FT working moms - how can I motivate myself to work out? When??

[Anonymous]

I've been making excuses for years now. I've never had a weight problem, but now that I'm older (38), I am finding that I'm adding on a pound or two a year and it's gotten to the point where I'd like to lose about 5-10 pounds. But more than that, I just feel lazy and out of shape. I want to work out, but I continue to make excuses. I get up around 6am and get home from work around 6pm. I'm lucky that DH works closer to home and shorer hours and can make dinner. Between 6-8:30 I'm usually going non-stop between eating, cleaning up dinner, helping kids with homework, evening kids activities, getting the kids in bed. After moving all day, I'm ready to crash and burn by about 8:30-9pm when I hit the couch and watch TV until about 10:30. So my top excuse is that I just don't have time. I really don't want to get up early and by the end of the day, I'm too tired to exercise. I just don't have much time on my lunch break either. I'm sure there are moms with a similar schedule who manage to work out. Inspire me! Help me get motivated. Suggest a work out routine, please!

[Anonymous]

I haven't managed to keep it up, but the only thing that has worked for me was to get up early and do an on-demand video in the house before work.

[Anonymous]

I'm a single mom with a full time job and two kids, 4 & 6. I should wake up at 5:30, but I get up closer to 6. We're all out the door by 7:45-7:50 and walk in at 6:00 p.m. Kids are eating by 6:30 and they are in bed no later than 8:30. While they get undressed, I put on my work out clothes. Get them to bed and immediately use my treadmill. I consider my workout to be the least amount of effort to still be considered a decent workout. I generally am done within 35-45 minutes, quick stretches and I feel 10x better than when I started. As I said to my friend who I was texting while on the treadmill last night...I'm bitchy as it is, I cannot imagine what I'd be like if I didn't work out! Seriously, I've got more energy and a positive outlook than if I never worked out. I've made it a habit and don't beat myself up if I miss a day here and there...but generally I work out 3-4 weeknights and use the weekends for more casual activities (walking, playing, etc.). Plus, it just fits in better with the routine during the week. I have no issues with sleeping after working out, but I do stay up kind of late (11:30 usually). For a while I was doing some videos, but I actually don't think it worked for me as well as straight old fast walking with an incline on the treadmill. Good luck and you can do it!

[Anonymous]

A couple of times a week you should go directly to the gym from work (let your husband take care of things that night) and once on the weekend. You can "cover" for him as well so you each get time (if he so desires). You just need to build it in to the schedule as something that you do.

[Anonymous]

OP, give yourself a goal and get on it! My daughter just turned two and I decided it is time to get the baby weight off! After three kids, I've been carrying an extra 10 pounds for the last 5 years and just decided I would take it off. My sister got me to go on livestrong.com, where you calculate how many calories you should consume to lose X number of pounds per week. You track your food and your workouts on the website. Two and a half months later, I've lost 10 pounds.

I've never actually tried losing weight before. I used to go to the gym before having kids, but that was just to "be healthy" so I was never that motivated. My goal was to lose weight, but in order to eat what I wanted, I needed to exercise. So I guess that was the motivating factor. I go to they gym at least once during lunch during the week. It eats a chunk of time, but I usually eat at my desk on other days. Then I go to the gym on the weekend. They have babysitting, so I can't use my kids as an excuse.

Finally, you just need to get more active. Try to walk more. I only take the stairs at work now. Even small bursts of activity add up. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I exercise in the evenings; usually after my children's bedtime. I do an On Demand Exercise video (Love Cardioke w/ Billy Blanks, Jr). Takes about an hour, but sometimes if I'm not in the mood to exercise, it can end up being a shorter 30 minute video (the Cardio one with Kendell Hogan is a GREAT quick workout). I try to stick with a 5 times/week routine, but it's sometimes fallen to 4.

I have a treadmill, but I HATE running, so I rarely use it. Doing an exercise video that incorporates some sort of dance keeps me interested enough to keep moving.

[Anonymous]

The only thing that's worked for me is signing up for a class that I'm REALLY into and then making sure that I go no matter what (and it's at night, so oh well, DH has to do the bedtime routine twice a week). But the key for me was that it had to be something that I wanted to do and would do even if I didn't really feel like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A couple of times a week you should go directly to the gym from work (let your husband take care of things that night) and once on the weekend. You can "cover" for him as well so you each get time (if he so desires). You just need to build it in to the schedule as something that you do.

I did this, on a set schedule- DH knows ahead of time that he's in charge, I get a break from the kids/busyiness of evenings and to keep myself in shape. For me/us the key was setting it & keeping to the schedule. Even 3 yr old DS knows that on M & W nights mommy goes to the gym & daddy does dinner

[Anonymous]

I hear you! It is so difficult to find the time and energy.

The only thing that works for me is working out during lunch. I usually take 1.5 hours for lunch, but come in early/stay later, and work while eating my lunch (which I bring with me to work). I *try* to do this 2x a week.

[Anonymous]

Lunch time 2 days a week or so, plus weekends is the only time I can do it. I have a gym in my building which I know not everyone has, but can you at least change into sneakers and get some walking in during the week?

I've never been an evening exerciser, it affects my sleep so mornings are better for me if lunch were out. I wouldn't aim to go to the gym in the mornings, though, I would just head to my basement to warm up and do a full body routine - you can do so much with your own body weight, it's actually much better than machines which is why a lot of gyms are getting rid of some machines to make more room for free space. Good luck! My advice is not to set unrealistic goals - just try to get moving any way you can squeeze it in for now!

[Anonymous]

I forced myself to sign up for a class. I started small, just one day a week, so to see if the motivation would work. I upgraded to two nights a week, and I find that just having to go because it's a class and I paid for it makes me want to do more things on my own. I walk up the Dupont escalator every morning, and I count that! I take a small walk at lunch time and then eat lunch at my desk. But just start small, with easily attainable goals, then you'll feel good about yourself and want to do more!!

[Anonymous]

Can you move your bedtime earlier and get up earlier? I know you said you don't want to, but it's one option. My employers pays for half of a membership to VIDA downtown, which is 1 min walk from my building so I go over lunch. If you were able to get up earlier, I would do some videos. You can rent from Netflix to see which kinds you like. My sister has an amazing, super toned body (and she's 115 pounds too) from doing pilates videos at home. She rarely does cardio- maybe not the healthies thing- but got into amazing shape just from doing DVDs.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if you can modify your schedule or not, but DH & I work out each 5xs a week. We rotate out the mornings, I go 2 mornings a week, plus one evening and both weekend days (sometimes I squeeze in 6xs a week with 2 evenings). My DH does 3xs in the AM and both weekends. I wake up at 5AM and am at the gym by 5:45, and in the shower at the gym by 7:05. On my non gym mornings I still wake at 5AM and do some abs and stretching, coffee, shower, and dressed before the kids start to stir at 6:30.

To work FT and commit to a exercise on a frequent and regular basis, takes a militant schedule and drive. There is no easy fix, there is no quick way to get it done.

I have not always been fit. I got SICK when I looked in the mirror one day and snapped. I said NO MORE. I will be healthy, I will look great, and I will commit to a new way of life. I have not looked back since. I'm so focused that I would not even consider taking a job that required me to get to work so early it would interfere with my health.

[Anonymous]

Lunch time is the best time to work out for me. If not lunch, 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon. Gotta do it during the 10 hours I'm gone from home, or it doesn't happen.

[Anonymous]

It took the support of my DH. Two times a week I get up at 6:00 and leave the house by 6:15, before the kids wake up. There's a gym right by where I work, so I can run for 45 minutes, stretch, shower, and be into work by 8:30am. I do the same on Saturday and Sunday. Running is not my favorite exercise, but I find it gets the job done really quickly. I've also started 15 minutes of abs or upper body weight training each evening. I find if I do it first thing after the kids are in bed, I won't put it off.