BR: Finding time to exercise

maynard1978

How do you ladies do it??  I'm starting my new job today (eek!) and in the last two months I've managed to get on the elliptical once .  How in the heck do you moms find the time to get exercise in?  Now that I'll be working, my free time will be even more limited and I know it will be hard to choose that over spending the evening with P and my H.....

mz-n-ss

I struggle with this. When I worked in WDM I worked out about 3x per week over my lunch hour. My job was very flexible and I would take a longer lunch those days. Now that I have a job that isn't as flexible I try to work out after I put Jackson to bed. I haven't been doing so well at this, but since he is gone for a few days this week I am trying to get back into a routine before he gets home.

sept508

I would get up early in the morning and exercise if that is an option for you. I'd suggest shorter workout sessions too - 20-30 minutes, rather than a full hour at the gym.

I don't have a lot of advice because when I was hitting the gym regularly, H and I were working opposite shifts and we didn't have a kiddo. 

grinnysgirl

I struggle with this a lot too! Now that I am still on maternity leave generally I will go for a run when DH gets home so he can spend some time with the kiddos. I also will sometimes get on the elliptical while DD plays with her toys in the same room and DS is in his bouncer. He loves to watch me on there! That way I figure I am still in the same room with them talking and interacting and can also get my workout in! When DD got to be about 7 months old I also started taking her with me in the jogging stroller when I would go run. It definitely increased the intensity of my workouts- those things are heavy lol! Now she is almost TOO heavy for me to take but DH will take her in the jogging stroller or in the Burley. Its tough!

Victoria6F

I've been following a new weight lifting plan, I love it! It only takes me 30-45min TOTAL! From warm up to cool down! And I'm SOOO glad I get to do it. H and I have it worked out, that I get up with El in the am, he goes to the gym at 4:30- always has, so that's nothing new, He'll swing back home, take El to daycare, then he picks her up too. (daycare is closer to his work, than mine) Then on my way home I stop at the gym and do my thing.

It TOTALLY SUCKS to miss out on that time w/ El in the evenings, but I know I'm taking care of my health by working out, so it's better in the long run.

MrsT624

For awhile I was waking up early and getting it done before work, but now I usually do it after N goes to bed or after dinner if DH is home.  I also exercise one weekend day.  It is a sacrifice, but you need to make time for yourself, too, even if it's only 30 minutes.

lucylea

When I'm running I get up at 6 am to get a run in before Sophia wakes up.  Now that I'm just walking I just do it on the treadmill after breakfast while she plays (both are in the family room/toy room).  It really made a huge difference in my day when I got up early to work out even though I am about as far from a morning person as you can get! 

shea77

i didn't work out until..um...last week and oliver is 13 months.  i just didn't/couldn't find the time and wouldn't be away from oliver since i work full time... so now i work out after he goes to bed and that works for me because he is finally STTN** so i'm not as tired as i was the last year.

 

csquared21

I get up and exercise in the mornings to jump start my day.  I use Jillian Michaels DVD's and they kick my butt.  I rotate through a few of them to keep the exercises fresh.  They're only 30-35 minutes each.  And when I'm done I am in a rush to get ready so I end up running around the house and it keeps my heart rate up a bit afterwards   I used to hate getting up in the morning but with working out I'm way more alert on less sleep.  I aim to get about 6 1/2 hours a night and just think back to when DS wasn't sleeping through the night and I know I'm getting a good amount of sleep.  This way I don't miss out on any time at night with DS and I'm alert and focused to work!  It's hard but getting into a routine is the key!  Then it becomes easy!

laceymb

I either literally go as soon as DH walks through the door after he gets home from work or after the kids are put to bed. I will never be a morning person and the idea of getting up to work out before my DH goes to work is laughable. I only run outside though so that helps too. No commute to the gym, just my 30-45 minutes to myself to run.

mindyandmike

I get off work an hour earlier than DH. DH picks up B. So after work I go to the gym. By the time I am done they are just getting home and DH can then go to the gym while B & I make supper.

Mrs_JR

I struggle with this too, but I'm doing much better now that we have a treadmill at home and I don't have to go anywhere.  That helps me tons. 

I work from home on Mondays and Thursdays, so I work out during one of DS's naps.  If I'm really busy and don't work it in, I try to go after the kids go to bed, but that doesn't always happen because I get too tired. Then I shoot for one day over the weekend, so that gives me at least 3 days a week of working out.  I really need to do more though.  I would love to get up early and work out before the kids wake up just to have it out of the way, but I'm so incredibly tired I just can't force myself out of bed.  

MellieDoodles

I also struggle with finding team and being too tired.  I already get up at 5 a.m., so don't want to get up any earlier.  When it's light out later, I run outside after my son goes to bed. In Feb, my husband and I started doing P90X together in the evenings after we put son to bed.  That helps because we're  both able to work out and spend time together.  Sometimes I work out over lunch at work - I'm lucky enough to have a free fitness center at work - but it's hard because I only take a 30 min lunch and then usually have to make up some of the time. 

Don't stress about it - give yourself time to get in the groove of being a working mom and balancing it all before you try to add one more thing in the mix.  You'll find a way to balance it all.