When do you workout?

Breezy8407 · October 2012

I need some working mom advice.

Before babies, I ran 25+ miles a week and lifted on the regular. I miss it dearly. I know I won't find the time to train for a 1/2 marathon right now, but I would like to get at least 3x a week in.

Here's my current weekday:

5:15 - up to get ready before waking the babies
6:00 - feed one baby, get them ready for the day
6:30 - leave for work
7:00 - 4pm work (I usually eat at my desk because I don't have time for lunch, but I am debating on making time for it if it means running on my "lunch" hour)

4:30 - arrive home, give babies baths
5:30- 6:30 - feed, play, put babies to sleep if tired
7:00ish - eat dinner if babies are both sleeping
8:00-9:00 - feed babies final bottle, put to sleep for the night

So, I guess I am mostly looking for motivation to start waking up earlier because it seems that getting it done first thing is my best option. (I have a treadmill and weights at home). I can't believe I would be setting my alarm with a 4 in it...

Nechie122 · October 2012

When my DD was still a baby, I didn't even bother trying to fit in a weekday workout; I did my runs on Saturdays and Sundays while DH watched her.

Now that we're in a groove, DH does daycare pick up one day a week so I can go to the gym after work. Technically it's my "me" evening to do whatever, but somehow I always end up at the gym!

CrazyToast · October 2012

I don't.

Breezy8407 · October 2012

CrazyToast:
I don't.

Right now, neither do I.

This whole working mom thing is WAY harder than I ever imagined.

Fianschneid · October 2012

Like you, I'm already getting up pretty early. Personally, I can't make myself wake any earlier than I already do.

About twice a week after DD goes to bed, I take an 8:30 class at the gym and DH stays home to do his fun projects (play on the internet, etc.). On weekends, I try to go jogging with DD after breakfast but more often than not, the whole family goes to Starbucks, instead.

mben1119 · October 2012

What's working out? I don't have time for such things lol.

LoCarb · October 2012

I workout during lunch and eat at my desk. Maybe you can do this as well and push your leave time till 4:30pm. You never regret a workout!

maddie789 · October 2012

DS is finally old enough where I sometimes am able to do a short workout DVD (Jillian Michaels, Biggest Loser type stuff) in the same room while he is playing with his toys. But when he was younger, I would either do it over my lunch break or not at all.

BabyNewbury2012 · October 2012

I to struggle with this!

I get up at 4:30am weekdays to be at work for 6am. My hubby does drop off so I pick her up usually around 4:30pm, change her, feed her, feed our furbabies, prepare dinner and get out the door.

I walk every weekday evening and weekend morning with LO and our two furbabies!

I run on Friday, Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings with LO after our walk.

Now I am going to also incoprorate 3 strength training sessions a week, one saturday morning, one monday evening and Im still not sure where to fit the third, lol.

I always wonder how everyone else does it cause it makes a hectic life more hectic lol.

Thank God we have our two goldens because them needing to walk is the motivation that gets me out!

Ive also learned to not sit until I am done for the night! lol!

Good Luck! You can do it!!!!

michaelaskedlauren · October 2012

During my lunch break and on the weekends. This has honestly been the hardest thing for me to give up since pre-baby I always claimed that 'sweat was my sanity'. It still is, I just now have to get my 'sanity' 2 or 3 days a week rather than 5.

If you are able to get up at 4am, more power to you. Personally I can barely stay awake past 11pm these days and I dont have twins!!

ridesbuttons · October 2012

Mostly I don't.
If I did, I'd either run before kids get up (but mine are older and sleep in relative to a baby) or I'd run on my lunch.
But mostly, I don't.

brewcitybride · October 2012

I don't. Well, I try. But let's be honest - I run once a week if I can fit it in, and I try to go on a good hard walk with the kids in the double stroller twice per week. I fit in squats, lunges, and sit-ups once the kids are asleep. I would love to get up early and run 3 times per week or more, but my baby gets up at 6:0 a.m., so there's no way I'm getting up at 5:00 a.m. to fit in a run.

It will come back as the kids get older - that's what happened with DD, once she was past the baby stage I just found more time. But for now, it's pretty low on my list. Sucks, but that's life! Oh, and I do try to fit in a 20 minute walk every day at lunch. So, I'm gettin exercise, just not as much as I would like.

Breezy8407 · October 2012

I don't think I would function if I had to get up earlier than I do, but I said that when I was waking up at 5:45. Especially when some of our nights are still dealing with waking babies. Don't get me wrong, they do pretty well for their age - save for DS waking a LOT in the last 3 weeks).

hocus:
Honestly I do one long run over the weekend and then do 2 lunch hours runs. I just can't believe that most people are highly function when they wake up at 4:00 AM after doing to bed around 10:00 or later Have you also considered running with the kids?

