Need help! No time for exercise!

EuniceTHQ
EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
edited November 23 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I'm pleased that I could get advices here..
I have a problem, I have to go to college in the morning and come back in the evening, or when I don't have lectures in the morning I have to study since my exam is around the corner. Hence I couldn't go for jogging as my exercise. Usually, I would do some "workout" such as sit up, bicycle crunches and others in the morning once I wake up in my room with my PJ as I think I have pooch and I want to lose it and probably wish to have abs. The problem is that I have a mindset thinking that I'm not doing the proper way and so I stop doing it.
Seriously need help for my pooch!

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    My picture has never been more relevant lol.

    OP perhaps you should focus on your exams for now... and then when they're done, you'll have more free time to exercise?

    Crunches don't do much... losing weight comes down to a caloric deficit, which reduces body fat, which also makes the abs more visible...
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
    Is 'pooch' a pouch ? As in belly fat ?

    YouTube has excellent videos of good technique for exercises.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    Is 'pooch' a pouch ? As in belly fat ?

    YouTube has excellent videos of good technique for exercises.

    Oops! Typo error! Thanks for the recommendation. :)
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    My picture has never been more relevant lol.

    OP perhaps you should focus on your exams for now... and then when they're done, you'll have more free time to exercise?

    Crunches don't do much... losing weight comes down to a caloric deficit, which reduces body fat, which also makes the abs more visible...

    Thanks for your recommendation. :)
  • pandapotlovebug
    pandapotlovebug Posts: 59 Member
    Read your books on the stationery bike?
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    Not meaning to be harsh but I don't buy it. Over the course of an entire day you don't have a spare 30 mins to walk, get on a stationary bike, or hit the gym?
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
    Most elliptical and treadmills have places for books or tablets.
  • queenofpuppies
    queenofpuppies Posts: 189 Member
    I know how you feel. I work full time and am in grad school full time. Time is a precious thing. I make myself take a 20-30 minute walk on my lunch break everyday, then walk or run my dog for 30 minutes on the days I don't have class (should be five days a week, but usually it's more like 2 or 3). Remember that you will feel less stressed out if you get some exercise. It will help you focus and give you more energy to study. Its not a luxury it's a necessity and it's a study tool. If you really can't do 30 minutes, try running around the block before you start studying. You can do a 10 minute run! Or go on youtube and find some burst training videos.
  • GillianLF
    GillianLF Posts: 410 Member
    I get you. I'm going into third year (college on weekends), also working full time 5 days a week and work in the evening 3 nights a week. The last 2 years I put on a "study stone" around my middle.
    I realised though if I don't tackle it now it will keep growing!

    I've started walking more. I get off the bus a stop earlier and take the stairs. This small change means I get a very brisk walk for 20 minutes at the start of every day (its 16 flights of stairs to my desk).
    I bought a big Pilates ball to sit on when I'm studying so that I can work my core while sitting there. My sister suggested I get resistance bands to use when I'm studying or watching tv, I haven't done that yet.

    I do my running and spin class on my lunch break! Its the only way I can presently fit in the workouts. When exam season rolls around again I'm not sure what I'll do to keep fit!
  • ellarishee
    ellarishee Posts: 25 Member
    edited September 2015
    Between uni and work I don't have a whole lot of free time, although I'm lucky that this year I don't have *as* many hours of lectures etc. throughout the week. I agree with the person who said perhaps focusing on exams at the moment should be a priority. However for me, if I have lectures at 9, I have to get up at 6. By the time I workout and I'm showered it's 7.15 - 7.30, then breakfast and getting ready, and I have to leave at about 8.15 for a half hour commute.

    Some days I start work earlier, an so that means and even earlier start. If I tried to fit in working out after work/uni there's no WAY I would do it, I'd always find an excuse. Sometimes you have to make time for it.

    I don't work out a gym, so I'm sure if I did it would be much more troublesome. Working out at home means I can get up and get straight in to it. At the moment I'm using fitnessblender.com videos, you should check them out! I find working out in the morning energizes me for the day too, plus then it's DONE. And I think mentally it gets you off to a better start. It can take a few weeks to get in to, but it's a worthwhile change to make imo! Good luck with those exams!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Write down your schedule, Sunday through Saturday, from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed. My guess is that you can find at least three 30 minute periods of free time that you could use for exercise. Once you find that time and start using it, you'll likely figure out other times when you could exercise as well.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Write down your schedule, Sunday through Saturday, from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed. My guess is that you can find at least three 30 minute periods of free time that you could use for exercise. Once you find that time and start using it, you'll likely figure out other times when you could exercise as well.

