Another "no lie, it's hard" vote, and I was never the one producing milk, lol. Once they sleep through the night and can sit in a jogging stroller, that's a big help. I got a running stroller, I joined a gym with child care, now I have a bike trainer, so it does eventually work. Three weekday workouts plus a long run or workout on Saturday is a success; four days and I'm on top of the world.
But shit happens, or I'm worn out from dealing with a small child, or we make other plans, and I've learned not to be too sad if it's hard to get to the gym for a week or two. Also the holidays so far have been a zoo, so I just give up on doing much of anything after November 15th.
The magazine USAT publishes gave advice like "incorporate your children into your workout", hahahahahahahhahaha.
I was not able to jump back into a schedule for a full year after the baby. Life just felt too insane.
For both of my kids once they hit 2+ I really could take the time to devote to my own things.
H plays a huge part in all of this. He has NEVER complained when i say I need to run or workout. And he will often say "What do you want me to take care of while you are gone." He knows a big barrier for me is giving up workouts when I have a lot of shit to do.
This is really my only hobby. I don't have time for other stuff. Well except drinking wine on my couch lol.
Another "no lie, it's hard" vote, and I was never the one producing milk, lol. Once they sleep through the night and can sit in a jogging stroller, that's a big help. I got a running stroller, I joined a gym with child care, now I have a bike trainer, so it does eventually work. Three weekday workouts plus a long run or workout on Saturday is a success; four days and I'm on top of the world.
But shit happens, or I'm worn out from dealing with a small child, or we make other plans, and I've learned not to be too sad if it's hard to get to the gym for a week or two. Also the holidays so far have been a zoo, so I just give up on doing much of anything after November 15th.
The magazine USAT publishes gave advice like "incorporate your children into your workout", hahahahahahahhahaha.
I take care of 23 children all day and I'm exhausted! How do I take care of my own too? Lol!
Post by katinthehat on Jan 24, 2016 11:04:54 GMT -5
You have to have a partner on board with you. I don't work so in some respects that makes it easier but now that we homeschool, I can't just say, we'll skip math for mom to workout today.
Find a gym with kidcare. That's a must. Alternate long workout days on the weekends. Other than the sleep issues, the first year I found to be easier. The toddler years are hard because they just can't self entertain for that long yet. Focus on shorter distance things. It's why I love track cycling. I don't have to log 100 mile weekends. It's also why I never progressed past sprint tris. Josh became a very fast 5ker when the girls were little because he just didn't have the time to do marathon work. Just know for a few years it will be different. Maybe harder. Maybe not.
Part of me wants a baby. Part of me is like whoa! Everything will be so different, I really like my life the way it is.
I'm excited and surprised to hear this from you!!
I was saying this even as we were TTC - oh shit, what am I doing? I really like my life the way it is. Why am I trying to profoundly change it!? But I also knew that we wanted to be parents, to have that experience, to have a family.
Having young kids for a few years is a necessary part of that (duh), but what helped me to dive in was to see my tri friends, almost all of whom are parents, and seeing that the very needy young kid stage is not forever. I train with friends who have school age kids, and they still do 70.3s and even 140.6s in some cases. We would get up ass-crack of dawn early so they could train for it, and they had to juggle a lot more and push through "life" while tired more than I had to when we were training for the same races, but they got it done. (Whereas I could nap after a long ride, they were on the bleachers at a swim meet or something.) I also have older tri friends who have adult children and now do races with their kids. How awesome is that?
Obviously I don't have much to say about how to do it yet. Hobbes is turning 10 weeks tomorrow, and I've only been cleared to exercise for about 3. I'm doing treadmill run/walks and trainer rides with the baby monitor during her naps, and I have a BOB for spring when she's old enough and it's warm enough. I'll figure the next stage out when I get there!
