Exercise! What do you do? How often? And how the b'jesus do you stay motivated??

Sleep - me too. I put on a lot of weight with my youngest 6 years ago and it took me forever to lose. Clothes are highly motivating indeed

I train 3 times a week (CrossFit), sometimes an extra session if I am working on a skill (handstand walk at the moment)

I was a globo-gym girl for years, endless isolation movements with weights less than my handbag, exercise bike while watching the telly...

Basically, the recipe is simple. Functional movements (they are safe, multi-jointed, build all physical skills: speed, stamina, power, strength, flexibility etc etc) executed at high intensity. Keep workouts varied - run, row, bike, do Olympic lifts, gymnastics movements. Mix these in all combinations across different time domains. Keep workouts short - you get more results with 10 minutes of high intensity work than jogging for an hour at snail's pace.

Arrange to exercise with somebody else. I play tennis on Friday - I have to confirm that I am playing by Tuesday and find a replacement if I can't go. It's easier to turn up than find a replacement. I also walk with a friend Monday evenings - again can't let her down. I do yoga Saturday morning and go on my own, although I probably enjoy this the most it's the one I most often miss as I have no commitments to anybody else.

Have a goal in mind - we are walking in preparation for a half marathon (we are doing smaller ones on the run up to).

Do something you like - I have run in the past and hate it. Gave up on the running and now walk, usually hill/beach/dune walking and love it.

Cressida, clothes are a huge motivation for me too! I have spent a fortune on gorgeous clothes since I lost weight after dc3 (last one, hopefully ). It would kill me not to be able to wear any of it! Also I love feeling able to really enjoy great food and too much wine and not worry about it

My preference would very much be to lay on the sofa all day eating cake. However to stay the size I am and to increase my strength and fitness I have to exercise

I do Insanity and I run a bit and I hula hoop. I don't enjoy any exercise but those are the ones I hate least. My main motivation is clothes ( I like having a wardrobe full of size 8 and 10 ) and also attempting to stay healthy for as long as possible

If you have the time to watch telly, you have the time to exercise.

If you can't afford the gym or don't want to go to one, buy some fitness videos. Or a fitness magazine/go on a fitness magazine website and learn some exercises from there.

Cardio can be walking. What journeys do you take in the car/bus which you could walk? According to my pedometer (which I wore today out of interest) I walked 6 miles today, just doing errands/school drop and pick off etc. That's a lot of calories/toning. Sure it takes time, but so does waiting for the bus or sitting in a traffic jam.

Try to think of solutions which you can incorporate into your current life, rather than expecting to be able to persuade yourself into mammoth exercise sessions four times a week.

I do anything I can if I can get away from the DC's for an hour. Either the gym / abs / body balance / body pump / swimming or a run. At home I've got Shred and a 10 minute miracle DVD. Ideally I'd work out 6 days a week like I did pre-DC's, but sadly I can only do something 3 times a week these days.

I do it because I don't want to get old and creaky. There are 70yr old women in my body pump class who can lift good weights. I'm going to be like them one day.

lizzabadger I would much rather be at the gym and in a class than at my job

I am in awe of those who fit exercise into very busy lives.

I'm the first to admit I have it pretty easy, don't have to work around kids or job.

It hasn't always been like that and when I had less freedom I kept the habit going, just at a reduced level.

Cardio : swimming 5 times a week, between 1/2 and a mile each time
Stretch : Yoga up to 5 times a week
Tone : Pump / weights twice a week
(self employed so work fits round the gym)

I would prioritise strength training too Miss, especially if you are generally active and squeeze the odd run in. Just 10-15 mins of push-ups, squats, lunges, tricep dips and planks before you jump in the shower in the morning (possibly again in the evening?) would make a difference.

miss my DH is like you - non-flexible job, on the go all day. But every weekend, without fail, he goes for a 2 hour run first thing Saturday and Sunday then squeezes in 2 weights sessions at his work gym during lunch during the week. I know other FT working parents who work out in the weekends (but early so as not to impact much on family time) then aim for 1 or 2 quick sessions (running, gym, class) during the week... Is this viable for you?

Hey miss I wouldn't sweat it (see what I did there? ). For starters, you're probably burning loads of calories because you're constantly in motion. When I worked I used to try to walk for an hour at lunch time...if you're good at multi-tasking you can make phone calls or run errands at the same time. Another thing I did (ok, this is harder), was get up at 4:30 to go for a quick run before everyone else got up. You've got to be disciplined and get yourself to bed a bit earlier to make this work but it's rewarding in that you then feel pretty awesome and virtuous for the rest of the day and will have more energy to get through a long day of work, chores etc. You can always eat/have coffee on the way to work if you commute. Also try to do some family exercise at the weekend? Bike riding, swimming and walking work for all ages or trade-off exercising with DP. If you really can't fit any extra cardio, I'd say at the very least try to do a bit of strength training here and there...reaps massive benefits in very little time.

miss

the only time I can do it is right after school run, with 17 month old DD climbing all over me!

I'm rubbish at getting up, useless in the evening and I am a SAHM but I have 6 kids under 12.5 so quite busy!

does that help?

