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Original poster

How do working parents fit regular exercise into family life?

63 replies

Aabbaas · 26/09/2026 17:28

I work full time and have a primary school aged DC. Need and want to exercise more and have a more established routine.
This is what I currently manage:
1 body pump class per week (typically on a Friday evening)
1 dance class per week (another week day evening)
10K-15K steps a day on average

I want to do another exercise class per week, ideally also weights but strugglw to find the time so it will either have to be another evening (which means being out 3 evenings a week) or on a Sunday morning. Either way, this means taking time away from my family. Anyone else on the same boat? What do you all do to keep fit?
Early mornings are a no for me unfortunately and when I WFH I don’t have long enough lunch breaks to allow me to go to the gym, exercise, and come back.

OP posts:
pokewomans · 26/09/2026 18:09

Who is a good weights youtuber? I don’t really like CG

pokewomans · 26/09/2026 18:09

Who is a good weights youtuber? I don’t really like CG

psychodacat · 26/09/2026 18:07

I’d get a set of weights and do a 20/ 30 mins class when you get the chance on your wfh days. Or even find a bodyweight class. I do Peloton strength classes, but there must be loads available on YouTube.

pokewomans · 26/09/2026 18:02

Pre dc, I did a dance class (ballet, jazz, street, etc) pretty much everyday & often did 3 back to back on a weekend & then went clubbing, things have changed!

pokewomans · 26/09/2026 18:01

I think you are doing really well already! I try & do 8k steps everyday, I drive & my job is sedentary.
On my day off (p/t) I do yoga or weights & on the weekend I try and do whichever I didn’t manage or my day off. DH does football one evening & tries to fit in one swim session but again often struggles. He tends to do 10k steps a day due to the commute.

But our dc have a lot of activities & one of us might be out socialising or both of us so we really don’t have much more capacity.

pokewomans · 26/09/2026 18:01

I think you are doing really well already! I try & do 8k steps everyday, I drive & my job is sedentary.
On my day off (p/t) I do yoga or weights & on the weekend I try and do whichever I didn’t manage or my day off. DH does football one evening & tries to fit in one swim session but again often struggles. He tends to do 10k steps a day due to the commute.

But our dc have a lot of activities & one of us might be out socialising or both of us so we really don’t have much more capacity.

Marycontrarygarden · 26/09/2026 18:00

Just finished 30 mins while DP took toddler for a walk, he had his 30 mins before that. We will do the same tomorrow and hopefully have more energy for a longer one. You fit it in where you can, I used to do 5 classes a week and run, and I fucking miss it!!

Anjelika · 26/09/2026 17:59

If you WFH sometimes could you find something to do at home rather than the gym? There’s so much on YouTube.

Itsbeenalongtimeincoming · 26/09/2026 17:58

I think you do a lot already. Life is too busy and exhausting with kids to prioritise more fitness .

Smallpoxy · 26/09/2026 17:57

Husband plays rugby on Saturday morning. I chase after the kids. That's it. Fulltime jobs. Family life.

CheeseyNacho · 26/09/2026 17:56

Tomorrow morning I will be getting up at 5am to go for a run.

Legomania · 26/09/2026 17:55

We have the kids' activities on weekdays evenings which makes the weekends more flexible, so I do one weekday evening, one weekday lunchtime (appreciate this doesn't work for you) and one weekend afternoon. We also have a stationary bike at home which is useful for when DH is out in the evening.

The biggest game changer has been the DC getting older (upper primary) and therefore each of us feeling less guilty about leaving the other parent to it

Hover · 26/09/2026 17:39

Can you cut out the commute to the gym on your WFH days and either go for a run or do a home workout in your lunch hour?