Fitting in exercise

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'm thinking that doing it first thing in the morning is the best idea, so I think I'll try that!

GOOD LUCK!!! This is something I would LOVE to do, i've tried many times but when my alarm goes off so early i have an awful habit of just turning the alarm off for another ten minute snoooooooze and then zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz that's it i'm gone, workout out the door - no more time!!!!!

Let me know how you get on, i may try myself for encouragement!!! lol!!!!

I am out of the house for work from 6:30am to 6:30pm, sometimes even later - I fit in my insanity workouts 6 days a week. It difficult but you must pre-plan dinners, I'll spend sometime Sunday making dinners that can be taken from the freezer and reheated easily. I get home eat and work out from about 8:30-930, shower and bed... its just making the committment and wanting it enough. Last night I really didn't want to work out, I got home at 8:15 but knew I'd regret it if I didn't... so I pushed through and once through the warm up I knew it was the right decision best of luck!

I can't get up early to work out - apparently that fiber is not in any part of my being. I make a goal every day to work out when I can - even if I have to break it up. Can you work out during lunch and walk on breaks? Does you office have a gym or offer discounts for memberships at an area gym?

If I were you I'd do a quick video like 30 Day Shred in the morning. It's only 20 minutes and works everything. Or go for a run. I typically go to the gym at 5:30, take my son to school, am home or running around all day with my 2 little kids, then work from 3-11. So I understand being busy. Getting a workout in early feels really good. I spend a good 1-1.5hrs working out on my days off from work.

I work 7a-7p 7 days straight. I get up at 4:30, out the door by 5ish. I am at the gym, get my workout, hit the showers at 6:20 am. Everything gets packed the night before. I bring breakfast, lunch, snacks and sometimes dinner to work. It takes planning and discipline. It does become a habit. Good luck!

I have had a two hour plus commute (each way) for the last 7 years.

A typical day for me is:

5:15 – 5:30 am wake up, roll out of bed, morning stuff

5:30-5:45 finish getting ready for work, check on the ferrets

5:45 – 7:45 commute time (includes a mile long walk from the train station to the office)

7:45 – 4:00 work, eat breakfast & lunch at desk, use my hour of break time to walk around Boston

4:00 – 6:00 (includes a mile walk to train station) commute home

6:00 – 9:00 cook, eat dinner, catch up with husband, play with the ferrets and clean their cages, straighten house, and at least 2X a week squeeze in a 30 to 60 minute walk or run. In the winter, this will change to 2X a week going to the gym for at least 30 minutes, but probably longer. I prefer to be outside though. If I feel I am not spending enough time with the ferrets, I will take one of them with me on my walk. Some weeks I do more but I try to aim for at least twice during the weekdays.

9:00 – 10:30ish – unwind, watch tv, read etc. Then sleep.

This obviously changes a bit day by day but it’s a pretty good idea of how often I am moving around walking/running.

Weekends it’s easier. Either Saturday or Sunday, I will devote a 3 hour block of time to walking and/or running. This means 3 hours of not doing something else. I am able to do this most weekends just by cutting out a movie or watching tv. I try to stay on my feet as much as possible during the weekend when I’m not walking or running. Almost every other weekend, I have something going on for the ferret shelter. Usually these things involve 2 hours+ of standing and passing out educational info at pet stores so it keeps me on my feet. If hubby and I are going somewhere, we try to make it somewhere we can walk around, like a day trip to another city or something.

I keep free weights in my house and I will use them at random times during the day. I might literally just do a few reps while waiting for water to boil on the stove or waiting for the last 10 minutes of laundry to be done etc.

Make it a habit.

You'll simply have to force yourself to do it. Doesn't matter if you feel like it or not. Just do it. After a while, a month or so, it will become a habit and not a chore. At least for me that's how it worked. It really is all about your inner motivation.

It is rough when working those kinds of hours.
As someone else suggestion, try to get in major workouts on the days you don't work. Fit in what you can on work days. Some of the kinds of things you can consider (not all will work for you):
* walk on the train (some places discourage this, but others don't mind)
* check out exercises you can do while sitting -- do them on the train, at work, you can even do some while driving
* if you have a desk/phone job, try to stand while on the phone (that doesn't work for me since I'm also demonstrating things on the computer during many phone meetings, but I know people who use their mobile phones and pace the halls while making calls), use a small hand weight or resistance band while on the phone or even while writing (focus on your other arm when exercising to balance), 1/2 leg lifts under the desk or table
* "sneak" in other "bits" of exercise -- march in place while you brush your teeth, do knee bends in the shower (careful about your balance)
* do whatever exercise you can over lunch and breaks
* if you can't exercise the amount you'd like, do what you can; don't make it an all-or-nothing choice
* try out different times... before breakfast, after breakfast, when you first get home, after you get home and take a brief break, once you find a time where you can fit in 5 minutes, can you figure out a way to make it 10 minutes?
* can you do something like eating your dinner on the commute home, so you have more time for exercise once you arrive? same for breakfast... if you aren't too hungry, could you wait and eat during your commute, giving yourself a few minutes to exercise.
It used to be thought that only intense, concentrated periods of exercise "counted", but research is now supporting the idea that exercise spread out over the day is also healthy.
Some people say it's just a matter of motivation, but I disagree. When you are working and commuting that many hours, it takes both motivation, but also some creativity to figure out how to fit in all the things that are important. You may need to try multiple things before you can come up with something that works for you. Good luck!