Starting over...how do you all find the time???

HPLW0705

Hello!

I work full time, have two kids (ages 9 and 6), and I'm also a full time student. My husband works out of town, so I have the kids by myself the majority of the time except for school nights when my parents take them. I know that it's important to eat healthy and exercise, but I honestly can't find the time without giving up sleep. How do you all do it? I know it's important to log everyday and I was doing really well for a little while and then school started back up again.

I've tried making my meals ahead of time and logging them into the system before I eat. That seems to work, but then the next week, I won't have time to make my meals for the week and I fall behind. Half the time, I'm eating on the run, or I eat something late at night when I get home from class. I try to keep only healthy options in the house, veggie burgers, vegetables, yogurt...those are pretty much grab and go type of things, but then I realize I'm not eating the minimum calories per day and as we all know, that's not healthy. I was walking during my breaks and lunch at work, but then I started having to do homework or study during those times and the walking trips stopped. My goal is to eat healthier, exercise more, and set a better example for my kids, not really to lose weight.

I have a little less than two years left in school, I'm not going to quit and I'm part of a cohort so I can't take less of a course load. I'm just busy, but I know that I can't be the only one like this! If anyone has any tips, I'd be thankful if you shared!

Thanks!!

DaniH826

I don't find the time ... I make it. I work and also homeschool, and my husband works full time and is a full time student. You make health a priority because at the end of the day, it's going to make you do much better in other areas of your life and will give you the strength and energy to pursue all those other things.

My0WNinspiration

YOU have to make yourself a priority.

brenn24179

Moms dont put themselves a priority. Find someway to do this. I just printed off my last weeks tracking, if nothing else you could eat what is on that sheet.

HPLW0705

I understand it's important. I have tried to make the time, I'm asking for what works for people. It's not that I don't get how important it is. There are 24 hours in a day, I work and I'm in school for 14 of those hours two days a week with the homework and studying that goes along with it. It's not like I'm making excuses.

trainguy917

I get up at 5am and go to the gym. If I try to work it in during the day, I have no chance many days.

OddChoices

I wake up at 4:30 everyday to be at the gym by 5:30. Time is such a luxury.

Bethie_B

Do your school reading while on the treadmill or exercise bike. Recite your notes into a recorder and listen to it while going for a jog. Have the kids do an exercise video at home with you, or take them outside to play ball.

rocket_ace

well - if you are seriously at your wits end - not eating works like a charm - just not recommended.

Topsking2010

There is 168 hours in a week. I find it hard to believe a person can't find time to exercise!!!


Nothing but Excuses!!!!

trogalicious

I don't find the time ... I make it.

yeah, just quoting this for emphasis. Any other response as to why you can't make the time is an excuse. There is no "..but..." response needed, just a "okay, so I will make the time."

lorby33

I suggest starting with small goals. Work out 2-3 days a week. Be good Mon-Fri with eating. Don't beat yourself up if you "mess up" one day by not eating the healthiest or missing a workout. Stay positive. Try to stay in the mentality that every day counts, not the mentality that you'll do it tomorrow. Good luck!

Astacia74

I think you need to find a healthy balance between making the time and finding the time. Depending on the age of your children, maybe you could involve them in your workouts. I am sure there are some great exercise DVD's that are kid-appropriate. Or, get some hula-hoops and have little competitions to see who can go the longest. If the weather is nice, get out to a park and play or plan a family (with or without hubby) hike or a foot tour of your city. Take the stairs instead of an elevator, park farther away from the store. While some of these may not, necessarily, be recordable, they will make a difference.

Groovyca2022

I don't find time...I make time. I consider preparing food + exercise = ME time.

onyxgirl17

Honestly, if you have enough time to eat... you have enough time to log it.

I am married (no kids) but a full time student and work as well. I'm gone from 8 am - 9 pm most days. I've logged over 240 days in a row. Why? I dedicate a few minutes to it each day. Maybe 5 minutes and that's it. Once you create "meals" you often eat the same meal many times so you can just log the meal instead of the individual ingredients.

