Waitress & I don't get up early enough to go to the gym...

cwolfman13 · October 2014

This is one of those things that you either make the time for or you don't...and it doesn't get any easier. Making time for fitness is a real ***** when you are working more traditional hours and also have a family to tend to.

Only you can decide what is going to work best for you...but ultimately this is just one of those things you make time for or you don't. Motivation is a bunch of bull ****...I do a crap load of stuff every day that I'm not motivated to do...but hey, the dishes aren't going to do themselves.

Personally, I'd opt for after work and a 24/7 facility. The middle of the night is an awesome time to hit the gym and I personally love lifting after a stressful day at the office. Helps me clear out the bull**** in my head so I can go home and relax and enjoy my family.

chatterbachx · October 2014

Wow! A LOT of replies! Thanks everyone by the way! Time isn't the issue, its finding a way to get my butt off the couch or mainly out of bed and to the gym.

Also to the suggestions about a 24 hour gym, there isn't any near me. My gym is 5am until midnight. I am trying to motivate myself and mainly dragging a friend along with me and me having to pick them up has worked the best so far.

I miss working out at night, it worked the best, but since I can't I will just have to get up earlier and force myself to go during the day.

chatterbachx · October 2014

I had the exact same schedule as you for eight years. I was always the pm closing server/bartender!

What worked for me was either going to the gym after work (I'm a planet fitness member, 24/7 access)
When I had a bike I would bike to and from work. This one is iffy depending on how safe the area you live in is. I always carried a weapon though.

Going to the gym right after work worked out for me because sure I was tired but I was still pumped. Being at work was basically my warm up and I was able to get in some HIIT work on the elliptical afterwards.

I feel ya though with not wanting to get up during the morning/afternoon! It was impossible to drag myself anywhere in the afternoon before work unless It was something I absolutely had to get done.

This is EXACTLY what I used to do, but have to change now since no 24 hr gym

Elvenhearted1 · October 2014

Everybody gets 24 hours in a day. "I don't have time" is a cop out and the lazy person's excuse. If it's important enough to you, you will make the time.

I'm a mother of 4 and run a business from home, and still find time to exercise and eat well.

BrianSharpe · October 2014

Motivation comes from within. If you make the decision to become fitter you will make the time to either get into the gym or go for run or whatever you enjoy doing. The only limitation I could see your schedule imposing would be if you wanted to participate in a team sport.

cincysweetheart · October 2014

If it is important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse.

I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's also true. I work a full on graveyard shift. And ain't nobody that loves their sleep like a person who works full on graves full-time. But I manage to make it to the gym 6 days a week. If a 24 gym isn't available to you… just force yourself to wake up earlier. If you can have to be to work at 4… Sleep til 2 or 2:30. That'll give you time to get in a workout and still get showered and ready. If you can get to bed by 4 am, that's still 10 hours of sleep. And the workouts will give you more energy so that 10 hours will end up being plenty!

On those days when you get off particularly late or other things keep you up past the time you would normally like to be asleep, you can always do an at-home workout after you get off.

GatsbyBelfort · October 2014

Waitressing burns a lot of calories.. you're walking around and carrying heavy plates, and on busy shifts you'll be concentrating pretty hard on whatever you're doing. After sleeping at 5am you'd need about seven hours (?) sleep, roughly, to take you up to midday. Then four hours before work. You could squeeze an hour in easy before then. But if you're sleeping and working constantly, do you really need the gym that badly? You can do simple weight exercises at home. Pushing yourself to go alongside working and sleeping irregularly, I think, could possibly be counterproductive to your health & wellbeing (and maybe subsequently weight loss). If I were you I would try to squeeze in a workout or two on days off. Working out AFTER a 2am finish seems like the worst idea to me. Sorry to but in... I've just been in the same predicament myself, it's so difficult with waitressing jobs!