How do you do it?!

[HappyGoLuckyGirl]

I've got roughly 8kg left to lose after losing about 15kg (over a year) through controlling my diet.

Single mother of an 18mo son, so going to the gym is out.

I've got the 30 Day Shred and have done it before, got to level 2 at one point before Xmas. Told myself I'd get back on it in Jan, and after about a week I fell off the wagon again. Plus I'm back to binge eating at weekends, or whenever I'm alone in the evenings.

I want to do the shred every night or at least 5 nights a week if I need to be flexible. But I find myself making excuses once I've put LO to bed. "I'll do it tomorrow" seems to be my favourite at the minute!

Yes, losing weight is important to me but more than that, I want fitness to become a normal part of my life. In a year's time I want to be someone that actually enjoys exercising. I want my Son to grow up with exercise a normal part of his life, so (hopefully) he will never have to battle with excess weight and the awful feelings that go with it.

So, how do you do it? How did you make exercise an intrinsic part of your life, part of your normal routine? Have your feelings towards exercise changed, do you enjoy it now?

I'm thinking of writing a list of reasons why I want to do this and sticking it to my wall. Oh and a photo of the beach I'll be running after my toddler on in 3 months.

Serious lack of motivation. Give me a kick up my wobbly backside?

I ran with mine in a pram. Every day for 30 mins.

Get walking, grab a pedometer and get a baseline of what you do normally and then increase - its really eye opening as 10,000 steps is actually fairly tough IMO!

I agree, try and incorporate it into your daily life. I've done the shred DVD and never really enjoyed it, it was a means to an end. Can you find something you might enjoy? Does your local gym have a creche you could use if you could afford it? It might feel like a 'break' and therefore more of an incentive!

Or maybe try some different DVDs that are more enjoyable? The Shred definitely gets results but I don't think anyone could describe it as 'fun'. I have a Ministry of Sound DVD that I still love years after I got it. It's not as effective as the Shred but it's still a decent work out and I don't have to force myself into doing it.

could you find a gym with a creche? DS was around that age when I started gym classes and he went to the creche for an hour

Yeah, my gym does have a creche but I drop DS off at the childminders at 8:30am and pick him up at 5:30pm - I'd feel like a pretty crap mother if he didn't get to interact and play with me at all, he goes to bed at 7-7:30pm.

I don't think I would particulary enjoy any workout DVD, so my logic is to do the hardest/most effective one. Once I have done it, I feel great! It's the motivation to actually get off the bloody couch and do it that's my problem.

Could you get a bike so you could put them on a bike seat? Run with them in a buggy?

It is easier when they are older and can cycle when you run, and really shows them how you have to keep going when its hard etc

ah right, didn't realise you were working full time too

Maybe you are just bored of the shred if you have done it quite a few times before? Have a look at fitness blender online, there are loads of different workouts to do, you could do something different every day.
Also, is it possible for you to exercise in the morning rather than the evening? Or during nap times? I find it really difficult to motivate myself to exercise in the evening as I'm too hungry before dinner or too full afterwards!

Can you run the way back from childminders? So take some leggings and top to work and trainers and change into after work. Then pick DS up, and run the long way home ( leave pram at childminders and add diverted route if it's less than a 20min jog)

I think I would also use the crèche at gym. Does the gym have a pool? Could you drop ds 30-45 mins in crèche whilst you work out, then take him in the pool after for fun?

Exercise bike in front of the telly?

I joined a running club when my youngest was three. It was an evening run group at 7.30pm once a week. Over the years it has become easier to get to with my DC's growing up, and I go more frequently.
Now I am in a situation where I exercise 6 days a week, and a lot of my 'social life/interaction ' involves exercise - I seem to have surrounded myself with people who run /gym/ cycle etc regularly and we all encourage each other.
Personally I wouldn't be able to stick at a home dvd /exercise routine, I like to get out and see people and have fresh air. Can you manage a lunch time walk ?

I just don't think that anything you have to endure us sustainable. Even if you feel great after and you keep telling yourself that, you're not doing it so just feel bad.

I love the exercise I do and get so frustrated when I can't do it. That's what you need to find, IMO.

Pilates DVD in front of the telly? Skipping? Hula hooping? Running with buggy at weekends? Power walking every lunchtime?

Is there anything you can do near work? I do a pilates class in my lunch hour - it's only once a week but as I pay up front I always make it. I'm rubbish at motivating myself otherwise, even if I know I'll feel better afterwards.

I've also started running (a very short distance) from work to the station every day, which means I catch an earlier train and am home twenty minutes earlier than I would be otherwise - a good motivator.

Have you tried exercising when your little one is with you? My DD loves doing the 30 day shred and such like with me, she's 3 is never doing it right but she loves trying and encourages me when I slow down.

I have to get up before the children. Luckily they are not early risers so I start at 6.30 or 7.00 and they wake up at 7.30 normally. I love having it out of the way first thing. If I don't get it done then I manage to talk myself out of it during course of day!