How do you find the time for exercise?

TuffChixRule

I schedule my exercise on my cell phone calender, just as if I was scheduling a doctor's appointment. I make it a weekly recurring appointment, so when 6 p.m. rolls around (for me that's when I do my workouts) I get an annoying beeping from my phone telling me it's time to work out. I do Daily Burn in my living room, and yes, I have a small living room but I have enough room if I move the coffee table and the couch out of the way.
You can do this! It's hard at first getting back into the groove, I know this very well as my hips and thighs are still sore from my Friday workout, but the payout is worth it

Ang108

It has been proven over and over again that people make the time for those activities that are important to them. I have a friend in Boston who only eats what I call " assembly " food ( sandwiches, salads etc ), or frozen stuff, or things from the super market deli. She claims she has absolutely no time to cook or exercise and if she would, she would feel even more exhausted then she already is.
However, she somehow has/makes the time to watch some TV show right after she comes home from work and then the evening news, which takes up two hours right there.
I have suggested to put a TV in the kitchen so she could do food prep and watch TV at the same time. She does not want to do that. She also watches some talk shows that start at midnight. This is another two hours. She could easily use 45 minutes of those four hours minimum she spends in front of the TV to either cook or exercise, but she does not want to, she prefers to make excuses.
She does not want to realize that that is the reason why it is difficult for her to get up in the AM and not that she is not a " morning person ". Exercise is just not important to her, even after open heart surgery.
Every person has somewhere some time, while not exactly wasted, it is time that can be re-organized and be used for something more beneficial and I would like to assume that that is also true for you....IF YOU WANT TO.
If you don't want to exercise, then don't. It is not necessary for weight loss. Eating at a deficit is. However, if you want to be generally more healthy and fit then being at a good weight and in good shape is an excellent combo .

Bry_Fitness70

I have a three-fold strategy for working out.

1)I exercise before work. At least once per week I’m at the gym at 5am. There is no such thing as “morning” and “non-morning” people, that is dictated by your circumstances and attitude. I thought that I wasn’t a morning person either, until I joined the Army at 18, and had a 250lb drill sergeant literally throw my on the floor from my bunk (top bunk) because I was too slow to get up. I miraculously became a morning person.

2)I exercise at lunch. While coworkers socialize or catch up on their internet browsing at lunch, I’m in the facility gym or running around the city. So I miss out on having close friends at work because I’m the recluse that eats a working lunch at his desk by himself after working out.

3)I exercise after hours. Once the kids are in bed, I am either at gym, outside running or in the basement on the treadmill.

Those are my three options - I can usually get one of the above in 4-5 times a week. This isn’t the most fun lifestyle at times, but far preferable to being unfit.

ddmom0811

Set your alarm for 6:30 am.

As everyone has said, if you want it bad enough, you will make the time. I have had to get up at 5:30am for work for over 10 years and when I started exercising a year and a half ago, I couldn't see anytime to make it work except by getting up earlier. So I started waking up at 4:30 - everyone including my husband thought I was crazy! In August I pushed it back to 4:15 because I have added to my routine. I started strength training just a few months ago but the gym isn't open that early, so I go to the gym two days a week after work and "sleep in till 5:30am those days". I have discovered that I feel SO much better every day that I exercise in the morning! My brain is clearer at work, and I feel so good. Is it easy? No! Is it worth it? Absolutely!!!

It takes time to get in the routine. Lay your workout clothes out the night before and have all your stuff ready for work as well. I would recommend getting up at the same time every work day, instead of sleeping in 1 or 2 days during the week, because you need to get accustomed to waking up at the same time. You will have to force yourself to get to bed earlier. Some days you just won't be able to if you are a natural night owl. But then, a few days later you will be really tired and you will find yourself going to bed early some nights. I still struggle with going to bed early because I am such a night owl.

ninerbuff

Oh, you've got plenty of time. You just lack any motivation to want to do it. Till you do, then you'll NEVER have time.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

bwogilvie

Rather than join the pile-on, I'll just ask this question:

Where did you find the time to exercise before that one nightly workout resulted in soreness that derailed you?

