how?? do you do it?

JustANumber85

Im a SAHM to 3 and my hubby works 9-5 type job. Heres what i do and what works....

I get up every day at 4am. I leave by 4:30 and I am at the YMCA by 5. I work out until 6:00-6:30 and come home. hubby gets up and goes to work. When he comes home we do dinner, etc. IF I waited until he got home- i couldnt get out of the house until 6pm+ and id have to hurry back to get the kids bathed and laid down (yes he could and does do it but we both do it). I also know i would lack motivation. Id have a crappy day and not want to go. id have a tiring day and not want to go. In the AM, its before anything has happened and im ok with going.

Im not going to lie, today I didnt want to get up, but I did anyway. Sometimes the bed is nice and warm, but the gym is awesome too.

Mokey41

Exercise is great but most of your weight loss will come from your diet. That said there are all kinds of DVD's that take 30 minutes or less to do and there's always the weekends to get in some exercise time. You don't have to exercise 30 minutes every day to get results. I used to take a lunch to work with me that I could walk and eat so I could spend my 30 minutes walking briskly just to get something in during the workday.

fcp1234

I get up at 4am instead of 6am

hamiltonba

How did I do it? First, I asked myself, "how bad do you want it?", If I went back to bed, then it was - "not enough". Also, although it is tough in the beginning, you will actually have increased energy from working out. I also focused on 1 day at a time. So, for today only, I am going to work out for 15 minutes 3 x week. I did this for 1 week. After 1 week, it was 20 minutes. Following week, 25 and then 30. Once I hit 30 minutes, I worked out 4x week. I continued until it was an hour 4-5x week. Start small and work from there!

mustangjohnny

Have you ever had that thought that just stuck in your brain when you said to yourself, This is it. This is the time. No more excuses, no more putting it off or trying it next week. That’s when it hit for me. I now exercise one hour in the am and one hour in the pm. I thought exercise was hard at first at my start weight of 275, but now it has become easier and a new part of who I am. If it is worth while to you to change yourself, you seem to find ways to work in some exercise of some sort. I do not do everything perfect, and still have some bad choice days, but I now do everything with the thought in mind that I am taking care of myself and my future me plans, and I feel so much better with still such a long journey to go. Honestly, when the time is right for you- You will make that decision to make it work. Leslie Sanson walking DVD's started me thinking I could do this. Walk at home? How easy is that ! My new favorite saying, “Be Miserable or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.”
good luck on your journey.

^^ this . So true. If it is important to you, when you are ready to do it, it will happen.

Carrington2491

You gotta do whatcha gotta do!!!! The more you work out, the more energy you'll have for doing more. Get started and you'll see just what your body is capable of.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

Single dad 24/7/365.

If you want it, you create it. You make no mention of how old your children are. so I cant offer suggestions on exercise. But simple PROVEN FACT.

Fix your diet. You will lose.

wigglypeaches

I really think the key is finding something you like to do. I rock climb. I love it. Its my stress release and my social time. I hate running. So I don't do it. Find a fitness class or a social group that likes to hike, bellydance, play baseball with your kids. When you are with others, it doesn't seem like such a chore.

This! I firmly believe that when you find something you love to do, you'll start shifting your schedule and incorporating additional workouts to enable yourself to do it. I would also argue that groups and classes really help, because you start to go for the people as much as the workout. Some other suggestions: Self-defense classes, cardio yoga, or spin classes.

tcunbeliever

Start small. Once you start working out you will have more energy, so don't let the tired thing get you down. Find 15 min. a day that you can walk or bike or whatever. 15 min. That could mean changing the morning routine by doing some pre-work at night so you can do 15 min. of yoga. Taking a short lunch or packing a lunch so you can walk outside 15 min. at lunch time. Or getting a stationary bike and putting it in the family room so you can get 15 min. of time on the bike while the kids are doing homework or watching TV. Start with 15 min. and set a timeframe to evaluate. Like 30 days, or 6 months, whatever you are comfortable with. It will be hard in the beginning, but over time you will have more energy. Once you have more energy your everyday tasks will go faster and you will find more time open up in your schedule.

rezn8

You may not like mornings but it may be your only choice. Before 6 months ago I would get up at 5am in order to leave for work at 5:30am. I for one would snooze to get that last minute in the morning. 6 months ago I needed to do something to lower cholesterol and lose weight. I selected the Insanity workout since it was only 60days and I thought it was short enough to hopefully fullfill the entire 60 days before I gave up. Being 48 and working with 3 teenage kids and a wife I have really no time after a long day at work and then everything else that happens after. I committed to waking up at 3:30am in order to workout from 4-5am and still shower and get to work. It was very difficult the first week but I stuck to it. Well, it's now 6 months later and I've done the entire program without a miss and the P90x/Insanity Hybrid for 90days and now on my 4th week of Insanity the second time through. I have literally change my lifestyle to accomplish this but it is well worth it. Look me up on team beachbody as coach SWREZn8 if you need any help or motivation.

