I'm having a hard time finding a time to work out :(

I would consider a day when I'm working out, working, caring for a child, cleaning the house, and getting ready for the next day to be a day that would leave me "bushed" at the end. I'm usually tired when I go to bed and I don't even have a kid. When you're active, I think it's *okay* to be really tired at the end of the day . . . I know I am. My husband will laugh at me sometimes because I'll be getting into bed and talking about how I'm too tired to even go to sleep.

Is it possible to move some of your cleaning to the weekends? That's what I did and it helped a lot.

I don't have kids and like others have said I think going to bed tired after an active lifestyle like that is completely normal. I go to bed exhausted and I only have to run around after myself.

Instead of the gym every morning could you take walks on your breaks at work? Do a short home video or something a couple days a week after work? Get the kids involved, depending on their age of course, but I know my nieces love to workout with me, the youngest one likes the be used as my weights, the older one likes to do yoga with me. Then you don't have to get up as early, might have more energy after work and get to involve them in learning healthy habits, just an idea.

Could you get a quick walk in during lunch break?

If the exercise is for weight loss purposes, in reality just watching food intake is all that's required. Exercise creates more calorie deficit but isn't essential for weight loss but it is good for heart health.

I have a step goal that I try to reach each day and I do short workouts off of you tube (10-30 minutes) instead of going to a gym. I don't have lofty fitness goals. Sleep and time with family are more important to me than exercise.

What are your goals? What are you doing at the gym?
Can you do something different for exercise that you can fit in to your day in smaller chunks or do at home?

There are 168 hours in a week. Chart out where you are currently spending your time and prioritize working out.

My wife gets up at 3:45 to run for 30 mins and hit TRX at 4:30. Gets to work 6am-3pm and picks up our 3 kids. I get up at 5am and do 30 mins of calisthenics or run (yay home treadmill!) get the kids up at 6:30 - do a quick 15 min calisthenic session with them, get them ready, and drop them off at school/daycare at 7:45. Get to work 8:30am - 6pm. I hit the gym after work most nights for 30 mins doing resistance training and then home for dinner and family meeting time. All this juggled between Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, piano lessons, martial arts, seasonal sports...

You can do it - just budget your time.

Is using your lunch hour an option? I go to the gym on my lunch-break, as I have zero motivation to wake up earlier or go to the gym in the evening. I get a solid 40 minute workout. I don't bother showering - I don't sweat a lot and my makeup is waterproof, so I just go back to work a little "dewy" for the afternoon.

I can't imagine getting up at 3:45 or 4:00am to work out. I'm amazed at people who can do that. Even getting up at 5:30 is unmanageable for me. I would have to be in bed by before my kids... You're not doing anything "wrong," you just need to look at your week and see where you can fit in some time. Figure out what works for you. If you can pull off a night with 5-6 hours of sleep (and still function the next day-this is where it falls apart for me), then see if you can start small and work in more as it becomes more routine.

It's hard but you just have to do it. Once I got into lifting it was so much easier to get up because I LOVE it. and early mornings are the only time I have. I'm up at 420am used to be 445am but I need more time in the gym now! I assure you that if you just force yourself to do it after a couple of weeks it get easier. you just have to decide if you want it bad enough. it boils down to a decision and your determination to make it work. But once you do and it becomes habit it WILL be easier.

tmoneyag99 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

how much and what kind of exercise are you trying to do? Like what are you trying to do that is going to require being up a 4 AM when you have to be to work at 7...that's 3 hours.

My wife and I work and have kids and are really busy...we don't typically go to the gym during the week..my wife lifts once per week on Friday afternoon at the gym and I lift on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. During the week my wife will typically either go for a morning run or run at lunch...during the work week she keeps it to a 5K basically...so about 30 minutes jogging Monday - Friday and a 10K on Saturday.

I typically ride in the evening when I get home from work...usually a 30 minute interval session on my indoor trainer...and now it's starting to stay light out a bit later so I've gotten in a couple of 30-40 minute rides out on the road. I typically do a bit longer ride on the weekend.

