Work, Parenting and Exercising

[Lyubov]

This last month or so I've really lost my motivation to workout. I went from walking/running/exercising every day to almost nothing. The reasons are a mix of the weather, being a parent and changing in my work schedule. That said, I finally was at needing less than 10 lbs to lose. 

So, my question is--how does everyone stay motivated? Or get back into the mood of exercising? I would love to hear how everyone gets over difficulties with work schedules or just crappy weather in general. 

[cnault]

I'd like to know too! I work usually 730-5, get home around 530. Have to cook dinner for my daughter, by the time I'm done, I don't want to do anything! And right now we have too much snow and very low temps that it makes it hard for me to want to do anything. So I'll be following this! 

[Whyshoshoni]

Hello @Lyubov and @cnault, I know your dilemma well, I too lived it for 20 years. Sadly, I can’t help with the sheer exhaustion that comes with being a parent other than to say guard your sleep time if you can!! 😉

My kids are now in their early/mid 20s and out of the house, so time’s not an issue for me any more, unless work is more demanding than usual. Both kids played sports so I spent countless hours in the car and at the fields.  They had to be at the field an hour or so before games so I used that time before the game to walk with other moms.  It wasn’t high intensity but at least I was moving and not at the snack bar lol.  

Also take walks, bike rides, swimming, skating, any physical activity with the kids.  Do the fun things! Go on hikes, play hide and seek, Pokémon Go, scavenger hunts.  Let them pick the activity, they and you will do it more often if everyone enjoys it.  

Of course that’s not helpful now, with this winter weather.  I try to get out every day for a run or walk, but it’s been hard this winter.  My go to fallback is dancing in the kitchen or running through the house.  Even with a small house I can get a good cardio workout tho the dog thinks I’m nuts and the cat ignores me as usual.

just remember that you have the most important job in the world! And time truly does fly, so make the most of it.  My 24 year old daughter and I walk and hike together now, and we spent 3 weeks backpacking in Europe last summer. Had I not spent the last 3 years getting in shape (after the youngest went off to college) there is no way I could’ve done that.  Good luck, I know you both can do it, just be flexible in your ideas of what a workout is.  Anything is better than nothing! 

[Baltoscott]

I can only imagine how mothers with young kids do it.  Two of the of the women I work with have multiple children but the one with the youngest has an older son who can keep an eye on things when she wants to go out for a run. And both are two parent households so its not all on the mom, though that is not everyone’s situation.  Both of them also usually get to the gym in our building at work during lunch several times a week, and one has a peloton she really likes at home.  Maybe there are some yoga classes or similar near your work?  My wife likes social exercise more than I do, and is always going to group exercise classes.  I don’t have to haul kids around, so I can bike commute to the train station.  I’m always looking for ways to build exercise into trips I’ve got to do anyway.  One thing I like about Fitbit is that it is counting all day, even when I don’t have workout clothes on.  So walks with your kids or dog get counted, parking further from work gets counted, walks to places out for lunch get counted, 

It will be interesting to see how others work fitness into their days.  It seems like every lifestyle has some sort of challenge in building in regular exercise (unless your job itself is physical).

[WendyB]

I had trouble when I was working. But I told myself my Lunch hour is mine to do what I want. I always went for a walk at lunch. Then came back at ate my lunch at desk while working.

I walked in the rain unless it was pouring down and blowing in my face type rain. Then I would close my office door and put in a Leslie Sansone DVD and do it at my desk. If I saw some one come over I would stop and help them and go back to it 😀 I liked walking outside cause no one could stop me 😁

[Whyshoshoni]

@WendyB I also walk at work, and look forward to it.  I work from home half the time and only get half as many steps when I’m working from home.  Even it’s not my ‘walk’ time, I wander the halls for a couple of minutes every hour.  There Is another guy who does the same, and we see each other frequently during our outings lol.

My office is in a beautiful business campus, and there are walking paths and sidewalk through the 70 acre campus, as well as a path with fitness equipment, not that I ever use the equipment. But I should!  A couple of teammates and I have ‘mobile meetings’ where we discuss business while walking instead of sitting.

when weather is bad, we walk in the warehouse across the street.  And I fully understand about getting away so you’re not interrupted! 😏

[DeniseFI · Accepted solution]

I am an older mom with four young kids (9, 8, 3, and 1). I work (although part time right now, thank goodness for parental leave!) and find it really, really hard to fit time in for myself. I avoided it for years. I have recently tried to start up both exercise and mindfulness in equal measure to save my sanity, haha. I have dusted off our elliptical and started doing the Zombies Run C25k program (because I think it is fun and it helps make the time go by 🙂 ), and am also trying to fit movement in throughout the day, cleaning with more vigour, walking when I can, etc. I am starting to go on walks with my oldest daughter while she plays Pokemon Go. I have a really hard time fitting it in on work days but do things on lunch and whenever I am able to manage after work.

I totally get how hard it is to balance not only time but motivation. The only thing I can really say is for me, the "gamification" of the Zombies Run game made it much more bearable, and even the Pokemon Go thing is a bit fun to do, at least with my daughter (couldn't bear it alone, haha).

As for time, I try to work in bouts. I have a mostly office job so obviously getting up for five minutes every hour and all the usual stuff has helped me get more movement in. But it is also in the military so I am lucky enough that we are allowed time for physical training if we want it. I usually don't take it since I am part-time right now, so I exercise on lunch and breaks and eat at my desk.

Maybe try something new to get yourself a little extra interest? And as a side note, have you tried mindfulness? I was a total skeptic, but I downloaded an app and have been following it a few weeks, and it has actually helped not only soothe some of the daily stresses of life, but also strangely helped motivate me to find time (and desire) for exercise, as it helps you focus on doing things for yourself. It really does help me feel like a better mom when I am less stressed and have more energy (especially at my age 😕 )

I am blathering but I can totally relate so I wanted to chime in.

[Baltoscott]

Wow @DeniseFI.  You are master of time management working in your daily exercise while taking care of that brood!  Lots of good tips. 

I am also a big fan of Zombies Run! (the main program, but I like the C25K program too).  You can set up an episode of that to run 30-60 minutes using your own play list between story segments.  My heart always beats a little faster when the Zombie hoard starts chasing me and that definitely ups my motivation to move faster!