Finding the Time .... Exercise.?.

What I would do is do a run swap (or whatever exercise you prefer) with a friend. I do this once a week. At 8:30 I meet at my friend's house (or she comes to my house - we alternate) and I go for an hour run while she watches all the kids and then she goes for a run while I watch the kids. I then run again on Sat or Sun morning. Yes we even run in the winter. I have "yack tracks" to pull on over my running shoes to give me traction if it is icy at all...they work like a charm. I just wear warmer clothing. I have some women friends who do this same thing but they swim at our local aquatic center. I have some other women friends who do a run swap twice a week - they all meet every M and W. Some stay and watch kids while some run and then they switch off. Of course you don't have to run, you could bike or do an exercise video or ???. If you can afford it the other great thing you could do is join a YMCA. They have free child watch in the mornings for members. I have a friend who goes every morning and does one class and her kids go to the child watch program for that hour.

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The only way I was able to work out when the kids were small was to do a variety of intense 20 to 30 minute workout videos (yep, videos not DVDs boy am I aging myself!)
I would usually do it between breakfast and lunch, during "playtime" that is, when everyone was happy and fed and playing. We were all in the family room, toddlers playing and baby either in the swing, saucer or on the blanket on the floor, depending on what kept baby happiest for the longest stretch.
It was a regular part of our routine.
Good luck, you have your hands full!

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I recently read a quote, " You will never find the time, you have to MAKE the time."

Life gets busier as your kids grow up... you may need to be creative about your time.. Maybe for starters, try an exercise video at home.. While you have that ONE hour window.. exercise then.. put your 2 month old down on a blanket nearby where you can see em and do what you can ... there are videos nowadays where you only need 20 to 30 min... it might be tough, but once you fall into a routine of exercising, you 'll get used to it and the idea that you might have to take that 20 or 30 min break at different parts of the day.. basically go with the flow, but definitely GO.. and get started.. you ll be glad you did..

good luck to you

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That is a demanding schedule. I'm tired just reading it! What about some sort of exercise routine that incorporates the infant? That way you could do it during the 1 year old's nap. I don't know the names of them, but I believe there are exercise DVDs that include the baby. I had a strollercise cassette tape years ago when my kids were babies and toddlers, but that is more for the outdoors. If you can afford it and have one nearby, the YMCA is great for families. They have great childcare and will take young infants. They also have classes for your 4 and 5 year olds. It was a sanity saver for me.

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Wow sister, you have your hands full. Rather than trying to schedule in excercise time, if I were you, I would excercise during your regular activities. I used to lay on my back on the floor and put the baby on my legs and do baby lifts. Great for legs and butt. Incorporate excercise into the tummy time you spend with baby on the floor. When you take the kids to the park, use the equipment to do pushups, dips, sit ups. Park far from the door at grocery store and do a brisk walk. Babies love to see us dance, you could get a zumba dvd and do it at home. Just try and excercise where you are rather than trying to find alone time. IF that doesnt work, get dad to buy you a gym membership with childcare. :)

Give the husband the morning duty. My wife has the morning feeding while I walk on the treadmill/stretch for about 25 minutes.

The main obstacle was myself. Like AL said - you have to make time. So do 10 minutes today. Just stretch. Do 10 min tomorrow. You'll figure it out. And good for you, btw. I feel 10 times better mentally when I exercise, not to mention the front porch I lost. :)

If you get up early to get your fitness on, Hubby should be willing ready and able to get up early too to help with the kids (they're his kids too) or you can always squeeze exercise into your regular routine. Doing jumping jacks or jumping rope for 5-10 minute intervals is very helpful. Working up to 3-5 sets of push ups at 20-30 push ups per set would be lovely too. Doing weight training exercises with items around your house like a jar of spaghetti or gallon of water or milk is very convenient and helpful.

If you could manage to get three 10 minute exercises in per day throughout your day. That would be helpful for a start.

I prefer 30 minute exercise videos and jumping jacks and running in place and other things that are simple and effective and inside.

Don't despise humble beginnings but begin where you can and build from there. Anything is better than nothing. Remember exercise will stimulate your appetite. So eating smaller more frequent healthy foods will help you get fit and loose weight while not deminishing your milk supply.

What works for me is when I really SCHEDULE it in my day and then I have to stick to it!

Can you get the 1 year old to nap at the same time as the 2 month old? The 4 year old could rest or read or watch you exercise. There are a million DVD programs available for pretty cheap...I didn't go to bed last night and saw them on TV.

Good luck!

Why not add the kids into a daily routine of working out? Throw on some music and have a daily dance party where everyone can shake their booties for a few songs. While they are dancing you can do arm curls with free weights, squats side kicks, etc. If you wait until you find the time then you'll never do it. So just use the old adage that something is better than nothing and include the kids.

And I thought I had a tough schedule! :) Ok supermom, here's my 2 cents. After lunch, put 1 year old down for nap (since 5 year old is still at school)....put on a movie for 4 year old (or if that doesn't hold his/her interest maybe color crayons and paper etc) and put 2 month old in baby swing. Don't worry about scheduling a big chunk of time for exercise. Ease into it....start out with 10 or 15mins and see how it goes and build up from there. If you have a routine of it, the kids will adjust and be used to the schedule.

If you can't do it in the middle of the day....then you may have to go the early route. I have to be up by 5am in order to fit in exercise, then get ready and be to work by 7am. Thankfully hubby gets kids ready and takes them to child care, but I pick them up. There's just no time left in the evening for me. But I can honestly say I have more energy throughout the entire day. See if your husband is willing to get up a bit earlier to help out with the kids and then maybe you wouldn't have to be up quite as early.

Oh...one other thing: when my girls were babies sometimes they didn't want to be in the swing - even for a minute so I turned on music and held them and just danced for 10 or 15 mins. They loved it and it was great exercise. I'm sure you can find creative ways to work in a few minutes of exercise a day. :) Good luck!

Ever heard of "baby curls"?

You hold your infant out in front of you, and curl them up to your face and kiss them.

And about a 100 other exercises.

Baby-sit-ups (baby on your chest as you sit up) is one of the most intense ab workouts I've ever done.

You've got a 10-20+lb weight that you're carrying around all day. THEY love the interaction starting at just a couple months old, and it's exhausting. For your 4 year old... "airplane", or laying on your back and lifting them. And about 100 other exercises.

The "play" that you can do with children is more hard hitting than any machine, and children love love love it.

And as you get stronger, they weigh more. It works out.