Lounmoun

Multitask- while you are cooking walk in place or dance, do some exercises while you are waiting for your dog or while using your computer
Cut your meal prep down- cook larger quantities so you don't have to cook every day, pre-prep some ingredients so your meal comes together faster, use a slow cooker
Work on developing a new routine- Plan to do something active like a walk or workout video for 30 minutes before you sit down at the computer. Exercise on your break at work- walk around, climb stairs, look at chair workouts. Plan it all out.
Exercise on the weekends.
Join a group, sign up for a challenge, find an exercise buddy.
Prioritize- decide that it is more important to be active on a regular basis than stay up late or sit at a computer for hours every day
Try new things- maybe one kind of exercise wasn't for you right now so try something else, start out slower and work your way up to a more intense or longer workout

JoyeII

You're making excuses. Go to bed earlier and get up in the morning to exercise. Or, exercise on your lunch break. Or, let your dog do his business and then take him for a real walk.

stealthq

bw_conway wrote: »

I have a three-fold strategy for working out.

1)I exercise before work. At least once per week I’m at the gym at 5am. There is no such thing as “morning” and “non-morning” people, that is dictated by your circumstances and attitude. I thought that I wasn’t a morning person either, until I joined the Army at 18, and had a 250lb drill sergeant literally throw my on the floor from my bunk (top bunk) because I was too slow to get up. I miraculously became a morning person.

2)I exercise at lunch. While coworkers socialize or catch up on their internet browsing at lunch, I’m in the facility gym or running around the city. So I miss out on having close friends at work because I’m the recluse that eats a working lunch at his desk by himself after working out.

3)I exercise after hours. Once the kids are in bed, I am either at gym, outside running or in the basement on the treadmill.

Those are my three options - I can usually get one of the above in 4-5 times a week. This isn’t the most fun lifestyle at times, but far preferable to being unfit.

Yes to this one. I do the same and pick one of these times. Sometimes I'm just not feeling it in the morning and this lets me give myself a pass and still get the workout done. If you have more than one plan, then you almost always fit in exercise regardless of how the day goes.

That said, when I picked up exercise again, I chose a time (lunch) and made myself stick to it. Otherwise, it's too easy to make up excuses until that last time passes. I allowed myself choices after I got into the swing of things and felt like I needed to go even if I didn't want to go.

Adc7225

Since you do get out to walk the dog maybe add some time to this walk for a start and given your schedule - mornings look as though that is where there is time to fit in a workout. Not sure if you have access to a gym or would you have to workout at home. The gym would be ideal but if not maybe a short power walk in morning starting with 20 minutes or so. Do you take public transportation? If so you can get off a few stops early and get in some walking. As you get more active you will want to be more active.

snowflake954

I love youMFPers! I've been reading this thread and am amazed at the dedicated people on here. You are all sacrificing to get where you want to be. My thought on the OP--

1 Make time.

2 Unplug your computer for a couple of weeks.

Thanks again all of you for the inspiration.

darrensurrey

From reading your post - at the moment, your life is pretty much poker. Change that - make exercise or some kind of sport part of your life.

And go for a run with your dog - the further you travel, the more cals you'll burn and the fitter you'll get. He/she'll love it.

DawnieB1977

You get home at 5:30 and don't go to bed until midnight, yet you can't find an hour in there to exercise? Why not join a gym and go straight from work?

I'm on maternity leave now so I do find time as I'm not at work, but when I was at work, I was still going to the gym 4-5 times a week whilst pregnant and with 2 young kids already to look after. If you want to do it you'll find time.

I did a personal training session the other day on 3 hours broken sleep (that's babies for you) and I managed. When I go back to work next year I'll still find time to exercise, and I'm a teacher with a planning and marking load too that I have to do at home.

ncfitbit

CarolinaAcorn

I stopped making excuses.

if you want something bad enough you will make time, otherwise you will keep making excuses. Want it and go get it or not. It really is that simple.

Lasmartchika

Been there with saying there's no time, but I had plenty of time to watch so much tv. It's not that you don't have time to exercise, it's that you just don't want to. How can you be exhausted after just standing around waiting for your dog? You have enough time to play poker. Yeah, I'm not a morning person either. So I'm not going to tell you wake early and exercise. When you finally want to exercise, you'll find the motivation to fix your nighttime schedule. And about the space in the apartment, I also have to rearrange things to have space in my home to exercise. It all goes back to motivation. When you finally want it bad enough, it'll happen for you.

