The old cliche, no time....what's your advice in this scenario?

Options
2»

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    Forget sleeping less... sleep is essential.

    A few things... 1h45 minutes to get ready in the morning seems a very long time. What takes so long? I get ready in 5 minutes tops in the morning, and can eat in 10. You can probably save some time there - pack lunch while you make dinner the night before perhaps? If you can sleep an hour longer, it means you can stay up an extra hour in the evening. If the baby wakes you up and you have any free time there, just do a quick workout then.

    Frankly with such a schedule, I'd just workout every other day, so you don't get burned out. And squeeze those small workouts mentioned above when you have some time. But if you really waste one hour in traffic between work, the gym, and your house, I'd also find another option - either a closer gym, or some home workouts.

    I'm also a huge fan of my stationary bike... cost $100 and you can read or watch tv and still exercise, it's win/win.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    Honestly, I'd just cut the workout time to 30 min in the evening and only do it 4-5 days a week. If possible, add a little more to than just abs at lunch. 60+ min a day of exercise is not necessary for health and if calories are your only concern, then just really bust your butt in those 30 min. Some days even cut it down to a 15 min HIIT workout.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Options
    I've added suggestions/questions your example day in Bold

    Example day:
    5am-6:45 wake up, eat, get ready, lunch packing for husband and self( yes, most things already prepped in Tupperware, some last minute additions, too):
    1:45 minutes is a LONG morning routine. Mine is 1 hr and I do all the same things (well- I don't pack my husband his lunch). I do 6-6:15 shower, hair, makeup, clothing until 6:45, then throw the freezer items in my lunch bag and hit the road by 6.
    Travel
    7:15am-5:30pm workday, lunch ab workout
    You do not need to do a separate lunch ab workout. Incorporate that exercise into your evening. Use your lunch to get ahead on your personal life, like making plans with friends and paying bills. Also- do you take a 1 hr 45 minute lunch? This is a very long work day. Do you do a compressed schedule?
    Travel
    6pm-7:00 work out
    One hour every day, Monday - Friday? You can make your workout more efficient by lifting heavy with lower reps, or by doing HIITS instead of prolonged cardio. That should at least get you down to 30-45 minutes on lifting days.
    Travel
    7:30-8:30 cook, eat, shower
    You shower at night? So what are you doing during the morning? The shower is the longest part of my morning routine that i can't seem to shorten.
    9:00pm bed
  • snoweduponberries
    snoweduponberries Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I've added suggestions/questions your example day in Bold

    Example day:
    5am-6:45 wake up, eat, get ready, lunch packing for husband and self( yes, most things already prepped in Tupperware, some last minute additions, too):
    1:45 minutes is a LONG morning routine. Mine is 1 hr and I do all the same things (well- I don't pack my husband his lunch). I do 6-6:15 shower, hair, makeup, clothing until 6:45, then throw the freezer items in my lunch bag and hit the road by 6.
    Travel
    7:15am-5:30pm workday, lunch ab workout
    You do not need to do a separate lunch ab workout. Incorporate that exercise into your evening. Use your lunch to get ahead on your personal life, like making plans with friends and paying bills. Also- do you take a 1 hr 45 minute lunch? This is a very long work day. Do you do a compressed schedule?
    Travel
    6pm-7:00 work out
    One hour every day, Monday - Friday? You can make your workout more efficient by lifting heavy with lower reps, or by doing HIITS instead of prolonged cardio. That should at least get you down to 30-45 minutes on lifting days.
    Travel
    7:30-8:30 cook, eat, shower
    You shower at night? So what are you doing during the morning? The shower is the longest part of my morning routine that i can't seem to shorten.
    9:00pm bed

    Breakfast alone takes 35minutes. In the morning I putter, move slow, enjoy the wake up process, I guess. I could never rush in the morning, it would stress me out and set me off on the wrong foot for the rest of the day.
    And yes, 10hr shifts, 5 days a week, 1hr lunch, no breaks - sometimes it was so busy, even lunches were "asked" to not be taken, to stay on the floor.
    I was doing the additional workouts because I used to think that's how I had to lose weight, especially when I'd plateau, I'd work out harder and longer and more often - I didn't know how else to beat it. The longer I use MFP, and the more I listen to those in the community, the more I understand that my issue was never with working out - my job alone was highly active. My issue was that I needed to eat almost a thousand calories more per day!
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Options
    So you have weekends free, yes? Weekends are when I get some of my best workouts done because I'm not rushed.

    You need to figure out what you want more; to be fit and healthy or to be where you are today. Then you need to make a smarter workout plan. It looks like you're just doing things ad hoc when really, you need a program that will guide you.

