Sedentary Workers Help!!!

NessaReh85

Hello, I have a sedentary job where I work from 8a to 5p or later depending on what needs to be done. When I get off work I have to rush home and get supper done because my husband goes into work at 7pm. Then I have to rush even more for volleyball, Girl Scouts, PTA meetings all while still being on call for my job 24hrs a day. I know most people are going to say, if you want it, you will make the time. But sometimes it feels like I am a single mother due to getting her up and ready for school and then the evening activities. There is no time for a gym membership!!

What are some of the exercises that you do to try to lose weight? Thanks in advance!!

TinaK_64

I feel your frustration. I have a similar job and lifestyle and I know how hard it is to get to the gym so I have 2 suggestions for you.

1) Try going BEFORE work. Gyms are less crowded and you could use the quiet time to start your day AND you will be more energized thru the day.
2) If that's just too early for you try going for a walk at lunch time. I pulg earbuds into my cell phone and put my work phone in my pocket and go for a 30 minute walk every day it's not raining outside. When it's raining outside I walk up and down a back set of stairs that almost nobody ever uses so I don't feel like an idiot with everyone watching me.

Hope this helps!!

MinnieInMaine

Use your breaks and lunch hour to get some activity in. Even if it's 5 minutes at a time, that's better than sitting the whole time. Use a printer farther away from your desk so you have to walk. Get up several times a day to fill your water bottle. Go walk over and talk to people instead of calling/emailing. Use the stairs, even if you don't have to - meaning even if you work on the 1st floor, before you sit at your desk in the morning, walk up 2 or 3 flights then back down. Park further away from the building.

All these little extras will add up.

Could Hubby take over any of your duties? Could you do more crock pot meals? That might at least give you an extra 1/2 hour to get a quick workout in. Could you do something for exercise after putting the kids to bed at night? No need to go to the gym. There are tons of workouts on YouTube or you could just walk in place and do body weight exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and lunges.

ETA: Technically you don't have to exercise to lose weight but it's definitely good for your health and you'll be more likely to be happy with the physical results (not just what the scale says) when you get to goal.

lloon70

i go to the gym at 4:30 in the morning during the week. It's the only time i can fit it in. Do you stay for volleyball practice? Maybe you can find another mom to walk with during your daughters practice.

angieroo2

15 minute break in the morning/afternoon? Go for a walk.
Lunch? Eat quickly and go for a walk.

Need to ask a question? Get up and walk to the person instead of calling/emailing them.

Exercise before work

thismamarox

I have a desk job too... You can elevate your keyboard and mouse and stand for most of the day (I do this and it helps) also, take a few minutes to walk around. I also sit on a yoga ball instead of a chair when I do sit at my desk. I can't sit still on it, I either want to roll on it or bounce...either one burns more calories then just sitting there.

Watch your calories and at least try to get some workout time on your days off. There are also a lot of home workout videos such as insanity that you can do after the kiddies are put to bed. Gorkker.com has some great yoga, strength training, and cardio exercises that you can do from your computer (I do them all the time while at work). Hope this helps!

SezxyStef

Exercise is not for losing weight...it's for health and fitness.

YOu never have to sweat or step into a gym to lose weight...you need a calorie deficit.

If you want to exercise for health and fitness and can only do it at home there are lots of DVDs and websites such as fitnessblender.com

Or even build a home gym.

Go for a walk with your child/children., bike rides, raking the lawn, hula hoop, soccer in the park

NessaReh85

Believe me, I wish my husband could take over but with her meetings not until 6-8 I have to take her to all of these because he works at 7. I have walked for 30 on my lunch hour every day of work for the past 1.5 years and honestly have not had anything come of it. It not just a leisure walk either, we speed walk for 30 min out in the factory where it is pretty warm and i can feel my heart rate pick up but still havent seen any results, unless you want to say that it is keeping me from gaining a lot but I didnt watch my calories until about a month ago and was eating all sorts of not very good for me things. I just need to find better exercises that can be done that will actually show results. Thanks for everyones input so far though. It does help.

babsfit14

I hear ya! I don't have all those activities with kids after work, but I do a lot of sitting throughout the day - working at my computer most of the day, sitting in traffic in the car, or sitting on the subway. When the weather is agreeable (to me - meaning not hot/sticky or pouring rain/snow), I like to put on my sneakers and go for a walk on my lunch break. I have a great 2 mile walk that I like to do on cool days. I have a gym membership, but it is hard to make myself go after such a long day. My preferred activity at the gym would be 30-40 minutes on a stationary recumbent bike, at a mix of medium and vigorous intensity. Any good cardio activity, even in small increments, makes a difference and burns calories and fat. It all counts. I also like lifting weights either on the machines at the gym or at home where I have some dumbells and a kettle bell. A few reps with a kettle bell really gets my heart pumping! I highly recommend it. Good luck to you in your quest, and don't give up. :-)

P.S. - I found that for myself, the first order of business was to get control of my diet.

thefighter42

When I had my kids, I didn't have a car...so we walked every where. Now a days, could be harder to do, but incorporate the kids into your workout routine. Walk when you can, use backpacks to carry things, etc. Other than that I would say get up 30-60 minutes earlier than everyone else and work out. Morning is the best time, keeps your energy up for the rest of the crazy day! Good luck!

mandez19

Ultimately to lose weight you have to focus on your calories in vs. calories used regardless of exercise (which only increases calories used). So since you are already eating every day, that is a good starting point while you try to incorporate exercise into your routine.

Personally I ride my bike to and from work, so I'm lucky to be able to do that and not have to worry about going "out of my way" to do cardio. For you maybe home work out videos would be best, just press play and try to keep up with Jillian Michaels.

