Help please? Do you exercise even when you're busy or have h

Diary_Queen

Busy doesn't even come close to describing my life. I get up at 5am, get my 6 yr old twins (one of which is a special needs child) up, dressed, fed, backpacks packed, ready for school. I pack my breakfast and lunch and snack religiously for work so I don't eat any of the junk in our breakroom. I shower, put on makeup, get dressed, fix my hair and drive an hour to work. Work 8 hours & often do a 20 minute workout of some sort (carido or lifting or both) on my lunch break. I drive an hour home after work ends at 5pm. I cook, help with homework, eat a sensible dinner, bathe my kids and get them ready for bed at 8pm... then for the next hour, I pick out the next day's clothes, update the children's weekly lunch menu since I pack them a healthy lunch for school, I fold clothes, chat with my S.O., update my MFP; Facebook; LifeKraze, check emails, then get dressed out to work out. From 9pm until 10pm or somethings 11pm, I work out. I exercise at least once a day, 7 days a week unless my body is physically exhausted or I do a huge burn (i.e., Tuesdays when I burn 1400+ calories doing 5k training & zumba or step aerobics & zumba). Then I bathe and check my email again before bed. On Tuesdays, as stated above, I do interval run training for a 5k. I recently completed my first 5k on Nov 5th & completed my first round of p90x on Oct 19 (I only missed & had to make up 2 days from p90x when I had a cold). I'm teaching myself to become a runner, to overcome my fear of water so I can learn to swim and as soon as Santa visits this year, I will be teaching myself to ride a bicycle for the very first time. Every Friday, I go straight from work and do a Zumba class. Every Sunday, I spend two hours doing run/walk intervals for a 5k+ on trails at the park. My workouts keep me sane. They help me expend my energy in a positive way and help me set a good example for my kids. I want my children to learn that yes, there are setbacks in life and circumstances that arise, but if you work hard, anything is possible. I started out in Jan. at 327 lbs. and hadn't exercised since high school. Now, I don't know what I would do without it.

broby425

I have a long commute, and was already getting up at 4:30 every morning to get ready for work. This also gets me home pretty late, especially if there are any errands to run. So the idea of making time to exercise seemed almost impossible.

But I knew that I had to find some way to make this work if I wanted to lose weight, get into shape, and live a healthy lifestyle. So I found a program that worked for me, set my alarm for 3:45, started hitting the sack earlier each night, and made it work. It sucks sometimes, but I felt that this was not optional.

c2sky

This is great. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I realize on this website I will not get a lot of "I'm sorry, but I just can't find the time or make it work".

If that DOES describe you, please private message me. I will not be mean or judge you. In honesty, my essay will probably argue against you, but I have to have something to argue against. So don't be afraid to send me a message, saying I just can't do it right now. Or maybe even how you USED to think that.

Again, thanks for the response. I'm going to have a GREAT essay, and your stories inspire me!

LisaMariaCallow

I work out 5-6 days a week...I also work a FULL time job (retail manager, 60+ hours/wk), have a husband, 2 teenagers, and a mother in a nursing home!! Needless to say, I use my crazy life as a reason TO exercise...I like to quote Elle Woods from Legally Blonde..."Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands!" The gym is my sanctuary, my haven, my safe zone!! :bigsmile: My husband & I work out together as often as we can, usually 3 nights/week; I also try to work out with my daughters.

Feel free to use me in your essay!! :happy: Good luck!!

terrigrace

I work night shifts and find it very difficult to fit in exercise when i am trying to take care of my two year old and catch up on sleep during the day. I wear my pedometer and try to log 7000 or more steps per day. Often, i will do ankle pumps or jog in place instead of standing in one spot when i am at work. I have also found exercise dvds that my daughter can enjoy. She loves the music on my zumba dvd, and we even work out with a really old one from sesame street called "elmocize. In the warmer months we bike ride or i can put her in my hiking back carrier when we go for a walk.

PedmomJill

I learned that I have to schedule my workouts. I actually have the time blocked out on my Outlook calendar (which is my life). It's been working for a few months now. I won't schedule any phone conferences or appointments during that time. It's the only way I can ensure i'll do it. I used to use the "I'm too busy working" excuse.

vger11

the obstacle I have to overcome comes around every 3 months...my follow-up doctor's visit.
It's been a royal pain to flunk every other test, and pay the price (literally, as well) with his refusal to refill my prescriptions for blood pressure, asthma..etc.

I've always been at the very top of a normal BMI, but that's not good enough.
The older I get, the more difficult I find the weight coming off, so I have to get pretty creative.

I really enjoy weight-lifting, but cardio is the death of me unless it's zumba.

vada

SarabellPlus3

I think of it as "me time." I've always been an optimist in a lot of ways, and I think it really helps most situations in life to just train yourself to think about them in the best way possible. I think that's absolutely, absolutely possible. We all make time for something if it's really meaningful to us, maybe not everyday, but sometimes-- we all do. People who say they truly never can, 99% of the time are lying (maybe 100%, or they wouldn't be making the time to tell us. ?). If it's important, we can make at least some time, and if we train ourselves to enjoy it, it will help it feel that much more important.

