Tell me how you exercise with a baby and toddler and no energy

[tiredtrumpet]

Basically, just that!
I need to exercise but I have a 2yr old and a 16 week old. Gym membership isn't really an option because of the cost (the cheapest around here is £40 a month plus a £25 starter fee). I don't have much childcare and when I do they generally only tend to take one of them
DH is home in the evenings but after bath and bed and cleaning tidying etc there's nothing much left to give, so I'm hoping to do something during the day whilst on mat leave to get me motivated enough so when I go back to work, I can exercise in the evenings.
I just have no idea where to start so I never do

I’ve got a 3 year old and a baby and have just finished couch to 5k. Your toddler is younger and I remember that age being really tricky in terms of not being able to walk as much with them (unless they are asleep in pushchair), and I found this age with my oldest was when I was at my most sedentary, so I sympathise.

How I’ve done couch to 5k

• I’ve got a running/off road buggy (bought secondhand for £80 and we can prob

resell for same price) which I used a lot initially as toddler is in childcare a few days a week (I know I’m lucky with this). I go to a local park to run with this. I did try it with 3 year old on scooter, In the early stages of the plan this is ok to do but it’s harder when you need to run for longer. Would depend on how your 2 year old is with scooter. -I know a local mum with children the same age, and we have taken it in turn to have play dates at each other’s homes where we each go out to run for 30 minutes. (It makes it much easier if you can time this so at least one of the children will be napping). This has worked really well for us. I know there are some mum meet up apps and wonder if this might be a good place to find someone? Of course if your mum/mum in law could give you 30 mins each a week and you do the other run at a weekend you can do it that way. I think if you can commit to do it 3 days a week it’s best.

I had SPD pregnancies and tough births so started from walking 100m to the end of the road and back. Then back to bed to recover!

I then added in a 15min postnatal pilates DVD (Erin O'Brien). There's a lot more yoga and pilates videos around on youtube these days and like others, I highly rate Adrienne.

Lots of walking with the pram.

I went to a buggy fitness class.

At about 6 months I felt ready for a mainstream class at the weekend/ C25k at night.

For food, keep nourishing, quick, easy foods in. This is the season for soups. Just don't have the quick comfort carbs to hand. They are so tempting when tired, but really don't help.

Be kind to yourself. Heal. Nourish. Go gently with the birth injuries and don't risk making them worse.

My biggest tips, echoing what some pp have said:
Try to train toddler up on a scooter... it’s really worth it. You can get a scooter cheep second hand. Mini micros are best.
Do 10 mins every morning ( can your other half be in charge for 15mins). If you do yoga, the stretching is part of it, no need to warm up before or after. Look on you tube for 10m classes and repete the ones you like. You want to feel a little challenged, so you can see improvement, don’t be put off if your muscles are a bit sore to start with.
Or do 15/10 min hiit. (Like Joe Wocks). If you do a quick one, and don’t go too crazy, you don’t tweed to warm up or down.
Count your steps.

If you do something each day, it doesn’t matter if it’s small.