I really struggle with this too - I am finding some of these suggestions helpful - but a lot of people replying, not everyone of course, but most - seem to be SAHM with older children or have a flexible day - I find that I am out of the house with DD at 7am, then home at 5pm earliest, 6:30 most nights - once I have done everything I need to do then the most I can manage is a run once a week with a free group, a pilates class (although didn't go tonight) and maybe a run once at the weekend on my own. I have swim membership but haven't been in months, did couch to 5k but struggle tog get out the door most evenings.

I do find the running group helps - it is through sweatshop, they have a free community and you get free stuff after a certain amount of runs and get to know your time every week - which helps. But it is a struggle to keep going to things I find.

Everything just takes so much time, and I am just so tired! I get home and have emails to send, planning to do and marking to do, plus the stuff around the house like washing, cleaning etc- then obviously spending time with DD - then trying to get her to bed and spend time with DH. It is just too much!

Just how do people who work full time and have kids manage to exercise - there is no way I can do 4 exercise classes a week and gym sessions - I can't afford it for starters! Motivation on top of that is the biggest problem - I want to be in bed asleep as I am shattered and up at 6am but I have to sort the washing and get my stuff ready for tomorrow. The thought of doing the shred (another thing I started and didn't finish) just isn't appealing!

I just treat it like a job, i.e. I turn up for my exercise classes without fail whether I feel like it or not.

same here, a combination of vanity, health and the feel good factor/physiological effects.
But really being fit, strong, healthy (and mildly obsessive about it) has become part of who I feel I am.

As I got into my mid 40's + it had turned into a kind of quest to see how long I can stay in good shape for
how long can I have a youthful body?
is losing your waistline after menopause inevitable?
Will my strength start to decline even if I keep up with regular heavy lifting?

Yes, wanting to be trim, fit and healthy as I get older is also a huge motivation for me to exercise. I've seen both my parents leading severely compromised lives physically in just their 60s because they've never exercised. Yet my MIL, who is the same age, travels the world, hikes, does yoga and pilates and frankly has the agility of a woman in her 30s. She is able to enjoy time with her energetic 5 yo granddaughter far more than my parents are able. As an older mum (40s) I need to be fit and healthy to enjoy my DD and any grandchildren well into my 80s (God willing).

I set myself a few goals in the past to start the habit. Once you have a habit for over 21 days this helps as it becomes a habit and you don't have a debate with yourself as you just do it out of habit after you have reached your goal - whether that be to run in a certain time or lift a certain weight.

I use a local gym a lot and do about 6-7 classes a week, I also double up to save time as the gym has masses of classes this is easy to do. I know if I don't go then old age will grip quicker and I will slow down faster and I really don't want to be an old slow frump use it or lose it

I run, 3 times a week.

I love the space it gives me, at gone I have a 10mo permanently attached to me. I get silence.

It feels amazing.

It's helping me lose weight, losing weight is helping me run faster.

I enjoy Zumba top but the times don't fit well with Velcro baby. At least running I can go whenever (even with Velcro baby in a running buggy).

I find the more I do the more I want to do.

I love to exercise.

I love the exercise itself (it's amazing feeling strong and able to keep going.

In all honesty thought I am also motivated by

1. the fact it means I can eat anything I want (within reason):
2. the fear of the increased risk of disease if you're not active;
3. looking good naked :)

I'm a SAHM to a 3 yr old and a 7m old. I spend all day running after them (no car so we walk everywhere, including a 4 mile round trip to the grocery store twice a week, and 2 miles daily taking the 3yr to school and back), as well as volunteering for two charities and studying in the evenings. I find exercise gives me energy: if I miss a day, I feel sluggish all day long.

I work out first thing before the children are supposed to be awake. So I get up at 5am. Crazy early, but then it's done and the day can begin.

OP I think you need to get into it. For me it's a need, simply because it's so set into my daily routine, it feels odd not to do it. So you need whatever the adult version of a sticker chart is until it becomes a part of you.

Marking place to read later,.

I'm currently doing insanity workouts but can only manage 3 a week and it's really tough to force myself to do those. I make myself do it by knowing a) I will feel fabulous at the end even if I hate it when I'm doing it b) if I want to fit in to my 'thin' jeans I needs to workout

check these out, I'm sure everyone can find some inspiration amongst 1,000 reasons

I think I simplified your problem to much there OP, it's probably the initial but you need to get past!

Why don't you try a 30 day challenge or something along those lines? Set yourself manageable goals and give yourself an incentive. For example a pound in a jar every time you exercise, and at the end of the month buy yourself something nice. Once you've done that for a while you will probably be more in a place where you actually want to exercise because you will be feeling the benefits!

PT 3-4 times a week, works better for me than gym as the PT is close by so no travelling and I only have to get DS minded for an hour. I do high impact cardio and weights.

Pilates class once a week, plus as and when I can fit it in at home.

I try to fit in a decent walk and some squats/crunches on the days I haven't trained but don't always have time.

Honestly I think once you get past the initial idea of doing it and get stuck in its easy enough to stay motivated. I feel crap the days I don't exercise now and really want to do it, whereas before I would have made any excuse under the sun not to!