Staying motivated to work out after a long day of work?

megbee617
megbee617 Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a long commute to work, 1.5 hours each way. Much of the time I'm out of the house from 6:30am to 7pm, then come home and cook dinner. By the time all is said and done, it's 8pm and I'm wiped out, and all I want to do is go to bed because I get up at 5:30am to get ready for work all over again. I'm trying to get motivated on weekends to workout and try very hard to keep my food on track. But after such a long day, all I want is a piece of cake!

Any advice or tips?

Replies

  • Tanja_CHH
    Tanja_CHH Posts: 216 Member
    Is it possible for you to work out in the morning? then you can go to bed in the evening whenever you feel if your tired and itll make your evening less stress free
  • RangerJess
    RangerJess Posts: 32
    I was going to recommend a morning work out too. Do you have a gym close to where you work? I have the same issue as you do - a long commute and it involves public transportation. I found a gym close to my train station so I go from there to the train. I'm frequently exhausted in the evening, but I found the morning work out keeps me going during the first half of the day.

    I hope this helps!
  • Edwardo27
    Edwardo27 Posts: 34 Member
    3 hours of commute each day! That is shocking!
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    Either morning exercises or try to see if you can streamline dinnertime. Crockpot cooking, freezer cooking, etc. It might save you some time and let you get some workout time in after work.
  • Brookesworld104
    Brookesworld104 Posts: 32 Member
    It would honestly be the last thing I wanted to do at the end of a day like that! Any chance of a lunch time workout during the work day? or as others have suggested a morning one although the only way I see that working is if you are at the gym by 4:30 am which is tough, especially in colder climates during the winter.
  • tracymat
    tracymat Posts: 296 Member
    Is there a gym close enough to work to get in a lunch time workout? That's what I do. I can get a pretty good work out done in 30 minutes - some might think that 30 minutes isn't much, but it's better than nothing!

    I also find that it gives me some added energy for the afternoon.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    Morning workouts worked for me, even tho i'm not a morning person at all!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Maybe you can put your breaks and lunch together and work out in the middle of your work day. I used to do that when I had a long commute. There was a fitness center just up the hill from my office. Getting there, working out, freshening up, and getting back to my desk took 90 minutes, so with my breaks plus lunch (60 minutes), I only had to stay an extra 30 minutes at the end of my day. It worked out really well. I loved breaking up my desk job like that!
  • Leola2011
    Leola2011 Posts: 192
    Does your workday permit some time for a brisk walk, perhaps during your lunch hour? Or maybe you can take some dumbbells and/or bands to work and get in some strength training in your office, provided you have your own office...

    I've had to be creative about my schedule because I'm also a doctoral student with several children and a full-time job.
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    3 HOURS of commuting each day! Kill me now!

    I'd recommend a morning workout... Maybe a 20min walk or a workout video (the 30 Day Shred is 20-25 minutes). And maybe some crunches/biceps curls or something while watching tv in the evening?

    I do 20ish minutes on the treadmill each morning before work and do a weight routine in the evening 2-3 times a week (I always plan for 3, but only seem to get 2 in lol)
  • ldwash405
    ldwash405 Posts: 23 Member
    Just try to fit exercise in whenever you can. I try to get my workouts in during my lunch break, a walk after work, or I work out on the weekends when I am off. My schedule has to be flexible because I have kids and I just try to work exercise in whenever I can. Just go with what works for you.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Sounds like a rough road.

    First, I'd buy a crock pot. You are the perfect person to own one. You might also try a little relaxational cooking on the weekends and freeze some good food for warming up when you get home, put your feet up, and just relax.

    I also make soup in my crockpot on weekends and eat it over the week with some 5-minute-a-day artisan bread. You mix it up on Sunday and pop it into the oven every night.

    Salad bags and frozen veggies are your friends.

    Also TRY INVERTING YOUR MEALS. Make your big meal lunchtime and pack a lunch in the morning to eat at dinner time.

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    I wouldn't worry about exercise right now. However, I did find a site for exercises I can do at work for a break:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/>

    I also do tai chi at work in 5 minute batches just to clear my mind.
  • PBsMommy
    PBsMommy Posts: 1,166 Member
    I constantly go, go, go.... On top of that my husband works second shift ( 12pm - 9pm) and works about an hour from home. So he doesn't get home until 10 or later if he has to work overtime. We have a 10 month old daughter. So we get up about 7am every morning, get our daughter ready for daycare, get her food ready and then get ourselves ready and we depart ways. He usually takes her to daycare. I work 9-5, go get her from daycare, come home, feed her, play with her, get things ready for tommorrow, straighten up a bit, feed her again, bather her, put her to bed, workout, and then cook dinner. We usually don't go to bed until about 12, then repeat.

    I say all that, because it is possible. You just have to find a place to plug in your workout. I made all kind of excuses and sometimes to this day, I still find excuses not to just get up and workout...

    You also have to find what type of workout will fit your life. With my schedule and my life, I don't believe I could fit it in to workout at a gym, but I do workout videos at home. I am hoping soon the hubs and I can invest in some weight equipment. :)

    There are days were I do not feel like I want to work out and I just feel like laying around until the hubs comes home, but when I just suck it up and do it, I feel soooooo much better afterwards.

    Another word of advice, get you a bunch of SUPORTIVE MFP friends, not just the friend collector friends. My MFPs are so supportive!

    Also, because I saw someone else mention it. A crockpot is my life savior on some days. I am actually going to start freezing a month of dinners at a time. So all I will have to do is through one in the crockpot each morning!
  • kel9680
    kel9680 Posts: 173 Member
    well, I don't have a long commute, but I do work full time and have a family at home, and know how hard it is to stay motivated, I am NOT a morning person at all, so morning doesnt work for me, i've found that I have to work out as soon as I get home, I literally walk in the door, say hi to my family, get changed, and work out, i'm doing the 30 day shred right now, so its only about 25 minutes, as far as dinner, I either have something ready to throw in the oven while i work out, have something cooking in the crock pot, or my husband cooks while I work out, then we eat when I am done. I find if I wait til after dinner, all I want to do is sit down and relax. You just have to find what works best for your life, but even 25 minutes will make a difference, especially if its Jillian! lol and is better then nothing! Good luck!
  • freckledrats
    freckledrats Posts: 251 Member
    Morning workouts never worked for me. Not only was I a complete zombie and unable to burn as many calories that early (I just don't move as fast), I was basically the worst person to talk to all day when I tried. I vote lunchtime workouts. Those worked very well for me in the past, though now I do after-work. I would probably go back to lunchtime workouts if I commuted as long as you did!! Otherwise, I'm gonna echo what other people said: Morning if you can do that, lunchtime, streamline your cooking time and do the shorter Jillian Michaels workouts at home.
  • paigedmw
    paigedmw Posts: 6
    Could you possibly work out in a small area on your lunch break? Even if it is something light, every burnt calorie and every movement counts! Even if you're sitting down, look up some excersizes to suit you whilst you are at work. ????
  • gina145
    gina145 Posts: 148 Member
    I have at times gotten on the eleptical and watched a tv show or series on Kindle...then shower, bed..

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