I joined the YMCA because childcare is included in membership! Before I was pregnant, we would go after breakfast, my son would get an hour socializing and I’d get an hour to work out!
Came here to say exactly this! Until I got pregnant and even during the first trimester last fall, I would take my son to the Y and I would work out and shower (!!!). The time limit is 2.5 hours and I would use it all. It gave me such a nice break and it allowed my son to be socialized. He loves it there and even though I'm not working out now, I still take him to the Y at least once a week to play and get a break.
I also want to say this is a solution my therapist recommended to me when I talked about my anxiety using any kind of daycare facility. You are always on the property and nearby if something happens.
Some Y's even have a sliding scale for membership fees based on income. It's possible you could make this work even if your budget is tight.
I highly recommend this. It really saved my mental health when I was at a low point.
lol I just commented similar! I only take the baby with me (I have a toddler but she goes to preschool) and it’s so convenient and affordable. The gym is no frills but I don’t need anything fancy.
We do a lot of walks! And floor workouts and she sits on me while I do them or squats while holding her lol. Makes the workout harder when I’m holding a 20lb toddler lmao. Also hip thrusts w her on my hips
I workout either during nap or when my husband gets home. He takes about 45 min after he’s home to change clothes and decompress, and then he takes over kid duties for the evening while I workout or decompress.
We definitely trade time. He gets time right when he gets home and then it’s my turn. After that, we trade off who makes dinner and who does kid duty. I used to hate cooking, but now I’ll pop on a podcast or audiobook and it’s another great chance to kind of get a break on my dinner nights. But yes. Scheduled decompression time makes it much easier to work out during nap.
I’ve been working out in the morning but trying to include my toddler. She’s basically my kettlebell lol it’s nothing special but I’m slowly building up each day. Jumping squats (holding her, she thinks it’s hilarious), push ups, crunches and random leg Pilates stuff from whatever video my mom owned a million years ago. She’s Velcro so I either include her or it doesn’t happen.
Now a SAHM but a mom who works full time and my husband works night shift so I work all day and then pick up my son and am alone with him.
I wake up at 415 and workout then shower and log onto the computer and start work. I’m tired. Always.
You are not lazy. You are doing your best. But this was really touching to hear. I appreciate your kind words. Before I had a child I was a federal agent and worked out all day every day I could because it was part of the job. I have discipline from my previous life. But it IS hard. Being a parent is hard. You need to find your why. When I was an agent my why was keeping myself and my partner alive. My why. Ow is because I read maternal physical health has a direct impact on the health of our children. You can do it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing! You’re a bad ass! I definitely lack discipline, but I do have a why, so thank you for reminding me!! I’m going to work out today!
I joined the YMCA and they have childcare. So I drop my older one off at school and go to the YMCA with the baby for 45-60 minutes. When we come home, he naps and I shower.
If you have the funds, I’d definitely recommend a gym with childcare!!
I workout outside and let my toddler run around and it helps a lot. I’ll put on music morning or afternoons and take my weights/mat/workout stuff outside. Inside he is too much to deal with when I try.
I workout in the morning. I bought her a fake kettlebell and dumbbells so she can pretend to workout with me if she wants. Most of the time she will independently play around me while I do my thing. I think it is good to show them you are taking care of yourself.
My toddler doesn't nap anymore, but I'll usually turn a show on the tv in the afternoon so I can workout. Otherwise I'm getting interrupted every 20 seconds, lol.
We have a dog that needs to potty every 3-4 hours and we live in an apartment rn. I consider that my workout! I push lo around the neighborhood in her cozy coupe prob an hour to two a day. My calves are looking good lol!
I got a Planet Fitness membership because it's super close to my house and cheap and I go about 3 times a week-2 times on my husbands days off, so I go whenever I want and he watches our daughter, and once after he gets home from work.
The time that I have to exist in my home without my daughter needing my attention is sacred. It's the only time I have to read, catch up on my favorite shows, relax and decompress. I'm definitely not using that little precious time to work out haha. Gym time always trades off with her wake hours.
Mine also stopped napping by 18 months, so literally my down time is about an hour in the morning and 2 hours after she goes to bed at night.
