@babszie Honestly I didn’t exercise at all for the first 2 years of her life. But now I do 10-15 minute strenuous HIIT cardio video workouts on the Peloton app every morning before my daughter is up, or after we drop her off at daycare, and then immediately hit the shower. So you could try to work that in to your pre-shower routine.
The only equipment I have is a yoga mat, a kettlebell, and a weighted vest to increase resistance. This is the only type of workout that I’ve ever been able to stick to.
By the way, the 30 minutes of exercise a day/150 minutes a week recommendation refers to moderate exercise. If you do vigorous exercise, you can actually get away with 75 minutes a week, which comes out to about 15 minutes a day. And just throwing that out there, ANY exercise is good exercise - not sure if you’re thinking this at all, but don’t let perfection be the enemy of good enough.
@fcb349 Short workouts is also my answer. I don’t personally always even do vigorous but I remind myself something worth doing is worth doing even in a small amount! So even if I can only do a 10-15 minute sculpt class that’s better than nothing for how I feel.
@jehovah_freak Absolutely! This morning I’m short on time, so I did 5 minutes and feel great just sticking to my routine and getting my usual burst of endorphins.
@fcb349 Same, we went on walks with the stroller, but no workouts.
For me I had to find a way to work out at home. Recumbent bike (stationary) in front of a TV has worked for us. I need to go 35-40min personally to feel the benefits, gym is just too much time when they are young.
The other thing I has to do is claim the time I needed. If I don’t, someone is happy to put demands on my time. This is the hardest and can take some real scheduling with small kids. It is easier now that my kids are 10 & 13, but it still is hard for me.
@fcb349 Love this advice. Working out from home was the only way I fit it into my schedule. I am lucky to be able to on my lunch when WFH but then it’s after baby bedtime on my in office days, and I save the time of driving anywhere to work out. I also Peloton though I ride the bike mostly, so much content and I can’t recommend the other class types enough!
@babszie You don't have time to do much when you work full time. Especially in an office which involves extra time commuting (though that does come with its own peace in other ways). And I have a partner who chips in. I used to find myself resentful that I can't find time for myself to do much of anything really. I used to draw/paint. Haven't touched art in awhile I never have the energy to be creative. But I try to tell myself this is a season of life and it will change when the kids get older and more independent. I have learned the only "me" time I can get is if I wake up at 5:30 am. I'm not historically an early morning person but man do I love my quiet morning with coffee and music.
I cut out the gym and substitute with walks as much as I can. You have to pick what is important to you. It's too exhausting to try to do it all. You are not making it over complicated. Shits hard.
@babszie I run after my daughter goes to bed, usually around 7.30/8. My husband takes her to a football class on Saturday mornings so there is also an opportunity there for me to exercise - I sometimes go to yoga, or I catch up on whatever needs doing around the house.
We share cooking, clean up and night/morning duties - basically whoever cooks doesn't clean and whoever does her bath/bedtime story doesn't also cover the night shift, which provides a bit of mental space for both of us.
@babszie I do morning workout (when I’m working out currently pregnant). Husband does drop off/get ready so I have time but I still usually wake up at 5:30 am. Sometimes he wakes up at 5 am to workout or sometimes he does nights.
Also to the last paragraph… yes! But yeah it’s either early morning or late evening.
@babszie I wfh so it’s a little different but my partner works out after our daughter goes to bed a few times a week. Works great.
But you absolutely have to make an effort to prioritize it. And you’ll often be getting exercise in when you don’t feel like it.
I’d ask your spouse to pick up some slack - cuz I don’t see them mentioned here. Can they do a pick up? Can your in laws drop them off? Can your spouse do some chores? We switch, but someone does bath and the other does chores. This way, everyone has a couple of hours after our daughter goes down at 7/730 cuz stuff is finished. Then we get together as a family for about 15 minutes to do a goodnight and we switch who puts her down.
If you’re doing chores a ton after they go down with just one baby and you split it up this way, then there is something you can delegate/outsource (we have a similar schedule to you). Hire a cleaner or have your spouse step it up or decide you’re going to let something go.
We also go for walks with her 1-2 no times a day (depends on weather and time). I walk her for 20 mins before daycare and my spouse or all of us go after she gets home.
@babszie This is also me. I am 20 lbs heavier than I was pre-pregnancy but if I ever get free time all I want to do is sleep or lay on the couch watching TV because I'm just exhausted. The thought of exercising is laughable. LO is 12 months. Let me know if you figure it out
@babszie Do you have any interest in running? If so, jogging stroller could be your solution. Our FB marketplace and Buy Nothing groups always have these posted for sale/porch pick up. Get a cheap one and see it is works for you.
@bnnewsome013 This is exactly what I do. I have a BOB that I bought for $100 on FB marketplace. I jog for 30 min a few times a week. I always go on Sat and Sun and then I try to go 1-2 weekdays after work as well, while my husband cooks dinner
@mikegray I have Thule urban glide (it was expensive, but it's our main stroller) and I love running with my little one, normally do it after work. I go for a half an hour run, then take him to the park and lift him /play with him. We have a nanny at the moment but he starts nursery soon and my plan will be to run to/from his nursery. Really time-efficient way to get exercise is if driving can be replaced by some walking/running for pick ups/shopping etc!
@babszie This is essentially life for the first five-six years for parents with neuro-normal kids. I have been living this since just before the pandemic. If you can afford a babysitter for a few hours on the weekend, it coukd really help you get other things done that you need to do. Essentially, at these young ages, we’re all running around like headless chickens.
@katrina2017 Maybe they want to do things together? Idk about you but sometimes it’s nice to spend 1:1 time with my SO.cor maybe he wants to get some things done, too? Moms aren’t the only parents.
@jermgray1 Of course but you don't have to do everything with your SO. It's nice and easy to do things for yourself as well.
For example my husband and I both love to exercise. So on Saturday I'm running for 10 miles in the early morning. After that my husband is going to exercise in the gym for a while.
After this we lunch together as a family and we go for some activity like swimming in the lake, or playing on some big playground or whatever we feel like.
@babszie I went from cleaning up dinner when my LO was asleep to now I quickly do it right after we eat and he plays, it’s saved me so much time after he goes to sleep for me time
