Fitting in exercise with a busy schedule?!?

jemmamorgan
jemmamorgan Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there :) Im Jemma, and Im hoping to start a new healthy lifestyle - But I need help!

Im all for eating healthy, but I also want to start fitting in regular exercise into my routine. The problem is, I work 6 days a week, from around 8:30am until 6:00pm. I am exhausted, all the time!
I need any suggestions, tips or tricks people could give me on how to fit in exercise, even with my busy schedule. Even in small doses so that it wont feel impossible!

Anything would help! :)
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Replies

  • jono2970
    jono2970 Posts: 71
    I'm pretty certain you won't do evening exercise after such a long day. Do you think you could do a workout say 6-6:30am? I think that's the only way to approach. I am wishing you luck!
  • explodingalice
    explodingalice Posts: 158 Member
    I work long days myself, 6:30am-5:00pm. I just decided that as much as I'd rather stay in bed, I can get up earlier and go to the gym or do a DVD. And so I do. If you are able to pull that off, it might be the best way to fit it in. I find if I hold exercise off until the end of the day, I'm tired from work and more willing to skip. But if I do it in the morning, I actually feel *better* all day, energized, and rarin' to go!
  • cgraylyon
    cgraylyon Posts: 292 Member
    Morning workouts work the best for me when I have a busy day! I usually have more energy after a good workout! I heard 10 Minute Trainer is really good! Best Wishes!
  • plynn54
    plynn54 Posts: 912 Member
    you could try Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, its only 20 min long, its over before you know it. i watch it on youtube :)
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    I would start with a small goal of what exercise you want to try and maybe select 2 or 3 days that you will workout or even walk before or after work. I called my days Y days and I go almost no matter what. I work full time and volunteer. Plus married and have two sons although one is grown now but still at home. I go at least 3 times a week and still pretty much stick with its. Y day and I don't care but I am going.
  • LMSCROGG
    LMSCROGG Posts: 35 Member
    Getting up early is always good and even start working out on the one day you have off. Could you go straight to a gym after work even if only 30 minutes? Or the first 3 minutes when you get home?
  • MaudeBeige
    MaudeBeige Posts: 282
    A while ago I was in the 'zone'. I would do everything that needed doing and then go for a run between 1 and 2 am before getting up between 6 and 6:30am to go to work.

    I just CAN'T do it at the moment!

    For now the best I can do is moving fast from one job to another while I'm at work... For that I wear flat shoes! I also try to walk places instead of driving if I can manage it.

    I'm not managing to get any other expercise in.
  • omnisis
    omnisis Posts: 85 Member
    Do your cardio in the morning before breakfast -- stick to 20 mins tops -- this will boost your metabolism and get you a jumpstart on the the day. Then find a 3-4 day program of some resistance training routine (bodyweight, weights, kettllebells) to do throughout the week. Structure your workout/rest days so that they line up with your weekends / non-work days.

    If you want it bad enough you'll find the time. How many hours of TV / internet surfing do you do a week?
  • LifeIsNotADressRehearsal
    LifeIsNotADressRehearsal Posts: 745 Member
    you could try Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, its only 20 min long, its over before you know it. i watch it on youtube :)

    REALLY recommend this!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i would love to start work at 8:30am. i'd be at the gym when it opens at 6 and get in a solid hour work out, and then still have a half hour to shower and change and then an hour to get to work.

    we all have been given the same amount of time every day. we are all busy. if you really want to work out, you will find the time.
  • Missylydia
    Missylydia Posts: 304 Member
    I agree, get into a routine of going to bed a little earlier and working out in the morning, it leaves you feeling great and energised for the day and you sleep much better. I just start doing it (I was always a late to bed and stay in bed as long as possible kinda person) and I feel amazing!
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    There aren't any tricks so to speak. You just have to make it a priority. I work mon-fri 8-4:30, and I have a 4 year old. My Husband works out of town all week, so I can't leave in the morning before my son gets up. So I bought weights and get up at 5 am to lift. I've been doing C25K as well, so on run days I go after work before I pick my son up.

    It wasn't an automatic thing. I had to work at it, to find what I could stick with. I'm not a morning person at all, so at first getting up early was hard. But if you want to make the changes you will. Just play around with it, and see what works for you, that you can stick with. :flowerforyou:
  • neneboricua
    neneboricua Posts: 6 Member
    Another option is to do your workout at lunch time. Depending on the type of job you have, this may or may not be a good option.

