10 hour work days, ugh

07DeadlySins
07DeadlySins Posts: 10 Member
in Motivation and Support
Does anyone have any tips or ideas on how to get excercise in on 10 hour work days? My commute to work is about 30 minutes to and an hour home. I get time to walk the dog for a bit when I get home. But the rest of my day is taken up by cooking a meal, shower and then bed. I get fri-sunday off but I would like to get more days in as I like working out every other day.

Replies

  • lakhena
    lakhena Posts: 57 Member
    I've been sneaking in yoga right before bed -- I load up a video on my tablet and go. It's quite relaxing.
  • rcottonrph1
    rcottonrph1 Posts: 60
    Following. I work 12 hour days as a pharmacist. Long days like this make eating right, logging, exercise, etc VERY difficult. Any tips are appreciated.
  • Abberration
    Abberration Posts: 16
    Maybe try short "bursts" on days when you know you'll be flat out after work. Examples: sets of 20 push ups; squats; calf raises if you stand a lot; walking lunges around the office etc not an "extreme" workout, but it adds up and is better than no work out at all. Just a thought! :-D
  • 07DeadlySins
    07DeadlySins Posts: 10 Member
    Good idea aberration! I will keep that in mind and try it out for the rest of my work day today, :)
  • trianglevision
    trianglevision Posts: 28 Member
    Im in the same boat as you. Right now I have a goal to go to the gym twice a week since I know that's all I will realistically achieve.

    I tried going in the morning before work but I end up being so exhausted..it didn't really work well for me.

    I might start doing some YouTube Pilates before bed, that's a good idea!
  • DsAdvocate
    DsAdvocate Posts: 93 Member
    I premake all of my meals and portion them out to last a week then I pick and choose through the week. Makes eating correctly easier. I work 10.5 hour days (eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at work) and have an hour commute each way. After work I drive to the barn and ride my horse (with grooming, riding, and feeding him it takes about 2 hours). I'm gone about 15 hours a day.

    I do have a dog at home but thankfully I also have a partner that has a normal job and can be home for him. I am also allowed to take my dog to work with me if I don't have to go to the barn.
  • Abberration
    Abberration Posts: 16
    edited January 2015
    I'm working 10 days with an hour commute both ways. I'm also a single mom, so time management is imperative as when I'm home my focus is on my son until he goes to bed. At that point I'm not really motivated to workout :-/ I've combined my "office" work outs (currently doing 20 push ups every hour and alternating between lunges and sit ups twice a day (breaks)) and doing 20-30 mins on the treadmill before I start dinner.
    So far so good,if not ideal.
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
    Does your building have stairs? If you get a break during the day go up and down during that time. Stairs are great. I have a friend that works at hospital and they have a group that will do it during their breaks.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    HIIT in the morning before work (or after work)
  • trianglevision
    trianglevision Posts: 28 Member
    I think investing in really nice Tupperware is key! I always bring my lunch to work along with my water bottle to stay hydrated. I don't let myself eat anything else until I get home. Saves me tons of money!

    I like making big batches of soup and stews on Sundays.
  • sswanl
    sswanl Posts: 30
    Definately following! I work 12 hour days 5 days a week plus a 40 minute commute both ways too, so I understand. The one salvation I have found IS my dogs. Instead of just walking them, I try and "run." I started using th couch to 5k program to really push myself to keep up a minimum activity level, dispite being tired as hell.

    And a straight talk, not so kind comment coming. So skip it if your sensitive!!! Evaluate what your really doing during your awake time. You have more time at home then just eat, shower, sleep (Unless your sleeping like 10 hours). Are you watching tv? Playing a video game? Facebook? Maybe your grocery shopping? Determine what your really doing at home and decide which of those can wait for your days off or just be eliminated. (Heaven knows I am just as guilty of spending time on the wrong things, so this is a call out to myself as well.)
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  • 07DeadlySins
    07DeadlySins Posts: 10 Member
    I do fairly decent on the eating portion, I usually bring a big bag of greens, a little shredded cheese, toppings, and light salad dressing to work then I make my salad during lunch break. Snacking isn't bad as long as no one has a birthday at work, lol. My working out is the biggest hurtle seeing as I eat decently I just don't work out well. But I've been doing squats and started stair climbing at work with what people suggested on here, I think it's helping a lot! Thanks guys.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    I work 10-12 hour days, commute depends on where I work (I travel locally 1-2 days a week for work, so anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes each way), on workout days during the work week I use a crockpot to make dinner so I don't have to actually make dinner when I get home but have something to put on the table. I also plan our meals for the week on Sunday and have a rotating selection of quick meals to put on the table (usually along the lines of a quick soup, or eggs/breakfast, turkey chili, etc), or my husband will cook one night a week. I manage to workout 4-5 days a week, including days off. It's definitely doable, but requires a lot of planning. Hope that helps!
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Make my lunches and dinners over the weekend. I find working out at lunch is the easiest if you can. I know it makes the day even longer but if you don't have a dog or kids it might be easiest. That way I can work out during the day time, and motivation-wise taking a break from work to work out is way easier than waking up early or trying to stay up late. Might be just me though.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    I work 4on/4off 10-12hr night shifts. I head straight to the gym for 90-120mins after work. For me it's easier than having it cut into my time off work. I also find I sleep far better doing that. Everyone is different though.
  • Morglem
    Morglem Posts: 377 Member
    I also work 5 days a week - 9 to 10 hours day. :( so hard to accommodate everything you need to do, but like other people here said its doable I just need to get to it.
  • bos10fit
    bos10fit Posts: 80 Member
    I used to be a bartender and I would go in at 4pm and on a good day get off at 530am.

    I didn't have a car so I was on small pickings but I did live close to work so I focused on running home or riding my bike home. I also joined a gym 1.5 miles from the house and ran there then strength trained and ran home.

    After work I was tired but I had to just make myself do it. Ugh.

    Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
  • lemonfizzle
    lemonfizzle Posts: 40 Member
    I try to start the day with a 15 minute HIIT workout. I find a lot of them in fitness magazines. I don't really have a chance at work to get up and move around. I also don't have the desire to spend more of my free time exercising, so the quick workouts are perfect.
  • cjr1
    cjr1 Posts: 13 Member
    I hate it, but get up by 4:30am and try to get in some yoga. There is a great website called "do yoga with me" they have free workouts and you can search for a workout by both "level of effort" and length of time. Some of the workouts are literally 8 minutes long- but you can still feel them the next day. I also try to get out at work at lunch or at breaks. The problems, of course, are both the winter weather (brutal in the Midwest) and the fact that some weeks I don't really get any of those breaks.

    It's a constant struggle. Let us know if you find any suggestions that work for you.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I don't eat breakfast, and I bring a small lunch in a small tupperware container and don't eat ANYTHING else until I get home (late) This usually helps me keep myself at or just above my calorie goal for the day.

    I try to have a prepackaged salad in the fridge to eat when I get home. I try to preoccupy my mind with a book late at night when I'm feeling like I want to snack.

    I have to agree with the above poster: Do Yoga With Me website is amazing, and I try to fit in one of those workouts whenever I can. Some of those workouts are only 15 minutes, and that's better than nothing!

    I can relate though. My work encourages super poor eating habits, even though I'm on my feet a lot and moving around all day. Honestly, I'm leaving my job at the end of the month. I have to find something that will bring me to my goals, not something I need to fight against the whole way.

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