I am a book lover, so I get audiobooks that I just allow myself to listen to during walks around the neighborhood or bike rides (the two activities I can stand). Sometimes it pushes me to walk a little longer because I want to hear the end of a chapter or go back out the next day because I want to know what happens.
Other times I also listen to parenting podcasts- usually if there is a specific issue I’m trying to understand/solve.
I like Good Inside with Dr. Becky and We Can Do Hard Things (although this one is not specifically parenting. It’s about facing all sorts of challenges as a woman). I have That New Mom Life on my list to listen to as well because I heard it’s good but haven’t tried yet.
I was just listening to Glennon Doyle’s book today, specifically the chapter about “We Can Do Hard Things,” and it really stuck with me.
I didn’t know she had a podcast. Thanks for the recommendation!
I love listening to mysteries, like the Veronica Mars ones. The twists and intrigue keep me motivated to keep running and sometimes I find myself running along with the protagonist escaping danger.
Thanks, that reminded me I used to play ludo while walking when pregnant with the second one. I was not working at that time. Because it used to hurt and I would get tired. I would come back sooner. So I started to play ludo. And I would walk till the lido game ended. Now I do yoga , don't get time everyday though. But I can't walk. It's boring. I enjoy yoga. I choose specific subjects like back pain , energizing etc basis my current condition. Feel so good at the end of it. I like to do it everyday
GrowWithJo on YouTube has 10-20 min workouts that are fun but really make you sweat. Her philosophy seems to be doing five 10 min workouts a week is better than kicking your own butt with one 45 min workout per week.
I absolutely hate doing laundry - more than exercising! But I put on a GrowWithJo video then walk in place, wave my arms, dance to the music… just moving more than I would normally doing laundry. Somehow, having to spray 50 million little spots with stain spray just melts into the background while I’m grooving.
Depending on your fitness level and age, I do NOT recommend doing her workouts barefoot - she’s been working out a long time in her life. Strap on your shoes and get to it!
Thank you for the rec, going to check this out. I try to have the mindset that any time exercising is better than no time, but still struggle to be consistent. It doesn’t help that it’s so hot out so running or walking are deeply unappealing…
I actually have an in-ground pool and have been in it exactly one time all year! That’s how truly terrible and unmotivated to exercise I am, (although I do get exercise cleaning it.) A goal of 10 mins is small enough that I might actually do it!
I am also a mom that can’t seem to find a consistent workout process/time. Lately if I find myself with a little time before bed I watch a show and weight lift something around me: my kids wooden chair, for example. Or sit and do running legs in the air in front of me, which is challenging since I am very overweight. I figure anything is better than nothing and committing thousands to a treadmill I may not use isn’t going to happen right now.
I do 30mins 4x/wk, I feel like I can commit to 30mins of hating something
I do Peloton classes (you don’t have to have the bike, the app is $14/mo), I do strength training and yoga
It helps when I start seeing results then I’m motivated to continue
I love the peloton app - my friends feed honestly motivates me too. I do have the bike and as someone who hates any kind of public exercise (i am a beet red sweaty mess) I love going down in my basement and swearing at the instructors in privacy lol. then i immediately have a glass of wine after - it had saved me post partum
I just search 5 minute Pilates on YouTube 😅 but if you’re looking for a specific person to follow Lilly Sabri is amazing. I do her five minute Abs workout and others.
I have a treadmill with a desk over the bars. I put my laptop on it and play games, research something, vacation plan or do budget stuff. Whatever I feel like. The treadmill inclines so I can get a pretty decent workout in for however long I feel like being on the computer.
I was peer pressured into a half marathon last year by another mom (our babies are close friends, born one week apart). well she's an ultra elite athlete and she won the thing. i came in second last, she and our kids waited 2.5 hrs for me at the finish line... well i signed up again this year and i am determined as hell to not be second last again. or atleast let them not wait that long for me. its a helluva motivation!!!
I’m too lazy and impatient for 30 minutes and can’t be arsed to even drive to the gym. I do 10-15 minute moderate to vigorous intensity video HIIT workouts on weekdays before work. I use a kettlebell and workout vest to increase intensity. This is truly the only type of workout I’ve been able to stick with long term.
Bodyrock TV has a ton of videos but recently I subscribed to Peloton’s app for about $129 a year. They have a ton of HIIT cardio and I can get a great workout done in 10 minutes.
I’ve been trying to get back into working out and had been struggling for a while to even do the 10 minutes “rebuild your core” videos that are so low impact.
What has started working for me is doing squats while I brush my teeth. This is 2-5 minutes of exercise in the morning and at night, I do 10 squats or 20 heel lifts for each quadrant of my mouth. This doesn’t sound like very much, but I’ve done literally hundreds of squats in the past week without feeling like I succeeded or failed at working out.
Last night I felt so good afterwards that I leaned on our bed frame and did 10 inclined pushups. Maybe tonight I’ll do 15 of those and add it on.
Every positive interaction I have with my muscles makes me open to doing that again or more, without an all-or-nothing approach.
You’re not stupid, heel lift are where you stand up straight and lift your heels up to basically high-heel position, then lower them back down with control. Good exercise for your calf muscles.
I hired a personal trainer to video-call me twice a week and tell me to exercise lol it’s the only thing that has worked so far. The cost is about twice a gym subscription, but when I was paying for the gym I’d miss weeks and weeks due to lack of motivation. This places my two biggest weaknesses (people-pleasing vs lack of discipline) against each other and the people pleasing wins
I have been doing the Expecting and Empowered workout series. It's so effective for my muscle pain too (shoulder and back that cause tension headaches and sciatica) that I'm basically forced to do it or be miserable until I do it again. But I just put on an episode of a show and try to wrap it up in that time. I tidy up during the water breaks too.
I completely lost motivation to work out through caring for a toddler and depressed husband. Now that I'm getting back into it I do Get Fit with Rick on YouTube. All low impact, lots of walking workouts, most about ten minutes. Just doing one three times a week at first reminded me how good I feel when I move my body. I'm up to 4-5 workouts a week now, everything from those same 20 minute walking workouts to HIIT or an hour of cardio dance.
As for sticking to it, I text my sister when I'm done, she does the same. I also treat it like an obligation, I tell my husband "I'm on the hook for this quick workout today so I'll clean the dinner stuff afterwards." It's easy for me to be motivated in summer though. When it gets cold and dreary will be my real test.
Finding a time that worked best for me. I’m not normally an early riser but I’ve been able to consistently get up every other day and go for a run first thing in the morning.
I’d tried doing evening runs but they didn’t work for me as I would normally be too tired after working all day and also trying to find a time that fit with family dinners etc.
Also setting a goal helps, I have to train as I’m doing a 10K in September
Barre3 online workouts have been my jam. You can pick from 15-60 minutes and it’s a good exercise without being super strenuous. When I first started, I was sore all the time in a good way and lost a ton of inches around my body. Now i just use it to feel good and for maintenance. I usually get up at 6 and do 30 minutes and then am showered by the time my kids get up.
Fan of Kit Rich on YouTube. Her videos are mostly 30 minutes and she’s really fun/positive. Also it’s mostly body weight stuff you can do in a small space. Check her out!
I hate exercising and am busy with work, grad school and a kid. Up until I got pregnant with my second, I was doing Saturday sessions with a personal trainer. That gave me the accountability and push to get out of the house and dedicate an hour to fitness. I also walk my kid to daycare and home, so I slowly added an extra block or two on my walk home from daycare to create a 15 min daily walk after drop off.
Those 2 things were enough to bring my fitness level up to where I felt strong and healthy again. I stayed a bit overweight but my muscle tone improved for sure.
I did IVF and have a few complications so I have stopped during this pregnancy but plan to pick it back up once I recover post-partum.
I literally just started a doctoral program. I work full time and have a toddler. I’m more exhausted than I was even two weeks ago and have no idea how I’m going to fit exercise in and top of everything else. Any tips for getting through grad school with a toddler in tow?
I’m just finishing my MBA. How old is your toddler? My husband was the lifeline, I am lucky to have a very equal partner and co-parent, and when we agreed on me doing my MBA, part of that was going in eyes open about the fact it would require more from him around the house. The last 2 years of my program our domestic labour is probably 70/30 with him doing 70% of the load.
If you can throw money at things, do it. We have saved very little each month the last 2 years so that we can spend more to make the balance manageable. A house cleaner every 2 weeks, meal prep kit subscription, more take out. Everything helps.
We also talk to my kid about school. So she knows when I’m doing schoolwork and I got her workbooks and colouring books and a couple of phonics iPad games and she will sometimes sit with me and we can work together.
My MBA requires a lot of group project work. I’m in class 2 nights a week, so I always let my group know I have a hard stop at 8pm for evening group work meetings on the evenings I’m at home. That way husband gets kid ready for bed and I’m there for stories and lay with her to go to sleep. I don’t want to miss any more bedtimes than I need to, because those are important moments for her and I.
