How do you fit it in?

Busy girl!

My suggestion for you is to do a Jillian Michaels DVD (30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, etc.) that takes about a half hour right when you get home from work at 6:30. You'll be done at 7, then you can start getting dinner together. You can look up lots of recipes online that take less than 30 min to prepare so you'll have time to get to class/start on your classwork.

Jillian's DVDs are super effective in such a short amount of time so doing this every day after work and then the usual bike rides and stuff on the weekend should do the trick.

Also, don't know if you're not sleeping enough due to time constraints or because you have trouble sleeping, but I had really bad insomnia. I was on some pretty heavy (and addictive) sleeping pills for years but now that I work out every day and eat right, I sleep better than I ever have before and no more pills!

Good luck!

I know this sucks...but I would say go before you go to work. My husband has to be to work at 6 am and goes to the gym everyday at 4 am. I don't have to be to work until 730 so I don't go until 530. It is a long day, but it could work. Good luck.

Ride a bike instead of a bus to work.

Just reading about your typical day was exhausting so kudos on just making it though all that. LIke a previous poster mentioned, Jillian Michaels DVDs would be a good option because they're less than 30 minutes but very effective. Perhaps rather than spending an hour every night making dinner you could some advance prep or cook a few things at once and then reheat? For example, I will make a small lasagna (four servings) and at the same time cook the ground meat for tacos which we can have another night, slice lots of veggies at once and put them in seperate containers so they're ready for things like soup, stirfry or salad depending on what I will make the next few nights. I usually make two or three meals at once and that makes the week easier for us. Soups might be a good option because they can cook while you work out.

spit on it....oh wait you mean your work out


priorities, last semester my schedule was similar, I was in the gym every day at 5am and not home from school until 930-10

How about squeezing in chair dips, squats, lunges, etc. in between stuff throughout the day? Admittedly, I've been busted doing all of those in front of the copier/printer while waiting on stuff...

Every little bit counts! Oh, and ALWAYS take the stairs every where you go!

Yeah your schedule has no time. You have to make time on the weekends for 2 cardio sessions. During the week lift weights 3x a week for 20 min and be very strict with your diet.

I will disagree with this. You're schedule ALWAYS has time...even if it's 10 minutes here and 20 or 30 there. Maybe wake up a tad earlier and try something like Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer or the various 10 minute solution DVDs you can find on Amazon. Then when you get home, try 30 Day Shred (as someone who dislikes Jillian a lot, I was surprised I liked the DVD so much) or Leslie Sansone walking videos or any other 20-30 minute video.

I'm strapped for time as well and this is what I do. On days when I have more time to have a longer workout, I try and take advantage of that.

It's always good to be strict with you're diet as that helps regardless. Double cardio sessions on weekends are great if you have the time and are feeling up to it. I even think that lifting some weight during the week is good, but you can find time during the week if you look hard enough. There are some great recommendations so far, so find what works for you and just do it!

You have really good ideas so far. Ride a bike to work (okay, it will probably mean you have to get up earlier). Make dinner for 2-3 nights beforehand.

I hate to say it, but riding your bike once a weekend is probably not a workout that's going to have any real results. I think you should take some time Saturday and Sunday morning to do something with higher intensity. It really doesn't look like your workdays have much flexibility to fit in a workout without sacrificing sleep, and that's okay, especially because getting sufficient sleep is more important than exercise. You're on your feet most of the day, that's great. Walking around a lot is the most beneficial way to live. At some point you will free up 3 hours a day from your life when you're done with grad school. Until then, I think weekends should be a workout focus and make sure you are getting enough sleep.

Get a crock pot and BAM! Dinner is cooking all day while you're working, giving you time to work out when you get home. Plus your house will smell really awesome

THIS! You can cook almost anything in a crockpot. Plus if you buy a larger one, you can have leftovers for a few days.

Ride a bike instead of a bus to work.

That's not always realistic for people. I live in an area that really isn't bicycle friendly not only because of the drivers, but because everything is so spread out!

Is there a different bus you could catch? My roommate parks about a mile from the bus station she catches that takes her into work. She has to walk that mile every morning and afternoon and gets her exercise in that way.