When could I fit exercise into my day?

[CarpeJugulum]

I know this sound daft, but I'm really struggling to get my head round it.

I'm up at 5.30am, and out to work at 7.15am. In between is showering, getting dressed and organising DS & DH.

Work all day and then home by 6pm. DS has family time and his bedtime routine until 7.30pm, then it's dinner time, sort out house/cleaning/washing, sit for an hour to read/watch TV before bed, and then bed around 10pm.

So how do I fit in exercise? I'm thinking about the shred as it's the shortest routine that I can find...

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?

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

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.

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......

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.

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

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

It's still all kinds of wrong!

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.

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.

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.

So, just a quick update. Family left on Sunday and I'm now getting up 15 minutes earlier each morning and doing the Shred. It just means I really have to organise stuff the night before a bit better.

Okay, so it's only three days but I do feel better for it. Weekends are going to be interesting but DH and I had a long chat and he's going to support me more, so I should get either time to exercise, or we'll all go for a walk/play in the park etc. And a whole lot of things are going to be changing, hopefully which cause the underlying malaise. Jobs, house, location in the country - it's all a bit scary!

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.

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

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!

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