ATTN: People with Full-Time Jobs!

semeyer
semeyer Posts: 282 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I just don't get HOW you do it?!!! How do you find time to exercise when you have a full-time job??!!!

A breakdown of my schedule:
4:30am - Wake up and get ready for work
5:30am - Leave for work
6:30am - 5:00pm Work
6:30pm - Get home from work, make dinner
9:00pm - Slowly dying, crawling for my bed...

I would even throw in the lunch workout but unless I skip lunch altogether, its impossible since my company has a "no eating at your desk" policy, which I admit helps cut down on snacking, but makes it hard to fit in a lunch-time workout sesh.

Any suggestions what I can do???!!!
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Replies

  • bschafers
    bschafers Posts: 14 Member
    Wow! That's a crazy schedule! I have a similar one, but I don't have to leave for work until 7, so I can get up at 4:30, workout and then get myself and the kids ready. Is there any way that you could work in a few minutes at the Y or something after work? I have several co-workers that do that and then get to drive home w/o dealing with the rush hour traffic...
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    That's similar to my husband's schedule (he doesn't need as long in the morning to get ready, but he sleeps the extra half hour). He works out after work. We'll have dinner planned so there isn't a big "what should we have" discussion. It isn't optimal, but I doubt you want to be waking up earlier.

    The other option is to walk on your lunch break during nicer days. You can either bring your lunch with you or go for your walk and come back 10 minutes before you start again and eat then (depending on your hunger level).
  • roylawrence87
    roylawrence87 Posts: 970 Member
    awake 4 am
    Leave house 445
    work 530 330pm
    workout 530 900pm
    what a schedule I keep.
    I workout on the weekends too.
    Just a life to live
  • Alita2011
    Alita2011 Posts: 265 Member
    My schedule is very similar to yours...Let me add that I do get burned out because some days I would rather sleep

    4:15-5am-Wake up work out (don't have time for lolly gagging around or I would miss the entire time)
    5-5:15a.m. shower and iron clothes for children and myself
    5:30-6:30am get children dressed and breakfast
    6:30-7:15 am get self dressed//leave for work
    8-5Work
    5-6 get home and family settles/start dinner
    6-7 baths and dinner
    7-8 hang out with family
    8-9 slowly crawl into bed and start over again...

    Its hard but it has to be done!
  • louisee294
    louisee294 Posts: 140 Member
    These schedules are MENTAL. never mind "how do you fint in awork out".... more like "how do you work those crazy hours!!!???"I work full time (or so i thought!!) 9-5. I feel very lucky!
  • Pullwench
    Pullwench Posts: 44
    Try making a couple dinners in one day. That way all you have to do is warm it up when you get home, then head on over to the gym.
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    Your schedule is similar to mine you have to plan better get yourself a crock pot put dinner on before leaving for work by the time you get home it will be done. You have to get use to making things that can be easily reheated, that way you can still get in a workout instead of slaving over the stove.
  • Koriannvictoria
    Koriannvictoria Posts: 10 Member
    Here is mine…..
    6:45 am get up
    get kids up and ready for school
    get myself ready for school
    classes at 8:30 - 3:30
    homework 2hrs
    dinner, clean up,
    then 7:30 I schedule 1 hour min walk/workout with friends
    tv time with family: I do sit ups and push ups while we watch
    all while pushing my big dog off me! lol
    bedtime usually 10:30pm
    doing laundry? I do sets of squats (takes longer to fold but all is good)
    sometimes at school I hide in the bathroom stalls and do squats or jumping jacks to get blood going.
    wall pushups
    and I work weekends and there are lots of stairs
    which i run up and down fast every time I use them…
    during break time hit the hall ways, instead of coffee shop or vegging……
    weekends is gym time 1 hr after work…..
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    I only sleep 6 hours on days I have to work. I get up at 3:30 to be to work by 5. get off work at 5, go to the gym, get home at 7, drink a shake, and go to bed. between 8 and 9.
  • calypott
    calypott Posts: 28
    Wake up: 5 am
    Gym: 530-630
    Get ready for school/work/day: 700-800
    Drive to school- 800-900
    Class- 930-1230
    Work- 1330-2100
    Homework 2130-whenever its finished
    Sleep-

    Ooo..and there we go again.

    I just decided that I have to make time. If I dont wake up early and go to the gym, then I really dont have the energy to make it through my long day. One of these days I wont have school, so my day wont be sooo busy.
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
    My current schedule is:
    6.30am get up.
    7.00am leave or work.
    8.00am arrive in work.
    4.00pm leave work.
    5.00pm get home.

