Moms and making time!

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  • awolf2011
    awolf2011 Posts: 265 Member
    I am not a SAHM, but I work fulltime and have 3 boys (7,6,& 13 mo.). I work out at night after my kids go to bed. We have some activities during the week, but I mostly try to spend time with them while they are awake and not workout until after they go to bed. Sometimes it is hard because all I want to do is curl up on the couch and watch tv or just go to bed, but I try to make myself workout for at least 20 minutes (cardio) or I go walking for about 45 minutes. Anything is better than nothing.

    Also, if you do the housework and all that jazz, you should consider getting a HRM because as some have already posted, you will be amazed by how many calories you burn just doing housework.
  • cari4jc1
    cari4jc1 Posts: 233
    I'm a SAHM to 3 boys ages 7, 4 and almost 18 months. I don't know about the whole sports thing and having to run them places all the time yet, but here's what I do. During the school year we get up and eat breakfast and take the oldest to school. Come home and maybe do some dishes or other cleaning until about 9:30 or 10 and then exercise for about an hour. (I do dvd's at home.) After that we eat lunch and then my youngest goes down for naptime. I then will do any laundry, cleaning etc that I can do. Sometimes I will even lay down and take a nap myself. In the afternoon I pick up my oldest from school and then have until dinnertime to do anymore cleaning, make dinner/clean up etc. Sometimes my husband will even help me fold and put away laundry or he'll do dishes sometimes.

    You just have to decide that you are going to make yourself a priority. If the laundry doesn't get put away, big whoop? At least you exercised that day and ate right and took steps to being healthy and being there for you kids in the long run. That's how I try to look at it. You can also spread your household duties out throughout the day and just do things in little increments. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to have everything perfect because it will never be perfect.

    Another thing you could do is see if someone could watch the kids sometimes so you can go to the gym or go for a run. Don't be afraid to ask for help. :)
  • 203MrsB
    203MrsB Posts: 18 Member
    I am a SAHM of 3 (1,3,5) and it is hard between taking care of them, the house and being up at 6am and not getting to bed after 10 to work in working out. However, leaving the house was the only way to get it out of the way.

    I bought an elliptical and I hardly use it. I signed up for kettle bell classes and I pay (a good amount) to go there every month so it keeps me accountable. Try to find something even 1-2x a week to go and use it as your outlet, and for a little "me" time as well!
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    I am a working mom, but I get it. I spend 40 hours a week at work, about 5 hours a week driving to/from work, and the rest of the time being the parent of a toddler!

    My husband and family have been invaluable in helping me find time to exercise. The truth is, your kids need you, but they can give you up 30 minutes a day to have you for 10 extra years. Know what I mean?
  • DonnaZee75
    DonnaZee75 Posts: 7
    Wow..This is just awesome!

    Internet was down for about 4 days, then got busy playing Wonder Woman...

    I come back and all these wonderful responses!

    I agree with having to MAKE the time. Or TAKE the time. It almost has to be a little forceful. Like "No..this is MOMMY'S time. Your time is the other 99.785838421% of the day."

    Haha! I'm taking an hour for myself. I'm trying to just wake up earlier, but depending on how late I stay up, sometimes the hour has to be in the middle of the day. And now the boys are home for the summer. So it's the constant duty. But I shall not be discouraged!
    i am not a sahm, however i work full time, have three kids under 12, and a needy husband (so that's what, 2 teenage boys? lol). i'm also a multi-media artist and the busiest person i know.

    the fact is, you need to MAKE the time. period.

    when i started, it was a bit hard for the family to understand i needed my 30 minutes. after all, they were use to me being, well mom. they would come and interupt and i would ignore them all until my 30 minutes were over.

    it took six weeks of consistantcy, but they are broken! lol. now they know to leave me alone when i'm working out.

    find what is best for you. break out your workouts if you have to in 3-10 minute intervals. i read a study once that found women who did this lost more anyway. maybe because they were burning all day? also, find the work outs that work BEST for your body type. i found dancing, jogging in place, and kickboxing worked the best.

    where did i woke out? my room: the kitchen! lol

    at the end of the day you need to make a DECISION to take care of yourself FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILY then make tiny decisions each day to support the big one.

    all the best!
  • DonnaZee75
    DonnaZee75 Posts: 7
    I'm so inspired and motivated reading you guys!
  • drotarthebarbarian
    drotarthebarbarian Posts: 39 Member

    at the end of the day you need to make a DECISION to take care of yourself FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILY then make tiny decisions each day to support the big one.

