When do you find time to workout w/ having busy kids???

Hi!! I am a very busy mother of 4. Two stepsons, 14 and 11, who are busy w/ learning how to drive and baseball practice/games. I have a daughter, 8, going to volleyball, and I have a very busy 4 year old boy. I am working a full-time job, about 8 hours a day, plus studying at night for my nurse practitioner. Not to mention the regular chores of the house and making dinner at a decent hour.

All and all my question is for all those busy parents out there....how and when do you work out?? How long do you work out?? How do you do on dieting/food choices when you have so many other mouths to feed??

I was doing okay, working out and eating better, but not to what I have been wanting to do, and the scale went up 2 lbs. I was so discourage!! I didn't know what I was doing wrong.

I appreciate your help.
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Replies

  • Misery03
    Misery03 Posts: 43 Member
    i work alot and have a 2 year old so id like to know too,:P im always too tired by time she goes to bed..
  • sweebum
    sweebum Posts: 1,060 Member
    I work out 35 mins a day whenever I can. You can gain during the first few weeks of working out, it's only water retention and it WILL come off (if you're eating in a deficit)

    I try to do it in the am so it's done and I can get on with my day. Otherwise, I will find excuses.

    Best quote I tell myself "If you want something bad enough you will find a way, and if you don't, you will find an excuse"
  • I appreciate it!! You are exactly right with your quote. I need to stop finding excuses and just get it done. I do appreciate the water retention comment. I have never heard of that before. I am going to check into it. Thanks!!
  • LadyRush
    LadyRush Posts: 95 Member
    I work out when the kids go to bed....no matter how late it is. Sometimes, okay it sucks a lot, but that's how it gets done! I'm not a morning person at all.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    I lift from 12a to 1a, after work, kids get me up by 7, gets me about 5 hours of sleep.............for years i talked myself into sleeping instead because i "needed" that more than the exercise..........now i do the opposite. I will sleep when I'm dead.
  • TLPat
    TLPat Posts: 55 Member
    I have a three year old son and twin 9 month old girls. I set the alarm for 4:30...drive to the gym...work out for about an hour and come home to get ready for work...drop my son at preschool...start my work day. I only manage this twice during the week and then i go on the weekend.
  • I have 2 kids ages 8 and 10. And they keep me going. I also work full time. I get up at 5 am so that I can get my workout in otherwise it won't get done with everything that needs done after work and school.
  • agriffitts85
    agriffitts85 Posts: 38 Member
    when im cooking i keep moving that burns calories, cleaning the house burns calories, i have a 15 month old child and he is very much a mommas boy and likes to be carried and bounced around so doing that while walkign around burns calories, while sitting i do leg lifts, and i tighten my stomach muscels and release, i do breathing as well, when i can get to the gym i do, but other than that i am constantly consumed with four small children. 7,4,3,and 15 months.... so im very busy all the time.... and i dont drive so if we go anywhere we walk everywhere... plus i live on the second floor, and have to carry a stroller and a baby up and down the stairs, plus the trash i have to carry down the stairs as well... every little movement you do if you really think about it and consentrate on it it can burn calories for you.
  • RideaYeti
    RideaYeti Posts: 211 Member
    I've got 3 kids aged 14, 12, and 6. I found the only time I know I can work out during the week is at 5am. I get on my bike and do my loop that takes me about 1:10. Get home, shower and then start getting the kids up and ready for school. I started getting up that early because that is the only time I am guaranteed to be able to work out.

    It was hard at first, but I did get used it (pretty quickly in fact) and now it doesn't phase me. it is actually very peaceful at that time since there are no cars on the road.
  • mimi10453
    mimi10453 Posts: 89 Member
    I have a lot of 10 minute DVDs and I have workouts on my iPhone via YouTube. Whenever the kids are sleep, playing, etc I squeeze one in!
  • jennifer783
    jennifer783 Posts: 86 Member
    I work out when the kids go to bed....no matter how late it is. Sometimes, okay it sucks a lot, but that's how it gets done! I'm not a morning person at all.

    ^this^
    That, or the kiddos work out with us or have quiet play time while we work out. As far as diet....I only stock healthy food now, so family doesn't really have any other choice but to eat healthy with me :wink:

    My kids are 3, 5, and 7 so we understand and appreciate all the excuses. It really does come down to what you want more!
  • sem41278
    sem41278 Posts: 89 Member
    during my lunch hour at work! I have an hour commute (and a 2 year old)--- leave the house at 630am- home at 6pm. Getting the exercise at lunch time works great for me then I just eat lunch at my desk.
  • Kattarra
    Kattarra Posts: 190 Member
    I have a three year old son and twin 9 month old girls. I set the alarm for 4:30...drive to the gym...work out for about an hour and come home to get ready for work...drop my son at preschool...start my work day. I only manage this twice during the week and then i go on the weekend.

