| |

TOPIC: |
Exercise Advice for working mother? |
Click here to read our frequently asked Fitness and Exercise questions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
The term ''working mother'' is exercise in itself. She just needs to log accurately her daily low to medium exercise-remember that here at sparkpeople, housework is exercise-it's an option. When a working mother logs what she does with her kids and the stairs she takes at the workplace, then she should not feel undermined or lacking in the exercise field. One other thing, though, I had to learn to say ''No'' every once in a while and put myself first. I had to have time for myself. It taught my kids that I took care of myself to take care of them.
| June Minutes: 0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Get up before everyone else in the house and get your workout done. No worries about it for the rest of the day. If getting up early tires you throughout the rest of the day, pick a quiet spot and try to get in a nap, even 15 minutes will do wonders for the rest of the day.
Emotion may help us get started in the right direction, but it is rarely there at the finish line. Sooner or later we must press forward without the support of emotion and employ discipline.
| current weight: 182.0 |
 |
|
MKHANNAY
SparkPoints: (5)
Fitness Minutes: (0)
Posts:
1
7/5/12 10:34 A
|
 |
Convention says that 3 sessions of 30 minutes exercise during which you elevate your heart rate is required to maintain a healthy life style. However, new research carried out by a team in the UK, led by a Dr Michael Mosley (“google” him) has established that the benefit you get from exercise depends on your genes – we all respond to exercise differently i.e. 30 mins a week doesn’t suit all.
They have proven that that many people; and you could be one, with just few relatively short bursts of High Intensity Training (HIT), amounting to only a few minutes a week – 3 minutes actually – yes that’s not a typo - 3 minutes, can deliver many of the health and fitness benefits of hours of conventional exercise. This claim is supported by many years of research done in a number of different countries including the UK.
So what is HIT?
It's actually very simple. You get on an exercise bike, warm up by doing gentle cycling for a couple of minutes, then go flat out for 20 seconds.
A couple of minutes to catch your breath, then another 20 seconds at full throttle. Another couple of minutes gentle cycling, then a final 20 seconds going to your maximum speed. And that's it. NOW AS WITH ALL EXERCISE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE HAD THE OK FROM A DOCTOR TO DO IT! NO REASON TO CREATE ANOTHER HEALTH ISSUE. FIRST DO NO HARM AS THE HIPOCRATIC OATH ALLEGEDLY STATES! THE CLUE IS IN THE NAME HIGH & INTENSE! A CAUTIOUS APPROACH SHOULD BE TAKEN AT FIRST.
So how does it work? According to the researchers, part of the explanation is (probably) that HIT uses far more of our muscle tissue than classic aerobic exercise.
When you do HIT, you are using not just the leg muscles, but also the upper body including arms and shoulders, so that 80% of the body's muscle cells are activated, compared to 20-40% for walking or moderate intensity jogging or cycling.
The second relative part is aerobic fitness. This is a measure of how good your heart and lungs are at getting oxygen into your body and is an excellent predictor of future health. Just by doing just three minutes of HIT a week for four weeks, you could expect to see significant changes in a number of important health indices including this.
Remember response to exercise is linked to genes. But even those who are non-responders will still benefit in some health indices. So go for it. 3 minutes a week HIT. What’s to lose?

|
|
|
 |
I too work full time and have an 11 and 4 year old. I wish I could wake up and workout before going to work but haven't tried that yet. I do work out in the evenings. I mostly go to the local YMCA and take the kids to the daycare area. The really like because they can play with other kids and make new friends. On the days I do not feel like going to the gym I work out at home mostly by doing Zumba videos. You can get some routines off of youtube and create a play list. My son sometimes do Zumba with me. I also may get on the treadmill if I'm not feeling Zumba that day or I may take my neighbors dog for a walk around the neighborhood and take the kids with me. They like to talk and discover things while we get a workout in. As you see I have no standard routine but try to do one of the things above to get my fitness in. Plus it keeps me from getting bored or burnt out.
Kimberly
| Body Fat %: 37.8 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
running with the stroller is one of my favorite ways to exercise with the kids!
