Question for all you working parents out there

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  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
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    Instead of taking a lunch hour, I work out during lunch and eat lunch at my desk!

    Me too!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    My youngest just turned 4 and my oldest is almost 6. I work full time. My youngest sleeps through the night some nights. Other nights, I can be up putting him back into his bed 3-4 times in one night. I am exhausted most days. I now get up at 5, workout in my livingroom, don't take a lunch at work and walk the whole time. This is my time. It is the only time of the day I have to myself, and it is the only chance I have to workout. It has to be my priority, because it is no one else's. You have to decide what you are going to do. Most of us don't have an easy choice when it comes to getting a workout in. We have to make the time and keep it as the priority. Only you can decide when and how much it means to you.
  • jessieknh
    jessieknh Posts: 52 Member
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    4 days a week I take my son to a local bike trail and he rides his bike while I run along side him. Nice way for us to get our exercise in and spend time together.
  • shalinimunjal
    shalinimunjal Posts: 192 Member
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    It's not easy!! However, you already know that :)

    I am mom to a 2 yr old and a 7 yr old and work outside the house. I've started using the gym at work during my lunch hour to get my weights workout. For cardio, I run on saturdays and try to get another run after work during the week. Doesn't always happen now that weather has warmed up considerably.

    Before starting gym, I was doing Jillian Michaels DVD workout at home - 30Day Shred. It is a 30 minute long video and gives you a really good workout. I did this right after reaching home and before starting anything else. Once this was out of the way I was free to start the cooking etc. I also do cloth diapers so that adds up to my todo pile.

    The biggest thing is to not make the workout 'optional'. It HAS to be done just like anything else you might consider important like homework, bath, etc. Once you get into the rythm it gets easier and easier to find the time. You don't think about it, just do it.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
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    It is difficult, but you have to first make yourself a priority. Your health is more important. My doctor told me that taking 30 minutes out of my morning/night to focus on me was not selfish. I bet a lot of mothers feel guilty for taking time away from their children, but you have to find a way. If you aren't healthy in the long run, who is it hurting more? I'm sure your kids don't want to have a dead mother before they are in middle school because you didn't take care of yourself. That's how I look at it so I don't feel bad about working out after I get off.

    I joined the YMCA so there are programs for my little one while I work out. No other gym in this area offered any sort of child care/child activity so I went with them. Right now I'm on a late shift so don't get off until 6. We eat dinner around 7:30 and the crock pot saves time. Seriously, put that stuff together in the morning and it's ready to go for dinner.

    Also on non gym days, we go for walks on the trail or at the local high school track. So I'm teaching her to be active and eat right while taking care of myself.
  • amoffatt
    amoffatt Posts: 674 Member
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    At night! I tried in the AM but too tired so I exercise at night.
  • Mom23djd
    Mom23djd Posts: 38 Member
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    My Suzy Homemaker skills have been sadly lacking since I started working out for an hour 5 days a week. It’s amazing how much stuff I apparently used to get done in that hour. I have gotten to the point where I have to just straighten up during the week and actually clean on the weekends. I realized that things don't have to be perfect all of the time.

    Ditto
  • HeidiDarlene
    HeidiDarlene Posts: 12
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    I work full time and am a single mom of 2. I found that making a schedule and sticking to it are so important. I do not allow myself to negotiate on my scheduled workout days. 3 days a week I leave work and go directly to the gym. My kids actually love it because they get to spend more time with their friends in their after school programs. The other 4 days I am busy juggling gymnastics and tee ball and any other activities they want to do. It might not be an ideal solution with leaving the kids in daycare longer but its what works for us.
  • diben
    diben Posts: 11 Member
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    Basically, I squeeze in a workout whenever I can. Some nights, I'm up until 11pm doing weights or running. If I happen to go to bed by 10pm then I'm up at 5ish for a run. I actually have the best workouts first thing in the morning and it really wakes me up. A "workout" can mean different things for different people at different points in their lives. You can just wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual and go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. One thing that keeps me going is that no matter what I do, I REQUIRE myself to workout 3 times a week. Some weeks, that means that I run on Thursday and Friday then do weights on Saturday because I've slacked off the beginning of the week. But that's fine, just give yourself a minimum number of sessions per week and you'll stick to it.

    I do agree with some other folks that other things have slipped since I've started working out routinely. We might have laundry sitting for a week or dishes don't get washed every night but that's life. My health is more important, I choose to prioritize me. Nothing bad will happen if my kids don't have a pair of socks one day or all the dishes are in the sink.

    BTW - my kids are 6 and 4, many nights at least one of them ends up in my bed. I don't think that sleeping through the night will go away soon, although hopefully by the time they're teenagers. :)
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
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    I take Zumba classes three times per week. I find that since they are scheduled, I can't procrastinate. Once you find something that you love, you will look forward to it and make every effort to go. I also convinced several work friends to go with me to classes which makes it even more fun. If i were looking at it as a chore, I would probably put it off forever.