Post by jillybean222 on Jan 24, 2016 11:12:03 GMT -5
I get up early. 6 am workouts a few days a week. Other times I fit it in when the kids are in school but that's kind of a joke bc pre-k is 2 hours and I try to fit all my stuff in during that time too - doc appointments, school volunteering, planning meals, soccer coaching stuff, the list goes on and on. I think babies are easy to work around. It's the school aged kids that really mess things up! I don't have a FT job so I don't even have to fit that in! H works more than ever. He was here more when the kids were little so I just schedule my workouts like I would anything else. I was able to train for 1/2 marathons, lift, kickbox, whatever I wanted as long as i planned it well. H's but his job has become more demanding in the last 2 years so now i still have to plan but it is on me more to figure it out when the kids are in school. It sucks sometimes.
Another "no lie, it's hard" vote, and I was never the one producing milk, lol. Once they sleep through the night and can sit in a jogging stroller, that's a big help. I got a running stroller, I joined a gym with child care, now I have a bike trainer, so it does eventually work. Three weekday workouts plus a long run or workout on Saturday is a success; four days and I'm on top of the world.
But shit happens, or I'm worn out from dealing with a small child, or we make other plans, and I've learned not to be too sad if it's hard to get to the gym for a week or two. Also the holidays so far have been a zoo, so I just give up on doing much of anything after November 15th.
The magazine USAT publishes gave advice like "incorporate your children into your workout", hahahahahahahhahaha.
I take care of 23 children all day and I'm exhausted! How do I take care of my own too? Lol!
Yeah...so I'll tell you right now that your teaching will be different. There's no way to give all that care to your students and then give your own kids what they need. That's weird at first, honestly, like you're not doing your job or something.
I also thought of something else. I am ridiculously selfish about my workout time. It is the only time I get to myself, and I guard it as much as I can. It means making my schedule really crazy sometimes, but damnit, that's my time.
Lady. I have trouble balancing my job, husband and working out now lol. Throw in a demanding baby and I got nothing.
I agree with you...when will there be time to hike!!!??
I posted about hiking on Got Pregnant, and I was happy to hear many start hiking pretty early on with their babies! It's one of my favorite weekend activities and forms of exercise. I read a book called Babes in the Woods, which is not fantastic but probably worth a read, that talks about tips for doing outdoor activities with your kids starting as infants. I'm new to this so I don't know how it will play out in reality, but we are planning to start short local hikes as soon as I'm cleared, and we have our first mountain weekend planned right at 3 months before I go back to work (going to try cabin at 3 months, tent camping at 5 months). They make all types of carriers for different ages/sizes, and almost everyone says that the babies just fall asleep and go with the flow. I've seen lots of parents with babies in carriers on our local trails!
Another "no lie, it's hard" vote, and I was never the one producing milk, lol. Once they sleep through the night and can sit in a jogging stroller, that's a big help. I got a running stroller, I joined a gym with child care, now I have a bike trainer, so it does eventually work. Three weekday workouts plus a long run or workout on Saturday is a success; four days and I'm on top of the world.
But shit happens, or I'm worn out from dealing with a small child, or we make other plans, and I've learned not to be too sad if it's hard to get to the gym for a week or two. Also the holidays so far have been a zoo, so I just give up on doing much of anything after November 15th.
The magazine USAT publishes gave advice like "incorporate your children into your workout", hahahahahahahhahaha.
I take care of 23 children all day and I'm exhausted! How do I take care of my own too? Lol!
I agree with this. I am also in a helping role. By the end of an 8-10 hr day pf helping others all day, I can barely help myself workout. The thought of coming home to some other helpless being demanding my attention is horrifying.
Lady. I have trouble balancing my job, husband and working out now lol. Throw in a demanding baby and I got nothing.
I agree with you...when will there be time to hike!!!??
I posted about hiking on Got Pregnant, and I was happy to hear many start hiking pretty early on with their babies! It's one of my favorite weekend activities and forms of exercise. I read a book called Babes in the Woods, which is not fantastic but probably worth a read, that talks about tips for doing outdoor activities with your kids starting as infants. I'm new to this so I don't know how it will play out in reality, but we are planning to start short local hikes as soon as I'm cleared, and we have our first mountain weekend planned right at 3 months before I go back to work (going to try cabin at 3 months, tent camping at 5 months). They make all types of carriers for different ages/sizes, and almost everyone says that the babies just fall asleep and go with the flow. I've seen lots of parents with babies in carriers on our local trails!
