Struggling to work AND exercise

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2

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  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Your more intense exercises could be on your day(s) off work, and you could try for something shorter or less intense or low impact on work days. You're already very active at your job. Just don't eat all the calories burned back and then some like I did, with sugary snacks and sodas. Good luck!

    PS: I'm not a biker but my sister is/was. She said hers cost $10 I'm guessing 2nd hand and she rode it all over campus, to work, etc. she worked two jobs as well as going to school full time. One of the jobs may have been full time (night shift). Anyway, biking to places you gotta go anyway is a way to include more exercise, unless you're already walking for transportation, hah.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    If you want to make it work, you will. Try working full time, driving an hour each way to work, having a 4 year old and a husband, and volunteering 2 nights a week and see if you can fit in exercise. I did.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Any by the way...don't let these people talk you down...sometimes it feels like its a lot of pressure. Make baby steps at first and exercise will become easier with time :)

    Everyone telling the OP she "can" fit in time to exercise is talking her down??? :huh:
  • misti777
    misti777 Posts: 217 Member
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    What you do at work counts as really good exercise to me.
  • arianae0809
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    I also think you are not sedentary so please keep this virtual in your work lifestyle in mind. So, I think you are getting a work out, as well.
  • Dbernier1981
    Dbernier1981 Posts: 39 Member
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    Any by the way...don't let these people talk you down...sometimes it feels like its a lot of pressure. Make baby steps at first and exercise will become easier with time :)

    Everyone telling the OP she "can" fit in time to exercise is talking her down??? :huh:

    Hmmm let me quote what I am talking about -

    "Excuses, not reasons.

    I am 43 years old. I work full time (salary, so that makes it MORE than full time). I go to the gym at 0300 each morning. If I wait until after work, it isn't happening. I get my full day accomplished BECAUSE I go to the gym at 0300. It gives me the energy to get through the day. Stop convincing yourself you don't have the time. You do. Decisions determine destination."

    "This reaffirms something i've heard before, that some people would rather sleep then be successful. "

    Soooo...I was only meaning to not make her feel guilty about feeling like she lacks the time and let her know she can do it without making her feel she is using "excuses"...no harm meant Joy...just being supportive. I did see a lot of comments after that were helpful so that was lovely
  • buzbydruke
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    When I don't have time to exercise, I find ways to incorporate exercise into my routine so that I won't need to visit the gym and save myself a trip. Some of the hacks I've used are: park farther away from my destination than I need to, so I walk further. I used a fitbit to measure and ensure I get in a certain number of steps per day. I do housework more regularly, like vacuuming and mopping (even if it doesn't look dirty). I also use the basket instead of the cart in the store. This is awesome because it helps me buy less. I only want to put the things that I must have into the basket because it' gets very heavy. I bring a drink of water with me every time I get into the car to drive somewhere, so I stay extra hydrated. I also ride my bicycle around my neighborhood or go for a jog around my home so I don't have commute time to get to the gym.

    Good luck with everything! You can do it! And you've got a lot of people interested in your success right here!
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    Any by the way...don't let these people talk you down...sometimes it feels like its a lot of pressure. Make baby steps at first and exercise will become easier with time :)

    Everyone telling the OP she "can" fit in time to exercise is talking her down??? :huh:

    Hmmm let me quote what I am talking about -

    "Excuses, not reasons.

    I am 43 years old. I work full time (salary, so that makes it MORE than full time). I go to the gym at 0300 each morning. If I wait until after work, it isn't happening. I get my full day accomplished BECAUSE I go to the gym at 0300. It gives me the energy to get through the day. Stop convincing yourself you don't have the time. You do. Decisions determine destination."

    "This reaffirms something i've heard before, that some people would rather sleep then be successful. "

    Soooo...I was only meaning to not make her feel guilty about feeling like she lacks the time and let her know she can do it without making her feel she is using "excuses"...no harm meant Joy...just being supportive. I did see a lot of comments after that were helpful so that was lovely

    I do not see a single unhelpful comment in any of those you selected, nor do I see a bit of "talking down", as you call it. Perhaps you are overreacting a smidge?