We will be getting a jogging stroller in the spring, so I will when it gets warm enough. I am really hoping it will work out that they will enjoy it and I am actually able to push a double jogger

CincyWX · October 2012

I have to get up for work at 2:15am... so before is NOT an option for me. BUT I am done with work and pick up LO by 1PM. I just bought a travel swing for $20 at Once Upon A Child and put it in the basement next to my elliptical. Best $20 ever. He kind of stares at me while I workout, but I can usually get at least 20 min in before he gets restless. I get good workouts in on Sat/Sun mornings when DH can nap with/watch LO.

jlaOK · October 2012

I am also a runner and have a treadmill. I have 3 options to working out during the week.

1) workout during my lunch (I work from home, so this is easy for me to do)

2) workout after work while DH does daycare pickup

3) workout around 7 pm after dinner and before DS goes to bed

I would rather workout at night rather than in the morning, but that is just me. I also struggled finding a good workout schedule when DS was little. After he turned 1 and was on a more consistent schedule and eating the same food as us it got a lot easier. Good luck!

acmayn01 · October 2012

We are Y members, so I take my LO with me to the Y. I do spinning/lifting Mondays and Wednesday nights around 7pm, so after dinner but before bedtime. Also I go Saturday mornings and DH keeps her home unless he goes with me to the Y, then we all go :-)

Brit's Luna154 · October 2012

I have tried a lot of different ways to squeeze in a workout over the past nine months, the thing that has worked best is that I stopped making dinner. Sometimes H makes it, sometimes I eat a sandwich, but not cooking has freed up about a half hour that I can use to run on the treadmill.

ETA: About half of the people I know are convinced that I am a horrible wife for not cooking dinner, so I realize that this may not be a super popular idea.

azuremama · October 2012

I get up at 5 to run on the treadmill in the basement. It's the only way I work out consistently. I also get to the gym during my workday (eat at my desk, go to the gym in the pm) about 2x a week to lift weights, but it's tougher because it's easy to put it off or get busy.

But, if I were you, I'd either run at lunch or try to cut down your morning routine so that you don't have to get up much earlier if you work out. Sleep is really important and you're already getting up early. Or get in two good runs on the weekends and do one day a week at lunch or early.

Breezy8407 · October 2012

Brit's Luna154:
I have tried a lot of different ways to squeeze in a workout over the past nine months, the thing that has worked best is that I stopped making dinner. Sometimes H makes it, sometimes I eat a sandwich, but not cooking has freed up about a half hour that I can use to run on the treadmill.

ETA: About half of the people I know are convinced that I am a horrible wife for not cooking dinner, so I realize that this may not be a super popular idea.

Well that makes two of us...I am not cooking these days either! We cook on the weekends (most of the time) and eat leftovers all week.

Oh and I know you have seen me ask a variation on this question about a billion times on GBCN, so thanks for responding yet again Stick out tongue

katieh1017 · October 2012

CrazyToast:
I don't.

Me either but I sure do think about it a lot.

FancyFrenchie · October 2012

DS was over a year old before I made it back to the gym! I go to the gym twice a week, during which time DH is with DS and gives him dinner, bath, and puts him to bed. On Saturday and/or Sunday, we try to go to the park for a long walk.

MirandaHobbes · October 2012

Yup, when DS was really little we just gave up going to the gym. I think we started going back to the gym when DS was 15 months or so. I ran my first 10K when he was 18 months. I would do long runs on weekends and we joined LA Fitness and dropped DS off at the gym daycare. Our schedule was hard, especially in the winter- because we both wanted to workout. We would both arrive at the gym at about 5:00 (whoever got off earlier would pick up DS). Drop DS off and get in and out by 6:00 (I showered at home to save time). Home at 610, do all the bedtime and eating stuff (I would have to premake dinners on Sunday if we wanted to eat something other than sandwiches or leftovers). DS went to bed by 7 pm, so really we could have waited and done our workouts later on, and taken turns. I did this occasionally when I wanted to take a class that met at night. I hated this though because exercise always gets endorphins going and keeps me up at night.

I'll be honest- the above schedule stopped working for us after 6-8 months. Gym daycares aren't always the nicest places, and we started feeling guilty about leaving DS there because he really hated it. That next spring DH got a jogging stroller and that made it possible for us both to go on a run when we got home from work. Running with the BOB is intense, and a full body workout!! I'm going to attempt the Monster Dash 5K this fall with DS and the stroller and attempt to match my PR.