Hadley_SM

bump

lewcompton

My wife walks on her lunch hour... She leaves the house before 8am and returns after 7pm... She simply has decided to use her lunch hour to her advantage. My schedule is much more flexible and I can work out several times... before work, at lunch, or after work... I can even focus on walking more while teaching.

Joreanasaurous

Why not throw dinner in the crock pot in the morning and then spend the time would at night making dinner do a workout video?
If you want it bad enough you just find the time and energy to do it.

alpine1994

In the long run it will make you less tired. The better shape you are in, the less tiring everyday life is.

Couldn't agree more. I wish I had believed people who had told me this during the many years I wasted being overweight and out of shape.

yoovie

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/13/productivity/ <~

cmriverside

I didn't read all the replies, so sorry if this was already said: Weight loss is achieved by a calorie deficit, which means you can lose weight without planned exercise. It isn't the optimal plan, but it does work. Since you are working and have kids and are managing a household alone (I assume) - you probably have enough activity in your day to lose weight at a modest deficit. Measure and weigh all your food, and track it all by logging it.

So figure out your TDEE (Google that) and subtract 20% from that. Eat that - every day.

Drink lots of water. Sleep 7-8 hours a night.

Try to get some extra exercise on your days off. You can go to your library and check out exercise DVDs. Or make up a routine of situps, pushups, jumping jacks, toe-touches, etc. Look online for exercise routines.



If you want it, you will find a way.

vim_n_vigor

I decided the only time of day that I could commit to working out was in the morning. Evenings were too unpredictable and I was too tired. For bed, I put on my workout clothes - sports bra and everything. If I didn't get up to work out, I had the added shame of taking off my workout clothes to take my shower. Over the course of a few weeks it became habit and I just did it.

samreitz

I spend 2-3 hours on Sunday mornings prepping our food for the week. I also prepare Monday night's meal so all I have to do is put it in the oven when I get home. While its cooking, I get my workout in. After dinner I pack my lunch (which takes about 5 mins since I've already prepped everything on Sunday) and get the next nights dinner together as much as I can and repeat the same schedule the next night. If I need a longer workout I'll cook dinner on a lower temp for a longer amt of time. My average time in the kitchen each night is about 30 minutes.

The motivation part is up to you but I will tell you that I'm motivated knowing dinner is ready and waiting when I get done.

babeinthemoon

I'm a stay-at-home-schooling-mama of 2 (12 & 8). I also help run a non-profit & have a part time job for two hours a week doing the books for a small business. Both my children are busy with the local homeschool co-op, scouts & church.

At the moment I may as well be a single mom since my dh is working full time (for pay), part time (for hugs), going to school full time and still volunteering with our church & scouts. I think last month I got 3 hours alone with him. Maybe.. and most of that time was running with him ocassionally).

Right now, I'm on an exercise kick. I normally hate it, and have to really talk myself into going. But lately, it has been my only "me time" that I get where the kids are not bickering, and I can't see the dishes in the sink nor the mountains of laundry to be done. So, when my frustration level is through the roof, I tell the kids... "mama's going outside for a run... don't kill each other."

Currently my run times are only about 30 minutes... but that will be increasing to an hour by the end of the month (I'm training for my first 5k & 10k). Strength training is still a goal of mine. My neighborhood has a small gym in the clubhouse (weight machine, bikes, treadmill & elipictal). My goal for December is to be working in 3 strength weight lifting workouts by the end of the month, in addition to cardio 3x a week.

Since I can, I get dressed in my work out clothes in the am, and wait to take my shower until after I actually get the workout in... usually after my lunch has settled and while the kids are eating theirs. If I don't get it in then, I'll force myself to get it in after dinner... when the kids are in bed is the latest I'll go out. Sometimes if I wait that long my hubby will join me for my run. I'm thankful for that.

My determination to be healthier inside and out is what is keeping me going. I battle with depression all the time, and right now I'm on the winning side... so I'm "running with it" as long as I can.

TylerJ76

4am will become your friend..