I also am inspired by this quote:
"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
-H. Jackson Brown

---

I wish I could bold, italicize, make bright blue, and underline that.


Of course, as another Pinterest quotable told me: "The problem with quotes on the internet is that it is hard to verify their authenticity" (as credited to Abraham Lincoln), but it's just SUCH a great quote. It kicks me in the butt when I offer up all my excuses about having kids, responsibilities, etc.

Yanicka1

i have narcolepsy. For me exercising is the only way to be able to have a more or less normal life. The first step was the hardest...how can you spend energy you just do not have? I go to the gym at my lunch time...it´s my only available time since i am a single mom of 2

Edithrenee

one thing i have done was before leaving work i change into exercise cloths, i take a bag with me with all workout cloths and my headphones. I get dressed and get in car drive home, and get out of my car, dont go in house, i take off jogging, or i go in house and pop in dvd and do AT LEAST 30 minutes, i try to do an hour but that is not always possible however if i get something in it makes me fell better and stay on track.

I used to go home thinking i was going in and change adn get busy but i know if i go in i will start doing dishes or cooking or picking up cloths and things. I just make sure i think of what ever excuse i give myself and i fix it before hand.

For some reason if i have my exercise cloths on it really motivates me.

Other things used to keep me from exerciseing is headaches, now i wont jump around if i have a head achei go for a nice walk even if it is cold because you can layer on cloths..walking helps get oxygen to my brain. alot of times to my suprise my headache starts feeling way better as i turn towards home if i feel alot better i do a light jog on the way home.

cocolo89

i exercise 6 days a week. even if that means doing it at midnight. I always get it in! it's like a necessity for me.

c2sky

Thank you everyone. I took a break to go to Hawaii, and now I'm finishing up my essay. You are all so amazing, and inspiring, and I love the ideas! Yes, you do have to be creative to fit in exercise. Thanks for showing us how to do that!

HartJames

When I first started, I was working 85 hrs. a week. I literally did not sleep on Sunday night (or day) because I had to work. I was also a single mother. Weight loss and exercise HAD to be my number one priority- my health came first, and so before or after work I would hit the gym for at least an Hr. I also spent every spare or multi-tasking moment doing SOMETHING, from leg lifts while folding laundry or calf raises to crunches on my breaks and 20 Squats every time I went to the bathroom.

c2sky

When I first started, I was working 85 hrs. a week. I literally did not sleep on Sunday night (or day) because I had to work. I was also a single mother. Weight loss and exercise HAD to be my number one priority- my health came first, and so before or after work I would hit the gym for at least an Hr. I also spent every spare or multi-tasking moment doing SOMETHING, from leg lifts while folding laundry or calf raises to crunches on my breaks and 20 Squats every time I went to the bathroom.

uh, I'm speechless.

FitnessBarbie99

I'm just getting started on my plan, but for me, exercise is sooooooooo important.

I start every weekday with 15 mins. of cardio while I watch local news while the coffee brews.
I shower, change, pack breakfast and lunch and drive 30 mins. to work. I go to the gym about 4 days out of 5 at lunchtime. That is usually about 15 cardio and 20 on the machines.
If I miss that work out for some reason, I got out for a walk before or after dinner.
I walk or hike on weekend days whenever the spirit moves me. I also do some yoga here and there.

Life does get crazy now and then so I don't freak out if I miss one work out each week. My goal is to accumulate an hour of cardio/strength/yoga every day. I often try to get a little more it when I can, so that I don't whine so much when I can't.

I don't look at it as a chore per se, but more as an investment in my future. Every step I take now is a step away from diabetes, prescription drugs and premature death. Keeping a clean house, prevents illness and accidents. Cooking your own food leads to health and besides, it's fun. Exercise is the same way -- enjoy it!

Embrace it.

c2sky

TO ALL OF YOU WHO SENT ME YOUR AMAZING STORIES. I WAS NOT ABLE TO USE SPECIFICS FROM VERY MANY, BUT I DREW FROM THE ESSENCE.

I just found out I got 100% on my essay!

Here are the comments from the professor:
another extremely solid performance. Great thesis, great opening, great use of the personal story as a frame, and creative use of dialogue in the early pages, letting the reader experience the weight (no pun intended) of excuses. Good use of opposing viewpoints throughout, and good use of contemporary written sources.

Thanks so much for all your help!

kittytrix

My name is Beatriz and I live in Southern California.

My life is full of stress. I'm a full-time, overtime crime reporter for a daily newspaper. I'm, also a mother of three kids, one who has ADHD. My brother recently knocked up his girlfriend now they're living with me until he can find a job and in this market it's not going to happen any time soon.

I give you this background to show you that I have a very full and high-stress life, but I make time for exercise at least three to four times a week because it helps me decompress. I box three times a week and that helps so much with letting out my agressions.

On days when I just can't make it because of breaking news or family issues, I feel awful. For that reason I have hand weights in my room that I can use while helping the kids with their homework.

When I stay away from the gym or working out for an extended period of time I feel sluggish, tired and in some cases, even a little blue. In contrast, even when I'm dragging and I have to force myself to work out, I feel so energized afterward.

I hope this helps you out.