People with jobs and/or children...

Thanks for the salute! I'm a single mom of 2 (ages 7 & 4), working full-time (with periodic travel), home owner etc. These past few months have probably been the most stressful and tiring in my recent years (since being divorced), but I am very proud of where I am. Some days I am on the go for about 16 hours straight before I get a rest. I eat primarily whole foods and there are days when I make 3 different meals at night in order to please everyone. In order to get to where I am now I seriously had to talk to my girls and explain to them that we're taking a year off of "scheduled group" (swimming, basketball etc) activities for them so that I could focus on me. I told them we would do more random fun things such as the bike path or a hike or swimming. And they were ok (I'm not sure why we book ourselves crazy...we were doing gymnastics, swimming and basketball at once and I was sitting on my butt watching. I decided that it really wasn't that important that they couldn't live a year without these (they get swimming daily at preschool and summer camp, as well as other activities like gymnastics) so they really didn't get a bad deal. My oldest still does girl scouts since it is right at her school and I didn't have to modify anything so that she could attend. I think as mom's we just have to make a concious effort to put ourselves first because it really doesn't come naturally. Some days are rougher than others, but I have no plans to go any where but forward from now on.

It helps to have teenagers (I have one) and, I hate to say it, but not being in a relationship means I do not feel guilty about going out for a few hours several times a week but this means almost no television and little time on the computer in the evenings. My son has his own interests and I generally have to coax him out to communicate whether I am exercising or not. I know it is much harder for those with younger children or with a new relationship where time priorities are viewed differently.

Work is a non-issue since my exercise generally occurs during non-work hours (throw in the occasional day off to ride).

its quite simple really. You can have results or excuses (job/children/whatever), but not both. Choose wisely.

Single mom with a teenager, an elderly parent at home and 2 jobs (roughly 60 hours a week). It's NOT easy, but one of my favorite quotes is.....

"If it's important you'll find a way. If it isn't, you'll find an excuse."

When necessary, I get up at 4:30 or 5:00 and run before I go to job #1. LOL

Thanks. I am a single parent, work full time, two children one of whom is Autistic (13) and the other a professional dancer (at 9!), I work with my trainer 6 hours a week and at home whenever I can fit it in between mowing the lawn and doing the dishes. Scheduling is key to succeeding!

You are a peach! Thank you for that pick-me-up. Single mom here. Two young girls. Not always easy. :huh:

i'm a stay at home mom. i think dieting/exercising while being a sahm is simple. you get to involve your kids!
i never understand how people that do nothing (aside from dealing with poop machines) can complain.
granted i only have 2 kids, i might not say that if i had 4 or more.. but i watched my niece everyday when she was a baby while my sister worked. i chose to be lazy. i chose to eat junk all day. if i had done it all again, i would have been more active with the kids when they were small.

i salute women that have jobs! they have to make decisions about lunch/dinner everyday.
if you're a sahm, you (generally) plan your meals and do the shopping yourself. you know exactly what you have in the fridge and (rarely) are tempted by fast food/restaurants.


edit: i'd like to clarify about the parents that are SAHMs that complain they have no time for themselves. that's a lie :P ok carry on

Thanks, I have three kids, work full time and I'm a single mom.

good for you for taking time for yourself!!


Thanks OP, I know this is directed to a large group of people but it's nice when people recognize that this IS hard, it's not easy. I have 2 small kids and a full time job, not as big of a workload as most people on here, I'm sure. I started getting up at 5am so I can have my evenings with my family.

*Bows deeply* Thank you! I'm a full-time SAHM to two young sons. I've made it a priority to get fit and healthy once and for all. It's not easy juggling motherhood while trying to get into better shape but I want to set an example for my sons.

Great post OP...thank you!!

I work full time and have 2 kids. My workout time is my "me" time and I try and get it in 5-6 days a week. It makes my life more balanced and it refreshes me so that I can be a better mom/wife. Like a previous poster said, if you want it bad enough, you will make the time!

It's very doable, you just have to decide what's important to you. I'm a mother of 3. I have a high demanding full-time job that never stops at 40 hours and my kids are very involved in sporting activities themselves. Fitting in the exercise is easy ... it's staying on a diet when you are always on the go that's really difficult!

don't work but I do have 5 kids. The eating healthier part is easy because I am doing it for them too. I want them to be healthier. The exercise I do when my youngest is napping and tell the others to go play . I am worried about when school starts. I homeschool my 3 school aged children and I don't know how I am going to fit the exercise in but I know I have to.....maybe some quiet reading time for them, I don't know yet.

Major kudos to you!! WHy not a phys ed. class where you all workout together?

we do phys ed.(required anyway) but I need to work out at a greater level than they do right now. But I will def. be counting our phys. ed when we start school. We like to play kickball, baseball, jump rope, nice walks, etc. When the weather is bad we do some kid friendly circuit training or active games on the Wii or Kinect. Ooohh...my son just got a weight set(bench, etc) maybe we can incorporate some strength training.

THANK YOU! It ain't easy, but it's do-able. I have to sacrifice other things, but it's a priority for me, so I'm glad to do it. I guess now, I don't really see it as a sacrifice. I guess I see it now as exchanging one hobby for a new one.

Thanks! I work full time, have a toddler, two dogs, a husband, working on my master's, oh and somehow fit in exercise. It can be done...just depends on the amount of sleep you need

I have a daughter and I work part time. I stay home with her 4 days so I try to make sure I work out really hard those day because the other three days my schedule doesn't always allow for a work out or much of one at least. Eating healthy has been a bit of an issue for me. The days I'm at work I hardly get to eat and when I do I grab something quick and it's not always healthy. The other four days are up and down for me.