Posts: 94 Member
    I am naturally more of a night owl so exercising after the kids' bedtime works well for me. At first, I was so tired and low energy that I didn't want to exercise in the evening. So I started by fitting in a few workouts a week during the day (my 4-year-old daughter likes to do exercise videos with me) and after a few weeks that gave me the energy to start working out more regularly in the evenings.

    I have two mom friends who go to a nearby Golds gym with babysitting.

    I think once you get a few weeks into it, you feel so much better and more energetic that it's easier to keep it going. Getting started is the hard part!

    Oh, and one more tip for anyone who's afraid of waking up their kids with exercise -- mine sleep with a white noise machine!:smile:
  • Schula03
    Schula03 Posts: 171 Member
    I tooo have a just now turned 3 year old, and I work out at 24 hour fitness. My son goes to the playroom for 1-2 hours, 5 times a week. He loves the time to play. He has a babysitter only 1/2 days 3x a week. So I see it as social time for him and mommy time for me. My days off from the gym are Friday's and Sundays since the gym doesn't have the room open those days. It has worked out nice.

    Having said that, it took me a long time to figure out how to get this to work with my schedule and also pick a gym that I liked for him, me, and wasn't outrageous in price. Its "tough" on us moms no matter what. I just decided that I needed to do this for both myself and him. Also it really makes me go, because I made a committment to pay for both gym day care and the membership!! :)

    Good luck, I know its not easy!!!!! WOMEN RULE! :wink:

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