Finding it hard to get exercise in...

[tryingfortwo]

I'm hoping I can get some advice here. I have a slow-to-warm 3.5 year old, and I'm finding it hard to get into a routine that allows me to get regular exercise. There is just no way I can leave him at a gym childcare area, as I can't even leave him in a mommy & me class without him chasing after me. We used to go for walks, but now he's not interested in sitting in a stroller. And besides, since he is no longer napping, it makes late afternoon or evening walks impossible (since he'd fall asleep and then be up super late). We do try to get out with him on his balance bike, but I find that I'm not getting much of a workout - he can't go that far/long without getting tired (understandably), so it's really not much of a walk for me. It's awful, but I've gained so much weight in the last few months, and I feel like I've lost control of my health

Anyways, I feel like all I do is have excuses as to why I can't workout, so I'm trying to consider other options. Sometimes I feel like my attachment parenting makes me put his needs first - like I tried to go exercise first thing in the morning, before DH left for work, but DS freaked out. I think it's just not his normal routine, and he's used to nursing first thing in the morning, it helps him wake up. Otherwise, he's pretty cranky. So anyways, I tried that for a few days and hated having him cry while I was gone, so I stopped. Or I could try to work out after he goes to sleep at night, but he usually wakes up 30-45 minutes after I first put him down, and I have to lie down with him for awhile to help him get back to sleep or he gets really upset. So again, I don't workout then (besides, it would be kind of late for me, after 9pm...) I just don't know how to find that balance, to focus on my health and lose the weight I've gained recently, but to make sure that DS is happy with the situation.

Any advice? Thanks!

[deltadawn]

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[sparklett]

A couple of ideas:

Could you do a workout video while he plays/colors/laughs at you? My DS is 3.5 and he gets a HUGE kick out of watching me work out. Sometimes he'll even try doing it with me.

What about getting a bike trailer and going for bike rides? The trailer might be more entertaining than a stroller, simply becuase you're going faster. He might also like having a bit more room to spread out in a trailer.

I know 9pm is late to work out, but often that's the only time I have available to work out. Tonight I'll start my run at 10pm. I go to bed after that, then wake up before DS and work out more. It's not ideal, but I need to do *something* for myself and the only way to do that is to do it around DS.

Good luck!

[sweetpeppers]

Working out while they are asleep is really the best bet for a sustained aerobic workout. But you can also do a lot while they're awake too. You can run in place, do jumping jacks, lift weights, do pushups and situps, jump rope, run up and down the stairs (that's actually a good workout)...not that I do any of these consistantly, because I like to make excuses too. I'm a single mother, I have too much work, etc, etc, but that doesn't stop me from doing the things I really want to do. For me, exercise starts with diet. When I am eating a high percentage of fruits and vegetables, I want to move, but when I slide into the processed foods trap, I feel sluggish. My son is 3.5 too, and he loves to take walks. I wouldn't say I get exercise really, but it does get me out of the house and off my butt. You could also try putting him in a wrap or backpack of sorts and going for a walk. That's a good work out too. Have you tried getting a baby seat for a bike? That's another way I've found to be enjoyable, and you can go places too. My son always hated the stroller. I ended up giving away my jogging stroller, because I just never used it. Where there is a will to exercise there is a way, I just find myself short on will, since my conditions are not ideal for exercising like they were in college. Try to think outside the box. Oh, if you have a friend with kids, I have met my friend at the playground and the kids played while we ran laps around the playground. That worked out quite well. Sometimes the kids would join us for a little bit (sometimes the littlest one would cry, and sometimes the biggest one would cry because he wanted to run with us the whole time).

[sewaneecook]

A misconception about attachment parenting is that children always come first. If this were true no parent would have anything left to give after a certain point. You need to take care of yourself too. Your 3.5 year old is old enough to know that you are going to come back when you leave. If you work out before your DH goes to work, have your DS and DH start a new morning routine together. My DH and very-clingy-to-mom-only-DS started this about 6 months ago and DS is now upset if DH isn't home when he wakes up! If you work out after your DS goes to bed, your DH can do some cuddling, singing, back rubbing, etc. once he stirs and you aren't there. They'll find something that works for them!

I've had great luck with running and a couple of Jillian Michaels videos. I don't have to drive to a gym, I can get a quick 30 minute workout in and my kids hardly realize I'm gone or they watch me do a video in the living room. At first DH resented picking up the extra work in order to give me time to work out. However, he now realizes that I'm a much better mom and wife when I get a chance to sweat! If I haven't had a run in a couple days and I'm a bit irritable, DH now pushes me out the door so I can work out!

[Alyantavid]

Can you wait until after he's asleep for the night?

I do work out dvds at home and usually my 4 year old is either laying there watching or he's doing everything right along with me. I just can't figure out time for the gym so I do it at home. There are alot out there that are fairly short (20-30 minutes).

[ParisApril]

When my kids were really little. Under 1.5 I pretty much stuck to weights and cardio videos at home. Once they got a bit older I would leave them with DH and go for a run or bike ride and I still lift weights at home.