If you work full time: workout schedule?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here again. I am so inspired by all of you! I got up at 5:30am and did an arms and abs workout. I can probably do some walking/jogging during their activities if I can time it right. I don't belong to a gym right now but may join again. I don't live near an OTF.

Thank you again, this has been really really helpful

OP see if there is a Burn Boot Camp near you. It has made a huge difference for me. Having an actual class to go to. Also if possible, going with a friend. It is also super friendly to moms (they have childcare for some classes though I don't use it much), only 45 minutes long, it is great. I do the 5:30 or 6:30 a classes and it is the only way I've been able to consistently work out in awhile. If I wait during the day it is just too hard. I can understand how the morning is tough if you have older kids because it really does necessitate going to bed early. This works for me because i have young kids, but my young kids also wake early and have had to adjust not being there some mornings and at first it was a transition and now it is our routine. So maybe you could prioritize it a few days and get your kids on board to know Mom goes to bed early these nights and Dad is on.

[Anonymous]

1) people list bedtime when you wake at an early hour, it really frames the response. Most working parents probably can’t get to be by 930 after getting home at 6, making dinner, activities for kids, and cleanup from the day. That’s only 3.5 hours.

2) OP was asking for working parents I think, but didn’t clarify in her post. It’s trivially easy to make work out time when you work full time, and then have 8 hours to do with what you will every day. I lived at the gym before kids.

3) bike/run commutes, I always like the idea, but I found the packing of a change of clothes and gear to shower at work ate almost as much time as a regular workout. I don’t think this adds any efficiency but does help the planet

4) teaches, what are your butt in seat hours, like elem goes 9-3:50, is it 830-420?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please don't weigh in if you are a sahp parent or work part time. I used to work part time and I was able to fit exercise in. Now that I'm full time I'm really struggling. I do not work from home and have no time to fit exercise in on my lunch break, which is very short. I have teens who need me after school.

Please tell me what your workout schedule is and how you fit it all in. Thx!

When the kids were in lower ES, I started a boot camp program (5:30-6:30am). Spouse got up with the kids a little after 6:00. It was the only time that worked. 18 years later, I'm still doing an early morning exercise routine

Boot camp was great for me when kids younger. Do all my prep for next day. And in bed by 10pm. Woke at 5, to Bootcamp 5:30- 6:30 (workout, fun and social), home by 6:45 where kids were already eating breakfast. I’d hop in the shower.

The five day a week Bootcamp worked because it was okay if I missed a day (e.g., sick kid, spouse travel etc). For me, boot camp was a harder workout than I’d do on my own, social/fun and outside which I love. It was not cheap, but I was more consistent than at home or a gym.

With teens, getting to bed at 10 has been harder for me and I missed way more classes.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) people list bedtime when you wake at an early hour, it really frames the response. Most working parents probably can’t get to be by 930 after getting home at 6, making dinner, activities for kids, and cleanup from the day. That’s only 3.5 hours.

2) OP was asking for working parents I think, but didn’t clarify in her post. It’s trivially easy to make work out time when you work full time, and then have 8 hours to do with what you will every day. I lived at the gym before kids.

3) bike/run commutes, I always like the idea, but I found the packing of a change of clothes and gear to shower at work ate almost as much time as a regular workout. I don’t think this adds any efficiency but does help the planet

4) teaches, what are your butt in seat hours, like elem goes 9-3:50, is it 830-420?

Why so many excuses? You just have to make time for a workout.

[Anonymous]

When I worked FT and was a single mom I exercised from 5:45 - 6:15 am, M-F. I used videos. If I didn't exercise then it didn't happen.

Op, could you do even 20 mins in the morning? I know quite a few people who do Leslie Sansone's "walk at home" videos. 20 - 30 minutes, longer ones if they have time. Or mix it up

[Anonymous]

I usually go to bed around 11, up at 6. I can't deal with less than 7 hours of sleep, and my hours are framed by:

- Older teen goes to bed at 10:30/11. Sure, I could go to bed before him - but 10pm is usually when he wanders upstairs and has a late-night snack at the kitchen counter while I'm prepping food for the next day, and that ends up being our best time to talk. So I don't like sacrificing that time with him.

- Younger kid (MS) is up at 6 for a 6:40 bus. Again, he could do everything on his own, but I enjoy having that time with him. Then when he's off to school, I have to start getting ready as older teen gets up.

So, my workouts.... it's been scattered, but here are a few things that have been working for me recently:
1. Work out during kids' evening activities. I have to drive them somewhere anyway, and practices are usually too far away to make it worthwhile to go back home during the practice session. I jog around the practice field, do bodyweight workouts on the sidelines, or now that one kid is practicing in an athletic center that also has a gym attached I can hit the weights for an hour. This gets me ~2 sessions a week (they have more evening things going on, but sometimes I have other stuff to do).

2. Light exercise throughout the work day - squats and lunges at my desk, use my standing desk at a mid-range height for elevated push-ups, calf raises during conference calls. This usually in 5-10 minute increments, in lieu of coffee breaks or smoke breaks.

3. A strong workout on the weekend, preferably one that's framed around a fun family activity. My kids are old enough to enjoy backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, biking, skiing etc at a level that can be a real workout for me - no gym needed! If that doesn't work out on a given weekend, it's yard work or back to the gym. Timing within a weekend is all over the place, though, it just depends on what we have scheduled.

4. Sometimes I can squeeze in an hour in the evening - get home, put dinner in the oven or instant pot, and do a home workout until dinnertime. But this is my least favorite option, I have a hard time getting the energy cranked up at that point in my day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) people list bedtime when you wake at an early hour, it really frames the response. Most working parents probably can’t get to be by 930 after getting home at 6, making dinner, activities for kids, and cleanup from the day. That’s only 3.5 hours.

