Stay at Home Mom with 5 1/2 Mth Old Wants to Continue Working Out But...

Try fityummymummy.com

It shows you how to lose weight, get fit, and feel great,working out from home in only 90 minutes a week.

As a former work out 'class' junkie this was hard to believe, but I'm thinner now than when I met my hubby 14 years ago. It really works!

Good luck.

Try Baby Boot Camp instead of Stroller Strides. Same idea, but usually a much more intense workout.

Can you work out super early in the morning while everyone else is asleep? I get to the gym at 5:00 a.m. when they open and am home by 6:30. Everyone is still asleep--including hubby! I get my very important "me" time and a great start to my day!!

I feel your pain. I won't take my baby to the gym daycare either and she's 10 months old. I don't feel comfortable having some teenager whom I don't know watch my baby so I can do something for myself. So, here's what I do...

- Wait til my husband gets home from work so he can watch her and I run to the gym for an hour (gives my mind a break and gives me the time I need to work on myself without having to worry about my little one.)

- I have a gym at home. I have a treadmill and some free weights at home so a few days a week, while she's napping, I'll go upstairs and lift. There's also a LOT of kalesthenic work you can do. Try these workouts: http://www.shape.com/workouts/routines/

- we also take lots of walks during the day. Walking for an hour at a rigorous pace will help you a lot, it'll get both of you out in the fresh air and it'll be a nice way to get out of the house.

- if nothing else, while your baby is playing on the floor or in the playpen, do some pushups, situps, squats, whatever. Your baby is at the perfect age to "help" you with your workout. You can do squats and lunges while holding him and there's a whole host of ab workouts you can do with your baby. Check out this page for some ideas: http://www.fun-baby-games-online.com/exercises-for-mom-an...

Kudos to you for making exercise a priority. Good luck!

Hilary

Hey L.,

I would love to change your mind about Stroller Strides workouts. I am the instructor in Arlington and can tell you for sure that you would think our workouts were intense enough. Check us out! We have classes 6 days per week, www.strollerstrides.net/arlington.

Let me know if you have any questions. :)

Have the 14 year old watch the 5 1/2 month old for a couple of hours; no longer than two hours at a stretch. Pay this sitter minimum wage salary.

L.,

I too have a 3 month old baby and a two yo. I figured that going to the gym would not really be feasible, so I bought an elliptical machine for cardio and some free weights and have been working out at home while the kids take their naps. I also work out using the wii fit for the strength part of my work out. on the wii I do the yoga and the strength exercises. It is really working out great for me.

A. H.

You're right- I wouldn't touch a daycare with a 10 foot pole. Especially at a drop-and-go place like a gym or a shopping store. Can you workout with him at home? Can you jog/walk at a park with him in the stroller? I'm actually a personal trainer and a mom, so I know that it does not require a gym to be able to stay fit. There are tons of exercises you can do at home. I think your child's well-being is worth you not being able to go to the formal gym, but instead using him in your workout and/or letting him watch you at home. Email me if you want some at-home workout ideas!

I also love working out (it keeps me sane). I just joined Cooper Fitness in Craig Ranch primarily because of their outstanding child care (and they only charge $9 month!). I only leave my little girl in for 1.5 hrs max (they allow you 3 hrs and did I mention they have a wonderful spa!). They have a separate room for infants that has a door so all the other children can play elsewhere. I asked LOTS of questions like: how often do you wash the swing inserts, does everyone wash their hands, do you sanitize, do you allow sick babies or older children to come in. I felt much better after asking questions. I also do a mommy and baby yoga class at Cooper that is a blast and my daughter loves it! For me it just boiled down to finding the right gym that could accommodate all our needs. I love working out and it gives me the energy to be a better mama! Hope this helps somewhat -

I echo AndreaR. I work out to DVDs at home and you will be amazed at the workout you can get. The Firm and Jeri Love are my 2 favorites as well. (The Firm has loads and loads of vidoes, Jari Love is more recent and has only a few but they are excellent!). I fill in with some cardio at the gym as well, but if you're coordinated (which I'm not) you can do step aerobics for your cardio and some weight training videos for resistance/strength. Go to collagevideo.com as she said. Buy the basic step bench and some free weights and start feeling great. No kidding.

B.

Hi L., Congrats on getting back to your pre-baby weight! OK, so I am now in the best shape of my life after having a child (16 months old today) and I do workout dvd's at home while she is sleeping. I recommend looking into the website collagevideo.com. My favorites are the Firm Dvd's and Jari Love's Ripped series. It sounds like you are in good shape and like to workout hard and these should definitely do it for you. Let me know if you have any questions on which ones are best... I have a ton of them! I do work out at the gym too... I take my little girl, but I waited until she was older and walking before I dropped her off at the gym daycare... I felt just like you.

Dear L.--

How about something fun like martial arts training-- great for fitness, fun AND self defense-- we hae a great playroom with security camera for the kids while you train

Vision Martial Arts

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I would bet there are other mothers in your position. Maybe you could solicit each others help. You guys could take turns watching the kids, which would give you each an opportunity to have adequate child care and your much needed work out time.

A couple of workout videos I really like to use at home are from www.beachbody.com. They are Slim in 6 and P90 workouts. They are both excellent and will keep you in shape probably better than going to the gym. I also have Turbo Jam and it is really good, but it is hard for me to learn the steps. It might be right up your alley. Check it out. They are the best workout videos I've ever seen.