    On those nights, I either pick something up for dinner or make something that is quick. And my husband watches my daughter (I only have one, which is easier) while I am gone. We call it daddy-daughter day.
  • wtdia
    wtdia Posts: 68 Member
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    Seriously... how do you find time to exercise? I don't know how to get out of my rut. I know sometimes it's lack of motivation, but most of the time it's truely lack of time.

    Since joining MFP I have not been brave enough to try to get up earlier than I already do. I am very stiff and sore when I first wake up, so moving a lot will only pull my muscles (I have tried in the past). Also, I have a 2yo at home that does not always sleep through the night. Since I am always exhausted, it does not make sense to me to get up early and be even more exhausted.

    When I get home after my 8-10 hour work days I have just enough time to make dinner while helping the older kids with their homework/housework/lives. Maybe playing with the 2yo for a few uninterrupted minutes and trying to clean up from dinner, etc...

    By that time it's 9-10 pm and I'm pooped.

    I made a deal with my hubby that he would give the 2yo her bath 3 days a week so I could do a workout for 30 minutes. He normally does it anyway, but I wanted to firm up a plan that would help keep me motivated to do it. That worked 1 time before he got sick, then the rest of us got sick. That was 3 weeks ago.

    How do you keep going when your life is not only your own? I can't say I'm going for a walk when there are dishes to be done, dinner to make and children to love and care for.
    How do you fit it in? How do you take back some of your time for yourself without pushing all responsibilities onto your spouse? I feel like I've been waiting for my kids to leave the nest so that I could be me again. Another 16 years is too long to wait.

    I completely understand how you feel. I found Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred and it's hard to make excuses to not workout to this. It's literally 20 - 25 minutes of my day. I can do that. And yes, I first get to it around 8-8:30 at night. I do this 5 days a week and also walk with my neighbor ( who also works every day) from 9-10 pm three nights per week. I have three kids, which are a bit older than yours, but I completely understand that time in your life where you feel like you are spread so thin and have no identity....Now....you don't do yourself any favors by not taking out a few hours each week for yourself. If your husband is on board, like mine, then it sounds like you can make that time for yourself. You will be so happy you did when you feel healthier. Keep trying and good luck.
  • wtdia
    wtdia Posts: 68 Member
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    also.....crockpot cooking is my life as much as possible so that I am not always scrambling to cook
  • littlewitch1973
    littlewitch1973 Posts: 139
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    I work out on my lunch break at work, and eat lunch while I work. I also incorporated after dinner walks with my older two kids (they are 11 and 15) and we are all working on the C25K as a family during that time. My youngest usually stays home with my boyfriend during that time (he is so ADHD, he will run circles around us laughing!!) My house might not be as clean as I would like it, but I would rather have my health over a clean house. The kids help out with the chores (cleaning up, loading the dishwasher, etc) so that we can all do things together.

    I also work out a lot on weekends, and my kids do it with me - walking/running, 30DS, tennis, bike riding.. anything active to get us moving and keep us energized.
  • chicfreak9
    chicfreak9 Posts: 78 Member
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    I'm a single working parent of 2 (ages 5 and 11) I joined my local YMCA. I do mommy and me classes with the lil one while the big one does her own classes. I stick them in the daycare room when I need an hour workout that does not include them. I also walk during my lunch hour when the weather permits. I also have a Wii so that we can do exercise games like zumba or just dance together. My girls are easy going. They do thier HW at the after school program and I tend to let them eat breakfast for dinner (cereal with milk or eggs and bacon) If I cant cook it in less than 30 minutes they wont eat it and we eat a lot of Subway :laugh:

    Basically it comes down to all the things we've read in all the womens fitness magazines. Mom's and dad's have to find time for themselves in order to take better care of their families. If we cannot take care of ourselves by trying to be healthy we do a disservice to our children. You will find the right motivations and the right system that will help you and your family get to your goals.
  • mommy1126
    mommy1126 Posts: 146 Member
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    It is difficult to find the time. I have a 12 year old, and a one year old, and I work between 45 - 50 hours a week. My husband works a swing shift, so often times he is not there to help when I am home.
    Here are some of the things I do, I eat lunch at my desk and walk the remainder of the time. I walk up and down the stairs at my house while my little one naps. I put my little one in a wagon, and pull him around the neighborhood. And, when I am doing house work or cleaning I make it count. Examples: I dance around the kitchen while I am cooking which amuses my one year old and gets me moving.
  • kjerstenkipp
    kjerstenkipp Posts: 139 Member
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    I get up at 3:30 am to make it to the gym at 4:30.

    If I couldn't work out early, I would not be able to.
    WOW! I thought I got up early...4:30 to be at the gym by 5:00...I bow to you sir! :-)

    Anyway, you HAVE to schedule time for yourself...seriously...make it a date...schedule on a calendar...workout 4-5 or whatever time...everyone else can work around that...maybe on workout days they have sandwiches for dinner (nothing wrong with a healthy sandwich) or you make some "make ahead" meals like a casserole...have hubby or one of the older kids pop it in the oven at the right time. Your family wants you to get healthy and be around for a long time to come so everyone has to pitch in. Those dishes will wait...and it seems to me that there are other folks in your house that could knock those out. At our house, the person who cooks doesn't clean up...it is a great rule! :-)
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    Seriously... how do you find time to exercise? I don't know how to get out of my rut. I know sometimes it's lack of motivation, but most of the time it's truely lack of time.

