For all the committed folks... Do you schedule exercise?

sunflowerkid2011

Lately I've been having the same trouble, but I've found it easier to manage if I write it down in my planner. I also find that it helps to workout first thing in the morning while my daughter is sleeping so I have no excuses not to exercise. I have "planned" to do Yoga and go for an hour walk Mon, Wed, and Fri and to do circuit training with weights on Tues/Thurs. I had success with planning out a schedule in the past and this seems to be working for me right now... only been doing it for the past 3 weeks. I read somewhere that it can take 4-6 weeks to create a habit. If I can just get over the hump... Hope this helps! Good luck to you!

Zylayna

I will schedule a month or more at a time and it is changeable, but only if the circumstances are completely unresolvable. (life gets in the way....most times you can work around it to keep on track, but sometimes, there truly is nothing you can do about it) I also always work out first thing in the morning (before work). Life doesn't interfere as much if you do morning workouts. (although getting up early takes some dedication and will power some days!)

twoisplenty

Its scheduled for me. M-W-F at 9am I joined with a friend and we decided that if one of us cancels a day then they have to put $5 in a jar. It holds us both accountable and its nice to have a gym buddy.

amystyran

I made a chart which has sections for the exercise i'm going to do each day, and a little box to put my weight for when i weigh myself on wednesdays.

i never make an allocated time slot, but i read a little thing somewhere saying 'do exercise first thing in the morning before you realise what you're doing!' haha, works for me!

dianediaz

I learned years ago that, for me, trying to exercise after work was a big no go. Something always came up like a work related meeting, working late, networking event, just too tired, etc. So about 7 years ago I moved my workouts to the morning before work. It's not for everyone, so understand that. But I have found that by doing this I am able to stick with exercising every weekday and at least one weekend day. I know this sounds crazy, but I get to the gym by 5 am and am able to get in at least an hour, sometimes almost 2 hours depending up on what training I'm doing that day, all before most people are even awake. And the benefit is that, because most people won't commit to getting up that early to go to the gym, you never have to wait for any machines. Never, ever. It's awesome.

Getting up early to work out does take some getting used to. But just like any other "habit" after about 3 weeks it's routine. I love it! Give it a shot. If you want to do something badly enough, you'll find a way to make it happen.

meerkat70

For running - if the run is scheduled for a particular day, it happens, 95% of the time. I don't have a time slot, but if it's supposed to happen, unless something very urgent indeed comes up, it does happen. I do make sure that I run x5 a week, no matter what .

My other working out does, sometimes, play second fiddle to the rest of my life.

odusgolp

And to all of you that get up at 4am... W.T.H.??:noway:



I kid, I kid...

staceyseeger

workouts, yes :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
feeding family, not so much :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

seriously, though - I meet with PT on Mondays, Tuesday & Thursdays and run on Sat/Sun AM - everything else is planned accordingly.

Impy84

I don't i fit it in wherever I have time and/or motivation. A schedule can be changed, things come up life happens. A schedule for the gym simply would not work for me.

MyBodyMyMachine

Without a doubt! I look at it as being one more appointment for the day. One more thing that has to be done before I'm done for the day. I schedule and plan out my workouts for the week and write them in a fitness journal as well. Knowing what I have no the agenda keeps me on track as well.

DJmom44

My running 4 times a week is non-negotiable. I've made it a priority because it makes me feel better and sleep better. Exercising has replaced watching television. I even got rid of cable tv because I'm hardly watching anything at all.

MeadowSong

Scheduled but flexible. M W F at 4pm. Then cool down and fix supper. If I'm running late, generally folks are on their own for supper and I still lift! Gardening, riding, walking, etc . . . are done frequently too--add some elliptical if I can't get outside much.

hpoddan

I absolutely schedule my exercise!! I used to do the exact same thing where I would just put it off and think that tomorrow would be easier/less busy/I'd have more energy...fill in the blank with anything you would like because I could come up with every excuse under the sun as to why I wasn't going You need to find a workout that you enjoy that you are able to schedule in. If going to the gym and running on the treadmill isn't it, then find something different. I found Zumba and began by working two classes a week into my schedule. Now I make sure that I go to six classes in five days (when they hold them) and I get disappointed if I have to miss one of them!! Almost 90 pounds and a year later I have added other exercie to my schedule (some of which I still try to get out of) but now I see the results and know that the dedication does pay off!!!

alfie1313

I absolutely love working out, no need to schedule it cause as soon as im out of bed im wanting to do my running or swimming :-))) Its the rest days i have a problem with, although i know its important to have them my body is saying "go go go i wanna exercise" lol :-)))

jennifermaffei17

Yep, have to schedule it. If I don't, I won't do it.