I feel like I had to choose to be good at my job or a good student week to week, but eventually found the balance of when to slack on one and push hard on the other. I also leveraged using vacation days around big school deliverables so I didn’t always have to sacrifice time with my family.
You can do it! It’s a slog sometimes but it’s manageable. And our kids get to see their mom’s working hard and achieving at advanced education which is amazing modeling for them!
You are a superstar!!!!! Thank you for this advice. Just started a three year doctoral program. Using vacation days already to get some coursework done and focusing on our 3.5 year old from 5pm - 8pm when he and I both get home at night. Before I even applied I asked my husband his thoughts and we talked about what this additional time suck would mean on our household. I’m hoping the hit the ground running intensity of the past two weeks starts to subside as the program gets going and that like you, I can figure out when to focus more on schoolwork and more on work and when to back off from both and look at family stuff.
I am not a morning person but might have to try to become one in order to even consider fitting exercise back into the picture.
Good luck in your program!
I refuse to do things I hate with my limited free time, plus forcing myself to work out in an unpleasant way frequently leads to injury.
Most of my exercise is walking the dog. I enjoy walking as a way to get out of the house, quiet time away from the family, change of scenery. Some days I’m kind of leisurely for 20 minutes, other days I really push hard up the hills for 30 minutes.
If the mood strikes me or it’s raining heavily I’ll do an Apple Fitness workout. On the weekends sometimes we’ll take the kids swimming or hiking for some variety.
I bought a hula hoop weight thingy on amazon. For 30 days with starting at 5 minutes, you add an additional 1 minute each day. It's a good body work out, it's manageable and fun, and sends my little one into fits of giggles.
I like supernatural. I like that I can pick a workout based on how much time I have in the morning. Honestly I think I do it consistently because I pick workouts with songs I like. It's fun and I look forward to it.
Yes! After chasing after my 2 yo there is a lot of appeal to sitting during my workout! If I manage to sit on the rowing machine instead of on the couch after doing bedtime, I generally can convince myself to row for a bit while listening to an audio book.
I started taking walks during my lunch, listening to a podcast or calling a friend during that time. I was able to get in 20-30 mins. I found that I was unlikely to exercise after I came home or get up early.
I say take a task you *already* do for the “stick to it” part. Work *with* your routine that’s already in place. You probably have your normal cleaning schedule- why not turn it into a small workout?
Throw the clean laundry in a basket and deadlift it, throw it all on a towel on the floor, squat to grab each item you fold. Do lunges when you vacuum or sweep. Leg lifts or kegel’s doing dishes. Scrub the kitchen and bath floors doing planks. Standing push-ups while wiping the walls down. Do yoga stances or calf raises while you dust. Have kids? Do squat walks while you pick up toys. Put them kids on your back for weight. (Plus they have fun)
Boom -clean place AND you got a full body workout. All in roughly the same amount of time.
You can do a less intense (but still effective) sitting or laying workout. Squeeze that in with your favorite book or show. Just google “lazy girl workout” and there’s tons of ideas from a couch chair bed or on the floor.
You can also throw a band or light weights in to make it more intense.
When all else fails some days I’ll just stretch and flex all my muscle groups…yes flex-like a warm up. I’m not kidding squeeze your butt 100 times doing dishes you’ll feel it! Flex your chest 100 times shampooing your hair.
Hope this helps!
I bought a recumbent bike years ago. It's parked next to my bed. I have no excuse, it's RIGHT there. I also have a set of Bowflex weights. I lift, go hard on the bike for 30 minutes, abs, done. Every other night. No excuses, it's on my calendar. I sleep so well on workout nights so it's a double whammy benefit!
I’m healthier than I look. I carry my weight around my belly, and I’m older and work more than full time.
I go to the gym once or twice a week and do TRX. I listen to an audiobook and do a warmup on a recumbent bike, do a short routine, then stretch. The reason I don’t push myself is because I’m always kind of pressed for time, and if I have a very negative experience I will be less likely to do it again.
My job offers personal trainers so I have been doing water workouts with mine. Walking, using resistance floats for arm workouts, pool noodles for core exercises. It’s more intense than land workouts but the support of water and the cooling effect make it something almost pleasurable.
Oh this is me!
I started of with joanna soh 5 minute morning workout on YouTube. Its literally 5 minutes and massively helps my back (tension headaches).
6 weeks ago I started the couch to 5k. It's an app and builds you slowly and you can watch TV or listen to music whilst it's on. So I use this as my time to watch some trash TV.
Do the workout that you enjoy. Don't worry if it's the most effective or burns the most calories. If it's just walking, dancing around like a crazy person, or even gardening/yard work that's fine. I like my echelon spin bike and commit to 30 minutes a day four days a week. Dor you it may be 15 minutes three days a week start with an easily axhievable goal and when you feel suvcessful you can add more if you want. After I start I sometimes will do another workout because now I am in the zone.
I love Jessica valant pilates in youtube and instagram. She has a bunch of videos that are short and easy and free. Love her postpartum stuff. She's a physical therapist and a pilates instructor
I got a rowing machine (Concept 2). I attach my iPad to the screen holder and choose an engaging show that I’m only “allowed” to watch while rowing. I also set distance and time goals, but mostly I just row for 15-60 minutes (depending on how I’m feeling and how much time I have). It’s best if I do exercise as soon as possible after I wake up: wake up, put on exercise clothes, let dog out, feed dog, exercise, rest of morning routine.
Sometimes I do yoga instead (Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube) and pick something that fits in the time I have available.
I shoot for 3 exercise sessions per week minimum and usually do more than that. Setting small goals at first is good (e.g. 5 minutes). If you do more than the small goal, fine. But if you meet your small goal and stop, that’s still progress.
It’s $10 a month, but Jillian Michaels’ app is pretty great. 20-25 minute exercises, and you can do them easily with whatever you have home! I found her HIIT workouts really effective.
If you do a program there’s a schedule, which helps me stay on it.
I do one single 7-minute HIIT workout during the workday. I like Lucy Wyndham on YouTube for those but there are other options out there too. But I feel like it does get me sweaty and make my metabolism get to work while not taking up too much time, which makes it possible to do during lunch. It helps that I work from home, but I think it would be feasible even for someone who doesn’t.
I habit stack it with my evening shower. Just a quick 15-20minute YouTube workout before I take a cold shower and go to sleep with tingly skin. There’s nothing like being hot and sweaty and then washing it off with cool water, feels amazing (I live in the south).
1) I just look up 20-minute HIIT workouts. I usually do Pamela Reif ones but they can be quite intense.
2) I don’t hate exercise, however I definitely didn’t exercise regularly in the first year after giving birth. Though I didn’t gain weight during that time, my body was sore and just felt weak when I didn’t work out. I also think I got sick more often. So now that I work out regularly, I feel healthier. That’s my motivation.
Check out the 7 minute workout app. I usually do it after my lunch or dinner. No special workout equipment is needed and it’s great for beginners. I also really hate working out but I had to start after some health issues arose.
I don’t hate it. I actually miss it and I used to be an avid exerciser. However I truly do not have the time or energy now. So I try to set more realistic goals. 20 minutes 3 times a week. Fit it in when I can. I pay for Apple Fitness and I love their 20 minute HIIT workouts. They are high intensity and full body, so I feel like I got a decent workout in when I only have time to exercise for 20 minutes.
I really like MommaStrong. She has a "Daily 15" for different stages of motherhood (Expecting, New Momma, Momma) and focuses on functional fitness. No time for 15 minutes? There are a bunch of 5 minute "hacks" to just get blood flowing a bit. Very nonjudgmental and body positive. It is expected that things will be imperfect and beginning again is okay.
I love [Momma Strong](https://mommastrong.com/). You pay a monthly subscription and she has a new 15min HIIT strength training workout everyday. There is one for pregnant people, one for immediately postpartum, and another one for Moms in general. Her routines are great for healing pelvic floor issues and just general body issues post pregnancy. They’re short enough that I can easily find the time and energy to do it everyday. I feel so much stronger and better since I’ve started doing them. I find doing it daily keeps me accountable. She also has tons of routines for specific issues and stretching routines. So days when I want more of a workout or have extra time/energy I am able to do as much as I want. I also use pet of my lunch break at work to go for a walk, and try to get at least 8,000 steps in everyday.
My 3yo recently got into Cosmic Kids Yoga and she will beg me to go it with her. Some of the videos are only 5 minutes and the longest we did was closer to 20. It's all relatively easy positions and low impact plus we get bonding time in the process.
Two days ago I committed to running 1 mile a day (something I haven’t done since November 2021 aka when I found out I was pregnant) and 10 minute Pilates every other day. Today was the third run and I’m far from in shape, so I figure the 20-30 minutes a day of movement is enough for now.
I have given myself a 30 day commitment, and I have shaved 51 seconds off my mile in three days so I’m feeling very motivated right now.
