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I feel fat.... and have no idea how to squeeze in exercise
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Anonymous
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My DC is 16 months and I'm weaning now, so maybe the belly fat will go after that?
I still feel FAT, especially my midsection is flabby and when I eat I feel I look fatter. And now that it's getting warmer there's less hiding it. I just don't know how to squeeze in a workout. I don't have a babysitter/nanny that could watch my toddler during the day, and then it would get even more expensive paying for childcare and a class/gym at the same time. I walk a lot, but that doesn't help the belly fat. The evening workout isn't feasible because I then have to take care of stuff around the house once the little one is in bed. In the morning, I'm tired, and getting up before 6:30 to workout seems crazy, I might be energized right after, but I need that hour of sleep. Sigh. The occasional time I try and do a few exercises at home, my DC sits on me and starts playing with me. How do other people do it? |
Anonymous
| Hard as it is, I get up at an ungodly early hour everyday to fit in exercise. It only hurts for the first ten minutes. |
zumbamama
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Many gyms have child care at a decent price. Or you could do something like stroller strides, or even just go stroller striding yourself or with a neighbor/friend. You could go biking with one of those baby carrier things.
You can squeeze in quick calorie burners too. Park farther when you go shopping, so you get a longer walk. Whenever you walk, pick up the pace. Stairs instead of elevator. Rather than vegging in front of the TV, you can do floor exercises in front of the TV. 100 jumping jacks or jump rope jumps in the morning everyday will give your metabolism a little boost. 10 minutes of yoga or pilates before bed. Even just a little exercise is better than no exercise. |
zumbamama
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| Or you could get a home gym. |
Anonymous
| My gym has child care $1 an hour! I bring my DS and he loves playing in the kid area. |
Anonymous
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What about during nap? You can do some great strength training exercises in your own home.
Building up your core is important, but you can't really spot reduce. So cardio and building muscle is what you want to do to lose the fat around your stomach and tighten the muscles. Walking, especially brisk walking pushing a toddler in a stroller, is great for cardio. For strength, things like squats, different types of lunges, step ups, push ups, chest presses on an exercise ball, rows, overhead presses, etc. target the big muscles, and then you can do some core stuff. A pilates or core training DVD might help get you started. You can google the other exercises if you need demos. Just doing 15 minute circuits a few times a week (where you do one exercise after the other without rest) has shown to be very effective in weight loss and muscle strength. Change it up every few weeks, there are endless exercise routines you can do! I was a workout queen before I had kids, but I've kept in pretty good shape just fitting in exercises - doing the circuits 2-3 times a week at lunch, fitting in a yoga class once a week, and walking whenever I can. |
Anonymous
| Now that the weather is nicer - you can walk and have your child in the stroller. As you get stronger - increase your pace and you'll be surprised how quickly you will build up a sweat. Anotehr thing i do is make a list of some toning exercises (sit ups, leg lifts, etc.) and throughout the day - do one and cross off your list. I get up int the morning and do one set of arm, belly and leg exercises. it takes less than 5 minutes. Then I do another set of different exercises mid-morning, afternoon and evening. Takes less than 20 minutes out of my day and I do notice a difference. On the weekends, you can up the intensity if you have someone to watch him. |
Anonymous
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Thanks for the suggestions, especially making the list where I check of stuff might actually help me get started.
It's hard with an active toddler around! I'm active, I walk a LOT, but the belly fat, the belly fat won't budge... |
Anonymous
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Walking will not remove the belly fat. You need cardio - like running. I got tired of my belly when my son was 2.5 and I started running at night for 30 min after he went to bed. My husband picked up the slack with getting lunch ready the next day, cleaning up , etc. It wasn't realistic to do it in the morning.
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Anonymous
| I got a cheap recumbent bike on craigs list and the 30 day shred dvd. if i can't get it in anywhere else during the day ,thats what i do at night. the dvd is only 20 minutes and will keep your heart rate up and does strengthening. i usually do it first and then ride the bike for as long as i can before I am just too bored or tired. good luck! you just have to make it habit and not budge. regardless of your body, you will also just feel better because you'll feel like you are doing something! i also find it force me to drink more water and that always makes me feel less bloated. |
Anonymous
| Check out your county's parks and rec department. Many offer mom and toddler fitness classes. (I know Arlington does.) |
Anonymous
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I was the same. BUt, I recently bought a $10 shape magazine DVD. It is 20 minutes of strength/cardio and has other 10 min sessions. It's motivating and hey who doesn't have 20 minutes!!
Fitting in some smaller pants again... |
Anonymous
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my gym has daycare at $1 every 1/2 hour---hardly expensive. It's a WSC.
I have used that daycare religiously for the past 5 years--my boys love going there. It's like a party on the weekends. |
Anonymous
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You can do great mat excercises at home. I assume your DC still naps? that's the ideal time to do some excercises. That's what I do.
I bought the Post-pregnancy Workout DVD of Tracy Anderson a month ago and I think it's great. (She is a dancer and fitness trainer who had gained 60 lbs herself when she was pregnant with her son). It's pretty tough and you have to do the excercises 4 -6 times a week, but I think they are really effective. It's very affordable: costs of the DVD, a mat, and a couple of 3 lbs weights. She focuses on the typical problem areas such as abs, buttocks and arms. And you can do this at home whenever you have 30 - 40 minutes spare time. |
Anonymous
| Can anyone post their "workout list" so the non-working out moms have something to cross off? TIA |