When do you exercise?

Divallyn

I went back to work when my son was ten months old and since then I have been struggling finding enough time to exercise. I can't exercise after 8pm as it prevents me from falling asleep at an appropriate time. When I get home after picking up kiddo its straight into play and dinner making then bed time routine and he is down at 7:45ish. I am thinking morning is my only option but waking earlier than 6:00 is so not appealing as I am still recovering from postnatal insomnia. Just wondering how everyone else fits it in?

Sunidaze

I fit it in by quit making excuses.  Totally serious.  I mean, it helps that I have a gym a work so I work out on my lunch breaks...but I've been so buys that really, not the best option quite often.  So I get up at 5 a.m. (I am NOT a morning person and often don't get to bed until at least 11 at night) and, if DH is home, I run for an hour around the neighborhood.  If he's not, I throw in a dvd - I have several yoga dvds, Jillian Michaels dvds, kettlebells, weights, BOSU ball, etc.  I also splurged on a new jogging stroller in the last few weeks so I take the child for runs around one of the local parks on the weekends (as well as at least once a week park date with one of her daycare buddies where we go for long walks and then let the little ones burn off any remaining energy at the playground).

Karla CS

I'm curious to figure this one out myself.. I'm up by 5 and out the door by 6:15, and when I'm home in the evenings, I'd like to spend them with the little one.. By the time she's down by 8pm, I'm exhausted!

caseys02

I exercise at lunch with a coworker in our upstairs vacant offices. I squeeze in 20 minutes right when I get home at 5 and then 20 minutes again after Zoey goes to be, only if she is asleep before 8. If its after 8 I don't work out again. I refuse to wake up earlier than 6 right now, unless she wakes me up.

mb314

I wish I had the answer!  I try to have DH pick up DS from daycare one day a week so I can go straight to the gym.  Although I don't get to see that much of DS that day, I think it's important for him and DH to bond without me around.  And then I try to go once or twice on the weekend - with a jogging stroller, or with DH watching him, or dropping him off at the Y daycare.  

 I have to leave for work at 6:50 am, and I just can't bring myself to work out before.  I have gained like 8 pounds after being back from maternity leave because I just can't find time to work out.

jnealet

5am.  Ouch!

dglvrk2

I'm a runner and live in an area very conducive to running most of the year.  I think this helps a lot as I can just run from my home.  Running from work is a pain in the a**.  I run early in the morning sometimes.  I find once I've ran, I do morning rutine more efficiently.  Now that it's light later, I go after DD goes to bed sometime. I pick up DD from DC.  DH gets home at least an hour later than we do.  A few days a week he takes care of her while I run in the evenings.  Yes, it does mean less time for DD some days.  However, I'm much happier and otherwise feel better once I run. DD picks up on my happiness.

I think we have to be creative and not give ourselves room for excuses.  If you really want to make exercise a part of your life, you'll find a way to do it!! Good luck!

hopefulmom81

This is a great question.

I just can't justify spending more consistent hours away from DD when I am gone 4 days as it is even though I know it is important.

 

azuremama

I work out during the day at work (I go to a gym nearby). I've also gotten up at 5:15 to run. As other posters have said, if it's important to you, you'll find a way to squeeze it in. Can you maybe get up early 1-2 days a week and then workout both weekend days? Or fit in quick workouts at work--take the stairs, run, jump rope, go for a walk, do bodyweight exercises in your office, etc. If you do interval training, you can get a great workout in in 20 minutes or less. I read about intervals where you do 20 seconds as hard as you can, rest for 10, repeat 8 times. It's a killer cardio workout and done in 4 minutes.

cltk12

Nicb13:

I don't want to sacrifice time in the evening with my family so I drag my tired butt out of bed a few days a week and just do it. I always feel so great afterward and more energized for my day.

This.  If DH is home, I jog around the neighborhood.  If he's traveling for work, I head to our basement and use our elliptical.  I've been doing this for 2.5 months now and it's actually not too bad after the first 2 weeks of getting out of bed (and my DS is still NOT STTN).  Now I only hit the snooze once and am up and ready (it does help that it's nice and sunny out in the morning now).  If I don't do it, I'm dragging all day and wishing I had gotten up. 

Also, we get in family exercise in the evenings and on the weekends.  We do lots of long walks and got a burley last month and go for bike rides now.  We are doing a tour of parks in our area.  We bike to a new one each time we go and let DS swing for 10-15 mins and then bike back. 

jaimevogt

During the week my lunch break is the only time it's happening. On weekends I get a walk in but haven't quit figured out how to run with a stroller.

aglenn

I do it after the kids are in bed because that works best for me.  My DS wakes up about 856 times a night so I am actually more tired in the morning than at night...but that is a whole different issue.  If he actually slept I would probably do it in the early morning.

I think the most important thing for me is just to let go of what I used to do pre-baby and embrace what I actually CAN do now, even if that is only 20 minutes 3x/week.  It is still better than nothing and I still see progress.

jf198400

Is your DH home with you in the evening?  Maybe he could take care of DS so you could get a quick workout in as soon as you get home.  For me, the only time I can find time to workout is on my lunch break.  I aim for 2-3 times per week.  Sometimes it doesn't work out if we have lunch meetings or if I'm really busy.  But I find that its the best time for me to keep it up consistently.  I don't have the energy to wake up early and I don't have enough time at night.  We have a very small gym in our office, so I can either use the treadmill or elliptical or I'll bring one of my Jillian Michaels dvds with me.  They are short 20-30min workouts, which I like.  It does kinda suck being sweaty/gross afterwards, but I deal with it.

