Is it possible to be a full time working mum, have a 1 hour commute to work and still find time to go to the gym !?!

[mumtosp]

That's it really...
I was just talking about this to a colleague at work who has 3 grown children and has time to go to the gym. and she says that the only way she could manage it is because she lived close to work...i.e. you cannot work full time, be a mum and commute and still find time for the gym!

DS is 1 yo and before having him I used to exercise at least 3-4 times a week.... I really miss that and there are days when I am really depressed about the weight I've put on since having DS.
I love DS to bits and would never not want him... but I just wish I could get some exercise :(

It was also easier before as I lived very close to work. But since having DS, we've moved further away for good schools...

Are there any working mums out there who have a small baby and still find time to exercise? I would highly appreciate some tips...

TIA :)

[Wandastartup]

I can but only if DH does his share and I pay for childcare until 45 minutes after I need it! At the moment reception child is in melt down if not in bed by 6.15 so have had to forsake gym for family harmony...!

[comewinewithmoi]

If it makes you feel any better, sahm here and I don't manage it. I do have 4 Dcs though.

[Wandastartup]

Think it's harder as a SAHM to get any 'me' time especially with pre schoolers!

[dontyouknow]

Same as Nevercan - just go once a week at the weekend when DH is around.

I used to do Wii fit at home one evening as well but that didn't last very long!

I do try to be quite active at the weekend generally - long walks, playing outside.

[Bambamb]

It's really really hard.
I lost loads of weight whilst on maternity leave due to breastfeeding and being able to exercise. I loved it and was determined to keep at it. However within a year of returning to work I am about a stone up again and have hardly managed to squeeze any exercise in. Best I can manage are activities after bed time, so 8pm onwards. But I just find myself so exhausted and lacking in energy by then it's really tough to stick to.
I'm about to have my second baby and am really looking forward to getting back into it while getting to be a SAHM for a while again. JOY!

[stowsettler]

DD is 8mo and I have a half-hour commute. I'm struggling to fit exercise in but have come up with this, based on the fact that I'm lucky enough to be the boss and therefore can be quite flexible about my start and finish times:-

Mon - Workout at home. Tabata-style routine I worked out myself. 60 rounds of 20sec work / 20sec rest, which takes about 40 mins. I do this after DD is in bed, so around 7pm.

Tue - either an early session at the gym and into work by 9.30am or a run at lunchtime. We don't have a shower at work yet so I make sure I have deo wipes / towel etc and keep my window open afterwards! Luckily we're getting a shower soon.

Wed - Day off exercise

Thu - Gym after work, DP puts DD to bed.

Fri - Either a gym session or another tabata-style workout - whatever I can fit in.

Sat or Sun - 1 longer gym session and / or 1 longish run.

I have noticed that the biggest hurdle is getting my arse into gear at all. Once I'm in the swing of it it's fine. Importantly I don't beat myself up if when I miss a session. This is crucial to me because if I start thinking "Oh what's the point I'll never be able to sustain it", I'll just give up. So instead, I do what I can when I can.

[GuybrushThreepwoodMP]

The only way I can do it is of I fit it in with my day by cycling to work or running part of the way. If that's not possible I have no idea I'm afraid!

[Littleredsquirrel]

hahaha

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nope. Not unless you don't have to do any work/other things in the evening and can exercise then.

[Alanna1]

Put exercise in your commute.

[Alanna1]

A friend has a personal trainer come to her house at 9 pm twice a week.... Not an option for me. But walking very briskly 30 mins twice a day from the mainline station to my office does help!

[TheDoctrineOfAnyFucker]

Rented rowing machine in the garage. It's cheaper per month than a gym membership.

[YoureBeingAnAnyFuckerFan]

OP could you go in the evenings when your partner could do dinner, bedtime with the baby? even just 2 nights a week?

[StetsonsAreCool]

Going against the grain here, I manage it. But only because dh drops dd off in the morning.

I go to the gym for 6.30am classes, 45 min drive to work, start at 8.30am. Leave at 5pm to pick dd up from nursery. Then I go to body pump on a Sunday morning.