    For reference: I have 3 active kids, a full time job, and am a single parent. I work out 5 days a week.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Options
    snoweduponberries wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I've added suggestions/questions your example day in Bold

    Example day:
    5am-6:45 wake up, eat, get ready, lunch packing for husband and self( yes, most things already prepped in Tupperware, some last minute additions, too):
    1:45 minutes is a LONG morning routine. Mine is 1 hr and I do all the same things (well- I don't pack my husband his lunch). I do 6-6:15 shower, hair, makeup, clothing until 6:45, then throw the freezer items in my lunch bag and hit the road by 6.
    Travel
    7:15am-5:30pm workday, lunch ab workout
    You do not need to do a separate lunch ab workout. Incorporate that exercise into your evening. Use your lunch to get ahead on your personal life, like making plans with friends and paying bills. Also- do you take a 1 hr 45 minute lunch? This is a very long work day. Do you do a compressed schedule?
    Travel
    6pm-7:00 work out
    One hour every day, Monday - Friday? You can make your workout more efficient by lifting heavy with lower reps, or by doing HIITS instead of prolonged cardio. That should at least get you down to 30-45 minutes on lifting days.
    Travel
    7:30-8:30 cook, eat, shower
    You shower at night? So what are you doing during the morning? The shower is the longest part of my morning routine that i can't seem to shorten.
    9:00pm bed

    Breakfast alone takes 35minutes. In the morning I putter, move slow, enjoy the wake up process, I guess. I could never rush in the morning, it would stress me out and set me off on the wrong foot for the rest of the day.
    And yes, 10hr shifts, 5 days a week, 1hr lunch, no breaks - sometimes it was so busy, even lunches were "asked" to not be taken, to stay on the floor.
    I was doing the additional workouts because I used to think that's how I had to lose weight, especially when I'd plateau, I'd work out harder and longer and more often - I didn't know how else to beat it. The longer I use MFP, and the more I listen to those in the community, the more I understand that my issue was never with working out - my job alone was highly active. My issue was that I needed to eat almost a thousand calories more per day!

    Have you considered prepping your breakfast and clothing the night before? Anything to cut some of the time out. Exercise is great for fitness, don't get me wrong, but yeah, glad you're seeing you can cut it down, especially with an active job. If you do cut any of the exercise, be sure to cut the calories accordingly.
  • snoweduponberries
    snoweduponberries Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    snoweduponberries wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    I've added suggestions/questions your example day in Bold

    Example day:
    5am-6:45 wake up, eat, get ready, lunch packing for husband and self( yes, most things already prepped in Tupperware, some last minute additions, too):
    1:45 minutes is a LONG morning routine. Mine is 1 hr and I do all the same things (well- I don't pack my husband his lunch). I do 6-6:15 shower, hair, makeup, clothing until 6:45, then throw the freezer items in my lunch bag and hit the road by 6.
    Travel
    7:15am-5:30pm workday, lunch ab workout
    You do not need to do a separate lunch ab workout. Incorporate that exercise into your evening. Use your lunch to get ahead on your personal life, like making plans with friends and paying bills. Also- do you take a 1 hr 45 minute lunch? This is a very long work day. Do you do a compressed schedule?
    Travel
    6pm-7:00 work out
    One hour every day, Monday - Friday? You can make your workout more efficient by lifting heavy with lower reps, or by doing HIITS instead of prolonged cardio. That should at least get you down to 30-45 minutes on lifting days.
    Travel
    7:30-8:30 cook, eat, shower
    You shower at night? So what are you doing during the morning? The shower is the longest part of my morning routine that i can't seem to shorten.
    9:00pm bed

    Breakfast alone takes 35minutes. In the morning I putter, move slow, enjoy the wake up process, I guess. I could never rush in the morning, it would stress me out and set me off on the wrong foot for the rest of the day.
    And yes, 10hr shifts, 5 days a week, 1hr lunch, no breaks - sometimes it was so busy, even lunches were "asked" to not be taken, to stay on the floor.
    I was doing the additional workouts because I used to think that's how I had to lose weight, especially when I'd plateau, I'd work out harder and longer and more often - I didn't know how else to beat it. The longer I use MFP, and the more I listen to those in the community, the more I understand that my issue was never with working out - my job alone was highly active. My issue was that I needed to eat almost a thousand calories more

    Have you considered prepping your breakfast and clothing the night before? Anything to cut some of the time out. Exercise is great for fitness, don't get me wrong, but yeah, glad you're seeing you can cut it down, especially with an active job. If you do cut any of the exercise, be sure to cut the calories accordingly.

    No, no. I'm not being clear, I think. I can't cut calories, I have to add!
    This schedule was all pre-baby. Currently, I'm not working, and not working out, just counting calories, and losing weight faster than I ever have ever before. I have MFP set to lose 1lb per week, but I'm losing 2.5lbs per week on average (breastfeeding). I just figure that, I'll eventually plateau again, weightloss will slow, I'll be going back to work, need to re-introduce exercise, but had a baby I would never see if I opted to work out after work, still. So all these ways to squeeze in exercise, and realizing I don't have to work out so often are revelations.
  • MeeshKB
    MeeshKB Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    I'm in a very similar situation to yours, snoweduponberries. I have three kids (5 yo twins and an 18 month old) and work full time. But you are already doing more, activity-wise, than I am! :smile:

    I agree with those who say you can probably cut down your workout time/frequency to make it less of a burden. An hour 2-3 days a week or a short workout daily would be just as efficient and feel much less like work.

    If there's anything you can do at home, to save travel time etc. to the gym, I would investigate that. Do you have any exercise equipment at home? We invested in a treadmill a few years ago and my favourite workout is a HIIT walking workout on that (I use an awesome iphone app that sets the workout and syncs up your music to it).

    FWIW, I don't think the time you take to get ready in the morning is that bad. Having kids myself, I know that getting yourself, a kid or two and hubby up and out the door can take much longer than just getting yourself going. It takes me a similar amount of time in the morning, and I have my mom there 30 mins before departure time to help with the kids.

    It sounds like you are actually doing really well - you just need to refresh things a bit. Keep up the great work!

Categories