Demanding job- How can I fit exercise in?

Disclaimer - this is gonna sound really *****y, but I don't mean it that way......

Life is tough. We all have demanding jobs, along with cleaning the house, going to the market, cooking dinner, doing laundry. You have to make a choice that exercise is a priority. Is life going to end if the family room doesn't get dusted every week? Can you rely on others to help more - have the kids do chores, hubby go to the market? Cook something on Sunday for leftovers on Monday? etc....

I personally don't go to the gym. Takes more time to get there, do workout, get home, etc... I did buy a treadmill for the house, and have set up a small home gym. I also found a trainer that comes to the house so that saves me more time, and I have no excuse. So far it has worked out great, and is becoming my new normal....

I am in the same boat as you are. I also have a very demanding home life with a 3 year old! I have started exercising on my lunch at work, and then just eating at my desk. Getting my exercise in during the day at work seems to alleviate some of the stress and it also gives me more energy. Good luck!

You just need to make exercise part of your day, rather than seeing it as something to "fit into" your day. There are plenty of at home options for working out (videos, buying equipment, etc.) I'm tired at the end of the day too, but I get into the mindset that my day isn't really "over" until after my post-work P90X workout.

Well I work almost full time and I go to college part time and I hit the gym 4 days a week. There really is no excuse. Unless you don't want to be in shape then there is excuses
I have like no time for fun either I just get home and then I gotta sleep 2 hours after that it sucks.

Also I make most of my foods cause I definitely don't eat what my family eats.

Well welcome to my world. LOL!!!

5:50am - get up brush teeth, make breakfast, get baby girl dressed and ready, rush boys to get ready and get myself ready.

7:20am- rush out the door caring baby and coffee in hand boys carry my bag and baby bag. Drop 14 year old in middle school then go drop 10year old at elementary school then drive to mother in laws to drop off baby.

8:00am- leave to work I work from 8:30am - 5pm 1 hr lunch break which on nice days if able to I drive to the bike trail and walk for a few minutes.

5:10- leave work drive to sitters where 10year old walks to and pick him up. Go home start on dinner, eat dinner, change baby girls diapper, feed baby girl, watch tv for like 15 minutes, excersice for 30 minutes, bathe baby girl, put her into bed, wash dishes, take a shower then go to bed around 10:30pm

Next day wake up and start all over. And Im still alive if you wanna make it work IT CAN WORK! :happy:

I'm in the same situation, but I also have a 12 week old infant!!! I get up early on my days off while the baby is asleep and go to the gym. Otherwise, my weekends get filled with other social obligations- I get up early to make sure I have time for ME. During the week I pack a healthy lunch to work and close my door at lunch to do calisthenics. It's free and requires almost no equipment (I use a floor matt and small dumbells which fit in my filing cabinet). I put togethter this list of excercises: I usually do abs every day and alternate the others. I hope it helps!

Abdominals
Try to perform at least 15 – 20 repetitions of each exercise listed below.

Reaching Crunch
Lie flat on your back with your legs up at a 90 degree angle from the floor. With your arms straight (hold a dumbbell if you desire), curl your shoulders and upper back off the floor using your abs while pulling your arms up towards the ceiling. Hold for a second; then slowly lower your shoulders and back down toward the floor. Keep your arms straight and legs up during the entire exercise.
Air Bike
Lie on your back. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows bent and your knees pulled slightly toward you. Using your abs, curl your shoulders up off the floor and pull your right elbow to your left knee until they are touching (or almost touching). Then alternate by pulling your left elbow to you right knee. Continue alternating right to left until you’ve reached the desired number of repetitions.
Side Bridge
The exercise is performed lying on your side. Resting your weight on your elbow and forearm, raise your mid-section until your torso and legs form a straight line (sloped upward). Simply holding this position will help tone your abs; hold the position as long as you can.
Lying Leg Raises
Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and up in the air (90 degrees from the floor). Keeping your legs as straight as possible, slowly lower them out in front of you until they are almost touching the floor; then lift them back up to your starting position and repeat.
Pelvic Lifts
As with leg raises, lie on your back with your legs up in the air (90 degrees from the floor). While keeping your legs up, slowly lift your pelvis off the floor and upward using your lower abdominal muscles; then lower yourself back down to the floor and repeat.

Lower Body
Try to do 10 – 15 repetitions of each exercise and repeat for 2 – 3 sets.

