Moms and making time!

If you have the $$ to do it, get a fitbit. I think you'll be shocked how much you really move around during the day!!

Since February I have been going to the local YMCA 3-4 times a week. It generally takes me about 1.5 hours to do my workout now--I either do 30 minutes on the seated elliptical OR 65 minutes on the treadmill...then I go and do 20-30 minutes on the various weight machines.

I am trying to keep up with the schedule this summer, but I don't know how it will work out. I feel selfish saying it, but I just couldn't get my head in the right place with my 12 year old and my 16 year old constantly needing guidance or wanting to chat. I spent the last 30 minutes of my treadmill time telling my 12yo to please SHUT UP and walk. 16yo had to be shown how to do every exercise...then I had to wipe off the machines behind him.

I stay at home and babysit 6-8 kids a day. I used to workout during naptime. Now that my oldest (7) is out of school for the summer, I am working out in the evening. My other son is 3. They just play in the basement while I lift or run on the treadmill. It's hard sometimes because they are so little yet and still need me to do certain things for them. I wish they were as old as yours! It's definitely easier to work out at home when you stay at home and have kids.....so doing it at home is key for me.

I am a homeschooling sahm to two kids - 4 & 6. First of all I try and make sure my kids do not have too many extra activities where I have to take them places. I of course have to get them out of the house to be around other kids, but they are only part of one group sport. My daughter takes classes once a week for 3 hours so I can go to the mall nearby and walk. Then when I take them outside to play with their friends I walk on the sidewalk. We like to play Just Dance together on the Wii which is quite a workout for me. I also bought us hula hoops so we can have competitions. I have an elliptical machine at home so I can watch tv and excersize on it whenever I have a bit of time in my day. I wish I could go to the gym, but I just don't have enough time for all that driving each day.

i tend to do my work out at night around 7 - 8 pm when my two year old goes to bed

I'm not a SAHM, wish I was though, but I work full time have two kids 12 and 9, hubs and all the other mom/wife stuff. I get up at 5AM, that's what works best for me. I've done all my workouts at home,never once bought a gym membership. I've done anything from Jillian Micheals Shred, to walking, to biking, and now beachbody DVD's. We've done lots of stuff as a family! basketball, baseball.

and the days I can't work out in the morning (which seems to be the case this summer I do more evening runs...or watch that I'm eating clean if I don't get a workout in.

this. I work full time, go to school, have two kids, and volunteer. I have to get up before the kids to get a workout done, good thing about you having older kids is they probably sleep through the night and don't wake up at 4am? just gotta set your alarm and do it!

Well, I am not a sahm either. I am actually a single working mother of 2 babies (3 and almost 2). In the beginning, I would do workout dvd when they went to bed - like 30-day shred, Ripped in 30 and Turbojam. Now that they are older, I have joined a gym that has a daycare that way they get exposure to other kids and mommy gets her workout. I go right after work and I am home between 7 and 8. It is very doable with a little dedication.

Hi Donna,

I am not a sahm but i am a sm to an 8 year old and so i find time where i can such as on my lunch hour at the gym and every saturday and sunday morning i go for a run as soon as my eyes open. If my daughter has to be somewhere during the weekends, i make sure to set my alarm and work it in. Also, i will try to incorporate my daughter where i can. If she can fit me into her schedule (true story) we will go to the part, but walk to a park that is a bit further from home so that i can get some walking in (and back home). I will run around with her. Since she plays soccer, sometimes i will go outside and kick the soccer ball with her. I don't play, but she enjoys the one on one time. I also did the same thing when changing up our eating habits explaining to her that it's better she learn now, but also, mommy won't be enjoying the same kinds of treats as she well be. I guess my suggestion is trying to incorporate them as much as possible and you would be how supportive they will be because they are just spending quality time with you.

I do workout DVDs at home when my son is at school. When he's home, we go on walks, bike rides, kick a soccer ball around in the back yard. I also use a fitbit to try to make sure I'm moving around a lot during the day instead of just zoning out in front of the computer or TV.

