Balancing Life + Working Out-- Help!

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saucyitalian19
saucyitalian19 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was just wondering how everyone manages to balance working out on a consistent basis with everything else going on in life. I am about to start Graduate School in the Fall and have a full-time job (that I am still not sure I will be able to maintain for 40hrs a week), and I am not sure how the hell I will be able to work out AND succeed with work and school. I am notorious for saying how much I want to workout, but 9/10 I find an excuse to do something more important. However, this past month I have been able to work out everyday except for 8 days out of the entire month...a record for me. Now that I have to figure out enrollment for school and continue with work/errands, I'm starting back down that anxiety path where I feel almost guilty for "wasting time" working out when I should be taking care of other business. Plus in this whole month I've only lost 5 lbs, and can't seem to shake my standard weight. Suggestions?!

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  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    That's one of the reasons I like to workout early in the morning. Even if my day implodes I've gotten in my run or half an hour on the rowing machine.
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
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    OMG! You're living my life!!!! We have to be friends! :)
  • Kattarra
    Kattarra Posts: 190 Member
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    I'm a 5 am workout person also. I'm in the gym at 5, then come home, shower, get my kids up, feed them breakfast, get them off to school before I go to work at 8am. If I dont do it in the morning it doesn't get done.
  • carolyns19
    carolyns19 Posts: 51
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    You could try adopting little exercises into the day. For example, I now use a bike as my primary mode of transportation. I only have to travel at most 3 miles so this works well for me.

    You could try parking on the opposite end of campus and guaranteeing yourself a 15 min walk to and from your car each night, etc.

    Like other people are suggesting, before work seems like your best bet. Have you checked out 30 Day Shred-- its only 20 mins and will KILL you in those 20 mins (plus it has 3 levels, so it should be challenging for around 9 months).
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
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    1st off stop saying you only loss 5 lbs....ummm that is about how much most people will lose a month so you are spot on. Celebrate that loss. Remove that "only" from that statement :smile:

    Also you health is important business so you have to try to train your mind to think that way. Include it in your list of things to do always.

    Like most have said getting up before dawn has done it for me. I'm up at 5:30 am exercising for an hour. But in order to do that you have to go to bed at a reasonable time. I hope you are able to work something out.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
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    Do it early before the excuses set in. You don't have to exercise every day and you don't need to do it for an hour. Do high intensity or interval training. Try some sprints and lifting heavy. Get three days in a week and you will be on a good track.
  • saucyitalian19
    saucyitalian19 Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks for all of your awesome suggestions! I guess I should have mentioned that I am not a morning person (hehe). I go to bed at a decent time, but it is a struggle for me to get up early just for work (though it has gotten easier). I can't stand the taste of coffee, and though I like tea, I stay away from caffeine. Working out in the morning makes me tired, and that plus my usual groggy state probably isn't the best combination! I find my best time to work out is right when I get home from work, it is the first thing I do. Once school starts I think I will have to reevaluate. P.S. I have tried Jillian Michaels! I love the outdoors so I usually do her workouts when the weather sucks. When I am outside I like to walk/jog or play basketball!
  • RenCara
    RenCara Posts: 300 Member
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    When I workout in the morning, I need a nap by noon. Morning workouts are not an option in my world (I am up by 5:15 AM for work anyway. Any earlier would be criminal in my book.) I need to plan my workouts between my work schedule and the schedules of my thre busy daughters. It gets difficult but I know I need the workout more than I can handle not doing it. Therefore, it is a priority and it gets done, not always but most of the time. Good luck!
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
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    I workout in the evening before i hit the bed... even though im tired by then I just blast out a 20 minute workout , then shower, then read for a few then zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....... the excuse of im too tired doesnt fly because working out actually helps me sleep better. .. and by the way 5 pounds is GREAT for one month!!! be proud!!!! thats over a pound a week!!! :flowerforyou:
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I'm not a morning person either, and workout at night. Sometimes, I'm not done until after 11:00 PM! It's all good, though.

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