9 'till 5 = lack of motivation
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Yeah but to wake up at 5:30am what time are you going to bed every night? I usually go to sleep around 1am. If I had to move my bedtime back to 9 or 10, I wouldn't get all the things done that I usually do between 10 and 1.
Also, if I work out on the way home, I can go home, shower and change. If I were to work in the mornings, I'd have to go back home and shower and get dressed and do my hair and makeup for the day, or else I'd have to carry all my stuff with me to the gym, which is a royal pain in the butt. Just wash n' go might be an option for men, but for most women -- especially those of us who have to put real effort into looking business-appropriate -- it's just too rushed to try to do all that in the morning. I usually shower the night before to cut back on morning readiness time.
I'm just saying, it's a choice. It has to work with your schedule and biological rhythms. I personally have no problem going to the gym on the way home or doing a workout in the evening.
It's like calories: You can eat them at whatever time of day works for you. There's no magic about breakfast, just as there's no magic about the morning workout. Find something you're likely to be able to stick with, and do that.0 -
Yep. This is why I work out before work and/or at lunch in winter but save it for the evenings in summer.0
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I bet you would feel better about everything if you got more exercise.
My strategy is to go DIRECTLY to the gym after work. Do not stop, do not eat, do not go shopping--get the exercise done so that you can do other things with the rest of your evening.0 -
Workout before work...win.0
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I work 8am-5pm. I go to bed at 8pm. I get up at 4am to go to the gym. I get a lot more done in the morning with fewer distractions. I can't work out after work either; just can't get focused and the gym is too packed. It's definitely not for everybody, but that's just my priority. I also have the luxury of not having kids? I'm assuming kids make it harder for some people to work out after work?
This is how I make sure I get my workouts in. I'm far more motivated early in the morning than I am in the evening. Plus, I have school that I'm dedicated to in the evening.
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If I go home, it's all over. Hence gym. At least two days a week I have a date to meet my workout buddy at the gym after work. The rest of the time I have prearranged with significant other to work out and be home at a specific time, and if I'm early he may not be back from HIS run yet!
Building in accountability and going to a special place where everyone is working out = consistency for me.0 -
I am totally NOT a morning person and find that working out after work and a small meal works really well for me. During the week I do that once or twice and then on weekends the issue is moot and so I try to get good workouts in both Saturday and Sunday.
But anyway, I just set my mind (and my partner's) that I am going to the gym later. After I eat, I put on my exercise clothes so that I am ready to go once I've digested a bit. This routine works really well and it doesn't cut too much into time at home and other stuff I have to do (I have a 9 to 5 job AND and online teaching job that requires an average of two hours a day most days – I am BIZEE!)
You make time and effort for the things that are important to you.0 -
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natewilson wrote: »Is it just me, or does working 9 while 5 dampen all motivation to come home and work out?? Going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark gives me zilch inspiration to come home and get my work out clothes on all I want is my pjs!! Does anyone feel the same and how do you get you *kitten* in to gear??
I workout before work. It is a drag at first getting up but I feel better throughout the day. After work, I never seem to feel like working out.
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It certainly can, which is why I workout in the mornings when I"m on that schedule. I've switched to a 7-3 gig and find it much easier to stop at the gym on the way home. It's all about finding something that works. If doing it after work doesn't work, do it before. If that doesn't work, go for a walk during your lunch break.
If you're going after work, just always take your gym bag and have it in the front passenger's seat. Seeing it reminds you that you committed that morning to do your workout, so just do it. You'll never regret the workout you finished doing (usually).
If you decide to switch to mornings, have your workout gear ready when you go to bed. Don't leave any room for excuses. Sleep in your workout clothes if you have to.
I also like the workout buddy idea. Motivating each other can be a great help, I'm sure.0 -
Hah! Some days I work 12 hours....7a-7p. Because I work either 11-7, 10-6, or 6-2 on my 8 hour days, there is plenty of time to fit in a workout either before or after work. When I get off a 12 hour day, I still usually do at least 30 minutes on my elliptical at home. It really helps not having to go anywhere to get my sweat on, and I don't have to care about what I'm wearing either. Mostly, I just think about where I want to be in a few months, and it motivates me to get up and get going! Plus, then I can eat more, or maybe have dessert.
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A long day at work totally does have a special way of sucking the motivation out of you! I know a lot of people at my office go during lunch for this reason, but I like to go in the morning (although I haven't been in a week due to the flu). It does suck getting up early but for me it works.0
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I know everyone is not a morning person, but hitting the gym when they open at 5:30 am works for me. I'm a morning person and I do not feel the need to stay up watching tv or being on the internet, so getting to bed 9 or 10 is not an issue.0
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i workout before work, then i walk on my lunch break.0
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Just bring your gym stuff with you and stop before you get home.
