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Working out after kids, will I ever make it back to the gym?

5,030 Views | 47 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by mrmill3218
ChipFTAC01
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For years I've worked out during lunch at the YMCA across from my office. I lived working out during lunch as A) It didn't take any other time out of my schedule, B) Gave me a great pick me up in the middle of the day and C)Kept me from eating crap for lunch.

Last August I changed jobs and there are no convenient workout solutions near my new office. A new Crossfit opened down the street from my house so I started that in October hitting the 530 class before work. A few weeks after I started my wife gave birth to twins.

Fast forward almost 6 months and I've slowly ballooned into something resembling the shape of Grimace. That 530 Crossfit class isn't early enough for me to get home and get cleaned up before baby breakfast. After work is a no-go as I rush home from the office to barely make it home for bath-bottle-bedtime.

My wife occasionally goes and does Soul Cycle on the weekend but she's struggling to feed two babies and it reluctant to exercise too much. Is there a light St the end of the tunnel or should I just resign myself to a lifetime of being confused for a forgotten McDonalds character?
Hoosegow
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If it's important you'll make it a priority
AggieOO
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ChipFTAC01 said:


Fast forward almost 6 months and I've slowly ballooned into something resembling the shape of Grimace.


Sorry, nothing to contribute, but this made me laugh.
mrsbeer05
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As a mom of two kids (4 and just turned 1), I have to echo Hoosegow. It is all about priority. When I started working out again after the second kiddo I started small. Buy some dumbbells and so a few sets of something before bed or get up earlier. The good news, at least based on my kids, is that they start to be solid sleepers around this time and night workouts (although no my favorite) become way more possible.

Also, discuss with your wife a workout schedule. Can she go it alone one or two mornings/nights a week? That's the deal I made with Mr. Beer so we could both workout.

Wife is an Aggie
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It'll get better as the kids get a little older in my opinion. If you focus on diet you can lose weight/maintain. Diet is more important than working out for weight loss.

You can do P90X in the garage at 5AM... You can go running in your neighborhood at 5AM. You can workout at 9pm after kids are asleep... You don't need a gym to workout - that is just an excuse.

It might be worth investing in a garage gym until kids are a little older if weights are your thing. $1000 budget and searching craigslist can get you more than everything you would need. Definitely get by for less if you are patient.

I don't have twins but we do have a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old. After work was tough because as you mentioned you already only have time for food/bath/bed. I also don't like working out late at night and so I would wake up at 4:30AM and be done working out by 5:30-6AM before anyone else woke up.

I think the biggest thing is diet though. Its all about discipline.
Emotional Support Cobra
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I'll just say that even with just one baby, 6 months of "recovery" is pretty normal so don't beat yourselves up too hard. Until you have kids you just don't know how hard it is to physically and mentally get back into shape (hey,a circle is a shape right?).

What about taking a break from destination-type exercise and take the babes jogging in a jog stroller? I spent two months worth of gym membership $$ on a double jogging stroller and along with exercising the dog, killed three birds with one stone. Maybe 6 months of trading off with the wife using the jogger could get you back in shape and then the tots can come to the gym with you after they are one year, or whenever you are comfortable leaving them in the nursery germ cesspool.

Disco Stu
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Obviously everyone is different, but the six month mark is about where it became practically impossible for my wife to keep up with breast feeding both of our sets of twins. She pumped and we bottle fed them from the start before moving over to formula. The bottle feeding allowed both of us to feed a baby at any one time.

Like Wife is an Aggie said, I have a 'garage' gym and I get up early six days a week to get my workout in before all of the kids are awake and it is time to make breakfasts, get them dressed, or get their bottles ready.
P.U.T.U
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Just do something and that could mean doing something as simple as push-ups, sit-ups, and burpees. If you have weights or something like P90X even better.

I wake up around 420 everyday to get what I want to get done, yeah it sucks but it feels better than doing nothing. At 6 months running and biking is hit or miss especially in the Texas summer. Some kids are goodjust sitting there but ours had a 20 minute limit.