    Thanks for your recommendation. :)

  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    ellarishee wrote: »
    Between uni and work I don't have a whole lot of free time, although I'm lucky that this year I don't have *as* many hours of lectures etc. throughout the week. I agree with the person who said perhaps focusing on exams at the moment should be a priority. However for me, if I have lectures at 9, I have to get up at 6. By the time I workout and I'm showered it's 7.15 - 7.30, then breakfast and getting ready, and I have to leave at about 8.15 for a half hour commute.

    Some days I start work earlier, an so that means and even earlier start. If I tried to fit in working out after work/uni there's no WAY I would do it, I'd always find an excuse. Sometimes you have to make time for it.

    I don't work out a gym, so I'm sure if I did it would be much more troublesome. Working out at home means I can get up and get straight in to it. At the moment I'm using fitnessblender.com videos, you should check them out! I find working out in the morning energizes me for the day too, plus then it's DONE. And I think mentally it gets you off to a better start. It can take a few weeks to get in to, but it's a worthwhile change to make imo! Good luck with those exams!

    Wow!! That's a useful tip for me. Thank you so much. :)

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    You CANNOT reduce any part of the body directly with exercise. Exercise is for fitness and health. Calorie deficit is for fat loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • SongDragon
    SongDragon Posts: 205 Member
    Maybe run to classes if they're in different buildings? I miss campus life because my University was on a giant hill and my residence was in the middle. To get the meal hall I had to go up to the top of the hill and to get to most of my classes I had to go down to the bottom. It was great.
  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
    edited September 2015
    Abs*** are made in the kitchen darling. Focus on school since that's more important than worry about exercising later. If you want to do something though you can always do the 100 push-up challenge
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    I know how you feel. I work full time and am in grad school full time. Time is a precious thing. I make myself take a 20-30 minute walk on my lunch break everyday, then walk or run my dog for 30 minutes on the days I don't have class (should be five days a week, but usually it's more like 2 or 3). Remember that you will feel less stressed out if you get some exercise. It will help you focus and give you more energy to study. Its not a luxury it's a necessity and it's a study tool. If you really can't do 30 minutes, try running around the block before you start studying. You can do a 10 minute run! Or go on youtube and find some burst training videos.

    Thank you for your recommendation. :)
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    GillianLF wrote: »
    I get you. I'm going into third year (college on weekends), also working full time 5 days a week and work in the evening 3 nights a week. The last 2 years I put on a "study stone" around my middle.
    I realised though if I don't tackle it now it will keep growing!

    I've started walking more. I get off the bus a stop earlier and take the stairs. This small change means I get a very brisk walk for 20 minutes at the start of every day (its 16 flights of stairs to my desk).
    I bought a big Pilates ball to sit on when I'm studying so that I can work my core while sitting there. My sister suggested I get resistance bands to use when I'm studying or watching tv, I haven't done that yet.

    I do my running and spin class on my lunch break! Its the only way I can presently fit in the workouts. When exam season rolls around again I'm not sure what I'll do to keep fit!

    Thanks for your sharing and advice.
  • accidentalpancake
    accidentalpancake Posts: 484 Member
    You have a lack of motivation, not time.

    I lost 70+ lbs while working two jobs, having two kids, completing my MA program, and building a new house.

    You have time.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    edited September 2015
    One thing you could try is to change a mindset from one where exercise is an activity that takes away from the rest of your day and trying to view it as activity you include in your broader day.

    If we view exercise as "I have to exercise for 30 minutes, but I need 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 to clean up afterward", it can seem particularly daunting.

    But if you try to fit it into the small gaps we do have in our schedule, it's easier. Like GillianLF said: you can try simply walking more. If you're studying, you can walk around the room or pace back and forth behind your desk while reading.

    I'd always been told that you can usually get just under an hour of academics done before your brain could use a break, so after about 50 minutes of work, I'd take a 10 minute break that could include walking around or doing some calisthenics. When I was doing my thesis, I'd spend a lot of time walking as I composed what I was going to say before sitting down and writing it.

    You may have difficulties finding or recognizing time to do dedicated workouts, but you can probably find places to shoehorn in SOME activity into the little gaps in your schedule.


    When my schedule's busy, I sometimes turn to an at-home workout regimen where I have (usually) 2-3 minutes per set to complete a certain number of repetitions. The intent of the workout creator was that, if you completed it quickly, that meant you could rest more before the next set, but I also found out that I was actually able to do some of my chores in the time left over for each set. So I was able to let my exercise time and my chore time occupy the same block on my schedule.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    csuhar wrote: »
    One thing you could try is to change a mindset from one where exercise is an activity that takes away from the rest of your day and trying to view it as activity you include in your broader day.

