Too Busy to Work Out?

Moxie42

I know there are single moms working 2 jobs who still manage to fit exercise into their schedules. How do you do it?! I'm not a mom but I work 50-60 hours a week, am taking care of everything at home during the week (all meals, dishes, laundry, taking care of 2 dogs and a cat) because my fiance is in school during nights, and am planning a wedding. I feel like no matter how much I do every day, I'm no where near being caught up...and my schedule won't be getting any lighter. Every time I get one thing done, there's something else that I'm NOT able to get to. So I feel guilty when I don't work out, but I also feel guilty when I do. I'm overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, tired, and I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm just letting myself and everyone else down, one way or another. I also don't have money to spend on a gym or classes. I do have some workout videos that I really enjoy doing and they're a great workout- the problem is getting myself to take 30 minutes out of the day to do them. I could really use some advice from others who are in, or have been, in similar situations.

Spanaval

What's your schedule generally like? Can you combine activities - say run with your dogs instead of walking them?

chachadiva150

How old are your children? Can they do some of the chores? Can you get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and squeeze in a workout? Can you get friends or family to take the kids while you workout? Can you cut out a little TV watching?

There is no need to feel guilty about taking care of yourself? Reach out to friends and family for help. You have a fiance. Can he take up some of your slack? He can do some of the chores.

tamraj

Make exercise your priority. I have had the same struggles over the last few years. I am a single mom, a college student, and have a very fulfilling but often stressful career at a non-profit that often requires after- hours work. After letting exercise go by the wayside one too many times and watching the pounds creep back up and the lethargy take over, I finally decided no more!! I make exercise my priority (I exercise in the morning before the day gets away from me) and let the dishes and laundry go if need be. I have relaxed my "need" to have a 4.0 GPA (and still have a 3.8). I refuse to let anything come between me and my health and weight-loss goals anymore!! I look at it this way- the other stuff is just stuff. My health is everything. We busy people NEED the exercise to maintain our energy levels (and positive attitudes) to be able to do what we do!

Trust me, unless your fiance does them (and I would hope he is pitching in, too) the dishes will be right there waiting for you when you have finished your workout and you will feel FABULOUS while you are doing them!

Nopedotjpeg

Excuses are like a**holes, everyone has them. Some are more legitimate than others (such as yours), but it's still just something getting in the way of what you know needs to be done. You can find a way. Like someone else said when you walk your dogs, go a bit faster; maybe even do some jogging with them. There's actually a dog variation of C25K called Pooch 2 5K. You could also work in some bodyweight exercises; you could break it up into 10 minute circuits or do a 20-30 minute circuit all together.

JodieElijah

If you really wanted to lose the weight, you'd fit in the exercise. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but its the truth.

Can you get up an hour earlier every morning to go for a walk/jog or do one of your exercise videos? Go for a walk during your lunch break. While watching tv do stretches, sit ups, push ups, star jumps etc. Get your fiancee to do the dishes every second evening so that you can go for a walk. Buy an exercise bike and use it while watching tv.

There's lots of things you can do to fit in your exercise. I'm a single mom myself and work full time. What with work, school, after school activities and trying to fit in some sort of a social life, I always make sure i fit in at least some sort of exercise. Like today, i've been busy all day, but i took our dog for a walk this evening. I find it relaxing to be honest!!

If you remain positive about being able to fit it in, then i'm certain that before you know it you'll be getting in your daily exercise It just takes a bit of organising! Best of luck!!

