Tips for the super busy
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It is easier to get a calorie deficit from diet so focus on that first. Take an hour out of your Sunday to prep.. I cut veggies to grab as snacks, make a couple salads for the week, cut up watermelon, hard boil eggs and prep veggies for my meals. Makes it easier to grab and go. I always pack my lunch for work the night before so I just need to grab it out of the fridge in the morning.
Make exercise a routine and part of your schedule. Once you do that, it helps a lot. Schedule it for your favorite TV show that way you know you can watch your show. i have to do it after my kids go to bed because that is the easiest for me.
Don't watch TV - no time - but I really like the prep idea - I usually mentally plan, then actually prep in the morning... but setting up a whole week ahead will be helpful! Definitely after kids in bed... I work a lot of weekends and rotate shifts sometimes working nights, sometimes days, sometimes evenings - so I'll just need to be a little creative with prepping ahead... exercise will be a challenge, but if I get the habit started now, then in August when things get really bad I will at least have formed the habit... Tracking daily was a tough habit to get into, but now have been over a month! I can do this...
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It is easier to get a calorie deficit from diet so focus on that first. Take an hour out of your Sunday to prep.. I cut veggies to grab as snacks, make a couple salads for the week, cut up watermelon, hard boil eggs and prep veggies for my meals. Makes it easier to grab and go. I always pack my lunch for work the night before so I just need to grab it out of the fridge in the morning.
Make exercise a routine and part of your schedule. Once you do that, it helps a lot. Schedule it for your favorite TV show that way you know you can watch your show. i have to do it after my kids go to bed because that is the easiest for me.
This. Planning is everything! I have a daily commute of 2.5 hours round trip, typically work 50 hours per week, and have a husband and 4 children. We plan and schedule everything! I pack lunches every evening, my husband gets up early and works out in the AM, I work out in the PM, etc. That's the only way this works for me as I can justify just about anything!
And it seems to be working well for ya. Okay - I'm enlisting his help and my kiddos too. I'm going to tell them how important this is to me, and we all need to pitch in...0 -
I just treat exercise like its a daily routine like sleeping, eating, etc. I always plan my schedule out and make time for it. Even if its just 30 mins sneaking away for a quick run. But the key is making it a priority and a daily routine to me and I always seem to find a hole in my schedule for it.0
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If you watch TV during the day, do it while you're on a stationary bike. I typically do this after work while the kids are practicing piano or doing homework.
Also, I buy microwave lean cuisine meals on Sunday/Monday for the entire week and keep them in the work fridge. I keep nuts at my desk and a several packs of gum for when I feel like chewing on something. I also try to keep my desk stocked with flavored seltzer water in case I feel the urge to drink something carbonated.
(sigh) good luck.
I actually need to play the piano myself, lol, it's exercise - don't watch much TV myself... I like the pre-planning you mention, and the seltzer water idea I could add 2 oz of juice in place of flavors!0 -
It all comes down to planning. Planning out meals, workouts, when you'll cook, go out (we all need that from time to time). But if the planning happens, the rest of the week should be easy ????
Also, you will get busy and want to give up. Don't. There will be bad days even bad weeks! Just get back on track when you can.0 -
The Jillian MIchaels idea is a good one. There are intense no-equipment (bodyweight) workouts that are even shorter (10-30 mins), e.g. Zuzka Light (see youtube channel). Maybe sprinkle some of those in through the week where you can fit them in at home, and dedicate 1-2 sessions of heavy lifting a week to hang on to muscle.
Exercise is easy though, food's the harder one to deal with on a schedule; lots of preparation involved there, unfortunately. I am nowhere near as busy as most people in this thread but am used to a more relaxed schedule, so am finding that more of a challenge, myself. Like I've been buying food to fit my old lifestyle & cooking habits, and am letting veg & fruit go to waste in favour of convenience foods
I think one answer is to cook a whack of meat 2x a week, and use FROZEN veg (am looking into freezing fresh veg bc I hate the taste of frozen-at-the-store, apparently this is possible). Or cook a whack of good ratio chili or something and eat that for days.
I find breakfast is easy because I eat the same thing almost every day. Keeping meals simple/repeating menus probably helps.
(DON'T lose sleep to work out, that's a losing game imo, and a sure path to burnout)0 -
I just treat exercise like its a daily routine like sleeping, eating, etc. I always plan my schedule out and make time for it. Even if its just 30 mins sneaking away for a quick run. But the key is making it a priority and a daily routine to me and I always seem to find a hole in my schedule for it.
