Need Advice on Fitting Workouts at Home into My Daily Routine...

How about a workout video? I use one called the "10 Minute Solution Pilates" that breaks up the exercises in 10 minute increments per body part (abs, legs, arms, stretch, fat burner). I alternate that video with a 30 minute cardio video. These short workouts really do a great job at toning up your muscles. On average I'll work out a total of 30-40 minutes a day. When I'm really busy I'll spread it out throughout the day (usually while the kids are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner). I also shower in the evening before bed. 10 minutes of exercise does not get me all that sweaty so I just wash up afterwards with a washcloth.

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Hi D.,
I am a Mom with my own buisness-my kids are 16 months apart and my "fun job" is as a group ex instructor; so i felt prompted to respond to your letter.
First of all, kudos to you for losing 80 pounds! And working your workout in despite having 4 kids, especially 2 little ones. I know how hard that is.
D., I would go back to what worked for you in the past, working out while the twins were asleep. As for your boys, I would set up a little chart for them-for every day that they let you work out UNINTERRUPTED they would get a star. At the end of 5 days (or whatever your routine is) if they had 5 stars they could pick out a movie, choose a dessert for the family or be entitled to another special privlidge. One important thing to stress here though, is that they have to work together. If one of them interrupts you, there is no star for that day.
I hope that this helps you, and stress to those men in your life (all of them including your husband) that you have to stay healthy and feel good in order to take care of them. Good luck, and keep up the good work!

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Hi D. -- I feel your frustration and congratulations on your weight loss! Is it possible that you could ask your older children to keep an eye on the little ones while you work out in the morning? Maybe turn on a movie after breakfast, that they can all watch? It might have to be short or get interrupted on some days, but at least you would have a chance? Then if they help you out, you can incent them by doing something special with them -- some type of activity or outing?

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Hi D.,

Although this is not an everyday option, if you can find the right mom, maybe two or three days a week. Another Mom and I babysit eachothers kids once a week so we can go grocery shopping. If you have a neighbor with kids, approach her and see if she would be interested in helping eachother out. You could offer to watch her kids while she runs errands in exchange for watching yours while you work out.
~N.

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I actually don't have any advice that's different from what everyone else has suggested, but I wanted to commend you on your outstanding weight loss! What an inspiration! You should be so proud of yourself and not let anything get in the way of maintaining your new weight. Good luck to you! :)

Getting exercise doesn't have to be in the form of an orderly workout. It is nice when it is, so keep trying to get that "self time". When you can't, however, you can build muscle and burn tons of calories while being a mom! Run around with the kids at the park, make a game out of lifting the kids, do 10 squats every time you go to the bathroom, drop down and do 20 quick push-ups before every time you shower (that's a favorite of mine... to drop and do 10-20 push-ups randomly during the day), do bicep curls while you are walking with the groceries (my mom does this one and it usually makes someone smile)... you see where I am going with this... there's tons of ways! Think about ones that would be easy to fit in your life and make a habit of it.

You are a busy Mom! If I were in your situation, this is what I would do:

Write a list of my "to-do's" and commitments for the next day.
No matter how much cleaning you do... go to bed by 10:30-11pm, latest
(except on Tuesdays, when you are at my house)
Wake up at 7am, plan breakfast and Lunch... follow your dietary plan
Tell husband you are working out at 8am, for 30 minutes. He can watch kids....
and possibly make breakfast for boys and get babies up.
After your work-out, allow hubby to take a shower. (this is your way of thanking him)
Try to be showered and dressed by 10am... that way you can have a fun summer with friends!!
Plan your individual boy time during twins nap schedule if you can.. enlist them to do chores with you during this time too.

I would divide your work-out into 2, 1/2 hour sessions. You can do weights or evening video routine, after kids go to bed.

Boys should be picking up their own toys before they start video games or special activity.
Enlist husband to have kitchen cleaned after his shower.

Have a bag packed for the day the night before, so if you need to venture out of the house,
you will already be "one step ahead"... keep it by the front door.

Hope this helps..
Love ya, Shell

Hi D....

Congrats on your weight loss... I am impressed, and you should be very proud of yourself.

I get email from Discovery Health, and there is an article on a Housework chores workout,(article below)... and maybe that might work along with what the other mamas have suggested. Walking with the children after it cools down is a great idea.

GREAT JOB!

DK

Household Chores to Build Functional Fitness
By Dr. Joel Press, physiatrist

You have to do housework, right? So why not get your body in shape at the same time? Below are some exercises you can do while cleaning the house.

*Laundry Toss: It's all in the spin — of your hips — and it will turn the mundane task of laundry into exercise for your abdominal, low back and hip muscles. Stand about 10 to 15 feet away from the washing machine. Hold the dirty laundry basket at about waist height on your left side with the washing machine on your right. Pick up pieces of the dirty, dry laundry and, while turning at the hips, pitch the laundry into the open washer. After you've mastered this, move on to pitching wet laundry — which is heavier — from the washer into the dryer. If your washer and dryer sit side by side, move 10 to 15 feet to pitch the wet clothes into the dryer.

