What exercise do you do and how do you fit it in?

Isn't Tabata 4 minutes only?

HIIT are typically 10-15 minutes- I've done 24 minutes- two 12 minute sessions with a brief bathroom break- but I thought Tabata was a HIIT that was specifically 4 minutes? (with various splits or are those fixed?)

EACH tabata is four minutes but you can do more than one at a time.

For me, exercise is my hobby, just like watching soaps is some people's hobby. Mind you, you could exercise whilst watching soaps.

I picked a work schedule that allows me to go in at 1230p.

This allows me to get up early each morning and either run, bike, swim (sometimes), and cross-fit.

Don't get so caught-up on WHAT and HOW fast - just focus on getting out there and doing something.

Keep the goals/bar LOW, so you can easily reach them.

Once you get going and start to feel better about just getting out there, you will soon start meeting other people w/ the same goals and before long you are looking forward to outdoor group exercise.

Don't set lofty goals that are all to often unrealistic. Nothing happens overnight, so just get out there and do ANYTHING. Find something you DON'T mind doing. Stay away from stuff you simply have NO interest in doing. Who wants to get up early to do that (swimming)?

I powerlift!!! I'm a n00b, definitely not breaking any world records, but it's the most fun I've ever had and it's the first time in MY LIFE that I've looked forward to going to the gym and been actually upset when I can't make it happen.

I was going at 5am before work, but had to make some changes when I started school. I work full time and go to school full time, so I'm out of the house from 7am to 10pm Mon-Fri. I worked it out with my employer so I can come in a bit earlier in the AM and take a longer lunch so I can train during my lunchbreak. I'm blessed to have a flexible employer and live close to an amazing gym with a great trainer. Honestly though, if my employer weren't flexible and I couldn't figure out any other way to fit it in, I'd be looking for a different job and that may have had an effect on the outcome when I asked. I wasn't really asking so much as telling. I neeeeeed this. Lifting is my happy place....I get kind of twitchy when I miss a workout.

Fit it in! You'll feel so much better - happier, stronger, more confident - BEAST MODE ACTIVATED!!!

...yeah, I just had my pre-workout drink so I may be a little extra exuberant :P

Hi,
Are you looking to loose fat only? Or are you also wanting to build some muscle? Or, are you more concerned with cardio conditioning?

Unless you want to start doing long runs and therefore want to train for cardio conditioning, I wouldn't run, TBH. I used to; what I've learned is that it's really hard on my body (I have a pretty strong angle between my knee and hip, called Q angle) and it actually burns muscle if done for long periods of time...meaning if you stop you'll gain weight really quickly because you will not have the muscle tone, and muscle burns calories even at rest.

For me, I have chosen to do about 30 mins to an hour of weight lifting 3 to 5 days a week, and 3 days a week I do 20 to 30 mins of cardio at the gym. I do sprinting on the treadmill - 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off (I jump my feet off the belt and rest) at 8 MPH for 20 to 30 mins, OR I will to the stair treadmill for 20 mins...whatever I feel like doing. I find cardio boring, so I try to watch a show, read a book and not go for too long. I want my cardio sessions to be intense because then I can get away with just doing it quickly.

I go after work and yes, sometimes it means late nights for me. But I do not have children. If I did, I'd have to get my butt up earlier! UGH! But, it would be worth it.

Note that muscle weighs more than fat, so depending on your starting point you may actually gain weight at first with a weight training routine.

And, like it's already been mentioned, the most important thing is diet if you're trying to lose fat!

despite popular belief, you don't need to exercise for hours and hours and hours and do crap tons of cardio and push yourself to puking to have a good, productive workout.

When I started out, I started off just walking...I wasn't used to moving much at all, so walking a few days per week for an hour or so was a big step in the right direction...pretty soon I upped that to 5 days per week for 30 - 60 minutes depending on what I had time for. Eventually I added in some running and before I knew it I was running 3-4x weekly and walking on my other days.

A few months into my good livin' I decided to get back into the weight room as well...I knew that it was essential to maintaining my muscle mass while I was dieting...so I joined a nice gym here with a good family plan and child care facilities and my basic routine became lifting 3x weekly full body which takes me about 45 minutes and jogging on my non-lifting days for 30 - 45 minutes. That was it.

As my fitness improved and I dropped weight I decided I wanted to train for an actual event. I signed up for a couple of 5Ks and did those and then decided I wanted to do a sprint triathlon last fall. I was injured while training for that event...I was doing too much volume and injured some tendons in my feet...but during this training is when I discovered my love or riding a bike. I was never too fond of running...it was just something I did because it is a good workout, made me sweat, got my heart pumping, and I could do it pretty much anywhere...but I didn't "love" it and it was one of the big reasons I blew out my feet. I'm a supinator so running, even with proper shoes does a real number on my posterior tibial tendons. Most supinators are not long distance endurance runners, they are sprinters...which makes sens since that's what I did growing up in track and field.

At any rate, I no longer run save for some cross-train here and there...I might jog a mile and a half maybe once every couple of weeks...but I love getting out on my bike. I usually ride at lunch and can get in a good hour 2-3 times per week and then take a long ride on Sunday. I still hit the weight room 3x weekly and basically get in 5-6 days of what I would consider moderate exercise. I miss here and there due to things happen and what not...but I usually make sure I get in at least a 30 minute moderately paced walk if I can't make my actual workout for whatever reason. I also walk and do yoga on my rest day.

I am a mom to two, ages 4 and 6. I'm a wife, and full time worker and a second job.

I work out in the AM before everyone gets up. Right now its a half hour workout with T25 DVD's. Before that I did Combat. I've loved them both and stuck to them.

I am NOT a morning person. I couldn't stay consistent at night because my youngest has sleep issues.

for awhile I did Zumba (loved) once a week and bounced around at several other things.

Good luck finding your niche!

EACH tabata is four minutes but you can do more than one at a time.

If you're doing actual Tabata protocol, I defy you to do multiples back to back.

Hi,

I walk into work and then run back in the evening (approx 4.8 miles in total) 3 times a week

I also hope to take up weight lifting on Saturdays also.

I'm a single mom of two (ages 9,11), I also work full time (8-5 M-F with a 45 minute commute both ways) and I own my own freelance business.

I still find time to get to the gym 5 days a week, it has to be a priority and one that you refuse to make excuses for why you can't make it happen.

Reassess your life and figure out what activities are taking up the time that you need to devote yourself to your fitness goals and figure out what can be eliminated or what is of less importance.

You can do it!