    I have an office job. For the next 2 months, I'm working 10hrs/day, 6 days per week. I do 2hr workouts at lunch. I've arranged it with my boss that I get in an hour early and leave an hour late so I can do a solid 2hr workout. My lunch break is used to change/shower. I bring lunch from home and eat at my desk while working. This means that I get in to work at 8am and leave at 9pm. With such long hours, the company caters dinner, but the food they have is typically not that good for you or appetizing, so my wife (heaven-sent that she is) brings me dinner or I bring my own dinner when I'm working that late.

    For me, it's worth it. Working out at lunch is a good break in the day. Makes the long days seem more like 2 short(ish) days. I find that I feel more energetic in the afternoon when most people are starting to drag. I'm not a morning person and when I get home in the evening I'm literally done, so evening workouts suck for me.
  • dlpoisson
    dlpoisson Posts: 19 Member
    Hi - I also work 6 days a week and then have to come home and take care of my aging mom, clean house, husband, dog, bird, etc..... But, I still make it a priority to exercise. I usually get up between 5 and 5:45 and eat something light and then exercise. Most of my workouts are 30-40 minutes long. I have over 100 Exercise DVD's to choose from and some are just 8 to 10 minutes long. If you exercise effectively, you don't need to do long workouts. If you have any questions on any specific DVD's, please let me know!

    There was a time that I was getting up much earlier to get my workouts done by 6:15 am each morning, but losing out on that extra hour of sleep wasn't worth it in my opinion. So now, I do more at night and less in the mornings to get that little extra bit of sleep in.

    Also, make sure it is something you like to do. If it a workout that you don't enjoy doing, it will be harder to get up. For example, I truly dislike most high-impact workouts, so I do mainly strength training and that works very well for me.
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
    I work 8:30 - 5:30pm and when I get off work I just don't feel like working out. After some trial and error I found that mornings work best for me. I get up at round 6am and work out for 45 minutes to an hour four mornings a week. If you're not a morning person it helps putting the alarm in another room, I had to do this for awhile or I would hit the snooze button for a half hour. You can also try fitting in short walks during your lunch break.
  • CaptainCranky
    CaptainCranky Posts: 43 Member
    I usually try to do some push-ups and sit ups the first thing when I get home, before I start anything else. I just tell myself I'm only going to do 5 minutes of exercise but I usually end up doing more.
  • jemmamorgan
    jemmamorgan Posts: 4
    Thanks to everyone who has posted, its a great way to motivate me and some suggestions are really awesome. I'll take everything on board. Im really gona try get up early and fit early work outs into my routine, I guess Im just really worried, as I usually get like 6 hours sleep, and Im still tired, so even less is scary lol.
    But to be honest it does sound a million times better to do it in the morning than attempt it at night!
    Thank you everyone x
  • mdamrow
    mdamrow Posts: 92 Member
    Try working out in the morning. That's what I did when I first started and found lots of excuses when I got home from work. I also do a lot of 20 minute Jillian Michaels or Denise Austin videos because I feel like they give me a good workout, but aren't time consuming. Good Luck!
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
    stop making excuses...

    most gyms open around 5 or 6 am so you can get in there and workout if you really want to shower at the gym then off to work
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    you could try Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, its only 20 min long, its over before you know it. i watch it on youtube :)

    Good idea. If I couldn't do it first thing in the morning, then a short, intensive session after work would be my second choice. :)
  • Lacebopp
    Lacebopp Posts: 92 Member
    I work behind a counter, so when I'm not with a customer, I do leg lifts, squats and high steps. Sometimes I get a bit of twists and turns in there as well. The most important thing is to keep moving! On my 10 min breaks, I'm out walking the parking lot. If you work in a multi story building, take the stairs. It's all about the movements, not what kind! :) Good luck!
  • kirlia
    kirlia Posts: 81 Member
    Contrary to every other person on this thread, I work out at night. I used to work til 9pm, and I'd go to the gym right after and get home by like 10:30. Nowadays I only work til 4pm, but I still go to the gym right after. It's hard enough for me to wake up in the morning, so asking me to work out then just doesn't fly. It's all personal preference - as long as you find some time, you should be good. And you CAN find the time, if you really want to! Good luck :o)
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    You're going to have to decide to make it a priority. We're all busy in different ways -- I work two jobs (one 40 hours, and one 10 hours) and am a part-time student. I go to the gym or pool every day after work, unless going will present a conflict with getting to an event, concert, or lecture on time. Does it add more stress to my schedule? Absolutely. Is it a necessity, and therefore I make it a priority to fit it in? Yes.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if this is repetitive. I work almost the same schedule. I go in at 5am. Yes, that means I'm up at 4:30. My routine is about 45 mintues, I come back home, eat, shower and go to work. I do this 4 days a week. Mon and Tuesday. Then, Thurs and Friday. My evenings are free.

