What are your top one or two strategies for fitting in exercise each week?
tjostes1
Posts: 5
How do you make exercise a priority in your busy life? How do you get up off the couch when you're tired after work?
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You just get it done. The time is consistent, and frankly, I'd rather be in the gym then on the couch watching TV - it suits my goals in life much more.
There are days when I just don't want to - I'm tired, I was up all night with one of my girls, working extra hours, but none of those matter more then wanting to nail my attempts on the platform. And to do that, I need to put the time in training.0 -
I exercise in the morning so it's done before I do anything else each day. I'm more of a morning person so it's not hard to get up at 5 and do it. Plus, my dogs are used to going out at about 5:02 so I'd need to get up even if I wasn't exercising.0
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I get up at 5:15am and get it done before the kids wake up, and it's time to get them and myself ready for work/school. I'm too tired at night by the time 8:30 rolls around. I've been getting up 3 or 4 times a week early since January and it's going well as far as becoming a habit.0
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Walk to the bus in the morning ... got to get to work somehow!
Walk at lunch ... can't stay cooped up in the office all day.
Walk home from the bus after work ... got to get home somehow!
Additional exercise almost immediately after returning home after work ... grab a quick, light, low-cal snack, change clothes, and head out the door. Don't sit down! Don't let the couch lure you over. Keep moving when you walk in the door from work.
And I'll often continue to be active after returning from cycling or walking (I'm up and about anyway ... still haven't sat down on the couch) by doing some housework. However, I don't usually count that unless I do a concentrated effort, where I'm standing, walking, lifting and carrying, etc. for 60 min or more, without a break.
When all that is out of the way ... then I'll sit.
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- Pick a gym extremely close to your work. Literally on the way home. 5 minutes - 10-15, max. Forget about the fancier gym with the spa that's 30 minutes away. Close to work, not home.
- Go there immediately after work. Rent a locker and keep your stuff in there so it's not a daily hassle.
- Have a snack about 1.5 hours beforehand.
(that is advice for an evening / night person. if you're an early type, pick a gym close to home)0 -
I been doing it before work. I was trying to at night and kept finding excuses not to so now it's done first thing.0
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I would love to be able to workout in the morning on weekdays, but I just can't get up that early so I do it after work. Weekends are ok because I can go in the morning.0
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don't give yourself a choice to say no. just like going to work, or going school,.. or brushing your teeth lol... you cant just NOT go to the gym make it mandatory, create the habit, then it becomes easy0
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Just do it. I go to the gym over my lunch break several days a week, and go at night after I get my 3 kids to bed. Sure I'm exhausted after working all day but if I don't make time for me, who will?0
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How do you make exercise a priority in your busy life? How do you get up off the couch when you're tired after work?
It's not some weird extra thing I do...it is scheduled into my day just like anything else I do.
Tuesday morning: Staff meeting...check
Tuesday morning: conference call...check
Tuesday lunch: 15 mile ride...check
Tuesday afternoon: conference call...check
Tuesday evening: weight room...check
etc, etc, etc...it's just a part of my daily like anything else.0 -
I don't sit down. Or is set a timer.
You can't think of it as an optional thing- it's mandatory- like going to get your teeth cleaned- you made the appointment show up.
Picking up your kids? how to motivate yourself to do that? You just do it right?
Same thing.0 -
When all else fails? Blatent verbal abuse to myself about what a useless piece of lazy *kitten* I am + watching Dana Lynn Baily smash a work out.
Never fails.0 -
Don't sit on the couch until you get at least 10 minutes of exercise. The couch is there to conk you out.