    ^^ This except I manage to do it 3 morniings a week and one day on the weekend.
  • Elona_30
    Elona_30 Posts: 66
    Im a single Mom of a very active 4 year old little girl, Im was in school up untill 2 weeks ago, and it all comes down to what you eat, I have an elipitical and I try to do a workout everynight or first thing in the morning, its 20 min. Now there were days that i was way to tired to even try and do the workout or eating right. Its really not easy but you have to make time for yourself, even if its just a 20 min workout its time for you, you do so much for your family that you forget about your self. Keep trying you can make it work.
  • kgilbert75
    kgilbert75 Posts: 70 Member
    I have SOOOO much respect for all of you! I stay home full-time and have an awesome gym that has great child care so I workout every morning. But I have a friend who owns a veterinary clinic and gets up every morning at 4am so she can get to the gym before her kids get up.My hat is off to all of you for getting up before the sun or staying up late to workout. I was well over 200 pounds when I worked full-time because I didn't have the willpower to do anything about it.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i found a gym that has limited babysitting hours so i try to go during those times. but even so, i get paged for various reasons--like ill be doing bench presses and ill hear my name on the intercom cause i have to change pull ups. lol
  • I wear an east fit from snap fitness. My daily goal is 30 points (you get points from movement) If at the end of the day I have not made 30 I do a little more exercise. wearing it all day makes me think about it and move more (I never strand still) I love my east fit (It is similar to a pedometer but plugs into a computer to SNAP fitness web site.
  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
    I get up with my husband when he leaves for the day at 5 am.
  • LCHOLT71
    LCHOLT71 Posts: 4 Member
    I walk 1/2 hour at lunch, then try to walk 20 - 30 minutes after dinner - the children walk or bike with me. When my daughter is in activities, I walk for at least 20 - 30 minutes.
  • wurgin
    wurgin Posts: 241 Member
    I get my husband to do bath time - sometimes I work out while they are having dinner and I just have a shake or something light. Lunch time from work is possible too sometimes.
  • Determined24
    Determined24 Posts: 137 Member
    Ok I thought I was busy with working, going to school, and both kids in soccer..... I actually have got to the point I get up early 0450 to start my workout by 0500..... I normally do 60 min...... but if I don't have the time I split it up 30 minutes in the morning thirty in the evening.... even if you can get 10 min here and there it will eventually equal to 30 minutes before the day is over.
  • GurleyGirl524
    GurleyGirl524 Posts: 578 Member
    if I need to squeeze excercise in, I will turn on some music and dance with our youngest. Oldest is 16 so dancing with mom would be well, socially unacceptable. we both have a great time and then sometimes he brings me hand weights which is his way of signaling to me to that he wants the music on and to shake our booties!
  • Nikki582
    Nikki582 Posts: 561 Member
    I make time, not excuses. My alarm goes off at 4.40 and I work out (at the gym) until 6. Back home to take the kids to school/go to work at 7.30.

    I have joined a 24 hour gym so I don't have to conform to opening hours. My husband is home (but sleeping) when I go out to the gym. On days taht he's not home I still wake up at 4.40 and workout at home with exercise DVDs
  • Kerri_is_so_very
    Kerri_is_so_very Posts: 999 Member
    I'm a single mom of 2 (ages 3 & 6), work full-time out of the home and home owner. With the nice weather I'm able to get in a 45 minute walk at lunch time, I do Wii zumba 2 or Just Dance 3 with the kids, take the kids to the bike path/park or I drop them at the Y childcare areas while I do some cardio or zumba. They were doing all kinds of activities a couple of months ago (swimming, gymnastics, basketball etc) and I told them we were going to take a break until fall so I could focus on me. We still do fun things for them, just when we can fit the activities in (no stress and they still have fun). I'm sure with older kids it might be more difficult to put their stuff on hold, but the younger ones were a pretty easy sell. I cook and clean when I want...so right now those are also some "sacrifices" I've made.

    I'd say have some of the older kids pitch in for making meal or get the crock pot out. It really is a tough balance, but even a 30 minute walk will benefit you!
  • I work part-time, but from 2pm-2:30 am. So, the nice thing about that is I work out before work on work days and then when I get my kids off to school in the morning. However, last week was spring break and I still was able to work out all but one day by telling them it was time for me to work out and they were welcome to join me (both boys, age 7) or find something to do while I worked out. A few days they came and worked out and the other days they played with our dogs. They know that I am a better and happier mom when I do exercise so they willingling comply.
  • I've been there myself. If you take your boys to ball practice nd stay until they are done, you can take the 4 year old on a nature hike or play ball with him. It will wear him out and get you excercise. I forget what sport your daughter plays, whether it is inside or outside, bleachers are a great workout, again the 4 year old will have a blast on this one as he tries to ebat you up and down them.

    The one thing to remember if you are excercising, you are turning fat into muscle, which weighs more. So even though you are losing, the scale may not show all your hard work. This si where I have problems. It is real discouraging when you work so hard and find the scale going in the wrong direction. The best way to measure is not the scale, but the tape measure. Inches usually fall more quickly than the pounds will!

    Good luck!
  • kmorris246
    kmorris246 Posts: 312 Member
    You should check out bodyrock.tv! These are HIIT workouts that are usually 20 minutes or less, and you can get a GREAT workout in! Definitely recommend to look into! The success stories on the site are AH-mazing!
  • scs143
    scs143 Posts: 2,190 Member
    I am a working mom of three- one busy 7 yo and 2 yo twin boys one of whom has special needs and enough appointments in a week that it's like he has a full time job! I work out at 5am. I run outside tues, thur and Saturday and I go to to the gym 2-3 other days. Usually I get to the gym Monday and fri or sat. For some reason I don't want to do anything on. Wednesdays. I also walk on my lunch at least once a week (usually on Wednesday).

    I have worked out at night but that cuts into my time with my husband so I really try hard to get it done mornings. Good luck! It's hard but you're not alone!
  • Hawksbillus
    Hawksbillus Posts: 128 Member
    My wife and I get up at 6am 4 times a week and do strength training for about 60-90 minutes. The kids get up about 7am or so.
  • dixeyk
    dixeyk Posts: 20
    I walk my eight year old to school in the morning (about a mile and a half) and then have another mile and a half up a steep hill to get to my work. Then the reverse at the end of the day. Does us both good and saves on gas. I also jump rope while he's doing his homework...12 minutes at a fast pace jumping rope burns around 230 calories. Add in some pushups, burpees, planks and hill climbers and you can cram a lot into 30 minutes.