Most recently, when DS turned 3, we joined the YMCA. It is way more expensive than LA Fitness, but their children's program is awesome. DS legitimately loves going there, so we don't have the perpetual guilt. We also stagger our gym times more- like I'll pick up DS one night and DH goes to gym, and we'll flip the next. DS has a long day and sometimes he's just too tired to handle gym daycare. He likes going on weekends though and we make a point to spend some family time together in the gym or pool.

Netty_3 · October 2012

Can you wake up a half hour earlier and do a video or run then? Or can you go during your lunch hour?

I wake up at 430 regardless, but recently signed up for a master swim class in the am before work, and go to the gym during lunches 4x a week, and after work 2-3 times a week. DH and I switch days for after work workouts. It took a while to finally get my rear in gear...but if I can get back on the wagon, I think there's hope for everyone! Good luck! I completely understand feeling like there's not enough time,a nd then when there is, that there's not enough energy.

laurakaz13 · October 2012

I work out at lunch some days. I put DD in the running stroller and run 4-5 miles at least 4 or 5 times a week. I also own a treadmill and work out after DD goes to bed at around 7.

I've made it work b/c being fit is so very important to me. When DD was a little baby I would just work out while she napped or when DH was home.

sneakersandstilettos19 · October 2012

Breezy8407:
Brit's Luna154:
I have tried a lot of different ways to squeeze in a workout over the past nine months, the thing that has worked best is that I stopped making dinner. Sometimes H makes it, sometimes I eat a sandwich, but not cooking has freed up about a half hour that I can use to run on the treadmill.

ETA: About half of the people I know are convinced that I am a horrible wife for not cooking dinner, so I realize that this may not be a super popular idea.
Well that makes two of us...I am not cooking these days either! We cook on the weekends (most of the time) and eat leftovers all week.
Oh and I know you have seen me ask a variation on this question about a billion times on GBCN, so thanks for responding yet again

Nope, no cooking during the week here either! Crock pot or salad for us. I only have ONE baby but I push him in the jogger a couple days a week, my sister usually comes and we alternate miles pushing. DS can usually tolerate about 4 miles. So, on the weekends I do my long run while DH stays home with little man. I go to work at 5am so before work isn't an option for me. Even though its hectic and a little stressful to find time, the weeks I do are much better than the ones I don't! Good luck!

salt78 · October 2012

Tuesdays and Thursdays or Fridays I go to the gym on my lunch break. Wednesdays my husband is off so I go to Bikram in the evening and sometimes on Sunday morning also. Saturdays and Sundays we always end up walking a ton so at least I'm getting some kind of exercise. I also take her for walks in the neighborhood most evenings.

I WISH I had a treadmill at home!

SuperSuz · October 2012

It's hard but if you schedule everything you can make it work, especially as your LOs get older. Can your DH or someone watch the LOs in the evening for an hour or after work for an hour so you can go for a run? When DS was about 6 months old he was sleeping well enough that I could get up at 5 a.m. and run and then be home in time to feed him in the morning. He also LOVES (even to this day, and he's almost 4) going for runs in the jogging stroller. We would go for 4 - 6 mile runs on the weekends. If you make it a priority, you can do it. I ran my first 1/2 marathon (post partum) when DS was 14 months old. Wasn't a PR, but still under 2 hours. GL!

Breezy8407 · October 2012

SuperSuz:
It's hard but if you schedule everything you can make it work, especially as your LOs get older. Can your DH or someone watch the LOs in the evening for an hour or after work for an hour so you can go for a run? When DS was about 6 months old he was sleeping well enough that I could get up at 5 a.m. and run and then be home in time to feed him in the morning. He also LOVES (even to this day, and he's almost 4) going for runs in the jogging stroller. We would go for 4 - 6 mile runs on the weekends. If you make it a priority, you can do it. I ran my first 1/2 marathon (post partum) when DS was 14 months old. Wasn't a PR, but still under 2 hours. GL!

That's awesome! Congrats.

I am hoping to run a spring 1/2, but I don't want to be too ambitious. It's hard to plan ahead when things are constantly changing. Once they get a bit older and can play more on their own, I am hoping they can sit and play while I run on the treadmill...at least over the winter.

Thanks everyone. Lots of great ideas here.

katiez411 · October 2012

I workout at work. I am lucky and have a gym at work, so I take my lunch hour at the end of the day and get a workout in 3-4 days a week.

If I didn't have this option, I would never find time for myself to do anything. I have the best intentions of waking up early and getting 30min in for a DVD, but that snooze button is just too tempting most mornings.

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