I basically focus on getting about 30 minutes of exercise activity most days of the week (unless I'm specifically training for something)...if I get more, it's gravy. I love to ride in general, but one of the great things about it is that I don't have to get up and go anywhere...I just open the garage door and go ride.

I want to get into weight lifting. The thing is I'm a professional (read desk job) and work about 35-40minutes from home without traffic. Traffic is horrible by 6am. SO I figure if I get up at 4am. Out bu 4:30am. At the gym by 5:00 workout for 30 -45minutes. Get ready (I'm a girl) and be at my desk primed and ready to go by 7am.

I get off of work by 4pm so I can rush home, beat rush hour, and get kiddo in bed by 7p (he's 3). Pick up the house, pack lunches for the next day. Crash into bed because I'm depleted. I don't know what I'm doing wrong

I'm a desk jockey as well with an hour commute each way and basically keep similar hours for work...two crazy boys (7&5).

In regards to lifting, that shouldn't really be an everyday thing. A 3x per week full body program is not only efficient and effective, but also optimal for a beginner in the weight room...and really more than enough for even intermediate and advanced lifters who aren't into body building and doing body building splits. I'd recommend running an established full body program...there are many out there to choose from and it will be more efficient and effective than doing you own thing...and far more efficient in regards to the work and time management than doing any kind of daily split.

When my wife started lifting, she started with New Rules of Lifting for Women which is a solid program and even a better read for a female beginner...she then went on to Strong Curves but now has been working with a trainer for a couple of years. She only lifts once per week as she is a runner, so her emphasis is there and lifts to cross train and maintain a solid, athletic look.

My wife and I are both very fitness oriented and it's important to us. We split a lot of duties up at home to allow each other time for fitness...but like I said, most of our exercise is in the realm of 30-45 minutes (her running and me cycling). We think it's important to stay fit and healthy so that we can be there for our kids as long as possible...it's also a really positive example for them and their view is that regular exercise is about as normal as getting up and going to work or school. They are both pretty active kiddos and enjoy a variety of sporting activities and I think them seeing us involved in fitness has a lot to do with that.

In regards to home life, I generally cook and she does the dishes. She does homework with my youngest and I usually do homework with my oldest. We trade off days giving the kids baths and making the kids' lunches. We pick up around the house, but we don't really "clean" other than wiping down the kitchen...we do our full house cleaning on either Saturday or Sunday.

tmoneyag99 wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

There are 168 hours in a week. Chart out where you are currently spending your time and prioritize working out.

My wife gets up at 3:45 to run for 30 mins and hit TRX at 4:30. Gets to work 6am-3pm and picks up our 3 kids. I get up at 5am and do 30 mins of calisthenics or run (yay home treadmill!) get the kids up at 6:30 - do a quick 15 min calisthenic session with them, get them ready, and drop them off at school/daycare at 7:45. Get to work 8:30am - 6pm. I hit the gym after work most nights for 30 mins doing resistance training and then home for dinner and family meeting time. All this juggled between Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, piano lessons, martial arts, seasonal sports...

You can do it - just budget your time.

Thanks for sharing! This is definitely inspiring.

@cwolfman13 and I have similar schedules and lives and have been in similar threads.

Just to share my wife never considered herself a morning person. Never believed she could run, so this process is one that took ~10 years to develop. Baby steps were taken throughout. We have to walk before we can run.

I'll also say that I've adapted my work quite a bit and do as much as I can at work. I implemented the Pareto Principle and focus on the top 20% that matters and ignore the 80%. I've turned all meeting into walking meetings/workout sessions allowing another potential 60 min workout session and then eating at the desk. I did this about the same time as my firm implemented a wellness plan, so this works hand-in-hand.

My schedule is VERY similar to you (kids and all). I usually get up at 4am or 4:30am to get to work by 7am also. I, however, could never leave to workout somewhere else. I just couldn't. I need my house to get ready. So I do cardio workouts on youtube. 30-45 minutes and I'm good.

I save the big workouts for the weekends, including Friday evening.

Although with weight training I don't know what you'd need. Unless you bought your own weights for home.