I hate getting up early but that's the only time I can do it, plus I'm too lazy to go back out in the evening.

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

Op if your DC is 1 is there no option to put them into pjs and a baby gro and get them in the pushchair for a walk for 30 minutes once or twice a week?

Or will it disturb too much to transfer to bed once they fall asleep?

Otherwise I'd agree - take it in turns to have a weekend gym session, and one night a week after bedtime. (have your bag by the door and make your DP push you - it helps me).

A 20 minute walk during a couple of lunch times won't harm either?

[mumtosp]

Thanks all for the encouraging replies ! Have decided to start working out at home at least twice a week.... hopefully will get to do more in the future :)

[emmyloo2]

I do but I have a short commute (20 min door to door) and I get up at the crack of dawn! For me, it was a not-negotiable issue before I had kids. I did not want to give up exercise because it is my saviour. I work FT and have a 3 year old and 5 month old. I am usually back from my run or the gym before the baby is even awake. I also don't get to the office until 9am. I have a lot of flexibility as I am quite senior and I work from home at night to get work done if I don't have time during the day. I am pretty bloody tired though!

[chutneypig]

Another vote for early mornings here, I do a run couple of mornings a week, then two at the weekend. I've tried going to the swimming pool recently but the travel just adds too much to the whole thing. I do have an hour commute each way, so extra driving just doesn't appeal.

I started out with the morning exercise doing 10 minutes to start, it really helped to get in the habit without being too daunting. Good luck.

[Passthecake30]

I have a 4 and 5 yr old and an hours commute, I manage by working from home 2 days a week and going then, and at the weekend if I can. Dp thinks I should go when the kids are in bed for the night so that it doesn't effect him in any way but by 8pm I can't be naffed.

[cantthinkofagoodone]

I live near the gym and work 8.30 to 4.30. If I get home after collecting ds I can then go and swim for 30 mins whilst dh gets on with dinner and has ds.

It's the motivation thats hard to go back out.

[superstarheartbreaker]

Could you do the shred at home with kids in bed. I am doing it and that worlout dvd is far more effective than the gym.

[GinnelsandWhippets]

It's really hard. I have been doing Parkrun at my local park on sat mornings. That's quite good as it's at 9am, 5k with a bunch of other runners. I leave the house at 8.45 to walk to the park, am usually home by just before 10 and hopefully as I get fitter I'll get home earlier. I keep planning to do something in the evening but it never happens.
I did a postnatal pilates course after DS2 (7 months old) and she recommended the Nike training app for at home circuit type workouts. Also there's a subscription website called pilatesanytime.com (or anywhere, can't remember). It streams videos of pilates classes graded by apparatus, focus, difficulty etc. My pilates teacher uses it and said that in her opinion it's the best option if you can't get to a class. It's about a tenner a month for unlimited classes. I haven't used it though as I'm crap at motivating myself to exercise at home.

[Zamboni]

Chutney do you run in the dark? I could do early mornings and we have a big park close by, but I don't like the idea of walking running with headphones in the dark

[chutneypig]

I stick to the lit roads round our village, Zamboni. It's a bit dull in the winter but light enough to be safe. I wear a hi vis jacket too. I haven't managed it for a couple of weeks because our lights go off at night and they weren't switching on until 6.30 which is too late for me. I wouldn't risk the pitch black but now the clocks have changed they come on earlier.

[OhOneOhTwoOhThree]

Mine are also older now, but when they were little I used to go after they were in bed (if DH wasn't working late/travelling) and on Saturday mornings (started doing an online shop instead of a Saturday morning supermarket trip). I also sometimes used to go swimming at lunch time (walk there and back, 20 lengths, shower and change just within an hour) and I go through phases of doing the 30 day shred DVD early in the morning when it's too dark to be outside. But as others have said, it's really hard and you have to prioritise - in my case it was usually time spent with DH in the evenings.

I'm now a runner instead of a gym-goer and do parkrun. I'm also looking at joining a swimming class on evening a week now that I'm not reliant on DH being home to stay with the DCs.

[BikeRunSki]

I run at lunchtimes, or about 9 pm.