Struggling

looking2getfit
looking2getfit Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there I am 33 years old I have been struggling to lose my weight and Christmas didn't help. Now it's the new year I am working fulltime I have only 2 days off but i still have no time to exercise I am cleaning my house. Any suggestions
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Replies

  • cmcmommy
    cmcmommy Posts: 197 Member
    start by walking even if its only for 15 min work in another 10 min each day . I did this thru the summer and lost around 45 lbs
  • rwhyte12
    rwhyte12 Posts: 204 Member
    Hi. I would like to suggest getting moving on your breaks at lunch. I play basketball with friends or myself at lunch. I also do walking. Some of the ladies at my workplace are playing 'The Biggest Loser' and so on Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is the Jillian MIchael's video 30 day Shred played for about thirty minutes of the lunch hour. Two of the people go out for a run at lunch and sometimes snow shoeing at the moment.

    Also, I go swimming with my kids on Friday night. You could always borrow someone's kids?

    Good luck.
  • cchatman74
    cchatman74 Posts: 8 Member
    How about putting on some music and dancing around while you are cleaning up. Do calf raises while you are wasing your dishes, shake your booty while vaccumming, do some squats while cooking, take a 5 minute break and do some sit ups, push ups, russian twists. Anything. I struggle too because i work full time and have 2 boys that are active in sports so i barely have time to do anything but i'm trying and that's all you have to do is try. When you work full time sometimes all you want to do is veg out, but we are going to have to find a way to work it at the same time. Good luck in your weight loss.
  • MariaHammer750
    MariaHammer750 Posts: 86 Member
    I started with 10 minutes and increased it by 1 min a week. I am up to 24 min a day now. Every little bit helps and BTW housework is exercise so be sure and count that. Many people on MFP do.
  • reklawn
    reklawn Posts: 112 Member
    Focus on your diet instead. How many calories are you eating?
  • hippy2skippy
    hippy2skippy Posts: 98 Member
    Do you have steps in your house? If so, perhaps you can do, say, two minutes of walking or running up and down (safely of course, especially if they have carpeting!) several times a day. Every little bit helps toward your goals!
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    Focus on your diet instead. How many calories are you eating?

    This!! When I started, I lost 30 pounds just by counting my calories. No regular exercise at all.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
    1. I have never taken 2 days to clean my house. 2 hours, yes. 2 days? No.
    2. 90% of losing weight is eating the right things and portion control- 2 things you can practice while working full time.
    3. When you have the food part down, try adding quick exercises to your daily routine. Acquire an accountabilibuddy to keep you honest.
    4. No more excuses. If you are awake enough to complain that you're too tired to do 10 crunches, then you're awake enough to do those crunches. If you work a full time job and have kids, then you have a reason to play catch with them after work. If your excuses start with the words "If only..." then you need to make it a reality. "If only I had a gym membership" can turn into "I don't need a gym membership; my yard and house are a gym." "If only I could afford Slim fast" turns into "Who needs Slim fast when you have real food?"
    I hope this helps.
  • nenacakesxo
    nenacakesxo Posts: 118 Member
    Hey dont feel bad. I also had a hard time transitioning from christmas breakand it has taken me a whole month to get back into my routine. The important thing is to remind yourself why youre doing this: for you. I understand its hard to make time but give yourself an hour a few times a week to startoff. You'll be fine :)
  • just4nessa
    just4nessa Posts: 459 Member
    I would suggest just focusing on staying within your calorie goals for right now. Log everything you eat. I had no desire to exercise and thought that would hinder my progress but it absolutely didn't. After losing 30 lbs I found myself wanting to exercise to improve my overall fitness level and body composition. For me, when I really want something I can find a way to make time for it. Good luck to you! :flowerforyou:
  • MsDover
    MsDover Posts: 395 Member
    All I can say is, you have to REALLY want it.... when you do, you'll make the time!
  • winterswish
    winterswish Posts: 162
    How about putting on some music and dancing around while you are cleaning up. Do calf raises while you are wasing your dishes, shake your booty while vaccumming, do some squats while cooking, take a 5 minute break and do some sit ups, push ups, russian twists. Anything. I struggle too because i work full time and have 2 boys that are active in sports so i barely have time to do anything but i'm trying and that's all you have to do is try. When you work full time sometimes all you want to do is veg out, but we are going to have to find a way to work it at the same time. Good luck in your weight loss.

    Yep! Totally agree with adding extra oomph! to whatever you're already doing and music a great way to do it. I crank it up (or put on headphones) while I do my housework and I find that I dance a little more or move a little faster. Park your car farther away from the shop or work and walk in, or take a bus/train stop a few blocks early and get in some extra steps. I do squats or wall sits while I'm brushing my teeth on ambitious days, on not so ambitious days I march in place while I brush.

