Excersizing = babies = failure???

I had my son back in March of 08. I gained quite a bit of weight and I am determined to get it back off.

Now, my problem is that I am always getting scrutinized by my older sister telling me that I will never lose the weight because I have my son. She has two other children, but she's lost some weight because she walks to work. She says excersize is impossible with children.

I KNOW that there women who have done it, and I'm just trying to figure out how.

I heard somewhere that there were excersizes that can be done WITH your children. Like lifting them, and situps with them...

All of those kind of things.

I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas.

He started walking about 6 weeks ago (just prior 10 months) and I have actually lost a few pounds just trying to catch him around the house.

So I wasn't sure if anyone had any ideas in addition to chasing him.

I can't take him to a park, as they are covered with snow... so I'm limited to the house.

Please please please help!

Anna!

I would put my son in his playpen or playcenter in the corner of the TV room while I did my aerobic workouts.  I also invested in a hiking backpack that I could put him into and go for walks/hikes.  If your house has stairs, you could carry him up and down the stairs. 

How much does he weigh?  I've heard of baby and mum excercise classes that focus on using the weight of your child as resistance, look up some moves you could do with him (or one of thoes classes).  That would be quite a bit of work for you, you would work up a sweat, and you don't have to worry about him walking about since you'd be holding on to him and giving him attention.  Win-win.

Screw your sister.  I have an older sister and I know how what she thinks is being helpful can really be disparaging and mean, so you can do this, even if she thinks it's too hard.

Original Post by thermal:

Screw your sister.  I have an older sister and I know how what she thinks is being helpful can really be disparaging and mean, so you can do this, even if she thinks it's too hard.

 I have to agree here. You've got your motivation...prove her wrong!

I have a DVD called Fit Mama Prenatal Workout that came with a bonus postnatal workout that uses your baby as weight resistance. Try going to www.amazon.com and searching for "postnatal workout" under the Movies and TV category. I found tons of results.

My babies are big... 9 yrs, 6yrs, and 4yrs... but I would work in as much little odd exercises as you can.. I do squats when I am brushing my teeth, I park as far from work, stores, etc as I can.. just to get those extra steps in. 

I also do work out videos... I can imagine with a toddler around it would be tougher.(my girls 9 and 4 acutally do my videos with me). just try to prove your sister wrong.  There are a couple of brands of workout videos that are 10 minutes.. I think they are called 10 minute soloutions.. I also love Jillian Michaels dvds.

Best of Luck!

Well, I didn't get motivated to get healthier and regularly exercise until my kids were a little bit older but great workouts with kids include playing tag, dancing, helping them jump on the bed (if you allow it, great for the arms and shoulders), airplanes (if you feel safe doing it).  Once they get older and a little heavier, they make an ideal weight (via piggy back) for going up and down the stairs (or a steep hill if outside).  You could easily bench press a child, or once they have balance, have them sit on your back while doing pushups.  Oooh - another one I love - have him sit on your lap/hips while you're on your back, and raise your hips (my boys pretend they're in elevators).

$15-20 in an swiss/exercise ball is a great investment - use it as a chair while holding your little one, sitting up straight, holding in your abs, and keeping balance.  Even if your kid isn't a squirmer, this is harder than it sounds (and my kids loved the active motion when I had to adjust when they did squirm).

And exercise doesn't necessarily have to be with your kid(s) - I do most of my exercise in the morning before everyone gets up.

Exercise when you have children is only as impossible as you choose to make it.

Good luck!

Hi There,

I just wanted to add to this post (sorry if its already been said,I didn't read all posts!)  I'm 22 yrs. old and I have 2 kids, 3.5 and 1.5 yrs old. I started working out when my daughter was 4 months old, and to this day I have lost 95lbs! I used to put her in her saucer and do my workout.  I bought some exercise DVD's and went at it.  I started with Turbo Jam and bought others as I went on. To this day I still work out at least 4 days/wk.  And my kids just know its routine, their older now so they play together, sometimes you have to stop to give them something or intervene.  I just want you to know that you can do this and it IS possible to lose weight, if its what you really wants kids or not! :)

Whew... I wasn't sure if I was hoping too much.

I'll definately have to look for those videos.

Thank you all!!!!!

Anna

He is weighing right around 19 pounds.

He is really wiggly, but he loves to be picked up and played wth..... playing with him while doing this would definately make him really happy!!!

Thanks!!!

