DH and I mostly exercise early AM. We alternate early AM workout mornings so the other gets to "sleep in". This gets me 2x a week strength training.

Then I do a long run one the weekend days. That's once.

Then I do another shorter run (or two) when kiddo is at an afternoon activity. She's at the tennis courts and I just jog loops around the facility.

This way I get exercise 4-5x a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your issue is that you've prioritized your kids before work and after work. That leaves no time for you. You either wake up before your 1-hour breakfast with your kids (which is a luxury by the way) and work out then, or you carve out time after work. If you don't want to do that, then you will only have time to exercise on weekends. We can't magically create a 25th hour in the day for you to exercise.

This is really the answer here. Some parents allow their teenagers to mostly be on auto-pilot, others don’t. It’s all about where you decide to spend your time.

The answer is you get up an hour before breakfast and workout. My DH and I have been getting up at 4:30 for over 2 years now.

I get up at 4:30

Anonymous wrote:Your issue is that you've prioritized your kids before work and after work. That leaves no time for you. You either wake up before your 1-hour breakfast with your kids (which is a luxury by the way) and work out then, or you carve out time after work. If you don't want to do that, then you will only have time to exercise on weekends. We can't magically create a 25th hour in the day for you to exercise.

Also kids are getting ready at that hour so it's unlikely to do a an hour of quality time. I hang out with my teens from 6-7 too but really it's only like 10 minutes of breakfast and then watching the vapor trail. I read a book while they are getting ready.

I don't, and my health is suffering. Looking for new jobs. I don't have a good suggestion!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your issue is that you've prioritized your kids before work and after work. That leaves no time for you. You either wake up before your 1-hour breakfast with your kids (which is a luxury by the way) and work out then, or you carve out time after work. If you don't want to do that, then you will only have time to exercise on weekends. We can't magically create a 25th hour in the day for you to exercise.

This is really the answer here. Some parents allow their teenagers to mostly be on auto-pilot, others don’t. It’s all about where you decide to spend your time.

Right. My kids DO eat breakfast, and we DO spend time together, but no one is inclined to sit together for an hour every morning in our house.

Anonymous wrote:Your issue is that you've prioritized your kids before work and after work. That leaves no time for you. You either wake up before your 1-hour breakfast with your kids (which is a luxury by the way) and work out then, or you carve out time after work. If you don't want to do that, then you will only have time to exercise on weekends. We can't magically create a 25th hour in the day for you to exercise.

This is really the answer here. Some parents allow their teenagers to mostly be on auto-pilot, others don’t. It’s all about where you decide to spend your time.

Your issue is that you've prioritized your kids before work and after work. That leaves no time for you. You either wake up before your 1-hour breakfast with your kids (which is a luxury by the way) and work out then, or you carve out time after work. If you don't want to do that, then you will only have time to exercise on weekends. We can't magically create a 25th hour in the day for you to exercise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

How old are your kids? As a parent like the OP who has struggled to find time for exercise, it was much easier for me when my kids were young and going to bed between 9-10 was an option for me. That's not doable when your kids are teens.

DCs are both teens now. I started the early routine so I could get my workout done before the woke in the morning. Now that they are teens its easier. At night I now they are home. They both do well in school and don't need my help, and if they need anything they just wake me up and ask.

I will take a nap on the weekends if I have time. If you don't work out for a couple hours everyday you wouldn't have to get up at 4, plan accordingly

A few ideas:

1.) Work out both weekend days. Then if you just exercise maybe two weekdays, you'll have plenty of exercise.

2.) I would use that hour between the time the kids leave and the time you start work. What type of workouts do you like? You could eat really lightly with the kids, then bang out a quick run, some pushups, situps, then you're done. Eat more breakfast at your desk.

3.) Your kids sound old enough to be fine with you not having breakfast with them once or twice a week.

4.) Get some exercise while they're in an activity.

This is something I struggle with. It was so easy to find time to work out when my kid was younger. But now with a middle schooler, things are more demanding and my time has disappeared.

I find that I often have to choose between enough sleep and enough exercise. Sleep usually wins because I am a crap parent and crap professional when I am lacking sleep.