Need tips to sneak in exercise

CriedForNoOne

Full disclosure right off the bat: I hide that I workout, watch my food intake, and take protein. Idk. It works for me to play this like a spy for funsies, not having to explain myself to anyone, whatever, shush.
Anyways I spend about 3 hours a week at the gym and that's the times my partner is at work. When they work from home, it throws off my secret mission. I can get protein powder in the morning easy but I can't disappear for an hour to hit the gym. Walking the dog gives me only about 2k steps twice a day before looking suspicious. Eating lunch at restaurants those days is already hard because portions are just enough to not justify a box (I'm on calorie deficit right now) so I often have a tiny dinner to keep within reasonable calorie limits. How can I sneak more exercise in those day and not compromise the quest?

herringboxes

Perhaps you can gradually cultivate a new habit that you increase in frequency and duration.

Maybe you will come to enjoy grabbing coffee somewhere, just to get out, and you like drinking it at the cafe rather than taking it to go.

Perhaps you will be seeing a friend more often for whatever reason.

Personally, while I actually can sympathize with your desire to keep your exercise a secret - I mostly do as well - I would not feel confortable outright lying.

Maybe you can actually say you are going for a walk and enjoy the exercise. Therefore minimizing what you are doing but not pretending to be doing things you actually aren’t.

tomcustombuilder

Hmmm, that’s a new one….

I’ve never heard of anyone hiding their healthy habits.

Retroguy2000

3 hours a week in the gym is enough. You can find ways to increase intensity without finding new excuses. Decrease rest time in the gym. Take longer dog walks, and jog a bit while doing that.

If my partner were acting secretly like that and finding excuses to get away, I'd become very suspicious, which would be a lot worse than finding out they were working out. And if my partner didn't support my goal to get fitter/healthier, I'd be quite annoyed about that. Just saying, maybe you have more important things to deal with than getting a few more steps in. Good luck.

CriedForNoOne

Man I knew this was gonna happen. It's nothing to do with NEEDING to hide. It's about me gamefying it. I like that my goals are my own and I don't desire support from my partner about my fitness goals. I also low-key worry that if I say what I'm working towards, it will make me less likely to actually do it. I'm at the point where I'm doing great regularly and I just wanna keep having fun doing it quietly so that one day they'll be like ”wow I just realized you're way stronger” and I can revel in the long con.
Thanks for the concern but speculation on my situation is unnecessary 😅

vegetables4life

re-arranging the furniture is quite a work out, so is cleaning out the garage or attic. Start gardening , moving big bags of soil , wood chips and digging holes is also a work out. If you are renting or don't have a yard find your local community garden and join it. Also you can volunteer at the local dog rescue and walk those dogs too.

AnnPT77

You might find some ideas in here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

meb2490

CriedForNoOne - #1 your screen name is to die for. #2 - I'm feeling you.
I sneak in exercise often. I squat in the shower 20 of em. This must be performed carefully with perfect form. When I brush my teeth I do plie squats for 3 minutes. Where's my car parked? What care is furthest away? That's mine. We can take the elevator or the stairs. What's an elevator? When I get my coffee at work in the morning I do 16 pushups by the coffee station. I do walking lunges in the afternoon down the hallway as long as no one is around. Running in place? Any chance I get. Calf raises while waiting in line. This is a difficult as you are in front of a lot of people but I've noticed that no one seems to notice that I'm doing calf raises. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Onedaywriter

I’m thinking you can become more “green.”

So you start walking to places or riding a bike to places you might have previously driven or taken mass transit to- not because it’s extra exercise but because you have become very environmentally conscious!
Probably something we should all do anyway!

westrich20940

Firstly I'd say it'd be good for you not to have to hide it...but if playing at being a secret spy is fun for you have at it lol.

You could choose a physical activity (that is more like a hobby) that you are into and that would allow you to be more active. Hiking. Kayaking. Paddle boarding, rock climbing if there's a gym near ya. Power-Lifting would get you time at the actual gym tho if that's what you want.

Park farther away from places. Gets more steps in at least. Don't know how you'll hide that as I'm sure others in the car might complain lol.

Antiopelle

* Keep the house clean ! Vacuum, mop, dust ! I guess your partner will be very happy with that one.
* Be as impractical as possible: put the laundry away in batches, "forget" something upstairs and you'll have to go back.
* Get your coffee in the kitchen, then go back for a glass of water
* Read your mails (and MFP posts) while walking around

You get the gist, be creative and you'll add 10k steps a day in no time ! Good luck

Steff46

Maybe when your guest is there you can go to another room and do a quiet workout using YouTube or an app on your phone with earbuds. Something with movements like standing abs, or yoga.

sarabushby

Could you decide to take up dog sitting? There’s apps that help people to volunteer to walk dogs for the elderly or infirm. I think one is Cinnamon Trust.

Doug_T

CriedForNoOne wrote: »

Full disclosure right off the bat: I hide that I workout, watch my food intake, and take protein. Idk. It works for me to play this like a spy for funsies, not having to explain myself to anyone, whatever, shush.
Anyways I spend about 3 hours a week at the gym and that's the times my partner is at work. When they work from home, it throws off my secret mission. I can get protein powder in the morning easy but I can't disappear for an hour to hit the gym. Walking the dog gives me only about 2k steps twice a day before looking suspicious. Eating lunch at restaurants those days is already hard because portions are just enough to not justify a box (I'm on calorie deficit right now) so I often have a tiny dinner to keep within reasonable calorie limits. How can I sneak more exercise in those day and not compromise the quest?

Totally get not wanting anyone to know. I sort of "hid" my workouts from my wife when I was getting started. Just kept it to calisthenics at home (mostly pushups and squats) with some dumbbell exercises. You can also just find excuses to go for walks that may or may not go by a local park. If you have one with actually equipment like pullup and dip bars that's great.
Two other odd ones.
If someone needs help moving furniture - jump at the opportunity. And if fat loss is in your goals...RUN. Run all over the place. From car to door, door to car, across the parking lot, whatever. Play yourself like you are a video game character and hold down that B button.
But honestly if you just start going to the gym like a normal person it will be much better for you in the long run. Doesn't mean you have to be one of those people that talk about it all the time.

CriedForNoOne

Doug_T wrote: »

hold down that B button

LMAO i love that! I'm a video game! I'll be Hitman/Mirror's Edge hybrid stealth calorie-assassin. That could fold into the purposeful inefficiency and kinda even it out. Run to get something from the other room, "forget" another thing, run back, etc. I go to the gym anyways just on the days I'm home alone but these are all really cool ideas for when I'm not home alone. ty everyone!