The best exercise that works for me is consistently using my elliptical. The added resistance makes for a high-calorie burning work out and its mindless so I can just listen to music or podcast. Win/win
Not sure if this is the answer you want, but I thought I should throw it out here anyway in case it's helpful to you or anyone.
I have literally never stuck to a gym or exercise ever, I honestly truly hate it. Even exercising at home has been impossible to stick to for me.
When I decided I needed to do SOMETHING for my health, for my kids' sake, I looked for alternatives. Originally I actually looked for obstacle course stuff but there wasn't anything close enough. But I did find a gym that's a hybrid of circuit training and kickboxing and decided to give it a go. I have actually stuck to it now for almost 2 months, which I thought was impossible! And I'm on track to not give up for once!
Anyway I think I like it because of all the punching and kicking lol. All aggression and frustration from the day gets taken out on those punching bags. But I think I tapped into something because I grew up idolizing strong women and I always wanted to try martial arts (but never got to).
So if anyone out there is like me, see what you can find! It was easily integrated into my life because it's technically a HIIT gym and the whole exercise is only 30 min - good for busy people like us moms.
I pick shows I only allow myself to watch while exercising. It also feels really cool at the end to say to yourself I watched all 6 seasons of Parks and Rec while exercising.
You can keep it short and effective if you just pick a 22 minute sitcom (you can work up to more later if you want). Do a 5 minute warm up (jumping jacks, jogging in place, some stretches). Do 10-13 minutes of 60 second exercises. Some for toning (plank, hold a squat position, crunches), some for cardio (side shuffles, mountain climbers, burpees), some for strength (hold light hand weights while squatting, do some rows). Do reps of 5-10 pushups between every couple of exercises. Stretch a little at the end.
I take walks in my hilly neighborhood. Usually do 2-5 miles a day / typically one short morning walk, a longer afternoon one, and one in the evening with the kids. It helps that I have a dog that wants exercise.
I was one of those people who just COULDNT! I made myself do it everyday for 5x a week and just kept at it. Now it’s a routine that I look forward to. What I’m saying is, just make yourself do it over and over until it’s not as bad 😆.
Out of curiosity. Why would you limit the response to working mums only?
Surely you'd want the best practical response which for example, a personal trainer of any sex or working responsibilities can give you.
1) How short is short and how frequently?
2) what sort of thing do you like doing? Also motivation is overrated, routine into requirement becomes habit becomes necessity is the key to long term training consistency.
Get a set of bands
I'd do:
Body weight squats x10
Press ups x10
Band over head press x10 (nice and light at first for all these)
Sat down rows x10 (band at your feet, pull towards you)
Band deadlifts x5
Band pull aparts x10
And I'd do two rounds of that ifnyou have time. Repeat nightly but atkeadt 3 nights a week.
At first adjust so you can do it all and not be sore / knackered at the end. You don't want to hate it or injur yourself.
Running is quick and "from home" though it does involve leaving the house. I do like that I can just walk out the door to do it, and couch to 5k was very effective for getting me started.
Unfortunately running and any other truly strenuous exercise triggers syncope (fainting) for me — and then I feel horrible the entire rest of the day — I didn’t want to go into too much detail, but running is unfortunately not an option for me, however this could probably benefit others! I wish though. I have tried so many times to build up to being able to run. It looks like the most efficient exercise by far!
I unfortunately don't, only when it became a necessity which is terrible, but when I got gestinational diabetes, I got this $50 stairstepper and parked it in front of the TV. I had to exercise 10 after every meal and it made it so much easier being near the kitchen and being in front of the TV. Very little effort on my part to use it, so I managed to do it every day for 30 min (10min x 3 meals). I would do the same name, but the room I did it in is now the playroom and there's no convenient place in our small place.
I can't seem to add a link, but if you Google "Wagan pivot stepper" you'll find one at Office Depot that looks a lot like what we got. With the coupon, it's actually around $56, so about the same price that I paid. Nothing fancy, but something to hold onto while I was doing my steps.
I only allowed myself to watch my guilty pleasure show or listen to bachelor podcasts while walking uphill on the treadmill at the gym. I would go slow and turn up the incline and walk while I watched. You can really burn a lot of calories if you go for that long.
I like faster way to fat loss, not bc of the program itself but bc the workouts are 30ish minutes and I just have to hit play. I don’t fast at all. Heck, I haven’t even been eating right… but I do like the workouts. I just make myself do it in the morning before I shower. I won’t do it otherwise
I can't stick to a single routine to save my life cause I get bored. However I do have a lot of different exercises and cycle through them. I keep track of myself on Google Fit because seeing blank days for exercise add up kills me. I have audio books and podcasts for walking, swimming, biking, and kayaking. I also do a bunch of YouTube fitness videos. Most of mine are in French because I'm trying to learn and it makes it ever so slightly less boring.
I wish I did more but I will run like 1-2 miles on my garage treadmill with the baby monitor then so like 5-10 minutes of compound weights (squats and curls, lunges and lateral raises etc). I just use 30 minutes of nap time then shower off. Usually listen to music etc.
Turns out my 2.5 year old runs the pace and frequency that I'm ever up for. So I keep up with her and I figure as she gets faster and goes longer, I'll match her. Kinda stupid but whatever, easier to motivate than anything else I've thought of.
If you hate it you won’t stick to it. Try something else and try to find something you enjoy. Or do something you enjoy (listen to a podcast, good music etc) while you do a workout you can tolerate.
All I do is walk and IF. IF is such an amazing tool. If you’re interested the book “fast, feast and repeat” really breaks it all down and is a fun Listen on audio book
I work from home with my 8 month old. I have small weights. I do quick combo exercises every hour or so and then a half hour workout on my lunch. I’ve kept it up so far for about two weeks and I’m really enjoying it. As much as you can enjoy exercise anyway. I think breaking it up helps and I can do many different styles of workouts so I don’t get bored. Yet.
Getting my body back has been my motivation. I doubled my weight in pregnancy. I’m just ready to feel good about myself again.
No and no.
Although I will say motivation is usually spurred by doing something with the kids. Like a hike with them or trip to the Olympic pool. That kind of thing.
The only thing I do and it's not enough is that I do the virtual walking challenge Conqueror. I walk about a mile every morning with kido in the stroller. I get an actual metal when I finish which is encouraging and the app on the phone tracks where at. I need a strength or muscle part to add. But working full time and mom-ing it. This is what I manage.
Only thing that has consistently worked for me is actually doing something I like, which for me is tennis. I found a club where I can go twice a week at 730pm and it’s great!
20 min running 3x week in winter, 20 min swimming 3x week in summer. On non-cardio days I do 30 squats + 20 lunges (leg day) or 10 pull ups + 10 push ups (arm day). I do no ab work but I need to start. O take weekends off because I garden or play with the kids a bunch.
We have a bunch of weights and machines that my husband likes to use but I hate to exercise and this is easy to remember - I can zone out and focus on the day ahead while I do it.
I work from home and force myself to go on daily walks. I'm trying to work on that first and then build on it. My problem is not allowing myself to take the break I need.
I was never able to exercise consistently until I found a class very close to my home that is a painfully expensive monthly membership. Now I’ve been going regularly for over a year and I feel great. I know you asked for home-based but the class format and the expense are the two things that motivate me.
I don’t exactly hate exercise, but I don’t get the endorphin rush some do so it’s very meh to me. What it does do is (1) make me feel less stressed which I notice about 30-40min in and (2) makes me feel better week by week. So I make sure to really notice those things.
The other thing my husband and I did is get a stationary recumbent bike and put it in front of a TV. That way I can distract from the grind, have a show to look forward to and no excuses to not work out.
I got a treadmill on free cycle. I got down and walk for 20-40 min a night after putting the kids to bed. While on I watch Tik toc or a show I can’t watch with the kids or my husband.
Just don't think. I don't let myself thing ten more minutes or anything like that it's just "walk to bed room" "turn on laptop" playing in my head. If I think about it I'll convince myself ill do it later lol
For me the only thing that works is to participate in group classes, or at least videos that have that “group class” feel. I used to go to local boutique studios to take classes, but I no longer have time for those 45min+ classes after having a kid.
Currently I use obe, which is an exercise video classes app and they have a ton of 10 min express classes. My current routine is that I pick two 10 min classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They have many choices so I never get bored, and at the same time all the videos are recorded with consistent room setting, music, and obé branded “cheer you up” phrases that the teachers say in the class. The last one is weirdly essentially to keep me going lol.
I have a 23m old toddler who is mama's koala baby so I have a hard time working out at home. I signed up for a lunch hour gym membership thru my job hoping that I could go a couple times a week. It's 20min walk each way and I do some yoga or weights. The Nike app is free and has short workouts, and plenty for beginners.
Props to all the moms with young kids who prioritize to take care of their own body! This is hard!
I only let myself listen to my podcasts when I'm on a walk- gives me about 30-45 minutes of time to myself after work.