Squats
Squats will help tighten both your legs and your butt. You can perform this exercise with or without dumbbell weights (you may want to try it first without weights). Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and slowly lower your body until your thighs are about parallel with the floor; then stand up again and repeat.
Front Lunges
Stand up with your feet slightly less than shoulder width apart. Take a giant step forward with your right leg, lowering your body until your left knee almost touches the floor. Push your body back up to your standing position using your right leg. Repeat the exercise with your left leg and continue alternating legs until you reach your desired amount of repetitions or until you start to fatigue.
Squat Kicks
Squat kicks are similar to regular squats; start in a standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Squat down until your thighs are about parallel with the floor; then push up with your left leg while your right leg simultaneously kicks out to the side. At the height of your kick, your leg should be straight and parallel with the floor. Lower your body back down to your squatting position (thighs about parallel with the floor); then push up with your right leg while your left leg kicks out to the side. Continue alternating kicking and squatting legs.
Reverse Plank Dips
To begin, sit on the floor with your legs straight and extended out in front of you. Your arms should be behind you with your palms facing the floor. Raise your body up until your arms are fully extended (straight) and your torso and legs form a straight line. This is your reverse plank position. Keeping your legs straight, slowly dip your body down until your butt almost touches the floor; lift your body back up to the reverse plank position (using your hamstrings) and repeat.
Side Lunges
To perform this exercise, stand up with your feet about shoulder width apart. Keeping your left leg planted, lunge laterally (out to the side) with your right leg until your right thigh is almost parallel with the floor. Push with your right leg back up to standing position and repeat with your left leg by lunging to the left; continuing alternating lunging legs.
Pelvic Thrusts
Lie on you back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor a little further than hip distance apart. Using you posterior muscles, slowly lift your butt off the floor. Lift until your back is straight and then pull your knees together and release.
Leg Lifts
Lie on your left side resting your weight on your elbow and forearm with your legs extended on the floor. Keeping both legs straight, lift your right leg toward the ceiling and then lower back to your lower leg until they are almost touching and repeat. Alternate sides.
Inner Leg Lifts
Lie on your left side resting your weight on your elbow and forearm with your left leg extended and your right leg bent with your right foot placed in front of your right knee. With your left thigh facing the ceiling, lift your left leg toward the ceiling. Alternate sides.
Tip Toe
Stand with your feet about 2 feet from the wall. Lean into the wall, holding it for balance. Raise your heels off the ground using your calf muscles until you are standing on your tip toes. Repeat.
Arms
Try to do 10 - 15 repetitions of each exercise and repeat for 2 - 3 sets.

Modified Push-Ups
The modified push-up is performed on your knees. Facing down, place your weight on your knees and hands. Keeping your back straight at all times, push up with your arms until they are fully extended; then, slowly lower your body until it almost touches the floor and repeat. If you’re up for an extra challenge, try 10 – 15 regular push-ups.
Chair Triceps Dips
You’ll need a chair for this exercise. Place your feet on the floor a few feet from and facing away from the chair. Place your hands behind you on the seat of the chair (fingers facing toward you). Keeping your legs straight, slowly dip down by bending your arms behind you until your butt is almost touching the floor. Slowly raise your body back up using your triceps until your arms are fully extended (straight) and repeat.
Dumbbell Diagonal Raises
From a standing position, keep your right arm straight and place it (while holding your dumbbell) across your body in front of you, near your left (opposite) hip. Slowly raise your arm (keeping it straight) in front of you and up diagonally across your body until it is fully extended above your right shoulder; slowly lower your arm back down to your left hip and repeat. Repeat this exercise with your left arm.
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
From a standing position, hold a dumbbell in each hand (arms at sides). Keeping your palms facing up, slowly curl up both arms by bending at the elbow until your biceps are fully flexed; keep your elbows close to your sides during this exercise. Hold for a second, then slowly lower your weights back down to the starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Reverse Flies
With your feet about shoulder width apart, bend forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel with the floor. You can modify this exercise by not bending forward quite as far. With a dumbbell in each hand, your arms should be straight and pointing towards the floor. Slowly raise your arms (keeping them straight) away from each other and toward the ceiling. Stop when your arms are even with your shoulders. Slowly lower your arms and repeat.

Hummelkm is right and I know that sucks! I have 3 small children and work a fulltime job from 8-5:30, come home make dinner, clean the house, help with homework, baths etc....so I can feel your pain. However I have come to the realization that Im about to turn 43 and Im not going to live forever, so if I want things to change (ie my health), then I have to do more than wish it . The only way I'm currently able to do that is to workout before the little people wake up, so instead of 6:00 am Im now up at 5:30 and I have a date with Jillian Michaels. Im sure there are tons of other tapes, but I love the 30 DayShred and Shred it W/Weights. All I need are a few hand weights and I get my strength and cardio in right around 30 minutes. I have never really been much for taped workouts, but this works for me. Good luck.

