Twin mum with no village… are walking pads a good alternative to gym?

[HopeLoveMum]

I have 18 month old toddlers and all summer I took them on walks to the park and maintained my weight to around 61-2kg which was fine. Now as they’re very hard to handle alone as they run everywhere and hate the pram, and because it’s getting cold now, I haven’t taken them to the park in a while. I checked my weight and I’m 64.5kg!!

My eating habits haven’t changed but my step count has gone from 8000 to 2500-3000 and I have no childcare help so can’t go gym.
I am thinking about investing in a walking pad to get my steps in, would this be a wise alternative?

Just warning, I tried to use mine in the living room with my 5yo sat on an armchair watching TV. He was warned multiple times about the danger of leaving the armchair and approaching Moving Mummy and how it would result in the imminent death of one or both of us.

After contorting his body to be as "off" the armchair as it could be and still be touching it, while yowling for snacks, I was so distracted I gave up and it's been leaning against the wall ever since.

I probably should use it after he goes to bed but I'm a morning exerciser by choice and he's up at 5.30...

They're quite limited in what they can do (light cardio) so may not be the best thing to get. For cardio I think you'd do better to put some music on your phone and dance - the kids will love it and get some movement too, and you'll get your heart rate up more than just walking. For strength or more cardio there are loads of exercise videos you could follow, either just bodyweight or adding in things you have around the house as weights (water bottles, tins, a rucksack full of books). You can expand that further with some resistance bands.

I have 8m old twins and recently bought a walking pad. I love it :)
spent £100 or so and it is in the front room. The twins would climb all over it at the start but now they are not bothered by it. I usually use it when they go to bed but when I have used it when they are awake they play in their play pen while on it! It does go quite fast and you could do a light jog on it

I’m now finding the park too difficult as well - it’s absolutely exhausting physically and mentally running after two toddlers - only a twin mum would know what’s it’s really like!
my step count has dropped because mine hate the pushchair now too and kick each other! So I’m driving to most places. I’ve found I’ve had to reduce my calorie intake because I’m not exercising as much. I try to do some low intensity workouts whilst they nap for toning but I don’t do much cardio now.