    Since joining MFP I have not been brave enough to try to get up earlier than I already do. I am very stiff and sore when I first wake up, so moving a lot will only pull my muscles (I have tried in the past). Also, I have a 2yo at home that does not always sleep through the night. Since I am always exhausted, it does not make sense to me to get up early and be even more exhausted.

    When I get home after my 8-10 hour work days I have just enough time to make dinner while helping the older kids with their homework/housework/lives. Maybe playing with the 2yo for a few uninterrupted minutes and trying to clean up from dinner, etc...

    By that time it's 9-10 pm and I'm pooped.

    I made a deal with my hubby that he would give the 2yo her bath 3 days a week so I could do a workout for 30 minutes. He normally does it anyway, but I wanted to firm up a plan that would help keep me motivated to do it. That worked 1 time before he got sick, then the rest of us got sick. That was 3 weeks ago.

    How do you keep going when your life is not only your own? I can't say I'm going for a walk when there are dishes to be done, dinner to make and children to love and care for.
    How do you fit it in? How do you take back some of your time for yourself without pushing all responsibilities onto your spouse? I feel like I've been waiting for my kids to leave the nest so that I could be me again. Another 16 years is too long to wait.

    How old are all of your kids? Could hubs take 3 nights per week to help the olders with their homework? Could the olders help you with dinner or housework? Could you batch cook some stuff on weekends that you could just reheat or add a couple of ingredients to on the weeknights to simplify dinner?

    :( You don't have to wait until they "leave the nest" to "be you" again. :( You can work with them. Pop 2 yo into a stroller and go for a family walk in the evening on a Friday night when they are least likely to have homework. Encourage your kids to work out with you-you don't even have to do formal workouts, go to the park and chase your 2 year old and play with her on the playground-believe me, keeping up with wee ones on a playground can be quite a workout! If you work your family into your healthy lifestyle, it will not only make things easier for you, it will set a great example for the kids as well. Make it a family thing instead of seeing your family as an obstacle preventing you from reaching your health goals. :heart:
  • Kerakakes
    Kerakakes Posts: 2 Member
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    Scheduling the time works out best for me. I have a few hors free on tuesday & wednesday after work.. those are dedictaed gym days. On days I cant get there.. I do FIT TV (on Demand) for at least an hour. My son knows unless its an emergency it has to wait until I get finished. Make simple meals, a crock pot can become your best friend. Spot clean during the week, and save the heavy duty things for the weekend. Get your family on board, and let them know what your trying to do, and that you need there support.
  • mltchel
    mltchel Posts: 6 Member
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    Great ideas by others here. Over the years I've juggled a lot of these strategies. Currently I use lunch hour for paying bills, etc. but I take the stairs to another floor to use the bathroom and do some leg lifts or plies for 1 minute each trip.

    I regularly do 20 minutes of something in the morning. Thinking "just jog to the stop sign and back" makes it seems less daunting. If my husband isn't home and I can't leave the kids I do a video in the living room before the youngest wakes up. If you don't have videos try YouTube. I perform better at work with the morning exercise boost but its hard to get over the hump of waking up earlier. Then if I don't get the lunch or evening workout in I've done the minimum that morning.

    My husband and I have together made a real point that this is a FAMILY affair. We started using the crock pot, and lots of easy non-processed food with little prep. Salmon thaws while you set the table, cooks in 14 minutes, and with salad or veggies you have dinner ASAP.
    We put the bikes on the bike rack after dinner maybe once a week and head to the office park for riding and walking. We take turns with who rides the bike with the 3 yr old in the baby seat. Our older boy loves the family time. Your 2 yr old is perfect for a jogging stroller - take advantage of that. So on the days when the baby doesn't have one-on-one bath time with dad, make it one-on-one time with Mom! My son loves for me to put the music on so we can both hear it while we're on the road. My husband and I also decided to use our date money for a $10/month each gym membership and now we go to the gym together once/week as a date - it comes out to be a great deal all around! We both feel and look better than when "time together" meant a steak dinner.

    Just as important as the exercise is setting some food rules in your house. This will help you feel better, and more prone to exercising.
  • shelldancel
    shelldancel Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm in the same situation and can totally relate to what you are going through.. I'm at work for 9 hours a day, Monday-Friday and have to cook, clean and do homework every night when I get home. I have 3 children, 2 of them are able to take care of themselves but my youngest requires alot more attention from me. What I have done to get my exercise in is I go to the gym right after work for about 45 minutes. I keep my gym clothes in the car and go straight to work out. For me this works because it forces me to make time for myslelf. :)

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