KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

As parents, we often worry about our children's health but
neglect our own. Staying fit & healthy is important to both
parents & their children.

I am sure that as parents we would want to grow old and watch
our children grow up. In order to do this, apart from having a
healthy diet & maintaining a good work life balance, we should
also maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing regular exercises.

I for one spend about 4 - 5 times a week doing regular exercises
which varies from short to long distance running, weight training
& leisure sports or swimming.

Looking forward to hear from other parents in our KSP family about
their own health & fitness secrets.

I walk up stairs to my 16th floor unit at least 2 times a week and every weekend will go for a swim or a long (1to2 hrs) walk to Chinese/Japanese Garden which is about 15 mins walk from our home.

Its the best that I can managed now.

DH is doing better, he walks our pooch everynite for about 30 mins to an hour. Dragon boat practise (its pretty intense, cos it can be 2 hours of paddling) every weekend for the past 11 years. B4 DS arrival, he goes for soccer practise or cycle to nowhere once a week.

buds hub, totally agree with you abt the need to take care of ourselves... but most times, the soul is willing but flesh is weak ...

For myself, i TRY to exercise twice a week - a combination of the following activities:-

1) Climb stairs - 2 x 30 storeys
2) jog for abt 20 min ~3-4km
3) Swim for 20 laps.

Usually do it on weekend mornings when i try to pull myself out of bed by 7 before the kids wake up.

DH uses his lunch time to go hit the range abt twice /thrice a week.

This is the best arrangement we can make now.

MLR wrote:I walk up stairs to my 16th floor unit at least 2 times a week and every weekend will go for a swim or a long (1to2 hrs) walk to Chinese/Japanese Garden which is about 15 mins walk from our home.

Its the best that I can managed now..

MLR, kudos to you & your DH for taking time to love your body by doing regular exercise even if it is done once a week .. walking up the stairs is also a good form of exercise especially since youre staying on the 16th floor (must be pretty tiring as well)

MLR wrote: DH is doing better, he walks our pooch everynite for about 30 mins to an hour. Dragon boat practise (its pretty intense, cos it can be 2 hours of paddling) every weekend for the past 11 years. B4 DS arrival, he goes for soccer practise or cycle to nowhere once a week.

I agree with you that Dragon boat practice is VERY intense.. It really works your upper body and core. I've tried it previously and got aches all over my body the following day... however, it does give a nicely shaped upper body & arms... plus a nice tan..

Guess your DH must be quite a HUNK then!! 8)

wow! climb stairs, dragon boating!! salute!

I do basic housework - mop floor (squatting, arm exercise); run after the kids; carry their barangs (weights).

buds hubs wrote: I agree with you that Dragon boat practice is VERY intense.. It really works your upper body and core. I've tried it previously and got aches all over my body the following day... however, it does give a nicely shaped upper body & arms... plus a nice tan..

Guess your DH must be quite a HUNK then!! 8)

Er, DH has natural tan, cos he is dark skinned He uses a SPF50
sunscreen instead, cos when he burns, he shed white flaks all over

As being hunky, he is not the hunkiest guy i dated.

Poohbear wrote:buds hub, totally agree with you abt the need to take care of ourselves... but most times, the soul is willing but flesh is weak ....

I guess most of us parents face the same problem.. Its a mind over body issue and in my opinion , the biggest problem is "HOW TO GET STARTED".. afterwhich once you've succesfully started.. the next challenge is to "HOW TO MAINTAIN" your healthy lifestyle...

This is the exact reason why I started this thread with the hope that it can be a form of motivation to others to either "start" exercising or "maintain" whatever exercise regime they already have.

Poohbear wrote: Usually do it on weekend mornings when i try to pull myself out of bed by 7 before the kids wake up. ... This is the best arrangement we can make now.

This was how I got started, initally I thought that I can only do it when the kids are asleep or are not around but sadly being parents, we do not have such luxury..

Hence we have to make & find time to do it and could probably get our children to be involved as well ie; walks around the parks/ cycling etc.. It may even develop an interest in sporting activities for our children.

buds hubs wrote: Hence we have to make & find time to do it and could probably get our children to be involved as well ie; walks around the parks/ cycling etc.. It may even develop an interest in sporting activities for our children.

Its true, cos DH and I love outdoors and we are lucky to be always living near parks (Kent Ridge, West Coast and now Chinese/Japanese Gardens) . DS loves going to the park and roll down grass slopes, we even brought carton boxes to sleigh down the slopes. Sometimes we get stares from people around. Chinese/Japanese Gardens don't allow bicycles/skid scooters/rollerblades/skateboards in the premises. So its very safe for DH to run free.

DS been to dragon practises with DH too. We got him a kiddy life vest, slap on a good coat of sunscreen and let him get on the boat. Once he even fell asleep on the boat, I guess the rocking motion makes him sleepy. That, we get some comments as well, cos most people think we are crazy to let a 2.5yo in a sampan boat out in the water.

I tried starting an exercise regime about a few mths back but till now, not much success. And yah bcos of the kids, it's difficult to find time for myself. I tried going back to swimming in the evenings like I did b4 the kids came along but met with major protests as both kiddos want to follow so in the end, it became just splashing in the pool vs doing laps. I have been bringing them for evening walks as well about 2x a week. Climbing stairs? I live on the 1st level so not much of stairs to climb unless I run up and down the same flight. So thus far, my exercise has been

Pilates - once a week
swimming - attempted, 2 x a week at least 10 laps (so far failed)
walking - 2 x a week if weather allows

Even tried the Wii fit but everytime I pull the thing out, the kids will be fighting with me to use it. Last nite I just dug out this power yoga dvd that I used to do some 10yrs ago. Will try to lock myself in the room tonite to do the yoga. Hopefully the kids can self entertain for 30-45mins.

Distance running is my thing. 3-4x runs per week, 40-60km per week, peaking 80+km nearer running events. Needs a lot of dscipline and time management, weekday runs start at 5.00am, sometimes run 11pm+ after kids go to bed. Long runs on Sat morning from 5.30 am.

Occasional racquet games and swimming.

Only started seriously after birth of DS2, after which my weight ballooned and I decide I need to do something about it.

Being lean and fit has its fringe benefits....