Advice on finding time for exercise?

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amberlynde
amberlynde Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
I've finally found a diet that I can easily stick to and is resulting in slow weight loss and decided to come back to start tracking my progress again. Now I'd like to focus on my lack of exercise to help with the weight loss. The problem though is that I can't seem to find the time to exercise. I work full time and I go to school full time, both require me to sit on my rear all day at a desk. Basically, leave the house at 8am and don't get home again until 10-11pm. By the weekend I'm too exhausted to do much and am having to study to keep up with school, catch up on housework, and spend time with my daughter, family, and boyfriend. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I might be able to squeeze in some meaningful exercises and what exercises I should do? Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.
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Replies

  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    No real suggestions. It's about prioritizing. If exercise is a lower priority then the other things you mentioned, maybe you can't exercise right now. I'd say that in all likelihood, you could find time for at least a brisk walk several times a week. Good luck!
  • triskaidekaphile13
    triskaidekaphile13 Posts: 92 Member
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    I think if the only available time you have is in the morning and you aren't a morning person, then you are going to struggle. It is possible to get walking in whilst you work during the day. However, to get some cardio and resistance in is going to be difficult.

    I'm up at 6:30 every morning so I can exercise before work. It's not always easy, particularly when it's so dark now, but it gets done.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Get up 20 minutes earlier and get in some HIIT. You don't need the exercise for weight loss, but if you want to make it a priority, you will find the time.
  • jessilyn76
    jessilyn76 Posts: 532 Member
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    You can find time if you choose to. I have all the things that you have going on, plus some. Look at my profile photo. Not being a morning person is an excuse. Get up and exercise.
  • 33Freya
    33Freya Posts: 468 Member
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    Break it up into 10 min increments. It will do you good, burn calories, and refresh you between tasks. I take my daughter with me...:flowerforyou: good luck.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    First - working out isn't something you do to lose weight ......exercise is for your health and body compostition. You can lose weight with zero exercise.....but you will likely lose muscle (as well as fat).

    "Schedule" short workouts.....even 10 minutes at a time. Get up 10 minutes early and do 1 section of a 10 Minute Solutions DVD. Do another section before you go to bed. Plan on a brisk walk during a lunch break.

    When I first started I have a goal of 90 minutes a week. I logged the time in a spreadsheet. As that got to be a regular habit, I added more minutes. When you make exercise a regular part of your routine, you don't even have to think about it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.

    this is pretty much "sub excuse" number 1 under the umbrella of "I just don't have time." Sorry, but "finding" time is a passive endeavor...you will never "find" time; you have to make time which involves putting to bed such excuses as the one above.
  • amberlynde
    amberlynde Posts: 5
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    Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.

    this is pretty much "sub excuse" number 1 under the umbrella of "I just don't have time." Sorry, but "finding" time is a passive endeavor...you will never "find" time; you have to make time which involves putting to bed such excuses as the one above.

    Honestly, I'm lucky if I can wake up in time enough for work. I have delayed sleep phase syndrome. Always have. When I say early mornings aren't an option, I mean they are medically not an option. This is something I have no control over. I was more looking for suggestions on exercises that can be done in 5 minute or less spurts throughout the day that won't be meaningless.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Take your daughter to the playground nearby. Race her there. Run around and have a good time with her for a while. Walk back home together. Profit.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Drive to work a few minutes early. Park as far away from your office as possible. Walk there, briskly or else you'll be late for work. Profit.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Take a gallon water bottle to work with you. Drink the whole thing while at work. Use the bathroom farthest away from your desk, preferably up- or downstairs from your floor. Profit.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Use a Bluetooth headset. Participate in conference calls where they're an option over sit-down meetings. Pace around during the calls. Profit.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    Find a good sandwich shop about a mile away from your office. Walk there and back for lunch. Profit.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,714 Member
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    I've finally found a diet that I can easily stick to and is resulting in slow weight loss and decided to come back to start tracking my progress again. Now I'd like to focus on my lack of exercise to help with the weight loss. The problem though is that I can't seem to find the time to exercise. I work full time and I go to school full time, both require me to sit on my rear all day at a desk. Basically, leave the house at 8am and don't get home again until 10-11pm. By the weekend I'm too exhausted to do much and am having to study to keep up with school, catch up on housework, and spend time with my daughter, family, and boyfriend. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I might be able to squeeze in some meaningful exercises and what exercises I should do? Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.
    Dump the boyfriend. :laugh:

    I kid. There are 7 minute programs (high intensity) that can be done. If you don't have 7 minutes to do it, then having no time is an excuse.

