Finding time

Hi there! How do you guys find time to work out? I have two children (6 and 10) and I work full time. I work in healthcare hours are 6:30 am til about 2:30/3. Then I pick kids up from school, there's homework, dinner etc. My kids are very good about letting me get a workout video completed in afternoon or evening but I'm not consistent. I've tried to get up at 5 am to complete a workout but never can motivate myself to get up earlier than I have to. Suggestions? Anyone with similar schedules? In my ideal world I would to get up early and get it out of the way. How do you guys manage getting up early to work out?

Replies

  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    You already go to work quite early and mornings aren't for everyone. I think you have your answer. Workout in the afternoon or evening (after the kids are in bed) but work on being more consistent. :)

    If I can't workout in the afternoon, I clean up the dinner dishes, digest a little, then head to the gym. It's open until 10pm.
  • tjones0411
    tjones0411 Posts: 179 Member
    My kids are 6 and 9, and I work full time as well. I'm in the gym by 5:10am most days of the week. It's really the only time that I have, so I just make myself do it. There's always a battle in my head in the morning - the one that wins out is the one saying: "Just stand up. Put your feet on the floor and stand up." And I remind myself how much better I feel when it's done. Otherwise, I am irritated all day that I let it go. Once you get used to the early morning workouts, it's not so bad.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    tcross55 wrote: »
    Hi there! How do you guys find time to work out? I have two children (6 and 10) and I work full time. I work in healthcare hours are 6:30 am til about 2:30/3. Then I pick kids up from school, there's homework, dinner etc. My kids are very good about letting me get a workout video completed in afternoon or evening but I'm not consistent. I've tried to get up at 5 am to complete a workout but never can motivate myself to get up earlier than I have to. Suggestions? Anyone with similar schedules? In my ideal world I would to get up early and get it out of the way. How do you guys manage getting up early to work out?

    You say your kids are OK with letting you get a workout in the afternoon, so you just need to do it!
  • whirlyruns
    whirlyruns Posts: 23 Member
    I'm not a morning person, so I exercise after the kids are in bed. 8-9 pm usually. It sucks, but I do it anyway.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I am not trying to be an *kitten*, but someone once told me, "show me your calendar and Ill show you your priorities." I believe that to be true. Make yourself a priority.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    I don't get up early to exercise.
    I scheduled exercise into my day at 11 AM because I had some free time then. I do a 10-30 minute video. I'm using Jessica Smith TV weekly rotation schedule. She has lots of videos. http://jessicasmithtv.com/plug-play-weekly-youtube-workout-rotation-playlist/
    The rest of my exercise is walking briskly at least 30-60 minutes.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    You have to make time, not find it.
    Also get creative, be efficient, use whatever time you make to get a good workout in and build on that.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    I am not trying to be an *kitten*, but someone once told me, "show me your calendar and Ill show you your priorities." I believe that to be true. Make yourself a priority.

    Some people prioritize things like sleep and time with their kids.

    OP, I work 7AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. I exercise after my kids (9, 6, and 2) go to bed.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I am not trying to be an *kitten*, but someone once told me, "show me your calendar and Ill show you your priorities." I believe that to be true. Make yourself a priority.

    Some people prioritize things like sleep and time with their kids.

    OP, I work 7AM to 5PM Monday through Friday. I exercise after my kids (9, 6, and 2) go to bed.

    If you had left off the quote and the passive/aggressive swipe and just left the last part your post would have been awesome.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Regarding dinners: there's a thread (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/38582012#Comment_38582012) where OP said that one of the ways she makes time is to use the slow cooker for dinners. Just toss the recipe in, turn it on, and go about whatever else you need to do. Check it occasionally and eat when it's ready.
  • jazzyspender
    jazzyspender Posts: 49 Member
    Hi! I work a similar schedule full time and have 4 kids...and they are all in sports/activities. It's tough for sure! I agree that getting it done early in the morning sounds ideal, but I know myself and it's NEVER going to happen ha! I used to work until 5pm and that was much harder to get a workout in without being up super late. Being off work at 230-3 allows me a lot more time to do this. When the kids are doing homework, do your workout. Or when they are done homework, all of you get in some exercise (bike ride, running), go to the park and you do your circuit while they play on the playground...who says you have to do it in your living room? If you use weights, then do that part after they go to bed. I've been the person that made a lot of excuses for not doing it, but now I schedule it on my calendar just like piano or baseball practice and I make sure I get my "activity" in too. It's doable, and it will be part of your routine in no time!
  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,782 Member
    I just posted this on another tread