    Bravo. I am hanging these words on my mirror. It's the tiny decisions that get us where we want to be.
  • purdieang
    purdieang Posts: 43
    SAHM of a 4yo, 3yo & 8mo, I am up at 6am after being woken 4 times a night with the baby, then am out every morning with playgroups and home most afternoons. My husband is home at 5 which is our dinner time. I either park the car a long way from playgroup and run with 2 in the pram, or work out on treadmill/elliptical/bike at 6.30 when they go to bed. I find that I cant sleep when I do the night exercise so its a last resort. I make my minimum half an hour and my max 1 hour then its not hard to achieve, although I am always trying to exercise on a full stomach, but am too hungry at those times not to eat breakfast or dinner! You just have to do what you can and remember they will be all grown up soon and there'll be plenty of time when the're not so young and needy.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    When I was a SAHM I worked out in the living room while the kids did their thing. If you are doing sporting events do you have to supervise or can you exercise while they are doing their sport thing? I either take mine to the Y or I work out when my husband is home from work. I would rather work out than clean the kitchen anyway.
  • abyssfully
    abyssfully Posts: 410 Member
    Since the birth of my first (he's now 2) I made the switch to working out at home. I'm currently pregnant, but before this I was doing an at-home weightlifting circuit in order to tone/building muscle and get cardio in at the same time. Took about 25 minutes 3-4x/week. I would also add 1 - 2 specific cardio days in, usually intervals (15 - 20 minutes.) Pregnant I had a 25 minute prenatal lighter weightlifting circuit and some cardio that was doing up until 30w (I'm 33w currently) when I was put on modified bedrest/reduced activities. The motto of this is that you have to make the time for yourself! Choose a time and stick with it. For me, it's usually when my son is napping. Once I have two little one's I plan on fitting it in when newborn is napping and **crosses fingers** toddler. I'll probably switch back and forth between working out and sleep :)
  • momof4ts
    momof4ts Posts: 118
    Mom of 4 ages 10 to 20 this summer im getting up early like 6 before theywake up or takethem walking with me.
  • ashshields12
    ashshields12 Posts: 54 Member
    It sounds like its been said but you find time. I am a full time mum (to one 7yr old boy), study at university full time and work full time.

    I wake at 5pm to workout and be home before my son wakes at 7am. I then do all te mum stuff, make lunches, feed animals, and organise son and partner for the day.

    My son plays lots of sports, I change into workout clothes when I leave work and when he is doing sports/scouts etc I do some strength/circuit/running on the oval or around the sporting complex. I play netball at night when he's asleep, and also go to Zumba once I have put him to bed. I am doing the c210k at the moment so squeeze that in after I do all the evening chores of running a house hold. Once all that's done I hit the books for study.

    I don't watch much tv. But if you wanna lose weight workouts will soon become your me time.

    So basically I work out when I can. But it's generally 2 times a day, 7 days a week.

    On the weekends I always include some park time with my son and the football, and a bike ride (bout 10kms) each day. Keeps him active too. :-)

    Good luck.
  • mummymichelle
    mummymichelle Posts: 44 Member
    I'm a sort of stay at home mum, my son is 17 months and I go to college one day a week. My mum watches for an hour twice a week so I can work out, the other 3 days he's at nursery in the mornings so I go then. It's not easy, but it's important to make time for yourself and don't feel guilty about it :) I used to feel guilty leaving him when he was younger, but I'll be around for longer and be a healthier mum the more weight I lose :)
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