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Working & BF moms-how do you have time to exercise?!
Honestly, how do you do it?! I can't seem to find the time to exercise and this belly isn't going anywhere on it's own. I'd always heard most people lose weight while BF but I've gained quite a bit the past couple weeks. I want to do something about it, but I don't know where the time is!
If you work, BF, and exercise, please post your schedule/routine!!
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Re: Working & BF moms-how do you have time to exercise?!
I don't really have a schedule, persay.
I just fit it in wherever I can. I usually go to the gym on Saturday and Sunday. During the week I do 30DS after C goes to bed 2 or 3 times a week.
I was at the pool/gym the minute it opened. I pumped beforehand in case A woke before I was back (and so I'd be more comfortable).
It was sort of brutal sleep-wise but made me a much happier person/parent and was valuable me time.
It's hard because it seems like it's just one more thing to squeeze into an overflowing day, but it's probably the #1 thing you can do for yourself.
It's hard. I definately didn't at first. (And I'm also one of those people who didn't loose weight easily while BFing, in fact, I gained quite a bit a month or two after Ds was born b/c I was eating like crap and not weighing myself regularly).
We have a YMCA membership that has a daycare. One weekend we either all go to the YMCA or go for a long, brisk family walk (with jogging stroller). DS actually loves the YMCA daycare b/c they have cooler toys than we have at home. I've had to drag him out crying before because he didn't want to leave.
I try to go to the gym 2-3 times during the week as well. I'll either drop him at daycare early and go to the gym, or have him in the gym daycare for a few minutes while I work out and shower and then I drop him at daycare. I also like to take a short walk during the workday on nice days. It makes me more productive having a few minutes to get the blood flowing and it's a little more activity in my day.
BFP#2: EDD 2/11/14, MMC confirmed 7/15/13 (growth stopped at 6 weeks), D&C @ 12 weeks 7/25/13
I honestly didn't worry about it for the first six months. Then, once I felt that I could safely run with DS on the bike path, I got back into running. Since then, I usually run 4-5 days a week, averaging 3 to 4 miles a day. I also do a long run on Sundays (8-12 miles) when DH is around. I always do my runs after work but before dinner.
here is my schedule...
5am - BF and get ready for work
6am - at work
8am - pump#1
11am - pump#2
2pm - pump#3
4pm - home
5pm - nurse and play with the kids
6pm - cook dinner (4x during the weekday and saturday and sunday - i usually don't cook on fridays)
7pm - eat dinner and nurse (sometimes i nurse while we're eating dinner and sometimes i put the little guy down right before we eat -depends on his mood)
8pm - go to the gym 3x a week while DH gets DS1 ready for bed.
9:15pm - home / shower
10pm - nurse (if he gets up)
10:30pm - sleep (no later than 10:30)
I am lucky enough that i get to be home by 4pm. Due to my DS1 severe food allergies i have no choice but to cook at home. We can't order out since we don't allow any of his allergens to be in the house... but i have learned to use the crockpot like a pro! lol. Also, strict bed time routine for the kids is a must -it's the only way i can leave the house to go to the gym. Also being able to nurse and not pump at home is huge, if i had to pump and then feed the baby -that's an extra 20-30 minutes that i couldn't spare. So you have to really find what works for you.
Get a jogging stroller and jog with them. I did that for a bit and it was great.
Also, my 5 month old has been waking up every 2 hours or more lately so he's been in my bed and i nurse him in bed -otherwise gym time would quickly turn into nap time. I would rather be healthy and have enough energy to care for my kids than a flat belly.
At least half the time, I am too exhausted to care. But when I *do* workout, it's either a long walk with DD after work, or after she goes to bed at 7:30. I might go for a run or do my Cardio Max dvd. In the summer (I'm a teacher) I hope to swim regularly or join a yoga class and DH can watch her.
Basically, do what you can when you can and don't beat yourself up about it
After my son was born we bought a treadmill, as we quickly realized going to the gym was going to be extremely difficult. It was the best money ever spent. We later bought an elliptical too.
My DH and I trade off days - when we get home fom work, one of us will immediately go downstairs and workout (depending on my schedule I would pump before working out), and the other one will get dinner started and keep an eye on the baby. This worked well for us with DS and we will do something similar when I go back to work again. Granted it will be a little more hectic with 2 kids but we are determined to make it work!
I usually take LO in the jogging stroller in the evening and go running 2-4 miles. Sometimes DH and I take turns going solo or we all go together. I also do 30 Day Shred when I have time. It's nice because it's a short workout and LO usually watches me and giggles.
This summer when he's not in DC (I'm a teacher) I plan to get back into a gym routine so I can start lifting again. He'll be old enough to hang out at the DC there for about an hour while I work out.
It's SUPER hard--especially when you have TWO young kids!!! Here's my schedule that we follow Mondays and Thursdays when I go to zumba:
5:00: wake up and pump
6:30: leave for work
(pump twice a day at work)
4:00: home and start dinner; feed DD
5:30: eat; clean up; do dishes
7:00: go to zumba (DH is home by now and watches them while I'm at zumba, thank God--he also usually gives baths during this time)
8:15: home from zumba; shower real quick
8:30ish: feed DD and put to bed; DH usually puts DS down--depending on the mood of DD, I might not feed her until after DS goes to bed, so that I can put him down instead of DH; make lunch for the next day and get outfit together
10:00: go to bed
Totally sucks. I have no time to just relax on the couch. I also go workout on saturday mornings. I really need to add something on tuesdays and wednesdays, but i'm usually so exhausted!
There's a gym in my work building, which helps but I also pump 3xday so I don't necessary get to use my lunch breaks to work out like I did pre-baby.
Here's how I get a little bit in: when I first get home, baby's often napping, so I go into the bedroom to change out of work clothes. Before resurfacing before my family with all the household work & bottle prepping to be done, I quickly do 30-50 crunches & as many push ups as I can. It takes < 5 mins and since my husband & MIL think I'm just changing/going to the bathroom, they hold the baby off for a few minutes if she starts to wake. It's not enough to shed the pounds, but it is enough to get my belly flab under control.
jogging stroller equals my best friend
i wake up at 5:30. get ready. feed baby at around 7:00. Take baby to grandmas or daycare. get to work at 7:30. work until 3. go get baby, breastfeed then go run right away with him in stroller. go for a 10-20 min run or jog/walk depending how im feeling or the weather or if i have gma with me (shes super fit and goes sometimes). then i do home get changed into comfies, by then its dinner time lol. oh and i have to wear like 2 jogging bras. so annoying. cus the girls are so huge.