How Do You Make the Time?

Definitely not easy...I struggle with this too. Especially after the new baby comes and you're sleep deprived and would much rather nap than get in a workout (sleep is important for health too!).
I agree with all the following below, best options are to find things you can do with the kids. My favorite thing to do in the summer is take the kids for a walk in a double stroller (or jog if you're into that). Not only did they love the fresh air, but I get an added bonus of pushing 40+ pounds around the neighborhood. Sometimes I would let my toddler walk the last .5 mile so she would get worn out too...but wasn't slowing me down the whole walk. And it looks like you live in AZ, so you don't have to wait for the 'warm months!'

I think hubby should pick up the kids from child care then watch them so you can go to the gym right after work. Seems to me that would be the ideal time so you could come home from the gym to him fixing dinner and you can get some stuff done while he is helping.

If you were a single mum, these would be your only options:

- Daycare longer
- Exercise with her (walking, swimming, etc... Stuff you can take her along. Hiking backpack or stroller if she can't keep up, my son lapped me as a toddler... So it was AWESOME).
- Exercise at night or in the morning while she's sleeping.
- Exercise instead of lunch break

All of these have inherent downsides. Except the following:

If your husband is around...

- Daddy Bonding Time. Either in the morning or evening. She won't be in daycare, because she'll be with dad. Yep. You lose that time with her, but he gains it.

If he's unwilling or unable... Then you've only got the single mom route.

If you can find a YMCA in your area, or a gym with onsite childcare, that may be a good solution. The Y has onsite childcare that is included in the membership and they also do activities, especially when the weather is good, that deal with fitness.

One thing I do at home is Zumba along with youtube. I don't want to pay for the DVD's, and some people post their workouts so you can do it from them.

Also, google "exercising with kids" and stuff like that, and you may find ideas that will work for you. Chasing them around, taking walks with the stroller, may not seem like "real" exercise, but it's better than nothing. Don't stress yourself out about this - relax and enjoy. Your body will probably not go back to the way you want it to be, but continue to eat and move healthy because that is more important.

Take care! :)

Don't feel bad for leaving her at daycare for you to go exercise. Being healthy is important, plus you need that little bit of time to yourself to help "rejuvenate" you. It's important for all of us to take an hour out of the day to make it "me" time, I think you would be surprised at how much better you would feel if you did this. Unfortunately as we get older the weight just isn't going to come off the way it used to and it's really not going to happen after pregnancy unless you put the effort into it.

If I go more than a few days without exercising, I become really nasty. Once your body is used to it, it's really hard to go without it. And like you said you want to teach your kids a healthy lifestyle, our kids see us going to the gym or doing stuff here at home and we eat good, so we they see it and we talk about being healthy with them all the time. I feel if more families would do this, it would cut down on childhood obesity too. That's my opinion...

Get a good jogging stroller, some good shoes and find a park that you like. Then go for brisk walks after work and after you pick up your daughter - just take her with you. That and sign up for some prenatal yoga (or other prenatal exercise) when your husband is available to watch your DD.

I could never justify adding daycare time for DD just so I could work out so walking, and later running, with her worked the best. She is 5 now and when I run a 5K she always runs the accompanying kid's dash. Lots of fun!

Good luck!

find ways to fit it in. I have a calendar that i put stickers on for every 15 minutes I work out. No joke. It totally sounds cheesey but it works for me. I find time in my weekly routine (because the days for a while were not the same but the weeks were consistent). after several weeks I could ID very easily when I could work out and what days gave me a problem. Then I could focus on fitting in my workout on those days as well. I can see patterns in my schedule. then on those sheets once I have settled into somewhat of a weekly routine I set goals for myself to earn a certain amount of stickers in a certain amount of time. Right now I am going an hour a day (4 stickers, woohoo!). I am trying to get the sheet finished by the end of the year. 7 days left in the year and 33 stickers left. YIKES! I am trying to see if I can even squeeze in 30 minutes tomorrow morning between santa and my inlaws coming over. My workouts are all DVD's I have on hand or via netflix. Check out your local library. My kids play in another room while I work out. no biggie. And some mornings I do it before they wake up. I do give myself stickers for "out of the norm cleaning" because that will for sure give me a work out. Its the non daily stuff like cleaning the baseboards or something like that. right now since you are preggo AND you have a little one I would work on taking a 15 minute walk with your daughter everyday after you pick her up. Everyday. and when you get home don't forget to stretch. Sometimes I can't wait until I get through my workout so I can stretch! Good luck and have a great pregnancy!

I have two kids and after the 2nd was born I had to go back to work full-time and I agree it's hard. I also don't like working out after work...I wouldn't get home until 7pm! I was never going so I finally cancelled my membership. I just started a new job that has more deadlines requiring more hours. I have tennis shoes at work and walk during the day. It takes me 20 minutes to do one lap around the park across the street from my office.I also park far from the door to get a few extra steps in. I also have a Wii Fit (haven't set it up yet) but I'm sure the kids would love 'playing' on it too. Good luck and congrats on the new baby.