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That's why i wake up early get a breakfast in and then head to the gym before I get to work, it helps with my morning mood along with sleeping at night.0
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I picked activities that drive me. I'm a total morning girl so I do my run in the mornings. What gets me out on cold and icy days is a race I've registered for in June. I fail to prepare now, it will hurt later!
My evening exercises are Zumba and Yoga. Zumba makes me happy and Yoga is scheduled on Fridays after work. The Yoga works out all the kinks and stress from the work week; an extra massage.0 -
I'm sure this is completely subjective, but I just started running and I think actually prefer to run late evening (if I can call it a preference, after 3 occasions). The city is beautiful and less people to worry about.
But then I go to sleep after midnight and would sleep till at least 10am every day if I could.
ps. If I had to do something indoors, would carve my eyes out. I hate winter as it is, it's much better to be outside, darkness or not. At least I don't sweat as much under 0 celsius. 0 -
I usually ride my bike to and from work so I get some exercise there. 2 or 3 days a week a group from the office goes to the beach during lunch or right after work where we have a run or surf.0
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I get up at 4:50 am and do 40-45 minutes of treadmill or workout videos in my basement. I live where it is below zero and yep it is COOOOLLD outside and warm in my bed. My husband and kids are snuggled up and I am like "this is so not fair!!!!!" Then I do my workout.. I am a sweaty drippy mess and love how it feels to "earn" my shower. I then have to get myself and two kids ready and dropped off, go work an 8-5 job and find 3 nights a week to go to the gym in addition. Again dark and cold and I have 7,000,000 things to do at home but if I don't take care of myself, I can't take care of anyone else. I figure it only affects the household 3 hours/week, they can deal. There is not one day I want to, but I just do it cuz that's what you have to do.0
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »I bet you would feel better about everything if you got more exercise.
My strategy is to go DIRECTLY to the gym after work. Do not stop, do not eat, do not go shopping--get the exercise done so that you can do other things with the rest of your evening.
Yep, this is what I do when I'm at work, unless I want to do an evening class like step aerobics. I'm on maternity leave now so have a bit more freedom (well, if you can call having a 5 year old, 3 year old and 8 month old freedom lol).
I'm a teacher and pre kids was in work before 8, but left around 3:30 unless it was meeting day, or parents' evening or something. I used to go straight to the gym and then once I was home could shower, make dinner, then worry about planning, marking etc.
Even when I was pregnant last year I'd sometimes go to the gym after work, then collect my kids from after school club/nursery. My husband does shift work so when he's on late shift he's not around to watch the kids while I go to the gym. I figure if I can be motivated enough to work all day, go to the gym, then deal with kids on my own all evening, whilst pregnant, someone with no kids can easily do it!
I find doing exercise gives me more energy, so get yourself into the habit of exercising after work, and soon you'll feel better for it.0 -
Girrrrl I hear you. It's dark when I leave, and dark when I get home. During the spring/summer/fall, I have no problems going out for a run after work (most of the time). But I don't like running in the dark where I live (more because of the animals out there than scary people), and I can't afford a gym. Also, it's icy out there!!! And I have such a hard time doing workout videos at home, but it's really the only option if I don't want to go outside. But like you, I have a really hard time making myself get up early, and once I'm home, nothing about me wants to change into workout clothes to exercise near my couch or bed where the TV and computer are. Why exercise near those when I can sit on them and relax instead?
The only way I know I'll exercise at home is if I do it in the morning, and put my alarm somewhere where I have to get up to turn it off. It's all that will work. And the only reason I make myself do it is because I know I want to reach my goals. It sucks while I'm doing it, and I grumble as I set the alarm on my phone and put it across the room. But then I'm always happier that I got over it and did it, even if I don't actually enjoy the process while it's happening. And I know that it's only for a short while, since the days are already getting longer! Soon enough I'll be able to enjoy my run through the woods after work again. 0 -
I've suggested to busy parents on a nine to five schedule, to get off the bus a few blocks early to walk home. Carve out time where they could.0
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happygalah wrote: »I usually ride my bike to and from work so I get some exercise there. 2 or 3 days a week a group from the office goes to the beach during lunch or right after work where we have a run or surf.
I do this too in the warmer months. The gym is a winter fill-in for me during the months when it's too cold and snowy to bike.
(Most people there probably think I'm one of those recurring New Year's Resolution newbies. Whatever.)0 -
Absolutely and usually it's more like 9-6:30 for me. By the time it rolls around to go home I have to run home and cook and clean. For those that say get up and workout early, some of us are parents too ! I get my son up for school at 5:45, make his breakfast and lunch and then get him out the door at 6:20. By that time I am prepping my own lunch to fit my calories, showering, eating, feeding the dogs and then the commute to work. There is no getting up any earlier than that when you have to be in bed by 10.