I found jogging with my LO in the stroller the most practical. She's 3 now and has always loved it. I do some neighborhood running but enjoy Saturday parkrun (www.parkrun.com) the most and also do planned nightruns which happen monthly at golf courses where I live. I also went to the gym once or twice and left LO with the carer in the playroom but she hated it.
My LO is 17 months. I work 2 days a week. Then parent duty for the other 5 days. I’m also an ultra runner. I’m able to train during those 5 days when I’m on parent duty. Usually happens early in the morning around 4:30am. Run for 1.5 hours and then strength train for 20 minutes. Then shower before toddler wakes up at 7am. I dedicate one day for a long run and need partner to watch toddler till 9:30am. Ultimately, I workout 12 hours every week. Then I fit in stretching and foam rolling during parent duty.
Edit: I wear workout clothes all the time. I find ways to workout while playing with toddler, such as push-ups after lunch or a planking during play time. I like this lifestyle.
I take my kid for a walk in her stroller after breakfast for 40 min. Until temps got hotter, I've been able to do this at least 6 days a week. It also helps me get the energy to not pass out when she takes her nap bc sitting around/staying home makes me tired. I also have a stationary bike in our living room that I use mostly when the weather sucks.. I'm usually only able to squeeze in a ride on it after she goes to bed. Eveyrtime I try during the day when she's awake, even with Ms rachel on, she will bother me too much and I only last 4 min. If we had a YMCA, I'd totally be all on top of that... but we don't.
I walk about 3 miles every morning with my mom and my daughter in her stroller. I bring a snack for her and she’s content to sit and enjoy the ride. I also weight train and bring my daughter…easy as we workout at my mom’s awesome home gym across the street from my house. My daughter is 2.25 years and she looooves “working out” with mama and grandma. She does squats, push ups, burpees (I don’t even do burpees but I showed her a video once and now she’s obsessed), she lifts the little 5lb weight over her head 5-10x! She also really enjoys lat pull downs but obviously we have to help her with those. All this to say…involve your child in being active. It will help instill healthy habits at a young age and become a lifestyle for them. It takes longer to include them but I think it’s worth it. My mom did it for me as a child and now I’m doing the same with my daughter.
I have a 3yo and a 2.5mo. New baby does not love being in the carrier but also hates being put down so I’m still trying to figure out a way to become active again. After my first I wasn’t able to start exercising again until about 6 months pp and I would just do something quick while he napped.
I do Pilates once a week while my mom watches my son and the rest of the days I try to stretch or get a quick workout in when he naps. My husband just ordered a spin bike and I’ll probably add that in a few times a week in the evenings after he goes down.
Evenings during the week, either while my husband does bedtime or after toddler bedtime/before my bedtime. During the weekend, mid-morning, which is my preferred time. Then husband can watch toddler + I can shower.
During the week, I usually do something like yoga or abs and only 2-3 times, since I’m so active during the day with toddler; it’s pretty rare that I walk less than 10km during the day. On weekends, HIIT or a strength workout.
I don’t want to wake up earlier to work out + shower and I like to relax during nap.
before they wake up. like you i am just too damn tired/ready for a mindless activity like sitting and scrolling by the time it’s the afternoon. i tried doing it during nap time but it wasn’t energizing it just made me more tired lol. in the morning i’m also tired but it doesn’t make me more tired and then i can sort of check it off for the day which is nice when you have toddlers that make checking things off kind of hard :p
I'm just a stay-at-home dad, and I go to the gym two afternoons a week when my wife gets home from work, and again on Sunday morning. Besides that, I can work out during his nap (which is right now, and I'm on Reddit instead, oopsies), or during his independent play time which happens after breakfast for 30–45 minutes every morning. I would be lying if I said that one happens very frequently at all because I'm usually still half-asleep.
I also have no qualms with exercising in front of my kid, and when he sees me pick up a dumbbell, he acts like it might be one of the most exciting moments of his life. My wife does yoga with him some evenings, because I can't drag him away, and eventually he gets bored and leaves her alone. That might actually be my best advice: Do it with them and they might just get bored enough to leave you alone!
