Fitting in exercise

redlion45

I am right there with ya. I have found that the only way to get it done is to do my exercise first thing in the AM before my day gets going. If I wait til later in the day, there is always some emergency that ties me up, or I get home at 7pm and I am hungry and too wiped out to exercise.

You just have to treat it like any other part of your personal health and grooming routine - - like brushing your teeth or washing your hair. You may not want to do it, but you do it every day anyway. It's gotta be on the schedule and a priority however many days a week you have set it for. If you try to "Fit it in" like a book club or some other hobby that is a non-priority item, you won't do it very often.

I hate mornings as much as anyone, I really do. But, you do get used to getting up that hour earlier or whatever after you do it for a couple of months. I actually have more energy now than I did before I stared getting up at 4:45 to work out.

Good luck to you! :happy:

LadyIvysMom

I have had a two hour plus commute (each way) for the last 7 years.

A typical day for me is:

5:15 – 5:30 am wake up, roll out of bed, morning stuff

5:30-5:45 finish getting ready for work, check on the ferrets

5:45 – 7:45 commute time (includes a mile long walk from the train station to the office)

7:45 – 4:00 work, eat breakfast & lunch at desk, use my hour of break time to walk around Boston

4:00 – 6:00 (includes a mile walk to train station) commute home

6:00 – 9:00 cook, eat dinner, catch up with husband, play with the ferrets and clean their cages, straighten house, and at least 2X a week squeeze in a 30 to 60 minute walk or run. In the winter, this will change to 2X a week going to the gym for at least 30 minutes, but probably longer. I prefer to be outside though. If I feel I am not spending enough time with the ferrets, I will take one of them with me on my walk. Some weeks I do more but I try to aim for at least twice during the weekdays.

9:00 – 10:30ish – unwind, watch tv, read etc. Then sleep.

This obviously changes a bit day by day but it’s a pretty good idea of how often I am moving around walking/running.

Weekends it’s easier. Either Saturday or Sunday, I will devote a 3 hour block of time to walking and/or running. This means 3 hours of not doing something else. I am able to do this most weekends just by cutting out a movie or watching tv. I try to stay on my feet as much as possible during the weekend when I’m not walking or running. Almost every other weekend, I have something going on for the ferret shelter. Usually these things involve 2 hours+ of standing and passing out educational info at pet stores so it keeps me on my feet. If hubby and I are going somewhere, we try to make it somewhere we can walk around, like a day trip to another city or something.

I keep free weights in my house and I will use them at random times during the day. I might literally just do a few reps while waiting for water to boil on the stove or waiting for the last 10 minutes of laundry to be done etc.

Angie__1MR

I get up at 4 a.m. and hit the gym, it's either that or I don't lift...it's all about how much you want it.

supplemama

Make it a habit.

You'll simply have to force yourself to do it. Doesn't matter if you feel like it or not. Just do it. After a while, a month or so, it will become a habit and not a chore. At least for me that's how it worked. It really is all about your inner motivation.

AnisaMG

Make it a habit.

You'll simply have to force yourself to do it. Doesn't matter if you feel like it or not. Just do it. After a while, a month or so, it will become a habit and not a chore. At least for me that's how it worked. It really is all about your inner motivation.

This. I have a 9 year old and husband that works shift work. I still work out 6 -7 days a week. It's not always easy, and sometimes I am working out at 8 or 9pm. I have no set time to work out, I just know that I have to do it change myself... Sometimes my daughter has to scooter with me while I run, or I try to work out while she practices piano... it really is all about how much you want it.

I know it's hard, and sometimes you feel like it's just not worth it and you are too tired to work out; but start - just do the first 10 minutes and if you still aren't into it by then quit and don't feel guilty but try honestly to get into it. ( I have heard/read this in so many places I can't even give credit - but it's not me)

Good luck!!

Robin_Bin

It is rough when working those kinds of hours.
As someone else suggestion, try to get in major workouts on the days you don't work. Fit in what you can on work days. Some of the kinds of things you can consider (not all will work for you):
* walk on the train (some places discourage this, but others don't mind)
* check out exercises you can do while sitting -- do them on the train, at work, you can even do some while driving
* if you have a desk/phone job, try to stand while on the phone (that doesn't work for me since I'm also demonstrating things on the computer during many phone meetings, but I know people who use their mobile phones and pace the halls while making calls), use a small hand weight or resistance band while on the phone or even while writing (focus on your other arm when exercising to balance), 1/2 leg lifts under the desk or table
* "sneak" in other "bits" of exercise -- march in place while you brush your teeth, do knee bends in the shower (careful about your balance)
* do whatever exercise you can over lunch and breaks
* if you can't exercise the amount you'd like, do what you can; don't make it an all-or-nothing choice
* try out different times... before breakfast, after breakfast, when you first get home, after you get home and take a brief break, once you find a time where you can fit in 5 minutes, can you figure out a way to make it 10 minutes?
* can you do something like eating your dinner on the commute home, so you have more time for exercise once you arrive? same for breakfast... if you aren't too hungry, could you wait and eat during your commute, giving yourself a few minutes to exercise.
It used to be thought that only intense, concentrated periods of exercise "counted", but research is now supporting the idea that exercise spread out over the day is also healthy.
Some people say it's just a matter of motivation, but I disagree. When you are working and commuting that many hours, it takes both motivation, but also some creativity to figure out how to fit in all the things that are important. You may need to try multiple things before you can come up with something that works for you. Good luck!

dave4d

I work 12 hour days. I leave for work at 4, and get home around 6. Last week I split my workout, by getting up an hour early, and doing cardio before work, and weights after work. I hate going to the gym after work, though, so most days I try to fit my workout in before work.