You have to take time for yourself and your health... because if you don't, who will?

dlynnkind

I workout at work on my breaks and my lunch. This may not be an option for you, but I have a gym at work so I am lucky. I also have two kids and I went back to school and finished and my husband just finished his masters. I do abs/weights on my breaks and 30 day shred on my lunch break then eat at my desk. I usually cook chicken breasts or something on Sundays that I can take throughout the week. The crockpot has been good too. Check out skinnytaste.com. Is there something you can do at work to get moving even if you dont have access to the gym? Walk around the bldg, take the stairs. We also started a fitness challenge at work so for every 15 mins of excercise you get you earn one point. We are divided into teams and the competition helps keep us motivated.
I have tried waking up before the kids and working out then but it did not work for me. I also pack boiled eggs, fruit, veggies, nuts etc. that I can eat throughout the day at work. I know its overwhelming, but maybe just start with one goal and then add to it as you can. In the beginning, I simply did 1200 cals a day and ate frozen meals. I know thats not the best idea but I had to start somewhere.
Good Luck

Dana

jonnythan

I work full time. I go to school half time. I am captain of three tennis teams. I volunteer for the Red Cross. I participate in clinical research at a hospital. I shadow a physician every Saturday.

I don't find time, I make time.

I only spend about 1-1.5 hours in the gym 3 times a week. That's it. Actually logging my food just takes a few minutes.

MyOwnSunshine

Agree with others -- I don't "find" the time. I make the time.

I am a mom, I work full-time and go to school half-time. We don't have any family here to help us out with our daughter. Generally, if I'm not working, and my daughter is not in school, she is with me.

Find a gym that has free childcare and make it a priority to go. Stop eating out. Buy groceries. It really doesn't take much longer to cook something than it does to drive to a restaurant and sit in a drive-through line.

It's not something that just happens -- you have to purposely design your life to incorporate healthful behaviors.

HPLW0705

I'm asking for ideas to help make the time, not people telling me how easy it is for them to do it or telling me that I'm making excuses by saying that I'm lacking time. While I appreciate everyone responding, sometimes people just need ideas. The fact that I'm asking for assistance shows that I've been trying and what I've been doing hasn't been working.

Bethie_B, thank you for responding with a solution! I will definitely try the recording myself reading my notes while I run on the treadmill! That sounds like a great idea and something I can do and get my studying done at the same time. I have a treadmill that I used ot use frequently, so I'm all about it!

lizp114

I don't find the time ... I make it. I work and also homeschool, and my husband works full time and is a full time student. You make health a priority because at the end of the day, it's going to make you do much better in other areas of your life and will give you the strength and energy to pursue all those other things.

e




I agree with this 100% just what I was going to say...you have to MAKE time for yourself just like you make time for everything else you have or need to do...i'm not saying it will be easy but it willbe worth it...maybe workout when everyone is slerp...or you can find desk workouts to do as you study etc

reree6898

As was said, you have to make the time happen. I have 3 kids, work full time, am currently working on a masters degree, and have responsibilities with things at church so I can understand how having the time is hard. You mention that you make food ahead and log it in ahead of time some weeks, look at those times that you are able to do it as an example and follow that to find the time in the other weeks. Even if you could squeeze in 1 or 2 hours a week you could precook your food for the whole week and portion it out into easy grab containers for those rushed days. Then when it is hard to find time for walking, you could make it a family time with your kids. If you are in class for two days, that leaves you five days to find time for exercise. As it gets nicer outside take the kids for 30 minutes for a game of tag, or walking in a park a few times a week. Or when the kids are in bed at night get a 30 minute workout video that you can do from your living room. Despite everything I have going on in my life I have had to make me a priority in this and find the time to do what is right for my health. Ever situation is different and you just have to find what is going to work for you and then keep it up because it is worth it. Good luck to you.

HPLW0705

I workout at work on my breaks and my lunch. This may not be an option for you, but I have a gym at work so I am lucky. I also have two kids and I went back to school and finished and my husband just finished his masters. I do abs/weights on my breaks and 30 day shred on my lunch break then eat at my desk. I usually cook chicken breasts or something on Sundays that I can take throughout the week. The crockpot has been good too. Check out skinnytaste.com. Is there something you can do at work to get moving even if you dont have access to the gym? Walk around the bldg, take the stairs. We also started a fitness challenge at work so for every 15 mins of excercise you get you earn one point. We are divided into teams and the competition helps keep us motivated.
I have tried waking up before the kids and working out then but it did not work for me. I also pack boiled eggs, fruit, veggies, nuts etc. that I can eat throughout the day at work. I know its overwhelming, but maybe just start with one goal and then add to it as you can. In the beginning, I simply did 1200 cals a day and ate frozen meals. I know thats not the best idea but I had to start somewhere.
Good Luck

Dana

Thank you! The one goal at a time approach seems like something I can do. Trying to fit everything in at one time is a little overwhelming!

bcattoes

Instead of walking choose higher intensity workouts to get maximum benefits in a short amount of time. Calisthenics - squats, lunges, jumping jacks, burpees, pushups, pullups, etc. - are great for short workouts. Even if you only do 20-30 at a time and work them in throughout the day, you will see benefits.

