Busy lifestyle

Hello Marjorie,

Welcome to MFP. Your day starts out much like mine and while I don't have a second job, I do have kids that keep me running. Sounds like you could really use the support of your family. You said your second job is working with family, any chance you could talk to them and plan some workouts before you go to your second job? Otherwise, there is the option of getting up before work and doing a workout. I understand that stinks, not a morning person myself, but you have to work things in where you can. I also find I always bring my own food so I don't have to rely on others or get caught eating what is around me. You could also take the stairs, park further away, take walks on breaks or lunch. There are always ways to work things in, just have to motivate yourself. You will thank yourself when you see results. Good luck to you.....

I may not have two jobs, but I am usually very busy, even as a stay at home mom. For example today I had to get me daughter to 1st grade by 8a, drop my second child (still a baby, and as much as I love her, babies are very time consuming). Get to class by 9a, get out after scheduled at 2:45, get my daughter from daycare, pick up older child by 3:15p, Come home get her ready for gymnsatics, get home between 5:30pm cook supper. My busiest day this week is thursday, which will be the same as today, except, I have a second class that starts at 6p. Yep...I won't be eating healthy. Maybe my days, aren't always busy, but they are busy just the same. Oh I said I was a stay at home mom...my husband is deployed, and I have no nearby family. (PS for all those single moms who do this year round, Kudos!!)

Some things that have worked for me (but it takes money): I have a wii, I use fitbit ($100, checkout fitbit.com), and I use myfitnesspal (mfp) (Free).

Here is what I do: I use my wii fit plus and make sure I get 10-15 min in the am; I have workout game disks that I prefer over the fit plus, but those take time I don't have.

Now the cool thing about the fitbit is it is a pedometer on steroids (check out the site for all the functions) that automatically updates my stats to the website everytime I am near the base...Fitbit and mfp sync together, so I can keep track of the calories I earn in a day (bc it also includes BMR) bc the stats are sent to mfp. Mfp has a phone app that lets me barcode search the food I eat. If I had to manually search I would have given up, bc that is time I don't have!

Now how the sites work together in my favor: By using mfp it will look at the calories I earned during the day and my weight loss goals and will tell my what my goal calorie count is. Now let's say it is not a class day, but an insane errand day thereby earning more burn calories. Mfp will take those into acount and allow me more food to eat based on the extra "exercise".

If I fall short/eat over my alloted calories, I finish the night with the wii fit plus so I come out under the calories alloted (remember you "earn food" for working out). Usually this only comes out to another 10-20 min on the wii.

So in a nutshell, that is how I do it...I wish I could say I take the time to fit in a workout session (sometimes I do, but not on a regular consistent basis).

Fell free to message me if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the support everyone, it really does mean a lot. You're already giving me some great ideas. I used to go to the gym in the morning before work, but I gave it up because of the inconvenience of packing up my gym bag after getting home so tired. I think I may give that another try. It's not too convenient to go for a walk during my break thanks to the Miami heat/humidity (I would end up looking like I just came from the gym) but I think if I get myself a few more gym outfits, it'll save me the trouble of hanging out the other one to dry and having to rush getting it all ready in the morning. I think as far as the family support, they do want to help, but I don't want to make them work harder by getting together 2 separate meals and I know they won't eat the whole grains and all that with me. I think what I'm gong to do is cook a whole pot of whole grain pasta over the weekend, and whole grain rice and just have it precooked so that throughout the week, it'll be on hand for lunches and dinners.

Awesome idea on precooking. I was not suggesting your family cook two meals. I was actually suggesting just what you are proposing, cook some stuff up yourself so you are never caught having to eat only what is available. You have no idea how often people order pizza at lunch and that is by greatest downfall, but I have managed to just ignore and eat what I bring. Again, good luck to you. Keep positive and in no time it will almost become an obsession. At least it has for me.