Absolutely Cannot Find the Energy or Motivationt to Exercise

gracienkaidens_momma

I honestly have not worked out in 3 months. Yep, it's been almost 3 months. I am a teacher and ever since school started I have not worked out. I am embarrassed to admit this. But it is the truth. I am so tired when I get home from school. I cannot find the energy. I know that is a poor excuse, but it is true. I spend my time doing other things like cooking, spending time with my daughter, watching TV and getting online. How can I possibly find the energy to do this? Luckily, my weight has not changed. I am pretty active at school and try not to consume too many calories, so I think that has helped me. I know though, that I need to start working out to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I was thinking about maybe getting some pre-workout energy drink or something to get give me a jolt to workout. Any ideas or suggestions?

Lyadeia

Exercising can give you more energy. Start out with something light and build yourself up. Make sure that you are doing something that you enjoy or you will most likely quit. I don't recommend energy drinks...unless you are speaking of plain ol' water.

sarah44254

Change the way you think about it. Tell yourself that you DO have the energy and you look forward to the workout! See if that helps

Saffyra

A short 20 minute work out DVD like Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred would provide you with no excuse not to do it.

Only 20 minutes and its done! You'll probably sleep better afterwards

And, of course, you do have to just make yourself do it sometimes. Instead of watching TV, pop in your workout DVD of choice.

ChrisIn757

Maybe consider reorganizing your day. For me, my commute to/from work is very draining and by the time I get home I need a nap. Luckily for me, I have no kids to occupy my time, so i power nap and then hit the work out. If that isn't a possibility for you, then what about working out at your school? Most schools have a track, and depending on what grade you are teaching you may have access to a weight room. Anything to burn off those few extra calories and give you the energy and the mental highs from working out. After a week or two, you will be right back addicted to it and finding the energy when you get home too.

koosdel

You will never find the energy. You must make it yourself.

iHEARTcardiacnurses

Try looking up the 8 minutes in the morning program by Jorge Cruise. You basically wake up and exercise for only eight minutes and when I used to do it, it really gave me a good bit of energy for the day!

Lift_hard_eat_big

Exercise isn't needed to lose weight, it's just a tool to aid the weight loss. If you're goal is to get fitter and a stronger cardio vascular system, then training is key.
As someone already mentioned, do your training first thing in the morning. A quick 10-20 mins of HIIT is adequate. That way you're fresh from an evening of sleep and you can't use the excuses that you normally use in the evening.

The way I see it, most people are SELF-Motivated when it comes to training. I've offered to train several of my friends and even give them wake up calls and rides to the gym, and they still made excuses.

maddymama

When I taught, I was in your shoes.... I never had the energy (or the willpower) to exercise after school. I exercised in the mornings before I went to work. I got up at 5:00, and swam on a Masters swim team from 5:30 to 7:00, then showered quickly, ate breakfast, and was at school by 7:45. I did this 4 mornings a week for the most part. I either did an exercise video or ran on the fifth morning.
It was hard. Especially in the winter when my bed was warm and it was dark out. BUT I never regretted getting up and working out, only regretted the days when I allowed myself to sleep in.
Maybe you can do a quick workout in the am.... like Jillian Michaels 30DS, or 10 Minute Trainer, or the 8 minute one posted above.

tmarie2715

I honestly have not worked out in 3 months. Yep, it's been almost 3 months. I am a teacher and ever since school started I have not worked out. I am embarrassed to admit this. But it is the truth. I am so tired when I get home from school. I cannot find the energy. I know that is a poor excuse, but it is true. I spend my time doing other things like cooking, spending time with my daughter, watching TV and getting online. How can I possibly find the energy to do this? Luckily, my weight has not changed. I am pretty active at school and try not to consume too many calories, so I think that has helped me. I know though, that I need to start working out to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I was thinking about maybe getting some pre-workout energy drink or something to get give me a jolt to workout. Any ideas or suggestions?

Do not feel bad, sweets! I remember the last time I was working full time (and attending night classes at local university). I would crash on the couch as soon as I walked through the door. Too tired to cook, too tired to think about exercise.

You can get through this. It is like a wonderful nirvana to get away from the kids for an hour or two at the gym (or running around your neighborhood, or biking or swimming, anything!). If your husband cooks, you do the shopping for lean meats and lots of veggies. Pack lunches instead of going out. You can do this step by step. I know you can.

GL!

JamesBurkes

You need to find something that you like and something that is convenient. That can take time. As much as I love hefting weights, doing yoga or jumping around to DVDs I often work 16 hour days and most of the weekend, too (I have two full-time jobs).

