Making time for exercise
When you become a parent, exercise often gets put on the back burner. Add a job to the mix, and, it can become non-existent.Sure, I know that you can make time for anything you really want to do, but, well, shut up. I don’t like to have time to exercise.
Books and magazines are full of advice about how to make time for exercise, but, sometimes I don’t think it’s very realistic. I know it needs to be more of a priority for me, but, seriously, I really have trouble seeing where to fit it in, sometimes.
For example, I know I’m not going to be one of those people who get up before dawn to exercise. I’m just not, and, I recognize that, so I know I need to come up with some other way to make the time to do it. Even if I could do it in the mornings, I have little kids, and, there’s no guarantee that they’re going to stay asleep, and, it could be a mess.
I can’t really get exercise in on the way to work because I’m the one who takes them to school, and, after that, my job likes it if I’m, you know, there, and, I’d feel too guilty doing it on the way home from work because I get home late enough as it is, and, the dinner and homework thing is looming.
I know some people can fit exercise in during lunch at work. I can probably walk during that time, but, how do the people who do full out exercise on their lunch hours do it?
My best time to exercise is in the evenings after dinner, but, that is the wildest time of day for us. It wouldn’t be right to leave my husband with dinner clean-up, baths and homework every weekday. I can try to do it after they go to bed, and, that might work out unless I am the one to lie down with one of them, then, that’s all she wrote and I’m down for the count.
I know some of this is an excuse for me, but, tell me, what are some realistic ways you fit in time to exercise?
Dang, lady, it sounds like you really don’t have the time. I’d be scared to leave a little one while he slept, too.
Here’s something: I climb stairs at work. I try to, once an hour, hit the flight of stairs near my desk and just walk up and down them. You can work up a good little sweat in just five minutes. People look at you funny, so what’s new? Anyway, I read that you burn 16 calories per flight of stairs.
http://www.fitlinxx.com/Article.htm?id=319
10 times 16 is 160. Not bad for a few minutes here and there, eh?
I struggled with the same thing for many years while mine were little. I just could not find the time. Now that they are older (11 and 14) I find it easier. I run while they are on the soccer field, or at band practice. I can leave them for 45 minutes while I run in the neighborhood. I know this doesn’t help now, but as they get a little older, things should improve. At least they did for me and I hope they do for you too.
And, I used to walk with 2 friends in the evenings after the kids went to bed, but WAAAAY too many times, I would lay down with the kids and fall asleep, never meeting up with them. After a while, i dropped out of our little “fitness group” out of sheer embarassment.
We take the kids to the daycare at the Y and exercise there. They love the time playing, and we get to work out. It works out really well!
I wish I had some helpful tips, but I really feel the same way you do. I have about 2-3 hours each night to spend with my baby girl before she goes to sleep and I fully want to use that time for her, not exercising.
I know this isn’t an option, but I’ve had to do the morning thing. I’ve slowly become a morning person. I go at 6am and I’m home by 7:30 (gym is close) to get ready for work. Husband sleeps in. I used to try and plan for a couple of days a week to go after work, but you know… something always comes up.
This is an issue for me as well. When my two boys were younger (they are now almost 6 and and almost 4) it really just wasn’t possible. Now I get in 20 minutes of cardio upstairs on the elliptical trainer after dinner and homework and before bed. I stay in the house where I can hear them and respond if one of them clocks the other, and they either play or watch TV while I work out. I don’t like letting the TV babysit, but it seems like a fair compromise to get me exercising at least some each day.
I’m In the same boat too!!! And now even without exercising, I barely get time to eat and I still don’t lose any weight. I think I am going to try the morning thing too….Although Im sure I will give it up sooner or later when the kids decide to wake up at 5am too.
My sister has twins and she was in the same fix two years ago when they were born. She thought about several things for 6 months and then invested in a treadmill. She is now able to put in an hour daily at home after she puts the kids to bed. Since she is at home, she is not that guilty and she is able to reach her kids in need.