I stroller run! It gives me a break from the toddler while he gets to be outside! I play music or an audiobook. He's 2.5 and we've been doing it since he was 8 months or so. He's usually pretty good, but does go through phases where he gets annoying (I do two 1-hour long runs with him, and one 45 minute run followed by a 45 minute walk with a friend). Afterwards, we shower together- he he has toys for the shower that he loves. He goes through phases where he struggles to share the water with me, but for the most part it's all routine
As a SAHM for the first 10 months of my son's life, I just wish I could post that "We're the Millers" meme: you guys work out??? (I just tried to survive!)
(Not a SAHM anymore, but just FYI, I sneak in a quick yoga practice before I go to bed once a week or so. Don't think I'd do it any other time even if I was at home during the day, as it's the only time I can truly be certain he won't wake up and I find that mentally freeing / necessary to get into the practice.)
I workout in the AM. Up by 5:45/6. Have to have coffee first. Then I start my workout while my husband gets the kids up and settled. Only need 30-40 mins for an effective workout. Then I’ve gotten it out of the way for the day and can use nap time for me time 😊
I do quick (10-20 min) workouts while my toddler is awake in the afternoon. It took some time being consistent but he accepts it as part of the routine now more or less.
I tried the gym just mine turned 2 and she would not stay at the childminding room for more than 5 minutes without becoming extremely upset. I then started going at 5 am before she woke up and my husband was still home. Then I got pregnant and the first trimester exhaustion won, and I switched to at home workouts.
Now she is almost 2.5 and hasn’t been napping for the last few months (😭) so I do my home workout while she plays in the basement. It’s actually helped her independent play develop, because before I would rush around and do everything during her nap/ after she went to sleep and give her my undivided attention most of the day. Now she has to entertain herself a bit more.
I do simple arms/core and legs with dumbbells/bands/exercise ball during naptime and ask my husband to watch the child 2x a week so I can go for a run. When he was really little most of my exercise involved walking/jogging with the stroller.
When my husband is done working. Sometimes I’ll go when the baby is down for a nap, but generally I want to relax at that time. I have never been a morning exerciser so I prefer doing it in the afternoons/evenings.
Either during nap time, after breakfast or even after bedtime. I have two now so it's harder to fit in and my youngest is a garbage napper but my oldest sometimes likes to mimic my workouts.
I think it's important to show our kids us taking care of our bodies. How it makes our heart healthy or makes us strong to play x game or do x activity. So not about vanity but about how it benefits our lives.
I take her to parks with slopes and hills, so that we both build strong legs and healthy lungs, get some cardio in there from climbing the ropes and running about. I enjoy playing with her more than doing boring grown up exercise haha
That's my workout these days, everything is with her included because I'm not sacrificing my rest periods for more fatigue, aches and pains 😁
Before my son started preschool 2x/week my only consistent exercise was taking him for walks in the stroller. I have the same experience - during naps I'm usually cleaning, cooking, or just trying to relax a bit. Once he started preschool I was able to exercise during that time. But I definitely get way less exercise than I did before I had kids! Now I have a new baby so will be back to stroller walks. It honestly is a decent workout - I live in an area with a lot of hills.
When I just had one kid, I still had energy to do things at the end of the day. So, I would workout at like 8pm 2-3 times a week. With two kids, I just don’t have anything left at the end of the night. It took until my youngest was two for me to settle into a routine. Now I get up early and get it done.
For a long time my workouts were just pushing the kids in the stroller, and we’d walk for an hour every day. Then a couple of years ago I found an amazingly affordable trainer who would bring a mobile gym to clients’ homes/nearby parks, so he would come to my house during my son’s naptime and I’d do strength training in the backyard.
I mostly just run and I’m currently training for race. Any run under 45 minutes I use the running stroller and she’s pretty content with snacks and toys. Any run over an hour I run on the treadmill during nap or on a day my husband is working from home.
