Busy mom new to P90X

[Chrittyg]

Hi! I am a 34 year old mother of two kids, ages 1 and 3. I work full time and my husband and I work opposite schedules. He works weekends (12 hour shifts) and I work weekdays from 8:00 to 5:00. I just ordered P90X and expect to receive it by Friday. The only time I will have to workout is at 5:00am during the week and at the kids naptime on the weekend. I am NOT a morning person. I am really going to have to dig deep to roll out of bed at that hour! I also used to be a size 2/4 before having kids. Since getting married 7 years ago, I have gained 15 pounds and lost all of my fitness. I would like to lose that much. My husband and I used to be very active (he still is). I am worried about falling out of my routine with everything going on with work and kids' schedules. To find the motivation, I have been going on YouTube and other internet sites to see all of the P90X success stories. This sounds corny, but I think I'm also going to print a couple really good before and after pictures of others and hang them in my workout room. I'm also worried about finding time to prepare the foods required for this program. It doesn't seem to jive with the rest of my family's eating preferences! But, they say it's a lifestyle change and I'm willing to work toward that. I don't want to sound like I'm setting myself up for failure with these excuses, but life does happen and I need to figure out a way to get through this program when things don't always go as planned! Looking forward to getting started.

[FitRunner]

Hey Chritty!

I know we sort of 'met' already. Most of what I had to say you already saw, but I just wanted to give my $0.02 on family preferences: what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Whether they initially like it or not. But you'll be doing your kids a HUGE favor if you help them grow up with healthy eating habits and knowing how to cook healthy food. Also - my husband fails at cooking, which leaves him two choices: eat what I cook or shut up and find food another way. He eats what I cook, even when it's full of fiber, low in fat, or anything else he doesn't really like. If he hates it that much he's welcome to cook any time :D

Teresa

[Chrittyg]

Thanks for the encouragement, Teresa! My husband is quite fit, works out all the time, and eats really pretty healthy. The only problem is that he tries to gain weight because his body type is very tall and lean and he burns so many calories with long mountain bike rides and snowboarding days. It is hard when you're trying to lose weight and your spouse is trying to gain!! However, it is great that he cooks healthy and I guess what I really need to focus my nutrition effort on is portion control and trying to get him to pay attention to the amounts of protein, and carbs I am working toward when he cooks. This is such a great site and I feel like the support has already been so great and I haven't even received my P90X in the mail yet! I think this is going to be a great resource when I start the program. Good luck in your fitness goals, too!

[AmyLee]

Christy,

I am in a similar boat as you... I'm a 26 year old mom of 2 girls...the older just turned 2 and the younger is 9 months today. I work Monday-Saturday from 9am-6pm, and I usually have either Tuesday or Wednesday off. I went from 110 lbs before meeting my husband, to about 135 after having 2 babies. I always considered myself to be pretty fit, but I realized one day I really wasn't anymore. I found myself eating fast food every day, sometimes twice a day. And the only time I would work out was about 3 weeks prior to my Army fitness test.

I panicked at first too, wondering how in the world I was going to find time to fit this in. Is your husband home during the weekdays? What time do your kids go to bed at night?

I am doing some running along with my P90X workouts. So I get up at 6:30-7, eat my breakfast,and go to the gym for my run. My husband gets the girls up and takes them to daycare before he goes to work. Then I pick the girls up when I get off, and have a snack while they have their dinner. They go to bed at 8pm, so I do my P90X at 8:15-8:30 and eat dinner after that. If you find 5am too grueling for you, would it be possible to work out after the kids go to bed?

I can tell you that you will be most successful if you plan ahead. Don't just wake up and hope you'll get a chance to fit your workout in and hope you can do well with your diet. You need to plan ahead the night before. Schedule your workout in WOWY to keep yourself accountable. Plan your menu and get your lunches and snacks together the night before.

Dave and Monica have a lot of links on the P90X nutrition plan to help you get it all figured out. But if it's just too hard for you, find something that works. You are more likely to stick to a diet if it's easy, makes sense, and has the foods you enjoy.

Hope this helps! I'm here to chat if you need someone to talk to about how hard life is to juggle with a husband, a job, and 2 little ones!

Amy

[Chrittyg]

Amy,

Thanks so much for your reply. It helps so much to hear how others juggle it all.

Yes, my husband is home with the kids during the week. My kids go to bed at 8:00pm, too. Do you find it difficult to fall asleep after working out so late? Do you eat dinner around 9:30 or 10:00 at night? I really enjoy relaxing with my husband after I have worked all day, drive home, make dinner, give the kids a bath, and finally get the kids to bed! I think I will definitely need to make some major changes and I have been really been trying to mentally prepare for this while I wait for my P90X to arrive in the mail. I've been doing a lot of planning and psyching myself up for it. This evening workout thing is definitely an option! You've given me some really good suggestions and it helps to know that someone in a similar situation is making it work! You look fabulous and that is just more inspiration for me!

Thanks again!

Christy

[chrisiclow]

Welcome Christy....I am in the same boat as well....I have 2 boys 6 and 3 and I work and hour from my house. I have started the program twice once I got sick for a week the other was so sore could not complete the other days. It truly is a mental thing, I think my failure in part is saying I will do the workouts at night. As much as I am not a morning person when I get home from work I want to relax too then I put it off til the next day. You know yourself and what you will do! So I am going to start tomorrow no more excuses....I am here if you wanna chat we can keep each other going! Good luck! You can do anything you put your mind to.

