Gym Time
kwissten
Posts: 25 Member
I was ALWAYS one of those people who never understood when people said they didn't have time to go to the gym. My first response was always "you have to make time"... now flash forward to actually graduating college and entering adult world having a 830-530 job with a 40min-1hr commute (each way), and I am quickly taking back that statement HAHA. What I have been doing is running to the gym during my hour long lunch breaks everyday (or atleast 3 times a week) and getting in a quick 20min cardio session and sometimes a few machines. Ive been having pretty active weekends (although I don't usually go to the gym on the weekends) doing things like hiking and walking a lot. Does anyone else make a living like this and still have success losing weight? It just kills me a bit inside not doing the amount of exercise I used to do because I know I am losing my endurance.
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Replies
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Is exercising before work an option? I usually wake up around 5:15 AM so I can exercise before work.
That said, you can lose weight on any amount of exercise providing you're eating at a deficit.5 -
Losing weight is going to be more about your diet.
I do have a full time professional job and a 2 hour daily round trip commute as well as two small children at home. I exercise most days and have trained for century rides, etc while taking care of business.
I typically do my rides early in the morning. I lift on Tuesday evening and Friday afternoon. I usually get a longer ride in on the weekend and then either some hiking or I hit the climbing gym for a couple of hours.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Is exercising before work an option? I usually wake up around 5:15 AM so I can exercise before work.
That said, you can lose weight on any amount of exercise providing you're eating at a deficit.
I tried to get up a few times but honestly I felt like I got hit by a truck the rest of the day LOL. Im hoping I might start to get used to my new schedule and be able to wake up super early at some point. Im lucky enough that my workplace is right near a gym also! And yeah that is true. I am in a deficit, with not much more weight to lose, so I am hoping it wont be too hard to lose the rest!
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Focus on diet as PP said. But if you want to workout...post college life/adulthood....you have to join the 4/5am club or truck it to the gym at 6 after work with the rest of the world. Those are your options. You can do it! Be glad you don't have to make pit stops to daycare yet and count that in the mix
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I'm up at 5:15, at work by 7:00, leave at some point between 4:30 and 7:30 (childcare depending) - gym time for me is strictly post work, and post evening routine. I train once a week in the evening, I do a double cardio class on another night and I do one early morning training session a weekend. I just make sure every session counts.
It's working well for me, I'm getting stronger and my fitness levels are increasing. The extra calories from cardio are nice but tbh if all I was focussed on was weight loss I'd just cut back on food and not stress about the exercise.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Losing weight is going to be more about your diet.
I do have a full time professional job and a 2 hour daily round trip commute as well as two small children at home. I exercise most days and have trained for century rides, etc while taking care of business.
I typically do my rides early in the morning. I lift on Tuesday evening and Friday afternoon. I usually get a longer ride in on the weekend and then either some hiking or I hit the climbing gym for a couple of hours.
Very cool that you do century rides! Ill be doing my longest ride (62 miles) in early September for a charity ride! I also bike on the weekends and do active activities, so hopefully that can add to my weekly exercise. Im hoping once I get more accustomed to my new schedule ill be able to add working out in easier because a lot of people have a lot more on their plates than I do!0 -
Diet will do the work for losing weight. Think of gym time as gravy. I work out before work (up at 5:30) because I like the energy it gives me for the rest of the day but I know plenty of people who workout later in the evening after the kids are in bed, too. Whatever works.
Don't worry if you can't get a lot of extended gym sessions in. 30 minutes is all you need. Shorter sessions are more sustainable because they're easier to work into your routine and you don't have that mental block of thinking that gym time has to be such a time suck. 20 minutes of HIIT or circuit lifting can be just as if not more effective than an hour of low intensity zombie cardio or an hour of lifting with a ton of rest time between sets.
Hit it hard and get it done quick.2 -
Diet will do the work for losing weight. Think of gym time as gravy. I work out before work (up at 5:30) because I like the energy it gives me for the rest of the day but I know plenty of people who workout later in the evening after the kids are in bed, too. Whatever works.
