Returning to work next week. How do you handle the time to go to the gym with a baby at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You spend 2.5 hours in the morning "getting ready" and can't spare the time to workout? There's a lot of downtime in this schedule.

This. Is this a first baby? You can get a lot more streamlined. I wake up at 6:45 and am out the door by 7:45, in which time I take the dog out, get two kids off on the school bus, and get db in the car to daycare. It may just take some practice. For me, working out went out the window with db, but DH managed to continue by waking up at 5. (He starts work at 6:30).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes the answer is, you don't exercise for a while.

Working out at home after baby is in bed is another good option.

I take 30 mins out of my work day 2x a week to work out. Yes, there are some office workers who are literally going going going 8 hours a day, but most have a lunch break, and most spend at least 30 mins on their phone during the day. Choose to work out instead.

PP to add -

If you're thinking that once the baby gets older, you'll be able to go after work once or twice a week: The Ghost of Christmas Future here to tell you that NEVER becomes a good time to work out, particularly assuming you have another child at some point in the next five years. But even just with one - day care pickup becomes school pickup, sometimes there are after school activities, family dinner, homework... the evening rush doesn't go away it just becomes different. I actually found this time to get significantly busier when we moved from daycare to school, and that was without activities.

Maybe when the kids are WAY older, but my oldest is 6 and goes to bed at 7:45, and after work would still not be a tenable time to regularly be at the gym. So this isn't a "hmmm just get me through the next year or so" problem - this is a long term problem. Early in the morning, during the work day, after bedtime, and weekends are your choices, long term.

[Anonymous]

Work out at 5.

[Anonymous]

I workout at home. It think unless your schedule is really accommodating or you have the option of working out during lunch, trying to stick with a gym workout when you have young kids is annoying.

If you are already getting cardio by biking to and from work, I'd just invest in a good set of weights and set up some corner in your house for weights and maybe like pilates mat work.

Home workouts are a million times more efficient than anything you can do at the gym. Even on a crazy day, I can carve out 20-30 minutes to lift and stretch in our home gym. You just get up a little earlier, or you commit to working out after they go to bed, or you tag team with your spouse in the morning or evening to squeeze it in.

[Anonymous]

You dont. That's why people get and stay fat.

[Anonymous]

DH either needs to wake up extra early and go, or go at lunch. He also could go at 8pm when kids are asleep. He needs to be home 5-8pm when the kids are driving me insane.

[Anonymous]

I didn't (but I am a woman, it sounds like you are the dad). I worked long hours and worked downtown 5 days a week in those days so we weren't even getting home until 6:30. I had a jogging stroller so ran with the baby when I could, especially on weekends. We walked a lot. You can get some equipment for your house so you can exercise at home.

[Anonymous]

I just never went.
I really would adjust your expectations of yourself for the first few weeks after you go back. See how you are feeling. Unless you need to work out for mental health reasons, it might not be your best choice for a period of time. Sleep is important.

[Anonymous]

If mom is picking up baby after work, I'd go then or just wait until after baby bed time. Lunch is an interesting idea; personally I've never been a fan, but if you're a man it might be easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You spend 2.5 hours in the morning "getting ready" and can't spare the time to workout? There's a lot of downtime in this schedule.

They are biking to and from work (not sure why that doesn’t count as working out, are you a triathlete?). But when I did that packing the change of clothes etc in AM takes a bit of time; maybe could pack some night before but cant load the bike usually till morning in case rains

[Anonymous]

How does baby get to daycare— are you biking there?

The real answer is you want to level up at work (you can start by working full time, earning more money ) and let your DW stay home with kids. Then you can go to gym at 6am and still be at work early. That is the way.

We were working parents so my gym time was 10-11pm

[Anonymous]

You're spending too much time in the morning 'getting ready' and you're discounting 6 pm onwards. Forget the gym and by some dumbells or kettlebells for you house and work out at home. You can go to the gym on the weekend or take 10 mins from the gym to lift a few weights. You really don't need a 2 hour gym session to stay in shape. Figure it out now though. Infants are easy, toddlers much more difficult to schedule around.

[Anonymous]

Or just select 2 days per week when you stay late at work to exercise and don’t see the baby that evening. Then trade off with your wife if she also wants to work out.

[Anonymous]

I never had anything like a 6pm-7am baby sleep schedule, but if I did I would have worked out at 7 or 730pm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never had anything like a 6pm-7am baby sleep schedule, but if I did I would have worked out at 7 or 730pm.

For REAL. My #2 16mo old sleeps 830-630 and maybe a 2-hour nap, usually 75-90min when home. Figure out that schedule OP LOL.

Its before they wake, while at work/daycare, or when they go to bed. The other option is to switch off with your partner for each of you to get 1:1 time for an hour with your baby and the other person works out and then each get individual time on the weekend OR do it together on the weekend.
This really only works if you can outsource everything you would normally do after work like cleaning and cooking and laundry and with one child.