*Unload and Lift: Daily dishes are a great opportunity to stretch side and back muscles. As you take dishes out of the dishwasher, turn your body from side to side, allowing your hips to turn so that your torso twists while you reach to put the clean dishes away on high and low shelves. To make the most of this stretching exercise, put the dishes and silverware away one at a time. And remember, the further the distance between your dishwasher and cupboards and drawers, the more exercise you will get.

*Rake and Twist: This movement works whether you're raking leaves or sweeping the floor. The key is to take long, steady strokes, while turning at your hips and raking or sweeping toward your body. Done this way, your arms don't have to do all the work. Make sure you do this exercise sweeping both from left to right and from right to left.

*Standing Side Stretch: If you want to make the most of stretching exercises, add a little weight. Every household contains common objects, i.e., a carton of milk, a bag of garbage or a briefcase, that can serve as weights. Hold a weighted object in either hand while standing up straight with your feet slightly more than shoulder's width apart. Slowly bend at the waist using your side, or oblique, abdominal muscles as you lower the hand with the weight down your side as far as it will go. Hold it there and count to 15 or 20, then slowly return to the upright starting position. Then put the object in the opposite hand and repeat the stretch on the other side. As you get more limber, increase the weight of the object you choose and stand with your feet closer together, which will increase the stretch.

For more information on functional fitness or finding a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, please visit The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

I think 11 is old enough to help out for an hour while you exercise and shower. My oldest is 9 and I rely on her help with the 4 younger kids while I work out. It's part of her daily chores and she gets an allowance. Having the kids see me teaches them how important physical health is, and it also teaches them responsibility.

First of all, you are very lucky to be albe to afford the at-home gym equipment to offset the money & hassles of belonging to a gym. Also, congratulations on your newest, double addition to your family. I applaud you on the weight you have already lost!!
And here's where it gets less nice. Your son's are 11 & 6, and they cannot occupy themselves long enough for you to get in a workout?? They are not babies, or toddlers, so, they should be able to find some sort of activity to keep them busy, while you're working out.
There are 2 ways you could deal with this. #1 Explain to them that you need time to exercise to be healthy, and the best mom you can be. Or, #2 Make them exercise with you. Find age, and fitness level routines that will help them be healthy as well.

D.,
Have you given any thought to having your oldest child (or children) be responsible for watching the twins while you work out? It might give you enough time to fit in a workout (if it's just out in the garage.) And the less he interrupts you, the quicker you'll be done. This approach might help with some of the household chores you're doing after the kids go to bed. 11 and 6 is old enough to shoulder some responsibility for chores around the house, just don't expect perfection:) Not only will it give you some time, but also teach them valuable skills in teamwork and family life. Take it for what it's worth and good luck!!
T.

I know it's hard to get up, but after about 2 weeks, your body will ajust. I workout before they get up in the a.m. then you're not rushed later and you can do other things during nap: chores, rest, shower, cook... Good luck.

Okay SuperMom, you need to have some "me time" or you are going to burst! You think too much about everyone else and it gets in the way of you taking time for yourself. I totally feel you and I only have one child so wow you are amazing. You need to sit down with hubby and explain to him that although you love being with the kids you need a set time to do your workout or take a bubble bath each night...you aren't lazy for not feeling the drive to do it in the morning because you know what the day can entail and that's hard enough to wake up to without having a set time for you. All you are asking for is an hour out of 24 hours and you deserve that. I too have a husband that gets home from work and feels the need to take on other tasks that pretty much leave me taking care of our son and by the end of the night I am way too emotionally exhausted to do anything else. The funny thing about the tasks my husband takes on after work is they aren't laundry, dishes or cleaning but things he finds enjoying and it's up to me to explain that and the proper balance. I feel for you but the only chance I see at exercise is when your hubby is home so talk to him. Best wishes.

Hi D.,

First off, congrats on your weight loss to date! GREAT JOB! :)

Now onto my 2 cents....while I do not have a husband and 3 other kids to take of, I do know how important it is to get at least a little bit of time to yourself. You deserve it, and your 2 oldest boys are old enough to understand that. Pick a time to work out (preferable while the twins are sleeping), keep it consistent and tell them they are NOT to interrupt you during this time unless it's an emergency. Set them up with a movie, popcorn, a book, computer games whatever the case may be for you to get at least a good 45 min's in. They will not suffer, it will not cause an unbearable pain they carry with them through their adult life so don't feel guilty. It's 45 min's, not 3 hours. That is not alot to ask of them. If you keep it routine they will get use to it. Then at night when your hubby comes home, you will have more time for him after the kids have gone to sleep.

Also, your 11 yr old especially is old enough to help with chores. Have him take care of the kitchen, I do this with my 10 yr old daughter. Teach him how to unload/load the dishwasher and tell him it must be done every day. That is one less thing you will have to worry about and with all those people in your household that will keep him busy and teach him responsibility for when he gets older and lives on his own! Have the 6 yr old empty the trash from the bathroom and the bedrooms, make it something simple. Make both of them accountable for picking up their items around the house. There is no reason they should not be helping you and this will help you in the longrun. Do not under any circumstances offer an allowance for this. It is something that they should be doing anyways, without the incentive of money. :)

Good luck!
Staci~

Have the 11 & 6 year old do exercises with you. Not really work out but if they want to be around you make it an activity you can do together. Or maybe open up the garage so they can play basketball in the driveway or ride bikes while you work out. Since it's in the garage I could see that working. We have the same situation and my 4 year old does "exercises" with me. She hangs on the bars in between my sets and lifts the 5 lb weights while I count. Very minor but it's fun for her to hang with mommy.

