Finding time to exercise

[Bittersweet]

Working mamas, when do you exercise? I work 45+ hours per week and also shoulder most of the household responsibilities. Evenings after work are spend cooking dinner, playing with/feeding/bathing my 4.5 month old, cleaning pump parts and making lunch for the next day, and catching up on all the random domestic crap that didn’t get done during the day. You all know the gig. I really want to get back in shape – just not at the expense of spending even less time with my son or living in chaos. I guess I’m finding it difficult to juggle and am wondering how you made it work.

**Oh, and if you could tell me how to extinguish this feeling that I need to have it all, do it all perfectly, and look hot while doing it - that would also be great

[Thirteen]

**Oh, and if you could tell me how to extinguish this feeling that I need to have it all, do it all perfectly, and look hot while doing it - that would also be great

It really is evil, isn't it? I struggle with this so very much...
Not sure if they offer class times that would work for you, but - have you checked out Stroller Strides? It works for us because I can take DS with me. Our local chapter has Saturday classes and one that meets in the evenings.
It's a win-win for me. I was skeptical at first of how intense it would be, but I am pleasantly surprised (and so is DH).

[migirl]

I get up at the butt-crack of dawn (usually btw 4 and 5am) to work out. It's the only way I can find the time.

[Vishenka69]

In our area the classes are called Mommy Boot Camp, so search for those too in case Stroller Strides don't have anything near by. They are year round and held indoors during late fall/winter/early spring.

[scrub-jay]

I have no idea how to get rid of the feelings of inadequacy, please let me know if you figure it out. I have not found a stroller strides or workout group around here that didn't fall right smack dab in the middle of the work day (10-11am? Not much help). The only thing that has *sort of* worked was buying a treadmill that I could jog on once the baby was down and all the chores are done. Pump parts take FOREVER and were replaced by bottles/straw cups/whatever, same with lunches. I'm pretty sure we have the same nightly schedule!! (Although I usually have to fit some homework in somewhere...) The treadmill has given me a bit more freedom because I was trying to take dd out for a walk, but by the time I get her home, dinner made, toss some laundry in...etc etc... it was time to start bedtime. I do very simple/small exercise routines with resistance bands, crunches, etc and the treadmill. It is really hard to balance work & responsibilities...I have to remind myself to be nice to yourself on the working out. Oh - and nights that I get a 15-20 minute workout in are the ones I don't tidy up. Something always has to give. *sigh*

Good luck!!

[Ladybug]

I've mostly always walked the babies. Hit the hills. Lift the strollers high over the bumps and curbs for upper body. I listen music or audiobooks and the kids enjoy watching the traffic and squirrels. Shoot for twice a week and cut yourself some slack on dinner. Crockpots or frozen stir fires.

Eta: 4.5 months is a hard place. You're adrenaline is running on fumes, and you're not sleeping yet. Your body still belongs to your baby even though s/he has supposedly been born. 4th trimester.

[peggyfromwastate]

I don't know how working moms do it but I see a lot of ppl taking their lunch break at the gym-- 45 min workout, quick shower...

I feel lazy when going to the gym is my main activity of the day.

I admire working moms!

[mommax3]

I sure haven't figured it out. I work 8-2 every day and have three school-aged boys. I have no time to myself until about 9 each night, and I am exhausted by then.

[houseelf]

When I was working, I was THAT person who would run at lunch and take a quick half-a** shower in the bowels of the basement, right near where the prisoners were transported into the courthouse. I would pray that my hair wouldn't get so sweaty that I would have to wet it down and start the hair prep process all over. On the other hand, I was on a time crunch over my lunch hour, so I need to run hard in order to get in a good work out for 30 minutes. I shared an office with one other person, so hopefully I wasn't too offensive. More often, I would try to bust out of work a touch early, change in the car at the stoplights (this meant taking off my bra and putting on a sports bra on major roads in Minneapolis), and then hit a park for a quickie run for for 30 minutes before picking up the baby on time. Yeah, I'm committed, or probably should be committed. Races were super important during this time of my life. They kept me motivated. There really is no faking the miles preceding a big race.

Now that I sit around swigging champagne and eating bon bons as a SAHM, I still get up between 5-6 a.m. to meet some moms at the local bakery in order to run, depending on our hubbys' work schedule. I'm not going to lie, I almost always have to lay down for 30 minutes in the afternoon because that early hour makes for a looooong day. I'm not disciplined enough to go to bed at a decent hour.

I'm not going to lie. Sometimes working out effing sucks. It is boring, inconvenient, monotonous, schedule disrupting, and one more damn thing to do. At the same time, I'm always so happy I did it. As I age, I really appreciate just being healthy and the fresh mental perspective of being out in nature moving my body. It creates a lot of peace in my life.