Don't worry if you can't get a lot of extended gym sessions in. 30 minutes is all you need. Shorter sessions are more sustainable because they're easier to work into your routine and you don't have that mental block of thinking that gym time has to be such a time suck. 20 minutes of HIIT or circuit lifting can be just as if not more effective than an hour of low intensity zombie cardio or an hour of lifting with a ton of rest time between sets.
Hit it hard and get it done quick.
Thanks for you input! I think ill definitely get into the habit of going early in the morning at some point, but for now ill stick to my quick lunch break sessions0 -
I'm in the same boat. In my first "real" adult, 8:00-4:00 job. I only have a half hour lunch break so that doesn't work for me, but if it works for you, go for it! Lots of people go to the gym before work, personally I'm already waking up at 6:30 for work and can't imagine pushing that earlier!! I go to the gym in the evenings after work. My husband gets home from work later than me, so we usually go around 6:30-7:00 pm. (I fit in my errands, cleaning, tv time, etc between when I get home and when he does.) It means dinners are late those nights, but as long as you eat an afternoon snack, you'll be fine. I actually like going in the evening because then I just get to eat, shower, and go to bed! Plus there is no worrying about a time crunch, you can spend as much time as you want to there.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »Losing weight is going to be more about your diet.
I do have a full time professional job and a 2 hour daily round trip commute as well as two small children at home. I exercise most days and have trained for century rides, etc while taking care of business.
I typically do my rides early in the morning. I lift on Tuesday evening and Friday afternoon. I usually get a longer ride in on the weekend and then either some hiking or I hit the climbing gym for a couple of hours.
Very cool that you do century rides! Ill be doing my longest ride (62 miles) in early September for a charity ride! I also bike on the weekends and do active activities, so hopefully that can add to my weekly exercise. Im hoping once I get more accustomed to my new schedule ill be able to add working out in easier because a lot of people have a lot more on their plates than I do!
I've trained for one but didn't get to do it because I was in a cycling accident a couple of months before the ride and lost a month of training so I did a 1/2 instead. I trained for another one a couple of years ago, but it just took too much time, so I opted to do a metric.
I pretty much stick with doing a 1/2 century once or twice per year...it's enough time on the bike. When I'm not training I just ride for general fitness...I can pretty much pick up training for a 1/2 in about 6-8 weeks from the event, so while I do have to get in more training miles, it's a short lived proposition.0 -
First, you don't need a gym for cardio. Secondly, since you get off at 5:30, you could do what I used to do. Join a gym near where you work, go right after work, and get the added benefit of letting some of the traffic die down. You also won't need to make a special trip this way. Now, I just have a gym at the house. It is very convenient and ultimately cheaper in the long run.3
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brianneangell08 wrote: »I'm in the same boat. In my first "real" adult, 8:00-4:00 job. I only have a half hour lunch break so that doesn't work for me, but if it works for you, go for it! Lots of people go to the gym before work, personally I'm already waking up at 6:30 for work and can't imagine pushing that earlier!! I go to the gym in the evenings after work. My husband gets home from work later than me, so we usually go around 6:30-7:00 pm. (I fit in my errands, cleaning, tv time, etc between when I get home and when he does.) It means dinners are late those nights, but as long as you eat an afternoon snack, you'll be fine. I actually like going in the evening because then I just get to eat, shower, and go to bed! Plus there is no worrying about a time crunch, you can spend as much time as you want to there.
This adulting stuff sucks hahaha! Hopefully we can both get into the swing of things soon and find our rhythms!0 -
I did join the gym right next to my work so I will be able to do that! Thats smart too about the traffic because its making me go slightly crazy LOL. I hope to one day get a home gym, that would be IDEAL!First, you don't need a gym for cardio. Secondly, since you get off at 5:30, you could do what I used to do. Join a gym near where you work, go right after work, and get the added benefit of letting some of the traffic die down. You also won't need to make a special trip this way. Now, I just have a gym at the house. It is very convenient and ultimately cheaper in the long run.1 -
I do the same as you - I go mid-day about 3 times a week. Join a gym as close as possible to your office and you can probably squeeze in a 35 minute workout.
