To think it’s impossible to exercise with young children?

[lineandsinker]

As the title says, really.

Mum to 13 month old DS. Prior to having DS, I went to the gym 3-4 times a week. During mat leave, I went out for daily long walks with my LO.
Returned to work 4 days a week in Sept (am a teacher) and I just can’t find the time to exercise.

I leave for work at 7.30am and usually get home at 5.30pm. DH arrives home at 6.30pm. By time DS has been fed, had a bit of time with me, been bathed and put to bed, it’s 8.30pm. Once DH and I have had dinner and cleared away / prepared for next day, it’s 9.30pm. We usually go to bed around 11pm so we’ve had a little bit of time together and also time to sit and watch the TV to relax.

On my day off, DS is an early riser. I’m usually exhausted from the working week and can’t push myself to do much more than a brisk walk outside. DH and I try to do longer walks with DS at the weekend, depending on what else we have planned but doesn’t always work out like that.

Due to COVID, I am a static teacher - have to stay at front of room. Drive 25 mins to and from work. DS is shattered and hungry from nursery so can’t take him for a walk once we get home (have tried this already).

AIBU to think it’s nigh-on impossible to exercise when you have small children? I’m really beating myself up about how little exercise I’m doing, particularly as I’m used to being quite active.

yanbu, I'm sure you will get other people telling you yabu, but it's tough with young kids. I found it best to just endure it knowing it would get easier to find some time for exercise later. Maybe you need to snatch small mini exercise breaks, 10 sit ups here and there between everything, for example, several times a day.

OP you will get loads of people smugly happily telling you that they went to the gym 7 days a week with 5 kids under 4 etc. The reality is that most of us are in the same boat as you. Time poor and tired! My advice would be to try to focus on a couple of slots 2-3x a week (get DH to take LO when you go to the gym on the weekend) but don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t happen. (And 13 month olds are excellent for weights type exercise so console yourself with that!)

It’s hard, no question but it comes down to how much you want to and how you prioritise. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t make it a high priority, but you just have to decide. In your position if you want to make it work I would consider running because you can do it with baby in tow (running buggy), or alone, anytime and anywhere for however long you want it can manage. Even a fifteen minute slow jog twice a week would be a start and once it’s part of your routine you can build it up from there. Or home work outs including YouTube yoga.

It's really fucking difficult. Can you get up early when dh is working and do something before he goes to work? Then another session on a sunday?

Young children are the exercise!

Won't do you and dh eat separately to ds?
If you ate dinner earlier with DS then could you leave dh to do bedtime 2/3 nights a week and go to the gym?

Try to find one class a week on a Saturday or Sunday (or do both) and do them religiously each week.

Pretty sure the 'sweaty mama' classes round here are a franchise so may be one near you. Basically a workout class where everyone sticks the baby in a carrier and works out. Looks exhausting.. I stick to baby yoga

Yes 100%

My youngest is now just turned 3 and it's the first time I've finally managed to fit in exercise again since I first gave birth 8 years ago. Not paying for some of their after school clubs which ended due to covid meant I could afford to pay for sports clothes and I'm only finding now I have the energy to go out to exercise.

Everyone's circumstances are different, I just saw it as something I had to go through until they were a bit older

Running buggy for day off and weekend.

Force yourself to do some yoga every day, it's not too bad for sleep to do last thing, I did 3 months solid -started in lockdown and only stopped after appendicitis got in the way!

The only thing I managed regularly with young kids was exercise dvds such as 30 day shred which are less than half an hour long. I’d do them on the nights it was my partners turn to do bedtime then quick shower and then we’d eat etc. Your schedule sounds tough, I don’t blame you for finding it hard but it will get easier in time

As pp said sweaty Mama classes all the way. Only way I could get a workout in with a 4 year old and 10 month old.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've made it to the gym since I had my DD (now 2). I try and squeeze in exercise when I can but I've also just accepted it's not going to be a big part of my life for the next few years. When I do get 20 minutes to myself I just want to sit in silence!