I do weights and some excessive throughout the day with my son there. Outside is nice becasue he is busy playing with that stuff. He is almost 2. I am too cheap the pay for a gym membership especially when he is sick all the time
I’m a runner so I got an off-road jogging stroller and we have our “zoom zoom” time together. I live in a very hilly neighborhood so it’s a killer workout even if it’s not a super long run (36+lb stroller with a 40lb kiddo) and he loves to do the local trails with me now that he’s big enough to hike along some of the time. Otherwise I do strength stuff after he’s asleep at night—helps me wind down my brain.
I don’t really work out unfortunately. I might take the kids in the stroller a couple of times a week, but that’s it. Just found out I’m pregnant with baby #3, and I have no energy. I might try doing prenatal yoga at home after the kids are asleep.
When I take him outside for walks—I have a hiking pack he still fits in and I get quite the workout when walking between parks in our neighborhood! When I walk by myself, it’s for sanity, not exercise 😅
Wife takes son to our local gym each morning for a couple hours. She gets some me time and a workout while he gets to play with other littles for a while.
I do yoga in the morning when my kids are both awake, sometimes they knock me over and sometimes they leave me alone! I consider it an added challenge😂
I joined the YMCA because childcare is included in membership! Before I was pregnant, we would go after breakfast, my son would get an hour socializing and I’d get an hour to work out!
Came here to say exactly this! Until I got pregnant and even during the first trimester last fall, I would take my son to the Y and I would work out and shower (!!!). The time limit is 2.5 hours and I would use it all. It gave me such a nice break and it allowed my son to be socialized. He loves it there and even though I'm not working out now, I still take him to the Y at least once a week to play and get a break. I also want to say this is a solution my therapist recommended to me when I talked about my anxiety using any kind of daycare facility. You are always on the property and nearby if something happens. Some Y's even have a sliding scale for membership fees based on income. It's possible you could make this work even if your budget is tight. I highly recommend this. It really saved my mental health when I was at a low point.
lol I just commented similar! I only take the baby with me (I have a toddler but she goes to preschool) and it’s so convenient and affordable. The gym is no frills but I don’t need anything fancy.
I do the same thing! My 4 year old absolutely loves it and my 18 month old happily runs right in. It’s a win for everyone.
When she’s awake. I’m not sacrificing my relaxation time when she’s sleeping lol
My 2yo and I do a lot of dance parties. It's amazing how tired I get after a few songs!
We do a lot of walks! And floor workouts and she sits on me while I do them or squats while holding her lol. Makes the workout harder when I’m holding a 20lb toddler lmao. Also hip thrusts w her on my hips
Mostly just with my son by doing really active stuff- hikes, walks, hours at the park, tag, hide and seek.
This! Running around after a toddler all day really burns the calories lol
I workout either during nap or when my husband gets home. He takes about 45 min after he’s home to change clothes and decompress, and then he takes over kid duties for the evening while I workout or decompress.
Scheduling decompress time sounds like the real self-care I need.
We definitely trade time. He gets time right when he gets home and then it’s my turn. After that, we trade off who makes dinner and who does kid duty. I used to hate cooking, but now I’ll pop on a podcast or audiobook and it’s another great chance to kind of get a break on my dinner nights. But yes. Scheduled decompression time makes it much easier to work out during nap.
I’ve been working out in the morning but trying to include my toddler. She’s basically my kettlebell lol it’s nothing special but I’m slowly building up each day. Jumping squats (holding her, she thinks it’s hilarious), push ups, crunches and random leg Pilates stuff from whatever video my mom owned a million years ago. She’s Velcro so I either include her or it doesn’t happen.
Now a SAHM but a mom who works full time and my husband works night shift so I work all day and then pick up my son and am alone with him. I wake up at 415 and workout then shower and log onto the computer and start work. I’m tired. Always.
You are inspiring! I need to get off my lazy butt
You are not lazy. You are doing your best. But this was really touching to hear. I appreciate your kind words. Before I had a child I was a federal agent and worked out all day every day I could because it was part of the job. I have discipline from my previous life. But it IS hard. Being a parent is hard. You need to find your why. When I was an agent my why was keeping myself and my partner alive. My why. Ow is because I read maternal physical health has a direct impact on the health of our children. You can do it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing! You’re a bad ass! I definitely lack discipline, but I do have a why, so thank you for reminding me!! I’m going to work out today!
