What weights to buy? Exercises to do when you ALWAYS have a 3 year old strapped to you? :]

I want to get real serious about working out.  I have somehow GAINED a few pounds in two days and have no idea how since I have been eating where I should and drinking plenty of water.  ughhhh!!  I am so frustrated for the first time with this diet change.

Right now all I do is some brisk walking while pushing my 3 year old in his stroller for about 35 mins 3-5 days a week.  NOt much, but it's been good in more ways than I can count.

Anyway, I really need to up things and I'm not really sure how.  I don't seem to do well with videos, but I'm gonna give that another try. 

I was also thinking about buying a set of hand weights.  I've seen some that go up to 35-50lbs(i can't remember exactly) and was wondering if anyone had any opinions on that.  I am not able to  join a gym since none have any decent child care options and I don't know anyone in this area who can watch my son for a couple hours a week.  And it seems that is my biggest hurdle.  I would love to join a kick boxing class, but again...what do I do with my 3 year old?

So any ideas on effective work outs/weight sets/things to help me on my journey? 

Thanks in Advance!

EDIT: Things I already own:

jump rope, exercise ball, pedometer

When my son was little I stayed pretty fit shuffling around with that stroller! Don't make it sound like you're doing nothing. I don't think I sat still for the first five years of his life.

 

As for the hand weights, that's totally up to you and your fitness level. I personally need a barbell to do my weight routine because I can't lift 50lb dumbbells without them slipping. Maybe start with 5, 10, 15 and 20lbs? You can do rows, presses, chest flies, squats, lunges-all kinds of good stuff

My new bible.

If you're going to try videos, there is a yoga video that moms and kids can do together, kids age 3-6, and I'd bet your son would love the time together. Then when he goes down for a nap, you do a more intense workout.

I'm looking forward to starting that video with my son, he's only 2, but he tries to do yoga with me now, so it should be a ton of fun when I do start. However, my sister and her son does it, and they love it! (That's where I got the idea from.)

Best wishes!

Im not sure where you live but i STRONGLY suggest finding your local YMCA and joining! The one I joined is FABULOUS! You can go work out, take FREE aerobic and excercise classes all while your little darling are playing with other kids! I think its great for stay at home moms to get a ncie little break while doing something wonderful for their health. Plus, you get to meet other moms that are struggling with the same issues you are! My son is 5 and he'd stay at the Y all day if I let him!

I live in Central Texas and as far as I know there isn't a YMCA around here.  It's quite difficult to find things as it seems anything I ACTUALLY WANT to do I can't because it doesn't involve kids.  Funny how that works out.  Maybe that's cause I NEVER get a break from the little fella.   Don't get me wrong, I love him to peices, but this 24/7 thing can really get to me sometimes.  (background...my husband works out of state 3 weeks out of the month so he's not much help in that area)

I did however purchase the Jillian Michaels "30 day shred" dvd today on eBay.  I am stoked to try it.  I just hope I can stay focused and make it through it.  I don't think I ever had made it through a video..not because I'm out of shape, but because I get frustrated when it doesn't feel like I'm doing it right and I just give up and that's that.  This time around I am ready though. So wish me luck!!!

One more question though.

The 2.5 lbs I've gained over the weekend has me a bit flustered because I have stayed under my maintance level and had a deficit of no more than 1000, but all of a sudden I gained.  Surely it's not muscle, all I do is walk lately, plus with the deficity and all....

Could the weight be water weight? It's been a LOT HOTTER and humid the past 4 days and I haven't upped my water intake  because of it...should I?  Could that be why I've gained?  I am confused to say the least.

 

(which may seem small to some people, but it's killing my motivation....oh and I'm new to so called *dieting*.)

Dieting is overrated - lifestyle change is what it's all about. I've personally found that small children make excellent exercise implements, but I realise that being a semi-single mom can be a quite trying experience and you need some "you-time" without the litte darling around.

 You didn't sign up to stop being yourself and become a sort of Stepford Mom whose life only revolves around the child's needs, and I'm not so sure that's very healthy for the kid either over the long haul.

 Ahem - anyway.

 It's rather counter-intuitive, but being insufficiently hydrated makes you retain water for a while, so yes, increasing your fluid intake should help.

 And 2.5lbs is nothing to sneeze at either - it's significant enough to be annoying to anyone! It's within the normal range of fluctuations and has to be water weight unless you've been drinking straight up olive oil. 2.5lbs equals a calorie intake of 2.5*3500cal=8750 calories above maintenance. I doubt that would even be physically possible for you, considering the calories you expend taking care of a 3-year old. But still, significantly annoying.

 As for workout videos - Tae Bo and some of the Beachbody videos are kickboxing-based and while they're not substitutes for joining a class there's been enough positive feedback on them here in the forums that they're probably worth taking a look at at some point, if you get bored with Jillian. Or maybe some of KathE's stuff - some of her weight training videos are very good indeed, if you're inclined to go through with the dumbbell purchase.

 Rule of thumb for dumbbells: buy at least what your kid weights, and probably twice as much. The child represents a weight your body is already comfortable handling, so to have an appreciable training effect, you'll probably need more resistance.

 Personally, I like weight training, and would like to introduce you to Krista of Stumptuous.com as a wonderful resource for getting started with that; but give Jillian a go first. There's no point in trying to do everything at once, so start with doing Jillian's program when it arrives.  Once you've done those 30 days or however many you wind up with, then you know more about how your body responds to exercise and what you think is fun, and only then is it time to add in more components to your fitness regime.

Wow, thanks for the words Melkor...seriously!!  That's more what I needed.  I am not the type that likes things to be "sugar coated" ...hehehe..except my desserts!!  :]

And I definitely call it a Lifestyle Change, because that's what my goal is, it's just quicker to type diet. LOL!  Maybe we should come up with some sort of abbreviation.    I totally agree with the Stepford Mom comment.  It's just a struggle to find that "me" time.

I figured it was water weight, but it helps to have someone back that up.

I think I will eventually get some free weights and maybe a weight bench( I  know my husband will use that when he's home too :]  )

thank you again for the recommendations. I will certainly look into them.

 

When my little one was three I got him a hippity hop and I got a po-go ball.  Its a disk with a big rubber ball in the middle.  Jump around on that for a while.  great exercise. 

Oh and one of my all time favorites is to take him to the playground and start a game of tag.  It really gets your heart rate up, all those sprints chasing those whipper snappers around!