    A few years ago when I was doing a College Degree course at night my schedule was:
    5.30am get up
    6.00am leave for work
    7.00am arrive in work
    5.00pm leave work and head to College (yes, my boss was a tyrant at the time - 10 hour days, 6 days per week) :mad:
    10.30pm leave college
    11.15pm arrive home
    11.30pm Bed
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Some of your schedules are bonkers! I mean, seriously. I'm suprised some of you are even standing, let along managing to work out. Hats off to you.

    I personally reckon tight dietary compliance is about 80% of this game so not working out every day is not a huge setback.

    Also, exercise sessions don't have to be long to be effective. Most people faff around in their routines meaning the ACTUAL time they send working out is quite low. You can either work hard or you can work long. I am a fan of short workouts at high intensity. For example by weights routine doesn't last much more than 30 mins as I superset cutting down rest times etc.

    Also, I much prefer HIIT to steady state cardio. 15 minutes of sprints (15 secs sprints followed by 45 secs recovery) and I am wiped out. Add in 5 mins warm up and 5 mins and that's a total of 25 minutes max. You don't even need to be in a gym to do HIIT. You could find a convenient space (say a local park) and find a distance it takes you 15 secs to cover. Then walk back to the starting point. Do that over a few times.

    There's always a solution and time to devote to your health if it is important enough...
  • secostley
    secostley Posts: 409 Member
    You may have to focus most of your efforts during the week on dieting and eating healthy and devote your weekends to actually working out. I know a few people who only work out on the weekends, but they eat extremely "clean" and "lean" during the week. They also take every advantage to get exercise in at work. For example, one friend of mine literally parks one mile from his office so he can walk back and forth. The other doesn't take the elevator at all, but does the steps. Just a few suggestions.

    Let me know how things work for you!


    Shawn
  • chrish1981
    chrish1981 Posts: 156
    Find something you enjoy doing and just make yourself do it.

    It sucks, but if you find something you enjoy, it won't be that bad.

    For instance, I just found Zumba classes in my area, and so I look forward to those. They're later at night, so I have time to make dinner, etc. and even get a nap in usually. Also I have the Zumba Wii game, so I can play that whenever.

    I feel your pain; some days it's hard. I teach all day then some nights I have church meetings, dance class, some days I have meetings after work....and somedays you just don't feel like doing squat!
  • sandmart2009
    sandmart2009 Posts: 153 Member
    I work around the same schedule. Worse - I stand the whole day as I work at the front desk of a hotel. I am usually whacked out tired when I get home.
    I have a playlist I keep at home which runs about 30mins and I dance to it every night. Pretty neat. My doctor told me that I don't have to kill myself with working out. She suggested I keep a structured meal plan for dinner - all protein if I can help it and very low on carbs. She said so long as I keep my daily meals within 1200 calories and I work out and I bring up my heart rate (so I start burning calories) for about 30mins a day (while dancing), I should be headed down to a happy weight.
    I hope this helps. Being a wife, mom and working full-time is a huge challenge. But, nothing will stop us!
  • bgtorres
    bgtorres Posts: 186 Member
    It is hard!
    My schedule is :
    Wake up at 4am.
    Get My baby ready for the sitter at 4:30
    Start my work out at 5:15
    Eat Breakfast & then shower by:6:30-45
    At work by 7:15am.
    Come home at 4:30pm.
    Cook Dinner at 5:00p.m.
    In college (FULL TIME STUDENT) 6:30-10:00p.m.
    (MY DAY IS VERY EXHAUSTING) but I manage to make time and work out:) Hope this helps:)
  • amycal
    amycal Posts: 646 Member
    I think secostly has a good suggestion -that is what I was going to say. You could try to walk a the furthest bathroom, go up and down stairs, park far away in parking lot etc to get more activity in.
  • wpij25
    wpij25 Posts: 161
    guess i am lucky my job is physical I get to exercise at work :P my weight problem is the calorie consumption and not realizing I was starving my body because I never realized that I need to replace the calories I burn at work everyday. Once I found the free app on my droid and started using it the weight is melting and I am happy :D
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I bet that if you add in a workout right after work, your energy levels (in general) would increase and you'd adjust in no time. It's breaking your current routine that will be tough at first. If you eat 3x per day and READY to eat right after work, consider a 4pm snack to hold you over until you eat dinner.
  • furrina
    furrina Posts: 148 Member
    --Find a gym near where you work, do a 30 min workout (cardio 3x wk, weights 2x, etc.) then eat your lunch at the gym before you leave.

    --Invest in a treadmill or elliptical and work out at home after dinner.

    Though getting up at 430 am and crawling into bed at 9pm and not having time to even exercise is pretty insane unless you're, like, training to be a neurosurgeon. Hope it's worth it.

    I've always belonged to a 24 hour gym. I can go at night, like 11-1 if that's the only time I can do it.
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