Post by breezy8407 on Jan 24, 2016 17:57:44 GMT -5
Most of the things have been covered...supportive partner, gym daycare, family/friends who help.
I'll be honest...the first year it was hard. I really wasn't back to my old self workout wise until they were 2.
I am in a really great situation at work, so I can run and do bootcamp at lunch. That takes care of 4 of my workouts. Granted, I only have 45 minutes of actual workout time, but it's awesome. My workout time on weekends is usually nap time. Thankfully my almost 4 year olds still take a two hour nap.
Work has been more demanding for me in the past year, so it's a variable I can't always schedule around.
I won't lie, it's not easy. I often feel guilty about what I am leaving behind on the weekends i.e. cleaning, laundry, shopping, etc. It does get easier. I feel like each month they get older, it gets better and more balanced because they don't need us as much. Like right now, they are watching Frozen together and H and I are starting dinner.
I am in a really great situation at work, so I can run and do bootcamp at lunch. That takes care of 4 of my workouts. Granted, I only have 45 minutes of actual workout time, but it's awesome. My workout time on weekends is usually nap time. Thankfully my almost 4 year olds still take a two hour nap.
I am in a really great situation at work, so I can run and do bootcamp at lunch. That takes care of 4 of my workouts. Granted, I only have 45 minutes of actual workout time, but it's awesome. My workout time on weekends is usually nap time. Thankfully my almost 4 year olds still take a two hour nap.
Sometimes you have to do this and take them along (like today). I try not to let having kids stop me from taking time for myself. Some days don't turn out the way I want and I postpone my planned workout until the next day or I take them along with me. It does get frustrating sometimes though.
You figure out what works and adjust. I do things like:
-Go to the gym after she goes to bed/H is home -Lift in the garage with the monitor on -Ride my bike on the trainer with the monitor on -Run on the weekends -Run at lunch (right now this requires WFH) -Run with her in the jog stroller
There's also things like getting up early, but let's face it, I'm not doing that.
It is totally doable, but it's hard and requires you to set some boundaries.
Post by libbygrl109 on Jan 25, 2016 12:31:04 GMT -5
Everyone else posted the main things, but for me, in a nutshell, what works changes all of the time, and it's not always the way I prefer. I found the sweet spot was back when he was a toddler/in pre-school. There weren't as many demands on my time because there were few extra curricular activities. Not that he is in school, and has activities almost every night of the week, it cuts into that time right after work when I feel best to work out. So now I am sucking it up and making myself head out at 4:45am to the Y so that I can get my run in, get showered and off to work. Having the Y 5 minutes from work makes it a bit more palatable, along with knowing that it is out of the way and I can go home and focus on my son and husband when I'm there. Or, I've found strength-training workouts I can do at home later on in the evening, or better, while dinner is cooking.
And as far as dealing with kids all day and then going home to one - somedays I dread being a mom after a tough day loaded with teenagers with problems, other days it's a blessing. If anything, I get more done at school during the day so that I don't have to bring as much work home. Sometimes I can't avoid it, but then again, having a supportive husband helps on that front, as well.
Winter is the hardest for me, because of the weather/darkness on top of the hectic life. Spring and summer are bit more doable - more daylight, warmer temps allows me to get out later in the evening, and with summers off, I have a lot more flexibility. If you want to make it happen, you will.
It is definitely a give and take, and so much depends on what your child is like. The first year was completely rough and I couldn't get a routine down. There were weeks where C slept 10hrs a night, and I felt like superwoman; and then there were weeks where he was up every two hours, or someone was sick and run down and you're just keeping your head above water. If I have any advice for new/expecting parents, it's to just get through that first year the best you can because you never can know what's coming at you; much like pregnancy itself Mother Nature is in charge and you learn to listen to your body and your kid and balance out those needs. And for me personally, sleep must come first, no point in fitting in 5am workouts if you're going to get a bad cold in 2 weeks because you're running on fumes. It got so much easier after 12-13 mos. Now that C is 5 and a pretty responsible kid, I can go do a dvd or treadmill workout for 45min, and he chills doing his own thing in another room; but some parents wouldn't be comfortable with that based on their kid's personality. Like others mentioned, support is everything--your partner, if your gym does child care, daycare hours, work flexibility. You cobble it together and figure it out.