    I can be done, ya just gotta find those tiny opportunities and focus on your nutrition. Good luck! :)
  • adoreabella
    adoreabella Posts: 87
    I only have two nuggets of wisdom:

    1: Make time to exercise. You will never find it, you have to make it. Schedule it into your day, make it non-negotiable, start at 10-15min and work up. Trust me on this one. I went from zero exercise (started on weight watchers) and now I do an hour of kickboxing six times a week.

    2: Keep a positive attitude about your journey and what you want to accomplish. Focus on the good things. Tell yourself you can do it, you are worth it, you deserve it. Having the right attitude is half the battle.

    Good luck. I know you can do this :)
  • calamity71
    calamity71 Posts: 207 Member
    If you can just start off with getting some walking in during your breaks, it adds up. Two ten minute walks is 20 minutes of exercise a day. and then If you can get some additional time in on the weekend that is great. For me it was learning to make exercise a priority. I walk during my breaks (and started with just that). I now come home and do a 30 minute video before I do anything else. If I make dinner, sit to relax for a minute, etc...it wouldn't happen. I make a goal each week of the amount of exercise I am going to get it. I write it down and make sure I get it, even if it is just 10 minutes at a time.

    Also, make sure you are eating your minimum calories, and eat back most of your exercise calories. The fact that I got to eat more when I exercised was a total inspiration! When I stayed at 1200 calories exercise or not, I wasn't successful. Everything has changed. I also focus on eating healthy, being at calorie goal and getting my exercise in, rather than how much I am losing each week. That is super helpful. Good Luck.
  • TheDarlingOne
    TheDarlingOne Posts: 255 Member
    I have just finished my 1st month of dedication on MFP - no exercise other than randomness (my friend and i on a whim chose to go bowling one afternoon, etc) - I just focused strictly on logging my cals - and even that wasn't hardcore. I'd miss a day or so - but always tried to be mindful of quantity i was consuming (ie: eating only 1 kitbar a day, instead of say 3 in december haha) - and in the 1st month i lost 9lbs w/o exercise.

    so i agree w/ the other posters - focus solely on the diet for now - and when the weight comes off you'll feel more like exercise - and when you "feel" like it - magically ways fit in to have some exercise in your day lol. :)

    I set myself a goal for FEB - now that I'm down almost 10lbs - I said - how bout....25 miles in 1 month. Feb has 28 days, so that gives me some "something's come up" days to spare - and a simple mile a day - so now that i've come down on some weight, i was able to strategically plan ways to get this done.

    hope that helps :)
  • XDiet_SlayerX
    XDiet_SlayerX Posts: 88
    Hello. Have you thought about keeping a weight loss journal along with adding more activities throughout your day to burn extra calories? Cleaning burns calories too obviously and I would recommend walking as much as you can. Try not to use your vehicle if your grocery store or convenience store is a couple of blocks away. :smile:
    tumblr_mhlt8mK7y01rmgfcpo1_500.jpg
  • KirstenTheFamilyCoach
    KirstenTheFamilyCoach Posts: 327 Member
    Here's a bit of tough love to all those who say "I have no time to exercise". YOUR ACTIVITIES ILLUMINATE YOUR VALUES. Find out where you ARE spending your time. Do a little time study on yourself for a week. Write down a general idea of what you are doing in ½ hour increments on a calendar for a full week. At the end of the week color code them into categories (and include “wasting time on the internet” and “television”). No one else is going to see this so be honest with yourself. I have done this over and over and over with people and never, not even one time, was the person not surprised at how much time they really did have. And every single time the person came back and said how astonished they were to have a visual representation of what they actually value. Again, no one else needs to see this so be honest with what you are actually doing with your time. And before you think I’m being all judgmental – I do this on myself every quarter so I can re-evaluate how I spend my time and identify where I could be making better decisions. Good luck and feel free to friend me if you want some help or support in doing this.
  • slimkitty80
    slimkitty80 Posts: 4
    Yeh walking is fab. I ditched my car for geting to work and now I walk there and back 40 mins each way. It was a killer at first but i soon got used to it. Just little things like dancing around to music or cleaning your car, floor changing beds, mowing the grass anything like that,, put your favourite tunes on and promise yourself not to sit down until all your things are done. Before you know it youve done a workout!! Add me if you like and we can share tips and motivation. :laugh:
  • galipemi1
    galipemi1 Posts: 68 Member
    Hello. Have you thought about keeping a weight loss journal along with adding more activities throughout your day to burn extra calories? Cleaning burns calories too obviously and I would recommend walking as much as you can. Try not to use your vehicle if your grocery store or convenience store is a couple of blocks away. :smile:
    tumblr_mhlt8mK7y01rmgfcpo1_500.jpg

