Do You Have Time, Money and Energy To Stay In...

On Thursday I got the green light to start exercising again after having been on a six-week postpartum hiatus. I had stayed away from the rigorous exercise throughout the pregnancy, but I still managed to walk almost everywhere with my boys in tow, and I got lots of great swimming at the beach this summer as well.

At my check up on Thursday I was told that the pregnancy weight is off.....all of it plus more, and this is an awesome motivator. Since I never got rid of all of my pregnancy weight from my second son, and I had added extra pounds since college anyway, knowing that the pregnancy weight after my third pregnancy is gone already is a huge relief.

This morning my three-year-old woke me up early, and when I turned around to ask him what he wanted he was gone. What I did find was an exercise dvd - Fabulous Fit Moms, our favorite exercise dvd to do together before I became pregnant.

I used to think that I had no time, no money and certainly no energy to get in shape, but I soon realized how wrong I was. It is amazing what you can do with what you have, as long as you have a bit of creativity and the will.

How do you find time and energy to stay in shape? Do you have a gym membership, or do you exercise at home?

After eating a piece of birthday cake, I finally finished writing about how I managed to stay in shape the frugal way. If you want to know how I have managed to create an affordable home gym, check out my post:

Making An Affordable Home Gym - The Frugal Way

If you feel I have left anything out, please feel free to let me know. I am always eager to learn new ways to stay in shape.....as long as I still get to enjoy some good food.

Comments: 31

J W. Sep 5, 2009, 12:43pm EDT

I use my Wii Fit and am also looking forward to taking walks this Fall because of the cooler weather it offers.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 3:00pm EDT

JW I would love to have a Wii Fit, but unless I win one somewhere, it will never happen:)

carolyn b. Sep 5, 2009, 4:35pm EDT

I plan on buying one next year, I was told they are great!

Trish A. Sep 5, 2009, 5:28pm EDT

I just did wii fit this morning. I've committed to myself to do the step exercise every day that I'm home.

My husband surprised me with the wii fit last year but it was a challenge to figure out how to hook it up. Now that we have a different TV it is really easy so now I don't have any excuse!

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:32pm EDT

Trish what an awesome surprise:)

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Rose H. Sep 5, 2009, 1:01pm EDT

Walking is the best exercise and although I used to love to exercise to my DVDs I havent' done anything lately. I've been a bad girl putting on pounds and easting too much chocolate.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 2:59pm EDT

Rose, I sure have a weak spot for chocolate:)

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porshe smith Sep 5, 2009, 1:27pm EDT

walking is the best i think ,, good for you losing all that weight

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Marianne R. Sep 5, 2009, 1:47pm EDT

We have a little fitness center here and the beach is nearby for walking.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 2:59pm EDT

Marianne, I wish I could go walking on the beach every day:)

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Carol B Sep 5, 2009, 2:39pm EDT

Stay in shape, what is that? Every time I try and do something healthy I end up in pain. I try and walk as much as I can when I am able to. I am going to try and get back to my Wii Fit as soon as I can and the weather cools off. I have a treadmill in the house but I haven't used it since spring when it was raining a lot. Other than that I don't have any motivation and that is what you really need.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 2:58pm EDT

Carol, you are right motivation is the key for sure.

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Mary M. Sep 5, 2009, 2:40pm EDT

I try to walk the dog every morning but don't always get to it if the weather is poor.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 2:58pm EDT

Mary, walking the dog must be a great way to get in some walking every day. Seriously, walking throughout the pregnancy really kept me going.

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CyberGwen ! Sep 5, 2009, 2:41pm EDT

I am pretty fit and struggling to gain weight, but where I need help is cardio. I have no stamina. Maybe I should get a video.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 2:57pm EDT

Gwen, it sounds to me like Murphy should be able to keep you in shape:)

CyberGwen ! Sep 5, 2009, 3:45pm EDT

LOL, that is how I figured out that I need cardio. I was so winded chasing his "friends" around the house!

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:31pm EDT

LOL:)
Gwen, I get reminded that I have to do more cardio every time we are running away from a South Florida rain cloud:) It's so funny, how we can see the rain down the street yet be in the dry ourselves.

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Priscilla (wishing I was in Costa Rica) ~. Sep 5, 2009, 3:48pm EDT

I need to do more!

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Dagmara H. Sep 5, 2009, 4:18pm EDT

I have been pretty good about exercising a lot this summer. I would usually watch the exercise videos we have on Demand, so I have always something new to try. There are many of those videos on there. But when we were living in Germany and there was no videos on Demand, I would use youtube videos. There is so many of them and many are really a good ones.

carolyn b. Sep 5, 2009, 4:36pm EDT

On Demand videos are good too

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:30pm EDT

I have heard the on demand have some good ones. We are still on basic cable:)

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carolyn b. Sep 5, 2009, 4:36pm EDT

Jr, what I've been doing is jumping rope and jumping jacks, it's a great, inexpensive workout. I do my crunches as well, I've lost some inches but in time the weight will drop off.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:29pm EDT

Jump ropes are so much fun Carolyn. I have not been able to do it for 9 months:)

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Katrina Hall Sep 5, 2009, 5:46pm EDT

jr - I loved your free ideas for a home gym! Unfortunately, I couldn't comment on your blog - the only comment thingie that works for me is the Name/URL kind of comment box. Just wanted to say many thanks!

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:29pm EDT

Thanks Katrina!

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Kjersti W. Sep 5, 2009, 7:05pm EDT

I would have to say the energy is the biggest issue for or more in terms of being motivated enough. Time is not really an issue for me since I only get work for a few hours a few days a week. Money is never an issue because I already own what I need to exercise and even when I did not have my Wii fit and Gold's Gym for Wii I knew I could exercise for free just walking or doing other exercises that did not require equipment. I personally prefer exercising in the comfort of my own home. I try to get at least 30 minutes a day in doing Wii exergaming games.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:28pm EDT

I would love to have a Wii Kjersti.

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Rachel D. Sep 5, 2009, 8:12pm EDT

We have a Jewish Community Center family membership, and I've been going there more and more thanks to my son falling in love with all the kids activities there. So now I'm always going there to pick up or drop off my son, and my daughter loves playing on one of the four playground areas they have for kids, so that's been a *huge* help.

j - Frugal Mom - r. Sep 5, 2009, 8:28pm EDT

You are very lucky Rachel. Since I am on foot I have looked for anything within a 1.5 mile radius and there is nothing here for kids activities. Everything is at least 2 miles away, and I cannot make the kids walk four miles plus do whatever activity they will be doing.

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Carla B. Sep 6, 2009, 7:51pm EDT

During the summer it's easy for me to get a work out in. Elliott and the dogs are always willing to go for a walk. :) We also do trips to the zoo, park, etc frequently and I usually play with him instead of just letting him go and sitting down.

During the winter it's harder to find the motivation and the time, since it's too cold to do anything outside. I have a Wii fit that I use, and I try to at least dance around the house with Elliott when I don't feel like doing the Wii fit.

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Do You Have Time, Money and Energy To Stay In Shape?

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