Single moms help!

[1Tamara]

Hey single moms I'm new to lifting and I'm having a hard time keeping my work outs and diet on track. Any advice, suggestions...how do you guys do it?

[CATRACCOM]

How old is your kid? I'm not a single mom but the older my kid gets the easier. First thing I changed was not making a meal for the kid and a meal for me. I eat healthy and the kid eats what I eat. Takes some pressure off when you just have good food in the fridge. They can grab almost anything out and it's a 'yes' if they want it. I have to get up a little earlier so I have time for myself to work out. If she gets up and I'm working out, she'll come exercise with me...sort of.

[Amanda76]

You know how you make sure your kid makes it to gymnastics or whatever? Your workout is just as important. There will be times when, say, maybe you need to cut back from a 5 day split to a 3 day split (holiday season is a mess, I know), but even working 3 jobs and going to school, I've always been able to figure out how to get at least 3 days a week in somewhere.

So far as food goes, like catraccom said, if you're eating healthy, balanced meals that's what your children should be eating for the most part (you may just give them a bit more leeway on non-nutritional items than you give yourself).

One thing that helps immensely is cooking several meals in advance. I make my breakfast fresh every morning (some combo of egg whites, oats and fruits and/or veggies), but I do most of my cooking for the week on Sunday while I'm doing laundry. I hardboil 3 dozen eggs, cook 6 to 8 chicken breasts, 3 lbs of ground sirloin, 3 (dry) cups of red rice and seperate all that with fruit or veggies into plastic dishes for my snacks and lunches. If I'm going to have sweet potato I just keep it raw until I can throw it in a microwave for 5-7 minutes somewhere. Packets of tuna and easily carryable veggies, fruits and nuts are other options that are easily portable and can either be scarfed quickly or eaten with one hand. And cottage cheese takes no prep time at all. You get good at knowing about how long you'll be away from your house and throwing whatever meals you need into a cooler to take along with you. All you do when you get home is rinse and throw your plastic stuff in the dishwasher. Takes less time than driving to McDonald's.

[lisast42]

I pre-plan everything (what I am going to eat and when) and keep to a schedule the best I can.

[algforcek]

I have had full custody of my two boys since they were four and two. They are the frigging best. Seriously.

The first thing I did was let them know how important the gym was to "da" and that we needed to go very early in the morning. That meant story time was 7ish and we were in bed by 8pm.

I made it a very important part of their day and mine. I made sure they were completely involved with my workouts to the extent that they picked out my gym attire. They made sure my protein shake was ready. They helped make my food. They helped with nasty gym laundry. They helped counting pushups and situps.

Get the picture?

They are now 12 and 10 respectively. My 12 (almost 13 year old) now throws a 72 mile an hour fastball and all he tells me is how he needs to hit the gym. My 10 year old competed in the US Ti Kwon Do Nationals in Orlando last year.

When your kids are motivated to help you work out, it pushes you to do more. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, you pass on the importance of a healthy life style, the need to be active. My kids have lived with mom while I have been deployed and they say they are doing well.

While I miss my lil "Zog" and "Ot" helping me go to the gym at 4:30am when they were little, I simply cannot tell you how F&#@($* JACKED I am to start working out with my teenager. Its great, they have push up contests with me and I am going to start losing soon

It makes me work harder.

Hope this helps.

VR
Sponge

[1Tamara]

Hey thanks guys for the feedback...it really helped and motivated me. I say big up to you because I am technically not a single parent but my husband is deployed and I have a special ( some say needs, I just say special) child and a seven year old and its kind of hard sometimes. So thanks for your help!

[Amanda76]

Originally Posted by 1Tamara

Hey thanks guys for the feedback...it really helped and motivated me. I say big up to you because I am technically not a single parent but my husband is deployed and I have a special ( some say needs, I just say special) child and a seven year old and its kind of hard sometimes. So thanks for your help!

That does make things a bit more difficult. You've obviously had to figure out how to make things happen before, though.

Are you up around Luke AFB? Make sure you're taking advantage of all the programs and support groups that might be available to you. I know a lot of bases do have support groups for parents with special needs children and the members will likely be a great resource for you (you might find someone you can trade gym time for child-free errand running time with, for example)! Make sure you look into possiblities with daycare facilities (they sometimes do hourly care so people can do things like get to the gym...and they often host parents' night out 1-2 times a month) and home care providers (who may be able to cater to your needs a bit more depending on what kind of free time they have)...and, of course, the Youth Center and Gym might offer classes that will be convenient for your children to attend while you get a a workout in (I'm obviously not sure how much extra supervision your special child needs ).

Sounds like you have a great attitude. You'll be able to do this.

[martina92685]

This thread is incredibly motivating. I don't have any children OR a boyfriend/husband, and I make excuses sometimes to not workout. Now I see how lucky I am to nut be attached at this time in my life. I should quit bitching.

Thank you ladies!

[Finner]

Originally Posted by sparklebear00

This thread is incredibly motivating. I don't have any children OR a boyfriend/husband, and I make excuses sometimes to not workout. Now I see how lucky I am to nut be attached at this time in my life. I should quit bitching.

Thank you ladies!

LOL! I know! I read the thread and thought the same thing! LOL!

[Finner]

Originally Posted by sparklebear00

This thread is incredibly motivating. I don't have any children OR a boyfriend/husband, and I make excuses sometimes to not workout. Now I see how lucky I am to nut be attached at this time in my life. I should quit bitching.

Thank you ladies!

LOL! I know! I read the thread and thought the same thing! LOL!

[IronCamp]

I'm a single mom to a 3 year old. I found a daycare that is open earlier and later than most....from 6:00 to 6:30. I do a 7 to 4 shift at work and then go to the gym from 4:00 to 5:30. I pick up my daughter around 6:15.

On the weekends, I work out w/her at home...do a DVD or take her to the park and run w/her in a jogging stroller.

For meals, I cook my own food on Sunday's for the whole week and she eats different food, unless she wants what I am having.

[norinicole]

First, OP, good for you for knowing how important it is to take care of yourself!

I'm lucky that the gym I work out in most of the time is right across the street from my building, so I go and do my workouts at lunch (I get a 1hr lunch). Unfortunately there isn't all of the necessary equipment that I like there for some workouts (there are only dbs, no barbells or plates ) so I go to a different gym on Saturdays where they have childcare.

I really like Amanda's idea as well about finding some other parents that you can trade gym time with. It's SO important to have a good support group, especially since you're doing this on your own right now. I hope that you have a good network of friends to help you.

I also do the same as the others posted here - premake a lot of my meals, and I also make my lunch the night before to ease the morning chaos