Give yourself a goal to complete 10 minutes everyday for a week and continue doing it unti it is something you just do.0 -
- exercise in the morning
- exercise at home
- plan workouts ahead of time
Right now my mindset is take as many breaks as you want as long as your total time is so and so. Once my cardio gets better I'll take less breaks.0 -
As soon as my son gets on the school bus I immediately head straight to the gym before work for 30 mins on the elliptical &;5-10 mins of stretching. I also use gym time to read a really good book while I'm on the elliptical it helps keep my motivated. Then 2-3x a week I head back to the gym on my lunch break for various strength training classes. In the afternoon I walk to get my son off the bus about 5 mins away so we can walk home together. It's a great time to bond and chat about the day & creates community with the neighborhood kiddos. Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Believe you can & you are halfway there!!"0
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I find that apps that combine games and getting outside help. Ingress keeps me walking. Zombies Run keeps me running. I also sign up for 5K runs and then train for them. The combination of points, badges, and fun events is a powerful motivator for me.0
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Set my alarm clock to get up and fit it in first thing.. I also train in 'seasons'.. right now I am captaining a team that is going for a Spartan Trifecta.. I kinda gotta bring it every day with a whole team depending on me leading them into battle this summer..0
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There is no strategy, it just happens0
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I cycle to work (instead of driving) 3 days a week. Because rush hour traffic sucks here, it takes the same time to cycle the 4.5 miles each way as drive it. That gives me 35-40 mins of brisk cycling on those days.
I run 5k three times a week. Two of those are on weekdays, and I do it in my lunch hour. There's just time to change and get out (10 mins), run 5k (30 mins) and shower (20 mins).
I run Mon and Wed, and bike to work Tues, Wed, Thur. On Wed I therefore earn 600 cals without it cutting into my day at all. Just through my commute and my lunch hour. Wed night I have pizza for dinner.
The only exercise that cuts into my own time is my weekend run, which I usually do first thing on a Saturday. And I'm getting 3 x 30 min run and 6 x 20 min bike ride a week. I am planning to gradually lengthen my Saturday run though, going further.
I also use the Zombies, Run app and have stuck with running for far longer than I've ever managed before. Love it!
Even if you have no choice but to do it of an evening, it's all about routine. Now I have set days and times for exercise, I look forward to it and miss it if I have to miss a session.0 -
#1 Commit to it and it becomes one of life's priorities.
#2 Enjoyment - either from doing it or from the results of doing it.0 -
1. set goals so you want to improve
2. make it part of your routine
(3. ) sometimes having a workout buddy helps for accoutability0 -
I schedule it. We go around the same time every day.0
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i have a pair of mechanical pedals. they got me through the winter, and i'm sure they'll see some use on *kitten* days i don't feel like going swimming throughout the other seasons, too.0
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Consistency and routine....and after work I do NOT sit down on the couch until after I hit the gym :-)0
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Consistency and routine....and after work I do NOT sit down on the couch until after I hit the gym :-)
Exactly this.
If I do my workout in the morning which is usually what I do then I don't have to worry about after work, but sometimes I decide my body isn't ready in the morning to be pushed too far so I hold off until about 4pm when I get home from work, because training is just naturally part of me I never feel like I don't want to train I actually enjoy it.0 -
1. write it down
2. do it.0 -
Consistency and routine....and after work I do NOT sit down on the couch until after I hit the gym :-)
This! When you get home from work, put on your workout clothes. Odds are you will want to do the workout then. When I come home and put on PJs and plop down in front of the TV, it never happens. But, when I lace up those sneeks, I always push play on that workout DVD.
Good luck!0 -
My (home) gym workouts are all of an hour and a half when they're long. I think I'm worth taking "me time" for 4.5 hours a week, given I'm out of the house commuting and working 60 hours a week.
As I've told more than one boss, "My health is my main priority. I won't put it 'on hold' for anyone or anything."0 -
I work out early in the morning but some days I don't want to get out of bed so I take a preworkout to get me motivated also there is literally no way you can skip a workout after you've taken a preworkout0
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How do you make exercise a priority in your busy life? How do you get up off the couch when you're tired after work?
The best way is to kill two birds with one stone--get an ipod and put self-improvement books on it and get up earlier than you need to and walk briskly. Commit to a timeframe (30 minutes, then an hour, etc). You don't have the time, you make the time! This will enhance your health, burn fat, and improve your overall wellbeing. Plus, you get smarter! :-)
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