When/how to exercise, sahm to baby&toddler and dh works long hours

[Hazelanne]

Apologies if this has been done to death - please redirect me to a good thread if so.

I am a sahm to dd1 age 2 and dd2 age 4m, desperate to exercise so I feel healthier and to be able to keep up with them longer term! Unfortunately I'm really struggling to find the right time or activity to make this work, dh leaves house about 6:45 and normally doesn't get back til 9, which means anything I do has to be able to work around dds. There are gyms near me that have childcare options but are sadly way out of my price range and I've been struggling to get even 20mins at a time to do a DVD.

I'm sure other people are managing this a lot better than I am and I would really appreciate any advice or suggestions anyone has. Thanks

You can walk with them if you have a sling and pushchair or pushchair with buggy board. Walking is good exercise.
Otherwise it is grabbing time when/if they nap at the same time to try a DvD or make something up at home. Or once they are in bed. What about weekends?

I'm in the same position & find it really hard! Lots of walks with the dcs & exercise DVDs are about the only possibilities, but that assumes having any energy left after a long day with 2 young dcs. I'm hoping things will get easier when they're a bit older. But interested to see if anyone has any pearls of wisdom!

This is something I really struggled with, DS is 2.5 DD is 17 months.
I joined a local walking group which was free and that was great until DS would no longer be strapped in his buggy for longer than 3 minutes.
Then I bought a DVD that DS joined in with. Again great, but my will power only lasted 2 weeks.
Then I found a council run thing 'mumba' which is Zumba you take the kids too. It's hideous but does get you moving.
I also find being that pro active mum climbing up the cargo nets at soft play helps. An hour of running around that damn place is definitely cardio vascular exercise and I ignore all the faces.

Walking is good, have definitely got a bit lazy with car use lately. I know weekends are an option but as that is the only time the dds see their dad we try and do family things, which while they could include exercise tend not to, dd2 is starting to go longer between feeds (am bfing so need to have her with me most the time) so maybe soon I could slip out for a swim in the morning while the girls have breakfast with dh.
Having written that post earlier I felt inspired enough to just try a dvd anyway which had mixed success due to dd1 using me as a climbing frame - I'm hoping that made it more effective though not convinced! But maybe if I just keep at it she'll grow used to it a bit?
Love the being 'that' mum at the soft play idea, will definitely be giving that one a go!
Another thing I've been doing is lots of very active dancing with dd1, lots of lifting her up and down and jumping around a lot, feel like an idiot but keeps her happy and gets my heartbeat up for 15mins or so which must help right?

I do mine when DD is in bed- exercise bike if DH not home yet, otherwise try to get out for a run (well, I say "run"...) when he gets home. Not easy during dark winter evenings though! What time do your DCs go to bed? Could you do the DVD then?

I always struggled with this when my kids were pre school age as I was either at work or with my kids as my then husband worked opposite shifts to me.
I ended up getting a Wii with wii fit and doing that as they were all the rage back then (2009 ish) . Eventually though as my marriage started to turn sour I joined a gym as it was a way of escaping lol xx

I went for a run at 6am, my DP leaves at 7, I got back just in time for shower and him leaving. Could you do similar? It's light early enough now

There are fitness classes for mums with buggies, typically mums with one baby but some accept older children as long as they stay happily in the buggy.

I've started doing exercises once I've woken up, which has the added bonus of letting me start the day having already felt like I've achieved something. I'm starting the 30 day shred with my DH tomorrow. DD will have a bit of TV and DS (6mo) will be given a treasure basket/fun toys to keep him distracted - hopefully they'll be content the 30mins!

There are slo videos on youtube of exercises you can apparently do with a baby/toddlers. I'm going to search these and have a look, if you can include them in something that they find fun but which is a workout for you then all the better afaic.

Oh also sometimes I just put on music and dance with DD, she likes to be picked up so even better.

Am in same position.
My oldest has just started 2 hours of preschool so I keep thinking I'll be able to do something while she's there. Am sure baby won't mind watching me do an exercise dvd.

Google fitness 4mums I go with baby but others have brought older children who play it's great especially as weather getting better as classes are outside

-Run with them in a double jogger
-Run early in morning before dh leaves so 6am-6.30am

• hour walk daily, longer if at toddler speed. Can put toddler on scooter or running bike so you can walk faster. Gives him exercise also
• get treadmill/ bike/ rowing machine ( pick one) and use at home
• run up and down stairs at home
• DVDs at home
• go swimming with friends and children. Can take turns who gets a quick fast swim ie one of you goes straight in 10 mins swim whilst other gets all children ready, then swim with kids, then other gets them all out and begins changing whilst one swims fast 10mins.
• can you get a bike and kids trailer? They fit x2 in. We have one that converts to jogger so you can use to cycle with or run

Lotta walking was my saviour.

I know it takes a lot of self-discipline, but you can get exercise on weekends and have family time, just have to plan and make yourself go to gym/swim session etc; 90 minutes out of each weekend day isn't a lot, really. Early morning or evenings while he cooks tea, etc.