    OP, I also get up and get my workout done first thing in the morning. It clears the day for whatever else I have to do, or want to do.
  • jennz81
    jennz81 Posts: 194 Member
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    I know how you feel. I have a physically demanding job which requires me to move and lift things quite a bit. I try to hit there gym during my days off, as it's the only time that I have the extra time and energy to work out.
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    When I'm in the salon. On my feet 9am - 5/6/7pm with little to no breaks and food. That's my reason I cannot workout before work, I simply don't have the time to refuel my body for a long day.
    I also have a spine/nerve problem which is aggravated by workouts and work so by the end of the day I'm in too much pain.

    But I tell you what I do, I walk. At least 5 miles. On days off I'm reaching 8-10 miles. It's a great workout and doesn't hurt my neck and shoulders and I can do it even if I'm tired! Unless I find a big hill, then I'm on the floor :P

    I'm hoping to get a job in a supermarket too and know its long days but there is always something. Just start with walking and build up!
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I do not see a single unhelpful comment in any of those you selected, nor do I see a bit of "talking down", as you call it. Perhaps you are overreacting a smidge?

    Ah. Hopefully we just have different definitions of being talked down to, and the posters really did have kind intentions. The way I see it, OP is a responsible student studying full time and working a highly physically demanding job and looking for ideas on more activities. Essentially calling her a juvenile whiner making excuses because she hasn't yet had the idea to wake up at 3 AM everyday and get two hours of sleep seems unnecessary to me. I mean, they still attend class, study, do homework and prepare for tests in school nowadays, don't they? Again, hopefully folks were just being blunt and either way, OP would get some great ideas from their posts!

    OP, here's one more somewhat over the top idea to consider: don't work a highly physically demanding job. Get another one, continue to keep an eye out for better financial aid. Don't forget your primary purpose for being in school which is to study and get great grades. Especially if you do not yet have heavy financial responsibilities, you have the rest of your life to work a job!
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    I do not see a single unhelpful comment in any of those you selected, nor do I see a bit of "talking down", as you call it. Perhaps you are overreacting a smidge?

    Ah. Hopefully we just have different definitions of being talked down to, and the posters really did have kind intentions. The way I see it, OP is a responsible student studying full time and working a highly physically demanding job and looking for ideas on more activities. Essentially calling her a juvenile whiner making excuses because she hasn't yet had the idea to wake up at 3 AM everyday and get two hours of sleep seems unnecessary to me. I mean, they still attend class, study, do homework and prepare for tests in school nowadays, don't they? Again, hopefully folks were just being blunt and either way, OP would get some great ideas from their posts!

    OP, here's one more somewhat over the top idea to consider: don't work a highly physically demanding job. Get another one, continue to keep an eye out for better financial aid. Don't forget your primary purpose for being in school which is to study and get great grades. Especially if you do not yet have heavy financial responsibilities, you have the rest of your life to work a job!

    I didn't see anything but kind intentions, but you also seem to see the world in a completely different light from myself. You see, I would assume that if she is working while at school, it is because she actually has to, otherwise, why work? But you seem to be under the impression that your idea that she should simply (<---- I really am LOLing at that one :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ) get a less taxing job or not work at all is more enlightened and feasible. We don't know anything about where she is coming from here, but I'm going to come from the idea that she has to work because that is what she is doing, and perhaps her taxing job is paying her enough to allow her to only have to work one job, rather than multiple jobs (as I did) in order to pay her way through school (as I had to). You see, not everyone has their schooling paid for, not everyone has those funds saved up for them, and so, some of us in order to get an education, had to work our *kitten* off and pay for our own school (even on top of financial aid and scholarships). She may also have to work in order to have spending money, or to pay for her car, etc, etc. We don't know why she works, and I think your suggestion that she get a less taxing job, or not work is probably the least helpful suggestion that I have seen. The people you are not agreeing with are giving her suggestions to work with what she already has, not telling her to get another job.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    Ah. Hopefully we just have different definitions of being talked down to, and the posters really did have kind intentions. The way I see it, OP is a responsible student studying full time and working a highly physically demanding job and looking for ideas on more activities. Essentially calling her a juvenile whiner making excuses because she hasn't yet had the idea to wake up at 3 AM everyday and get two hours of sleep seems unnecessary to me. I mean, they still attend class, study, do homework and prepare for tests in school nowadays, don't they? Again, hopefully folks were just being blunt and either way, OP would get some great ideas from their posts!

