What are your top one or two strategies for fitting in exercise each week?

lauracups

Whether I was working or being SAHM, I find it just easier to do first thing. And maybe it's just me, but I find I sweat more (which I like) and have a higher tolerance in the morning.

iRun_Butterfly

I just don't give myself an option. I leave work, go straight to the gym. I get up on Saturday/Sunday morning, to the gym, or out for a walk or run. Done with dinner and stuff around the house, I'll go for a walk. I've found the more active I am, the more active I want to be. I have to force myself to sit still much more often than I have to force myself to exercise or be active.

I_Will_End_You

I just go and do it, no matter how much I don't feel like it. When I'm really dragging and don't want to, I try to go into robot mode. I don't think about what I'm going, I just put on my workout clothes and shoes, and head to the basement. Total blank, zombie mind. It works for me. Once I'm down there, I'm usually fine with working out. And I always feel more accomplished on those days.

TavistockToad

sijomial wrote: »

#1 Commit to it and it becomes one of life's priorities.
#2 Enjoyment - either from doing it or from the results of doing it.

love this...

justcat206

Tell yourself you have to do 15 minutes of exercize and then you can quit if you REALLY want to. Chances are, once you're warmed up and your heart rate is raised you'll be game to keep on going. If not, at least you've done something.

esjones12

I base my life around my workouts....but then I'm training, not just hitting the gym to burn calories.

berescga

I work full time, commute 90 min each day, have a husband and three kids. We're pretty busy. But exercise is a priority for me because it makes me feel better and helps control my stress. So I get up early early during the week to get my workout in, and get up just early on the weekends. It's the only time I can fit it in.

I never thought I would get up at 5am just to exercise, and thankfully I got hooked on exercise before it became necessary due to moves & job changes to do the 5am thing. But now I can't imagine not doing it.

After work I usually don't have the time or energy to work out. My body definitely prefers the morning!

maxit

When I was working at one job, I was able to arrange my lunch hours to get a two-hour window twice a week and went to the gym then (it was close to my work & the two hours gave me enough time for a good workout and shower after). At another, I was able to fit it in on my way home. Now that I am retired, I got my motivation again by putting my gym tote in the car when I needed to go somewhere, and stopped at the Y on my way home. Now that I have established a regular routine, I am addicted & no longer have to resort to "strategies" to make myself go.

brandiuntz

It's part of my daily schedule. I either get up early to get my workout in and start my day feeling energized, or, in the case of run days, go immediately after work before heading home (where it will be harder to leave for a run).

Examine the excuses you make for yourself and come up with ways to work around them. If you're "too tired" after work, get up early and exercise before work, etc.

DvlDwnInGA

I put it on the same level as any other priority. I make sure I get it done daily. It is really that simple.

taylorvanhooren

I go in the morning before school (I'm in university) so I go at 6am then shower and go straight to class! then you don't have to get your but off the couch after a long day to workout.

fishgutzy

#1. Set the alarm clock for 4:20 AM.
2. get my but to the Y and in the pool for a 6000 yard morning wake swim.

Spokez70

Find ways to exercise you actually enjoy.

futuremommyt

For me, I get up early on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and use my elliptical for 30 mins. I learned that I was surfing the net reading the news and facebook for 30 mins every morning in bed. I decided, why not just do it on the elliptical? Not the perfect solution for everyone, and I know it should be for longer/more frequent, but it works for me. I've been keeping it up for 4 weeks now, which is practically an exercising record for me.

dterpsy

Like some others said, I get up and do it first thing in the morning. I have three very active children, so finding the time in the evenings just doesn't work for me. My husband has been doing the early morning workout for a few years and tried multiple times to convince me to try it when I complained about not having time to work out. I was firmly convinced that I could not get up that early. Then I joined a fitness program that runs 6-7 am twice a week and 7-8 am once a week. Once I got in the habit of getting up and exercising, getting up to start a shorter at-home workout two or three times a week was easier.

I know the early morning thing isn't for everyone, and some people have commitments that make it genuinely impossible, but it might be easier than you think. I insisted for a long time that I *couldn't* do it, but really, I just *wouldn't* do it.

MelWick524

I sign up ahead of time for all of my group fitness classes for the week. I change into my gym clothes at work, and go to the gym before I go home. My son either comes with me or my husband meets me at the gym & picks him up. I do this 3 nights a week, and then I go to the gym first thing Sat & Sun & am home before hubby & kid want breakfast. On the days I don't go to the gym, I come right home & do a 30-min HIIT workout before I start dinner. since it's now routine, I feel just as "off" when I miss a workout as I do when I spill my coffee on my lap at work or sleep through an alarm. Lol. ... it throws me off my game big time.

