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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that not that many mothers have time to 30-60 minute workouts every morning?

208 replies

showtunesgirl · 18/10/2013 15:47

Apparently that's what Maria Kang does.

Now I only have one almost two year old and just can't figure out how you would fit that in with even with one child let alone the three that Maria Kang has.

If anyone out there also does this, can you please let me know your secret?

OP posts:
Imwoodword · 18/10/2013 20:16

I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old who does not sleep. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week (crèche on site) and then do a DVD workout 6 times a week at the moment (Insanity).

The eldest joins in as much as he can, or watches the iPad and the baby totters around playing with toys and trying to jump with me.

Same as anything, if you want it enough you find a way I guess!

TooTabooToBOOOOO · 18/10/2013 20:54

I actually can not fit in exercise other than walking (of which I do a LOT and it is helping with weight loss)

I live in a 2 up, 2 down. My DS sleeps in my room. My living room is tiny. Other than walking, there is no hope of exercising in my house - even tried the Shred and gave up as was bouncing off walls or kicking furniture.

I know exercise gives you energy BUT fuck that, when I do my hour+ walk I am buggered by the end of the day - there's no way I could then get up early, after very interrupted sleep every night.

So, while it probably is possible to squeeze it in, it is not always the best idea if you are already on your knees just trying to run the house and your general life.

However, I know that DS will not be 7mo and a velcro baby forever and then I plan to do allsorts - pilates and a cardio class being high on the agenda sleep being higher at the moment

chrome100 · 18/10/2013 21:05

I used to get up at 4:30am to go running. Not gonna lie - it was pretty awful, but it was the only way I could fit it in.

GinOnTwoWheels · 18/10/2013 21:23

If you do the school run on foot, could you run home? And back again to collect them.

Take them to the park and do lots of sprints/lunges/step ups while they play?

Play with them with balls/football/catch/chase/whatever.

TooTabooToBOOOOO · 18/10/2013 21:28

that's my idea Gin - exercise whilst doing essential stuff, then it doesnt feel like exercise and you got important stuff (entertaining the kids) thrown in too! Grin

So saying, my 9 almost 10 year old would die of embarrassment if I tried to do lunges in the park Grin

MrsTittleMouse · 18/10/2013 21:42

This kind of thing drives my DH nuts - he hates fitness experts telling us how it only takes x minutes a day to exercise, and then chefs telling us to cook a fresh meal from scratch every day, and money experts telling us to keep a spending diary and so on. Of course it's important to them, it's their bloody job! He always says that he wouldn't go up to a chef and tell them that they really must do an experiment a day, so they can sod off. Grin

Of course exercise is important, but if I'd had a photo taken with my two at that age it would have been the baby stuck permanently to my breast with the toddler hitting me over the head with a book and trying to climb onto me to push the baby off. Velcro wasn't the half of it. I could never have left them with my lovely Mum, let alone a creche. Neither slept and the youngest woke up at 4.30am until she was 18 months. Now that they are bigger, I exercise. It's not the end of the world to be kind to yourself and just do what you need to do when your children are little.

Newrowsees · 18/10/2013 21:54

I kind of see what she means. For me, watching television was probably the biggest time suck before I started exercising. I suppose it depends on what 'being kind to yourself' means - to me that means prioritising exercise so that I can eat well and still feel good about what I look like. It's not munching mindlessly in front of the telly all evening, which is what I was doing before.

MummytoMog · 18/10/2013 22:00

I could not give even the tiniest fuck about what she prioritises in her life - I prioritise sleeping in the morning, sitting on the sofa in the evening and eating fuckloads of cake.

Obvs I look a-ma-zing.

(That may be a lie)

Want2bSupermum · 18/10/2013 22:06

I do a pilates class every saturday at 8am. I jump in the car at 7.45am no matter what and go.

During the week I exercise as much as I can. I take the stairs at work and try to walk when I can. It isn't easy. I would like this lady to live my life for a week and then come out with her comments. I worked 48hrs Mon-Thurs and today I will have done another 8 or so. When I get home there isn't much time for anything midweek and I have to get the chores done that DH forgets to do.

LaFataMalvagia · 18/10/2013 22:34

It's not just fancy gyms that have creches.

I used to have a summer job in the creche of my local council leisure centre/pool. It was pretty cheap, about £2.50 for a 1.5h session. Plus swimming on a weekday morning was cheap too.

howrudeforme · 18/10/2013 22:56

I'm either at work or at home looking after ds. I get up at 6am to do housework.I come home and it's the same until 7pm when I bath ds and then get him to do homework - then it's his bed time. I have to tidy up and iron. I watch about 3 hours of tv per month.

I have zero time to do anything for me. I was a gym bunny before I had ds. I tried to get him into tennis - he hated it (my way of getting fit).