Also I was thinking shred in the 6.30pm to 8.30pm slot. Doesn’t take both of you do do bedtime every night?

I think I meant ‘I was also’.

It's hard, but there are ways if you really want to. Exercise bike at home, or workout DVD or a run in the evening, leaving dh in charge of dc?

I can't manage exercise on a meaningful level.
Husband works 7am till 1pm. I work 1pm till 9pm.
Both our kids are preschool age

it comes down to how much you want to and how you prioritise. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t make it a high priority, but you just have to decide

This. Maybe on some evenings your husband can sort everything and you can hit the gym. home workouts after you come home. Running buggy so the kids can come with. Batch cooking so there is no need to cook on some evenings. On the weekend if your husband is not working then.

I took up running when dc2 was a few months old, having been totally unfit before dc. It kept me sane, helped me lose weight (much needed) and helped bring down my high bp.

Yanbu I had just started a fabulous class last January where I could bring one year old DD but due to restrictions now only non crawling babies are allowed as obviously toddlers can't social distance. Someone on here recommended Leslie sansone walk at home on YouTube about two weeks ago and it's been a godsend. I'm really enjoying it and I can fit it in. I've three children and there is always someone having a drama or whatever and myself and DH are just exhausted every evening

YANBU - 4 and 2 year old DC here. Before having them I used to run 3-4 times a week, did many 10ks, half-marathons and even a marathon. Did parkrun practically every week.

My running just has not got back to the same standards I do try and get out at least once a week and sometimes I put in a bit more effort and go a couple more times, but I haven't run further than 5k and my fitness is no where what it used to be.

I tend to either go at 8-ish in the eve when they're asleep or the weekend. In theory I should have a bit more time at the moment as I'm working from home and DC are in school/nursery (couple of days a week) but technically I should be using my 'lunch break' to do school run and also tiredness..

As PP say, it's not a situation that will stay the same forever so I'm just trying to go with the keeping things ticking over approach. Also running after young children/lifting/maneuvering buggies etc can be quite good at keeping you toned.. I swear my biceps are in pretty much the same condition as when I was running 20 miles a week!

Before covid I did prioritise exercise by doing home workouts and going to the gym. I used to go on my way home from work and at the weekend. During lock down I did start doing more at home stuff on my days off. The thing is I was utterly utterly exhausted, frustrated and never fully commuted to anything.
Its true that exercise makes you feel good and gives your more energy but on top of working, looking after young kids etc etc it had the opposite affect on me and was something I used to dread but do because I felt like I should. Since I have decided not to bother I actually feel better. Its probably not great health wise but my mh definitely feels better as I don't feel pushed for time and constantly trying to rush around fitting everything in.
My dh still goes to the gym and I can see how much it causes him stress when something crops up or he's pushed for time etc he gets very little actual down time. No thanks... I'd rather spend any free time I have with the kids or relaxing with a book.
I watch what I eat most of the time so stay relatively slim that way.
Il pick up exercise again when my kids can look after themselves.
Don't worry op.

I used to go to gym at 5am and start work at 6am. DH would go on his lunch break. It’s just a question of making the time. Even going 2x a week is better than nothing.
Once kids were aged 5+ we were able to go on family walks, and do active things like camping, cycling, sailing or canoeing together on the weekends.

Some people do manage to prioritise it and I wish I could. A lot does depend on your actual jobs but also how much help you’ve got and how willing you are to prioritise it over other things.

With baby number one, I did boot camp from 6w to 4m and then nothing else for the rest of my mat leave. I managed to go to a class every Saturday for a year once no.1 turned 18m and then it all went down hill again when number 2 was born. I think it is very hard when you’re working and sleep deprived but I’m seeing the light again now that number 2 is approaching 18m. I can see that weekends should be more realistic for us both to plan in some exercise soon.