How To Get Your Workout In With 2 Kids Under 2

 

If you thought Insanity was hard try it with a baby and toddler in the room.  In my three on-going challenge groups many of the participants are parents of young children.  It can be extremely difficult to fit in a workout when you have little ones that need so much attention.  I feel for my challengers who are trying hard to exercise and eat right but are having trouble making it all work.  I get asked often how I exercise at home with the kids.   Here is a list of tricks that I use in order to make sure I exercise 6 times a week.

1. Put your exercise clothes on early.
2. Put then in a bumbo, bouncer seat, exersaucer, jumperoo etc.  and give them a book or crayons and paper.
3  Floor time with toys or play the "Crawl to Momma" game.
4. Set up a movie corner
5. Feed lunch or snacks

I am a stay-at-home mother of a 9 month old daughter and a son who just turned two.  Ideally the best time to exercise is when they are taking a nap at the same time.  I try my best to make this happen daily by putting them on a schedule.  But, they are always changing and many days it just doesn't work that way.  If I can't get my kids to synchronize their naps I settle for just one.  When that doesn't happen and I have two children up I make due because I must stick to my exercise calendar. No excuses!

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First things first, dress the part.  Mornings are crazy at my house.  It includes poopy diapers, barking dogs, a nursing baby and a toddler who doesn't like wearing clothes.  After the initial breakfast time madness I put on my athletic clothes.  Even though I know I can't exercise right then I get dressed so that I am ready when the opportunity arises.  This way when I put the kids down for a nap I don't have to spend 20 minutes getting dressed, looking for my shoes or pulling back my hair.

John reading a magazine in the nude

 

When I started the Insanity program Baby Edie was 6 months old.  She was the easy one.  She would stay put in one spot so I usually put her into her bouncer seat.  Shaun T. and the others on the video mesmerized her.  She would stare at me and then back to the T.V. and was content most of the time.  I tried my best to time it in-between feedings but many times I had to push pause on the DVD to nurse her and change her diaper.  I didn't let it get me down if I had to stop.  I tended to her needs and then made sure I went back to finish the workout.

Edie and Bigfoot helping me do my Brazil Butt Lift exercise

 

Now that she is older (9 months) she doesn't like to stay in one place for very long.  I let her crawl around and try to keep her occupied with toys.  This can be frustrating because she likes climbing up on things.  Whenever I do exercises on the floor she sees this as the perfect opportunity to climb up on me and grab my pony tail.  I try to keep her in a high chair with puffs for long enough for me to finish the ab workout.  Easier said than done.

If she is crawling around I take her to a spot furthest from me in the room, let her crawl all the way to me and then swoop her up and take her back.  I call this the "Crawl to Momma" game and I try to make it part of the routine keeping my heart rate elevated. 

My two year old John is usually more difficult.  I know that I can only keep him occupied on one task for about 20 minutes maximum so I use different activity stations.  First is the movie corner.  I have a small portable DVD player that I setup and have him watch one of his baby Einstein videos.  When that doesn't hold his attention any longer I move him into the high chair and give him crayons and paper.  Then I feed him his lunch.  All three activities together give me about an hour long workout.  Although, the whole process takes longer than that because of the frequent stops to move him into a new station or make him lunch.



He too enjoys it best when I do floor exercises and sees it as the perfect time to grab his toy Jeep and drive it all over me.  Then, when he tires of playing cars he just lays on top of me.  It's not easy to hold plank with a two year old resting on you.  It is usually at about this time that my dog Bigfoot joins in the fun and cuddles up to me too.  I won't lie, sometimes I want to scream, other times a cry but most of the time it just makes me laugh when this happens.    I am still breaking a sweat and my kids see me trying.  I hope that they too see the importance of my dedication. 

 

Video of my trying to complete "Tummy Tuck" from Brazil Butt Lift.

 

Amongst all this commotion I know that I don't exercise to my best ability or intensity but in the end does it really matter?  Whenever I get a chance to workout without kids interrupting me I seize the opportunity and give it all that I have. Sometimes I think back to how is was before kids and can't believe all the excuses I made to not workout.

My next 60 day challenge group starts July 1st.  E-mail me if you want to be a part of a small group of people supporting each other on their fitness journeys.  My current challengers are already seeing results.  You could have your dream body by Labor day.