Writing down your workouts in the margin of your monthly calendar helps you to see the big picture too. So what if you haven't done anything for ten days? Look at that overall pattern: You are an athlete! Get back in it and post something on that calendar.

Alright, this post far exceeds your question, but my relationship with running is complex and runs deep. (pun intended) Believe me, I can come up with 10,000 reasons not to do it. Each new life stage brings me new and improved excuses that I have to fight hard. BTW, can somebody pass the Ben and Jerry's please? Millionaire Matchmaker is on!

ITA with Ladybug's advice, 4.5 months is really early. Be good to yourself. Also sit and marvel at that baby. This time is going to fly. You have to get yourself in the mindset that you are in it for the long haul and that maybe all you can get it in right now is a couple of quick 20 minute walks with the baby right now. Now seriously, go grab that calendar and write down what you've done.

As far as the need to "do it all!" while having a job, a surgery resident spouse, and a baby or two, I can't recommend condo living enough! I couldn't manage more than that. Honestly, I really never felt pulled together during that time of my life. Honestly, I think that is the residency spouse/worker/mother gig by definition. Hang in there and happy trails.

[DCJenn]

I leave N at the after school care until the very last second so that I can go the gym for 45ish minutes. I go to yoga when they have later classes and my husband does the bath/ bed thing. If I don't have kid coverage I go to the gym that has daycare when I can squeeze it in. I also walk the dogs every morning- we walk the kiddo to school and keep on going for 20 minutes. Bottom line, you squeeze it in when you can and ultimately accept that you work out for physical and mental health not to lok like a super model. It's hard when you work ft.

[HouseofWool]

It's hard even when you DON'T work full time. It never fails that I plan on getting up early, manage to get my keister out of bed and ready to hit the treadmill and Sophie wakes up just as I start to get warmed up. Same on the flip side. On the nights that I plan to run, she is determined to not go to sleep.

[SoonerTexan]

I was really hoping for a marathon next year...goal marathon would be early December so training class would start late July-ish. It's all in the early morning so I thought it would work out relatively okay with baby schedules and such. Then I realized that is when DH starts 3rd year, so I can't count on him being around at 5 am on a regular basis. Major bummer. It was going to be my "back from baby one year motivation marker"

Laaammmeee

[spotty_dog]

ST, I trained for a marathon when DH was in residency and my baby was 12-14 months or so. I just pushed him in the stroller. In the end I injured myself and had to back down to a half marathon, and baby was not a huge fan of sitting for more than an hour and a half or so, but I did get enough long runs in and hit my goal time at a little under 10 minutes per mile. TMI alert -- make SURE that your pelvic floor is in GREAT condition before you start training. Not just because the strain of high impact activity can make that whole region even weaker if it isn't back up to snuff post-birth, but also because weakness there can result in pee leakage. Ask me how I know. We're talking rivulets down my leg at the conclusion of my race, it was horrible. I have a friend in Portland who actually went to a pelvic floor physical therapist after her births, and man if I had the funds or insurance coverage, I would SO be all over that. (Fortunately I seem to be getting stronger on my own, 2.5 years after my last birth and I am back to running with dry panties. WHOO.)

[Bittersweet]

Thanks everyone. I’ve thought about it a lot this weekend and have come to the conclusion that I can find time to exercise. I just need to put myself higher on my “to do” list. This week I’m going to try to walk with the baby before making dinner. If the floor doesn’t get vacuumed, oh well. Kinda sad that I have been putting laundry and dusting above taking care of myself . I still have so much to learn about my new role as a mom.

ST, don’t be discouraged by my experience. I absolutely could get up and jog/walk with the baby at 5:00am. I’m just lazy, sleep deprived and can't manage to drag myself and my sleeping baby out of bed. I exercise every Sat and Sun and nearly every day of my maternity leave. It can be done. I just lost my groove when I started working again – totally my fault.

[SoonerTexan]

ST, I trained for a marathon when DH was in residency and my baby was 12-14 months or so. I just pushed him in the stroller. In the end I injured myself and had to back down to a half marathon, and baby was not a huge fan of sitting for more than an hour and a half or so, but I did get enough long runs in and hit my goal time at a little under 10 minutes per mile. TMI alert -- make SURE that your pelvic floor is in GREAT condition before you start training. Not just because the strain of high impact activity can make that whole region even weaker if it isn't back up to snuff post-birth, but also because weakness there can result in pee leakage. Ask me how I know. We're talking rivulets down my leg at the conclusion of my race, it was horrible. I have a friend in Portland who actually went to a pelvic floor physical therapist after her births, and man if I had the funds or insurance coverage, I would SO be all over that. (Fortunately I seem to be getting stronger on my own, 2.5 years after my last birth and I am back to running with dry panties. WHOO.)

Duly noted!