When do you work out??

[zarapipe]

I know this gets asked A LOT, but I need to ask again. I need very much to start getting to the gym. I feel lazy and just chubby and working out will help me physically and mentally. The problem is when? I work 7-3.30 with a 45 minutes commute. I leave the house at 6:15 and DH handles the morning routine. I have a half an hour lunch so there really isn't time to workout at lunch, however I could take a quick walk. I pick up DD at 4:15. I basically have two options- go right after work and not pick up DD until after 5, or pick her up at 4:15, go home and make dinner, and then after dinner around 6 go back to the gym and put her in the gym daycare. This would cause more driving on my part, but it wouldn't leave her in daycare for 10 straight hours. I hate workout DVDs with a passion as like I said I am lazy and they do not motivate me. I also can't really go to the gym after her bed because she doesn't go down until after 8 and by the time I drive to the gym and back and get showered it would be about 10 and this girl loves her sleep!

I guess the hardest part is choosing to put DD in more daycare when I could be spending time with her. It makes me feel like a crap mom

[Brie]

I go to the gym super early--I'm there for 5:30 am classes.

But going to the gym is not your only option. Can you get a jogging stroller and push DD, or a bike trailer to ride with her in when she's old enough? Or, there are a million and one home workout DVDs that require minimal equipment that you could do at home after she's asleep (30 Day Shred, for example). I know you said you don't really like them, but there are a lot of different ones out there and sometimes, if you want to get in shape, you just have to grit your teeth an do the damn thing, you know? Can you purchase a treadmill or elliptical or stationary bike?

Also, just know that you shouldn't feel guilty for taking care of yourself and your health. Your DD will reap the benefits of you being happier and healthier as well.

[ijack]

For a long time I didn't - I'm trying to make it a priority thought. Sometimes I wake up early (5:30) and go before work. Sometimes I do it after the girls are in bed. Sometimes I take them with me (though now that it's getting hotter that isn't as fun). I haven't worked out all week, so my plan is to bike to the park this afternoon instead of drive and maybe a run after they're in bed.

[Deleted]

How are your weekends? I would try to fit 2 workouts in on the weekend, and then 1-2 during the week. Maybe go first thing in the morning on Saturday?

I've been commuting by bike 3-4 days a week, which gets me 30 min of cycling in those days. That's about all I'm doing consistently. I was trying to do kettlebells at home (which is a good plan, as you can do a kick-ass workout in 15-20 min), but I've slacked off. I am not motivated after a day at work.

And then being as quantity isn't likely to happen, focus on quality - if you're there, work hard and have a plan.

[zarapipe]

Jun 21, 2012 11:32:26 GMT -5 Brie said:

I go to the gym super early--I'm there for 5:30 am classes.

But going to the gym is not your only option. Can you get a jogging stroller and push DD, or a bike trailer to ride with her in when she's old enough? Or, there are a million and one home workout DVDs that require minimal equipment that you could do at home after she's asleep (30 Day Shred, for example). I know you said you don't really like them, but there are a lot of different ones out there and sometimes, if you want to get in shape, you just have to grit your teeth an do the damn thing, you know? Can you purchase a treadmill or elliptical or stationary bike?

Also, just know that you shouldn't feel guilty for taking care of yourself and your health. Your DD will reap the benefits of you being happier and healthier as well.

We live in the mountain community. Our neighborhood is definately not stoller friendly.. I do try to walk around a small lake that's not too far from our house, but DD is hit and miss on whether she still likes the stroller. I will look into the 30 day shred. Is that a diet plan as well, for some reason that is what I thought it was...

[Willis Jackson]

I do it first thing in the morning.

[zarapipe]

Jun 21, 2012 11:35:04 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

How are your weekends? I would try to fit 2 workouts in on the weekend, and then 1-2 during the week. Maybe go first thing in the morning on Saturday?

I've been commuting by bike 3-4 days a week, which gets me 30 min of cycling in those days. That's about all I'm doing consistently. I was trying to do kettlebells at home (which is a good plan, as you can do a kick-ass workout in 15-20 min), but I've slacked off. I am not motivated after a day at work.

And then being as quantity isn't likely to happen, focus on quality - if you're there, work hard and have a plan.

Weekends are definately doable.. that would be good to do 2x on the weekend and then only doing 2 during the week.

[h]

I cannot for the life of me figure out when to workout, and it's a problem. My kids are too old to just pop in a jogging stroller, by the time they are asleep it is too late for me to go to a gym, and getting up before they do to work out in the morning would mean getting less than 5 or 6 hours of sleep, which I hate to do on the regular. The only thing I can come up with is doing videos or Wii Fit at home after they are asleep. We really should consider getting an ellipical or something.

I am amazed when parents of small kids are able to sustain a good workout routine. This is one of the things that we just haven't been able to figure out.

[Brie]

Jun 21, 2012 11:37:46 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

Jun 21, 2012 11:32:26 GMT -5 Brie said:

I go to the gym super early--I'm there for 5:30 am classes.

But going to the gym is not your only option. Can you get a jogging stroller and push DD, or a bike trailer to ride with her in when she's old enough? Or, there are a million and one home workout DVDs that require minimal equipment that you could do at home after she's asleep (30 Day Shred, for example). I know you said you don't really like them, but there are a lot of different ones out there and sometimes, if you want to get in shape, you just have to grit your teeth an do the damn thing, you know? Can you purchase a treadmill or elliptical or stationary bike?