When you have free time, you can choose exercises that allow you spend time together as a family such as biking, hiking, skating, swimming, etc. You don't have to free up a big block of time for exercise. Just work it into your busy life.

As for diet, try keeping small containers of pre-cut vegetables and pb or hummus in the fridge for higher calorie snack on the go. Or pre-portion nuts or trail mix into single serving containers. Premix salad ingredients that can be quickly rolled up in a high fiber wrap with some tuna, precooked chicken, hummus, egg salad, etc. for a portable meal. Make soups, stew or chili to quickly re-heat for meals. Make a large batch and freeze or can some for later. If you don't have time to chop and cook vegetables, buy prechopped frozen (or prechopped fresh if your budget allows).

samantha1242

2 jobs, school, volunteering.. I make time, I don't find it. Mornings, evenings. I used to walk every lunch hour at one of my jobs just to fit in something! You can do it, make the time

KrissyKris10

I think the most important thing is going to be your eating habits. If you have time for nothing else, then just focus on that. don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. just stay within your calorie range. perhaps set aside one day a week to do all your cooking. if that isn't possible then just keep those quick and easy items on hand like plenty of low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. i'm always having to eat on the go. I have the mfp app on my phone. I walk on my breaks. i study/do homework during my lunch. sometimes i even do my class readings while on the treadmill. make flash cards as part of your studying and have your kids quiz you as you are walking around the block. where there is a will, there is a way. We've heard the reasons why you can't. let's hear some reasons why you CAN.

DavPul

Buy the Eat This, Not That books. There's one for restaurants that will show you how to eat outside the house and lose weight and one for supermarkets to make it a lot simpler to eat at home. There's another one for grilling too. Those books changed my life and made losing weight while on the run a realistic goal for me

MyOwnSunshine

I do not watch TV anymore. Sometimes it is on in the background when I'm doing school stuff, but I don't have time for it otherwise.

Do you go to school and study all day every day? If not, create a schedule and designate 1 hour blocks of time every day for the gym, and 1 hour blocks every day for cooking meals.

I'm busy, but it's really not that HARD. I just stay organized and move from one thing to the next. I generally know how I'll be spending my time every day. It really comes down to making healthy eating and exercise as much of a priority as everything else. Use your time wisely and stay focused. Give yourself deadlines for studying and completing papers and projects. Schedule time with your kids every day -- dinner time is a great time for everyone to relax and regroup. Take time once a week to buy healthy groceries and plan meals.

The most important thing is to create a routine, even if you need to write it out on paper, and stick with it. There is no room for "I don't feel like it," in my life. If it's time to do it, it gets done, because there won't be more time later.

EmmaKarney

Yep - have to fit the gym in before work - then go and work a 12 hour day, 6 days a week.

Catch up on sleep on a Sunday if I can!

kooltray87

Really do have to make it a priority. Its easy to say you don't have time to exercise yet when there is an important meeting, or an errand comes up there is always time for that. 30 minutes is really all you need. You could even start with 25 at least. Try exercising with the kids.

rduhlir

My co-worker works a 12 hour job, has 4 kids, is pregnant with her 5th, her husband is a cop so also works demanding shifts, and yet she still finds time.

If you want this bad enough you will make time. Get a dvd workout set and do it with your kids. She does insanity with her 4 boys and they have fun doing it.

As for the lunches, prepare the lunch when you are putting food away from dinner. That is what I do, then I just measure out some snacks and toss in an easy breakfast (usually instant oatmeal or something like that) and I am good to go.

Me personally? I don't have kids yet, but I do have a demanding job. I work 2 on 2 off, 12 hour days. And often am shifting shifts every few months from days to nights. I still MAKE time. I still make sure to make my food to take with me.

MeanSophieCat

One important trick I learned from my husband - taking care of the kids doesn't mean doing exactly what they want 100% of the time. We work opposite shifts right now - so I frequently have the kids (2 years and 11 months).

Our living room is our TV room and play area. I will put on a workout video or even just find something on YouTube (1st 30 Day Shred workout is on there) and workout with the kids in the same room. Yeah - they tug on me and make it harder to concentrate - but I keep at it and they are learning that they can play 20-30 minutes without me supervising every move.

Last night, they didn't want mommy's workout on the TV - so they got one episode of Yo Gabba Gabba. During that episode I jumped, danced, and jogged - in the living room. I had my heart rate monitor on. 200 cals in 20 minutes.

Good luck finding creative solutions!