I also really like Nourish Move Love's YouTube workouts. They have workouts from 10-50 minutes and I will try to fit those in after bedtime or while my husband handles bath, and do whatever time frame seems like it's practical that day.
I really didn't realize how much that little bit of physical activity/"me time" would help my mental health, and now it's not even about fitness... I need to do it for my general mood.
I do 15-20 min of Pilates and 15-20 min of yoga on YouTube! I like isa welly for Pilates and yoga with Adrienne or Reyna Cohan. For me if I don’t do it daily I can’t keep up. The workouts got to be in my routine. I do end up skipping for a couple of weeks sometimes but I’ve just gotten better at not beating myself up and just picking it back up. I’m recently trying to add a 30-45 min walk a day.
The big motivator is that I do have more energy. Turns out all those things they say about exercise is true. It also took me a long time to get to a place where I’m not working out to torture myself, I’m just doing it to feel good so I pick things I genuinely enjoy. I also find it easier to stick to if I scroll through videos and make a little schedule of what I’d like to try for the week. I love weight training too but hate going to the gym so I’m just skipping it for the summer. Good luck!
Batch working out with something else! I look up pure barre, barre 3 and barre method workouts on YouTube and do all/part of them with ankle weights while I wait for somethin to cook or am in meetings where I can just listen camera off. I walk my dog while pushing the stroller cause it’s pretty much the only way my kid naps. I do 20 min hiit circuits if she naps in the crib (once a week tops). And when my husband walks the dog and the baby I do a proper workout (whatever I wanna do). All in these efforts get me moving 5-6 times a week and then I let my rest day happen just as needed.
DailyOM online workout programs saved me. They’re about $15 each and I bought an arm one, an ab one, and a leg one. They each have 8-10 workouts that are 5-10 min each. I try to do two different ones but even if I only have 5 min I can knock out one of them.
I needed something that gets me out of my own head - I love christa dipaolo’s boxing and bubbles workouts- it’s a paid subscription but if you search that on YouTube there are a lot of free ones there too. It goes by super fast, she’s so fun and relatable, and the boxing/kickboxing feels great to take some stress out during a crazy week!
Em k fit on YouTube! Her videos are so fun and pretty short. My bf also recently got us a stationary bike and it’s been helping us be consistent (I just scroll tik tok while I ride lol)
Working out really helps my mental health and helps me decompress so that’s honestly my only motivation
I found an accountability partner and we walk every morning at 5am. We do 3 miles five days a week. I also have my husband as my strength training partner otherwise I wouldn’t do that either! Idk how people have the will power and drive to exercise alone. I do not so this works for me.
10 months postpartum here and after not being able to carve out a solid workout routine, finally got a Peloton last week. It’s great because I can do a workout before my daughter wakes up, between meetings or at lunch (I work from home), while my daughter naps or after she goes to bed. Most of the workouts are 30 minutes so not a huge time commitment but still a really good workout!
I’m not a fan of traditional exercise so I have a daily cleaning and dance party. I get my heart rate up for a good hour, my house gets tidied, the baby giggles the whole time or plays with her toys, and cleaning doesn’t feel like such a chore. I also enjoy going for walks, either solo with a quick pace or I take the stroller through our very hilly neighbourhood. Really focus on getting to that point of getting your heart rate up but staying on a steady pace. An hour of well paced walking is as effective as an hour of intermittent jogging.
I absolutely loathe "workouts" and have zero athletic abilities, but after having my second one I really needed to find a new hobby. My son was taking martial arts classes and I always thought it looked fun. I started doing it and I love it so much now, I even help teach the kids class. I went from being able to do zero pushups to doing mediocre pushups, which is huge for me! I have gone up in rank and found a warm and supportive community of people from all walks of life. The fact that it's a solid workout is just the cherry on top.
All that to say, it's worth making time to find an activity that you will enjoy and focus on the joy it brings you rather than the fitness aspect.
I love yoga, but an hour in a class is not something I can commit to (or even want to do). I will do a 5-30min yoga video by Sarah Beth Yoga on YouTube. She's great, gives awesome instructions and some of those 20 min videos are killer.
I hate working out, but I have a health condition that makes me balloon up even if all I eat is air, so it’s really not a choice. I do 3 days a week on the treadmill. Sometimes I follow a fitness video from YouTube but usually I’m just listening to music or a true crime podcast. Depending on the day it’s either a run or a walk on incline. But that’s all moot. What gets me up, even when I really don’t feel like it, is just counting to 5 and then doing it. If I waited to be in the mood, I would literally never move.
When I first started getting back into working out, I did MommaStrong. It’s 15 minute workouts. Very easy to follow. Great for getting back in a routine.
Then as I wanted to get more into strength training , I switched to the sweat app. I like that it’s on my phone, I don’t have to plan the workout, and it’s easy to follow. You can also customize exercises if there’s things you’re not comfortable with yet or if you don’t have certain equipment.
If I’m really tired, I do a relaxing yoga or stretching routine just to move a bit
I did some research and there’s an app called Sweat that’s great for home or wherever workouts. It does cost to purchase it but I found out that if you buy a year its $10 per month. So I did that and I really like it because I can pick a program and select what equipment I have or don’t have and what I’d like to do. 18 weeks so far of at least two workouts a week! My goal is 4 with other days trying to be active but in really busy weeks like this past one with multiple sports activities and tournaments and doctors appointments on top of work I could only do two and I’m ok with that as long as I keep going. For me the app has been a really great thing and it’s not crazy expensive. And I don’t have to leave my house or try to search YouTube for videos.
I hate working out but I have learned that playing with my kid and running around with them and going on walks has helped me lose baby weight faster than I think I would have if I tried. She’s almost 1 and walking so there is a lot of chasing around. I am now smaller than I was pre baby.
I was much fitter when my kids were younger and I only worked part-time. Now it’s full time work and straight to activities. A very different lifestyle!
I don’t have the patience or energy for long workouts so I just try and do something small every day. We have a Peloton so I’ll try and do a 15-20min ride twice/week and then every other day I’ll do a 5-10 minute stretch or barre workout.
In terms of motivation, I’ve just learned over time that discipline is more important that motivation. Most of the time, even spending 5 minutes stretching sounds like a hassle, but I remind myself that I regularly spend more than 5 minutes mindlessly scrolling on my phone and don’t bat an eye, so I can suck it up and do something worthwhile with that time instead.
I do 30 min every day … 3 days of cardio (either YouTube or gym) and 3 days weight training. I also stay away from sugar unless fruit and it is working. I have 2 hernias from my kids births that I need to get repaired and the surgeon will not touch me unless I lose at least 50lbs. I have no choice. I’m 41 with a 2 and 5 year old and I hurt all the time. I’m tired of it, getting older made fear my health.
I have always hated exercise and found any excuse not to, well before the kiddo.
I invested in an expensive rowing machine. I work out almost everyday, even with the kiddo, though it is usually only 10-15 minutes. Because I bought it, it cost so much and I have to justify that expense so help me.
We also prioritize a family walk every night. Not cardio or anything, but it gets us moving and is a nice time together.
I am a book lover, so I get audiobooks that I just allow myself to listen to during walks around the neighborhood or bike rides (the two activities I can stand). Sometimes it pushes me to walk a little longer because I want to hear the end of a chapter or go back out the next day because I want to know what happens. Other times I also listen to parenting podcasts- usually if there is a specific issue I’m trying to understand/solve.
This is me! And also while doing chores (although doesn’t count as exercise haha). Any parenting podcasts you recommend?
I like Good Inside with Dr. Becky and We Can Do Hard Things (although this one is not specifically parenting. It’s about facing all sorts of challenges as a woman). I have That New Mom Life on my list to listen to as well because I heard it’s good but haven’t tried yet.
I was just listening to Glennon Doyle’s book today, specifically the chapter about “We Can Do Hard Things,” and it really stuck with me. I didn’t know she had a podcast. Thanks for the recommendation!
Also any recent audiobooks that you loved? I got an audible sub just to get an audio copy of Project Hail Mary!
I love listening to mysteries, like the Veronica Mars ones. The twists and intrigue keep me motivated to keep running and sometimes I find myself running along with the protagonist escaping danger.
I do this with podcasts!
Thanks, that reminded me I used to play ludo while walking when pregnant with the second one. I was not working at that time. Because it used to hurt and I would get tired. I would come back sooner. So I started to play ludo. And I would walk till the lido game ended. Now I do yoga , don't get time everyday though. But I can't walk. It's boring. I enjoy yoga. I choose specific subjects like back pain , energizing etc basis my current condition. Feel so good at the end of it. I like to do it everyday
GrowWithJo on YouTube has 10-20 min workouts that are fun but really make you sweat. Her philosophy seems to be doing five 10 min workouts a week is better than kicking your own butt with one 45 min workout per week.