Also your kids make a pretty good weight, throw them around, play airplane, etc. if you don't have time. My thinking is I will always be in physical shape to do whatever my kids want to do. If they want to hike, bike, swim, climb, I better be able to lead them. But that's just how I am, they see me in physical shape they will see something to aim for in their life.
bert harbinson
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Don't know if you have room in the house or your budget, but a good quality home treadmill (or similar equipment) can eliminate a lot of obstacles to working out. I bought one a few years ago...the weather is no excuse anymore.
ww
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Wife is an Aggie said:

It'll get better as the kids get a little older in my opinion. If you focus on diet you can lose weight/maintain.
We had twins almost 5 years ago, and I went from the best shape of my life, to...something else. Now that the wife has been back at work, and I've focused more on diet, in addition to working out, I'm going I the right direction.
NoahAg
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Suckitup!

Presley OBannons Sword
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I have a three month old, a three year old, an hour and a half commute one way, and I fit a non-lunchtime workout in every day. you might not be able to do the exact workout plan and schedule that you would prefer, but there are ways to get it done.
Dr T and the Women
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buy some kettle balls and a jump rope. you could do a pretty amazing workout 3 times per week at home in <30 minutes
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DannyDuberstein
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I built out a home gym and have always done my weekday workouts at night after the kids went to bed. At least for me, it made it much easier to keep up the routine.
2001%er
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Yes, you can get back in shape; my kids are now 4 and 6 and I'm in the best shape of my life. But, give yourself time, it doesn't have to happen overnight. Kids' early years can be a good time to pursue fitness goals if you and partner are supportive of each other's wishes and give each other time. I do running and triathlon, hubs does hockey. I will say though that with kids getting older finding time is actually harder, not easier, as they have activities of their own. After IM this year, my plan is to focus on shorter events for a few years so training isn't such a time commitment. But it's fun now to get to include them in my workouts. When they were little I'd push them in a BOB stroller; now, my son will join me on his bike while I run and we'll both get 5-6 miles in. It turns a run from something that takes me away from them into something we get to do together.
RedlineAg08
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Freaking WIN!!
Absolute
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If you are in dfw, I have a nice treadmill that needs a new home. Would let it go cheap to an Aggie if they come pick the stupid thing up. Works great, I have just never liked running and have moved into cycling and rowing.
Ragoo
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in the same boat as OP. nearly 6 month old twins. I am lucky that the Y is just around the corner from my office and another not far from home. I can get a swim in during lunch and a lift or bike after work. I don't get the evening jog and lift at the gym like I used to though. my wife just has to suck it up that physical fitness is important to me.
Quinn
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Max Power
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My kid is 15 months now, but after my wife gave birth it took a while before I was able to get back to the gym. It wasn't till our daughter was sleeping through the night. When you wake up a couple times a night I just couldn't get in a workout. I'm awake at 5:00 and out the door around 5:10, back at the house around 6:30.

I don't know if you have a gym near your home, or perhaps on the way to work but for me the morning works best. If I'm exhausted at the end of the day it's hard to go, plus most gyms are busier at the end of the day than the beginning. If you can make yourself go once, you can go again.

DannyDuberstein
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NoahAg said:

Suckitup!


P.U.T.U
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Yeah that is flat out stupid, but then again they are doing Crossfit so we already know that.
20ag07
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I've got a 2.5 yr old and a 6 month old. There have been ebbs and flows. I was probably in the best shape of my life when the first got to a year old, but then there were ups and downs as the routine continually morphed. Throw another one of a different age in there, and the morphing makes it tough for awhile.

When they start sleeping through the night consistently...and they eventually will, it helps a ton. I have to get up by 4:30 AM to do it, but then it's done before anyone else wakes up at 5:30.

Evenings get consistently tricky as they progress. If you're helping with any of the domestic stuff, the evening timeline gets tough when they want to eat/play a lot/bath/bedtime routine from 6-8ish. Then there is a pile of dishes and prep for the next day.

It's very doable, but you have to prioritize it. And not over time with your kids- but over the unnecessary time wasters or needing to sleep til 6AM.
AggieOO
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this thread makes me want to not have kids. i have a hard enough time staying in shape now.

i should have never gotten married. Actually, that's a lie. I don't have the time or effort to find another attractive woman that will put up with my ***** And likely there isn't one. So, in summary, nevermind, i'm good.
P.U.T.U
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One thing that has not been mentioned much, not working out did not make you gain weight, eating like you were working out did. You just have to modify your lifestyle and make working out a priority.