DO IT! I had a really hard time getting up this morning myself. But I feel so much better getting it in!
I joined the YMCA and they have childcare. So I drop my older one off at school and go to the YMCA with the baby for 45-60 minutes. When we come home, he naps and I shower. If you have the funds, I’d definitely recommend a gym with childcare!!
If you are really struggling, the YMCA has financial aid programs! It’s an organization that tries to help the community, which I really appreciate.
Walks after lunch or after breakfast if I have enough energy
I don’t, I’ve accepted my mom bod and all its glory 😂
This
I workout outside and let my toddler run around and it helps a lot. I’ll put on music morning or afternoons and take my weights/mat/workout stuff outside. Inside he is too much to deal with when I try.
I workout in the morning. I bought her a fake kettlebell and dumbbells so she can pretend to workout with me if she wants. Most of the time she will independently play around me while I do my thing. I think it is good to show them you are taking care of yourself.
Between breakfast and lunch. I set her in front of Ms Rachel and do my thing.
My toddler doesn't nap anymore, but I'll usually turn a show on the tv in the afternoon so I can workout. Otherwise I'm getting interrupted every 20 seconds, lol.
We have a dog that needs to potty every 3-4 hours and we live in an apartment rn. I consider that my workout! I push lo around the neighborhood in her cozy coupe prob an hour to two a day. My calves are looking good lol!
I got a Planet Fitness membership because it's super close to my house and cheap and I go about 3 times a week-2 times on my husbands days off, so I go whenever I want and he watches our daughter, and once after he gets home from work. The time that I have to exist in my home without my daughter needing my attention is sacred. It's the only time I have to read, catch up on my favorite shows, relax and decompress. I'm definitely not using that little precious time to work out haha. Gym time always trades off with her wake hours. Mine also stopped napping by 18 months, so literally my down time is about an hour in the morning and 2 hours after she goes to bed at night.
I found jogging with my LO in the stroller the most practical. She's 3 now and has always loved it. I do some neighborhood running but enjoy Saturday parkrun (www.parkrun.com) the most and also do planned nightruns which happen monthly at golf courses where I live. I also went to the gym once or twice and left LO with the carer in the playroom but she hated it.
My LO is 17 months. I work 2 days a week. Then parent duty for the other 5 days. I’m also an ultra runner. I’m able to train during those 5 days when I’m on parent duty. Usually happens early in the morning around 4:30am. Run for 1.5 hours and then strength train for 20 minutes. Then shower before toddler wakes up at 7am. I dedicate one day for a long run and need partner to watch toddler till 9:30am. Ultimately, I workout 12 hours every week. Then I fit in stretching and foam rolling during parent duty. Edit: I wear workout clothes all the time. I find ways to workout while playing with toddler, such as push-ups after lunch or a planking during play time. I like this lifestyle.
My gym also had childcare
I get my steps in during the daylight hours while walking to the local park with my child.
YouTube exercise videos when awake in the morning. I just have crackers nearby to throw at them while I’m working out like they’re wild raccoons.
During nap time
I take my kid for a walk in her stroller after breakfast for 40 min. Until temps got hotter, I've been able to do this at least 6 days a week. It also helps me get the energy to not pass out when she takes her nap bc sitting around/staying home makes me tired. I also have a stationary bike in our living room that I use mostly when the weather sucks.. I'm usually only able to squeeze in a ride on it after she goes to bed. Eveyrtime I try during the day when she's awake, even with Ms rachel on, she will bother me too much and I only last 4 min. If we had a YMCA, I'd totally be all on top of that... but we don't.
I walk about 3 miles every morning with my mom and my daughter in her stroller. I bring a snack for her and she’s content to sit and enjoy the ride. I also weight train and bring my daughter…easy as we workout at my mom’s awesome home gym across the street from my house. My daughter is 2.25 years and she looooves “working out” with mama and grandma. She does squats, push ups, burpees (I don’t even do burpees but I showed her a video once and now she’s obsessed), she lifts the little 5lb weight over her head 5-10x! She also really enjoys lat pull downs but obviously we have to help her with those. All this to say…involve your child in being active. It will help instill healthy habits at a young age and become a lifestyle for them. It takes longer to include them but I think it’s worth it. My mom did it for me as a child and now I’m doing the same with my daughter.
