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Working Out with Baby

(subtitled "Making It Work")

So here is my day and how I managed to "make" time for my workout. Does this sound familiar?

I set the alarm for 6AM with ambitious plans for an AM run. I woke at 5:45AM, looked at the clock and thought "No way in hell", reset it for 7AM and went back to sleep.

Wake 7:18AM- overslept. Get my daughter up, she leaves for school at 8:15AM. My amazing husband does her morning routine while I get the baby up and fed.

8:15AM the house is now empty, just the baby and me. While he plays I grab a few minutes on the computer and finish my coffee.

8:50AM Baby goes for nap. Yay. My house is a disaster. The kitchen is a wreck- breakfast mayhem piled on last night's remnants of dirty dishes and mess. *sigh* I veg/work for 30 minutes on the computer.

9:15AM School calls- my 7 year old is in the office. Dammit I might not get my workout in at all! Crisis is under management  and hopefully I don't have to rush  out to pick her up (Grrr) OK stay focused :)

9:27AM Egad I better get my workout started. How long can I expect baby to sleep? 30 minutes- 2 hours? Yup that's my window and it's hit and miss. Essential chores? Get the animals out. All sentients taken care of, I throw on some sweats and hit the bike.  Here is the "Plan":

60:00, Intervals (sitting:standing) RPE 14:16-17=  5, 15:5, 15:5, 15:5 

Begin. I forgot the baby monitor. Dang it. O well I can bust out 20 minutes confidently and I'll check on the baby after my first interval.

25:00 Check on baby- he's cooing, awake in crib. Dammit! OK he lost his soother, give it back; no poo, no problems, he's safe and calm. I think I can squeeze in another interval. Armed with baby monitor I hit the bike again. The baby stays awake but not crying- cooing, fussing a bit. I get to 10:00 and his upset escalates. I think "Man I better make the most of this last interval" and step up my RPE a couple of notches, pushing my HR to max for the last 5:00, then "cool down" 5:00. The baby is back to cooing. Hmmm. I don't think I can justify the last interval, but I figure I can bang out 1 more 5:00 at max HR which I do, followed by my final 5:00 cool down. 

So, I didn't meet my plan, BUT I did only 10:00 less with more intensity on 10:00 (30%) of the intervals. I can definitely live with that as a pretty decent reasonably uninterrupted workout. 

The moral of this story is that in order to get my exercise in today I had to prioritize MY essential needs over my family's non-essential needs. I left the housework for an hour. The baby laid awake in his crib for 30 minutes, safe and not in distress, essential needs met, but we sacrificed 30 minutes of interactive time so Mommy could get her burn on, and believe me it is an investment! I can now tackle chores and get back to prioritizing everyone else's needs without resentment. I am energized, I am fitter, I am less stressed. I am a better Mom, wife, woman, person. I am ready for the long day ahead. And I am already planning tomorrow's workout. It is some "Me" time I am looking forward to!
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  1. KateOctober 21, 2010 at 7:21 AM

    Follow Up- this morning my "window" of workout opportunity was about the same, but because I did a shorter more explosive plyometric set I was finished in about 35 minutes. That gave me time for a shower! Not every workout will be 45-60+ minutes long, so you aren't always having to "make" as much time.

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