BrianSharpe

There are 24 hours in a day, while your schedule sounds hectic (I think your fiance needs a boot in the *kitten* if he isn't helping out around the house) you can find half an hour to do something, anything (walking, running, core........ take your pick - you don't need to go to a gym) which leaves you 23 1/2 hours a day for sleeping, working, managing your household. It's a matter of time management & priorities (sometimes you have to be a little bit selfish)

Watch this video......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

tania2287

I know there are single moms working 2 jobs who still manage to fit exercise into their schedules. How do you do it?! I'm not a mom but I work 50-60 hours a week, am taking care of everything at home during the week (all meals, dishes, laundry, taking care of 2 dogs and a cat) because my fiance is in school during nights, and am planning a wedding. I feel like no matter how much I do every day, I'm no where near being caught up...and my schedule won't be getting any lighter. Every time I get one thing done, there's something else that I'm NOT able to get to. So I feel guilty when I don't work out, but I also feel guilty when I do. I'm overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, tired, and I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm just letting myself and everyone else down, one way or another. I also don't have money to spend on a gym or classes. I do have some workout videos that I really enjoy doing and they're a great workout- the problem is getting myself to take 30 minutes out of the day to do them. I could really use some advice from others who are in, or have been, in similar situations.

I have 3 kids and a single mother working 2 jobs. I get up at around 4:30am and start my exercise at 5am for 1 hour then l will do another hour in the afternoon when dinner is cooking on the stove and the kids are in the bath. There is always time to exercise once you start, but l did start out only for 1/2 hour for about 2 weeks then worked my way up to my work outs now..

Nikstergirl

I completely agree with making yourself a priority. I heard you say you are taking care of all the house while working 50-60 hours a week. What about the boy? Can't he help a little? And who says our homes need to be spotless all the freaking time? Of course, we don't want to live in filth, but if there are a few dustbunnies under the table are the police going to come and arrest us? NO!!! Let something go. Pick two chores that can be done by the fiance and ask him to take them over so you can focus more on yourself which will make you feel better about yourself which will in turn make you more attractive to him and your love life will improve (trust me, this will make HIM happy too!). Seriously, if you're about to marry this guy, he better realize that he needs to pitch in to make the partnership complete.

Ok, rant over. Make it a priority. Put it on your calendar. Give yourself even 30 minutes 5 days a week. You WILL see a difference!!!

Dauntlessness

Planet fitness is only $10,00 a month. Totally affordable for most people. I also agree with your fiance helping out more.
Finding one hour a day isnt too bad. People always say, if you watch TV for an hour everyday, you have the time to workout.

cmeade20

I get up at 5 am and workout before I start my day. And honestly on the days I hit the snooze alarm and skip my workout I'm more sluggish, moody and usually get cravings

jennshadle1

I get up at 3:30 to work out each day because thats the only time I can fit it in right now. I am working 45 hours a week, have two children, and am going to school full time. I work from 5:30am to 5:30 pm with classes in between and work all day Saturday. Its crazy and I'm exhausted but again, its just what I have to do right now. Good luck, you'll find time to squeeze it in if you really want to make it a priority.

basschick

I work as many hours as you do -- more some weeks, and I fit in exercise by letting my house go a little. We don't live in filth, but our house stays a little cluttered and gets a bit dusty sometimes. It's a tradeoff I'm willing to live with to have a healthy body. My husband has always helped around the house too, even while he was in physical therapy school and had papers, projects, and mountains of tests and reading assignments every night. Being in school is no excuse to opt out of all chores. I don't agree with people that say "just get up an hour earlier." If that works for them, great. However, the majority of us that work long hours already don't get enough sleep, so cutting into your sleep time to get in a workout is counterproductive. Lack of sleep will eventually catch up with you and will make you want to eat more and it messes with your metabolism. Good luck!

basschick

Planet fitness is only $10,00 a month.

Holy cow!

dancingj2

I am not a single mom but having enough time is always a struggle. I use a step counter to motivate me to move more. Trying to get my count up gets me to take a walk, park further away or march in place while waiting for something in the microwave.

I also do the mini challenges here that charger440 posts. Most are things like push ups, jumping jacks or arm curls that need just a few minutes and very little equipment.

DVDs can be great too. I have gotten a number of them from the library and then bough the ones I liked. There ones called "10 minute solutions" that have short routines that I can squeeze in. If you have more time you string several of them together.

yuliyax

So I feel guilty when I don't work out, but I also feel guilty when I do. I'm overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, tired, and I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm just letting myself and everyone else down, one way or another.