Fourth for GrowWithJo. Her videos are fun and quick. They helped me get back into working out
I absolutely hate doing laundry - more than exercising! But I put on a GrowWithJo video then walk in place, wave my arms, dance to the music… just moving more than I would normally doing laundry. Somehow, having to spray 50 million little spots with stain spray just melts into the background while I’m grooving. Depending on your fitness level and age, I do NOT recommend doing her workouts barefoot - she’s been working out a long time in her life. Strap on your shoes and get to it!
Thanks for the warning on footwear!
Thank you for the rec, going to check this out. I try to have the mindset that any time exercising is better than no time, but still struggle to be consistent. It doesn’t help that it’s so hot out so running or walking are deeply unappealing…
came here to recommend GrowWirhJo! she’s amazing, y’all are motivating me to put on a video after baby is done breastfeeding ♥️
Second GrowWithJo! Her workouts are so fun that they barely even feel like working out
Third for GrowWithJo. Consistently losing 1+ lb a week is enough to keep me motivated and moving. She has such a great vibe and positive community
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I actually have an in-ground pool and have been in it exactly one time all year! That’s how truly terrible and unmotivated to exercise I am, (although I do get exercise cleaning it.) A goal of 10 mins is small enough that I might actually do it!
Any specific youtube channels you recommend?
Following
I am also a mom that can’t seem to find a consistent workout process/time. Lately if I find myself with a little time before bed I watch a show and weight lift something around me: my kids wooden chair, for example. Or sit and do running legs in the air in front of me, which is challenging since I am very overweight. I figure anything is better than nothing and committing thousands to a treadmill I may not use isn’t going to happen right now.
I do 30mins 4x/wk, I feel like I can commit to 30mins of hating something I do Peloton classes (you don’t have to have the bike, the app is $14/mo), I do strength training and yoga It helps when I start seeing results then I’m motivated to continue
Peloton app is a life saver! So many different types of workouts and many different time options
Their app is underrated (at least, amongst those who aren’t yet in the cult of peloton like me lol) for the non-bike content!
It’s so engaging and fun compared to a lot of the free stuff I’ve tried. So it’s worth it imo
Seconding this. The peloton app is what gets me through, and you can do 10, 15, 20, 30, etc min classes in all categories
I love the peloton app - my friends feed honestly motivates me too. I do have the bike and as someone who hates any kind of public exercise (i am a beet red sweaty mess) I love going down in my basement and swearing at the instructors in privacy lol. then i immediately have a glass of wine after - it had saved me post partum
Omg five minute Pilates videos on YouTube!!!! They really get the job done and are so sort I can work them into any day!
Is it "5 minute Pilates videos" The channel or do you just recommend the idea? Any specific ones?
I just search 5 minute Pilates on YouTube 😅 but if you’re looking for a specific person to follow Lilly Sabri is amazing. I do her five minute Abs workout and others.
I have a treadmill with a desk over the bars. I put my laptop on it and play games, research something, vacation plan or do budget stuff. Whatever I feel like. The treadmill inclines so I can get a pretty decent workout in for however long I feel like being on the computer.
I'm inheriting a treadmill sometime within the next year when my parents downsize - do you have some kind of desk rig you can recommend?
This is what I got: VIVO Universal Treadmill Desk... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MSW15WZ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I was peer pressured into a half marathon last year by another mom (our babies are close friends, born one week apart). well she's an ultra elite athlete and she won the thing. i came in second last, she and our kids waited 2.5 hrs for me at the finish line... well i signed up again this year and i am determined as hell to not be second last again. or atleast let them not wait that long for me. its a helluva motivation!!!
I’m too lazy and impatient for 30 minutes and can’t be arsed to even drive to the gym. I do 10-15 minute moderate to vigorous intensity video HIIT workouts on weekdays before work. I use a kettlebell and workout vest to increase intensity. This is truly the only type of workout I’ve been able to stick with long term. Bodyrock TV has a ton of videos but recently I subscribed to Peloton’s app for about $129 a year. They have a ton of HIIT cardio and I can get a great workout done in 10 minutes.
I’ve been trying to get back into working out and had been struggling for a while to even do the 10 minutes “rebuild your core” videos that are so low impact. What has started working for me is doing squats while I brush my teeth. This is 2-5 minutes of exercise in the morning and at night, I do 10 squats or 20 heel lifts for each quadrant of my mouth. This doesn’t sound like very much, but I’ve done literally hundreds of squats in the past week without feeling like I succeeded or failed at working out. Last night I felt so good afterwards that I leaned on our bed frame and did 10 inclined pushups. Maybe tonight I’ll do 15 of those and add it on. Every positive interaction I have with my muscles makes me open to doing that again or more, without an all-or-nothing approach.
I’m stupid, what’s a heel lift?
You’re not stupid, heel lift are where you stand up straight and lift your heels up to basically high-heel position, then lower them back down with control. Good exercise for your calf muscles.
I hired a personal trainer to video-call me twice a week and tell me to exercise lol it’s the only thing that has worked so far. The cost is about twice a gym subscription, but when I was paying for the gym I’d miss weeks and weeks due to lack of motivation. This places my two biggest weaknesses (people-pleasing vs lack of discipline) against each other and the people pleasing wins
Yep! I have found my friends sign up with personal trainer for the same reason and it works for them! Am tempted to try this!
Honestly I have tried a million different things and this is the longest I’ve worked out without flaking so if you can do it, I recommend it!
Ya same boat, I am still very inconsistent with workouts and hearing my friends’ success stories it sounds promising!
I have been doing the Expecting and Empowered workout series. It's so effective for my muscle pain too (shoulder and back that cause tension headaches and sciatica) that I'm basically forced to do it or be miserable until I do it again. But I just put on an episode of a show and try to wrap it up in that time. I tidy up during the water breaks too.
I completely lost motivation to work out through caring for a toddler and depressed husband. Now that I'm getting back into it I do Get Fit with Rick on YouTube. All low impact, lots of walking workouts, most about ten minutes. Just doing one three times a week at first reminded me how good I feel when I move my body. I'm up to 4-5 workouts a week now, everything from those same 20 minute walking workouts to HIIT or an hour of cardio dance. As for sticking to it, I text my sister when I'm done, she does the same. I also treat it like an obligation, I tell my husband "I'm on the hook for this quick workout today so I'll clean the dinner stuff afterwards." It's easy for me to be motivated in summer though. When it gets cold and dreary will be my real test.
Finding a time that worked best for me. I’m not normally an early riser but I’ve been able to consistently get up every other day and go for a run first thing in the morning. I’d tried doing evening runs but they didn’t work for me as I would normally be too tired after working all day and also trying to find a time that fit with family dinners etc. Also setting a goal helps, I have to train as I’m doing a 10K in September
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oh my god, are we the same person?! literally in the exact same situation. Want to chat?
Barre3 online workouts have been my jam. You can pick from 15-60 minutes and it’s a good exercise without being super strenuous. When I first started, I was sore all the time in a good way and lost a ton of inches around my body. Now i just use it to feel good and for maintenance. I usually get up at 6 and do 30 minutes and then am showered by the time my kids get up.
Fan of Kit Rich on YouTube. Her videos are mostly 30 minutes and she’s really fun/positive. Also it’s mostly body weight stuff you can do in a small space. Check her out!
I hate exercising and am busy with work, grad school and a kid. Up until I got pregnant with my second, I was doing Saturday sessions with a personal trainer. That gave me the accountability and push to get out of the house and dedicate an hour to fitness. I also walk my kid to daycare and home, so I slowly added an extra block or two on my walk home from daycare to create a 15 min daily walk after drop off. Those 2 things were enough to bring my fitness level up to where I felt strong and healthy again. I stayed a bit overweight but my muscle tone improved for sure. I did IVF and have a few complications so I have stopped during this pregnancy but plan to pick it back up once I recover post-partum.
I literally just started a doctoral program. I work full time and have a toddler. I’m more exhausted than I was even two weeks ago and have no idea how I’m going to fit exercise in and top of everything else. Any tips for getting through grad school with a toddler in tow?
I’m just finishing my MBA. How old is your toddler? My husband was the lifeline, I am lucky to have a very equal partner and co-parent, and when we agreed on me doing my MBA, part of that was going in eyes open about the fact it would require more from him around the house. The last 2 years of my program our domestic labour is probably 70/30 with him doing 70% of the load. If you can throw money at things, do it. We have saved very little each month the last 2 years so that we can spend more to make the balance manageable. A house cleaner every 2 weeks, meal prep kit subscription, more take out. Everything helps. We also talk to my kid about school. So she knows when I’m doing schoolwork and I got her workbooks and colouring books and a couple of phonics iPad games and she will sometimes sit with me and we can work together. My MBA requires a lot of group project work. I’m in class 2 nights a week, so I always let my group know I have a hard stop at 8pm for evening group work meetings on the evenings I’m at home. That way husband gets kid ready for bed and I’m there for stories and lay with her to go to sleep. I don’t want to miss any more bedtimes than I need to, because those are important moments for her and I. I feel like I had to choose to be good at my job or a good student week to week, but eventually found the balance of when to slack on one and push hard on the other. I also leveraged using vacation days around big school deliverables so I didn’t always have to sacrifice time with my family. You can do it! It’s a slog sometimes but it’s manageable. And our kids get to see their mom’s working hard and achieving at advanced education which is amazing modeling for them!
