How do you find the time to exercise?

I am still 10kg over my pre baby weight (which wasn't that flash to begin with). I really really need to do some exercise to shift the flab but I am having trouble finding any time to do it.

DH is at from from 7am-5.30pm. During the day I have DS and DD to look after. DS no longer has a day nap. DD sleeps for 45 minutes max at a time during the day and I use her naps to do the housework and spend some individual time with DS. When DH gets home there is a mad dash to get tea cooked, eaten, a family walk and bathtime done ready for DS to go to bed around 8. Then I hold/feed DD until she goes to sleep at around 9.30-10pm.

The only option I can think of is going for a walk during the day, but DD won't sleep in the pram so she gets grumpy and DS either walks (very slowly) or would fall asleep in the pram which creates a bedtime disaster.

I have no friends or family here that could watch them and there is no suitable childcare.

I feel like I am just making excuses. I am sure it is possible to look after two children and still fit in some exercise. How do you fit it into your day?

I am having similar issues. Something someone suggested here once was dancing to the Wiggles with your toddler, LOL! My DD loves it when I dance with her and I often end up holding her while we bop about. It's exhausting, so must be a great workout ;) Only problem is that I want it to be over before she does, LOL!
Other thing I have tried is aerobics DVDs. Borrowed a couple from the library before Christmas and I would do a 20 min workout if Phoebe had gone back to bed after an early feed and Natty hadn't gotten up for the day yet.
But I still struggle too... I keep telling myself that as long as I don't put on more weight, I can sit tight and lose it later when the kids are a little bit older. But I am the procrastination queen ;)
GL!

Ahhh, yes - time... where does it go?!

Firstly, I don't think you are making excuses - you are a very busy mum of two young children!

I only have one DD who is 2.5 yo and I don't find the time to exercise!

The difference with you & me is that DH sorts out DD sleeping at night time when I go out to exercise & I mean leave the house - no exercise at home, otherwise I get interupted!

Monday I go to the personal trainer at 8pm (she lives around the corner), Tuesday water aerobics at 7.45pm, Wednesday yoga at 7.45pm - that is it.....

I don't know if you are getting up during the night/morning to your children? Perhaps a 30 minute walk before DH goes to work or an early morning walk with the kids (after breakfast)?

I'm sorry I don't have any other suggestions for you. I am actually taking long service leave at the start of Feb so I can fit in exercise!

GL

Itrs a little easier for me as I only have one bub at the moment, and he is a bit younger than your DS.

We have a treadmill in our second lounge so I can use that while DS is sleeping, or I can lie him on the floor in front of a dvd for 30mins (there is a tele in there too.. so I can still watch him and talk to him about whats going on)

I also have a few dvds which I can pop on while DS is sleeping.. I have also popped him on the floor and he thinks its pretty funny to watch me dance around like a crazy lady!

Could you pop on a dvd and make it something you and DS can do together, make it fun and have a laugh at the same time??

Do you know someone who has one of those bike trailer thingys that holds two kids that you could borrow to see if the kids like it??

Also noticed you go for a family walk, does that include DH? Could you incorporate a run/jog into your walk where you run a head and then they catch up etc..

i got a cross trainer for xmas and i do 10mins on it every morning while the kids watch shaun the sheep. otherwise i would never do anything! it's just too hard. ds1 hates being in the pram, ds2 always wants to be held, fed, whatever! it's very hard, but i do feel better just from doing that small amount of exercise.

I'm similar to the others. And remember it tooth 10months to put on that weight - it's OK to take that long to get it off. :hug:

I either drag my tired bottom out of bed a bit earilier for some yoga (it's a bit quieter), I have a cross trainer that I can hop on while they're amusing them selves.
Have you got a sling? When DS was little (hell I still do it now he's not) I put him in the sling (he goes on the back as opposed to the front now), DD in the pram and go for a walk - the extra weight burns extra cals (well in my mind it does lol).
We also got a bike trailer that converts to a pram. DD calls it the big red bus, and they both fit in it. However my DS is a lot bigger than your DD.

I make a conscious effort to move more. For eg if DD's talking and I can't hear her I walk over to her instead of asking her to speak louder. Might sound silly but all the steps add up.

I'm subscribing because I'm in exactly the same position. I really need some time to magically appear for me to lose this baby belly and fat bottom. Guess giving up chocolate and sweets doesn't take any time in my day does it, LOL!

I have to go to pilates now but I will come back and post a little later. I was struggling (with one child) to fit in exercise. I've been doing it since March and have lost 8Kg despite aquiring multiple injuries in that time and working 4 days a week. But I will tell you how I make it work...