I've given up. Not an excuse. I refuse to get up any earlier than 6am.

oliveoctagon · 18/10/2013 22:57

I did more than this most days during my maternity leave. I do lots of exercise now I have the both of them. I love exercise, and once they are 2 they can join in.

Crowler · 18/10/2013 23:05

Running is a great equalizer. It's free, and most everyone can find 30 min 3x a week to get out and do it. 99% of the population doesn't need "staff" to run.

I enjoy heaping abuse on celebrities as much as anyone else does (like Gwyneth Paltrow for example), but there is no amount of money that makes exercise easier.

I would discount people who are seriously sleep-deprived from this equation (new mothers, people working 2 jobs etc) but for everyone else, just be honest and when you're saying you don't have time, strike that and say it's not a priority.

Darkesteyes · 19/10/2013 00:47

Ive been out walking every day for 2 months. I lost 3 and a half pounds by myself and the last half stone at Slimming World 10 and a half pounds altogether in 2 months. Power walking is all i can do. I cant afford a sports bra at the mo either and even if i could i cant afford the gym AND Slimming World It costs to do this diet. i tried short bursts of running on a walk last week and my 38K breasts were bloody sore afterwards.
Sports bras this size are hard to find. Im not willing to risk damaging my breast tissue cos i cant see the damage being rectified for free Hmm And i have no DC

Darkesteyes · 19/10/2013 00:49

CrowlerFri 18-Oct-13 23:05:08

Running is a great equalizer. It's free, and most everyone can find 30 min 3x a week to get out and do it. 99% of the population doesn't need "staff" to run.

Errr since when can you get running shoes, sports bras and the correct trousers for free.

Strokethefurrywall · 19/10/2013 04:10

I used to get up at 3am on Saturday mornings and train for my marathon back in January because it was the only time when I could get 17 miles in and be back for when 9 month old DS would wake up and DH would go to work.

It was also the only time on this crazy island where the temperature during the tropical summer drops lower than 85oF and I could run "comfortably".

That said, I would never ever judge someone for not exercising, nor does it ever cross my mind to think "if I can do it, so can you" - why the fuck should anyone else feel obliged to keep fit just because some mother of 3 who's job it is to stay fit, makes a statement that implies that someone else is a lesser person because they don't look sculpted?

If you have the time to exercise and enjoy it, great. If you don't, that's no biggie either.

SirChenjin · 19/10/2013 08:31

I actually don't sleep. That's how I fit in my exercise.

oliveoctagon · 19/10/2013 08:34

Darkeyes - Its cheap. Most healthy people already have trainers and suitable trousers as they can be bought very cheap. Anyone can keep fit if they want to, its just some people choose not to which is fair enough.

I walk around 20 miles a week with buggy, do a very physical job 40-50 hours a week, and also do running/exercise on top. A colleague started at my work and lost half a stone in a month. Once you are doing this kind of level of movement you are energetic and feel great.

SirChenjin · 19/10/2013 08:37

Having a physical job that you have to do each day. The majority of us are sitting at desks - it's very hard/impossible to fit 40-50 hours of physical exercise on top of a 10-12 hour working day followed by the usual home stuff/ferrying kids to things/etc.

SirChenjin · 19/10/2013 08:37

Having a physical job that you have to do each day is key - is what I meant to say

oliveoctagon · 19/10/2013 08:43

Obviously I am at an advantage but I dont own a car I walk everywhere fast up hills with buggy and shopping. To me there is no such thing as leisurely pace. I am as slim and toned as maria and its a combination of genes, loving exercise and its something I enjoy.

SirChenjin · 19/10/2013 08:45

That's great you have a physical job, can walk to work and to the shops, you're very lucky.

oliveoctagon · 19/10/2013 08:50

Tbf I used to work in an office for years but have always maintained very high levels if exercise, and on maternity. I dont mind people saying they dont want to exercise, but everyone does have time. I kept up many hours during maternity. If you want to exercise thers is always time, even if working in a sitting down job with children

SirChenjin · 19/10/2013 09:01

Everyone has some time - very few people are saying they have no time, but it's very difficult if you're working long hours with minimal breaks, numerous children to look after/ferry about, DH/P's who also work long hours, etc etc to fit in a sustained level of exercising.

What we can do is do what we can do, but this competitive exercising from Maria Kang et al isn't helpful.

oliveoctagon · 19/10/2013 09:08

I know I am phyical in work but I do lots on my own outside of work and dh isnt here any of the dcs waking hours in week, we live in block of flats, no space etc. Any outside of work exercise kids are always with me.

My 5 year old knows all the fitness blender routines. I will walk wherever I can. When babies were young I had them in sling until 1 year and that is hard work when you are as small as me. People saying where do you find energy will find out once they exercise a lot they have more and more energy. The more you do, the more you want to do.