Be in control of your own fears.
| Pounds lost: 0.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Hi, I have an 11 month old and before she came along I was at the gym every day, usually a couple of hours doing classes (yoga, pilates, body combat) and also my gym routine plus the powerplate. Then my wee one came along and I just couldn't find the time and working full time get really tired. I have just decided no more excuses and started to work out at home. I fit this in in two sessions, just approx 10 minute ones at the moment. in the mornings I walk my two dogs (only every other week when my boyfriend is in, the other week we all go out in the evenings) and I do one of the 10 minute solution dvd's (I loved my body combat class and miss this so got a kick boxing one) this is great and you don't make too much noise, even if my little one gets up early she happily sits in her high chair with a bottle of milk and watches me. In the evenings after she is in bed I do either a approx 10 minute yoga, pilates or resistance training workout. I can not really afford to buy loads of equiptment but have managed to get a mat, dumb bells and a all in one weight thing from gumtree, plus a mini stepper and a mini trampoline (not used the last two yet but plan to alternate this in the mornings for my cardio with the dvd. It takes some amount of will power to make myself get up a little earlier and then when I am tired in the evening I tell myself it's only 10 minutes (sometimes it works out longer). When I think of it as only ten minutes I seem to be able to get the energy and will power up to do this. Good luck.
| Pounds lost: 0.0 |
 |

|
|
|
 |
I am an single mother of two kids and I work a full time job. While it is hard to stay on track it can be done. I go to the track after work and workout for 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on my day and my youngest kid mood...lol. I do this 3 to 4 times a week. It is really easy to incorporate my kids into my workout and I am always talking with them about the benefits of exercising and eating right. It used to be really hard for me to find the time for myself but now that they are getting older (3 & 7) and we have a more stable schedule, it gets easier everyday and they notice that mommy suddenly feels better and lively.
| current weight: 138.4 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
I have been a working mom for 10 years and I finally found an exercise schedule that works for me. At first, I did what I call the 10-10-10 program. A 10 minute walk during my morning break (around the block and back to the office), a 10 minute walk during my afternoon break, and another 10 minute walk around the neighborhood before I picked up kids from the afterschool program. Then I built it up to 10-10-30 when the kids had basketball, soccer, or track practice and I walked 30 minutes during their practice. Next, I went to 10-10-30 + 10 minutes of strength training using the free exercise videos on Coach Nicole's 28-day bootcamp. You find whatever time you have and break it up and build it up. Now that the kids are home for the summer, I continue to do my 10-10 walk at work, but when I get home from work and before we eat dinner, my whole family does the Insanity DVDs for an extra 40-60 minutes of cardio! By the way, I am NOT a morning person, so exercising during my work hours and before dinner works out great for me. Good Luck! You'll get there!
Edited by: ITS_PATTYS_TURN at: 7/2/2012 (22:20)
If you don't have the time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over? ~ John Wooden
| Pounds lost: 18.0 |
 |

|
|
|
 |
I have 5 children, of which the youngest are not-quite-3 yr old twins. I also work full time at a very demanding job. As so many other posters have mentioned, I try to fit workouts in around my family's schedule. I get up very early, usually between 4:30 and 5:00 am. I do an intense cardio bootcamp type workout (such as Jillian Michaels' No More Trouble Zones). I try to fit in a walk at lunch time. Once the younger children are in bed, I try to fit in another low-key workout such as pilates, stretching or strength training. My children are also a great help in keeping active. We go swimming together and I use the smaller children as "resistance" in the water by swinging them around in the pool, lifting them out of the water and then dunking them back in, etc. We also play in the park, and I go on the playground equipment with them. You've been given lots of good suggestions. The key is to find the ones that work for your life and incorporate them.
| Pounds lost: 13.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
When my boys were younger, we would dance around the living room together until we were all out of breath. The sillier the dance, the better!
"I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me". Philippians 4:13
| current weight: 247.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
I am also not from the "get up earlier" planet.  I have a hard enough time getting up to go to work as it is. My hubby stays home with the Little Bug, so some nights I'll take him with me when I go to the gym. He stays at the babysitters there while I work out. ...Little Bug, not my hubby. Other nights, I'll do DVDs at home. I also have Zumba Fitness for the Wii, which is a lot of fun. It can get interesting, sometimes, dodging Little Bug while dancing around like an idiot, but it gets my workout in. Other times, I'll put one of the music stations on the TV, pick up Little Bug, and dance around the room with him. THAT is quite a workout, too! And he really enjoys it. One other suggestion I have (don't know if it will work with a 3 yr old, but it does with my 1 yr old), is to do exercises with the kid as your weights. Squats lifting the kid up and down. Do kettlebell swing-things, or lay on your back, put the kid on your shins and "fly" him around for a killer abs workout. Hope those help!