    If we view exercise as "I have to exercise for 30 minutes, but I need 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 to clean up afterward", it can seem particularly daunting.

    But if you try to fit it into the small gaps we do have in our schedule, it's easier. Like GillianLF said: you can try simply walking more. If you're studying, you can walk around the room or pace back and forth behind your desk while reading.

    I'd always been told that you can usually get just under an hour of academics done before your brain could use a break, so after about 50 minutes of work, I'd take a 10 minute break that could include walking around or doing some calisthenics. When I was doing my thesis, I'd spend a lot of time walking as I composed what I was going to say before sitting down and writing it.

    You may have difficulties finding or recognizing time to do dedicated workouts, but you can probably find places to shoehorn in SOME activity into the little gaps in your schedule.


    When my schedule's busy, I sometimes turn to an at-home workout regimen where I have (usually) 2-3 minutes per set to complete a certain number of repetitions. The intent of the workout creator was that, if you completed it quickly, that meant you could rest more before the next set, but I also found out that I was actually able to do some of my chores in the time left over for each set. So I was able to let my exercise time and my chore time occupy the same block on my schedule.
    csuhar wrote: »
    One thing you could try is to change a mindset from one where exercise is an activity that takes away from the rest of your day and trying to view it as activity you include in your broader day.

    If we view exercise as "I have to exercise for 30 minutes, but I need 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 to clean up afterward", it can seem particularly daunting.

    But if you try to fit it into the small gaps we do have in our schedule, it's easier. Like GillianLF said: you can try simply walking more. If you're studying, you can walk around the room or pace back and forth behind your desk while reading.

    I'd always been told that you can usually get just under an hour of academics done before your brain could use a break, so after about 50 minutes of work, I'd take a 10 minute break that could include walking around or doing some calisthenics. When I was doing my thesis, I'd spend a lot of time walking as I composed what I was going to say before sitting down and writing it.

    You may have difficulties finding or recognizing time to do dedicated workouts, but you can probably find places to shoehorn in SOME activity into the little gaps in your schedule.


    When my schedule's busy, I sometimes turn to an at-home workout regimen where I have (usually) 2-3 minutes per set to complete a certain number of repetitions. The intent of the workout creator was that, if you completed it quickly, that meant you could rest more before the next set, but I also found out that I was actually able to do some of my chores in the time left over for each set. So I was able to let my exercise time and my chore time occupy the same block on my schedule.
    csuhar wrote: »
    One thing you could try is to change a mindset from one where exercise is an activity that takes away from the rest of your day and trying to view it as activity you include in your broader day.

    If we view exercise as "I have to exercise for 30 minutes, but I need 15 minutes to prepare and another 15 to clean up afterward", it can seem particularly daunting.

    But if you try to fit it into the small gaps we do have in our schedule, it's easier. Like GillianLF said: you can try simply walking more. If you're studying, you can walk around the room or pace back and forth behind your desk while reading.

    I'd always been told that you can usually get just under an hour of academics done before your brain could use a break, so after about 50 minutes of work, I'd take a 10 minute break that could include walking around or doing some calisthenics. When I was doing my thesis, I'd spend a lot of time walking as I composed what I was going to say before sitting down and writing it.

    You may have difficulties finding or recognizing time to do dedicated workouts, but you can probably find places to shoehorn in SOME activity into the little gaps in your schedule.


    When my schedule's busy, I sometimes turn to an at-home workout regimen where I have (usually) 2-3 minutes per set to complete a certain number of repetitions. The intent of the workout creator was that, if you completed it quickly, that meant you could rest more before the next set, but I also found out that I was actually able to do some of my chores in the time left over for each set. So I was able to let my exercise time and my chore time occupy the same block on my schedule.


    Woww. Such a good advice! Thank you for spending time sharing with me. :)
  • charityheckler
    charityheckler Posts: 25 Member
    edited September 2015
    You have a lack of motivation, not time.

    I lost 70+ lbs while working two jobs, having two kids, completing my MA program, and building a new house.

    You have time.

    OK, as I look at my life and don't understand how some of these people feel that say they don't have time... I am dying to know... Did you starve your self or what... Over the last 4 years... I work full time, completed my associates in the spring of 2014 and just finished my Bachelors in June of this year, one weekend a month military and two kids (one who is disabled), custody visitation every other weekend for a third child which includes (12 hrs of travel per weekend), and we raise rabbits and chickens... We also live on 5 acres of land that requires a lot of work...

    How in the world did you do it???