But I discovered RPM over the summer and now I do it on my exercise bike using DVDs. It suits me down to the ground. I'm not a morning person but I can normally climb on the bike, even when half asleep and get going. The warm-up is easy and part of the workout so there's none of that "starting to warm up and then changing your mind" stuff I get with other workouts. It's so high paced I can quickly get into it and as there's no bouncing around I don't put it off because "it's too early/late and I'll wake the neighbours." So sometimes I get up early and do it, other times I get home at 10pm and do it at 11. Plus, it's great fun.

Discovering something like this has, not wanting to sound melodramatic, changed my life.

I still do other workouts, but having something that I can do at home, is fun, is quiet and doesn't require a lot of co-ordination (important at the times I have to work out!) has absolutely changed how consistently I work out, and that is most of the battle, especially considering how little time I have.

AZackery

I honestly have not worked out in 3 months. Yep, it's been almost 3 months. I am a teacher and ever since school started I have not worked out. I am embarrassed to admit this. But it is the truth. I am so tired when I get home from school. I cannot find the energy. I know that is a poor excuse, but it is true. I spend my time doing other things like cooking, spending time with my daughter, watching TV and getting online. How can I possibly find the energy to do this? Luckily, my weight has not changed. I am pretty active at school and try not to consume too many calories, so I think that has helped me. I know though, that I need to start working out to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I was thinking about maybe getting some pre-workout energy drink or something to get give me a jolt to workout. Any ideas or suggestions?

You can exercise, while you are in the kitchen cooking. You can do jumping jacks, lunges, kicks. Indoor walking. Check out a Leslie Sansone exercise on TV. You can see what they do and you can do that in the kitchen. You can even use can goods or even frozen vegetables as weights to do some strength training.

One mother daughter time, you can do an workout that she can participate in. Kids like to mimic their parents. You might can get a bellydance, etc. workout.

You can exercise while you are watching TV or online. Do chair workouts.

Usbornegal

How about playing with your daughter by taking her in the back yard or the park to kick around a ball, run on the track, push her on the swing, and the like? You are spending good time with her, being her example of a healthy lifestyle, and doing two things at once. Sure it is lighter than a full gym workout - but a light workout is better than none at all!

gracienkaidens_momma

Thanks guys for all the great suggestions!

jazzalea

I find a lot of times it's more effort to THINK about exercising than it is to actually get up the energy to just do it.... When this happens I just try set a time and DONT" think about it..... 15 minutes just do it,.... once you get past that first inertia it's easy.... remember it takes more energy to start an object in motion than it does to keep it there..... the hardest part is just DOING it.......




15 minutes and GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


(right now, we're all waiting>>>>>> ; )

stacyb521

I totally know how you feel, I am a full time student and work part time, I hate working out because it's boring for me and I'd rather watch tv! But I went on my On Demand and I found dancing workouts and I love them because it's only about 10-20 minutes and I am having fun and not thinking that I'm exercising. Try to find short workouts that are fun and you want to keep doing!

GrammyWhammy

At lunchtime, walk around the school-track-gym-playground (whichever is feasible) for 10-15 minutes. Take a co-worker if necessary.
At home, when too tired to do anything but veg in front of the TV for an hour--walk/jog in place during commercials, sit on a Pilates ball and do sit-ups, or lift free weights..
Before shopping at the mall, walk the entire mall for 15 minutes before stopping.
When the weather is clear, park in the fartherest space in the parking lot.
With your child/children, jump rope, play catch, push a swing, play hopscotch or tag.
Have stairs in your home? Climb stairs for 10 minutes.


Doesn't have to be anything fancy or super-organized. You'll soon get a boost from the activity and will feel better about yourself.
Good for you for maintaining.

TrekkerCynthia

I'm a former teacher and I can completely relate. As much as I loved my students, there is something life sucking about trying to keep 240 teens in control, motivated, and engaged in learning. I've had other jobs but none of them ever came close to being that kind of tiring and that includes managing a fast food restaurant. I'd just want to come home and plunk myself down in front of the television.

But, it is so true that the more you exercise, the more energy you have. And the more energy you have the better mom and teacher you will be. Think of it as professional development time, lol.

woou

I really don't enjoy exercising myself unless team sports is involved which is not very practical for me. I'm currently on the Power 90 workout program which I find goes by pretty quickly, and I feel the results.

PedmomJill

What helps me on those days is telling myself that if after 10 minutes I'm hating it, I can stop. 9 times out of 10 I keep going and feel great afterwards. Maybe it would help you?