| 179 Days until: Baby! |
 |

|
|
|
 |
I am a working professional mom with two sons and a hubby. I get up early to get my work out in otherwise it just would not happen due to conflicting priorities. At 5am I AM THE PRIORITY. I wake up at 5am, jump into my gym clothes brush my teeth, wash my face, apply deo of course too lol, and out the door I go. I am usually at the gym by 5:30. Stay there until 6:15 - 6:30 then get home take my dog for a quick walk while my husband is getting ready for work then get ready myself. My kids are older so can get themselves ready in the morning once I wake them. We leave by 7:45 - 8 and I am at work by 9am. If you put yourself first, you can do it. I hated getting up at first, but I like it now b/c I see the rsults and I feel better.
Now is the time to shine. What or who is dimming your light?
| Total SparkPoints: 18,302 |
 |
| |
15,000 |
16,249 |
17,499 |
18,749 |
|
19,999 |
| SparkPoints Level 12 |
|
|
|
 |
I am up at 0500 every morning. I get up and get myself ready then get my 2 year-old son ready and we head to day care. I then go to the gym for an hour, shower at work and am ready to go by 0830 to 0900. If I can manage, I leave work at about 1600 and go to the gym again for 45 minutes and then pick my son up from day care. We come home and play, make dinner, eat, play some more and get ready for bed. On the weekends, my husband and I take turns biking so one of us can be home with our son. This means I, usually, am able to fit two exercise sessions into my schedule and still spend time with my child and my husband. You just need to make the commitment and stick with it. It sucks at first (I too love my sleep), but you get used to it and realize that you feel restless if you don't get your exercise in. Good luck!
| current weight: 106.4 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
As a mother, it's hard to find time to exercise. I take my kids for walks in the evenings or we play some sort of ball game such as football, volley ball or we just run around in the park. I find these activities to be helpful and also tire them out so they sleep well and so do I.
|
|
|
 |
Where I work, there are underground tunnels where there are restaurants and the such that people can walk through. I've started doing that during lunch. I live in Houston, and walking outside is pretty much impossible right now as it's been 100 degrees lately! Some days I don't have time to do 20 or 30 minutes, but just getting up and walking, even if it's just for 10 minutes is something. It helps to get away from my desk, it gets my legs moving, and it makes me feel better if I don't work out that hard when I get home from work later. If you play with your child, you are burning calories. Even though it's not conventional exercising, if you get your heart rate up, and start sweating, it's exercise! I have 3 niece and nephews 4 and under, and I play HARD with them, and I get so sweaty some days!
| current weight: 168.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
I am right there with many of you out there. I have been off and on for a few years now but my energy to deal with my dual life is sooo much greater when I find even 20 minutes a day. For me, the best way to incorporate the kids was Zumba on the Wii. They lke the dancing and we have fun and sweat for 20-30 minutes. The other options have been to set them up with a movie and a snack while I work out in another room. Walks to the park as they are learning to ride their bikes enable me to do some walkng and jogging (racing -they like it when I am the police coming after them - hopefully not a sign of things to come! LOL) I have a crazy rotating schedule working a minimum of 50 hours a week, but with creativity and help from the hubs, I have been able to get something in every day. Hope some of these help!
| current weight: 189.0 |
 |
|
DPDAVIS
SparkPoints: (71,014)
Fitness Minutes: (28,754)
Posts:
1,467
6/28/12 10:36 P
|
 |
Try to do some kind of exercise in the morning.
|
|
|
 |
I amnot a working parent but just wanted to mention...for fun exercise I am a big fan of just dance (and am interested in Zumba video game...) and if you let your kids play video games, I haven't met a kid yet that didn't like to dance in the living room, and depending on age you might even get them to actually follow along and then you can play against or in a team with them..... i got just dance 2 for christmas one year and probably burned more calories that day than i had all year with my 9 year old nephew (and HE was GOOD at it) just a suggestion.
and, currently i am doing insanity (which might be too much time for you) but if you wanna go INTENSE, they make an Insanity called Fast and Furious, 20 minute workouts i thinkk but based on insanity i would expect these to be CRAZY!!! but if you like crazy....