[yankeedoobie]

Hi Christy!
I started doing BB stuff just over five years ago. At that time I had a 10 month old and a 3 year old, both VERY active and neither took naps. I started by giving them breakfast and something to do and did my workout with them running around. Yes, it was a little chaotic at times and in the beginning I had to press pause a LOT. But what happened is that my kids watched and sometimes wanted to participate. They learned early that it was important for momma to do her workout because it was important to care for our bodies. I infused everything I could during the day to include what is important to us as a family (ie eating well, exercise, taking time for each other, etc) They also learned that momma was a lot happier after exercising and I functioned better with it. They learned the value of hard work and getting results ( I lost 17.5" during that first go round and that was with P90, not P90X). What I see now is that both my kids who are now 9 and 6, know the importance of working toward your health. It was worth it to find a time that worked for me. It will be the same for you. Find the time that works for you and your family, the best. Giving your kids the best momma they can have will be worth it in the long run. Just keep doing it, one day at a time. You will find lots of support here. You can do it and you are worth it!

[Chrittyg]

Yankeedoobie - Thank you so much for your kinds words and encouragement! I am a week into this now and sooo motivated. I have just had to tweak my "normal" routine and workout instead of watching TV after the kids go to bed. I am so happy after my workouts are complete (way happier than if I had watched a show on TV)! At first, it was hard to find the time to do this, but after you really commit, it is less daunting and now I WANT to make time for it and I'm happy when I do. I agree with you that it is important to give my kids a healthy mama and show them the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Chrisiclow - Thank you, too!! It helps so much to hear of other mothers with young kids really making this work and getting great results. I am with you if you need support, as well!! How are your workouts going? Did you start yesterday?

I feel very proud of us working mamas who have so much going on and try to please everyone all the time, taking care of kids, jobs, husbande, etc. and STILL make time for ourselves and for our own wellbeing. You're right ladies, we do deserve this.

[scourtney7]

I love you Yankiedoobie!! So glad that I had the chance to run into you girl!!

[Netty]

I feel very proud of us working mamas who have so much going on and try to please everyone all the time, taking care of kids, jobs, husbande, etc. and STILL make time for ourselves and for our own wellbeing. You're right ladies, we do deserve this.

Christy - Yes, you are exactly right! Us Moms are made to take care of everyone else and we tend to forget about ourselves. I am a mother of 3 and have a full-time job so I know about finding time. There are so many moms out in the world today that are not happy with who they have become, and have lost hope that they are STILL beautiful and that they can be healthy and fit. Well, one of my goals as a Coach is to meet those Moms and help them believe in themselves again! I don't know of any rules that say we can't be "Hot" Moms. You are doing a great job! As my husband, Tim (visionary), said to you in another post, you will continue to see your strength and stamina increase every week. I take a deep breath before every workout and say "I am going to bring it today"...and I push myself to do better than I did the day before. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see your results :-)

[Chrittyg]

Thanks so much, Netty! I am bringing it more this week than I did last week. I was a little timid last week, as it was my first week and I was trying to make sure I didn't hurt myself or overdo it. Now that I've done all of the phase one workouts, I am really bringing it and I'm a lot more confident!

[scourtney7]

Go get it girl!!! Tony would be proud!!!

[AmyLee]

I feel very proud of us working mamas who have so much going on and try to please everyone all the time, taking care of kids, jobs, husbande, etc. and STILL make time for ourselves and for our own wellbeing. You're right ladies, we do deserve this.


It wasn't until after I had my second child that I really realized the importance of taking care of yourself as a mom. I had just had my baby, I was working full time, I'm in the military part-time, and I was going to school full-time as well. All of that really took its toll on me. After about 6 months after my second baby was born, I realized that something just wasn't right with me. I was miserable, unhappy, crying all the time, when I finally decided I needed to take care of myself first if I wanted what is best for my children. I cut my work schedule back to 4 days, I took a semester off at school, and I found the courage to go to the doctor about my problem. I was diagnosed with post-partum depression. I have been on anti-depressants and supplements for a couple months now. My doctor really stressed to me that more important than taking medication I needed these things: exercise, a good diet, a relationship with Jesus Christ (yes, in the South doctors prescribe Jesus), and "me time".

I made the decision to do P90X this time around to help my depression.. because I know that I have to be well for my children. Now that I have something I love to do and that makes me feel better, I am a much happier person and a much better mama!

[Chrittyg]

Shannon - thanks, girlfriend!

Amy - That's a very inspirational story and I wish you the BEST! I wasn't very happy before I started P90X, either. I was overwhelmed with having our second child and working full time at a very busy job, and never having time off with my husband. We work opposite schedules, so there is never a break from watching the kids and we have no family that lives near us. I just felt like there was no time for me to do the things the I love to do and take care of myself. My thought was that every minute of the day was already filled with other obligations. Then, I decided that if I didn't MAKE time for myself starting now, 5 more years would go by and I would be another 15 lbs heavier and even more unhappy. It's amazing how much happier you can be when you decide to make a positive change, take care of yourself, and work toward a goal. The support of this forum is helping me get there, too!

[yankeedoobie]

I love you too! I can't wait to go crazy insane with you at Summit!

"I feel very proud of us working mamas who have so much going on and try to please everyone all the time, taking care of kids, jobs, husbande, etc. and STILL make time for ourselves and for our own wellbeing. You're right ladies, we do deserve this."

See the thing is, we can't keep giving when we have nothing to give. Just like in the airplane you have to give oxygen to yourself before you can help someone else. Nothing comes out of an empty cup. You have to take care of yourself physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally to be able to give your husband, children, and friends your best. It is a necessity, not a luxury.

[scourtney7]

Well stated Heather!!! I wouldn't expect any differently from you!!