busy mom who needs tips or advise please :)

[mems 1]

Hello all I'm almost 4 months post op and I have lost 40lbs so far. But I haven't exercised @ all yet :-( I can only imagine how much weight I might have lost had I exercised. I also work full time and have a baby to take care of when I get home. How do you busy moms find time to exercise? I desperatly need advise lol or maybe some helpfull tips.

[Good4me1313 54]

Well, what I do is do 30 minutes of "something" every morning before anyone else is up. I prefer my Wii Fit, however, I have other videos I work with too. When the weather is nice I will go run for 30 minutes. I have simply had to make my weight loss a priority, or else it would not get done. I too am a busy mom with 2 children, husband and high stress full time job. It is not easy, but it can be done. I was banded in February of this year and have lost 109 pounds, so I know it's hard, but very doable. Good luck and do this for YOU!! =):thumbup:

[Dana36 0]

I agree, either get up 30 minutes early or go to bed 30 minutes late. I have never, ever exercised until after I had my surgery 3 months ago, but now i actually look forward to it.

I use the leslie sansone walk away the pounds dvds, kettlebells, and kick boxing. I'm not great at kickboxing, but it is fun!

[Jachut 487]

you just have to. I leave other things such as ironing or putting away washing for exercise.

I might get home from a day of teaching, thankfully I'm normally home by 5 at the very latest, quickly put together dinner, leave it waiting and head out for a run.

I purposely took up running because whilst I also do other things like boot camp twice a week, in the most time challenged times, half an hour is all it takes to burn 600 calories. I can get up in the morning to do that if I must, but I'm not generally an early morning exercise.

My boot camp sessions are at 7pm Mondays, Thursdays. I find it fairly easy to have dinner and the kids organised by then, that's leisure time and I would rather do that than waste it on television. It usually energises me to get home and do a bit of housework.

Basically I dont park my bum on the couch, hardly ever. No time for that. Better things to do. And being tired isnt an option, exercise FIXES that, no matter how much you might not want to do it.

Weekends are good useful time too, that's two days where you dont have to fit exercise around work. I'd rather get up and get a run in than waste time sleeping in.

There is limitations, I have an hour max, no way do I have time for long gym routines, driving to and from, doing half an hour cardio, an hour weights etc. It must be done AT home, from home or very very close to home. When boot camp finishes, if we dont continue on as a group, I'll just do the same sorts of workouts myself.

I started running when my youngest baby was about 2 and she came with me in a jogger stroller, however I now have a 14, 12 and 6 year old, so I can leave them while I go out to run. I wouldnt/couldnt have done what I do now back then, it wouldnt have been fair to the kids. But I do have a treadmill at home also, which I use with cardiocoach, or make up my own circuit style workouts, so I can be here for them as well. Basically, I covered every base, and therefore there's no excuse - treadmill, jogger stroller, running, basic weights and a gymball, there was really nothign to stop me putting in some kind of workout.

My kids all play basketball and I always watch and support that but my middle son recently took up softball as well - 8 am Sat morning. He has an hour's training before the game, so i take him down and go for a run. Good opportunity. I take my oldest son and his friend to a circuit class once a week - great time together and its benefitting us both. Doug and I will sometimes take them all to the pool after dinner in summer and take turns watching the littlest whilst the other swims some laps. I take Eliza down to the park (she's the youngest) and I do a circuit/bootcamp style workout at the park while she plays - I combine using the equipment to do stuff like chin ups, pull ups (well, my weak version) I do pushups, dips and stomach work mixed up with sprints round the perimeter of the park (its about 300 metres). There really is NO excuse and PLENTY of time if you're inventive. I used to put my 2 little boys at 4 and 6 in the middle of the footy oval with a cricket bat and ball, a frisbee, a football and let them go wild whilst I jogged around the outside. I was fat back then, but I was always trying, lol. Obviously these park/football overal activities only work in the daytime, or daylight savings in the summer time.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Jachut

[JeweI 2]

I am a busy mom too. I have a five year old and go to school. I like to play my wii for excercise. When He was a baby I put him in the stroller and walked laps around the block. To make it more intense I put weights on my ankles. Now that he is older I can either play Wii with him or wait til he takes a nap. Even going outside and playing soccer. I like to have variety. I also have some Richard Simmons, Yoga and Walk Away the Pounds videos. Even if I can't make it through the whole video I have still burned calories. Get creative. I have seen some yoga places offer mommy and me yoga (even doggie and me). Swimming. You can find something you enjoy and have time for. 15 minutes is even better than nothing so try starting with that.