When could I fit exercise into my day?

OP thanks for coming back and updating Hope the new regimen is going well!

I will be in a similar situation when I go back to work after maternity leave (but add in sleep deprivation as 8 mo DD is still of the opinion that sleep is for the week!).
DH and I have agreed that we will go swimming once a week each while the other looks after the kiddies. I will go first thing on a Sat morning and he will go first thing on a Sun morning. We figured we are usually up at 6 anyway with DS and DD so we could go without actually having to put too much effort in.
I also go to a Pilates class one evening a week and will make sure I go for a 20/30 min walk during my lunch break on the 3 days I am at work. I also try to make sure I take DD and DS for a walk each day and can usually encourage DS to run a bit so I can walk faster as walking ay a 3 year old's pace is not great exercise!

Have a look at Fitnessblender on Youtube. Some of their HIIT (high intensity) sessions are about 20 minutes.

Sounds good, Carpe. Late to the thread but I was going to suggest looking at what you do in the evening. There's a four hour window there with some activities sounding like they could be changed/moved/postponed/simplified/delegated. I tend to exercise (sometimes late) in the evening, eating afterwards.

I run 2 evenings a week after kids are in bed- leave house 7.30pm. I just don't eat dinner those nights- just have a substantial snack at 5ish. Evening meals are just time sucks and work generators. We'd all be happier without them IMO.

I would do one early morning - swap your shower time with DH that day, then you run at 5.30, shower and do hair etc 6 till 7. Your DH dresses and breakfasts DS. Once a week seems doable even though it is horribly early.

Once a week go out in the evening at 6 leaving as soon as dh is there to sort out DS.

One weekend session either on your own or family stuff. That's 3 altogether without compromising too much on DS time.

Agree with others exercise with ds, I take dcs swimming on a Tuesday night between 6 and 7 dh has dinner on the table when we get back. Do you do all 10 drop offs and pick ups ? If so I think you need to reclaim that time. It is good for your dh and ds to do without you one evening or morning each week.

It's still all kinds of wrong!

But the OP is already getting up at 5.30! So it's not a new development...

Hell yes mother inferior! I do enough bloody football practice, I want my planned excercise to be child free!

You can get your ds to exercise with you - ds is 4 and she's done the shred with me the last two days - she mostly just jumps at the cardio bits and pretends to do sit ups etc.
Worth a try - I have 2 and was getting desperate as I hate exercising post dinner when knackered.

I would rather stick needles in my eyes than get up at 5.30 in mid winter to exercise. Fuck. That.
Get up at 6, if you must, go out for a run immediately, after you have told ds to run in and wake up Daddy. Come back at 6.40, by which time ds will be at least fed and probably dressed. Jump in the shower, get dressed and made up, have breakfast at 7 while chatting to ds, leave for work.

I can't understand these married women who apparently have no time to do things, or need to organise their husbands! If I had a husband I would bloody well make use of him! I have been frustrated this week cos ther is no dance class I can find on my day off, and they are all late evenings, but where there is a will......

Alternatively if your pool does a women-only slot on a Saturday afternoon that could work.

I'm all about the non-family exercise, me. I tend to see it as a means of escape rather than inclusion.

Ok, yes if you do an hour's swim while your DH plays with DS that would work.

I'm in awe of those people who suggest that 5:30am is a good time to get up and exercise insanely. I did consider it once but I know that it isn't something that would last.

OP I'm trying to be more active without a regime by using a Fitbit to track my steps and gradually increase them by using the stairs, popping out for a walk at lunchtime and being more active at the weekends with the kids. Would this be an option along with healthy eating?

Can I come back to this thread and repeat the comment I made near the beginning - what about family exercise at the weekend?

I disagree with the poster who said that isn't enough of a workout for you. Okay, not if you go at DS's pace, but what about a proper bike ride with DS in a child seat? That's harder work than on your own! And if you go swimming, you and DH can take turns to play with DS while the other one does lengths.

Several advantages to this - more fun, easier than trying to squeeze it into a working day, and DS benefits too

And again I ask, why do you have to organise your adult partner? I thought the whole point of co-parenting was that they organised their share of the domestic work. I grumble like hell about DP but I don't organise him!

Storytown, I work in a commission-only job. In spite of working 8am to 10pm 7 days a week, I still can't afford to pay my rent this month. So yes, for me, I do need to work these long hours. I wish I didn't

I'm sure I'm going to be shot down, but those of you working very long hours, do you need to? I work in an industry where it would be very easy to be at work 12+ hours a day and many do but much of it is for appearance's sake. I don't see any evidence that they're getting more done than I do in my 8/9 hours.

I have the same problem. I am up at 5am, have 2 kids and a husband to organise, and work 14 hour days.

I am going to start 30 Day Shred. It's only 20 mins a day. Even I can manage that.

I agree Unexpected. Diet is more effective than exercise alone in maintaining/losing weight but it's the exercise that makes you fit.

I mean diet is more important for weightloss specifically not generally in life

I find the joy of escaping the mayhem that is the Inferiority Complex at 7am is a great motivator. Seriously.