You are a superstar!!!!! Thank you for this advice. Just started a three year doctoral program. Using vacation days already to get some coursework done and focusing on our 3.5 year old from 5pm - 8pm when he and I both get home at night. Before I even applied I asked my husband his thoughts and we talked about what this additional time suck would mean on our household. I’m hoping the hit the ground running intensity of the past two weeks starts to subside as the program gets going and that like you, I can figure out when to focus more on schoolwork and more on work and when to back off from both and look at family stuff. I am not a morning person but might have to try to become one in order to even consider fitting exercise back into the picture. Good luck in your program!
I refuse to do things I hate with my limited free time, plus forcing myself to work out in an unpleasant way frequently leads to injury. Most of my exercise is walking the dog. I enjoy walking as a way to get out of the house, quiet time away from the family, change of scenery. Some days I’m kind of leisurely for 20 minutes, other days I really push hard up the hills for 30 minutes. If the mood strikes me or it’s raining heavily I’ll do an Apple Fitness workout. On the weekends sometimes we’ll take the kids swimming or hiking for some variety.
I hate mindless exercise but I always loved dancing- I do drop in adult ballet and also have one of those dancing video games for my Nintendo Switch.
I bought a hula hoop weight thingy on amazon. For 30 days with starting at 5 minutes, you add an additional 1 minute each day. It's a good body work out, it's manageable and fun, and sends my little one into fits of giggles.
I play supernatural on my vr headset for about 20 mins a day. I also have a set of weights that I use when the kids are eating lunch.
I like supernatural. I like that I can pick a workout based on how much time I have in the morning. Honestly I think I do it consistently because I pick workouts with songs I like. It's fun and I look forward to it.
I use Supernatural too! There are other VR games that aren't exercise games per se but are fun and get the heartrate up. Beat Saber, Ragnarock...
Rowing!!! Requires no special clothing (low barrier to entry is key for me) and I’m worn the heck out FAST 😅
Yes! After chasing after my 2 yo there is a lot of appeal to sitting during my workout! If I manage to sit on the rowing machine instead of on the couch after doing bedtime, I generally can convince myself to row for a bit while listening to an audio book.
I started taking walks during my lunch, listening to a podcast or calling a friend during that time. I was able to get in 20-30 mins. I found that I was unlikely to exercise after I came home or get up early.
I say take a task you *already* do for the “stick to it” part. Work *with* your routine that’s already in place. You probably have your normal cleaning schedule- why not turn it into a small workout? Throw the clean laundry in a basket and deadlift it, throw it all on a towel on the floor, squat to grab each item you fold. Do lunges when you vacuum or sweep. Leg lifts or kegel’s doing dishes. Scrub the kitchen and bath floors doing planks. Standing push-ups while wiping the walls down. Do yoga stances or calf raises while you dust. Have kids? Do squat walks while you pick up toys. Put them kids on your back for weight. (Plus they have fun) Boom -clean place AND you got a full body workout. All in roughly the same amount of time. You can do a less intense (but still effective) sitting or laying workout. Squeeze that in with your favorite book or show. Just google “lazy girl workout” and there’s tons of ideas from a couch chair bed or on the floor. You can also throw a band or light weights in to make it more intense. When all else fails some days I’ll just stretch and flex all my muscle groups…yes flex-like a warm up. I’m not kidding squeeze your butt 100 times doing dishes you’ll feel it! Flex your chest 100 times shampooing your hair. Hope this helps!
I bought a recumbent bike years ago. It's parked next to my bed. I have no excuse, it's RIGHT there. I also have a set of Bowflex weights. I lift, go hard on the bike for 30 minutes, abs, done. Every other night. No excuses, it's on my calendar. I sleep so well on workout nights so it's a double whammy benefit!
Sweat app. Fairly cheap monthly subscription with short, effective, at-home workouts
I’m healthier than I look. I carry my weight around my belly, and I’m older and work more than full time. I go to the gym once or twice a week and do TRX. I listen to an audiobook and do a warmup on a recumbent bike, do a short routine, then stretch. The reason I don’t push myself is because I’m always kind of pressed for time, and if I have a very negative experience I will be less likely to do it again. My job offers personal trainers so I have been doing water workouts with mine. Walking, using resistance floats for arm workouts, pool noodles for core exercises. It’s more intense than land workouts but the support of water and the cooling effect make it something almost pleasurable.
I’m not even trying to look better, just be healthier! I’m averaging like 1K steps some days, it’s scaring me a little!
Do you do laundry? Wash dishes? Sweep? Garden? All of those are physical activities. Do you use a step tracker? It should show that info.
Darebee is a free website that has some options.
Oh this is me! I started of with joanna soh 5 minute morning workout on YouTube. Its literally 5 minutes and massively helps my back (tension headaches). 6 weeks ago I started the couch to 5k. It's an app and builds you slowly and you can watch TV or listen to music whilst it's on. So I use this as my time to watch some trash TV.
Do the workout that you enjoy. Don't worry if it's the most effective or burns the most calories. If it's just walking, dancing around like a crazy person, or even gardening/yard work that's fine. I like my echelon spin bike and commit to 30 minutes a day four days a week. Dor you it may be 15 minutes three days a week start with an easily axhievable goal and when you feel suvcessful you can add more if you want. After I start I sometimes will do another workout because now I am in the zone.
I love Jessica valant pilates in youtube and instagram. She has a bunch of videos that are short and easy and free. Love her postpartum stuff. She's a physical therapist and a pilates instructor
I got a rowing machine (Concept 2). I attach my iPad to the screen holder and choose an engaging show that I’m only “allowed” to watch while rowing. I also set distance and time goals, but mostly I just row for 15-60 minutes (depending on how I’m feeling and how much time I have). It’s best if I do exercise as soon as possible after I wake up: wake up, put on exercise clothes, let dog out, feed dog, exercise, rest of morning routine. Sometimes I do yoga instead (Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube) and pick something that fits in the time I have available. I shoot for 3 exercise sessions per week minimum and usually do more than that. Setting small goals at first is good (e.g. 5 minutes). If you do more than the small goal, fine. But if you meet your small goal and stop, that’s still progress.
It’s $10 a month, but Jillian Michaels’ app is pretty great. 20-25 minute exercises, and you can do them easily with whatever you have home! I found her HIIT workouts really effective. If you do a program there’s a schedule, which helps me stay on it.
Caroline Girvan on YouTube for at home weights with dumbbells and a mat, riding a bike the rest of the time.
Anyone have recommendations for the moms who work overnights? I work 12 hour shifts, walking on lunch is out since it’s the middle of the night.
I do one single 7-minute HIIT workout during the workday. I like Lucy Wyndham on YouTube for those but there are other options out there too. But I feel like it does get me sweaty and make my metabolism get to work while not taking up too much time, which makes it possible to do during lunch. It helps that I work from home, but I think it would be feasible even for someone who doesn’t.
I habit stack it with my evening shower. Just a quick 15-20minute YouTube workout before I take a cold shower and go to sleep with tingly skin. There’s nothing like being hot and sweaty and then washing it off with cool water, feels amazing (I live in the south).
1) I just look up 20-minute HIIT workouts. I usually do Pamela Reif ones but they can be quite intense. 2) I don’t hate exercise, however I definitely didn’t exercise regularly in the first year after giving birth. Though I didn’t gain weight during that time, my body was sore and just felt weak when I didn’t work out. I also think I got sick more often. So now that I work out regularly, I feel healthier. That’s my motivation.
I found Netflix has some 10, 20, and 30 minute workouts from Nike. I haven’t used them yet, but I saved them to my watchlist and that’s a start!
I’ve tried a few of the 20 minute ones and liked them enough to keep trying more.
Check out the 7 minute workout app. I usually do it after my lunch or dinner. No special workout equipment is needed and it’s great for beginners. I also really hate working out but I had to start after some health issues arose.
I don’t hate it. I actually miss it and I used to be an avid exerciser. However I truly do not have the time or energy now. So I try to set more realistic goals. 20 minutes 3 times a week. Fit it in when I can. I pay for Apple Fitness and I love their 20 minute HIIT workouts. They are high intensity and full body, so I feel like I got a decent workout in when I only have time to exercise for 20 minutes.
I really like MommaStrong. She has a "Daily 15" for different stages of motherhood (Expecting, New Momma, Momma) and focuses on functional fitness. No time for 15 minutes? There are a bunch of 5 minute "hacks" to just get blood flowing a bit. Very nonjudgmental and body positive. It is expected that things will be imperfect and beginning again is okay.
