Finding the TIME to Exercise??

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howdeelightful
howdeelightful Posts: 385
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, question for everyone. What are your suggestions for great, fast, effective workouts? I am an extremely busy wife and mother who works both a full-time and a part-time job. Finding it really hard to find the time and energy to exercise. HELP!!!
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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    You don't find time, you make time.

    What are your goals? Simple weight loss? Body composition? ???
  • NikkiSixGuns
    NikkiSixGuns Posts: 630 Member
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    I like the Jillian Michaels DVD's "30-Day Shred" and "Ripped In 30". Each includes several workout routines starting at a beginner level and working up in intensity. The "30-Day Shred" workouts take about 25 minutes each (including warm-up & stretches). The "Ripped In 30" workouts are closer to 35 minutes. Both give great total-body workouts in a short amount of time. Those might work well for you since you have little ones around the house and probably need to be there with them. You could also take a short run around your neighborhood. You'll find that you can get good results from a short workout as long as you really push yourself during the time you have. You don't have to exercise for hours to get results.

    It sounds blunt, but you really do have to make the time as opposed to finding it. It's tough. For my schedule, the only time that works is before work every morning. I sacrifice some pillow time to get my workout in, and even though 4:30 seems to come around really quickly every day I have NEVER regretted a single day of my workout!

    Good luck!
  • ShannaHeidelberg
    ShannaHeidelberg Posts: 30
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    I walk (fast) around the parking lot during my breaks at work. It may not be much but it's better than nothing. I started out walking for 3 minutes at a time because it's been a long time since I got any kind of exercise so I had to start out slow. I just got back in from my break and I walked 10 minutes this time. Yay!! Anything to get your heart rate up. Hang in there. A friend of mine tells me to take 1 hour a day for myself. We are worth it!
  • srhershey
    srhershey Posts: 181 Member
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    Jillian's 30 Day Shred is my favorite for a quick workout and it's only 25 minutes of your time. Since you are a mother, you can also take your child out for a walk as well. My daughter is 4 and one thing we do is the Kinects Just Dance because we both love to dance.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    I don't find it, I make it.

    Simple.
  • laurasnyder411
    laurasnyder411 Posts: 172 Member
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    I wake up at 4:45am to run/spin/whatever class my gym offers. I feel energized for the rest of the day!
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    Plenty of moms doing this. Read their stories.

    ALL SUCCESSFUL ladies ---> http://www.venusindex.com/transformation-contest/

    Many are young moms. This is an excellent women's workout, all body, designed to make you look good and be strong, its different every day. Just 1 hour for 3 days a week. Some break it up. Check out what it did for those ladies and you can even listen to their interviews and see how they fit it in.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Find the book "Convict Conditioning" don't be put off by the name, read it, do it. Starting off is a simple 2 day/week workout that literally takes minutes. It eventually builds up to be longer, but if you can't find 15-30 minutes of time, 2 days a week, you need to change your priorities.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
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    At lot members here wake up 30-60 min early to fit in a workout. If you can get up easily, I'd suggest that.
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
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    bodyrock.tv

    It is working for me. ~ 15 minutes a day.
  • MattyMcDevitt
    MattyMcDevitt Posts: 5 Member
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    There's a program called 10-Minute Trainer by Tony Horton (the guy who created P90X). It's an at home Total Body workout that u can complete in 10-12 minutes. I can answer questions if u have any. :)
  • sla1252012
    sla1252012 Posts: 24 Member
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    It sounds blunt, but you really do have to make the time as opposed to finding it. It's tough. For my schedule, the only time that works is before work every morning. I sacrifice some pillow time to get my workout in, and even though 4:30 seems to come around really quickly every day I have NEVER regretted a single day of my workout!

    Good luck!


    ^^This^^
  • RoxRae
    RoxRae Posts: 60
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    I am in the same boat as you as far as finding time to exercise. Everyone says "make time", but that can be VERY difficult to do. Especially with small children and working two jobs. I walk during my lunch hour. I put my iPod on and go. There have been a lot of days where I've just had to walk out on phones ringing, etc., but it's worth it. It only takes me a few minutes to actually eat, and the rest of the time I spend walking.

    Good luck! I hope you find something that works for you, your family, and your schedule. If you're like me, your children are your FIRST priority. That's just part of being a mom. If you can take them out and get them active with you, play a family game of kickball or something. Have a walking "race" around the park, your block, or the local high school football field.

    (((HUGS)))
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    we are all given the same finite amount of time. use it how you will.

    you have to make time, by buckling down and seeing what you can eliminate or consolidate. i've made more time by bulk cooking meals one day a week. i'll make 4lbs of chicken breast, pasta and meatballs, beans, rice, even a big pot of oatmeal. makes preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner much easier during the week. it frees up time for things like working out.
  • howdeelightful
    howdeelightful Posts: 385
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    Thanks to everyone so far! I am really looking for weight loss. I am about 50 pounds overweight right now, and would like to get healthier.

