My daughter is 10 now, but I've kept up my regular (daily) exercise routine since before she was born.

I've had to be flexible. When she was younger (until about 5), I'd run with her in the stroller. Sometimes that meant running her to/from preschool. Other times I'd work out when my ex had her, or take her to gym child care. Sometimes I had an easy day and could work out at lunchtime. I have a little equipment in the basement that I can use on snow days, etc.

Now that she's old enough to be home by herself, I go to the gym really early before she wakes up, and I go to evening classes when her dad has her. And we can run on the track, or one one of my routes (where I can run ahead and then wait for her to catch up periodically.)

You just have to be flexible and willing to explore all your options, and understand that you are generally choosing to work out instead of sleep or free time.

Anonymous wrote:Np here. I’m both here for answers and I suppose I could provide a couple of tips too. I’m halfway fit (with kids), and I’m quickly progressing. I think you have many good answers above.

It’s hitting me hard how much getting up early is key. ...

My biggest obstacle is days I can’t do that (or days I can’t otherwise make up for it later in the day). But as for mornings...I’m having difficulty getting 8 hours of sleep. *my kids are not going to bed on time. So if I wake up early enough, I’m not getting enough sleep*. It’s like I can’t get sleep + alone time + workout all together. (Id need 8hr including falling sleep + 40m to do a 30m exercise + about 20m of quiet parent time).

Pp returning. I took note of bedtimes & wake times today. Between (1) last child falling asleep + washing my face (waiting 15m to apply a medication) + getting super sleepy and (2) first child waking up (he’s youngest and isn’t happy to play in his room)...
It was 7.5 hours.

So I make time to workout in the day if I can. But it just makes a huge difference if I can wake up early. I don’t know how to sleep enough and wake early to exercise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

daycare logistics do not take me an hour, more like 15-20 min at most. I average closer to 7 hours of sleep. We also stagger daycare drop off- one parents drops off and one picks up.

So you wake, Fred, dress your kids, drive them to daycare, drop them off all in 15 minutes?

Even if there was a SAHP, the kids would have to wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast...that has nothing to do with daycare.

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

Most working parents do not spend 10.5 hours total working, commuting and doing "daycare logistics" (whatever those are--shouldn't daycare be along your route to work or at your work or by your home)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get up at 430 on T and TH for to workout and wake up at 530 during weekends. I do admit, though, that I don't sleep much during the weekdays (6 hours usually) but I still have more energy than my prior life schedule with no exercise.

Yeah, seems like a 4am workout is best option, maybe I should look Into 24 hr fitness

this is where I go. You'd be surprised how busy it is at 5am

I WOH and my kids are 7 and 9. I work out every day. I have a Peloton bike and tread at home. I do home workouts before or after work during the week. On weekends either more Peloton at home or I will go to the nearby Planet Fitness to lift heavier weights.

I’m a very low carb person and meal prep on the weekends and take my breakfast, lunch, and snacks to work every day. I usually have my lunch late in the afternoon and skip dinner. DH and I split kids’ breakfast, lunch, and dinner duty. He cooks during the week most days - his schedule is more flexible. We rarely eat out. The food at home is better.

I have struggled in the past with my weight. I’m over 100 lbs down since 2013 (289 —>179 with an ultimate goal of 165). I’ve had ups and downs, but this is what I have to do to keep it together.

When my kids were little, I built as much physical activity into spending time with them as I could.

At playground, I was not sitting, I was up walking around the whole time (circling the playground) or climbing on equipment with them as appropriate. No sitting on a bench playing with my phone.
We walked EVERYWHERE and I pushed a giant-ass stroller. We walked to do errands, playgrounds, library, etc. Some of these places, I did not live that close to. I live in a close-in suburb. We would walk in all but the hottest and coldest weather, so pretty near close to year round.
Swimming in the summer and I got in and moved around a lot. You can do a lot of underwater type aerobics while you are just hanging out in the pool watching your toddlers.
Hikes with kids in the carrier.

Basically, I just kept a really active lifestyle for all of us.