Its doable! I am a sahm of 4 and I go to school. Its tough but it can be done. I usually take them with me. We have a park that has a trail that goes around it and I walk that pushing my baby while the others play. I also go to this other track we have and I push the two youngest while my 4 and 5 year olds ride their bikes. Sometimes I have to wait until they go to bed and I either workout on the treadmil or do a workout dvd. This works for now.

Hi, I am 29 years old. I am SAHM. I am a new mom and my son is 5 months. Everything is new to me. I started this site in March as I started working out again after I got the okay from the dr. What I try to do is if I can't leave the house to work out, I try to do the zumba on the wii or any kind of fitness on the wii. I try to do that when he is taking a nap. If he isn't taking a nap then I walk around my block. I sometimes walk to my neighbor hood center that has a little gym. Since my son is too little I have to keep him in the stroller next to me when I work out. I don't stay to long because he doesn't like staying in his car seat very long. But as the kids get older there is a little play room in the little gym. There is no baby sitters but bring the kids that is old enough to walk and play. There is a window you can watch them while you are working out and see what they are doing. I won't do that till my son gets older like 2 years old. We joined a gym off post because it had a day care and other things. We got lucky since being in the military we were able to come up with a good deal for a price we can afford. I would go to the gyms on post since they are free but they don't offer day care. Military is big on fitness and health for everyone and even kids too, so they offer some classes to bring kids. When my son gets older I will be able to do that. Or you can go to target or walmart and get some work out dvd's and have your kids do it with you as well.

Just what is a SAHM? And why is it ALWAYS about the moms, and never the Dad's?

As a single full-time working widower...I have just one thing to say....You Make the time, or you dont.

I have triplets and a 4 year old. I also work from home. I own a fitbit and it has totally changed how I look at my diet and exercise and as a reslut I have lost around 13lbs since March.
I get up at 'stupid o'clock' or I go running once my husband gets home at around 9pm each evening with only 1 day off exercise per week.
Every other day I put aside 20-30 mins for a workout DVD. During this time I put my kids in front of the TV (its the only TV they watch in the week)
None of my kids are at school or at kindy or with a babysitter. I have no help with them but my husband.

However, I believe that being healthy and setting a good example for my kids is just as important as playing with them and providing for them and when you look at it like that then we should all find time in our day to make ourselves healthier.

Hi! I too am a sahm of a 22 month old and I also found it difficult to coordinate the time for myself. I have found that not all exercise can be done in a gym. While I do have a gym membership which I use, I also use my Netflix to utilize kickboxing videos while at home and also while she is eating lunch. Also, dont under estimate the thought that you are definitely being active throughout the day already. With all the moving back and forth, household chores etc. you are indeed exercising. I would recommend getting a pedometer to simply measure just how active you already are during a day.

Don't over think this process. Use the resources that you already have to get in the exercise without making your schedule any more stressful or full. I do understand and I will be praying for nothing less than success for you! Muah

Frances Jones
SC

I used to have this problem too.. and always said that I just couldn't find time to work out, I was too tired to get up in the am and too tired to work out at night. I work full time and have a house, 3 y/o and and husband. But I finally gave in and my alarm goes off at 4:30 am and I am working out by 5:00 am and work out until 6:30 am I do this 6 days a week. I just had to make up my mind that it needs to be done, yes it was very hard at first. But I decided to stop making excuses and work for it. It became important to me, more important then laying in bed in the mornings. I'm still tired at night but at least I got my workout in. I tell myself- NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a sahm but a single working mom.

I either get up early to work out or right after work.
Takes some time to adjust but you work it into the schedule

My sister's SIL is a sahm with 4 children under the age of 6....she's been working out twice a day. In the morning before the kids wake up and nap times

Either you adjust your schedule to make time or you don't.
Pretty simple