Exercise/gym routines for working ladies

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  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I'm currently working 50 to 60 hrs, plus I have 3 kids and a husband in grad school while working full time. Good times, good times....

    I work out after work. I leave at a decent hour (5:30ish) go home and usually hit the treadmill (I'm a runner). I do strength training one night a week in a class and on Saturdays with a trainer. After I do my workout, I spend time with the kids, and then once they're in bed, I work from home. I eat back my exercise calories, so that is my after-work motivation. Many nights, I have very few calories left for dinner if I con't work out (or none LOL). Today, I have 175 calories left over, and I'll do a 4 mile run and get about another 350 to 400. So, I'll have a decent dinner tonight and should have enough for a snack too. Yay LOL!
  • dshields2013
    dshields2013 Posts: 11
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    I am fortunate that my company has a gym complete with everything I need. I eat lunch at noon at my desk and then workout for an hour. It's really nice that I can get it out of the way early.
  • Phoenixchichima
    Phoenixchichima Posts: 416
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    look for circuit training gyms to do at lunch. an example is Curves here in the US & they have some UK facilities. its not the best work out, but its not a bad work out & its better than nothing & some people are very successful with their program alone. I can do their circuit & come back to work within an hour at lunch. it gets some resistance training in for all over & also some cardio. there are weeks thats the only exercise i get, but its 4 30 min work outs. and with nearly 2 hrs of commuting on top of 40+ hrs work a week, lunch is much easier for me to be consistant with before or after work & this is better than dealing with walking at lunch. oddly, if I get something in at lunch I"m more motivated to take a walk or jog in the evening. you can also utube several work outs that are 30 mins for after work in the living room.
  • jdaley90
    jdaley90 Posts: 259 Member
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    Stronglift 5x5 is a great program for a beginner, simple as hell, and focuses on the basics. The whole routine might take you 45 minutes at the most, and you will start looking forward to going to the gym.

    Also, if you're going to dedicate the time to working out, you should spend some time learning about it too. You should do yourself a favor and buy New Rules of Lifting for Women. It's a great book that will give you some perspective on exercise and diet (nothing revolutionary or bs, just the basics) so you don't waste your time in the gym.

    This!

    I also work a full time job. I use an app called GymPact and commit to doing to the gym or working out 4x/week. If I don't meet that threshold I have to pay! In order to make things work with my schedule I will either go before work if I know I can't go after or straight after work. My gym is fortunately less than a mile from my house.

    Good luck!! It's tough but you can do it. If you get into the habit now, you won't have to later :)
  • ohyaynj
    ohyaynj Posts: 21
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    I leave for work at 7.30am, and get back home at 6.30pm.

    I have a 20 minute walk each way, and about 3 days a week after work I go to the gym before I have my dinner.

    I work out about 45 minutes cardio each time and 15 minutes weights once a week.

    On Fridays I do my weekly shop, and more often than not will go by the pool on my way, where I try to do 30x50m. I also usually go to the gym both days at the weekend.

    It's a lot easier for me because the gym I use is so close, and I just can't use inconvenience as an excuse!
  • ReadynWillin
    ReadynWillin Posts: 104
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    I always stick by the saying "if it means enough to you, you'll find time to do it. If it doesn't, then you'll make excuses."

    I work full time and exercise every single day. 3 days a week I lift weights at the gym. 1 day a week I do gymnastics. 2 days a week I play soccer. And I also try to run twice a week. Lately I've also started adding in Jillian Michaels dvds to boost up my cardio. I also walk a bare minimum of 5k a day (daily commute to work!)

    I also watch an excessive amount of TV, run a blog and play video games. So exercise isn't the ONLY thing I'm doing!

    But when do you sleep, girl?! W2G!!!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I get up early to work out, it's the only thing that works for me.

    For awhile I was doing an outdoor boot camp, which was really nice in that it got me more..I dunno, outside of the day I guess? Cleared my head. And also got me literally outside lol. But one day I realized that the 30 minutes I spent driving to and from the park could be spent either sleeping or working out!

    So I get up at 4:45, slam a cup of coffee, work out until 6 or 6:15 (in my apt or the complex gym or running) and then get the day going.

    I'm so burnt out after work, I really like the feeling of having 'earned' my veg-out time with tv or kindle.

    And now that I'm getting back into my program (after a +10 lb hiatus :() I am going to the 'real' gym on the weekends for classes and cardio.

    ETA: I have a full-time computer job M-F, and I do like to do workouts with dumbbells but I do NOT do any heavy lifting at all due to spine and shoulder injuries.
  • kaned_ferret
    kaned_ferret Posts: 618 Member
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    I can't afford the gym and find it very hard to motivate myself to leave the house once I'm done with work for the day, and typically work over 50 hours per week - once i've sorted my dogs out I know that if I hit the sofa I won't get up for the rest of the night, so I don't give myself a chance to seetle, just throw on my workout clothes and pick something to do - atm I am rotating between time on the elliptical with some strength and core work with dumbells thrown in after, a session of wii Zumba, or a wii "my fitness coach" session. I don't factor dog walking calories into my daily routine as it's far too normal and due to the oldie rarely gets the blood pumping :)
  • SandySweats
    SandySweats Posts: 38 Member
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    I do weight machines and Dumbbell four days a week. Mon & Thurs lower body and Tues & Fri upper body. I do Cardio machines 6 days a week.

    My week looks like this:

    M - 30 mins Weights, 40 mins cardio
    T - 30 mins Weights, 40 mins cardio
    W - 65 mins cardio
    Th - 30 mins Weights, 40 mins cardio
    F - 30 mins Weights, 40 mins cardio
    Sat - 65 mins cardio

    I have a 40 hour work week (M-F) and a 45 minute commute each way to work. The YMCA is near work. I work out in the morning before work. I arrive to work by 7:40 am.

    I am up and out of bed by 3:45 am and in bed around 9:00 pm

    Wow, got tired just typing that.
  • Nelliemay420
    Nelliemay420 Posts: 6 Member
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    I go to a workout class on Tuesday nights, Then get up in the AM on Wednesday, Thursday and sometimes Friday. Then on Saturday AM when I'm off of work I go to another class. The classes are cross-fit and def feel like they are more strength oriented. On the mornings that I am on my own I usually just do the treadmill.

    I just joined Jillian Michaels website and printed out a workout routine that I may try to get in.

    Not sure of your gym/living sitaution. I am fortunate enough to live in a building with a fitness center so it's easier for me to get there.
  • Nessalee77
    Nessalee77 Posts: 78 Member
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    Hi, I haven't read the whole thread, but has anyone suggested getting exercise into your commute yet? I ride my bike to work three times a week. It's actually faster than the bus and my work has showers available when I arrive.

    If you live far from work, you could drive part of the way and ride the rest, or train part of the way if your local trains allow bikes on.

    I have developed quite a few little tricks to make it easier to ride in and get ready, feel free to PM me if you would like some tips. or if you have questions.

    Edited to add - my program is

    Monday - Ride to work and back
    Tuesday - 30 minutes with a personal trainer (heavy weights) then 20 minutes cardio before catching the train to work
    Wednesday - Ride to work and back
    Thursday - 30 minutes PT (heavy weights) 20 cardio, train to work
    Friday - Ride to work and back
    Saturday - abdominal class plus something active
    Sunday - rest

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