AggieOO, this will explain it all.
Quinn
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I've only been a father for 6 moths, but its been awesome. Don't let this thread convince you to not have kids. You can still workout if you make it a top priority (though you will likely have to change your schedule for a little while). My uncle has four kids and runs an extremely successful business and he finds time to workout 6 days a week. It's all about priorities and figuring out what works for your family.

Not that you wanted to be lectured about having kids by a rando on the internet, but there ya go.
gigemJTH12
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My first is due in September. I am in great shape now but I have to really work for it. Diet and exercise constantly or I get sloppy fast.

I also know I am not going to want to be away from my baby.

I think I am going to purchase a rower. Its the best thing for getting cardio, and resistance training in as short amount of time as possible. 10, 20 and eventually 30 minutes a day on a rower plus some pushups and pull ups and I think I will be fine.

Thats my plan for right now anyways.
20ag07
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Quote:

I also know I am not going to want to be away from my baby.
Hahahahahaha, that's cute.

I probably hit my peak workout shape because my baby breaks were limited, but I took them and made the most of them. Come back to this a couple months in and see if you still feel like you don't want a break from the baby, especially on the weekends if you usually work all week.
gigemJTH12
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well right now I take my time and get full workouts. no way I will take as long as I do now. I work too long of hours. If I kept up what I do now I would never see my baby, But I know I will want breaks.

thats a good point that my intensity and focus will probably ramp up.
mrsbeer05
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AG


AggieOO, this will explain it all.
[img said:

[/img]


This is one of my favorites!
VegasAg98
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Powerblocks
ChiveOn
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Absolute said:

If you are in dfw, I have a nice treadmill that needs a new home. Would let it go cheap to an Aggie if they come pick the stupid thing up. Works great, I have just never liked running and have moved into cycling and rowing.
how much?
Dale Gribble
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Quote:

It might be worth investing in a garage gym until kids are a little older if weights are your thing. $1000 budget and searching craigslist can get you more than everything you would need. Definitely get by for less if you are patient.


I'll second this suggestion. My wife and I have four kids between the ages of 2-10. I spent about $1k to get everything I needed to workout in the garage and it's made things really quite easy. We both workout in the evenings during the week.
Farmer1906
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I had similar issues. Just too hard to make it out to the gym with kiddos and a wife I wanted to see. My solution was to turn my garage to a gym.

As I post this it's Saturday morning and I'm between sets. I have one kiddo in a high chair munching on strawberries & brisket while the other is sitting in her wagon watching tv on my computer.

A lot of times my oldest will pretend she's my coach and it's fun for her to "work out" with daddy.

Normally I get my lifts in after bedtime while the wife watches one of her trashy shows. As long as you have a plan you can turn what would have been a 2 hour trip to the gym to one that's half that in the garage. Still have plenty of family time and get to enjoy my favorite hobby.
ChipFTAC01
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ChipFTAC01 said:

For years I've worked out during lunch at the YMCA across from my office. I lived working out during lunch as A) It didn't take any other time out of my schedule, B) Gave me a great pick me up in the middle of the day and C)Kept me from eating crap for lunch.

Last August I changed jobs and there are no convenient workout solutions near my new office. A new Crossfit opened down the street from my house so I started that in October hitting the 530 class before work. A few weeks after I started my wife gave birth to twins.

Fast forward almost 6 months and I've slowly ballooned into something resembling the shape of Grimace. That 530 Crossfit class isn't early enough for me to get home and get cleaned up before baby breakfast. After work is a no-go as I rush home from the office to barely make it home for bath-bottle-bedtime.

My wife occasionally goes and does Soul Cycle on the weekend but she's struggling to feed two babies and it reluctant to exercise too much. Is there a light St the end of the tunnel or should I just resign myself to a lifetime of being confused for a forgotten McDonalds character?


6 years later I think ive finally got it figured out. Actually moved offices back down by my old Y in Jan 2020 and started working out at lunch again and then...covid and the gym closed.

Irregular runs for the next few years but never anything near consistent enough.

Finally started going to a free men's boot camp in the mornings and found what I need. Accountability, variety and community. Now I just need to slough off 6 1/2 years of Grimmace.
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