Other option, which is actually my suggestion, set boundaries for the 45 minutes or so you work out and be consistent.

I'm really proud of you and think it's fantastic that you're getting in shape. Good for you and don't get discouraged and quit. It's way worth it to feel good about your body and be healthy. You're setting a great example for your children and friends! Keep at it!!!!!

I have always worked out at home. I usually get up at 6:30 to do so and sometime I get all 60 minutes in and sometimes its broken up to get the kids milk or cereal for breakfast but my kids are used to me doing it every day and pretty much leave me alone. Make it a habit and they will learn to leave you alone.

Collagevideo.com is the best video resourse!

Hi D. - you've already received some great advice but here's my two cents worth. First of all, I'm blown away by you! Twins plus 2 older kids, 2 part-time jobs and 2 home businesses. That's a lot on your plate. Working out is very important to me and my kids understand that. Over time, its become part of our routine. There are definitely interruptions but the more you incorporate it in your day, the more your body and your kids will get used to it. Maybe try easing into the morning workouts. Start with 15-20min in the morning and as you see the extra energy you'll gain, you'll be able to start getting up earlier to make it a more complete workout. I hope that helps and wish you all the best. C.

I don't know what part of town you live in, but there is a great Mommy and Me yoga class at Bryan Kest's Power Yoga, where the kids play and run around while the mommies do yoga. Perhaps there is something similar in your area...If not, prehaps you could suggest it to a teacher of your preferred mode of exercise who has a kid...

I had to get up early to fit in my workout. I also told my kids, when they were home, that it's mommy time and not to bother me. If they did bother me, I told them to get someone else to help them or they had to wait. Sometimes, if they were being really bothersome, I did send them to their rooms until I was finished.
It was hard at first and they did bother me a lot, but now they know when I'm exercising not to bother me. I just had to stick it out through the hard part. Good Luck!

Here's what missing with your older kids, boundries. I too work out at home, and have made it really clear to my kids that this is my time, and unless the house is on fire, don't bug me.

You might also invite them to join you. Even if you they can't be on the equiptment they can do site ups etc. My youngest works out with me almost every day and loves it.

Congrats on losing all that weight!

you are to be applauded for such an awesome weight loss already! good job momma! while this is a toughy, you and your husband will need to sit down and work out a situation where you can get your 30-45 minutes of workout time 5 days a week. my hub travels a lot for work and we have to sit down every month to write out a schedule so there arent daily surprises. as other women have suggested, maybe a movie could buy you sometime with the twins on the days your husband cannot take care of the kids? i hate to tell you but i have had to result to working out in the mornings because there is no other time to do it in our house. and, yes, there are days i dont get to take a shower until the evening but i guess it comes down to id rather work out than have to shower. sounds gross but thats me. good luck and make sure to sqeeze some time in for yourself!

Hi D.,
Can you move your workout machine into the house so you can do it while hanging out with your husband? I can only get to workouts after 9PM. My husband wants to hang out with me then too. I have my machine behind the couch facing the tv and I work out while we catch up on some TV shows. Or maybe your husband can work out with you for 1/2 an hour? Another thing you can do is go for nice long walks with all the kids - go before dinner time when it's not too hot. That way the whole family exercises together.

Good luck!

Hi D., i would stick to the original routine you had that worked. I know you said it was hard with interuptions from the older two........but make a stern rule. While the twins sleep and momm excercises they can watch a movie or read quietly until you are done. It is ok to expect them to follow instruction and get a little excercise in. I do it with my 8 year old, and i just make sure she has snacks so i can excercise whil the baby is sleeping.

Hi
Check out www.babybootcamp.com
Bring the twins- that oughta be a workout
Good luck

The ONLY way I fit in exercise is by getting up at 5:40 am to work out before the kids get up. I was going to a gym after 9 am, but that became too hard to get anything else done. Sorry, no more ideas here except getting up early. . .that's when I do some house clean up too instead of at night. It's hard!

Hi D., 80 pounds congradulations. I used to work out when we lived over seas in Japan, I had a 7, 5, and 3 three year old. We had a 2 story house and the bedrooms were up stairs, my kids bed time was 8:30 so after tucking my kids in I did my work out, it worked for me doing it at night, I had no interuptions I would work out on the stairs then i would do an hour or so on my bike, go done took a shower made a pot of coffee ot teaand realaxed and did some crosswords and then went to bed, no stress no kids running in. just time for me, J.

When I was little my mom used to take us to the high school track. My brother would run with her while I would play in the middle of the track. If you had a doubles stroller for your twins this might work out for you...

Your older boys are big enough to understand personal time. Sit them down and talk to them about how you need to left alone during that time. Really drive it into them and make them responsible for their actions