    My morning started @ 5 am to get my son up and my daughter on the bus, get my son ready for school, get my self ready for work, change out laundry and am still barely make it to work right on time at 8 AM. I work till 5 PM with a working lunch (meaning no time for work out)... get home make dinner, feed the animals & spray out the cages (while the kids are doing homework and house hold chores). At this point it is now between 7:30 - 8. Twice a week he has physical therapy so there goes another 1hr + and than bathing him every other night is another 1hr gone... in between I try to get the kitchen & bathrooms clean enough, laundry done, and help my daughter with her needs such as homework, hair, blah blah 11 year old girl blah blah.... My nights typically end between 11 pm to 12 am...

    Non-Custody weekends are spent catching up household and (even some custody weekends) are spent catching up household chores, and barn & yard work...

    Oh yeah and then there were those online full time college classes... on a too common occasion keep me up till 1 am trying to finish assignments.

    I don't get how do people do this... The best I have going now, is I am getting up at 4:50 am to walk her to the bus (3/4 of a mile down the road)... But this just makes me more exhausted during the day and even hungrier throughout the day.... Hell I would be happy with a 10lb weight loss, but can't even seem to figure that one out...
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    As long as you're doing SOMETHING, that counts. If all you can do is take a 15 minute walk between classes, it's something and that counts.

    If you're in the middle of exams, focus on that for now. When they're done, look at your new schedule and see what you can do when. Doesn't have to be every day, if you can only do a full exercise once a week, at least your doing something. Do what you can now, and build on it as time permits.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited September 2015
    You have your goal set to 3 lbs to lose. So first stop the 1200 calorie nonsense or you will end up exhausted by the time you are supposed to have your exams. And it will get you nowhere close to your goals, you will look ill not fit.

    If you are currently in the middle of exams, take a 30 minute break in the middle of the day, and go for a run around the block, walk, do some bodyweight exerices, it will also help with studying.
    If this is just your regular classes and you cannto get a break at all, you are doing this wrong. Trust me, I have spent years studying, post grad, phd etc, working in parallel, and whenever you end up with a schedule that leaves no free time, not even an hour break, you need to take a step back and figure out what you are doing wrong, because this will lead to burn out.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    You have your goal set to 3 lbs to lose. So first stop the 1200 calorie nonsense or you will end up exhausted by the time you are supposed to have your exams. And it will get you nowhere close to your goals, you will look ill not fit.

    If you are currently in the middle of exams, take a 30 minute break in the middle of the day, and go for a run around the block, walk, do some bodyweight exerices, it will also help with studying.
    If this is just your regular classes and you cannto get a break at all, you are doing this wrong. Trust me, I have spent years studying, post grad, phd etc, working in parallel, and whenever you end up with a schedule that leaves no free time, not even an hour break, you need to take a step back and figure out what you are doing wrong, because this will lead to burn out.

    Thanks for your advice. :)
    The reason why my calories stay 1200 is because I used to be on diet and I'm afraid I would gain my weight back if my calories go to 1500/1600.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    dubird wrote: »
    As long as you're doing SOMETHING, that counts. If all you can do is take a 15 minute walk between classes, it's something and that counts.

    If you're in the middle of exams, focus on that for now. When they're done, look at your new schedule and see what you can do when. Doesn't have to be every day, if you can only do a full exercise once a week, at least your doing something. Do what you can now, and build on it as time permits.

    Thanks for your advice. :)
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
    Check out the phone (or web) app "seven minutes."
    As others have said, there are lots of 7 minutes gaps throughout the day. Use some of them for exercise.
  • fliss2887
    fliss2887 Posts: 2 Member
    I always use the excusre"I have no time" but ive found time to sit and read this blog?? Take everyones advice and just make small changes to your day like walking to work or walk round your room whilst studying.i use home dvds or youtube and try to fit it in before the kids wake up/going to work even if I only manage 20mins in the morning. Also as someones suggested try a treadmill or bike with a book rest. Hope you achieve what youve set out to do.
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    Check out the phone (or web) app "seven minutes."
    As others have said, there are lots of 7 minutes gaps throughout the day. Use some of them for exercise.
    Thanks for your suggestion :)
  • EuniceTHQ
    EuniceTHQ Posts: 48 Member
    fliss2887 wrote: »
    I always use the excusre"I have no time" but ive found time to sit and read this blog?? Take everyones advice and just make small changes to your day like walking to work or walk round your room whilst studying.i use home dvds or youtube and try to fit it in before the kids wake up/going to work even if I only manage 20mins in the morning. Also as someones suggested try a treadmill or bike with a book rest. Hope you achieve what youve set out to do.


    Thanks for your advice. :)
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