KGRebelRanch

BluffMeAllIn wrote: »

I'd like to start exercising again, I was doing well in the first week of my new health changes until a nightly workout got me so sore I could barely move for two days and havn't been able to get back into it since (this was about 6-7 weeks ago now).

There are just not enough hours in the day, and I am so NOT a morning person to be able to get up early and work out. I typically throw myself into bed around 12-1Am and am up at 7:30am at the latest to get ready and out the door for work.

I get home from work around 5:30pm and then I start getting supper situated and usually finish up cooking/eating around 7pm....then its time to take the pooch out for his nightly round (about 20-30min usually, which is some movement but sometimes much of it is spent just standing and not moving lol).

By this time I'm exhausted and just come back and sit on the computer for pretty much the rest of the evening, to take care of some forum duities I have as a guide (it's a poker forum) and do a little playing and before I know it it's midnight and so its time to get to bed and do it all again.

How on earth am I suppose to get possibly an hour's workout into this, not to mention our apartment is so couped up that I have to shift around a couch and chair to make room to workout.......feels like I'll probably never get back into it.

Maybe someone has some suggestions for me?

Cheers.

Holy cow. I can't even fathom going to bed at 1am. I have no advice, but maybe a little perspective will help:
I get up at 5am to cook breakfast, feed dogs, and walk dogs.
By 6:30, I am out the door to feed my livestock (at least get the feed in buckets)
I come inside around 6:45 to have breakfast before my husband goes to work.
Im back out from 7:05-8:30, feeding and cleaning waterers.
Every other day, I have to change bedding in all 12 rabbit hutches and both chicken pens.
Twice a week, I scrub and sanitize all 50 feeders and all the waterers.
I finish my coffee and at 9, I walk my dogs five miles.
Then it's cleaning, laundry, proofing bread, making toothpaste, and doing dishes.
I shower by noon, then it's out to chop enough wood to cook dinner with since my oven went out.
I collect acorns, roots, etc to feed the hog. I try to get a few five gallon buckets a day.
I collect pinecones for the rabbits so I don't have to trim their teeth.
I get a fire going by 3:30, and start working on dinner. I try to have it done by 5:30, so I can start gathering my feed buckets and putting them in the store room for the next day.
We eat dinner by 6, walk and feed the dogs, clean litterboxes, fold clothes, maybe do some knitting or sewing, and organize sales.
I am in bed, checking email and shutting down for the night by 8:30.

Right now, im up even earlier because one of my dairy goats has mastitis and has to be milked completely dry and medicated twice a day.

Several times a month, I spend 6+ hours processing rabbits, ducks, and chickens for the freezer.

By march I will be milking 7 goats, moving babies from pen to pen, making yogurt, and making cheese. I should also have pigs that are breeding age by then.

My point? You aren't being very active. Walk the dog a little more, quit playing poker at night. I really, REALLY enjoy my lifestyle-but I have NO time to pick a bunch of metal weights up and down for an hour. I substitute that for throwing 100lb bales of hay over a fence three times a day, walking my dogs at a fast walk or jog at LEAST 6-7 miles a day, and chopping wood. If you want it, you'll make it work.

goddessofawesome

feels like I'll probably never get back into it.

If that is how you feel then you are absolutely right.

Lalalindaloo

Cobourg wrote: »

Im not a morning person either. I go to the gym straight from work. I get changed at work before a leave so I am already committed to going. Yes I hate the gym but it is necessary just like eating. The computer is not something you have to do the gym is. You dog will wait until you get home to go out mine does. Sometimes I make dinner in the slow cooker sometimes we eat around 7:00 - 8:00 but everyone survives. Make yourself a priority and stop with the excuses.

^^^^ This. Me too. I don't get dressed before I leave work, but that's a good idea. I hit the gym on the way home. Maybe if you were dressed to work out when you got home, you would be more likely to do it. If timing for letting the dog out is a problem, make that a little more energetic and make it part of your workout... good for both of you.

Plan meals a week ahead that you can throw in a slow cooker in the morning or something.

Get off the computer. And if acting as a guide in an online forum is slowing you down from reaching in real life health goals... if may be time to rethink being a guide.

VeryKatie

... 5 hours on the computer and you wonder where you can find the time? Is this a serious post? It sounds like you're just trolling...