LIke brushing my teeth...0 -
Okay - update - many of these tips are working - I went through one day and did an itemized time schedule to find a bit of wasted time, there really wasn't much, but I was spending some time doing "nothing" that is now being utilized better... who knew.
Started with diet - very much upgraded - 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% fat - give or take a bit here and there
Recruited family to help me do this - now they help with laundry, dishes, setting table, dusting and vacuuming - we have tons... and an upgrade to our washer and dryer in the near future. Husband cooks when he can, older daughter does too, and helps even more. During that time, I workout...
Exercise - have been making time to do most of P90X lean phase - I miss a day here and there due to rotating shifts and being called in for nights when I have already worked a day, etc... but I am now on my second week.
Planning - Definitely better, MFP on lunchbreak (working night again tonight), or intermittently with phone app, shop with the week in mind, plan meals ahead, don't allow myself to get OVERhungry and keep most crap food out of the house. My new sinful yum is frozen greek yogurt and fruits.
Sleep is better - but not great yet, up to about 6 hours most nights, 7-8 on a great night! And I need to do even more planning because my time is getting ready to take a hit in a couple weeks when kids go back to school and my grad school homework and school projects start... That's why I asked you guys for help :flowerforyou:0 -
Not me, I work in a Fortune 1 company.
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Wal-Mart, congrats
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:laugh: LOL no it just seemed funny the oneupmanship of that.0 -
Okay - update - many of these tips are working - I went through one day and did an itemized time schedule to find a bit of wasted time, there really wasn't much, but I was spending some time doing "nothing" that is now being utilized better... who knew.
Started with diet - very much upgraded - 50% carbs, 25% protein, 25% fat - give or take a bit here and there
Recruited family to help me do this - now they help with laundry, dishes, setting table, dusting and vacuuming - we have tons... and an upgrade to our washer and dryer in the near future. Husband cooks when he can, older daughter does too, and helps even more. During that time, I workout...
Exercise - have been making time to do most of P90X lean phase - I miss a day here and there due to rotating shifts and being called in for nights when I have already worked a day, etc... but I am now on my second week.
Planning - Definitely better, MFP on lunchbreak (working night again tonight), or intermittently with phone app, shop with the week in mind, plan meals ahead, don't allow myself to get OVERhungry and keep most crap food out of the house. My new sinful yum is frozen greek yogurt and fruits.
Sleep is better - but not great yet, up to about 6 hours most nights, 7-8 on a great night! And I need to do even more planning because my time is getting ready to take a hit in a couple weeks when kids go back to school and my grad school homework and school projects start... That's why I asked you guys for help :flowerforyou:
how much have you lost? (weight, not sanity).0 -
21 to date, about 15 since post. Now i'm up against the wall though... hoping I can just hang on...
My schedule is horrible and I really don't know how to schedule in any more time... lunchbreak over :grumble: :sad: :yawn:0 -
The best advice I can give is to get up earlier, that's what works for me. I have 4 children a full time job and go to college full time to get my BSN so I know where you are coming from and I know it can work. I get up at 5 am and get my fitness out of the way. If I don't do it that way it won't get done. I hope that helps If you want it to work it will.0
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The best advice I can give is to get up earlier, that's what works for me. I have 4 children a full time job and go to college full time to get my BSN so I know where you are coming from and I know it can work. I get up at 5 am and get my fitness out of the way. If I don't do it that way it won't get done. I hope that helps If you want it to work it will.
Looking at 4:30a... means I need to stop studying until 2am... lol. Cutting hours at work too... might have to take out a student loan... ouch, but it would save some stress in the short term. I only have 9 months left! Major changes ARE GOING TO HAPPEN starting tomorrow.0 -
If you're as busy as you say you are, I would focus on getting your eating and sleeping under control, then add in exercise. Exercise will make you feel great, but if you aren't giving your body nourishment or allowing itself to rest and repair, you will do damage to it.
Other people mentioned setting priorities... my house is always tidy, but it's not sparkling clean for sure. I'd rather spend my time doing something else than scrub my toilet. So figure out what is important to you, and do that. Or ask for help.0 -
Good luck with your big changes.
(I didn't realize your first post was old... I should have read the whole thread before responding).0
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