2) OP was asking for working parents I think, but didn’t clarify in her post. It’s trivially easy to make work out time when you work full time, and then have 8 hours to do with what you will every day. I lived at the gym before kids.

3) bike/run commutes, I always like the idea, but I found the packing of a change of clothes and gear to shower at work ate almost as much time as a regular workout. I don’t think this adds any efficiency but does help the planet

4) teaches, what are your butt in seat hours, like elem goes 9-3:50, is it 830-420?

Why so many excuses? You just have to make time for a workout.

Nobody makes time other than God. Thanks for your helpful suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I worked FT and was a single mom I exercised from 5:45 - 6:15 am, M-F. I used videos. If I didn't exercise then it didn't happen.

Op, could you do even 20 mins in the morning? I know quite a few people who do Leslie Sansone's "walk at home" videos. 20 - 30 minutes, longer ones if they have time. Or mix it up

What time did you go to bed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually go to bed around 11, up at 6. I can't deal with less than 7 hours of sleep, and my hours are framed by:

- Older teen goes to bed at 10:30/11. Sure, I could go to bed before him - but 10pm is usually when he wanders upstairs and has a late-night snack at the kitchen counter while I'm prepping food for the next day, and that ends up being our best time to talk. So I don't like sacrificing that time with him.

- Younger kid (MS) is up at 6 for a 6:40 bus. Again, he could do everything on his own, but I enjoy having that time with him. Then when he's off to school, I have to start getting ready as older teen gets up.

So, my workouts.... it's been scattered, but here are a few things that have been working for me recently:
1. Work out during kids' evening activities. I have to drive them somewhere anyway, and practices are usually too far away to make it worthwhile to go back home during the practice session. I jog around the practice field, do bodyweight workouts on the sidelines, or now that one kid is practicing in an athletic center that also has a gym attached I can hit the weights for an hour. This gets me ~2 sessions a week (they have more evening things going on, but sometimes I have other stuff to do).

2. Light exercise throughout the work day - squats and lunges at my desk, use my standing desk at a mid-range height for elevated push-ups, calf raises during conference calls. This usually in 5-10 minute increments, in lieu of coffee breaks or smoke breaks.

3. A strong workout on the weekend, preferably one that's framed around a fun family activity. My kids are old enough to enjoy backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, biking, skiing etc at a level that can be a real workout for me - no gym needed! If that doesn't work out on a given weekend, it's yard work or back to the gym. Timing within a weekend is all over the place, though, it just depends on what we have scheduled.

4. Sometimes I can squeeze in an hour in the evening - get home, put dinner in the oven or instant pot, and do a home workout until dinnertime. But this is my least favorite option, I have a hard time getting the energy cranked up at that point in my day.

Yeah, I have 3 gym memberships to accommodate my kids activities — they go all over but with those memberships I can usually find a place near them. Planet Fitness, Golds, OneLife cheaper than a single Equinox or Orange Theory.

Running around their practice field is an option, but my kids find it embarrassing, and other activities don’t have a field or track available.

Many times I’m driving other kids between the other kids activities so this doesn’t always work out.

The weather around here makes it tough to always do family sports, but we have membership to OneLife with indoor courts and recreation center has basketball courts.

But often times it’s a 1030pm workout with a 630am wake up to our commuting day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I worked FT and was a single mom I exercised from 5:45 - 6:15 am, M-F. I used videos. If I didn't exercise then it didn't happen.

Op, could you do even 20 mins in the morning? I know quite a few people who do Leslie Sansone's "walk at home" videos. 20 - 30 minutes, longer ones if they have time. Or mix it up

What time did you go to bed?

Around 10, I think. I had time to tidy up the house after ds went to bed at 8:45. Our evening routine was key. We left the house at 7:40.

House tidied
Lunches made
Clothes chosen
Breakfast planned
If I needed to thaw something for dinner the next day it went in the fridge the night before.

I had to be very organized. Ds had activities 2 - 3 nights/week, and I had a meeting 1 - 2 nights/week, depending on the week.

I miss my organized self from then.

[Anonymous]

I have a FT desk job 40hrs/wk and teach 12 fitness classes 6 days a week, before and after work and on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

HS admin here. I work from 730 to 4, I then take a crossfit class at 5:15pm. Luckily I live nextdoor to it.

[Anonymous]

I used to do short exercise during lunch break (20 minute power walks) about 2-3 times per week and on Saturday mornings. Now i started biking to work, so commute became my exercise.

[Anonymous]

I used to commute into my office in DC every day. I would get up at 5:15, coffee and go through my inbox until 6, exercise 6-7:15, get ready 7:15 to 7:45, out the door by 8. I now do the same job from home and haven't changed my schedule. I just start working at 8 instead of 9 because I don't have to commute. I'm in bed by 9. This is just my chronotype so it's not that hard for me. I definitely couldn't do an after-work workout. I am way too burnt by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1) people list bedtime when you wake at an early hour, it really frames the response. Most working parents probably can’t get to be by 930 after getting home at 6, making dinner, activities for kids, and cleanup from the day. That’s only 3.5 hours.

2) OP was asking for working parents I think, but didn’t clarify in her post. It’s trivially easy to make work out time when you work full time, and then have 8 hours to do with what you will every day. I lived at the gym before kids.

3) bike/run commutes, I always like the idea, but I found the packing of a change of clothes and gear to shower at work ate almost as much time as a regular workout. I don’t think this adds any efficiency but does help the planet

4) teaches, what are your butt in seat hours, like elem goes 9-3:50, is it 830-420?

I’m up by 4 am for a 5 am class or walk.I go to bed by 9. I’m a teacher. I have 2 kids. I will go to sleep before I do the dishes. Quit making excuses , you’re not more special than the rest of us.