Rae6503

For the past 8 months it was Mon, Wed, Fri at 8:15 at the gym for weight lifting. Before that it was 6am 5 days a week at home for cardio videos.

cbirdso

Yes, I schedule some form of exercise every day. About once a week I 'allow' myself to miss it, but instead do something physical that needs doing like heavy gardening or strenuous cleaning - but I don't 'count' it as exercise, I view it as a rest day.

I learned that I have to treat exercise like every other chore in life. Every day I schedule a shower, meals, TV watching, shopping, going to work, etc. so why exercise? It is an integral part of my health - as much as brushing teeth! It took me a long time to get to this point, but now it is a habit that I intend to maintain for the rest of my life.

LadonnaFunk

I'm a stay at home mom, and I have exercise worked into our daily routine. After lunch the kids nap, and I exercise. I just view it as something I have to do every day, much like feeding the kids meals, and unloading the dishwasher.

deb3129

I have four kids, and I am the assistant director at a 911 center, so if I don't schedule it, it doesn't happen. The only way I can get my exercise in right now is to get up at 4 a.m. and do it before our day starts. Every once in a while I will have a day where my alarm clock goes off and I say "heck no" and go back to sleep, but it does not happen often. I love getting my exercise in first thing for 2 reasons. First, it really makes me feel fantastic all day, and second, that way no matter what comes up during the day, I have at least gotten some exercise in.

julieh391

Several days a week I lay out my workout clothes before bed, so that when my alarm goes off at 5:30 I can stumble out of bed without thinking. If I give myself time to think I'll get lazy.

stubbysticks

Yes. Exercise is not optional any more than work or school is. Since I started viewing it that way, motivation to do it has not been an issue.

_Timmeh_

I thought this was going to be about married folks scheduling sexy time.

dlwyatt82

I've been attending Karate classes for about the last 6 weeks, which obviously have to be somewhat on a schedule, though I can be flexible on which days I go. Going to the gym for weightlifting is completely flexible; I try to keep to the same scheduled day, but can wait for the best time to make it happen (right after we get the baby down for a nap, for instance).

KandyF

My husband and I did "tomorrow (or another day this week) for sure" for almost a year. Then we made it a morning instead of an after work thing. We get up super early, and dress for the gym, pack our day's clothes and head out. We don't get a long time, but we get something every day. After a while, it has become just part of the normal routine. Since we're in gym clothes, we have to go into the Y (instead of drive past it). Once in a great while we're running so far behind that we wind up just going in and taking our showers (I have a train I have to catch, so there's no leeway of when we leave the Y), but I'd say 98% of the time we get in some amount of work out.

That also seems to "set the day" and I'm more active during the day (take the long way around to go to the copier, go for a walk at lunch that sort of thing).

It was hard to start, but now I can hardly imagine without doing it.

cbu23

I thought this was going to be about married folks scheduling sexy time.

^^^LMAO!!! :laugh: :noway:

kylemdodge

I believe that having a schedule for your workout is a very important part of losing weight and maintaining weight loss. Just like a work schedule it keeps you in a routine. This routine eventually becomes second nature and you will no longer have to talk yourself into going to the gym. I personally work out first thing in the morning. It ensures that nothing else in my day can get in the way. I used to work out in the afternoon but found that I was more apt to have something "come up" that would take the place of my workout. As much as people hate to admit it we are creatures of habit. If we develop the right habits we will inevitably stick to them. I know not everyone has the ability to work out at the same time each day but if you can I would certainly recommend it.

Crochetluvr

No. As long as I get in my required exercise for the week, it doesn't matter to me when I do it. Routines bore me and make me less likely to follow through. And I mix it up so my body doesn't get used to just one activity.

mandiam

start commuting by bike and no schedules are ever needed it's just gotta get you to your destination and back!

Misslisat

Yes, I schedule mine. I hit the treadmill both of my 15 minute breaks during the work week. I also stay late 2-3 days and walk an additional 30 minutes. We're lucky to have a few treadmills and ellipticals where I work.

telcochik

Oh yeah. I get up at 4:30am every day to work out. It's the only time in my day where I know nothing will come up to distract me from getting what I need to do done.