    OP, here's one more somewhat over the top idea to consider: don't work a highly physically demanding job. Get another one, continue to keep an eye out for better financial aid. Don't forget your primary purpose for being in school which is to study and get great grades. Especially if you do not yet have heavy financial responsibilities, you have the rest of your life to work a job!

    I didn't see anything but kind intentions, but you also seem to see the world in a completely different light from myself. You see, I would assume that if she is working while at school, it is because she actually has to, otherwise, why work? But you seem to be under the impression that your idea that she should simply (<---- I really am LOLing at that one :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ) get a less taxing job or not work at all is more enlightened and feasible. We don't know anything about where she is coming from here, but I'm going to come from the idea that she has to work because that is what she is doing, and perhaps her taxing job is paying her enough to allow her to only have to work one job, rather than multiple jobs (as I did) in order to pay her way through school (as I had to). You see, not everyone has their schooling paid for, not everyone has those funds saved up for them, and so, some of us in order to get an education, had to work our *kitten* off and pay for our own school (even on top of financial aid and scholarships). She may also have to work in order to have spending money, or to pay for her car, etc, etc. We don't know why she works, and I think your suggestion that she get a less taxing job, or not work is probably the least helpful suggestion that I have seen. The people you are not agreeing with are giving her suggestions to work with what she already has, not telling her to get another job.

    ^^^^^^Oh my, so much this.


    We have friends who are able to foot the bill completely for their daughter's college expenses. They area older than us, they inherited a very expensive house and so have not had a mortgage for 20 years, the husband went to college on his trust fund when he was a student (his entire time getting a PhD). It always cracks me up when he says things that are so completely out of touch. He means well, but his perspective is totally different.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    OP - first of all, set your MFP settings to "moderately" active for the next few weeks that you are working more. Your job will help you burn more calories, but you will need to have some of those in your calorie goal so you're not getting too run down.

    Second, if exercise is important, you'll find the time. There are plenty of people here who have already posted what they do to fit it in (giggity). I have a full time 40hr/week job, a child to raise, a husband, a home to care for and volunteer activities that keep me busy. I get up at 4:30-5am so I can run in the morning. Or, I make time after my daughter goes to bed. I have a training schedule planned out till the end of September that helps me stay on track. With a little effort and organization, you can find the time as well.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I do not see a single unhelpful comment in any of those you selected, nor do I see a bit of "talking down", as you call it. Perhaps you are overreacting a smidge?

    Ah. Hopefully we just have different definitions of being talked down to, and the posters really did have kind intentions. The way I see it, OP is a responsible student studying full time and working a highly physically demanding job and looking for ideas on more activities. Essentially calling her a juvenile whiner making excuses because she hasn't yet had the idea to wake up at 3 AM everyday and get two hours of sleep seems unnecessary to me. I mean, they still attend class, study, do homework and prepare for tests in school nowadays, don't they? Again, hopefully folks were just being blunt and either way, OP would get some great ideas from their posts!

    OP, here's one more somewhat over the top idea to consider: don't work a highly physically demanding job. Get another one, continue to keep an eye out for better financial aid. Don't forget your primary purpose for being in school which is to study and get great grades. Especially if you do not yet have heavy financial responsibilities, you have the rest of your life to work a job!