    I feel you, i have a very tight schedule, but you just squeeze in what you can, i work full time, have 4 kids, and do scouts with 2 of them, one is autistic and has weekly therapy, I also do 95% of the housework, my typical day looks like this
    530-get up and shower
    600-Get kids up and ready
    645-leave with all 4 kids
    700-drop littlest off with baby sitter
    730-get to work and kids to school (i work at the school)(i also dont get a lunch break)
    1600-get off work
    1620-pick up kids
    1700-start dinner
    1800-eat, then clean up
    1900-bathe kids and get them ready for bed
    1930- make husband watch kids so i can workout
    2100-bed

    on scout days i have to cook and be at scouts by 1800 (6pm) then dont get home till 8pm, my days are crazy and have to be routine, but i workout extra on weekends to make up for missed workouts during the week
  • jpena412
    jpena412 Posts: 42 Member
    I feel your pain. I'm up at 5am just to have enough time to get myself ready, my kids organized, and out the door by 6:45am for work. I'm home around 5:30pm most evenings and have found that I have to immediately change into gym attire, gets the kids settled (8 and 4) and do a quick 30 minute workout- treadmill, weights, or a video. Sometimes I can get them to join. I finish up, get dinner going and we eat around 6:30-7. If I wait until after dinner there is no way I'm working out. I've also found doing 80% of meal prep on the weekends really helps. If the kids don't want to wait to eat before I'm done exercising. I get them dinner, work out, then eat dinner myself.
  • KatelinDz
    KatelinDz Posts: 8 Member
    I have an hour for lunch every day so that's when I go. Or in the evenings when kids are in bed. Mine are 2 and 5 so they are asleep by 7
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    I have a somewhat similar schedule.

    If I can get up at 5:30 I do a gentle workout that doesn't get me all sweaty and isn't noisy and prepares me for a busy day. (This is more of a bonus workout for me.)

    In the afternoon I work out from about 4:30ish to 5:30ish. My kiddo is usually playing on the computer.

    This isn't every day...many days there's appointments or Cub Scouts or something...but on a good week it's 4x a week.

    What I'm working on is getting my son and I exercise together on the weekends. I live in a cold climate so currently it's a challenge. I don't have money unfortunately for a gym. And I don't want to sign up for another class; I'd like flexibility to more or less pick and choose. Currently the list I've come up with is:

    Roller skating (there's a nearby rink)
    Ice skating (indoors or outside)
    Winter hikes (son isn't keen on this, working on it...)
    Pool time (open swim--expensive on a drop in basis but don't have $ for membership.)
    Walk in the local indoor mall (better than nothing)
  • Jules_farmgirl
    Jules_farmgirl Posts: 225 Member
    I am not trying to be an *kitten*, but someone once told me, "show me your calendar and Ill show you your priorities." I believe that to be true. Make yourself a priority.

    I agree with this. 100% hands down.

    My schedule:

    4:40am - workout
    6:00am - shower/get ready
    6:30am - wake up 3 kids
    7:10am - leave house and deliver to daycare and before school care (2 in school and one is 2.5yrs old)
    7:30am - 30min commute to work
    8:00am-4:00pm - Work
    5:00pm - get home with all kids
    5-6:30pm - homework, supper, dishes
    6:30-7:15pm - baths and books
    7:30pm - bedtime routines.

    I am exhausted at the end of the day. I do this as a single mom. I don't have ANYONE to help watch my kids for an hour so I can workout. My budget doesn't allow for a babysitter and a gym membership. I can't even go outside to run because I can't leave them in the house alone.

    If you want it bad enough?? You WILL find the time. Not everyone is a morning person, this is true. But for me... by the time my kids are in bed? The last thing I want to do is workout. So I get it over and done with in the mornings, cause that's how I make it work.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,817 Member
    I work full-time and go to university part-time. So I incorporate exercise throughout my day ...

    Walk as part of my commute.
    Walk at lunch.
    Climb a multitude of stairs during the day at work.
    Go for a quick walk right after work with my husband.

    And often, that's it.
  • cessi0909
    cessi0909 Posts: 654 Member
    I am not trying to be an *kitten*, but someone once told me, "show me your calendar and Ill show you your priorities." I believe that to be true. Make yourself a priority.

    Couldn't agree with this more.

    If it is important to you I promise you have the time.