If you are working full time and parenting ... do you workout?

[Anonymous]

Three kids (ages 4, 8 and 10) and we are both working full time from home and trying to help our kids with their school work. I have many 12-14 hour work days, but I make walking a priority every day, whether it is early in the morning, at lunch or late in the evening (anywhere from 2-4 miles). It’s often a family affair with all five of us going and sometimes I walk by myself or with one kid. We also try to bike ride as much as possible. With our youngest now riding, it has been much easier to get out. The exercise helps me as much mentally as it does physically these days.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I try to trade off so that we can get workouts done. It really helps my mental health a lot.

[Anonymous]

I always have - my kids are 10, 7, and 4. I work full time in a "big" job, and my husband works from home.

I also work out 6-7 days a week. I have tried REPEATEDLY to make myself get up early before everyone is awake, but it's just not possible for me. My general routine is to squeeze something - anything - in during my workday (I can often find at least 45 minutes - whether during a "lunch" break, or some other time). We have a gym in the office, and I use it.

Alternatively, I work out at home. With my kids, next to my kids, however I can fit it in. I do a lot of HIIT workouts - there are really great ones that you can do in 30 minutes or less. I do them in the front yard sometimes while my kids are playing so I can be with them. On weekends, we all go for bike rides, or I run alongside my kids while they're on scooters/bikes.

It's really important to my mental health and wellbeing, but I am away from my kids so much that if I'm going to work out when I'm home, I'm going to find a way to do it near them. When they were babies, I'd put their baby seats on the floor while I worked out, or ran w/ my jogging stroller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always have - my kids are 10, 7, and 4. I work full time in a "big" job, and my husband works from home.

I also work out 6-7 days a week. I have tried REPEATEDLY to make myself get up early before everyone is awake, but it's just not possible for me. My general routine is to squeeze something - anything - in during my workday (I can often find at least 45 minutes - whether during a "lunch" break, or some other time). We have a gym in the office, and I use it.

Alternatively, I work out at home. With my kids, next to my kids, however I can fit it in. I do a lot of HIIT workouts - there are really great ones that you can do in 30 minutes or less. I do them in the front yard sometimes while my kids are playing so I can be with them. On weekends, we all go for bike rides, or I run alongside my kids while they're on scooters/bikes.

It's really important to my mental health and wellbeing, but I am away from my kids so much that if I'm going to work out when I'm home, I'm going to find a way to do it near them. When they were babies, I'd put their baby seats on the floor while I worked out, or ran w/ my jogging stroller.

Same poster here. Another great app for this is Popsugar Fitness. They have loads of workouts ranging from 5 minutes to 60 minutes that I use religiously on really busy/difficult days. For example, I'll bring my hand weights into the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner (or chatting with my kids), and do a 5 minute or 10 minute arm workout. They have a great 5 minute standing ab workout I can do anywhere. I always take the stairs at work. You can make things add up if you really work at it.

We also do Go Noodle and kid fitness apps together.

[Anonymous]

I wish I could be one of those people who works out during their lunch hour. I get ridiculously sweaty and bright red when I work out. There is no way I could go back to work even if I wasn’t doing video calls without showering.

[Anonymous]

M - F I get up at 5:15am and run 5-6 miles. Weekends, I usually ride the Peloton. We have three kids, 8, 6, and 4 and both are working FT from home. My work is results-driven, so I don’t have to sit in front of the computer for eight straight hours as long as I get my work done. I need to work out daily to maintain some kind of calm and productivity during this whole mess. I have worked out daily for decades at this point, so it’s not really an option to forego it, barring illness or injury.

[Anonymous]

Yes - Peloton. Either bike or run or do a weight class every day. Full time lawyer with a 4 and 2 year old. It's saved my sanity.

[Anonymous]

Oh my god, you have a five month old, that is SO EASY. Stick your kid in the play pen with some toys and let him watch you exercise. What the hell, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a 5 month old. Haven’t been working out. Need to. Help!

Yes in fact I do workout more now that I am at home with the kids: I run they bike we go to the track, to Rock Creek,...

When my baby was 5 mo I would put her in a jogging stroller. We would also do dance parties with the baby.
You can also take a mat, put the kids on it in a park and exercise..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I’m gaining weight. I’m so burnt.

+1

3kids, toddler + homeschooling
Full-time work
Volunteering

Can’t do anything else.

[Anonymous]

I run on the weekends and try to fit in 20 minute yoga or HIIT workouts daily. Occasionally I will run super early in the AM. I am working from home with two kids 4 and 5 months. I don't watch TV or spend much time on social media so I can spare 30 minutes for a workout. Thankfully the baby sleeps a lot and the 4 year old can be fairly independent.

[Anonymous]

I hadn’t been. I had been waking up in the early morning to get work in and then pretty much swept up in kids and work the rest of the day. I was miserable.

For the last 3 weeks, I’ve prioritized working out and am so much happier. Now at least a couple mornings a week I exercise instead of working in the early morning and days I don’t, I try to take time off to do so during the day or evening (which I find harder mentally). DH picks up some of the slack with the kids and I’ve accepted the fact that work will take a hit. At least at the end of the day I can feel good about the fact I moved my body.

With a 5 month old, could you at least go on long walks and do a little strength training?

It really has been a sanity saver for me.

[Anonymous]

Yes about 4 or 5 days per week. I usually work out when kids have their tv time at 430 or so. I run or lift weights in the basement. Mix it up with some Fitness Blender HIIT on rainy days. Kids are 4 and 6. DH cooks dinner which is key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god, you have a five month old, that is SO EASY. Stick your kid in the play pen with some toys and let him watch you exercise. What the hell, OP?

Wow you're a jerk. Some of us had really colicky, unhappy babies that weren't easy at all.

OP, start with stroller walks. Do some hills if you are looking for a bigger challenge. I have a Peloton, which is great because I can workout anytime I can squeeze it in, but when I had a 5mo, the best I could do was just push my baby in the stroller!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Sorry meant during the pandemic. How do you structure your day?

I am working a slightly reduced schedule and I changed my working days to Monday-Saturday since realistically the weekends are no different than the week. This has lightened each day a bit.

I wake up at 5:30am. Work from 5:30am-noon/1. Intermittently Give 4 year old Breakfast, set her up for her zoom classes, etc. sometimes TV if I need to focus. Then she gets to play ABC mouse for a bit, followed by independent play/imaginary play. After lunch we do an activity and then she watches a movie and I clean, cook for dinner, etc. after movie she comes with me to the garage while I work out. Sometimes she “works out with me” and sometimes she just ends up playing.

Check out Sydney Cummings on YouTube. Awesome free work out videos. New ones every day.

Dinner, bed, repeat.