    I didn't see anything but kind intentions, but you also seem to see the world in a completely different light from myself. You see, I would assume that if she is working while at school, it is because she actually has to, otherwise, why work? But you seem to be under the impression that your idea that she should simply (<---- I really am LOLing at that one :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ) get a less taxing job or not work at all is more enlightened and feasible. We don't know anything about where she is coming from here, but I'm going to come from the idea that she has to work because that is what she is doing, and perhaps her taxing job is paying her enough to allow her to only have to work one job, rather than multiple jobs (as I did) in order to pay her way through school (as I had to). You see, not everyone has their schooling paid for, not everyone has those funds saved up for them, and so, some of us in order to get an education, had to work our *kitten* off and pay for our own school (even on top of financial aid and scholarships). She may also have to work in order to have spending money, or to pay for her car, etc, etc. We don't know why she works, and I think your suggestion that she get a less taxing job, or not work is probably the least helpful suggestion that I have seen. The people you are not agreeing with are giving her suggestions to work with what she already has, not telling her to get another job.

    I exhausted the financial aid that I didn't have to pay back (get this: SHOCKLINGLY, some of them were based on maintaining good grades, which is hard to do if you are over extending yourself). After said aid was over and done with, I got student loans. Is this right for everyone? I don't know, but students in college are generally 18+ adults and can decide what makes sense for themselves. Personally, I do believe in taking a good look at whether you have to work. I do believe that sometimes it is a choice, and I'm just encouraging OP that she's got nothing to prove to anyone but herself. In my college work study program, you generally could go to the office and see if they could place you working elsewhere. Neither of us know the OP; only she can decide if an idea makes sense for herself or is "totally unhelpful". Personally, I don't see a problem with working smart, not hard. **shrugs**

    I thank you for acknowledging that we see the world in different lights. Wouldn't it be boring if we were all identical pieces of a matched set? :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    personally, i've found that when it comes to getting in shape, it's the people that work hard that benefit the most. sometimes that means getting up early. sometimes it means working out when you're tired. sometimes it means going hard when your body is screaming for you to quit. never does it involve a bunch of excuses.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    *snip*
    I exhausted the financial aid that I didn't have to pay back (get this: SHOCKLINGLY, some of them were based on maintaining good grades, which is hard to do if you are over extending yourself).
    *snip*

    +_2acc5a8841f8752904d37f90a8014829.png?1322693145

    I am so glad you are here to tell me this because I would have never known. Now I am wondering how in the hell I ever managed to graduate taking 19.5 hours every semester while working 3-4 jobs, including jobs that were full time, night jobs, whilst on scholarships, financial aid, work study, grants, loans and not a lick of financial help from my mom. Perhaps someone should have told me that I was going to have to also maintain good grades and it would be hard to do if I was overextending myself. Where were you 13-17 years ago? Oh wait, somehow I figured that part out anyway. SHOCKINGLY.
  • katorihanzo
    katorihanzo Posts: 234 Member
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    Excuses, not reasons.

    I am 43 years old. I work full time (salary, so that makes it MORE than full time). I go to the gym at 0300 each morning. If I wait until after work, it isn't happening. I get my full day accomplished BECAUSE I go to the gym at 0300. It gives me the energy to get through the day. Stop convincing yourself you don't have the time. You do. Decisions determine destination.

    3am? You're kidding. I would be DEVASTATED if I had to get up at 2:30am to work out at 3am.That would not be enjoyable for me at all (or I'm thinking, most people). I prefer my workouts to be enjoyable, and limiting myself so that I had to go to bed at 8 or 9 every night is just unrealistic. Especially as a full-time student and part-time worker, my nights are incredibly valuable to me as the time when I get all my schoolwork done, I can't afford to waste them by sleeping straight through so I can get up at 3am.

    In my opinion, it's wrong of you to think other people should spend their lives this way in order to be productive and not be "making excuses." Also, what gym are you going to that's open at 3am?
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Uh, good job. Now that that's over with, this isn't about you, and what you were able to accomplish. For all I know, the OP is superwoman just like you and can do it all. I'm saying she doesn't have to. Maybe you would have benefited from someone telling you the same 17 years ago. How the heck should I know? I don't know you. :). I'm still allowed to have my opinion even if you don't agree with it, right?