You should tell this to your other half

patriciaannbibo

Try the 10 minute Solution exercise DVD. They have Dance ,yoga,Weights, and many others. If you have Netflixs their in the streaming part. It so important you take care of your self.

JenGranzow

I think working out isn't your problem so much as is time management. My suggestion is that you start making daily to-do lists and you can prioritize your lists into "Must happen today", "This week" and "Soon". Make your list at the same time every day, before your day gets away from you, and if you can keep your list on your smartphone (which, face it, you probably have with you all day, right?) you can make a habit of checking your list often, reminding yourself of what is on there, and checking tasks off as you have completed them.

If you start to organize your life and get a grip on the time wasters that are making your schedule spiral out of control, you will have more time every day to do the things that you want to do - like work out.

No excuses!

Bridget0927

Do Push ups, sit ups, lunges when you get up before you get showered ready etc.
anywhere you can find time (even on potty breaks :-) Do some jumping jacks get your heart rate up.
Before bed do some planks and pilates roll ups. Every little bit counts dont stress just squeeze in little bits.
If your standing making food do it on your tippie toes and then add some squats.

when i cant get to the gym (Im a working mommy) thats what I do

RachelsReboot

You're not as busy as you think. You must make your health a priority. If you want help making a schedule you can friend me. I am a professional life skills coach. I teach time management, scheduling, budgeting, menu planning, etc. I also own a commercial cleaning business which I actively run and work in, I am the founder and director of a non profit, a full time student, single mom of three, active in Church groups and mission teams and I prioritize working out 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. Getting healthy its my number one job, its the highest paying and has the best benefits. Its all a matter of what's important to you. Sorry for the run on, I am mobile today.

ritmeyer

I think the key to your situation is priorities!! You can workout at any time you aren't at work!! Plus, you have no kids...easy to fit one in!! My DH goes to work at 4am, so I can't go for a run or get to the gym in the am on the days I work, but if I know I'll have no time after work I get up at 4:30 and do a DVD. Am I tired, heck yeah! I'll have gone to bed at 11-midnight and gotten up a few times with one of my kids through the night. But my happiness & fitness is a priority. I'll sleep when I'm dead...

The biggest shift for me is the house and where my importance is in my life. I've decided that between my 2 kids, dog & husband...the house doesn't need to be spotless. I worked my butt off keeping the house "in order" for the year after I had my son and only managed to lose 40lbs of the 90lbs that I had put on with him. Um, 30 of which was gone because he was birthed :laugh: When I knew we were going to start trying for my daughter I said "Self, this is crazy. You can't put on 90lbs on top of this 50!! YOU need to be important again!" So, I focused on working out 5-6 days a week, & started running again. Got preggo, kept working out, and here I am, below my pre-pregnancy weight & going.

When I found out I was pregnant with a girl, I knew I had to get a healthy self image and make me important, in order to model a healthy self worth for my daughter. I adore my mom, who has really always been thin, but she and her friends spent most of my life "on a diet" fluctuating between self loathing for eating "bad" and always resolving to "get back to working out again". It just seemed like this all or nothing type thing. I remember her friend bringing a cake over and chewing it, then spitting it out...just to get the taste. "see ritmeyer, just get the taste!" I have no ill feelings for them, at ALL! I just want my children, especially my Lulu, to be confident and place their self worth in their abilities, not what the scale says. I started forcing myself to look in the mirror and say "This body has given birth. This body is growing another life. It is amazing and should be admired, not loathed. It's the body I have to own" I didn't mean a word of it for awhile. Now I do. "This body made my children, birthed them. This body has run 13.1 miles on roads, on trails. This body is strong!"

I have down days where I wish more would come off the scale. I have days where I've worked all day, cooked dinner, bathed my children, fought with them to go to bed, and look around at 8pm at the dished in the sink, the laundry that needs folding....AHHHHHHHHHH!!! :devil: But I sigh...strap on my shoes and head out for a run. I'm more important than a dirty dish. And so are you!!! (eh, I just got all deep up in here....)

PS Your boyfriend needs to help. The END!