How Do I MAKE the Time for the Gym?

I don't know where you live, but I have been doing this thing called "Boot Camp" at Mt. Pleasant Church in Greenwood, IN. It is from 5:15 to 6:15 AM on Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. It is quite challenging and awesome to have to accountability of 140 other people to work out with!!! You're and outta there before most are even up (at least in my home)! Email me if you want further info.

Is your husband home at night? Why not leave him with your him that way it is not another sitter? I am having the same problem, but I am not working it is just finding time around my husbands crazy schedule. Good luck!

I had the same problem...I haven't been in awhile, since my hours were upped at work, however my husband nowgoes regularly with the kids and hasthem in swimming and sports...so at leastsome of us are getting time out of the $$ spent.
I used to get up at 5am...go to aerobics class, shower and go to work(5min from gym)...but when my 8hrs/day turned to 12+, I haven't been since. I would try to at least go once a week, to at least feel you're getting something for what you paid for, even if it's just 1/2hr on the treadmill on your day off...a small step will get you back into a routine, and perhaps give you a hunger to add more excericse time...I should do the same myself!!! Let me know if anything works/sounds good to you...I've been thinking about trying to get back there recently too! (Do you get a discount if you volunteer to work a few hrs at the gym? Maybe try that too????)

I've got an "appointment" on my calendar every Saturday morning to go to the gym for my favorite exercise class. I might not make it the rest of the week, but as long as I make it once, I feel better. My gym has lots of activities for the kids - even some parent/child exercise classes, too.

I have a 4 1/2 month old and would like to start working out also. The ideas I have come up with are as follows:

1. Get up early (not happening here either)
2. Go after work (cuts into dinner, bath, bed etc)
3. And finally a long lunch hour. The gym where I live is about 10 minutes from my job, so I have decided to take a 1 1/2 hour lunch. 20 minutes for travel and changing, 15 minutes for showering and re-clothing, and 45 minutes for working out. It might work for you too.

Good luck!!

I just wanted to follow-up and let you know that I started working out just recently. And suprisingly enough I am dragging my butt out of bed at 6 am to get to the gym before work, and I feel energized.

I had this problems as well. IF I were able to arrange for alternate pick up/care for my daughter after work, by the time the end of the day rolled around I was making up excuses not to go! While I consider myself a morning person only by default (needing to work, get my child to school!?!), I discovered the only way for me to work out was to go early in the a.m. I started meeting with a personal trainer weekly at 6 a.m. and it really makes me accountable to go; I'm still charged unless I cancel 24 hours in advance - what incentive! I've actually learned to like it and even get up that early on days when I don't go to the gym. I;ll work out at home or do some early a.m. chores like laundry.
In addition, getting ready for work while at the gym is something I now consider sacred; I get an entire hour to myself, something I never get at home in the mornings! I grab a cup of coffee before hitting the shower and have assembled a great set of "luxeries" for after my shower (lotion, spray, etc.) I even get to BLOW DRY my hair when at the gym, something I never had time for at home! Bottom line, you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else; do yourself and your family the favor! Good luck and happy sweating! :)

maybe try to drop the gym and do something at home, run outside, take a walk with your kids to involve them.
any type of moving is better than nothing.
i'm in a boat like you, however i stay at home..hahaa.
i have now dropped my membership and try to do the treadmill or run outside. i even trained for a half marathon that i ran in sept... so then my husband and my kids can be invovled. we go on runs/walks. now with the cold weather, i try to do the treadmill but i can count on my hand, like you, how many times that has happened. since i don't like the treadmill
Good luck,,

Hi Y.,

I am also having that problem with wanting to work out around my crazy schedule. My only option would be to go really early in the morning...and I am by far a morning person. I'm more of a night owl. And I don't have money for the bowflex, treadmill, or that ab lounge. And who's to say that I will actually use it? But what I find myself doing is watching that FitTV on cable...and I found some exercises to do. But then again...the time to do it. I have 2 jobs, go to school, and take care of 3 kids from the ages of 11 to 7. My husband works 50+ hours a week, so if I'm not working...I'm always with the kids. But sometimes we do a little activity together. We either to some exercises on FitTV to do...they love to work out too. We have walked around the neighborhood together, and now that its getting cold...we either go to the mall or WalMart. But maybe sometimes its good to get away from the kids to actually get some alone time from work and kids. So maybe find a buddy to walk with, while a family member watches the kids for about an hour? I hope this has helped you out...and I hope everything turns out for you.

J. W.

Y.
Well I wish I had something wise to say to you, but I (my husband) bought a Bowflex last year and well let me say it looks great in our house!! My 3 1/2 year old and 19 mo old get more of a work out than ky husband and I do!! So I hope you can find more time than I have!
A.

Y.,
I know this is not the optimal answer, but at the YMCA we go to they have two to three family workout sessions a week. They are meant to instill healthy habits early in children and leading by example, but I also get quite a workout. The kids think they are playing and I get some good exercise. It is also nice to be able to interact with your child instead of dropping them off at the child watch. I have seen children 18 months with their moms. They have lots of cardio and resistance type activities the kids find it enjoyable and I feel like are benefiting me. Also, we did a parent/child music class called The Music Play House. It was tons of fun for the kids and centers around music appreciation, but you get tons of exercise during the "stand up" songs. It is all interactive and it is geared to children 12 months to 4 years. I can send ou the web site if you are interested. Good luck...J..

Perhaps your husband can keep an eye on the children in the evening right after dinner so you can go ? Or on weekends ? Or if that is not a possibility , having your oldest child or the local trusted teenager watch your younger children so you have the chance to do something for you.