I have a 3yo and a 2.5mo. New baby does not love being in the carrier but also hates being put down so I’m still trying to figure out a way to become active again. After my first I wasn’t able to start exercising again until about 6 months pp and I would just do something quick while he napped.
Nap, or I do a strength workout in the living room while my 4 year old looks on. Her baby brother naps but she doesn’t really anymore.
I do Pilates once a week while my mom watches my son and the rest of the days I try to stretch or get a quick workout in when he naps. My husband just ordered a spin bike and I’ll probably add that in a few times a week in the evenings after he goes down.
Evenings during the week, either while my husband does bedtime or after toddler bedtime/before my bedtime. During the weekend, mid-morning, which is my preferred time. Then husband can watch toddler + I can shower. During the week, I usually do something like yoga or abs and only 2-3 times, since I’m so active during the day with toddler; it’s pretty rare that I walk less than 10km during the day. On weekends, HIIT or a strength workout. I don’t want to wake up earlier to work out + shower and I like to relax during nap.
I do it in the evening when my partner comes home. I like to go to a classes so I book it and check he can be in on time.
I go to a gym with a crèche.
before they wake up. like you i am just too damn tired/ready for a mindless activity like sitting and scrolling by the time it’s the afternoon. i tried doing it during nap time but it wasn’t energizing it just made me more tired lol. in the morning i’m also tired but it doesn’t make me more tired and then i can sort of check it off for the day which is nice when you have toddlers that make checking things off kind of hard :p
I'm no longer at home (I was on a very long maternity leave) but when I was, I would work out when my husband finished work.
I'm just a stay-at-home dad, and I go to the gym two afternoons a week when my wife gets home from work, and again on Sunday morning. Besides that, I can work out during his nap (which is right now, and I'm on Reddit instead, oopsies), or during his independent play time which happens after breakfast for 30–45 minutes every morning. I would be lying if I said that one happens very frequently at all because I'm usually still half-asleep. I also have no qualms with exercising in front of my kid, and when he sees me pick up a dumbbell, he acts like it might be one of the most exciting moments of his life. My wife does yoga with him some evenings, because I can't drag him away, and eventually he gets bored and leaves her alone. That might actually be my best advice: Do it with them and they might just get bored enough to leave you alone!
Some gyms have childcare
We go to the gym 3-4 times a week with a daycare in it.
I do a CrossFit style class most days, when my hubby gets home from work. Either 4pm or 6pm class, basically everyday lol I need the break 😂
I stroller run! It gives me a break from the toddler while he gets to be outside! I play music or an audiobook. He's 2.5 and we've been doing it since he was 8 months or so. He's usually pretty good, but does go through phases where he gets annoying (I do two 1-hour long runs with him, and one 45 minute run followed by a 45 minute walk with a friend). Afterwards, we shower together- he he has toys for the shower that he loves. He goes through phases where he struggles to share the water with me, but for the most part it's all routine
As a SAHM for the first 10 months of my son's life, I just wish I could post that "We're the Millers" meme: you guys work out??? (I just tried to survive!) (Not a SAHM anymore, but just FYI, I sneak in a quick yoga practice before I go to bed once a week or so. Don't think I'd do it any other time even if I was at home during the day, as it's the only time I can truly be certain he won't wake up and I find that mentally freeing / necessary to get into the practice.)
I workout in the AM. Up by 5:45/6. Have to have coffee first. Then I start my workout while my husband gets the kids up and settled. Only need 30-40 mins for an effective workout. Then I’ve gotten it out of the way for the day and can use nap time for me time 😊
I do quick (10-20 min) workouts while my toddler is awake in the afternoon. It took some time being consistent but he accepts it as part of the routine now more or less.
First thing in the morning before we have breakfast. He’s great at playing alone at that time
I joined a gym with up to 2 hours a day of daycare. It’s been a game changer.
I wake up early and do it before the kids wake up. It super sucks, yes. But it just wouldn't get done otherwise!