Eat at your desk and work out at lunch time. Even if you get a half or or 45 minutes of walking its better than nothing...

Can you try to really evaluate why exercising at home doesn't do it like the gym does? Technically if you're spending the same amount of time and pushing yourself, it should. Otherwise, I have to agree with you that leaving your kids at daycare longer isn't optimal. I basically haven't exercised since having kids years ago bc I feel that every nonworking minute should be with my kids but I'm fortunate that I have a very fast metabolism. I worry though that my heart etc is suffering. For years I keep saying "next year" I'll exercise" but even with 7/8 year olds, being with them seems more important. So my point is it won't get a lot easier... Maybe you can come up with a plan to at least go to the gym 2x a week and then push yourself at home to get a more effective workout. Does your husband bring the kids to daycare in the mornings? Could you work out at lunch at work and leave only a half hour later each day? Otherwise, you can model healthy behaviour for your kds by exercising with them... Jogging stroller, as they get older they ride their bikes while you jog, videos, dancing with them etc. I see you live in AZ so should be able to get outside a lot of the year which helps... It's tough though.

I agree with Stephanie-always pack lunch and walk at lunch break. I only had a half hour lunch, but still got close to a mile walk in daily.
I also find ways to excersize at home.
I have a weighted hula hoop. My 4 year old now thinks that music videos are for hula hooping.
At the park I will do squats, sprint, walk, pull ups, steps (on the equip), and lunges. And we always walk there.
I have a lifetime gym membership. I miss it terrible, but don't think I'll be able to go until the kids are older.

if your child is in daycare from 6 to 4.. I would nto leave her any longer than that..

I wold go to the gym after she is in bed for the night.

or workout at home.

Best choice I found was the start of the evening walk with the kids. A walk around the neighborhood is the best way to limber up. Then if the weather does not permit put on the wii and play some sports like tennis or even the excercise ones. My daughter actually likes do some like the hula hoop one.

Keeping yourself healthy is one of the best things you can do for your kids. If working out at a gym is the only thing that works for you, then go ahead and leave your child in daycare for a while longer while you work out. Chances are, the benefits YOU get out of it will FAR outweigh the detriment (if there's even any) to your child. And you will be healthy, motivated and full of energy because of your workout, which translates to a happier mommy. It's a win-win for you AND your family. I'd say that getting in your exercise is one of the BEST ways to justify leaving your daughter in daycare longer.

Jillian Michaels, Body Revolution program is 30-33 minutes each workout. Who doesn't have 30 minutes?

Make every calorie count, drink more water and less sugary drinks.

It must be tough to work and try to balance it all and try to find time to work out. Do your best, a little here, a little there. Park farther from the door of stores/work. I do squats while brushing my teeth, talking on the phone. Just try to think of creative ways to flex/contract your muscles.

We have five little ones, so 2 babies, 2 preschoolers and a first-grader and I still go to the gym 3 times a week and the other 2 days I do stuff at home. Through the pregnancy was really important for me to work out, absolutely. You are right that you'll benefit, and your baby will, too.

Of course let your daughter stay at daycare longer to go to the gym! I put mine in the gym daycare to do this since that's what I have available. Don't you pay for the town daycare until later in the evening anyway? So, why would you get her early? I would use the maximum time you pay for (most daycares go to 6 or so) and get your exercise in and errands, and sometimes just down time. You might need that too, being pregnant.

I'm in the same boat.
It's hard but it'd do-able and worth it.
First thing is to set priorities (for example, to be healthy for my kids, so what I need to do as a mom first and foremost, eat right, exercise to keep a healthy weight but be realistic.)

I have not time and I do not take the time for myself but I do what I can.
I want to be healthy and be around for my kids.
Realize that having kids changes our bodies and aging doesn't help. However, we can do a lot to keep healthy.

Eat right, exercise when you can. Make it all count.
Do a workout DVD at home.
Walk/job with your baby in the jog stroller when you have your July baby.
Go to the gym on the weekends.

Be realistic.

Can you go to the gym in the evening, while your daughter stays home with your husband? I did that for a while (two or three nights a week) when I only had one child. I also had a weekly walk every Saturday morning with a good friend, it was a good long hike AND good "girl" time!
By the time kids two and three came along going to the gym got to be too much of an effort, but I did LOTS of video workouts, most of them were short and intense, like 20 minutes of kickboxing, 15 minutes core/ab work, 10 minutes focused leg/arm work, etc. I found having a wide variety of these little videos not only kept me from getting bored, but they helped me work out all over.
Good luck, working out is SO important, especially when you have little ones that need you to feel strong and energtic!

Put the kid(s) in a jogger and go jog in the morning. Hubby can get himself ready.

I don't see the big deal about leaving her at daycare a little longer for some YOU time. That is MODELING good behavior. You are carving out you time to be a better mom.

Excercise at night. Or for a few minutes in the morning. You don't have to go to the gym to be in shape.