Multitasking is a big one for me. Is there something else that can be done while you're working out? Often I'll put together a dinner that has 30-45 minutes to cook in the oven and then use that time to do a workout DVD. Or, I incorporate it into my cleaning schedule- throw in a load of laundry, work out, then fold the clothes. If I have errands to run on the weekends, I'll try to do them on my run. So if I'm going to the farmer's market, I'll go for a run first and end it there, then walk back with my fruits and veggies (carrying the full bag is a good strength training workout as well). I don't know if any of these work for your lifestyle, but the point is to try and find things you do everyday and incorporate your workouts. Also, as much as I would love the luxury of having a treadmill in my home and a personal trainer that comes to me, well, that's just not realistic for my budget. I'm not sure what your situation is, but basic equipment (hand weights, medicine balls, pilates mat) is fairly inexpensive. DVDs are as well, although if you get bored easily they might get old. Do you have cable with on demand? A lot of times that can provide a great rotation of options, and it's something you already have. Running is easy to pick up as well. Really, the type of exercise depends on your preference. Find something you like, and you won't want to skip it.

A lot of people have a similar schedule, or so it seems. I agree -- an hour seems like a long time for lunch. Work in a 1/2 hour walk during this time, even if it means you need to take a pair of tennis shoes to work with you.

Also, if you like to watch an hour of TV at night, buy a treadmill, and don't let yourself watch unless you are walking on the treadmill. When I first began walking on the treadmill (about five months after I began trying to lose weight), I taped my favorite soap opera while I was at work. I would NOT let myself watch it unless I was on the treadmill.

Now, I tape shows throughout the week, and watch them while I am walking, if I haven't fit in at least three miles somewhere else in my day. I do get to work early and try to do a mile then, and a mile during my lunch time. Usually works, unless I am working with a group of students during their lunch hour.

Kaye

I run or go swiming at lunch and I exercice at night watching TV. You have to make yourself the priority. I am a single mom, have a full time job and a business on the side....believe me,,,,I know buzy!!!!

My motto has always been... find the busiest looking person and ask them. What i mean is, if you think you have the time to do something you will.

My husband and I both are self-proclaimed work-a-holics who put way too many hours in on the job and play just as hard. We have two young boys, 9 & 11, and a fairly large home and property to maintain. We have a dog, cat, fish, tortoise, snake, and chicken - our own little farm We get up early and work late. In that time, I get 1-2 hours of exercise in a a day. Yes, that means I changed my hairstyle so I take 10 minutes off on doing my hair. I eat in the car on my way to work or keep my smoothie on my desk. I exercise at lunch. Weekends, I'm still up early. I push hard while awake, and got to bed to get 8 hour of sleep almost every night. My work is stressful, but I insist on my workout to keep my stress in check. I will admit, I haven't sat down and watched TV in a long time, but you can always do squats and lunges or jog in place during your TV hour, or get a treadmill or elliptical for that TV time.

You can do it - I think you will find that if you take the time, you will feel better, have more time and energy and will get more done. Plus, it will take the stress of a demanding job away and you will be more productive at work too.

I only get 30 min lunch breaks but it doesnt take me 30 min to eat. So I usually walk the little trails we have in the areas. Plus I try to take a break or two during the day to walk out side as well. Are you allowed to take an exercise ball to work? We were just recently told we cannot have those at my job anymore, but I would use that between phone calls and meetings. Plus I have two little ones (both under the age of 2) and I make sure that I go to the gym at lease 4-5 days a week. And my girls love going too. They get to play in the day care, and do exercises for their age!! Its a fun family time as well!! Also instead of watching TV, make that your work out time!!! Or Work out while your watching tv!!! Theres lots you can do!!! Hope this helped you out. If you ever need encouraging, just let me know!! **Friend request me if you want!

I have a similar schedule. Make YOURSELF a priority.

For me, this means eating at my desk and taking my lunch hour to exercise. I'm blessed with a gym in my building. I can fit in a 30 minute cardio, still shower and get back to my desk in time. And that midday exercise gives me ENERGY in the afternoon and the evenings!!!

If you can't workout every day, make it a point to do it 3x a week or even 2x a week. I started small with 2x a week and after a year was going 5x a week, HATING to miss my gym-lunch.

If you can't manage to work out during lunch, for various reasons, look up small exercises you can do at your desk. Some examples, and they might seem silly....

- sit UPRIGHT on the very edge of your desk chair. this engages your core muscles.... abs, back muscles, etc.

- clench your butt, release. Repeat ad nauseum. I had a friend who was NOT thin by any means, who did this and had a rear so tight you could bounce a quarter off it!

- make sure no one is looking and do 10 squat thrusts in your work area, or just squats. anything to work those muscles.

- don't email/message/call a nearby coworker. run down there and talk to them (unless you are like me and like a papertrail to CYA :laugh:)

- instead of carrying a large stack of paperwork for filing (or whatever your particular work situation is), make multiple trips. the extra steps will help!

Any little additions will increase your health!!!!!

You just said hour of TV.... there's an hour right there.... Start paying attention to how much time you waste and you will see that you can make time to exercise.... You make time to shower, eat, etc. so make exercise a part of your life.