    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
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    In the morning. Get up earlier and fit your workout in then.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with fitting in 5-10 minutes here and there through the day. Run in place, do jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, tricep dips, leg raises, fake jump rope etc (google body weight exercises or at home workouts for more ideas). Use empty gallon jugs for weights to do things like bicep curls and overhead presses and chest presses - filled completely with water, they'll weight about 8 pounds each. If there are stairs, walk up and down them, take them two at a time, run up and down them. Put on some music and dance around with your kids. Ask the boyfriend to go on walks or hikes with you.

    Spending time with the kids and boyfriend can be fun and active too!

    Do other simple things to add in more activity. Stuck on hold? Stand up and do some squats or even just walk in place. Stopping at the grocery store? Park as far away from the door as you can and walk briskly or even run to and from the store. Or even if the stores are close enough to your house, walk there and take the kids and boyfriend with you. If you print a lot of stuff at work, pick a different printer that's far away from your desk so you have to walk further to get your paperwork. Every little bit helps! It may not burn a ton of calories but it's still an increase in activity.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.

    this is pretty much "sub excuse" number 1 under the umbrella of "I just don't have time." Sorry, but "finding" time is a passive endeavor...you will never "find" time; you have to make time which involves putting to bed such excuses as the one above.

    ^this X a million.

    If you want it you'll do it. You obviously don't 'really' want it badly enough (yet).
  • amberlynde
    amberlynde Posts: 5
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    I kid. There are 7 minute programs (high intensity) that can be done. If you don't have 7 minutes to do it, then having no time is an excuse.


    I googled the 7 minute high intensity programs and found some instruction on exercises and workout plan. Thank you, that was exactly what I was looking for.
  • mynewlife10
    mynewlife10 Posts: 52
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    I've finally found a diet that I can easily stick to and is resulting in slow weight loss and decided to come back to start tracking my progress again. Now I'd like to focus on my lack of exercise to help with the weight loss. The problem though is that I can't seem to find the time to exercise. I work full time and I go to school full time, both require me to sit on my rear all day at a desk. Basically, leave the house at 8am and don't get home again until 10-11pm. By the weekend I'm too exhausted to do much and am having to study to keep up with school, catch up on housework, and spend time with my daughter, family, and boyfriend. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I might be able to squeeze in some meaningful exercises and what exercises I should do? Getting up earlier is not an option, I'm not a morning person at all.

    I would say take an honest look at what you do during the day and then eliminate what doesn't do much for you - something you can do without and replace it with exercise. Much like the food - eliminate and replace.
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
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    I was more looking for suggestions on exercises that can be done in 5 minute or less spurts throughout the day that won't be meaningless.
    Exercise while you're 'waiting around the house", or "doing other things".

    Squats, lunges, leg lifts, side leg lifts, pushups against the kitchen counter

    Do them while you're waiting:
    for your microwave, waiting for the pasta water to boil, waitng for your daughter, listening to voice mail messages, being put on hold on the telephone, or (leg) exercise while brushing your teeth, during TV commercials, or while watching TV.

    Heck, you can do Some of them (safely) while talking on the tele, checking emails, or eating, if you're really serious.

    *********************************************

    http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/easy-exercises-to-do-at-home/

    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:J5ION8QO2CEJ:postpartumpunk.com/2011/01/how-to-exercise-while-doing-other-things/+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

    http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-While-Watching-TV

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