Fitting it in?!

[brooklyn11]

How do people with busy lives manage to fit exercise in as well? I'm a single mum of 3 and work 50 plus hours a week. We also have a dog.

On a Monday and Wednesday night my kids have activities so usually home around 8pm. On normal nights we get home after 6pm. I sort tea and walk the dog whilst it's cooking. Usually have tea around 7ish and then homework and reading and showers etc and then youngest two go to bed. I then do dishes and clean the kitchen and then do some washing. Grab a shower and by this time it's about 10pm and I'm ready for bed.

I get up at 6:30am and walk the dog. Back home and get kids up and sorted and leave the house at 7:45ish.

There is always something on a weekend and they go to their dads every other weekend but I work the Saturday and usually spend the Sunday cleaning the house from top to bottom.

I know I should probably get my kids to help out more but I suppose I already feel guilty the fact they are at school nearly 10 hours a day as it is so feel it's unfair to ask more of them!

My weight had plateaued completely and I eat ok and obviously walk the dog twice a day but I can't seem to shift the last two stone. I know if I exercised this would help but I've no idea how to fit it in!!

I do struggle with tiredness as well as I have an under active thyroid which is medicated and have B12 deficiency which I have injections for.

Sorry for the long post but has anyone got any ideas or anything I can change for a better routing and to increase my fitness levels? I don't get time to have a dinner break at work either so can't use that time as we struggle to get through our work as it is!

Thanks in advance

I think you need to give yourself a break OP! That is a very full on life!

Can you power walk with the dog?

Can you afford a cleaner to give yourself every other Sunday off?

I've been there when DC were young, single parent, full on job, studying at the same time, ferrying DC about. I didn't do anything else apart from walk the dog twice a day for a few years.

Yeah, I can't really see where you can fit anything else in unless you let something go. I exercise first thing in the morning but my husband takes the dog out then and I do the evening walk. Not an option if you are on your own - unless kids are old enough to walk dog? Or you can go to an exercise class while they are at their activity? Lift sharing with other parents could help. But I'm impressed you feel you have enough energy to exercise, your life sounds full on and exhausting x

It's why running is popular - you don't have to turn up anywhere at a set time, you can just go from your front door when you have the chance.

It's also highly compatible with dog ownership, as you can run with the dog (and most of them really enjoy it). You could turn the dog walk into C25K three times a week initially, then extend as you both get more used to it

Run with your dog? That's what I do. 2 birds with one stone.

Cut your hours. It's too much long term. You'll regret it when you're older.

Get a cleaner in the mean time.

Get a peddle bike and replace as many car trips as possible with it.

It sounds like you're getting plenty of exercise with walking the dog and generally being busy. Therefore, I would take a look at what you're eating rather than how much you're moving. I know you say you eat ok, but the fact is that if you're overweight and not losing, when you're that active, you must be eating too much.

I run with my dog, it is especially good in summer when 6:30am is sometimes the only time it is not too hot to run!

What kind of dog, how old are the kids?

I agree. It's likely to be what you're eating. I suspect you get tired and probably eat less well in the evenings. That's what I used to do as a single mum with young kids! :)

walking is already exercise.
maybe try walking faster or jogging part of the way.
pilates type exercises in front of tv at night (youtube)
park run on a saturday with the dc.

don't feel bad about making dc do chores - you don't do them any service if you don't.

Can you go for a run or something while the kids are doing their activities?

Definitley get them to help take responsibility for some chores at home.

There is always time. You can run or power walk up/down hills with the dog so multi task and do both at the same time. You could even try some HITT - run for two mins with dog, then walk two mins, then run two mins, then walk two mins etc Pilates is amazing and you can find 15 min videos on youtube to stretch and flex your muscles- you must be able to find 15 mins. Also, you cannot possibly be spending literally 6am-10pm on sundays cleaning?- you could fit in a run then.
I'm honestly not trying to be arsey here but if you have time to pop on MN, you must have time to do 15 mins of exercise.

I can’t remember the last time i cleaned the house from top to bottom. I’d rather be out doing exercise