While I love the "nah nah I am better than you" attitude of some here on the boards, I can tell you to make sure to find something else to motivate you. After dinner the boys and I clean the kitchen together and they almost force me to go walk with them. They are extremely considerate and aware that mommy needs the help sometimes. I have 3 great motivators right in my own house, but it isn't like I am dragging them out the door ! The driving home in the dark does it every time.
Having a desk job can be brutal when you are trying to lose the weight, it's possible for sure but it may be a little slower until you get in a groove.0 -
NoelFigart1 wrote: »It does. That's why I work out before work.
You are obviously very motivated. It would take a gang of machine-gun wielding guys to haul me out of bed in the morning even an instant earlier than I have to. Mornings are NOT my friend.
No, I am not motivated. I grumble, growl and stumble zombie-like out of bed to throw on my bathing suit, brave the cold and hit the water.
Motivation, mood or being excited about it has zero to do with it.
This is not aimed at you specifically, but at a concept I detest: the idea that we need to be excited about our goals* at all times during the process. We totally don't.
While emotional investment can be nice, you can't keep it up any more than you can stay on the edge of an orgasm. The climax happens and then you're not aroused for a bit. The movies and the training montages with all the exciting music get it wrong. Achievement isn't about emotional excitement (though it can include it). It's about deciding that you want to do something and arranging your life so that you do.
In fact, one of the reason I am not in general an evening exerciser is emotional. I know that when I am tired after a long day, mood has a stronger hold over me than first thing in the morning before my brain turns on. I can talk myself out of a workout in the evening much faster than I can at oh dark hundred. (I can barely say my name that early, much less logic myself out of something). It sounds like in your instance, your emotions have a strong sway over you when you first get up. So you need to find out when your logic (and HABIT, holy crap is habit really stronger than anything!) will get you to form the habit of working out, then do that.
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* Unlike many people on this site, I consider it perfectly moral and acceptable NOT to have diet and weight loss as a goal. Maybe you'd rather learn Russian or knit. That's fine, too.0 -
Fair point. I believe in habit over motivation, too. I guess I just didn't choose my words very carefully in my post.
And yeah, I have an easier time doing the stuff I need to do in the evenings. In the morning, it's all too easy for me to talk myself into another ten minutes of sleep... and another... and another.0 -
NoelFigart1 wrote: »NoelFigart1 wrote: »It does. That's why I work out before work.
You are obviously very motivated. It would take a gang of machine-gun wielding guys to haul me out of bed in the morning even an instant earlier than I have to. Mornings are NOT my friend.
No, I am not motivated. I grumble, growl and stumble zombie-like out of bed to throw on my bathing suit, brave the cold and hit the water.
Motivation, mood or being excited about it has zero to do with it.
This is not aimed at you specifically, but at a concept I detest: the idea that we need to be excited about our goals* at all times during the process. We totally don't.
While emotional investment can be nice, you can't keep it up any more than you can stay on the edge of an orgasm. The climax happens and then you're not aroused for a bit. The movies and the training montages with all the exciting music get it wrong. Achievement isn't about emotional excitement (though it can include it). It's about deciding that you want to do something and arranging your life so that you do.
In fact, one of the reason I am not in general an evening exerciser is emotional. I know that when I am tired after a long day, mood has a stronger hold over me than first thing in the morning before my brain turns on. I can talk myself out of a workout in the evening much faster than I can at oh dark hundred. (I can barely say my name that early, much less logic myself out of something). It sounds like in your instance, your emotions have a strong sway over you when you first get up. So you need to find out when your logic (and HABIT, holy crap is habit really stronger than anything!) will get you to form the habit of working out, then do that.
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* Unlike many people on this site, I consider it perfectly moral and acceptable NOT to have diet and weight loss as a goal. Maybe you'd rather learn Russian or knit. That's fine, too.
Well said! It has become a habit for me, absolutely. I just do it. I don't even think about it most of the time. I don't feel bad if I have to skip a day here and there because I have other exciting or important things to do, but I never go more than one day without it. I also know, I start to physically feel bad (back and neck aches and pains) when I go too long with out exercising, so that makes it quite a necessity for me!0 -
This is why my alarm is going off at 4:45 tomorrow morning.0
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I'm actually the opposite . . . sitting in my office all day makes me want to move once I'm done. But if you can't workout after work, try doing it beforehand. That's what most of my co-workers do. I tried but . . . yeah, that early in the morning is just not for me, working out or otherwise.0
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