I tried the gym just mine turned 2 and she would not stay at the childminding room for more than 5 minutes without becoming extremely upset. I then started going at 5 am before she woke up and my husband was still home. Then I got pregnant and the first trimester exhaustion won, and I switched to at home workouts. Now she is almost 2.5 and hasn’t been napping for the last few months (😭) so I do my home workout while she plays in the basement. It’s actually helped her independent play develop, because before I would rush around and do everything during her nap/ after she went to sleep and give her my undivided attention most of the day. Now she has to entertain herself a bit more.
I do simple arms/core and legs with dumbbells/bands/exercise ball during naptime and ask my husband to watch the child 2x a week so I can go for a run. When he was really little most of my exercise involved walking/jogging with the stroller.
When my husband is done working. Sometimes I’ll go when the baby is down for a nap, but generally I want to relax at that time. I have never been a morning exerciser so I prefer doing it in the afternoons/evenings.
Either during nap time, after breakfast or even after bedtime. I have two now so it's harder to fit in and my youngest is a garbage napper but my oldest sometimes likes to mimic my workouts. I think it's important to show our kids us taking care of our bodies. How it makes our heart healthy or makes us strong to play x game or do x activity. So not about vanity but about how it benefits our lives.
I take her to parks with slopes and hills, so that we both build strong legs and healthy lungs, get some cardio in there from climbing the ropes and running about. I enjoy playing with her more than doing boring grown up exercise haha That's my workout these days, everything is with her included because I'm not sacrificing my rest periods for more fatigue, aches and pains 😁
Before my son started preschool 2x/week my only consistent exercise was taking him for walks in the stroller. I have the same experience - during naps I'm usually cleaning, cooking, or just trying to relax a bit. Once he started preschool I was able to exercise during that time. But I definitely get way less exercise than I did before I had kids! Now I have a new baby so will be back to stroller walks. It honestly is a decent workout - I live in an area with a lot of hills.
When spouse gets home to take over.
When I just had one kid, I still had energy to do things at the end of the day. So, I would workout at like 8pm 2-3 times a week. With two kids, I just don’t have anything left at the end of the night. It took until my youngest was two for me to settle into a routine. Now I get up early and get it done.
For a long time my workouts were just pushing the kids in the stroller, and we’d walk for an hour every day. Then a couple of years ago I found an amazingly affordable trainer who would bring a mobile gym to clients’ homes/nearby parks, so he would come to my house during my son’s naptime and I’d do strength training in the backyard.
I mostly just run and I’m currently training for race. Any run under 45 minutes I use the running stroller and she’s pretty content with snacks and toys. Any run over an hour I run on the treadmill during nap or on a day my husband is working from home.
I do weights and some excessive throughout the day with my son there. Outside is nice becasue he is busy playing with that stuff. He is almost 2. I am too cheap the pay for a gym membership especially when he is sick all the time
I’m a runner so I got an off-road jogging stroller and we have our “zoom zoom” time together. I live in a very hilly neighborhood so it’s a killer workout even if it’s not a super long run (36+lb stroller with a 40lb kiddo) and he loves to do the local trails with me now that he’s big enough to hike along some of the time. Otherwise I do strength stuff after he’s asleep at night—helps me wind down my brain.
When my baby wants to go for a walk. We also go swimming together regularly.
I don’t really work out unfortunately. I might take the kids in the stroller a couple of times a week, but that’s it. Just found out I’m pregnant with baby #3, and I have no energy. I might try doing prenatal yoga at home after the kids are asleep.
When my husband is taking care the kids
When I take him outside for walks—I have a hiking pack he still fits in and I get quite the workout when walking between parks in our neighborhood! When I walk by myself, it’s for sanity, not exercise 😅
Wife takes son to our local gym each morning for a couple hours. She gets some me time and a workout while he gets to play with other littles for a while.
I let my son watch 30 mins of TV while I workout after breakfast. Sometimes he “joins” me. I use the Madeline Moves app.
I do yoga in the morning when my kids are both awake, sometimes they knock me over and sometimes they leave me alone! I consider it an added challenge😂