I train at 6am, it means early starts, but for me it is the only time I can make it work. I want to start looking for something else to add to my routine, I will probably have to find an evening class- if the kids are both showered and fed then DH is able to put them to bed on his own.

My advice would be to start with something just one day a week, even if that means getting up and going for a walk at 5:45 for 45 mins, before your DH leaves for work. I find if I havve things set out the night before, shoes, clothes, hat (hide my bed hair), ipod, water bottle- I just have to roll out of bed get dressed and go. Makes life so much eaiser

Is going to a gym financially viable for you? Most have a creche so you can go at any time.

My DH truly understands that if I don't exercise I can be a right cow :lol: - so if it means he does the bath / bed routines with both kids, he'd do it. Before I started to shed the kg's he saw I was down, and quite negative about myself. Now I exercise and have lost weight he see's how much more vibrant I am now - so it's in his best interests (aint mumma happy - ain't nobody happy :lol:).

In saying that I can get DD and DS down for a nap at the same time. They're both in bed at 8pm - 8.30pm, so if I really feel the need for more exercise I'll do more then too (mainly when DH is on arvo shift at work and not home though).

To cut down on the evening routine maybe try a slow cooker so all you (or DH) need to do is serve dinner in the evening as opposed to making it.

meeeeeeeee toooooooooo i neeeeeeeed help LOL!! pilates is awsome but $$$.

When I started on my weightloss journey, I really struggled to find time to fit it in. I have a toddler and work 4 days a week. I work shift work and the idea of getting out of bed earlier than I have to simply does not appeal when I'm on an early shift - so after work was the best training option for me. My partner tries to be home (to bath and put DD to bed) so I can train at a decent hour... otherwise I wait until she is asleep.

It was a struggle at first to fit it in, I'd always find an excuse. NOW, it is part of my daily routine. And when I'm on a later shift, I train between dropping DD off and heading to work.

I also see a personal trainer each week. I try to go twice a week, shift pending. But I have a guaranteed session every Tuesday morning. The gym I see him at has a creche where I can put DD for the hour (and she LOVES it there!). The other session I do is always after work and my partner will pick her up from creche so I can go.

In adittion to home sessions and PT, I see a physio for clinical pilates once a week due to a back injury. This is a great workout on it's own! It is also rebated by my health fund.

I also try to sneak in extra exercise where I can - getting DD out walking (pushing her in her pram is a mega workout!), parking on the top floor of the car park at work and taking the stairs to get back to my car at the end of the shift... 14 flights! I also dance with DD around the house whenever I can. And when she has a nap, I try to get on my treadmill.

Anyway, HTH!

I find it difficult too because we don't have family or friends nearby who can watch DD and I don't like walking at night when DH gets home..... (not safe).
Also DD wakes different times each morning so it's hard to know when she will be awake etc!!! And she doesn't like her 3 wheeler pram, she always cries when we go for walks! :wall: she wants to be held...i suppose i could put her in the ergo carrier and walk but that's alot of effort!! LOL!!

I have just started Boot camp at my local oval and I will be doing it on Tueasdays & Thursday @ 6am - this morning Bella and DH were both still alseep when i got back so that works out well! I will also be doing a third session on Friday nights @ 6pm so DH will be looking after DD for that Hr.

When the weather was not so hot I was walking for an hr each day with DD as well when I could.

Holy cow MG I'm exhausted just reading your schedule!!

Mornings before DH goes to work or dancing around with the kids are good suggestions. Remember ANY movement is better than NO movement. Maybe some gardening (if kids can be outside with you??). I've got hand weights I do while DS watches TV or after he goes to sleep...

Thanks for all the suggestions. Looks like I am going to have to haul my sorry bum out of bed early before DH goes to work. It is just so hard when I don't get to bed until 11ish after getting the baby to sleep and then I am up at least twice every night - 6am is hard.

Singing and dancing with DS won't work, he is very non-musical and hates it when I sing and dance - to the point where he bursts into tears lol

Leesa, I would love to join the gym, but we are in a small town with very few amenities. There is a gym in the next town but it is small with no child care. There is a swimming pool, but it is sun heated and not open until lunch time.

MG, wow! You sound like one busy lady!

I was going to suggest the gym with creche which is what I do but if you dont have that can you swap an hour with friends to look after the kids for an hour while you exercise and then you have their kids while they exercise?

With DD1 I often put DD2 to sleep in her pram and go to the par, or just sit her up on a rug to watch - we play chasey, football, running races etc. That way you wear them out too :D