LoCarb

I work out at the gym during my lunch break. Otherwise, I would make excuses before/after work.

To elaborate: I take a 1 hr 15 min lunch (extending my work day by 15 min). exercise about 45 min, quick shower, apply minimal make up (I don't wash my hair), quick blow dry of hair and drive time. I return to work and eat lunch at my desk.

aglenn

Nicb13:

aglenn:

I do it after the kids are in bed because that works best for me.  My DS wakes up about 856 times a night so I am actually more tired in the morning than at night...but that is a whole different issue.  If he actually slept I would probably do it in the early morning.

I think the most important thing for me is just to let go of what I used to do pre-baby and embrace what I actually CAN do now, even if that is only 20 minutes 3x/week.  It is still better than nothing and I still see progress.

LOL, yikes!

Tell me about it...molars, ear infections, blah blah blah...it is always something with that kid, but he is always waking up.  I am very, very tired.

eec129

I had a lot of excuses about working out the first year after DD was born. I could have fit it in but I never wanted to leave her. I realized it was really taking a toll on my mental health, so now I force myself to get up early a couple of days per week to fit it in a run. It's still not as much as I used to do, but it's something. At night wouldn't work for me either, as I'm dead tired after DD goes to sleep. It's not easy, but it can be done, if only 1-2 times per week and maybe once more on the weekend!

laurakaz13

I get on my treadmill for an hour at 5 a.m. or 7:30 p.m.    Or I use the gym at work at lunchtime, shower and go back to work.  I make no excuses.  Being in shape and thin is more important to me than lots of other things.  So I just do it. 

ChicagoWeded2007

The only time I can fit it in is 9 to 9:30 pm. Are you sure it won't work?

atrinh11

Am I the only one that feels like complete crap if I workout in the morning? If I try and workout in the morning, I NEED a nap to function the rest of the day. Working out before a work day would be a disaster! It usually make me feel sick to my stomach and gives me a headache. Anyway, I guess it's just me. I completely don't comprehend working out in the morning energizing you for the day.

I haven't found good time for real cardio yet, but DH and I did start a sqauts and abs 30-day challenge this month. I do some of it when I first get home. LO thinks its fun if I put him in a walker and do squats in front of him. I never finish it all before he goes to bed, so I finish whatever is left after I put him down. I would like to go for family walks or a run in the evening, but I'm in AZ and it is way too insanely hot to go outside for any physical activity after work. For the next few months anyway.

I do agree with others though, we can all make the time if it is important to us. It just isn't overly important to me yet. It will be when LO gets a little older, and when the weather cools off so I don't feel like I live in an oven. Good luck!

laurakaz13

atrinh11:

Am I the only one that feels like complete crap if I workout in the morning? If I try and workout in the morning, I NEED a nap to function the rest of the day. Working out before a work day would be a disaster! It usually make me feel sick to my stomach and gives me a headache. Anyway, I guess it's just me. I completely don't comprehend working out in the morning energizing you for the day.

I haven't found good time for real cardio yet, but DH and I did start a sqauts and abs 30-day challenge this month. I do some of it when I first get home. LO thinks its fun if I put him in a walker and do squats in front of him. I never finish it all before he goes to bed, so I finish whatever is left after I put him down. I would like to go for family walks or a run in the evening, but I'm in AZ and it is way too insanely hot to go outside for any physical activity after work. For the next few months anyway.

I do agree with others though, we can all make the time if it is important to us. It just isn't overly important to me yet. It will be when LO gets a little older, and when the weather cools off so I don't feel like I live in an oven. Good luck!

You are not the only one. I'm practically passed out at my desk at 3 if I work out in the morning. I have to drink a diet coke to make it. But it's still worth it.

boogerbearoriginal

I don't, well, I don't go to a gym and do "exercise" but I suppose one could count chasing around a toddler lol. We do go for walks with the dog most evenings which I suppose is exercise.

Do you have time to take a walk/lift weights at lunch? I have a coworker that keeps weights in her office and she does a few reps at lunchtime. 

Reilly626

I cannot either. But I wear an activity monitor from weight watchers and I practically exceed 100 percent daily just from being a stay at home mom with twins. I can't wait for summer to walk again, my husband is off. Don't beat yourself up over it. I've resigned the next few years are not about me. Getting up at 5 is amazing but it would exhaust me as I go to bed at 9 anyway.

jetgrrrl

It's been difficult. I basically don't exercise all winter (we were planning to move so I didn't want to join a gym) and I run in the summer. I get up at 5:10 to 5:20 and run for half an hour. Some days I walk the kids to daycare in the stroller. I actually had some success doing a pregnancy workout with DVDs when I was pregnant with DS2, but now our downstairs neighbors have a baby in the "extra" bedroom where I worked out and I don't want to wake her up.

It's super difficult, there's no question. 

TMWarren85

Lunch; we have a gym in the building so I get in my workout and then make a turkey sandwich and eat at my desk.