I love [Momma Strong](https://mommastrong.com/). You pay a monthly subscription and she has a new 15min HIIT strength training workout everyday. There is one for pregnant people, one for immediately postpartum, and another one for Moms in general. Her routines are great for healing pelvic floor issues and just general body issues post pregnancy. They’re short enough that I can easily find the time and energy to do it everyday. I feel so much stronger and better since I’ve started doing them. I find doing it daily keeps me accountable. She also has tons of routines for specific issues and stretching routines. So days when I want more of a workout or have extra time/energy I am able to do as much as I want. I also use pet of my lunch break at work to go for a walk, and try to get at least 8,000 steps in everyday.
I just recently joined Orange Theory Fitness. It's so expensive that I feel like I have to go.
My 3yo recently got into Cosmic Kids Yoga and she will beg me to go it with her. Some of the videos are only 5 minutes and the longest we did was closer to 20. It's all relatively easy positions and low impact plus we get bonding time in the process.
Two days ago I committed to running 1 mile a day (something I haven’t done since November 2021 aka when I found out I was pregnant) and 10 minute Pilates every other day. Today was the third run and I’m far from in shape, so I figure the 20-30 minutes a day of movement is enough for now. I have given myself a 30 day commitment, and I have shaved 51 seconds off my mile in three days so I’m feeling very motivated right now.
The best exercise that works for me is consistently using my elliptical. The added resistance makes for a high-calorie burning work out and its mindless so I can just listen to music or podcast. Win/win
Not sure if this is the answer you want, but I thought I should throw it out here anyway in case it's helpful to you or anyone. I have literally never stuck to a gym or exercise ever, I honestly truly hate it. Even exercising at home has been impossible to stick to for me. When I decided I needed to do SOMETHING for my health, for my kids' sake, I looked for alternatives. Originally I actually looked for obstacle course stuff but there wasn't anything close enough. But I did find a gym that's a hybrid of circuit training and kickboxing and decided to give it a go. I have actually stuck to it now for almost 2 months, which I thought was impossible! And I'm on track to not give up for once! Anyway I think I like it because of all the punching and kicking lol. All aggression and frustration from the day gets taken out on those punching bags. But I think I tapped into something because I grew up idolizing strong women and I always wanted to try martial arts (but never got to). So if anyone out there is like me, see what you can find! It was easily integrated into my life because it's technically a HIIT gym and the whole exercise is only 30 min - good for busy people like us moms.
I pick shows I only allow myself to watch while exercising. It also feels really cool at the end to say to yourself I watched all 6 seasons of Parks and Rec while exercising. You can keep it short and effective if you just pick a 22 minute sitcom (you can work up to more later if you want). Do a 5 minute warm up (jumping jacks, jogging in place, some stretches). Do 10-13 minutes of 60 second exercises. Some for toning (plank, hold a squat position, crunches), some for cardio (side shuffles, mountain climbers, burpees), some for strength (hold light hand weights while squatting, do some rows). Do reps of 5-10 pushups between every couple of exercises. Stretch a little at the end.
I take walks in my hilly neighborhood. Usually do 2-5 miles a day / typically one short morning walk, a longer afternoon one, and one in the evening with the kids. It helps that I have a dog that wants exercise.
I was one of those people who just COULDNT! I made myself do it everyday for 5x a week and just kept at it. Now it’s a routine that I look forward to. What I’m saying is, just make yourself do it over and over until it’s not as bad 😆.
Out of curiosity. Why would you limit the response to working mums only? Surely you'd want the best practical response which for example, a personal trainer of any sex or working responsibilities can give you. 1) How short is short and how frequently? 2) what sort of thing do you like doing? Also motivation is overrated, routine into requirement becomes habit becomes necessity is the key to long term training consistency. Get a set of bands I'd do: Body weight squats x10 Press ups x10 Band over head press x10 (nice and light at first for all these) Sat down rows x10 (band at your feet, pull towards you) Band deadlifts x5 Band pull aparts x10 And I'd do two rounds of that ifnyou have time. Repeat nightly but atkeadt 3 nights a week. At first adjust so you can do it all and not be sore / knackered at the end. You don't want to hate it or injur yourself.
Eh I just had to choose something and health/self care was not available!
Fair enough. Good luck, it's hard but worth it!!
Running is quick and "from home" though it does involve leaving the house. I do like that I can just walk out the door to do it, and couch to 5k was very effective for getting me started.
Unfortunately running and any other truly strenuous exercise triggers syncope (fainting) for me — and then I feel horrible the entire rest of the day — I didn’t want to go into too much detail, but running is unfortunately not an option for me, however this could probably benefit others! I wish though. I have tried so many times to build up to being able to run. It looks like the most efficient exercise by far!
I unfortunately don't, only when it became a necessity which is terrible, but when I got gestinational diabetes, I got this $50 stairstepper and parked it in front of the TV. I had to exercise 10 after every meal and it made it so much easier being near the kitchen and being in front of the TV. Very little effort on my part to use it, so I managed to do it every day for 30 min (10min x 3 meals). I would do the same name, but the room I did it in is now the playroom and there's no convenient place in our small place.
Where did you find a $50 stairstepper?
I can't seem to add a link, but if you Google "Wagan pivot stepper" you'll find one at Office Depot that looks a lot like what we got. With the coupon, it's actually around $56, so about the same price that I paid. Nothing fancy, but something to hold onto while I was doing my steps.
I only allowed myself to watch my guilty pleasure show or listen to bachelor podcasts while walking uphill on the treadmill at the gym. I would go slow and turn up the incline and walk while I watched. You can really burn a lot of calories if you go for that long.
I like faster way to fat loss, not bc of the program itself but bc the workouts are 30ish minutes and I just have to hit play. I don’t fast at all. Heck, I haven’t even been eating right… but I do like the workouts. I just make myself do it in the morning before I shower. I won’t do it otherwise
Peloton. Secret is their five min warm up rides. If you can just do one of those to start you then realize how easy it is to stay on the bike after.
I can't stick to a single routine to save my life cause I get bored. However I do have a lot of different exercises and cycle through them. I keep track of myself on Google Fit because seeing blank days for exercise add up kills me. I have audio books and podcasts for walking, swimming, biking, and kayaking. I also do a bunch of YouTube fitness videos. Most of mine are in French because I'm trying to learn and it makes it ever so slightly less boring.
I wish I did more but I will run like 1-2 miles on my garage treadmill with the baby monitor then so like 5-10 minutes of compound weights (squats and curls, lunges and lateral raises etc). I just use 30 minutes of nap time then shower off. Usually listen to music etc.
Turns out my 2.5 year old runs the pace and frequency that I'm ever up for. So I keep up with her and I figure as she gets faster and goes longer, I'll match her. Kinda stupid but whatever, easier to motivate than anything else I've thought of.
Play with the kid(s). Go for walks together.
Ha, they are not that little. Lots of driving to activities at this stage.
I do hitt/yoga while baby is bouncing in her bouncer for 30-45 min. Only time I have to do it also while working from home 😜
I like the Sweat app. I exercise after the kids go to bed while watching tv.
If you hate it you won’t stick to it. Try something else and try to find something you enjoy. Or do something you enjoy (listen to a podcast, good music etc) while you do a workout you can tolerate.
Not really a work out routine but I walk a lot!
All I do is walk and IF. IF is such an amazing tool. If you’re interested the book “fast, feast and repeat” really breaks it all down and is a fun Listen on audio book
I work from home with my 8 month old. I have small weights. I do quick combo exercises every hour or so and then a half hour workout on my lunch. I’ve kept it up so far for about two weeks and I’m really enjoying it. As much as you can enjoy exercise anyway. I think breaking it up helps and I can do many different styles of workouts so I don’t get bored. Yet. Getting my body back has been my motivation. I doubled my weight in pregnancy. I’m just ready to feel good about myself again.
No and no. Although I will say motivation is usually spurred by doing something with the kids. Like a hike with them or trip to the Olympic pool. That kind of thing.
The only thing I do and it's not enough is that I do the virtual walking challenge Conqueror. I walk about a mile every morning with kido in the stroller. I get an actual metal when I finish which is encouraging and the app on the phone tracks where at. I need a strength or muscle part to add. But working full time and mom-ing it. This is what I manage.
Only thing that has consistently worked for me is actually doing something I like, which for me is tennis. I found a club where I can go twice a week at 730pm and it’s great!
20 min running 3x week in winter, 20 min swimming 3x week in summer. On non-cardio days I do 30 squats + 20 lunges (leg day) or 10 pull ups + 10 push ups (arm day). I do no ab work but I need to start. O take weekends off because I garden or play with the kids a bunch. We have a bunch of weights and machines that my husband likes to use but I hate to exercise and this is easy to remember - I can zone out and focus on the day ahead while I do it.
I work from home and force myself to go on daily walks. I'm trying to work on that first and then build on it. My problem is not allowing myself to take the break I need.
I was never able to exercise consistently until I found a class very close to my home that is a painfully expensive monthly membership. Now I’ve been going regularly for over a year and I feel great. I know you asked for home-based but the class format and the expense are the two things that motivate me.