_runnerbean_

What are some of the exercises that you do to try to lose weight? Thanks in advance!!

I have kids with me a lot as my husband works long hours so I find it hard to get to the gym when I want. This is what I have done- put kids in front of tv and do 30 day shred (20 minute) workout in the hall using my laptop. Take kids to the soccer field and walk laps while they play together. Drop them to scouts and walk or run while they are in hall. If kids are at school I walk in my lunch break before I collect them (I just work mornings).
If your husband cooked the supper could you go to the gym or for a walk on your way home?
Losing weight is mostly to do with the calories you eat- exercise isn't essential but it helps.

JupeJones

When I get off work I have to rush home and get supper done because my husband goes into work at 7pm.

Is there a particular reason why your husband can't get supper done?

tesha_chandler

i go to the gym at 4:30 in the morning during the week. It's the only time i can fit it in. Do you stay for volleyball practice? Maybe you can find another mom to walk with during your daughters practice.

This is an excellent idea! women are always looking for ways to burn calories. I'm sure another mom would be willing to walk. Otherwise, bring out the headphones!

radmack

I feel your frustration. I have a similar job and lifestyle and I know how hard it is to get to the gym so I have 2 suggestions for you.

1) Try going BEFORE work. Gyms are less crowded and you could use the quiet time to start your day AND you will be more energized thru the day.
2) If that's just too early for you try going for a walk at lunch time. I pulg earbuds into my cell phone and put my work phone in my pocket and go for a 30 minute walk every day it's not raining outside. When it's raining outside I walk up and down a back set of stairs that almost nobody ever uses so I don't feel like an idiot with everyone watching me.

This is what I do. I get up 2 days a week before work and then do my workout at least once on the weekend. I also walk at lunch time - and have an alarm set in outlook to remind me to move every hour. The fitbit really helps me see how much I have moved during the day. At first, this all made me tired . . . but now I have so much more energy and actually feel way better on the days that I get up and workout before work.

SassyCalyGirl

Exercise is not for losing weight...it's for health and fitness.

YOu never have to sweat or step into a gym to lose weight...you need a calorie deficit.

If you want to exercise for health and fitness and can only do it at home there are lots of DVDs and websites such as fitnessblender.com

Or even build a home gym.

Go for a walk with your child/children., bike rides, raking the lawn, hula hoop, soccer in the park

I don't agree with your first statement-though exercise keeps you fit and healthy, in conjunction with a good diet, exercise CAN assist in weight loss. You burn calories, which contributes to a deficit.

andielyn

I have a desk job too. I am probably in the minority here but I don't think you need a gym to work out. Here's my very personal opinion:

1) Get a Fitbit. This will more accurately count what calories you are expending.
2) Get in 5 or 10 minutes here or there of higher sustained activity--Fitbit again is good at telling you your "very active minutes"
3) Get some simple resistance bands. It's amazing what you can do with them, even during commercial breaks.
4) Find some strengthening exercises you can do at home using body weights, resistance bands or such.
5) Find a cardio activity you like to do and can launch into quickly from home or whereever--like I can jump on my bike and take a bike ride from my home; I also have an elliptical I can do at home. I also have a two-story house and go up and down stairs.
6) Be creative.
7) Set small daily goals.
8) Don't try to do this too fast.
9) See #1--get a Fitbit.

red66stang

My wife and I get up 30 minutes early in the morning to exercise at home and then go to bed 30 minutes early at night so we still get the same amount of sleep. The last 30 minutes before bed is not a productive time and most people just spend it just watching TV. There are tons of good 30 minute workout routines including several from Jillian Michaels, P90X3, T25, etc.

jtm4210

I have a desk job, working 8am to 5pm. I get up at 5am to either go for a run or lift weights at home. I then either walk or cycle to work (3 miles) and walk into town at lunchtime (just over a mile each way). Then walk/cycle home.

In my last job I had a 40 mile commute (so walking to work was out of the question!) so I joined a gym close to work and left home early so I could get there just as it opened at 6.30am. Worked out for an hour or so and went to work. I still went for a walk at lunchtime as well.

I know it depends on your individual setup but it is possible!

mjean1229

Hello, I have a sedentary job where I work from 8a to 5p or later depending on what needs to be done. When I get off work I have to rush home and get supper done because my husband goes into work at 7pm. Then I have to rush even more for volleyball, Girl Scouts, PTA meetings all while still being on call for my job 24hrs a day. I know most people are going to say, if you want it, you will make the time. But sometimes it feels like I am a single mother due to getting her up and ready for school and then the evening activities. There is no time for a gym membership!!

What are some of the exercises that you do to try to lose weight? Thanks in advance!!

I have the same problem. My son has football practice 3 days a week, and being that he is only 8, I wont leave him there. But what I will do is walk the entire practice (Maybe stopping once in a while to cheer him on, or make sure all is well ). But I figured 3 times around the "block" his field is on is 1 mile. I can get a good walk in while he practices.

Hope this helps!!

Marie047

I know how you feel, I leave the house at 7am in the morning get back at 6pm and have a desk job, I make sure I walk around the office, I tend to go speak to people as opposed to email/phone (unless they are on a different site or it needs to be documented) and get up to get water at least once an hour. I also go wandering down to the warehouse for a chat to them.

I get up in the morning (recent thing) to go for a run, when my other half is at the gym at night I tend to do a programme in the house, current favourite is the tough mudders training, then when he has the lo I go to gym, I either cycle there and back (weather dependant) plus a session.

Another thing I go was a child seat on the back of my bike and take the lo in there and take her out cycling with me, she loves it she gets to see lots and we aim for somewhere specific ie play park, she gets to run around I get a rest and then we cycle back. I may add its probably best to do a bit of cycling before you put a child seat on the back as they are quite heavy.