Anna

Your sister is SOO WRONG!! I have a daughter who will be 2 in March and my son is almost 8 months now and I have lost 47lbs since my son was born last July. In all honesty, I haven't been doing much differently in my life. Yes I have decreased my calories and eat smaller portions, but other than that I find that if i leave the diapers, clothes, butt cream and stuff like that upstairs that I am climbing up and down those damn stairs so much that it becomes my workout. Depending on when my daughter gets up she will some times take 2 naps a day and my son takes 3 naps so that alone is climbing up and down the stairs 5 times, plus taking them up for bath and then bed and each and every diaper change.  Every little bit adds up. I also try to get out for a 1/2 hour to an hour walk 3 or 4 times a week with or without the kids... funny thing, you actually burn MORE calories pushing a stoller than just walking for pleasure on your own!!!

Like some of the above posters, I would do Turbo  Jam Cardio party in my living room while my youngest slept. Def worked for me combined with counting calories on this site. Good Luck and I am looking forward to joining you all at loosing the baby weight AGAIN soon.....

I had a baby at the same time as you and I have lost all my baby weight (60 pounds) so your sister is wrong, it is possible.  My son doesn't do naps for longer then 20 minutes at a time so I wait until he goes to sleep at night and then do work out videos then.  If your not use to exercising then Turbo Jam might be hard to start with but I love that dvd.  Also Julian Michaels new series is great.  You get cardo and toning in about 45 minutes.  I also make my husband watch my son on the weekends and go to the gym.  I don't know if that's possible for you or not.  I know my gym gives a special rate for just weekend use and it's not very expensive.  Also you might want to look into something like stroller strides.  Then you get exercise and time with other moms who know what your going thru.

Original Post by missnicolaeanna:

He started walking about 6 weeks ago (just prior 10 months) and I have actually lost a few pounds just trying to catch him around the house.

So I wasn't sure if anyone had any ideas in addition to chasing him.

I can't take him to a park, as they are covered with snow... so I'm limited to the house.

Please please please help!

Anna!

wait a minute.  are you saying that you can't take your child outside because there's snow on the ground? does this seem crazy to anyone other than me?

Doesn't seem crazy to me. When there's snow on the ground here, the highs can reach only the teens. I wouldn't take my infant son outdoors for periods of exercise in that weather. However, if it's in the upper 30s or low 40s, I'd stuff him in his bunting with some blankets and head out (as long as it wasn't windy).

True about the snow...esp. if you're in Canada with temps around -10 F (-20 or so C)...and the ice can be bad too. And parks can't be plowed out, so sometimes they just can't be accessed unless you want to wade through thigh-high snow to the playground! Now THERE'S a workout! lol

I'm not sure if this is an option for you, but...

I had my son back in June 2007.  I didn't get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight until a few months ago.

What has really helped me is that I joined a gym that has a kids club (and not super expensive).  He goes and plays with the staff and other kids while I workout.  I go almost everyday and they are great with him.  Before this... I was running, but had to go when my husband was home (very early or after dinner), which didn't work out well.

Good luck!  You can do it.

Hi, Of corse you can lose weight with a child. I exercise an hour a day while my son plays or watches his favourtie show. When he was a baby i put him in his swing or playpen, what ever i had to do i did it. Also walks are great and of corse running strollers ared exellent. I don't knwo why your sister would say something so silly! Is that her excuse??

Anyway, good luck. I am sure you are beautiful the way you are and congratulations on getting your son back:)

I workout twice a day: morning and evening.  I have a 14 m.o.  I wait for his morning nap to do my morning aerobics.  And then in the evening I have his Daddy take hime to bed while I do my calsthenics.  I have a 4 y.o. and an 8 y.o. as well and they don't get in the way at all.  Sometimes we go on walks and get our exercise together!   Where there's a will there's a way!  You can do it.

Hi, I have two babies, 23 months and 8 months,  i just started excerising again. I like to exercise along with Fit TV at 10 am.  My kids were a little startled by it at first, but they warmed up to the idea.  My 2 year old does the exercise with me, and usually I can put my 8 month old in the high chair for a snack, or play pen.  I also try to play peek a boo while doing squats or use her as a weight!  She loves It!

Lol, no it's not crazy.

Today...if I were to put my son in the snow it would go up to his nose...while standing. And the tempurature is down to 19-20 degrees, not including wind chill.

When the weather is nicer, of course I bring him out side and push him around in his stroller. But winter around here is hell, and I don't want to put him in a position to get too cold.

All the parks are snowed over, and our yard is completely covered.

I don't think it's crazy...but that's just me.

Anna

i didn't realize that kids had become so fragile.  around here, snow is for playing.