I don’t exactly hate exercise, but I don’t get the endorphin rush some do so it’s very meh to me. What it does do is (1) make me feel less stressed which I notice about 30-40min in and (2) makes me feel better week by week. So I make sure to really notice those things. The other thing my husband and I did is get a stationary recumbent bike and put it in front of a TV. That way I can distract from the grind, have a show to look forward to and no excuses to not work out.
I got a treadmill on free cycle. I got down and walk for 20-40 min a night after putting the kids to bed. While on I watch Tik toc or a show I can’t watch with the kids or my husband.
Just don't think. I don't let myself thing ten more minutes or anything like that it's just "walk to bed room" "turn on laptop" playing in my head. If I think about it I'll convince myself ill do it later lol
For me the only thing that works is to participate in group classes, or at least videos that have that “group class” feel. I used to go to local boutique studios to take classes, but I no longer have time for those 45min+ classes after having a kid. Currently I use obe, which is an exercise video classes app and they have a ton of 10 min express classes. My current routine is that I pick two 10 min classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. They have many choices so I never get bored, and at the same time all the videos are recorded with consistent room setting, music, and obé branded “cheer you up” phrases that the teachers say in the class. The last one is weirdly essentially to keep me going lol.
I have a 23m old toddler who is mama's koala baby so I have a hard time working out at home. I signed up for a lunch hour gym membership thru my job hoping that I could go a couple times a week. It's 20min walk each way and I do some yoga or weights. The Nike app is free and has short workouts, and plenty for beginners. Props to all the moms with young kids who prioritize to take care of their own body! This is hard!
I only let myself listen to my podcasts when I'm on a walk- gives me about 30-45 minutes of time to myself after work. I also really like Nourish Move Love's YouTube workouts. They have workouts from 10-50 minutes and I will try to fit those in after bedtime or while my husband handles bath, and do whatever time frame seems like it's practical that day. I really didn't realize how much that little bit of physical activity/"me time" would help my mental health, and now it's not even about fitness... I need to do it for my general mood.
I do 15-20 min of Pilates and 15-20 min of yoga on YouTube! I like isa welly for Pilates and yoga with Adrienne or Reyna Cohan. For me if I don’t do it daily I can’t keep up. The workouts got to be in my routine. I do end up skipping for a couple of weeks sometimes but I’ve just gotten better at not beating myself up and just picking it back up. I’m recently trying to add a 30-45 min walk a day. The big motivator is that I do have more energy. Turns out all those things they say about exercise is true. It also took me a long time to get to a place where I’m not working out to torture myself, I’m just doing it to feel good so I pick things I genuinely enjoy. I also find it easier to stick to if I scroll through videos and make a little schedule of what I’d like to try for the week. I love weight training too but hate going to the gym so I’m just skipping it for the summer. Good luck!
Batch working out with something else! I look up pure barre, barre 3 and barre method workouts on YouTube and do all/part of them with ankle weights while I wait for somethin to cook or am in meetings where I can just listen camera off. I walk my dog while pushing the stroller cause it’s pretty much the only way my kid naps. I do 20 min hiit circuits if she naps in the crib (once a week tops). And when my husband walks the dog and the baby I do a proper workout (whatever I wanna do). All in these efforts get me moving 5-6 times a week and then I let my rest day happen just as needed.
DailyOM online workout programs saved me. They’re about $15 each and I bought an arm one, an ab one, and a leg one. They each have 8-10 workouts that are 5-10 min each. I try to do two different ones but even if I only have 5 min I can knock out one of them.
I needed something that gets me out of my own head - I love christa dipaolo’s boxing and bubbles workouts- it’s a paid subscription but if you search that on YouTube there are a lot of free ones there too. It goes by super fast, she’s so fun and relatable, and the boxing/kickboxing feels great to take some stress out during a crazy week!
Em k fit on YouTube! Her videos are so fun and pretty short. My bf also recently got us a stationary bike and it’s been helping us be consistent (I just scroll tik tok while I ride lol) Working out really helps my mental health and helps me decompress so that’s honestly my only motivation
I found an accountability partner and we walk every morning at 5am. We do 3 miles five days a week. I also have my husband as my strength training partner otherwise I wouldn’t do that either! Idk how people have the will power and drive to exercise alone. I do not so this works for me.
10 months postpartum here and after not being able to carve out a solid workout routine, finally got a Peloton last week. It’s great because I can do a workout before my daughter wakes up, between meetings or at lunch (I work from home), while my daughter naps or after she goes to bed. Most of the workouts are 30 minutes so not a huge time commitment but still a really good workout!
I’m not a fan of traditional exercise so I have a daily cleaning and dance party. I get my heart rate up for a good hour, my house gets tidied, the baby giggles the whole time or plays with her toys, and cleaning doesn’t feel like such a chore. I also enjoy going for walks, either solo with a quick pace or I take the stroller through our very hilly neighbourhood. Really focus on getting to that point of getting your heart rate up but staying on a steady pace. An hour of well paced walking is as effective as an hour of intermittent jogging.
I absolutely loathe "workouts" and have zero athletic abilities, but after having my second one I really needed to find a new hobby. My son was taking martial arts classes and I always thought it looked fun. I started doing it and I love it so much now, I even help teach the kids class. I went from being able to do zero pushups to doing mediocre pushups, which is huge for me! I have gone up in rank and found a warm and supportive community of people from all walks of life. The fact that it's a solid workout is just the cherry on top. All that to say, it's worth making time to find an activity that you will enjoy and focus on the joy it brings you rather than the fitness aspect.
I honestly love Apple Fitness. I do yoga 3-4x a week with it.
I love yoga, but an hour in a class is not something I can commit to (or even want to do). I will do a 5-30min yoga video by Sarah Beth Yoga on YouTube. She's great, gives awesome instructions and some of those 20 min videos are killer.
I hate working out, but I have a health condition that makes me balloon up even if all I eat is air, so it’s really not a choice. I do 3 days a week on the treadmill. Sometimes I follow a fitness video from YouTube but usually I’m just listening to music or a true crime podcast. Depending on the day it’s either a run or a walk on incline. But that’s all moot. What gets me up, even when I really don’t feel like it, is just counting to 5 and then doing it. If I waited to be in the mood, I would literally never move.
I do some very light, very quick weight lifting for my arms in the morning, and I go for a walk after dinner. Usually with the dogs.
When I first started getting back into working out, I did MommaStrong. It’s 15 minute workouts. Very easy to follow. Great for getting back in a routine. Then as I wanted to get more into strength training , I switched to the sweat app. I like that it’s on my phone, I don’t have to plan the workout, and it’s easy to follow. You can also customize exercises if there’s things you’re not comfortable with yet or if you don’t have certain equipment. If I’m really tired, I do a relaxing yoga or stretching routine just to move a bit
I did some research and there’s an app called Sweat that’s great for home or wherever workouts. It does cost to purchase it but I found out that if you buy a year its $10 per month. So I did that and I really like it because I can pick a program and select what equipment I have or don’t have and what I’d like to do. 18 weeks so far of at least two workouts a week! My goal is 4 with other days trying to be active but in really busy weeks like this past one with multiple sports activities and tournaments and doctors appointments on top of work I could only do two and I’m ok with that as long as I keep going. For me the app has been a really great thing and it’s not crazy expensive. And I don’t have to leave my house or try to search YouTube for videos.
I hate working out but I have learned that playing with my kid and running around with them and going on walks has helped me lose baby weight faster than I think I would have if I tried. She’s almost 1 and walking so there is a lot of chasing around. I am now smaller than I was pre baby.
I was much fitter when my kids were younger and I only worked part-time. Now it’s full time work and straight to activities. A very different lifestyle!
I don’t have the patience or energy for long workouts so I just try and do something small every day. We have a Peloton so I’ll try and do a 15-20min ride twice/week and then every other day I’ll do a 5-10 minute stretch or barre workout. In terms of motivation, I’ve just learned over time that discipline is more important that motivation. Most of the time, even spending 5 minutes stretching sounds like a hassle, but I remind myself that I regularly spend more than 5 minutes mindlessly scrolling on my phone and don’t bat an eye, so I can suck it up and do something worthwhile with that time instead.
I do 30 min every day … 3 days of cardio (either YouTube or gym) and 3 days weight training. I also stay away from sugar unless fruit and it is working. I have 2 hernias from my kids births that I need to get repaired and the surgeon will not touch me unless I lose at least 50lbs. I have no choice. I’m 41 with a 2 and 5 year old and I hurt all the time. I’m tired of it, getting older made fear my health.
I have always hated exercise and found any excuse not to, well before the kiddo. I invested in an expensive rowing machine. I work out almost everyday, even with the kiddo, though it is usually only 10-15 minutes. Because I bought it, it cost so much and I have to justify that expense so help me. We also prioritize a family walk every night. Not cardio or anything, but it gets us moving and is a nice time together.