How do working parents fit regular exercise into family life?

I go to the gym at 8.30 at night 3 days a week when my son is in bed a husband just has to sit there. At the weekend I take DS to kids club and tennis lesson and go to the gym/do an exercise class when he's there. H gets the same amount of leisure time but spends it asleep.

I was a night owl who moved to early morning gym. I signed up for a class at 6.15. It small group training in a “lock up” type gym, rather than a Virgin type gym. ie; if you miss it, you miss it. I’m far too tight to miss something I’ve paid for. I hated the 5.40 alarm to start with, but had a deal with myself that wouldn’t think about it, it’s just get up and go. 3 years on, I wake up at 5.40 am anyway.

Once a week I do an early morning class - important to put everything ready, clothes out, bag packed. So just get up, brush teeth and go. If I start taking leisurely taking my time, I won't go. It does have its benefits for sure, all done with exercise before most people even wake up, and don't need an extra shower in the middle of the day.

I’m interested in moving to early mornings. Late evenings and I struggle to sleep. Earlier evening and it’s hard to fit in with eating together and not exercising on a full stomach and teenage lift schedules. Currently do mid morning but it does dominate my day. My whole work schedule revolves around it. Any tips from non-morning folk on making the transition? Looking back, it was easier when the kids were smaller!

If early mornings don't work for you and you don't want to skip family time, how about late in the evening when kids are in bed? I often go to gym around 9 or 10. Not for intense cardio then but weighlifting doesn't keep me awake.
Do your kids do any activities, can you go during that time? And if looking for new activities, anything you can do either jointly or at least at the same time and place? One of my gyms specifically runs crossfit kids and adults classes at the same time, so parents can also exercise.

And yes you can do a lot at home too. But do look into strenght training options, we really need it and walking/running is not enough.

Early mornings for me, which means I’m at home for DC activities (mainly football and running in the evenings) and DH goes at night (meaning DC aren’t home alone in the mornings when I’m at the gym).

M, W, F - alarm 525am, class at 6am, home by 715am
T, T - as above but do extra after class as WFH so get home closer to 8am
Sat - class at 9am (me and DH, kids come with us)

DH is 6pm/7pm class every day plus football training 1 night and a match 1 night a fortnight (no gym).

DC are football/running every night apart from a Friday and then DC1 has a match on Saturday afternoon and DC2 is Sunday morning.

I go to the gym at 6am

I exercise at home most days - a throwback to when DC were young and DH was training for marathons/ultras so was out running a lot (I was happy for him to be doing this 🤣)

There are so many trainers online offering free programs- cardio, strength, pilates, whatever you fancy!

I walk or cycle places with the children. Younger kids in a trainer on my bike.

DH cycles for his commute,

The exercise has to fit around life rather than it being its own thing that needs specific scheduling. I’ve been thinking of getting a weighted vest to make the walks more of a work out.

I'm currently in wake-up mode and about to do a 15min yoga video...

Parkrun is great for families. We do 2k juniors (Sunday) and 5k (Saturday).

Go for a run while kids are doing activities.

It's easier now mine are older and can be left alone, but when they were younger it was early/ late and weekends. I did a weights/ circuits class on a Sat am, and runs around their routines. Running started because it was flexible.

Too early isn't ideal for me as it's hard to get an early enough night with teens in night owl mode.

Right, time to pick my video and get downstairs...

I prioritise my own set exercise as non-negotiable. My son (age 9) fits in with this. We do karate together - joined at the same time. He goes to climbing club one evening, swimming club another - I use the gym both evenings. In the winter we both race our bikes. I plan my third gym session and on bike training the week ahead depending on work/ family commitments.

our kids are secondary school/ks2 primary aged
we do runs or gymn whilst dropping them off/picking them up from their activities which all tend to be one hour long eg their swimming classes are at the leisure centre that has a gymn in it, scouts is next to the moor so we run there.

sometimes we drive half our commutes with a bike on the car and cycle the rest of the way.

I also always have my sports kit with me so I can fit it in where I can. I probably don’t do enough weight training but it is what it is

Like others, up at 5am for a run while everyone else is asleep, so I'm back in time to get on with our day. I couldn't marathon train without the early morning starts.
Now the mornings are dark again it means a headtorch or sticking to lit roads.

Run/workout in the garden/garage (have a few DB and do loads of body weight stuff)at 5.30am

Run to/home from work instead of driving. It’s about 5 miles away

Used to run while brownies/gymnastics etc was on

Walk in my lunch break

I get up at 6 and do a 30 min workout on the Ladder app, then quick shower and wake to kids up at 7.

Although the thought of it is awful, getting up early to exercise really does set you up for the day!

I know this isn't possible for you but I typically workout (running) early in the mornings while kids are still asleep. Three evenings a week I do weights either in our basement or at my gym which is a 5-6 minute drive. Saturday mornings are for long runs (I've run a couple of half marathons this year).

My younger kids are 15 and 12 so it's nbd for them to be home alone, that said, as I'm approaching 50 my health is a massive priority for me, so if I have to compromise on other things, I will.

And I'll often go to classes at 6am

My gym has a kids club, kids do their class whilst I do mine

I get up at 5am and go 6 days a week. It takes some adjusting but it works well for family life

I do it because I absolutely have to for my physical and mental wellbeing. I have ADHD so have an unbearable burning energy if I don’t exercise. This means I’m creative, plan ahead and make myself do it even when pushed/tired. I’ll caveat this by saying we are two parents and one child. Also, we live about three minutes’ walk from a gym and pool, and by the sea, so I can jump in the sea to swim five minutes from the door. Baby almost one now and I’ve been back to ‘harder’ exercise (i.e. not just walking) since six weeks post c section.

I do it whenever it fits into the day - whether that’s up early, or later in the day while my husband takes the baby out in the pram on the dog walk. Pre children, it was before and sometimes also after work. Now it’s just once a day (not counting walking) but I’ve also changed jobs and can work from home some days, so getting out on a run or to a gym class during the day is an option sometimes. Basically, just whenever and however I can. I’ve run at 11pm before on days when I’ve just not managed to get out sooner. I’ll do a home workout when I can’t get out (though these aren’t as good for me as I’m easily distracted). Sometimes I’ll just do whatever gym class is available at a workable time.

Each evening, we have a quick chat about the plan for the next day and that includes when we’re both going to exercise. Then I’m as organised as I can be - e.g. running kit by the door to throw on quickly if I’m getting up early, contact lenses somewhere I can find them with enough light to get them in quickly, some sort of food prepped for when I get back if I know time is short, work clothes laid out to throw on as fast as possible.

I run during the kids activities. And strength train at 5am, because that’s the only other available time. It’s shit. But less shit than the potential consequences of not doing it.

Interested in this.
Do you run in the dark?

I took up running when mine was at his various activities and it was just something i could squeeze in just whenever. I wouldn’t have managed to keep up with specifically times classes I don’t think - my husband worked away a lot and that made later evenings difficult.

Don't do organised peak time stuff. Go for a run or swim early in the morning or during your lunch break. You're asking a lot of your partner to do 3x per week. Btw, I do 2 fixed training sessions per week, then 1-2 extra runs, either during lunch, on the way to school or with the kids on bikes

WFH days could you not just go for a run or do a YouTube workout on your lunch break instead of going to the gym? More time to exercise if you're not having to drive to the gym.