Any freelancers/work from home "losers" out there?

I work from home, mainly so that I can be home with my multiply handicapped child who needs 24/7 care/supervision---but no heavy lifting or anything like that involved. It also frees me to help out my elderly parents with doctors' visits and other needs. Although I've been very busy, I've also been very sedentary. Finding time to exercise has been a challenge, which I'm still working on.

I find workout videos a great help, since I am tied to home with my child. First, I got a very simple weight lifting video geared toward older women (I'm 60) remaining fit. That was a big help in learning a few basics about lifting weights, as I'd never done it before. Then I started adding some walking videos for cardiovascular help. Once I established a habit of alternating these Monday through Friday, I started getting different videos from the library and adding them to the rotation. I bought a book called *Strength Training for Women" by Jane Pagano, and yesterday I followed its program for beginners for upper body (plus a few lifts listed under the intermediate program). It took me an hour, as I kept checking and rechecking the instructions, but I trust I'll get a little faster as time goes by.

I'm really enjoying trying out various videos from the library and like the variety it adds to my week. It is difficult to find the time when there are so many demands on our time already and the work is ALWAYS there when you work at home. What worked for me was to start out slowly doing just one thing a couple times a week, then adding something else until I worked up to usually 5-6 days a week. It's not a perfect system, as two weeks ago my daughter was in the hospital, followed by multiple doctors' appointments and tests, and I didn't do any exercising that week. But, because I had established a habit, I was able to pick up and get going again the next week.

I figure some exercise is better than none, and I'm trying not to be too obsessive about it. If you're trying to get really sculpted, my approach probably won't work---but it's a pragmatic solution for me.

I am a Certified Medical Aesthetician and I have a Spa in my house. I work-out around my scheduled clients... I tend to run early in the morning (about 6am - even tho I am SOoOoOoOoooo not a morning person) but i find by the time I get the older one to school and the younger one to daycare and THEN go for a run, by the time I am done and showered it's like 11:00 - too late! I get a lot of last minutes "Do you have time for me today" calls... so I have to be ready at all times... after-all, as an aesthetician, I have to keep up a certain appearance, right?

In my house, there is a treadmill and an elliptical as well as Jillian Michaels DVDs, Power 90, Windsor Pilates and a few Yoga tapes... and I also have a gym membership - so I do ok. BUT really, with ALL that, why aren't I in better shape yet I know, i know... I have to give myself a little more credit, it's only been a year since I started exercising at all - and the ONLY reason I actually do it, is that I work at home - oh yes, I am a girl who LOVES my life!!!

I wfh some weeks and travel others. I find it far easier to get my walks in when I work from home. I usually go for a morning and then an afternoon or evening walk.

All great suggestions! Only trouble with dvds for me is that, believe it or not, we don't own a tv.

I agree it needs to be scheduled in otherwise it is too easy not to bother, and I do feel awful if I don't go out. In fact a month or two ago I was working so hard that I didn't go out the door for 6 days and only realised when I couldn't find my keys.

I will be heading to the gym this week so I hope to see some more results in the next few weeks and months

Ha! I thought I was the only one. Don't have a television, either. I now train in the gym, but I started with videos on my laptop. A possiblity? If not, check out the Nerd Fitness hotel workout (I think it's called)--fantastic and challenging and you don't need anything you couldn't find around the house to get started. Only 20-30 minutes, too!

I wish I had a treadmill desk! Don't know how efficient I could work on them, but if efficiency isn't an issue, it would be perfect

old article about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/health/nutrition/18fitness.html?_r=1

I freelance edit full-time, and I find it incredibly difficult to balance work, family, and personal time. Getting to the gym often falls to the wayside. How do you all find balance?

I'm looking to find people who understand the full-time worker, wife, and mommy world. Please add me if you're looking for that, too!

My first 11 months of working from home, I gained 60 lbs. So crazy!

im a legal transcriptionist with one school aged daughter and one terror toddler. the only way that both he and i will survive this madness is that i take him to the gym with me five days a week. the "daycare" there is awesome and he plays with friends and i get my frustration out in my classes. it's a win/win...

I telecommuted for about two years (one week travel to my employer, three weeks telecommuting). Here are a few things I did:

1. I'd take a lunch break every day. I went out and bought a human-powered reel mower for my >1/2 acre yard. I'd do 1/4 of the yard every day.

2. I kept 5# dumbell under my desk at home. Whenever I was thinking about something or reading something, I'd grab it and alternate curls or some strength exercise either to exhaustion or until I was done reading what I was reading.

3. I also strapped one of those resistance bands to one of the legs of my desk, so I could loop a heel in it and do some resistance work while sitting there.

4. I stopped keeping snacky foods in the house, and learned to eat a satisfying breakfast, because my urge to snack really got the best of me for about a month.

I work from home.

I have one of those fancy trekdesks and use it about half the day on most days and clock between 3-6 miles on it routinely. Walking around 1.5 MPH now, started out at 1MPH. This is the best invention since sliced bread IMO and I love it!!!!

Other than the trekdesk I also have a functional trainer that I am learning how to use (not real good at it yet) and mostly get my exercise from walking. When my hip gets better I will be back on the mat practicing Aikido (my main love) but for now it is walking.

I *was* a freelance recruiting assistant until they hired everyone they needed lol. I just treated it as any other job and made time in the morning to work out for an hour and then time to shower and put PJs back on before I started my day.