Post by stackingtens on Jan 25, 2016 12:59:20 GMT -5
Work at the gym and then you are required to workout as part of your workday.
Just kidding... I know I'm lucky in that regard.
But really-my day job is 30 hours a week. It's the only way I make anything work. The extra 10 hours/week of "work" is my coaching time at the gym and my own working out time.
My husband works 45-50 hours a week and only manages to go to the gym at 530 am and only ever 2x/week. He has a longer commute and a longer workday and so I know if I was in his shoes, I would be in a very different scenario.
I think having almost no commute helps too, though, because I don't lose a lot of daytime hours driving between places. But that's just an advantage of a smallish town.
I also thought of something else. I am ridiculously selfish about my workout time. It is the only time I get to myself, and I guard it as much as I can. It means making my schedule really crazy sometimes, but damnit, that's my time.
I second this from a coaching perspective. We have a LOT of moms at the gym. A lot of teachers, a few nurses, a few PTs... and they are really our most reliable clients... WHICH SOUNDS CRAZY. But it's because they don't give themself the option of skipping because it really is their only hour of the day for themselves. They aren't willing to give that up. I respect them immensely!
A good support system is key. In my case, I also have an incredibly flexible work schedule and I try to fit in works during the day when I need to. I also have a stable of babysitters ready to go with very little notice.
Like taratru I consider my workouts my alone time, and it makes my schedule crazy to fit work outs in at times but I do it. Even if it is sometimes inconvenient for everyone else.
Another "no lie, it's hard" vote, and I was never the one producing milk, lol. Once they sleep through the night and can sit in a jogging stroller, that's a big help. I got a running stroller, I joined a gym with child care, now I have a bike trainer, so it does eventually work. Three weekday workouts plus a long run or workout on Saturday is a success; four days and I'm on top of the world.
But shit happens, or I'm worn out from dealing with a small child, or we make other plans, and I've learned not to be too sad if it's hard to get to the gym for a week or two. Also the holidays so far have been a zoo, so I just give up on doing much of anything after November 15th.
The magazine USAT publishes gave advice like "incorporate your children into your workout", hahahahahahahhahaha.
Now I get this statement. I thought you were a female with a female partner.
I don't. I've just come to terms with the fact that I'm just not going to be able to run long distances for at least a year. Between MH's schedule, the baby's schedule, my schedule, childcare, and sleeping I don't have the time unless I get up at 4am or get a treadmill and neither is going to happen.
I also need to add that 2 things help immensely: 1. Being able to leave work at 3:30. The kids leave at 2:50 and I do a ton in that 40 minutes so I can get a workout it before getting the kids at daycare.
2. Having a treadmill, so I can roll out of bed at 5 and hop on for a couple miles
Post by isitnaptime on Jan 29, 2016 12:36:05 GMT -5
Cleaning lady saved my life and elliptical at home. If you will be a working mom I think a supportive partner, cleaning service, and adjusting your workout times are key. I ran a few miles at 10:30 pm last night. You gotta do what you gotta do. I was not willing to lose kid time for a workout, so I do all of my workouts during the week after she goes to bed. I am not a morning person, but wish I was so I could get it done then. Beware the first 10 months are mostly a sh&* show if you're a working mom! Weekends are different, I don't feel bad doing an hour workout while my daughter is awake.
Coming back to add that yes - everything will be so different in ways you can't imagine. And once you have kids you'll wonder what the hell you did with all the free time and extra money you never knew you had. But don't be afraid of that change. Because if kids are what you want, you will also wonder how you ever lived without them.
Coming back to add that yes - everything will be so different in ways you can't imagine. And once you have kids you'll wonder what the hell you did with all the free time and extra money you never knew you had. But don't be afraid of that change. Because if kids are what you want, you will also wonder how you ever lived without them.
I feel this way about my dog. How did I ever live without her? Lol!
Coming back to add that yes - everything will be so different in ways you can't imagine. And once you have kids you'll wonder what the hell you did with all the free time and extra money you never knew you had. But don't be afraid of that change. Because if kids are what you want, you will also wonder how you ever lived without them.