    At first, you will want to die. But, after a while, you are going to be amazed at your energy levels. After a few weeks, you will never feel exhausted again. Seriously. Lift heavy, don't just do cardio.

    I didn't see if you had kids or not. I assume not because you didn't mention them. I have kids too. Single dad. So, if I can work it out, anyone can.

    My daughters name is Jemma.

    The reason I chose mornings is not because I like it, but because the evenings at the gym are absolute chaos. Too many people, everyone is grumpy and in a hurry to get in and out. In the morning, everyone is happy, and there are not that many people. I mean every single station and machine is wide open. It's very nice. I recommend going early.
  • valleylife209
    valleylife209 Posts: 11 Member
    I'm In the same boat as you from a schedule stand point. I was dealing with the same problem. I tried to work out after work but didn't always have the energy to after a crazy day at the job. So I started going an 1-2 hours before each day and it has been working great. The best part about working out in the AM is that you don't have that in the back of your mind all day.
  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
    I work 830-530ish, depending on when the last kid is picked up. I started with DVDs at home after work, I am not a morning person.
    After several weeks it was normal and now I go to he gym. I found not making myself have a set time but just doing it, was easier for me sometimes I do it at 6 sometimes at 8, sometimes in the afternoons as long as I do it.

    I also coach my daughters cheer team from 6pm-8pm two nights a week and games on weekends. On practice days I try to bring a change of clothes and run and stretch with the girls.

    You could try to walk during lunch if you have a long enough one.

    Good luck
  • carfamily08
    carfamily08 Posts: 179
    I do the 30 Day Shred at night after my kids are in bed. My youngest is still up a couple times a night to eat so I can't rely on getting up before my kids on a regular basis. I thought it would effect my ability to sleep but it hasn't at all. I usually work out around 8-9pm and am asleep by 11pm most nights. I actually think I'm sleeping better now!

    Anyway, 25 minute DVD 5-6 times a week and I'm 2 days from finishing now (tonight and tomorrow!) and I've seen AMAZING results. I'm moving on to rotating her Ripped in 30 and Banish Fat, Burn Metabolism programs next :)
  • Gpan01
    Gpan01 Posts: 1
    HI, I can understand a busy schedule I work 60-70 hours a week. I find it most help full to work out in the mornings. at night I am just to tired. Also having a plan of what you are going to do for your work out is key. If you have a plan it is easier to force yourself to do it.

    Good Luck!
  • flatblade
    flatblade Posts: 224 Member
    My work schedule bounces around and it takes approximately 45 minutes from the time I leave home to get to work, so an 8-hour day is really at least ten. However, having an empty nest leaves a lot less distractions from getting my exercise in. When I work early (start at 6 or 6:30 AM), I exercise after work. When I work late (start at 8 or 8:30), I work out before I clock in. I have found the time. I work out almost every day, but usually not more than 45 minutes, so that I make my bus.
  • Changing_Charity
    Changing_Charity Posts: 197 Member
    A lot of the time I feel too tired to exercise, but I have found that if I just get up and make myself do it and after i FEEL SO MUCH BETTER and actually have more energy.

    A friend of mine on MFP made a post about making time for exercise and she made some really good points...here are some quotes from her post:

    "Here's the answer. You MAKE the time. You MAKE yourself a priority. BE selfish about this. It's your health, it's your life. It is important.

    Do you spend ANY time watching TV? Take that thirty minutes and exercise instead.

    Do you spend ANY time checking facebook, MFP, Instagram, reddit, message boards, Pinterest, etc? TAKE THAT TIME BACK.


    Reprioritze. Chances are that you DO have thirty-sixty minutes a few times a week to give up something you're doing, and replace it with fitness.


    Incorporate YOUR fitness into your schedule.

    Are you a busy parent with kids in activities? Schedule yourself exercise time right into that busy schedule just like you would an activity for your kid.

    Are you a busy student spending loads of time studying? Schedule in your exercise just like you would a class or study session.


    If you want this badly enough, I promise you, you can make it work.

    It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it.



    No more excuses."






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