I work at the City of NRH Recreation Center...we have small childcare group and they're mostly young children (not sure what you mean by older kids)...but it's only in the morning so they're all at school...we offer personal trainers (and massage) and have good ellipticals, bikes, treads, weights, machines and great group fitness classes. Try your local parks/recreation b/c it's very affordable. Good luck. We also offer some classes in the a.m. where babies can come and just hang in their stroller (first class free)...email me for details or check out www.nrhtx.com.

I go to Lifetime Fitness in Flower Mound. It is expensive.. but you pay for great stuff. My 5 and 2.5 year old love it at the childcare. They have separate room and staff for babies like yours... and are great about keeping kids separate. Babies can't start until 3mos. I think they leave that area around 12 mos. They can't leave main room until 2years and then they are free to roam the whole area. Check it out. I am pregnant with my third and it will be going when 3 mos.

I waited until my son was old enough to sit up and play. But even then, I go at times when school age children are in school. Usually I go at 8 or 9 am or in the early afternoons. At these times, if there are lots of other kids around, they are usually no older than 4 or 5 and aren't interested in playing near the infants due to lots of other activities available to them. I agree the gym childcare is not childcare but more "child watching" but I agree with an earlier post that you will set yourself up for a lot of stress down the road if you don't learn to start trusting others for even a short period of time.

You can use your stairs if you have some. Just walk up and down the stairs for a consistant work out. That will really build leg muscles. Also, by some free weights for your arms. Push-ups for tummy muscles. Jogging stroller for heart. Buy one of those excercise balls. Just a few suggestions.

Dear L.:

It's been MANY moons since I had a little one, but my exercise routine was with my daughter. I had a jogging stroller and when she got a little older than your son we added a bike trailer. I, jogged, went on long walks (up to an hour) or biked every day. That was my daughter's favorite way to nap. There was many a run that I wanted to do only 3 miles and my mini fitness trainer insisted on 6!

L. F., mom to a 13-year-old daughter

What about buying your own exercise equipment or videos to work out at home? You could probably use the money you're spending on the gym and the child care to pay for them???? Just an idea. Then you could get in what workout you want while the baby sleeps.

I notice you say you have a boy that is 14? If that's correct couldn't you let him watch the baby for you? That's old enough to help out. If you don't want him alone take him to the gyms daycare also to be extra eyes on the baby? If it actually means you have a 14 MONTH old and a 5 1/2 month old then WOW you're going to have to either trust the gym people or find another drop in sitter. The gym place would make me nervous also but at least you could run in there and check as often as you want to, easily and maybe eventually you'll become comfortable. Good for you for putting your child first and also for trying to get in good physical condiion!

There is a really great boot camp company that does a Banish the Baby belly class in McKinney where you bring your baby with you to work out. The instructor incorporates exercises where your baby participates with you! I did this until my little one started walking and it was great! It's a challenging and rewarding workout and my baby loved it! The instructor is very nice to both moms and babies (babies love her!)but she knows how to motivate you to work hard. She never yells at or demeans anyone, everyone is positively encouraged to work their hardest! The company is called Texas Boot Camp and you can find out more information about that class at www.texasbootcampllc.com . When you master that class, you'll want to move up to a regular boot camp class- I love it!

K. C.

If you have OnDemand you can do work out videos while your baby sleeps. I know its not the same working out alone, but it will help keep you sane until your baby is old enough that you trust child care centers.
H.

Hey -
I'm not a stay at home mom, but a friend of mine is. She goes to the gym at 5:00 AM...before her husband leaves for work. I too don't like to take my "babies" to the gym and it has nothing to do with the care, but more to do with the germs. When my son was a baby, I tried goign to the gym with him and EVERYTIME after we went there, he started throwing up. So, I quit trying to take him with me. Now, I go to the gym on my lunch hour at work.

-L.

Is there another mom you work out with or are close too that you could go 1st she watches the kids then you watch and see works out. Let the kids play at mcd's whatever, do your walmart shopping etc... Jsut trade out adults???

A good personal trainer can come into your home and show you what you can use at home, give you specific exercises to target the area's you need to work and in 2 or 3 sessions you could be all set to go on your own. That way you can work out at nap time. Better yet, have a playgroup of 2 to 3 friends and all of the moms work out in the room while the kids play. There is so much you can do on your own without spending loads of money on a gym membership.

trust your instincts with the gym daycare, i work for a gym and have seen some horrid things that happen in a second with great employees at hand, just not enuf supervision. i would never take my baby there. try switching on and off with a girlfriend, watch her kids one nite and then have her watch urs. or sign up at 24 hour fitness and go when your baby is asleep, you might be missing a little sleep but your body will thank you

The Jungle Gym at Cooper Aerobics Center- pricey but so worth it. When I can't get to the gym, I create a great workout at home during his nap or take him out in the jogger, if the weather allows it. There are some good videos out that have allowed me to get some at home workout ideas, too. Good luck . . . I understand completely.

Have you tried going during school hours? Fewer older kids around then. We go to the Park Cities YMCA and have been quite happy with the child care, if you're looking for other options. Have also heard good things about the White Rock Y, so I would assume others are similar.

Have you tried Exercise TV on On Demand (if you have cable)? They have a ton of different programs at different levels that I can do in the living room while the baby sleeps. Has TOTALLY saved me now that it is getting dark so early that I can't go running after the hubby gets home. The programs are free and some coordinate with online calendars/pre-set workouts you can download online from Fit TV. Worth a try...

personally i'd spend some time talking to the staff at the day care and odds are it would settle me down enough to leave the baby. if you really want to work out, then you'll have to learn to trust people eventually.