Exercise and Motherhood - Bellmore,NY

Dogs are wonderful and give unconditional love. Walk the dog !
I have a friend who walks her dog for 10 - 15 minutes. Then, she puts the leash on a post right near her. The dogs sits in the sun (on her towel) while she
does squats, jumping jacks, stand up tummy toners, etc...
After that, she brings the dog inside and pours her a bowl of water. Her pup loves this routine ! So does she. My friend does not have time to drive to the gym, workout, get home and shower...She goes to the gym for 2 hrs every Saturday.

You need to keep taking your daughter to kids club and let her get used to it. Most kids cry the first few visits, some for much longer. You wouldn't stop working if she cried at daycare, right? Try bringing one of her friends with her when you go, or a special stuffed animal, or a treat...

I know other exercise folks will give you better advise than me, but I'll just say that you should change your dog's habits when you walk him. Instead of letting him run the show, you make him stay steady with your walk. You CAN do this. He doesn not need to be sniffing and stopping and starting. It will be hard to change his habits at first, but he'll eventually get with the program and let this be a REAL walk for you. It's more interesting than the treadmill.

Can you put on music during your housecleaning and "dance" while you clean? That's a bit of exercise too.

What kind of dog?
If you are walking your dog and getting no exercise because you are stopping and starting for the dog to sniff... then you aren't walking your dog, your dog is walking you. You CAN get a good walk in with your dog. But you are going to have to take charge of your walks. Step up the pace and don't let your dog determine pace or when you stop.

I feel you on being in a rut. And finding time to go to the gym. But if you are taking the dog for a walk, then take that dog for a WALK. Not a stroll. You can do that. Be the alpha and get moving. :)

Oh my goodness. Walk the dog and ditch the house cleaning! Exercise will boost your mood and energy levels. The guilt is taking up unnecessary space and cleaning can wait, maybe until the weekend and do it all in one fell swoop.

Can you go before work? I know that sounds like the last thing you want to do, but you will feel so good! I used to go when the baby and my husband were still asleep. I know it's early in the morn, but it's temporary. There will be a time when you don't have to wake up at the crack to make exercise happen. Somehow we just have to fit it into our day... The emotional and physical benefits are worth it. Just pick a few days a week and make it happen!

I too only have an hour a day. I've been doing the workouts by Chalene Johnson - TurboFire and Extreme. They are "aerobic" type workouts and go fast. And I only work out every other day. Days off I go to the park and run around with the kids for an hour!

You don't have to go to a gym or run outside to have a good workout in order to stay in shape. Just invest in a bunch of exercise videos. There are even 20 min. - 30min. videos for busy people, and you'd be surprised at the great results you can get from a video. It's like setting up your own private gym. I have just discovered form flooring squares. They go together like puzzle pieces and can be put down and taken up really fast, plus they give you more room to exercise on. Here's my favorite exercise videos:
1. Kick Butt Kick Boxing - Badrino Kocktane
2. Cardio Kung Fu - T.J. Storm
3. Cindy Crawford - New Dimension...This video was made for new moms. She has an after the baby work-out and a 20 min. workout for when you don't have enough time.
4. The Firm
5. Richard Simmons - He does have newer ones with more up to date music.
6. YouTube - Grand Rapids Zumba presents Telephone by Lady Gaga

It's harder once we become moms esp when we work full time outside the
home.
I would either workout during my lunch hour or do an aerobic dvd at home
Walking the dog is great for the dog but isn't usually considered aerobic
exercise to burn for at or lose weight.
I would continue to walk the dog & enjoy those walks.
Go to the gym on the weekends. That's 2 days a week right there. Then
try to fit in 2-3 more days/week.
Realize your limitations & that you may not be able to workout every day
and/or get to the gym.
You can try the kids club at the gym again but don't push it. It's an age
thing. I didn't want to have my child go there when he was a baby so I
would go when my husband was home then that didn't work for awhile.
Wait and try again later.
In the meantime, do what you can when you can.
Walk any chance you get. (Try for 30 mins minimum)
I liked getting an exercise DVD of my choice for those times when going
to the gym wasn't feasible.
If you can steal 20 mins at diff chunks of time during the day (lunch hour,
before you pick up your daughter, in the morning before you leave for
work & hubby is home, after she goes to bed, after dinner etc. then do it)
The motivation will be how you feel after awhile.
You'll start eating better, making better choices, your clothes will fit better etc.
Pick up one Fitness magazine. It can be a inspirational.
In the mornings, try doing 15 pushups, planks for the count of 60 seconds, tricep dips.
Have a goal. (For example, lose 10 pounds or "I want to buy a new black
dress in one size smaller).
Eat healthy. Make healthier food choices.