MelWick524

mparent25 wrote: »

I work out early in the morning but some days I don't want to get out of bed so I take a preworkout to get me motivated also there is literally no way you can skip a workout after you've taken a preworkout

I think I'm out of the loop. What does it mean to "take a preworkout" ?

lingo10

I tell myself if i dont do it, ill regret it when im nearing my time to sleep. And also it only takes 5 or 10% of time of my day, so why not.

LuckyStar813

I am not great at setting a strict schedule for my life and need some flexibility. So I've found having a number of exercise options that cover indoor, outdoor, work and home seems to get the job done!

- if it the weather is good I walk outside on my work breaks or at home after work and on the weekends. So lots of ways to fit that in. I keep walking shoes at work and home.
- Downloaded Zumba videos to get some cardio if walking outside can't happen
- Downloaded some strength training videos and have handweights at home
- Use Wii Fit at home.
- We have a free gym at work but I don't really have time to use during work hours. So I use it after work 1-2 a week for strength exercises unless something else comes up or I work late

I think things will change up again once summer hits. I forsee wanting to spend more time outdoors to get exercise.

sengalissa

jemhh wrote: »

I exercise in the morning so it's done before I do anything else each day. I'm more of a morning person so it's not hard to get up at 5 and do it. Plus, my dogs are used to going out at about 5:02 so I'd need to get up even if I wasn't exercising.

This without the dog.

PepermintPattie1

I do exercises I enjoy, and stick them in my recreational time, so I don't actually have "work-outs" or "planned exercise", I just have an hour or two a day where I go swimming. It's a way to unwind, exercise and have fun, therefore it's more 'recreational'.

foursirius

Honestly it is consistency of my workout time. Ive got my routine more or less locked in and know that if i don’t get to the gym within an hour of getting home odds are I'm not going. The second is a pre workout. If i take a full scoop of prejym then try to skip and sit on my butt it will feel like my face will melt off.

Th3Ph03n1x

tjostes1 wrote: »

How do you make exercise a priority in your busy life? How do you get up off the couch when you're tired after work?

I feel like making sure I get enough protein has helped me with the feeling like getting off the couch part. there are still days i don't feel like it. With the weights once I start i enjoy it. the cardio I admit I endure.

I do it everyday after dinner except Sundays no exceptions unless it's physical ( I have a bad flu or and injury) no excuses.

You just have to decide you want to be fit so bad that exercise is as important as anything else in your life (work, bathing, eating everybody has different priorities). I also have a reward system for losing. Ten more lbs and I get that pair of boots I've been drooling over. i don't recommend using food as a reward though.

LiftAllThePizzas

My "exercises" are all things I enjoy, so it's actually annoying when I can't do them.

Sophiasmomma

I leave my sneakers on after dinner and put the kids to bed. It forces me to get up and workout

ninerbuff

tjostes1 wrote: »

How do you make exercise a priority in your busy life?

A "busy" life wouldn't exist if my health didn't allow it. I don't put the cart before the horse.

How do you get up off the couch when you're tired after work?

With the same mentality when you HAVE to get something done at work.............or else.

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

carolynmo1969

I workout at lunch almost every weekday then walk my dogs for over an hour on weekend days. Our lunchroom at work stinks of everyone's warmed up food, so it's no struggle to leave the building for an hour. Blessed with a gym across the street from my office.

NoxDineen

1. Own a dog
2. Use Pomodoro time management method for work and do bodyweight exercise during the 5 min breaks every 25 min.
3. Put on workout clothes even when I don't feel like working out. I may procrastinate for another hour but eventually I feel guilty enough to just do it.

shabaity

I take a class and go to work. I wait tables in a busy restaurants me days I hit 20k steps.

LiftAllThePizzas

MelWick524 wrote: »

mparent25 wrote: »

I work out early in the morning but some days I don't want to get out of bed so I take a preworkout to get me motivated also there is literally no way you can skip a workout after you've taken a preworkout

I think I'm out of the loop. What does it mean to "take a preworkout" ?

I'm more interested in the potential of this revelation. Think about the disasters that could be averted. If you're on a plane that's about to crash, take a preworkout and since there's literally no way you can skip your workout, it will prevent the plane from crashing! Just make sure you don't do your workout until the plane's safely on the ground though.