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Parenting

23rd Jul 2018

Mum asks for advice on trying to balance working and exercising

Olivia Hayes

Have you got the balance right yet?

It’s not the easiest task in the world trying to juggle being a mother, working, doing housework, and then trying to fit some exercise in.

That’s this mum’s struggle, and so she’s taken to an online forum to ask other mums how they fit it all in.

She wrote:

“I currently work 4 days and so does DH but he commutes quite a long way so I do most of the drop offs and pick ups.

“I do 10K steps most days with school run/errands/dashing to meetings at work but it’s not helping me lose weight sadly. So do share your secrets!

“I’m happy doing gym classes but the machines leave me cold. I’m in the kind of job where I have a meeting at 12, 1 and 2 one day but then can take a bit over an hour the next but it’s not massively regular. Not sure I could fit in a full gym class plus shower at lunchtime regularly.

“Weekends are quite full on (two DC). Pre DCs I cycled more, but also went for a lot of long walks that they can’t do. I also have annoying chest infections most winters!”

Many mums replied to say they use apps or videos to help them workout.

One said:

“I work out at home with video from YouTube. Kids can join in or do their own thing. Or I do it when dc asleep.”

While another suggested:

“I have a yoga app. I started with the DVDs by the same guy, but after a while got bored. The app is £6 a month or so and has literally hundreds of workouts with more added weekly ranging from yoga for people who have to do it sitting down to major advance gravity defying.”

What kind of exercise do you fit in? Or do you struggle trying to do it all?