s/o BMI - WAHM/WOHM when do you exercise?

[WolfpackMom]

I am trying to get myself back into shape, not for looks so much, although muscle would be nice, but because I am tired and cranky and I think exercise would help. BUT, I cannot figure out when I can fit it in. The closest gym with childcare is 25 minutes away!

I currently work at home 5 days a week, 8am-6/6:30pm. DS is with me MWF, and is in daycare 8:30-4:30 T, TH. DH works M-F and is gone 9-7:15/7:30. I have looked into taking some evening classes but DH's work schedule is so unpredictable as far as when he will get off. He is looking for a new job now with better hours, but for now we are stuck with him getting home later in the evening and then rushing through the dinner and a nighttime routine with DS.

Getting up at 6am to workout isn't going to happen, Ill say that now, I fully admit I am NOT a morning person. Especially with DS still rarely STTN and my poor ability to fall asleep. I could adjust my workload some so that I can workout at like 8:30/9 on T, TH when he is in daycare, but 2 days a week seems pretty weak.

So now I am looking at more classes, trying to manipulate my schedule, or even find stuff I can do at home. TBH Im not sure I will be good at keeping up with it at home, a class or gym I pay for will make me acountable.


So after all that When do you work out when you are trying to balance work and kids and a DH who is also working a bunch and keeping up with the house etc etc etc?

[egoldber]

Well, I have a gym in my work building otherwise it would be REALLY hard! I work out at lunch 4-5 days a week.

With your schedule, I would do the Tuesdays and Thursdays at the gym and then also Saturday and Sunday. Join a gym that you can also go to on the weekends and make it a family event.

Also, IMO, it is harder to go from 0 to 2 days a week, than from 2 to 4/5 days a week. For me the biggest battle is getting over the inertia of doing nothing at all....

[almostmom]

We just joined a gym this fall for the first time in many years. And I don't go more than twice a week. Of course I wish it was more, and sometimes it is less! But I would do the Tuesday and Thursday workouts, and you will feel much better. And once you get into a groove of some kind (and I personally think twice a week can do that), you might feel more motivated to find the time elsewhere for additional workouts. Don't say no to Tuesdays ahd Th. just because it's not enough. It's better than nothing, right?

[hellokitty]

Whoops, I just realized this is for wohm/wahm. Sorry!

[KBecks]

Two days is a great week. The drive to the gym with child care is far, and it's not easy to make that big of a trip. I'd try to get a sitter or use your child care and then find a class that is close and convenient for you. Park and rec classes are usually inexpensive, which will be good if you need to get a sitter.

I'd also not sign up for a long term contract with a gym. Try out a few classes based on sessions that are short term, like 6-10 weeks at a time and that way you can freely dabble until you come up with a routine you like.

Hope that helps!! I hope you can find something close and convenient, that is very helpful. I love Zumba and yoga pesonally, there are also some great strength training classes out there. Just experiment and choose something that sounds interesting. Don't worry about your performance, just have fun.

Hugs!

[KBecks]

My compromise is that I don't keep up with the house! LOL.

[WolfpackMom]

Two days is a great week. The drive to the gym with child care is far, and it's not easy to make that big of a trip. I'd try to get a sitter or use your child care and then find a class that is close and convenient for you. Park and rec classes are usually inexpensive, which will be good if you need to get a sitter.

I'd also not sign up for a long term contract with a gym. Try out a few classes based on sessions that are short term, like 6-10 weeks at a time and that way you can freely dabble until you come up with a routine you like.

Hope that helps!! I hope you can find something close and convenient, that is very helpful. I love Zumba and yoga pesonally, there are also some great strength training classes out there. Just experiment and choose something that sounds interesting. Don't worry about your performance, just have fun.

Hugs!

Yes I definitely think even just doing Tue and Thu will be better than nothing for me and then try to add in Saturday and Sunday when DH is home. I do want to find classes, but I just looked up the one gym that is in our town and it doesnt have classes. Boo! I am going to look up the rec center and hope for something that isnt just early evening hours. Thats the problem I keep running into, classes that at like 5 or 6pm or that are not on T/Th during the day.
Thanks for the ideas everyone, I just sometimes have no clue how I am supposed to manage everything. I feel like I am always in charge at work, at home, etc etc finding a free hour or two is soooo hard right now! And we dont have a ton of free cash to spend on extra sitting outside of daycare. How do you all find balance?

[mommylamb]

When I'm being good, I work out at my gym at work during lunch. I take a zumba class once a week at night (so DH is with DS), and I try to get to the gym at least once during the weekend.

[pb&j]

I run at 6am 1 or 2 mornings per week (yes, it is dark). I can usually get to the gym 1-2 lunch hours per week, and I WFH 1 day and run during lunch then. I do a long run with a group on Saturday mornings at a more reasonable hour.

If 2 days a week is what you can manage, then by all means do 2 days a week! It's infinitely better than zero. I long ago made peace with the fact that even 20 minutes of exercise is better than sitting around. It's a hard jump from nothing to something, but not so hard of a jump from something to a little bit more.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

am not a WAHM, but my DH works from home (mostly) and is NOT a morning person at all. and he just joined a gym about a month ago. he usually goes in the mornings like at 7am, or in the evenings like at 5pm. we are lucky the gym we go to isn't super-crowded during those hours. and 2 days a week is great..way better than nothing!

also our gym has a really good childcare center (one of the main reasons we chose it). i'm excited to use it once our dd is born and i can start working out too..that way dh & i can both get a workout at the same time.

oh and we have a really nice elliptical machine at home, and we never use it even though it would be the most convenient. for us, at least for now, we both neeed the accountability of a gym to get our butts off the couch.