    I think I will look into the 30 day shred! Thanks for the suggestion. I'm normally out of bed at 6:30 to start getting myself and my son ready for the day. I get home about 7-ish, make dinner, play with him for a little bit, then at 9:30 we start our bedtime routine. That is normally over by 10:30 by the time he gets a bath, changed into pj's, tucked in, and read to. Then it is my turn for a shower, and my hubby and I are normally in bed by 11. The next day starts all over again. :-)

    Looks like I will have to either get up at 6 or stay up until 11:30 to push in some kind of exercise. Any other options I can do at home other than the 30 day shred?
  • mgempp
    mgempp Posts: 4
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    The first reply said it all. You simply need to make time. I am an employed Father of two little ones, and the only time I could make my workouts happen is in the morning when everyone was asleep, including our two dogs! I get up at 5:30 am and do my P90X workouts. I have actually found I have more energy throughout the day now versus when I slept in until 6:45 or 7! (Of course I go to bed about an hour after my kids at 9:30 pm!) That's it, no magic involved. Just make a plan and stick to it. The first two weeks were the hardest, and it is now my routine. I find getting up everyday (as P90X demands) is much easier then trying to get up early only three days a week and sleeping in the rest. Too much change for me. I set it, and forget it! Ha ha... Good luck! Oh, I can tell you that your kids will take notice of what you are doing for yourself! My kids love seeing me all sweaty and breathing hard when they wake up. Sets a great foundation to a healthier life for them as well! THAT is your motivation!
  • alilarmour
    alilarmour Posts: 32
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    I have 2 young kids (4 and 10 months) and my husband works away tues morning to thurs evening each week. I also work 3 days a week. I used to say I had no time to exercise but I was just making excuses cos I was too tired or felt I had too much else to do. I made time. Firstly I hired a cleaner so I didn't spend a few hours at weekends and during the week cleaning my house or moaning that I should clean my house or half heartedly wasting time cleaning bits of my house. £20 a week and that's one less thing for me to do and money well spent - instead of a gym membership that I wouldn't have found time to use. Secondly I signed up for a 10k run and believe me when I say I couldn't run the length of myself. Now I am up to running 10k twice a week and another run or two in between. A lot of us are doing the run for charity so twice a week I can usually find someone to run with which makes it easier. As soon as hubby gets home on a thurs evening I am away out the door running. I used to think I couldn't exercise then cos I was tired and only saw him from 7-9pm before going to bed. The run energises me so I stay up til 10 and he has the kids in bed while I have an hour or so pounding the streets free from hassle - bonus! I also run Mon evening when he is home. Those are my two definite times each week and I do at least 2 other sessions. I tried the 30 day shred and other dvds but only did them half hearetdly in the evenings so felt there was no point.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I get up an hour early on workout days.
    I think the problem is when you are new to this is thinking you need to workout every day.
    Really you only need 3 hours a week.
    So monday, weds and friday?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/23/batman-bodyweight-workout/
    I know it sounds corny and all but these are really great body weight exercises you can do on only 2 days a week!
    You must have 2 hours to yourself right?!
    Someone-Busier-Than-You-Is-Workout-Out-And-Eating-Right-from-Starling-Fitness.jpg
  • luvdachs
    luvdachs Posts: 30
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    I am a working mom too. I have two in college and two at home (ages 13 and 8). I work full-time, go to school part-time, and have kids in dance 4 nights a week and on Sundays. My 13 year old takes 5 different dance classes plus has solos and a duet that she is taking to competitions this winter and my 8 year old has 2 classes per week. We spend approximately 17-1/2 hours a week at dance <sigh>....And to top that off, my husband is deployed in Kuwait right now so things are pretty hectic at my house. I felt, as you do, that there just isn't any time to exercise when I am running 50 different directions every day. I have found as one of the other posters mentioned, that working out in the morning before everyone gets up to be my only option if I want to get fit again. I get up at 5am and workout for an hour and then start waking up the kids and getting my day started. I have to be at work at 7:30 in the morning and work until 4:30, then our first dance class starts at 5pm. I guess it just boils down to making a choice of losing an extra hour of sleep or not. It sure isn't easy, but I am hoping that the sacrifice will be worth it in the end when I am back to feeling good about myself :-D Good luck to you!!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Thanks to everyone so far! I am really looking for weight loss.

    That's great then. Weight loss happens when you sustain a healthy caloric deficit. And that doesn't require any exercise, just good eating. So you don't have to find time for anything... you just have to eat right.

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