    I LOVE this!!! Now to print it off and hang it on the ceiling over my bed :D
  • RMNPHike
    RMNPHike Posts: 89 Member
    Take your kids out to walk with you on the weekend days, or park them in the playground and walk/jog around the park where you can still keep an eye on them. Make that weekend outing part of the schedule even if you have chores to do. I don't know how old the kids are, but even if they are little, it's good to give them something they can do to help you with the housework. The going out to "play" can be their reward. If you work at a desk, set a reminder to get up and move for 5-10 minutes at least every 2 hours, walk briskly wherever you go - take a break outside if it's nice enough or go up and down stair in your office building if you have one. Plan your lunches and bring them to work (much easier for counting calories than eating out!), so you can squeeze in a little exercise over lunch, like walking. And definitely count calories.
  • rdcphone572
    rdcphone572 Posts: 75 Member
    Holidays are tough for most of us so don't worry. I just loss the pounds from the holidays through January and now am down to two less than November weight. Focus on the calories (and carbs if you are like me). I didn't focus on exercise until I got 10 pounds off and started feeling better, less tired. Now, I just get up from my desk and go walking around the parking lot for 15 minutes. Sometimes I can only get one or two 10 minutes due to travel or meetings. Sometimes I get home and just do two quick trips up and down the stairs. Having a family and a demanding tech job can make you not work it in but grab the minutes wherever you can. Focus on your calories in first, then some walking, and it will work out. Working it in your normal life as you go will probably make it more sustainable. Good luck and blessings on your journey to a healthier you!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Focus on your diet instead. How many calories are you eating?
    This. Weight loss is about diet.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    This can mostly be done by eating right. There's time I've exercised a lot, but I've also done this through out a liver resection (3 months bed rest + lots of recovery), fybromyalgia flare ups and generally had bad luck with my immune system being down since liver surgery.

    I've had good times where iv exercised a lit, and lost well but my biggest success comes when I've got the food spot on! Keep the carbs moderate and get plenty of protein, water and fiber and the weight will come off...

    Exercise may speed it up a little, it will help with cravings and you'll feel better psychologically and more focused. This can be done without doing loads though.

    Park The car further away, take the stairs, short walks when you can. Get the family to help clean on a Saturday morning, so you can all do something active in the weekend. Last year I plated basket ball, went for bike rides and lots of walks with my family. They lived it and it did us all good!

    Get up 15 mins earlier. Hard at first, but energises you doing a work out in the morning and makes you feel happier all day. 15 mibs isn't too taxing. Give it a go! When all else fails just be strict with your numbers... They'll carry you through.

    I currently recovering from pneumonia but I know sticking to my carb limit ill keep things moving!

    Zara x
  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
    You need to make time for the things that are important to you.

    Get your husband/boyfriend and children to help out with the house work and I know this might not happen depending on your circumstances and children's ages.

    You can always find ways to get in some exercise even while watching the children. Play with them. Do some dumbell exercises and body weight exercises while watching them. Find 10 minute periods of time to go for walks. Take your children for walks with you.

    And you certainly have time on your two days off.

    I can come up with a lot of reasons not to eat right and exercise...
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Cleaning can be a good workout. Do it with vigor! Also, put more steps into your day anyway that you can. Park far from the entrance of wherever you are going. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Etc.

    You can do it!
  • zentha1384
    zentha1384 Posts: 323 Member
    Do you leave time to watch tv? If you do try exercising while you do so. I have a stationary bike in my living room and this is what I did, and if I want to know what happens next I have to keep going.
  • jadethief
    jadethief Posts: 266 Member
    I get up early before work and do one of the walking at home dvds. I do this in my bedroom on my laptop, so no one else in the house is disturbed by it. I also spend one of my breaks at work just walking up and down the stairs in my building. If the weather's nice, sometimes I'll just get up from my desk and go out and walk around the building a couple of times.
  • araes2102
    araes2102 Posts: 18 Member
    1. I have never taken 2 days to clean my house. 2 hours, yes. 2 days? No.
    2. 90% of losing weight is eating the right things and portion control- 2 things you can practice while working full time.
    3. When you have the food part down, try adding quick exercises to your daily routine. Acquire an accountabilibuddy to keep you honest.
    4. No more excuses. If you are awake enough to complain that you're too tired to do 10 crunches, then you're awake enough to do those crunches. If you work a full time job and have kids, then you have a reason to play catch with them after work. If your excuses start with the words "If only..." then you need to make it a reality. "If only I had a gym membership" can turn into "I don't need a gym membership; my yard and house are a gym." "If only I could afford Slim fast" turns into "Who needs Slim fast when you have real food?"
    I hope this helps.

    This!
  • 130annie
    130annie Posts: 339 Member
    Hi there I am 33 years old I have been struggling to lose my weight and Christmas didn't help. Now it's the new year I am working fulltime I have only 2 days off but i still have no time to exercise I am cleaning my house. Any suggestions

    Okay after you cleaned your place....Come and clean mine!
  • johned63
    johned63 Posts: 306 Member
    This is a great video, watch it and see if you can't maybe find 10 minutes here and there to take a walk or do a little bit extra.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

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