I didn't do any kind of organized exercise (gym or class) until my youngest was about 4. Until then, it was just too hard for me to fit in. I prioritized sleep and work. But doing above, I managed to keep my weight steady and stay pretty fit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

daycare logistics do not take me an hour, more like 15-20 min at most. I average closer to 7 hours of sleep. We also stagger daycare drop off- one parents drops off and one picks up.

So you wake, Fred, dress your kids, drive them to daycare, drop them off all in 15 minutes?

And daycare is not in anyway off your normal commute?

I don't consider waking, feeding and getting out the door part of my daycare drop off. On the days i have to drop the kids off I get up at 6:30 and kids wake up soon after. We all get dressed/ready at the same time. Out the door at 7:30. Even if I didn't have kids I would still spend that hour getting myself ready and out the door so it doesn't add to my day. Daycare/school is very close to home so only takes 15 min.

Anonymous wrote:I get up at 430 on T and TH for to workout and wake up at 530 during weekends. I do admit, though, that I don't sleep much during the weekdays (6 hours usually) but I still have more energy than my prior life schedule with no exercise.

Yeah, seems like a 4am workout is best option, maybe I should look Into 24 hr fitness

I have three: 9, 7, and 4. I've worked out before, during, and after my pregnancies, and would describe myself as more fit now (at age 39) than I was before kids. Mostly, I think that's because I've found more efficient - and effective - workouts. I work out most days in some format or another, and I work outside the home in a pretty high-level, stressful job.

My tips:
- Figure out how to fit in workouts whenever and wherever you can. My office has a gym, and I try to squeeze something in every day. I do it whenever it fits into my schedule - sometimes at 11, sometimes at 3, sometimes over lunch. It's my 45 minutes of personal time a day (I usually eat lunch at my desk, or attend work lunches). If I can't work out, I try to build in as many walks as I can - add them in to my commute, or walk to meetings. Make sure to take the stairs.
- Find efficient workouts. Popsugar fitness changed my life in terms of different types of workouts that could be done in short spurts. Waiting for the pasta to cook? I'd put my ipad in the kitchen and do a 5 minute arm workout. Kids getting ready for bed? 10 minutes of legs.
- Get your kids involved. I've had mine near me since I was doing Tracy Anderson post-partum DVD (with the baby in their pumpkin seat). Now mine get involved with me (they're all excellent at planks!) or play near me. They understand that this is my time, and usually respect it. Also, use jogging strollers, bike seats, etc. My 7 year old likes to jog with me now, or I run with my 9 year old while she rides her bike.

As for eating, I cook most meals. Lots of veggies and grains, but still dessert every night.

I get up at 430 on T and TH for to workout and wake up at 530 during weekends. I do admit, though, that I don't sleep much during the weekdays (6 hours usually) but I still have more energy than my prior life schedule with no exercise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

daycare logistics do not take me an hour, more like 15-20 min at most. I average closer to 7 hours of sleep. We also stagger daycare drop off- one parents drops off and one picks up.

So you wake, Fred, dress your kids, drive them to daycare, drop them off all in 15 minutes?

And daycare is not in anyway off your normal commute?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

daycare logistics do not take me an hour, more like 15-20 min at most. I average closer to 7 hours of sleep. We also stagger daycare drop off- one parents drops off and one picks up.

So you wake, Fred, dress your kids, drive them to daycare, drop them off all in 15 minutes?

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

You sacrifice something. Sleep or some family time or free time. Im a pp that can't make it work because I need 8 hrs of sleep to function. Dh gets up at 4:39 every day, drives to work and works out at their gym there nearly every day. Still does a 9 hr day and comes home by 4:30. He does go to bed at 10.
I need the extra sleep and to do the morning with my kids who get up at 6 at the latest.

Anonymous wrote:I honestly don’t know how both parents can work, commute, be a family and sleep.

Sleep 8 hrs, commute + work 9.5 hr, dinner and family time, 3 hrs, 1 hr for daycare logistics (either drop off or pickup), leaves 2.5 hrs for showering, gym, EVERYTHING else.

daycare logistics do not take me an hour, more like 15-20 min at most. I average closer to 7 hours of sleep. We also stagger daycare drop off- one parents drops off and one picks up.