|
|
|
 |
I was there a few years back. I've been able to work towards a better solution, but let me tell you where I started. When my girls (15 months apart) were toddler/infant age, I had 0 dollars to spend on exercise and it seemed like even less time. I was a member of my local freecycle group and saw that someone was giving away an ancient exercise bike. I didn't care. I took the bike and set it up in the corner of my daughter's room where they couldn't get to it. I pulled it out when they were napping and worked out right there in their room. My house then was small and I didn't have space options, but I made it work without spending money or losing cuddle time w/ my girls. Now, my girls are 8 and 6 (almost 7). We just bought a house, and I have a gym set up in the basement with some equipment I saved up for. I also have a corner in the basement with my sewing machine and craft kits. My oldest got some DIY projects for her birthday last month, so I've been taking them down to the basement and letting them do their crafting while I work out and dad takes a much needed break. There's always a way, just not always easy to find it. Best wishes!
Never underestimate the power of a redhead.
| June Minutes: 0 |
 |

|
|
|
 |
Thanks for this thread! I too am in the same boat and have tried lots of different things to get my activity in, but sometimes found it just plain difficult. Now I've joined forces with a couple friends at work and we walk a 1.36 mile loop twice a day (when our workflow doesn't interfere) so I know that I'm at least getting roughly 2 1/2 miles in of walking per day. Now we've decided to run a 5K in July and have been taking our lunch hour to train for that. It's been a great way to get my cardio in without having to worry about taking time away from my daughter. That way, when I get home and feel too exhausted to do anything I won't have to feel guilty because I've already put my exercise time in and that way after I put my daughter to bed I can just relax or go to bed early without feeling guilty.
|
MORGEN11
Posts:
4
6/27/12 9:43 A
|
 |
I feel your pain! :) I was a full time working Mom for years, though now I am on the part-time track and I love it! Very good suggestions from all our peers. I still wake up before my teen-ager and work out for 20 to 30 minutes every day at home using DVD's and hand weights. It's really the only method that works for me (for almost 20 years now!!). Fitting exercise in here or there never gave me the results I wanted. HIIT (high intensity interval training) DVD's are my bread and butter and I like yoga too. Good luck and you are worth every investment you ever make into your health and well being. Moms and Dads both need self care daily.
Edited by: MORGEN11 at: 6/27/2012 (13:45)
| June Minutes: 0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
involve the kids...makes for a good role model if your kids are in sports, walk or run while they are in practice. usually the ball fields have huge parking lots or areas to do so
| 13.8 Inches Lost |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Love taking walks during lunch. It gets my mind a "breather"
Need to do better.
| Pounds lost: 7.4 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Eat lunch during a break time and use lunch to get a power walk. Great for mental fatigue as well as physical boost.
Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving. A. Einstein
| current weight: 136.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
DANCE! Put on some music (or exercise video or kid's video or whatever) and dance around with your little one. Kids love to dance and you'll be spending time together. Dancing burns about 400 calories an hour and can be done anywhere. Run up and down the stairs together. Simon says (using jumping jacks, etc.) Any kid game there is, you should play along. Are there indoor places you can both play, like a YMCA or something? Be creative. Even house cleaning and gardening count as cardio. Have your child "help" you with the house work (as much as possible for a young one.) When it rains, wear a raincoat and boots. I used to love jumping in puddles as a little kid. First put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others. Remember too that to spend quality (healthy) time with your child, you might need some time to yourself. Hope that helps!
| Pounds lost: 12.5 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
Ido it the moment i get up in the morning and if it doesnt work then i do it right around lunch and i only do a few floor exercises. If you want to inclued the kids play games with them like hop scocth and ring around the rosey. You can even make a trip to the park with your kids when you get home from work and take a small walk around the playground as they play:)
Haphazard
| current weight: 158.0 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
You should totally check out the video page... (http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/videos.asp) They have exercises that you can do at your desk, or just little 10 minutes workouts you can fit in, either in the morning or at the end of the day... That's how I started--I didn't know how to make the time, and the videos helped so much. I even joined the 28-day bootcamp. I'll tell you, having that goal can really be a motivator! Good luck!
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~Christopher Robin
| current weight: 165.4 |
 |
|
Thread URL: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/messageboard.asp?imboard=6&imparent=28011209
Review our Community Guidelines
Other Fitness and Exercise Topics:
|
|