I've tried many times to make myself into a morning worker-outer, and I just can't stick with it. I'm not a morning person and it's setting myself up to fail. I used to work out in the evenings, and that was my go-to for many, many years, but it got harder when the kids had more homework and more activities and the mid-day thing is my best option these days.0 -
If you think your time is limited now, just wait until you have a family.3
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Yep. Lost over 40lbs after my second child was born with that exact same schedule, but add in kids to the mix.
I used to get up at 5am, get in a quick 30 min run, then shower, breakfast, get kids ready. Hop in car by 6:30, drop kids off at daycare, drive to work and be in by 8. Lunch spent in the weight room (about 35-40 mins). Leave work at 5:00. Race to pick up kids and then go coach whatever sport was in season. Home by 7:30 for dinner, baths and bedtime. On evenings we didn't have practice, then I enjoyed playing with the kids. Spent weekends swimming, biking, hiking. Sundays were foot prep days, since I had no time for cooking or meal planning during the week.
But you are right in that you have to "make" time.2 -
I am NOT a morning person so I pack a protein shake to drink at the end of my work day and go straight to the gym after work. No stops between, just straight to the gym. When I was working from 7-7 that might mean not getting home until 9 but it always felt worth it. I would also pack pretty much my pjs and shower at the gym so I could just go home and go to bed LOL.2
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my husband works M-F 5:30 a.m. to about 6:00 p.m. he goes to the gym at his lunch hour all five days per week. he does strength training mostly because it doesn't cause him to sweat as much as cardio, and he quickly showers and heads back to the office. he has been doing this for about 5 years now, and he looks amazing. it is a long process, but if you stick to it, you will see results.
Oh PS I belong to 24 hour fitness and they are open 24 hours a day, so perhaps you could go late at night or very early before work if you can find a gym like that.0 -
I am a mom with two kids and a full time job and I still believe you have to make the time. I'm at the gym by 5am most days bc it's the only time I have....kids are still asleep, I get my workout in and then head home to get them and myself ready for the day. It's not easy, but doable.1
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I go after work. I walk to the campus rec center of my yoga studio and do my thing. By the time it's done, rikishi hour traffic is long over and my drive home is much shorter. Find what works for you!1
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janejellyroll wrote: »Is exercising before work an option? I usually wake up around 5:15 AM so I can exercise before work.
That said, you can lose weight on any amount of exercise providing you're eating at a deficit.
I tried to get up a few times but honestly I felt like I got hit by a truck the rest of the day LOL. Im hoping I might start to get used to my new schedule and be able to wake up super early at some point. Im lucky enough that my workplace is right near a gym also! And yeah that is true. I am in a deficit, with not much more weight to lose, so I am hoping it wont be too hard to lose the rest!
If you work near your gym why not hit the gym after work on your way home? That's what I do on the days I commute. My office is about an hour from my house and my gym is in between.1 -
I don't have time to go to the gym. That's 15 minutes of driving extra each direction, plus time changing (min. 5 minutes), then on the other side a shower/change (10 minutes at the fastest), for a total of 45 minutes absolutely wasted.
