Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

Original poster

how do you manage to work and do some fitness aswell?

11 replies

happenedagain · 03/02/2011 18:41

A month ago I started a new job work Mon - Fri 5 hours per day. My dd is in nursery in the afternoon and with a childminder in the morning. She will be starting school in September!

I'm wondering how I can manage 2 do some fitness as well as working. I am considering cancelling my gym membership as I hardly went before I started this job so have no clue how i will manage it now.

Any tips on how to fit it all in and still spend till with ds would be appreciated.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
balia · 03/02/2011 19:02

Wii fit (or similar) after she's in bed?

AnnieLobeseder · 03/02/2011 19:08

Exercise DVDs early in the morning/evening or gym in your lunch break.

saffyronron · 03/02/2011 19:09

Can you jog to and from work? Can you extend time with the childminder for an hour so you can go to the gym? A trampette is fab exercise and few dumbells and exercises like squats and sit ups (at home) are great. Do you have family or friends that will have DD for an hour so you can go for a run?

sugarsnappeas · 03/02/2011 19:20

I used to go to a couple of classes which were designed so that parents could do a class with adults while the kids had a separate class as well. It was good for DS as he got some weekend activities and so did I! I also kept quite fit by just taking him out at weekends, we'd go walking and swimming together.

DS is a lot older now but we still do a martial arts class together, it's a good way to keep fit and nice to have a shared activity with him.

spursmummy · 03/02/2011 19:30

I use my Wii Fit either early in the morning or once my DD (she'll also be starting school in September) is in bed and can't recommend it highly enough. I don't have a car so I have to walk everywhere which also helps me keep fit. And we go swimming together once a week; admittedly we don't do much swimming, more messing around, but when she's older hopefully we'll get more proper swimming done, and in the meantime we have a lot of fun.

Original poster
happenedagain · 03/02/2011 19:31

Sugarnappas - I would love to have a shared class with dd, is your class expensive? I have not come across anything like that and thinking it would be expensive...

Saffy - I was thinking about asking my childminder to have dd for an extra hour maybe twice a week but feel abit guilty as we only have the evenings together and some weekends... But am still considering how I feel about it. Also most of the classes I want to do are lateish in the evening and I feel its quite late to keep dd out as I'm trying 2 get dd into a better routine...

Balia - is the Wii fit really good?

OP posts:
balia · 03/02/2011 21:55

Well, it is better than nothing!At least it is a bit interactive and you can choose from a variety of exercises and even game type stuff. I have noticed a difference in my general fitness since I started.

I work full time so when DS (3) is awake, I want to be playing with him, so being able to do a bit of exercise in the evenings after he is in bed is ideal - mind you, sometimes at the weekends we have a go together and he is very encouraging! The yoga in particular he seems to enjoy, so maybe you and your DD can have a go together?

petitfromage · 03/02/2011 22:11

My christmas pressie to me (well I don't have to buy for hubbie anymore so why not...) was a personal trainer for 12 weeks. Never done it before and it is a massive indulgence at £35 a week for one hour session but I have to say I absolutely love it and it leaves me feeling amazing. There is a creche at the gym so 3yo ds is happy as ever to be left with toys and friends while i work out - plus they are open at weekends. We've only done 2 weeks but I thought this week I'd go on weekend and take him swimming after so we get to do shared activity too.

Like you my ds will be in school all too soon but my view as lp since birth is that a happy mum is a great mum and therefore I try to occasionally indulge myself... get some extra childcare at childminder or creche/nursery and get some proper 'me' time away from work. We give so much 7 days a week with work and parenting that I think one (albeit rather expensive) hour a week for ourselves is justifiable. Plus I'm going on first holiday with boyfriend of 6 months and ds in 3 months so I have a goal in sight!!!

Take time for yourself in whichever way you can fit it in. And never let the guilt creep in as you are doing enough for her every day of the year - it's you that deserves some attention...

fridascruffs · 03/02/2011 22:51

I bought a cross trainer and i use it while watching TV after the DCs have gone to bed. Then I do 200 situps. I can't do anything else because I'm alone with them and can't leave the house when they're here, and when they're in school I'm working. But he cross trainer works for me, I hate not exercising.

LadyBiscuit · 03/02/2011 22:53

I do Shred because it's fast enough for him to amuse himself (only 20 mins) (assume your DD is a similar age to mine if she's starting school in Sept)

Original poster
happenedagain · 04/02/2011 23:47

Petit - that's a very encouraging message :)
Fridia - wow u sound very dedicated and fit, u must be in amazing shape, so have u got abs from all the sit UPS? And if its not too nosy how was your belly before you start the sit ups and cross trainer?

Ladyb - I did my 1st shred this morning, have not done it for months... How is urs going? Any good results yet?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread