Exercise and work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

6 hours sleep isn't enough for most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

How old are your kids? As a parent like the OP who has struggled to find time for exercise, it was much easier for me when my kids were young and going to bed between 9-10 was an option for me. That's not doable when your kids are teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you have kids?

Sorry I see you wrote dcs.

Can you give us your schedule? Ages of kids? Do you have a partner?

I have teens. They are busy so I see them 6-7 and we have breakfast together which is important to me and I like to be home when they leave for school. I wah but I HAVE to be working from 8-5 with a 30 min break, there is no leaving my desk. Then I typically have to make dinner, pick up one of them, go to a game if there is one, do chores...I could theoretically go after 8pm some days, but by that time I am fried.

Do you have a partner who can make dinner some days? Can you make a meal that will last two days so that you only have to cook every other day? Can your teens and partner take on some of the chores?

Regardless though, I agree that you have to workout in the mornings or it will not happen. Do a home strength workout after your teens leave at 7am. Aim for 35 minutes, then quick shower and quick breakfast, then work at 8am. If you wanted to wake up a bit earlier, you could also workout 5-6am then have breakfast with your teens right after, shower when they leave and then you're ready for work with time to spare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. It's the only way. End of day is a mess.

I see the argument for early morning, but I usually exercise at the end of the day right before picking up kids from aftercare. It incentivizes me to be productive in the afternoons because I want to be able to log off at 5pm and get a 30 minute workout in. And then the workout energizes me and makes me feel good right before picking up kids, so I'm generally in a good mood and ready to deal with whatever they have to give me until bedtime. I also think the late-afternoon workout helps with sleep.

But I WFH and my kid's school is a 3 minute drive or a 10 minute walk, so it's possible to work until 5pm, workout, and still get kids by 6pm. In good weather I'll even just go for a run and do some pull ups/lunges/squats at the park and then go straight to the school for pick up. This would not be possible with a car commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

6 hours sleep isn't enough for most people.

+1. I feel like in my case, the health benefits of exercise would be offset by the health costs of insufficient sleep.

[Anonymous]

I do evening workouts, even when I’m tired. It’s a vicious cycle - not working out makes you tired, so you don’t work out. Your body just isn’t used to being active then. Start with just a short workout and once it’s a habit you can increase.

[Anonymous]

Working out does give you energy (and being healthier gives more energy and all that), but I absolutely cannot wake up early. I do a quick workout when I'm off at 4.

[Anonymous]

First thing in the morning also. I get up at 530 and go to bed by 10. I never have energy after work. It becomes a habit to do first thing, and sets a good tone for the day. I also don’t think about the fact I need to exercise all day long.

[Anonymous]

I wake up at 5:35 am and make it to F45 for the 6:00-6:45 am class. I am absolutely not a morning person and I find that it wakes me up, so I am ready to work by 7:30. I go to bed at 10pm, to get 7:30 sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. I get up at 4:30am, start my workout at 5, shower/breakfast at 5:45/6am and off to work at 6:45/7am.

Are you exhausted? What time do you go to bed?

DP but I get up at 4am. I typically am in bed by 10 at the latest. I used to be a night owl, but that changed once DCs came into the picture

How old are your kids? As a parent like the OP who has struggled to find time for exercise, it was much easier for me when my kids were young and going to bed between 9-10 was an option for me. That's not doable when your kids are teens.

At some point it’s best if you make peace with the fact you need sleep and head to bed even if your teen is still roaming the house, eating, studying, etc. I figure it’s good role modeling for when they are adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Early morning. It's the only way. End of day is a mess.

I see the argument for early morning, but I usually exercise at the end of the day right before picking up kids from aftercare. It incentivizes me to be productive in the afternoons because I want to be able to log off at 5pm and get a 30 minute workout in. And then the workout energizes me and makes me feel good right before picking up kids, so I'm generally in a good mood and ready to deal with whatever they have to give me until bedtime. I also think the late-afternoon workout helps with sleep.

But I WFH and my kid's school is a 3 minute drive or a 10 minute walk, so it's possible to work until 5pm, workout, and still get kids by 6pm. In good weather I'll even just go for a run and do some pull ups/lunges/squats at the park and then go straight to the school for pick up. This would not be possible with a car commute.

If you can do this, great job keeping this up. I loved exercising right after work to get a second wind prekids but found it too hard after.

[Anonymous]

Take a 5am Orangetheory class and back home by 6:15 to get the kids out the door. Work in the office until 6pm so I can’t do it at night.

[Anonymous]

Tell us about your work. I see that you have to be at your computer, but I try to find times when I'm listening to a call/meeting that I don't have to actively participate in and work out then. I am able to work out at home, but I put my laptop out turn up the sound and work out alongside. Is that possible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your work. I see that you have to be at your computer, but I try to find times when I'm listening to a call/meeting that I don't have to actively participate in and work out then. I am able to work out at home, but I put my laptop out turn up the sound and work out alongside. Is that possible?

Not really: Either I am actively working (I have quotas and my work is timed) or in a meeting and have to pay attention and participate. I used to work 10-5 and I worked out every day then and it was great balance. I am a very light sleeper so absolutely cannot sleep with teens up and about. They are good about being in bed by 11pm but I can't realistically see how I could get up at 4 or 5, work out and not be exhausted the whole day. I could work out on weekends, no excuse for that.