So I assessed what I *can* do. I began to walk.I do a walk in the morning before work, another when I get home, and frequently a last one the hour before bed. I can carve out 30 minutes here and there a lot easier than I can carve out 75 minutes to go to the gym (45 minutes for bs and 30 minutes to work out!) Takes nothing but a pair of sneakers and rarely requires a shower. In the very rare event the weather is simply too awful, I invested in an elliptical and some free weights.2 -
I find it hard to fit in time to go to the gym consistently. I much prefer the morning but it's just not possible during the week so I try to go after work and my husband collects our daughter from nursery. On the other days I hope to go out running once she's in bed. It's very difficult to balance working all day, keeping on top of things at home, exercise and spending time with my family, and also having time to myself to pursue other interests and my husband being able to do the same. There just aren't enough hours! So I try to go to the gym on a Sunday morning, and a Tuesday and Thursday after work (I chose a gym halfway between work and home for that reason) and hopefully make it home in time for my daughters bedtime (sometimes I know I won't make it so sometimes the gym is sacrificed). I intend to run on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Honestly I feel Sunday morning is probably my 'best' at the gym but on the other hand I tend to sleep better on a Tuesday and Thursday when I've been to the gym in the evening.0 -
It's situations like this that make me wish more work places offered in-house workout rooms/gyms. I would love to be able to pop down to the weight room on my lunch break and get in a workout without having to waste time traveling somewhere else.1
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I am a high school teacher and I have 4 busy kids. When the kids were younger and I stayed at home with them I found time to exercise by using the gym day care. Now they do not need constant supervision so I can work out anywhere. When I went back to teaching, the kids were busy but they all did the same activities and our schedules were manageable. Now, all 4 kids are in a few things each all in different directions from each other. I also now coach at the school where I teach. I still "can" train for marathons but it leaves me so tired that I do not marathon well. I have adjusted my goals to general wellness and health and not buying bigger clothes. I sometimes can make a 2 hour workout fit into my life but sometimes it is literally a 25 minutes HIIT session where I make the effort to make every minute count. I go for runs near my kids' soccer games and swim meets. I have climbed endless flights of stairs in a back hallway of a dance studio etc. I am healthy and fit. I wish I was 4-8 lbs less on a given day but overall I am healthy. I had to give up the notion of always seeking "gains" and sometimes be ok with "staying the same" but you can always find time for something even if that something is not the workout of a lifetime.1
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I end up setting up a home gym, Got a treadmill (I run out side most days though), bench, barbell, and dumbbell. I have 1 child. I rotate evening and morning workouts. M/W/W after work and T/Th before work from 45-60 minutes. Saturday and Sunday its more so family activities and meal prepping. Its a lot at times but if feels good once Saturday hit and I know i completed my workout for the week and I can enjoy the weekend with friends,family and some room for enjoying some good food.0
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SmithsonianEmpress wrote: »Focus on diet as PP said. But if you want to workout...post college life/adulthood....you have to join the 4/5am club or truck it to the gym at 6 after work with the rest of the world. Those are your options. You can do it! Be glad you don't have to make pit stops to daycare yet and count that in the mix
Ya, because it does indeed seem like "the rest of the world" goes after work I prefer a gym near my house and to go after dinner. It may take a lot of discipline to do this at first, but eventually becomes a habit.1 -
I was ALWAYS one of those people who never understood when people said they didn't have time to go to the gym. My first response was always "you have to make time"... now flash forward to actually graduating college and entering adult world having a 830-530 job with a 40min-1hr commute (each way), and I am quickly taking back that statement HAHA. What I have been doing is running to the gym during my hour long lunch breaks everyday (or atleast 3 times a week) and getting in a quick 20min cardio session and sometimes a few machines. Ive been having pretty active weekends (although I don't usually go to the gym on the weekends) doing things like hiking and walking a lot. Does anyone else make a living like this and still have success losing weight? It just kills me a bit inside not doing the amount of exercise I used to do because I know I am losing my endurance.
Are you literally running to the gym? In that case, why do more cardio once you're there?0 -
Get up at 430-5, join a gym on that's located along your commute, workout, shower at the gym, finish commute, work, head home, prepare for next day in the PM. Problem solved.0
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deputy_randolph wrote: »Get up at 430-5, join a gym on that's located along your commute, workout, shower at the gym, finish commute, work, head home, prepare for next day in the PM. Problem solved.
LOL! This is the gym life that I want to get back to...but you do know some people don't want to/can't/refuse to get up that early.0
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