Fitting physical activity into an already busy schedule!!

How do I work physical activity in after I work 8 hours. Pick up 19 month old. Fix dinner. Feed family. Put child to bed. Clean up after dinner. Do load of laundry. Go to bed---too tired to work out!!!!

this will sound psycho but get up very early. I do 5am workouts. Otherwise I have good intentions to do it at end of day but it just doesn't happen. Doing the eraly am workout helps me get through the day, knowing it's out of the way.

Good idea. Thanks! Now the trick is to get out of bed that early--yucky!

I feel the same way. I find getting up early in the morning to be most effective. I workout Monday-Thursday and give myself the weekends to sleep in a litte

I like Yoga or pliates before bed. Its a nice way to wind down from a busy day, but still tones the muscles! I personally cant motivate myself to get up earlier than I have to, but I can stay up at night no problem. If the weather is nice I try to go for a quick walk too.

I would buy an exercise video to do at home either before bed or right when you wake up. I think Pilates is one of the best forms of exercise women can do to tone and flatten. Also, walking is a big help to drop pounds. Put a hotdish together the night before, and then stick it in the oven to bake for an hour while you take the baby out on a walk in the stroller! I've done that before. A tad risky leaving something cook while you aren't home, but if you live with your partner, they could keep an eye on it.
Another thing I do is pair exercising with housework. For example, I will put in a load of laundry and so sit ups and stretching while it washes. It's all about the little things!

Have you tried Jillian Michaels (sp?) 30 Day Shred? It's free for me on comcast on demand. Each work out is only 20 minutes but I tell you, my body is sore the next day and my heart rate is definately up while I'm doing it. I do that workout on the days I don't have much time. Check it out.

I have it! it kicks my ass!!! I did it last week and havent been able to bring myself to do it again =( I was seriously sore for days. Its great that its short.. and it definitely makes you sweat.

I dont have kids.. so I have tons of time, Im just lazy lol.. I have no real reason not to work out after work. But, a friend of mine with a toddler told me she dropped her baby weight from walking. She would take the baby in the stroller 15-20 minutes in one direction and then turn around and come home. Fairly simple 30 minutes of cardio. I need to borrow someones kid

I work a full time job and also work part time 2 nights a week and on Sundays, so finding time to work out has been hard. The gym I joined has 6am classes Tues-Fri so that's when I work out and on Monday mornings I go in at 6am and get on the treadmill and bike. I also go on Tues and Thurs evenings right after work to water aerobics because I know if I go home after work, I'll never make it back to the gym. The sofa and TV are too temping.

I've always been of the opinion that if it's important enough to you, you will make the time.

If it isn't, then you won't.

And that goes beyond just working out.

I have a date with Ellen Degenerous everyday at 11:00. I turn on the TV and walk/run on the treadmill while I watch her show. She is just very funny in my opinion, and laughing at her takes away the boredom of walking and I don't notice the fatigue as easily. I try to run 1 ,min and walk 3 min throughout the show. Works for me. I have 4 kids and they just realize that Mom can't hear you while on the treadmill so that hour is mine. Ya know unless someone is crying or bleeding !! Whatever it takes!! Traci

I agree with Divided by. At some point you have to make a sacrafice for your well being you want to be healthy to see your children grow up. It can be exhausting I have 3 boys a fulltime job and know how hard it can be. I usually workout during my lunch break or right afterwork. I know if I go home I wont do it later that night.

I set up a virtual treadmill in my office - I have a standing station from my computer and march in place while I am on the computer. I can only stand it for about half an hour, but I am working and exercising at the same time. Good luck - even if you can get 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day, you can get in some walking or running, or better - jump rope, and you don't have to go anywhere.

I second that idea about getting up early...getting it out of the way. Will probably give you more energy throughout the day, too. I have been a single mom of 4 (no father around either)but have usually made time to exercise becuase I make it a priority. Other things either slide for a while, or I incorporate the kids into my workout--like pushing a stoller or pulling a wagon full of kids while I walked really fast. You can do it--just make it a top priority.

I keep saying I am going to get up early, but I already get up at 5am! I too have four boys...but they are at school. My thing is I am very self conscious about other ppl watching me, so now I go in my bedroom and lock the door so noone will walk in. My other problem, isnt so much finding time, but finding the motivation everyday to do some kind of calisthentics. I have bone spurs in my heels, so I have trouble with walking or running...so I am starting slow. I just started a week ago.

Lizardgirl- I hear you! Do you have a partner/spouse who can do the pick up from day care/ dinner/ clean up/ bedtime routine a couple of nights a week?

Can you get to a gym or take a walk on your lunch hour? And what is your schedule on the weekends? Alternatively, many gyms have childcare. I take DS 3x/week: Tuesdays & Thursdays at night and Saturday mornings. I do my work out, he gets spoiled by the child care staff- we both win. I feed him a snack in the car on the way over and we have a crock pot supper or something from the freezer for dinner. My DH works overtime often so I had to find a gym with childcare if I wanted exercise.

Take a close look at the family schedule and see where you can carve out time for yourself. As mothers, we need to follow the Flight Attendant Philosophy: Put on your own oxygen mask before putting on someone else's.

Hi Lizardgirl32. I hear you there! My 3yr old son gets up at 5.30am every morning and i'm not a morning person. with my hubby away i'm a single mom with 2 dogs to exercise as well! So what i do at 6am is take all 3 of them out to our local woods or park and do 30mins of running after wee toddler trying to escape and throwing sticks for the dogs - found it quite stressful at first but getting into my groove now. Some mornings are hard it's just so cold minus 4 or 5 degrees..so i usually do it after work in the evening - we wrap up warma and i put Dan in the pushchair and briskly walk the dogs round the street...when hubby comes back - he's gonna be putting wee man to bed whilst i go off to the gym or go for a brisk walk!
The other thing I'm going to do next week is have a friend look after him whilst i take a few hours out to go swimming - just need to get some sanity back into my life!
yeah right!!!

I have a 2 year old and work so I know what you mean. My sister and I get up at 5:30 to go running every day. It is easier to get up this early with a buddy. Also, a couple times a week, I take my daughter for an hour long walk around the neighborhood. We have done this in the stroller or the ERGO (babycarrier). That way I don't feel like I have to ignore her to exercise. And you can plan a slowcooker meal for those days so it is ready when you get back. I also love the 30 day shred. I've been using it far longer than 30 days and it still gets my heart-rate up and builds muscle. You could also think of creative ways to use your lunch break. Somewhere on this site there is a list of how many calories you burn for specific activities for your current weight. You could make a few changes at work that involve more standing and moving around than sitting.

look for a dvd excercise routine. i recommend YRG google it. its a combination of yoga and cardio excercises - it is low impact and it really burns up calories. http://www.yrgfitness.com/

or you can get them on ebay.

check it out. there a 3 workouts. the 20 mins is enough , but if you can take it, theres a 40 min fat burner!!