It’s MuMenTum Monday again, which means some hopping and skipping over at Liska’s (New Mum Online).
My mission in joining in on this fabulous blog hop is to reach the required level of motivation to get my fitness back and shift that last stone of ‘baby weight’. But I have a question for you: Can I really call it baby weight still? Toby’s 16 months old! Who am I kidding, it’s just weight.
This week I am going to use this blog post as a virtual couch in a psychologists office. It’s been a bad week and there are so many reasons why getting your fitness back – and maintaining it – is so darn difficult. Following a major high point after completing a day of the dreaded Tour of Wessex, I failed to squeeze in no more than a couple of runs and a spinning session last week. I have let myself down – failed. The problem is, there are too many things that take priority over and above exercise these days. When I was single and baby-less, I had no distractions. Since having Toby, I’ve started down the road of WAHMing (working from home mummying) and this new venture is more time consuming than the full-time office job.
With the office just upstairs, I’m finding it difficult to switch off – even on the weekends. Then there’s Toby; when I’m not working (or blogging) I really should be spending time with my little monkey. And if I don’t he’s taken to punishing me – like a rabid dog – with bites. The whole point to me working from home was to have more time to spend with him and though this goal has been met from a physical perspective I could do better with paying him attention. Why did no one point out how guilty you are left feeling – no matter what you do?
Then there’s the housework, the cooking, the garden, trying to find time for friends and family. Working from home and having Toby running around the house like the tazmanian devil creates the biggest amount of chaos. The house constantly looks like we’ve been burgled and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t make it tidy. I need some elves. Since Toby turned up, I’ve had to shift things up three gears just to fit things in… And I’m still only treading water. Once that’s all done, I am shattered. So, how do these amazingly fit mums do it? I have so much respect for Paula Radcliffe, who months after giving birth won the New York marathon – amazing.
I used to get a lot of my exercise done before work, so I’ve tried this tactic, but Toby seems to beat my alarm every morning. I’ve never been great at evening exercise and frankly, once I’ve fed, bathed, read a story, given bottle, brushed teeth and got Toby into bed, I simply haven’t got the energy to spare.
Anyone got any tips on how to squeeze exercise into a hectic day with a toddler?
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I’m the same as you, working from home with a toddler in the house is not a great combination and trying to add exercise into the equation is near impossible. When he naps I work & by the time he goes to bed I’m knackered & I still have work to do…..and then blogging! I suppose I could just cut down on the housework instead!
If you find a way please let me know!
x
I’m only scrapping the surface of the housework as it is. Any less and I’d be reported to the council. Perhaps cutting back on sleep would help – oh no, don’t get much of that either these days with the awkward child. Ho hum.
The only thing I can think of is long walks with the pushchair (which is what Mama Syder just said to me) or getting up at 5 a.m. or the buggy running thing which I am yet to investigate x
Running buggy is a good way of fitting it in and once you’ve got the child dressed and into the buggy it’s quite easy. Will aim for a few more runs next week with the buggy. x
I wrote an extra post today on how I fit exercise in but I don’t work so that wouldn’t really help you. I know what you mean about being too tired in the evening, then I just want to flop, watch the soaps and do a bit of blogging! The only thing I can say is once I started making it a priority I did manage to fit it in and feel better. I think I would like some elves too though my ironing pile is huge!!
I wonder if there is an Elf agency somewhere?! Just read your post – very impressed with the juggling of two monkeys and a crosstrainer. x
It’s hard work finding time to get exercise in when you have a toddler, I’ve only had more time to fit it in since my kids all started school,but don’t get down about not getting time be proud what you have got done,maybe put on a exercise dvd early morning or before bed or if you little one has a morning sleep?i leave some jobs till later cos i never fit them all in anyway:)
I think running buggy is a great idea…Getting fit while entertaining the baby, Fab!
No Mum is perfect we all have different areas we struggle to keep on top off especially with a baby and work. My house constantly looked like someone had thrown a hand grenade through the front door and run, lol! Now the kids are older the place is so much easier to keep tidy x
I know what you mean about working at home being so time consuming. I do work from home as well as from work and both eat into so much time that any valuable time left is hard to take away from baby. I guess it is about seeing what can be ditched so that the important things fit in and as you say, combining baby and buggy in a run. Dont be so hard on yourself though you are doing really well
I’m afraid I can’t offer any advise as you will hear me say most days ‘oh my god is that the time’! It goes nowhere. I have a part-time job and work from home and well I don’t need to go on, so I totally get where you’re coming from.
All I can say is that the older they get the easier it is to claw back a little bit of ‘me’ time.
Hope you have a good week 🙂 x
Thank you for the reassurance. Glad time will reappear from the black hole sometime in the future. Hope your week goes well too. X
Exercise is my problem too. I had joined the most brilliant dance class and was feeling so good, but it finished becasue not enough people were turning up. I really need someone to go with and cost is another issue, unless you run it is not free, and I have tried to get into running and failed miserably! Maybe we should come up with a sit up plan together and nudge each other everyday to see if we have done them? x
What a shame about your dance class. That is a pain. Hope you find something else you enjoy. Sit up plan sounds like a good idea… Maybe we should do twenty a day to begin with? X
I like exercising in the evening once JC has gone to bed although like you I often feel exhausted after the bed routine. What about setting aside 3 nights a week when someone else does the bed routine and you can have an hour to either exercise in the house or go for a run/walk/class etc? That’s how we manage it. I usually cook tea and eat with JC then Dad does the bath, bottle, story and bed while I go do some exercise 3 nights a week and for an hour at the weekend. I find it hard to motivate myself but once I get in to it I love it and usually feel more relaxed and less tired afterwards. xx Good luck this week xx
That is a very good idea, though I must confess I’ve never been one for evening exercise (unless is was a swim with the club)… Perhaps I should rejoin to give me a kick up the backside. I’m better at exercising in the morning, but with Toby waking up at around 5.30 every morning, I don’t stand much chance! Good luck with your week too, x
Although I don’t have a toddler, I do have a baby who is going through a ‘I want attention all the time’ stage and ‘If I don’t get it I will cry and moan’ so unfortunately exercise is just out of the question for me at the moment. When my husband gets home I just want to crash and snuggle with him by the time I have got the baby to sleep at 8.
Just keep thinking positive and good luck this week! x
Baby, toddler, teenager… I’m sure they are all as needy as each other. You’ve got a good excuse though with a baby. How’s the sleeping going? X
I’m with you all on this one too. Take today it took me until gone three to write my MUMenTUM post as my little boy was tearing around and as soon as I tried to blog, he was there swivelling the chair to get me up. Then I get annoyed and then I feel guilty 😦 I am too tired/can’t be arsed in the evening too xx
It is just crazy where the day goes. I’m with you on the annoyed – guilty pattern. Was trying to get ready for a meeting yesterday and Toby was at my feet the whole time. I spent 30 minutes telling him to get out of my way… Felt awful when I finally managed to leave the house.