Keeping fit after having a baby can be as difficult as finding seven straight hours in a row you can sleep. When my girls got a bit older, and I felt comfortable putting them in childcare, I decided to join a gym. That way, I didn’t feel pressured to wake at 5 to fit in a run; if I couldn’t get up, I could still work out. Plus, I could take additional classes like body pump and yoga, both of which I really wanted to try.
The gym I chose had a nice, clean childcare center (this was mandatory!) that offered a variety of classes for the kids, like art and music. I enjoyed going and once I was there was happy to be a member, but there was a huge drawback: the cost! Because once you have children, you don’t just pay for the membership: you then have to pay for childcare, too, and that can run it up at least twenty or more dollars extra each month.
Plus my gym, while great, was a twenty five minute drive (one way!) from my house. Not only did I pay quite a bit each month to go there, but then I had to put gas in my car to make the commute. Working around a kid’s schedule, naps, play dates, and park time became crazy when I added in the fifty minute round-trip drive. On days I did go to the gym it seemed like a chore to fit it in, and when I didn’t go, I felt guilty because I was paying so much money in fees each month to belong.
I decided to cancel when I felt I was putting out a whole lot of money for something I didn’t use enough, and that’s when I began searching other inexpensive workout options. Here’s how I get in a workout these days without breaking the bank, even if both of my kids are at home:
Hulu.com. I could write an entire post just about this site, I love it so much! Not only can you watch newer released shows, like Revenge (my newest obsession!) for $8 per month, but I am soooo impressed by the amount and variety of workout videos Hulu offers. You can find videos for abs, arms, legs; cardio, like kickboxing; pilates for both beginners and intermediates; and, my favorite of all, yoga. The videos range from ten or fifteen minutes to an hour. I LOVE it because I can do it at home without driving anywhere; it’s super cheap; AND I can do a different workout every day of the week, even on days my kids are home from school. Downside: they do have some commercials, but I just use these as water breaks or as time for extra crunches, so it’s not really a downside for me.
Videos. I am a big workout video girl. I enjoy working out at home better than I do at the gym, and while it takes a bit to motivate me sometimes (it’s hard to put a DVD in when I could just sit on my couch and watch a show), it is easier to get motivated at home than it is driving to the gym. Plus, if you have little kiddos that you don’t want in childcare centers, or if your gym doesn’t offer childcare, you can work out while they nap. I have several yoga and pilates videos. I really like the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred video, which you can find at Wal-Mart, as an overall body workout. Downside: I get bored doing the same workout over and over. Lately I have been interspersing videos with Hulu.
Your own gym. I made my own home gym on a budget when my first daughter was born. I bought a set of hand weights (I started with two five pound weights and then moved up to two ten pound weights); a fifteen pound kettle bell; a stability ball for crunches and other ab work; and straps for stretching. I also subscribed to two fitness magazines, Fitness and Shape, which offered different workout ideas each month. Total cost: about one month’s membership at a gym for my equipment and $20 or so for the two subscriptions, which lasted a year. I looked up workout videos on YouTube (absolutely free!) or used the fitness magazines to create a plan, and I followed along with my equipment. Downside: Tough to get in enough cardio inside the house unless you are doing some type of dance or kickboxing video.
Run or bike or walk for cardio. I know it is tough to fit this in, but if you can work around schedules and get at least half an hour of cardio most days of the week, you’ll do fine. Plus, running only requires workout clothes, which you likely already have, and good shoes; and cycling requires a bike. If you take baby with you on your walk, you just need a stroller. That’s it! Once those few expenses are out of the way, you can fit in cardio without paying a monthly fee. When your kids get a bit older, you might want to invest in a good running stroller (I asked for and got mine as a baby shower gift from several girlfriends) so you can take baby along on a jog. Downside: fitting it in! This can be nearly impossible with a new baby at home. Hang in there; it will get easier!
What do you do to stay fit without dropping a lot of money? Have you found a particular routine that works best for you?