Calling all FT Mom's!

You will just have to go after they are in bed or after you other duties are done. Do you have 24 hour access? A lot of people have to work out later in the day and you might meet people in the same role as you. Really concentrate on the weekend to get some really good workouts in, that is what I did when I worked 10 hours days. Kill it on the weekend then you can take time off during the week.

I just make sure my kids are taken care of (dad helps a lot!) and then I go straight to the gym after work. Or if I can't do that, the weather is getting nice out finally and I take walks with them. Anything that gets me off the couch, even if I don't break a sweat.

FT working mom here! There are a few options:

1) Wake up early and go for a run/brisk walk before your kids wake up. You could also exercise to tapes or on the Wii Fit.
2) Go to the gym after work and put your kids in the day care if they're young enough. My little one, Ella, is 2.5, and LOVES the day care at the gym. It's a win win for both of us.
3) Use your lunch hour to walk/run or go to a nearby gym (not sure this would work for you, it doesn't work for me..)
4) Up the ante on the weekends. Use Saturday and Sunday to push yourself and up your burn.

Good luck and congrats on the FT position.

I'm a FT mom w/ 4 kids ranging from 3 to 17. There are weeks where my only hope for exercise is on the weekend and I accept that. Now that the weather is nice, I've been using my lunch hour at work to take a walk. At least I'm getting in something. There are some nights where I take 10 minutes and do jumping jacks, etc... too knowing that anything is better than nothing. I tried mornings and it just doesn't work for me. Set realistic goals. You'll figure it out! Just give yourself a little slack while you're adjusting and stay aware. You'll make it!

I go after the kids are in bed..I havea 24 hour gym (planet fitness) Makes for a SUPER long day ( up @5am for work.. bed 11pm on gym nights ) But you have to find time for YOU and to be healthy for them

What works for me: I go to a Curves fitness Center 4 blocks away from my job on my lunch hour. I try going 5 times a week, this way I could get in all my exercise before I go home and I have the weekends to do house chores and spend time with the kids.
I tried numerous times to exercise after work and even on the weekends, its all soooooo hard. With the kids and the house chores it leaves hardly anytime. If there is no gym by your work try to power walk on your lunch hour. Maybe this can help during the week and try to sneak in vigiorous workouts on the weekends.

Well I am a FT worker...PT step mom. But on the days we have Miss 5yo Princess in Training this is how I make it work. I pick her up from school, run any errands we have. Get home by 430-5ish. (yes it seems early...my FT job is teaching so I start earlier and end earlier) She gets some relaxing time after school to watch TV...I go to another room and do about 30 minutes on one of my exercise DVDs. We then make/eat/clean up from dinner and start winding down for bed. Luckily at 5 we do not have homework yet...but when we do that TV time will likely be homework time.
Since you will get home later...maybe try and start dinner and while it cooks squeeze in some workout time 15-20 minutes and then after dinner get the kids started on homeowrk and get in 15-20 more minutes. I have fallen in love with some DVDs (turbo jams and ripped in 30) that I can easily do at home on the fly.

I am a single mom of two. I work and go to school full time (online). My days are long but i feel very accomplished in the end. Im up by 430 to get a 30 min workout in and then kids get up at 5 and we all start to get ready for the day. by 7 eveyone is out the door to school and im off to work. At night i get home around 530 and i start dinner (which has already been planned out). we do homework after dinner and play and watch a movie. They are in bed by 830-900 and then it is my time until about 1030 -1100 when i go to bed. I usually get things together for the next day, another workout if im feeling frisky and then i do some reading to relax.

I don't work *full* time (usually 25-30 hours a week); however, I am going to college in addition to working; and I'm also a single parent of 3 (ages 7, 6, & 3). So I totally understand. Honestly, I've found that getting up early is the best solution for me. Also, creating workouts that are super intense so I can burn more in less time. Basically I just have to schedule exercise just like I schedule everything else in my life. It's tough, but do-able. good luck!

Exactly why I like Turbo Jams or Ripped in 30...a nice calorie burn in 30 minutes and I am moving on to the next thing!

I work full time and have been a slacker about the gym bc my fiance is deployed so i have more on my plate than my normal schedule but normally it helps that my fiance and i both like to go to the gym together. we go when our daughter is at swim practice and if she doesnt have practice we go right after work and she goes to the child watch. my gym you need to make a "reservation" for child watch so basically if i plan to go i dont think of it as a choice later in the day bc i dont want to call and cancel!

I try my best to workout in the mornings while everyone is sleep. So I get up at 4am and workout. Yes, I know that is extremely early but if I don't do it at that time then I will have a hard time doing after I get off. I am a single mom of 2 babies that works 8-5. So I can't leave the house to go to the gym. The workouts I do are Turbofire and P90X. Sometimes if I am lucky I can get a 30 minute workout in after I get off before their dad brings them home. So you are going to have a trail period at first to see what time is going to work best for you. Good Luck and Congrats on the Job!!

Most of the time the only exercise I get in is a walk at lunch! I sometimes try to get up in the mornings and get some Wii time in, but I really count on those lunch time walks.

I'm not a morning person either, but if you are able to get to bed at a time where you can get your 7-8 hours of sleep, I say really try to get your workouts in in the morning. I used to do it and suprisely, I really learned to enjoy it. I have to be at work by 7:30, so I was up at 4:15 to workout.

Same as me. I have to be at work before 7:30, but I get up at 4:20, get to the gym about 15 minutes later. I spend just over an hour there, get home and get in the shower. I'm lucky, husband gets our son up while I'm in the shower and feeds him breakfast while I finish getting ready. Then, I leave with my son at about 6:45 to get to work/school on time. My husband works at a restaurant, so after work/school, my son and I are alone. I cook dinner while he plays around me, then he's in bed by 7:45 (he's 4) and I try to get in bed at 9 to read and turn the light out by 9:30-10pm. It's not hard, once you learn to not bother watching tv! I'm sure this will be harder when my son is older and will start asking to watch shows his friends watch, but I find I don't miss tv. I watch it with my husband when he is home in the evening, but it's rare. I'd like to get a little more sleep, but for now, I nap on the weekends to make up for the slight lack. Oh, sometimes I throw in a yoga dvd at night to help unwind and stretch out any soreness I have (this happend 2-4 nights week).
I was never a morning person, but this starts my day so much better. I don't have to worry about fitting the workout in. I have so much more energy and am definitely addicted to morning workouts now! I could have worse problems, right?

Good luck-it's worth it! You, your spouse and your kid(s) will all benefit from you taking care of yourself.

During my lunch...I can usually get at least a good 30 minutes in. Or right after work- although I don't like that as much because it rushes the rest of the night.