Any Working Mums? I Need Exercise Advice...

[littlemiss]

Hey Guys, Please excuse the lay out of this message, I've just realised my return key is broken...... I need some help on the exercise front. I work full time Mon to Fri, I do office hours but i'm flexi time so I can come and go as I please, OH watches our 2 kids (one is a baby, one is at school) while I'm at work, so I try and get into work early so that I can get home earlier to spend some time with them before bed time. So my normal hours I try to do are 7am til 3pm. Meaning I leave the house at 6.30am and get home at around 3.30pm. I desperately want to do some sort of exercise. My questions are....what exercise should I do and when. I have a manual treadmill and some light weights in the house. I do some walking each day which equates to around 30mins a day. I could possibly go to the gym, but not before work (its not open then) I could possibly go after work, but would mean less time with kids, could possibly go after dinner, but its too far from my home and I don't drive. So I need to think of some sort of plan. Oh I forgot to mention dinner time, this is a big issue now, see my plan was to get home, spend time with kids, make dinner and then do either my treadmill or some sort of other exercise in the house, but that would mean doing that after eating all my food for the day, incl dinner. I could have a work out at home as soon as I get home from work, and then have dinner after (which would mean less time with kids) or I could make them their dinner, do a work out after that, then have a late dinner (downside of this is making 2 meals each night, and also being crabbit and hungry while making kids dinner) it seems that every avenue has an obstacle...a downside. Does anyone have any ideas? I need something that I can do every day, and not get fed up, I think if I had to commute to the gym every day (on top of travelling to and from work) it might give me a nervous breakdown, so workout in the house is looking like the best option....but what time?? Any advice appreciated!! Thanks.

 

[sarahmun]

Hey little Miss

can your husband not make tea to leave you have some time with the kids after work?

Im a stat at home mum and my hubby plays darts 3 nights a week so when i get a free evening i go to the gym if not though i do an exercise video. Your best bet would be something like 39 day shred or other high intensity 30 min dvd.

Only issue would be to have more than 1 dvd as you may get bored. Try not to push yourself ti do eceryday straight away but gradually build up.

You may find you prefer to do one thing over other but at least your sampling.

Try looking on you tube for some ideas.

Sarah xx

 

[littlemiss]

Thanks x I feel like I should be making dinner, OH does so much he watches kids all day then works at night, I just feel it would be a bit unfair for him to do that as well. I started day 1 of 30 day shred a while back, it was agony, but yeah I would consider something like that and maybe the treadmill too. If baby was a bit older I could exercise/treadmill in the same room as him, but not just now, unless I put him in his bedroom with the safety gate on so he can see me, and I could do it in the hall 8yo can play with him too? What do you think? I'm so full of guilt with being a working mum, and feel like every opportunity should be quality time.....

 

[sarahmun]

God dont feel guilty. At the end of the day whatever your reasons are for losing weight the kids will benefit in the long run. As the weather gets better maybe go for a walk with them before tea which is exercise. Give whatever you feel comfotable with a try what's the worst that could happen. Just remember not to push yourself too much or you'll burn out.

Sarah xx

 

[littlemiss]

Awww thank you - the guilt is immense - when you have kids & decide to return to work, you don't think about the guilt just "can I cope ect" but yes, your right, I will have the confidence to do more with them and be a better mum if i'm slimmer. Cant wait for summer xx

 

[elfy1807]

see my plan was to get home, spend time with kids, make dinner and then do either my treadmill or some sort of other exercise in the house, but that would mean doing that after eating all my food for the day, incl dinner.

Is this an issue because you'd be hungry after your workout? I know I get hungry after working out.
So I usually split my breakfast.
I have my weetabix before going to the gym, then come home and have a banana.
Could you do something like that?
Split your dinner so you have half with the kids, then workout, and finish it off?
Or can you find somewhere to take food from to save for after your workout?

For example, I'm doing WW and have 28 points a day. I use 3 in the morning for breakfast, have between 6 and 11 for lunch, the same again for teatime and then I have the remaining points (often between 5 & 8) left for snacking.
I don't snack on any pointed things during the day, unless I'm having a low lunch and counting something such as a yoghurt into my lunch points. I save them all for the end of the evening, so I know I won't go over.
You're using healthy eating as your method, so I doubt it works quite the same, but if you have a certain amount of snacks, or something free, could you try using it then?!

That's a bit confusing, but hope it makes a bit of sense.

Also, make the most of weekends. Take the children out for walks, play football or frisbee or fly kites in the park. Get out and about.

And maybe you could work out a routine with your OH about dinners and chores.
You say you feel guilty about asking him to cook after looking after the kids all day, but maybe you can arrange that he makes dinner once a week, giving you a chance to have a proper workout at least once a week.

Hope these ideas are slightly helpful.
It's hard putting yourself into someone else's position and to try and suggest things that might work for them.
Good luck whatever you try.

 

[littlemiss]

Elfy1807 - Thanks, I know what you mean about splitting up the points. It sounds like a good idea. Hagalaz - your life sounds so busy, you must do long shifts in work, is it 12 hours? How many kids do you have? Its so difficult isn't it, but I sometimes count the amount of hours I DONT work for, that's my time to do what I want, so if you work 12 hours for example, you have 12 hours spare every day, not exactly amazing but enough to do a small bit of exercise to keep you healthy. Have you started exercising yet? If so what will you be doing? Well, I've been doing some exercise every day now for 4 nights, 10 minutes on the uphill treadmill, some sit ups, arm weights, it doesn't take up a lot of time, about 25 mins in total, but I do walking every day so that's more exercise. I have been coming home, and I've been making dinner, and while kids are eating dinner I do the treadmill sometimes I can get away with all the exercises at the one time but I've just been doing the treadmill then the other things after kids are in bed. Doing it this way means that I am totally starving by the time I start, and its the back of 7 by the time I eat anything, but I suppose its not too bad. xxxxx

 

[littlemiss]

Hey! I started doing the shred, didn't manage to do the first one let alone any more. How is the one that you are doing? That's great you've seen your body shape change, how long have you been doing it, keep up the good work. And yeah, it is better to see exercise as something that MUST be done.