Also, just know that you shouldn't feel guilty for taking care of yourself and your health. Your DD will reap the benefits of you being happier and healthier as well.

We live in the mountain community. Our neighborhood is definately not stoller friendly.. I do try to walk around a small lake that's not too far from our house, but DD is hit and miss on whether she still likes the stroller. I will look into the 30 day shred. Is that a diet plan as well, for some reason that is what I thought it was...

Nope, it's just a 30 day exercise DVD--short and to the point, I think the workouts are less than 30 minutes each.

If you're interested in tracking your diet, I recommend sparkpeople.com and livestrong.com--both are free.

[sewpinkgal]

I stay home with my son, so my options are more plentiful, but I try to go to 2 classes at night during the week (H is home doing work while J sleeps) and I get at least one class in on the weekends. I also go to the gym in the late morning 2 days a week and leave J at our gym childcare - again, lucky, since it's a small, privately owned gym and the childcare is fabulous.

I think previous posters suggesting getting 2 good workouts in on the weekend is a good one. It means less disruption to your normal weekday routine to squeeze in an additional 1-2 workouts.

[8675309]

We have 2 small children.

With my DD, as soon as she was STTN and I felt comfortable enough that she could continue to sleep while DH got ready, I started going to a bootcamp from 5:30am-6:30am. I LOVED IT.

Now with DS being 4 months and successfully STTN, there was no way I was going to dump both kids on him in the morning. I MISS the bootcamp terribly but mornings are too hectic now.

I have a treadmill that I set up in the garage and I go out there after the kids are in bed by 7:30-8. Its the ONLY time left in the day for ME time. So far its working out well but I know eventually I'll get bored and hopefully by then the kids will be easier to manage alone in the morning without me. Crossing fingers.

[Deleted]

weekends.

I just dont have time during the week unless I want to get on the elliptical at 9 PM. Although I probably should.

[froggy76]

Weekends and after DD is in bed (not saying I do this, but that's when I could fit it in.)

It just doesn't sound like the gym is a good option for you on weekdays. Working out shouldn't take almost 2 hours out of your evening. Do a workout DVD, lift some handweights in front of the tv, do some ab work, or go for a walk or jog outside. You can go to the gym on weekends if you don't feel like you're getting enough of a workout at home.

[tardyfortheparty]

I workout after they go to bed or before they get up. Today I went running at 5 am. I do a lot of workout DVDs in our basement (30 day shred, p90x). It is very important to me that I live a healthy lifestyle & model one for my kids so I make sure to exercise at least 4 times per week. The gym is hard to get to with kids & when I work, I dont like to be away from them for too many hours so I schedule my workouts around their schedule. I used to hate workout tapes but you gotta do what you gotta do.

[dcrunnergirl]

During the week: early in the AM (like 4:15am) or at night after they go to bed at 7pm.

Weekends: DH and I take the kids for a run in the BOB or I workout during naps.

I mostly run on our treadmill in our basement or do a workout DVD.

Maybe I missed it, but why can't you and your DH switch off nights going to the gym and the other doing the bedtime routine?

[justjen]

With your schedule, I'd do it right after work.

[rootbeerfloat]

Aside from an evening walk in the stroller, I didn't really resume working out until DD was around 2. I was just too tired and couldn't fit it in.

Now I squeeze it in after dinner a few days a week. H entertains the kids (and sometimes gets them in the tub) while I go for a run or hop on our elliptical for 30-45 minutes. I do longer runs on weekends.

[mswax]

Well, I teach 2 evening group fitness classes each week, in addition to my real job. On one of those nights, DH will pick up the boys (almost 4 and almost 2) from daycare, feed them dinner, and play for a bit. When I get home I have just enough time to snuggle with them and put them to bed. On the other night, I get the kids from daycare, and we have about 30 minutes of play time before I have to leave to go to the gym. By the time my class is over, both kids are in bed anyway, so I stay at the gym for some extra cardio work (I teach a weights class on that night).

On the nights I don't teach, I will put one or both kids to bed before either running outside or on the treadmill downstairs. I'm planning to get a copy of the 30 Day Shred so I can give my knees a little break and change it up a bit.

I will say on most nights I don't eat dinner until 8:30 or later, and I usually go to bed around 10/10:30pm. My kids wake up at 5:45, and I'm not really interested in getting up before then, so night is only time I have to squeeze in exercise.

[SusanBAnthony]

I didn't I just felt too awful to have DS in more childcare. I would go for a walk or run with him in the stroller after I picked him up, and try to do more on the weekend.

[mrshandy]

I work out on weekend mornings and after DS goes to bed around 7:30. I mostly run so it just involves walking out the door and running. It was hard at first. But now it's not as difficult to get out the door.

My motivation has come from signing up for races.

[karinothing]

What work out? What is that?

Seriously, I don't know. I am trying. I am not willing to wake up any earlier (get up at 520 for work). I don't want to leave the baby in daycare any longer (he is there just under 9 hour). We get home at 4pm, and bedtime is done around 7pm. I have been telling myself to go to the gym from like 715-8pm, but it hasn't happened yet.