Working parents - what's your workout schedule look like?

I work full time at a credit specialist, so I'm constantly looking at a computer and numbers and reports.... it's tough sometimes to find the time to leave my desk!! Lately at work I've been making a habit to take the stairs 2 at a time and eating super super clean. Then I do pilates classes, yoga, I run and go to circuit classes. I try to do 4 work outs a week. I'm exhausted. Cause you still have to run the house and take care of your kid(s).

I use my lunch break.

I need to jump on the early risers bus. I am so not a morning person!! I get up at 7 and thats a struggle lol I feel like vomiting when i get up at 5 haha!

Weekdays I'm up at 4:30am to get in a 30 minute workout at home. Saturday morning I sleep in and take a 8:45 class at the YMCA. Sunday is usually rest day...unless I had to stay up late one day during the week and missed a 4:30am wake-up. I try to fit it in before the boys wake up.

Nicki_pick wrote: »

saraht4392 wrote: »

I need to jump on the early risers bus. I am so not a morning person!! I get up at 7 and thats a struggle lol I feel like vomiting when i get up at 5 haha!

I almost didn't do it. Then I laid there thinking about the very busy day and and evening I had before me, and knew it would be my only chance. Also... I gave my husband a big long speech the night before about making it a priority and all that, so I couldn't NOT do it. Lol

I'm so glad I went. A stress off my shoulders for the rest of the day and guess what? Hubby wants to join me tomorrow. Doesn't want me wandering around town all by myself in the wee hours of the morning. I was about to get all feminist on him... but then I was like naaa, I'm good if 'protecting' me is an excuse for him to do it with me. Hehehe

The bolded part above is really the key. MOST people (I think) don't like to get up early and workout. But once you do, you are usually so glad that you did.
Try to carry that feeling of accomplishment through with you on the mornings when you just don't want to get out of bed. Remind yourself how much better you'll feel about your day if you get it done in the morning.

Nicki_pick wrote: »

Alright. Here's my plan- ease into waking up earlier to get my workout in. Tomorrow 5am I'll walk my dog to the town track and run some.

You guys...good lord!...are dedicated. So glad I posted this question!

So one more question.... those of you that work out late in the evening - does it not effect your sleep at all? I've done it a few times, but always sleep horribly afterwards. Is this something that happens to everyone? Does it eventually go away?

For me, it adjusts. When I worked out late at night, it got me so tired that I slept really well. I thought that people who said "work out in the morning, it will give you energy" were full of crap, because clearly working out takes energy, wears you out.

Well, I was wrong. I work out in the morning now, and whaddayaknow? It gives me more energy during the day.

So evening workouts can make you sleepy, and morning workouts can wake you up, your body just needs to adjust. Try ending your nighttime workout with some yin yoga poses if you need to wind down, that about knocks me out.

On weekends when I do an early (for me) workout at like 8am I do feel better throughout the day...but on weekdays I would get arrested if I ventured out of the house at 5:30am like I'd need to do for a decent workout. I'd either wreck the car driving to the gym or punch someone for trying to talk to me that early.

I'm just happy now when I get a workout in at all to be honest. I'm 21 weeks pregnant and have a 3&5 year old. Sometimes, I fall asleep with my gym clothes on waiting for my bestie to come get me to go to the gym at 9pm...that is why it's better for me to go on my lunch break. With all my doc appointments though I skip lunch alot to make up for time missed. It's really nice my work is flexible like that, but it does make working out a bit harder when you use your lunch to make up time out of the office.

The night owl that I am I do a cardio workout around 10pm. My current schedule is up at 6:00 (realistically I don't actually get up until 6:45...I hate mornings LOL), get myself and kids out the door by 7:30, my son has to be to school by 7:45 but can't let the girls out until 8:00. Takes me 45 min to an hour to get to work, work until 5 or 5:15, 4 days a week I race to daycare, grab the kids and rush home so my son can change for football. He has to be to practice by 6 pm. He practices until 8:30, and while I could fit in a walk or run then...my daughters would complain the entire time and well...it's just easier to wait. By the time we get home and I get the kids in bed it's probably 9:30, hence the 10:00 workout. I'm usually in bed by midnight.

I need to work on a strength training routine...

Currently I get home from work at 5pm, shove some food (prepped on Sunday) down, throw on my gym clothes, pick up my son from football at 6pm, take him home, and hit the gym by 6:30pm. My kids are preteens, so that does make it easier, but my gym also has child care and a youth wellness area, so I've always been able to make it work. I'm home by 8pm for homework and food prep for the next day's breakfast. I used to feel like I needed a break and it was too much, but at this point it's just a habit. It's what we do. When I do take a rest day, I feel like I should be doing something productive.

My goal is to workout 3xs 30 mins a week. Since returning to work I haven't worked out at all. I am a night owl but don't like to work out in the evening since it makes me so energized. Here's to my morning workout starting tommorrow morning.