How do you do it

@lisa79 I’m glad you are focused on taking care of yourself and staying healthy—I haven’t prioritized that and have had some health issues as a consequence.

Staying active isn’t always about looks—looking good is what I’d consider to be a nice side effect. We need to stay active as we get older to keep our joints lubricated, maintain strength and balance, and keep the old ticker ticking.

There are tons of great suggestions in the comments… I’ve tried some and have yet to try others. At the end of the day, we just have to keep trying until something sticks.
 
@hitokage You’re right. As long as you keep trying and don’t give up, one day something will stick. I hope your health improves this coming year and you get where you want/need to be! We can never stop trying! Women are so strong and our kids see everything we do. You got this mama ♥️
 
@lisa79 I too have a 5 year old (a daughter), been single since she was 2.5 months old. Honestly, it is hard, but it’s worth it to not have to be unhappy with someone. You’re in luck if you have a village to help; I pretty much just have my dad, I work two jobs, which luckily I can bring my daughter with me sometimes so I don’t miss out on too much. As far as the gym goes, I have an exercise bike and treadmill at home, so that’s how I get mine in, or I go on walks with my daughter during the day when we’re both off of work and school. Being a single mother, you will have to cut back on some things, like the gym; you need to be cautious with your money. Message me any time. Good luck!
 
@katrina2017 Thank you so much for your response. Luckily, I do have some support but not a lot. I will just have to work it out with my employer if something happens and I have to have my daughter with me at work. Hopefully they’d be understanding. This is new for me so I know there will be a learning curve, so I really appreciate your support. And you’re right, it’s definitely worth it to not be unhappy
 
@lisa79 I signed my kid up for gymnastics at parks and rec and they also have a fitness room so I go to the gym while they are in gymnastics. But also, I’ve gone to the gym after work before picking them up from aftercare.
 
@lisa79 Once you start to live in that situation, all I can say it becomes easier and you will never doubt your capabilities.

I sneak in walks during lunch time. Fortunate enough to work from home.

My gym offers, drop in child care three days a week so I leverage that to sneak in work out time.

I take my child for a bike ride and get to enjoy some active time as well.

Your world will likely change, all I can say first few months feels scary but once you get in to the rhythm, you almost feel like a super hero.

All the best :)
 
@lisa79 certain gyms have child care. My kids Loved lifetime fitness. the ymca also has childcarw whike you work out and offers discounts for low income familes
 
@serab83 There’s a gym that offers childcare near me, lifetime is too expensive and I won’t qualify for low income subsidies but this gym is affordable (thankfully) so I think that’s what I’ll try. Thank you!
 
@lisa79 Hopefully you can find a gym with childcare or figure out a way to do home workouts for a while. Can you live near work or school? Change schools? Idk. Is the dad going to have kiddo certain days each week? Those days you can do the gym and self care stuff. If not file for child support and use for a sitter.
I divorced when my kiddo was 2 and he’s now 7. It’s been tough. I quit gym and worked out in my garage after his bedtime watching YouTube workouts. I started doing a ton of meal prep to save money. I got a place close to work but now I work remote which is easier of course. I had to make a lot of adjustments and it took a long time and lot of discomfort, some credit card debt, and therapy lol. But these past couple years I’ve finally got my feet on the ground, financially stable, and happy. You’ll get there. Get thru the hard parts and take care of yourself.
 
@malik58 I think the gym with childcare is what I’ll try. Her dad will pick her up from school and have her a couple of hours on the weekend but I think she’ll end up being with me most nights. I can’t live near work because the area I work in is 2-3x more expensive than where I live now, but I’m hoping to find a job closer to home after I get some experience. I’m pretty good at budgeting (thankfully), but it’s just so scary doing it on my own with a kid. I’ve been on my own since I was 16 but it was just me. This is very different!
 
@lisa79 For sure. You will do great though. I will say this, even if things are ok now and everyone is getting along... Formulate a parenting plan / custody plan — some kind of legal document and both sign it. Protect yourself and the kiddo, just in case anything happens later on down the line. Just happened to my friend who’s baby daddy didn’t want much involvement then suddenly a year later trying to take custody out of nowhere (and he’s an awful human). You just never know.
 
@malik58 Omg that’s also great advice. You truly never know. I would be devastated if that happened to me, my girl is my life. This is definitely something I will do. Thank you
 
@lisa79 I would suggest looking into Y care or something similar. They sometimes offer before school care, but definitely offer after school care. If your child is attending public school you can find a daycare in the school district as well and the bus will do a run to pick up and drop off at daycare. It’s an added expense though unless you are able to qualify for a childcare subsidy. Sick leave is really going to be where you are hit the hardest. My 5 yo burned through all my sick leave last year by December. This year thankfully I still have a couple of days left, but I expect to use it all up again before my contract renews. I’m a teacher so luckily I tend to have the same days off that my children have off which saves me a fortune in daycare costs. However I do have myself and my 2 children living in a one bedroom apartment as it is the only option close to being in my budget.
 
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