I’m a PP who has posted I work out anywhere from 3-5 times a week. 5 is my goal; 3 is my “shit was busy but I got it done” number.”

I work full time as a high school teacher, so no option to do it during lunch.
I have two kids.
I always have extra work I could be doing an home - grading, planning, etc. I remind myself that I am still allowed to put my health ahead of kids getting those papers back one day sooner.

I commonly see people excuse “not being able” to work out with “I work all day and don’t get a minute to myself until 4 pm”- same here.
“I have kids”- same here.

These are your options:
Get up way earlier than your kids and do it. Go in your garage if you have to. There’s free workout PDFs all over the Internet, buy a couple dumbbells and resistance bands and a kettle bell and you’re good to go for a home workout. Even 25 minutes is better than nothing.

“Oh but I need 8 full hours of sleep.” Bullshit. You want 8 hours of sleep, but 7:35 wouldn’t kill you.

Your other option: do it after the kids go to bed. Again, 25 extra minutes. (My workouts are more like 45 but I’m talking the bare minimum here.)

Common excuses: “I have to pack lunches and clean the kitchen.”

Let me let you in on a secret: you DO NOT have to put the kitchen ahead of your workout. The workout is about your health and well-being. If I’m looking at a sink of dishes vs my workout guess what I do- THE WORKOUT. Nobody is going to die if you don’t swifter the floors each night. You are using that as an excuse to not put your health first because it’s easier to say “I had to do the dishes” than “I yet again decided my health didn’t matter.”

It takes 5 minutes MAX to make a sandwich, throw an apple and a cheese stick and a baggie of carrots in a lunchbox.

There is no magical watch we have that’s giving us extra time. My two kids and full time job mean I’m out of the house from 7:30-5:30 each day too. The difference is I look at the time before and after those hours and think “so where is my time to work out?” Most of you look at it and think “what can I cram in there so I can get away with not working out?”

My child has never been in a gym daycare and is home every night by 5. I don’t use other childcare besides daycare, my child is literally with me, DH, or both of us the rest of the time. I work out at home (nothing fancy) after bedtime or before wake up. I have a short commute and am in the office 35-40 hrs a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

Nope. Full-time working mom of two with a demanding job (attorney) and a long commute here. I get my workout done by getting up at 5:30, working out in my basement from 5:45-6:30, and then make it in to the office by 8. Nobody in my house is up until 7 so I don't miss out on time with my kids by doing my work out then. Nobody is in my office at 8 either, so getting in any earlier than 8 would be somewhat pointless. The only thing I miss out on is staying up late in the evenings. I am asleep at 10:30 pm at the latest every time. Also I literally watch no TV.

Into the office by 8, so kids are picked up at 530-6?

PP here - yes I pick them up between 530-6.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

Nope. Full-time working mom of two with a demanding job (attorney) and a long commute here. I get my workout done by getting up at 5:30, working out in my basement from 5:45-6:30, and then make it in to the office by 8. Nobody in my house is up until 7 so I don't miss out on time with my kids by doing my work out then. Nobody is in my office at 8 either, so getting in any earlier than 8 would be somewhat pointless. The only thing I miss out on is staying up late in the evenings. I am asleep at 10:30 pm at the latest every time. Also I literally watch no TV.

Into the office by 8, so kids are picked up at 530-6?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

If that's what you need to tell yourself, fine. But that's simply not true. I work full time in an office, plus I travel. I work anywhere from 50-60 hours per week (more if I'm traveling). I also have 2 kids (PK and 1st grade). I squeeze in a workout first thing in the morning, a few times per week. I'm also NOT a morning person, in case that was going to be your next argument.

I make time to work out because it's important to me to stay healthy, it's excellent stress relief, and I want to be a good role model for my kids. I also like working out, which helps a lot.

Just want to add that it isn’t all or nothing, you can make small changes and work them into your routine and then add more. Around two years ago I started meal planning to make dinners more varied, about 18 months ago I made more conscious health changes to our diet to address my DH’s health, and then 3 months ago I started a conscious weight loss program (WW) and started meal prepping lunches. Each step built on the other. I have always been active but have not formally exercised since pre kids (I was a dancer in my youth and did distance bike riding, never a runner). A year ago I replaced driving to work with walking/metro, replaced a 20 minute drive with a 45 minute walk/metro combination but that is 40 minutes of brisk walking built into my day. This summer I have started working out to streaming videos in the morning and then do yoga for stretching. I was already waking up at 5:30ish now I wake up by 5. The big difference is that I am now going to bed by 10.

My point is I did not make all these changes at once, each one was incremental and manageable. I have lost 15 pounds in the last 3 months through diet changes and I am feeling stronger than I have in a long time.

My kids are a teen and a tween and I am in my mid 50s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

Don’t be so bitter because other people have different lives than you. Are you happy with your schedule so jammed packed with sh&$ that you can’t take a half hour 3-4 days a week to get a work out in? Doesn’t sound like it. Take control of your life then. You’re privileged enough to have time to spar with people on DCUM, you have options in this world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

Nope. Full-time working mom of two with a demanding job (attorney) and a long commute here. I get my workout done by getting up at 5:30, working out in my basement from 5:45-6:30, and then make it in to the office by 8. Nobody in my house is up until 7 so I don't miss out on time with my kids by doing my work out then. Nobody is in my office at 8 either, so getting in any earlier than 8 would be somewhat pointless. The only thing I miss out on is staying up late in the evenings. I am asleep at 10:30 pm at the latest every time. Also I literally watch no TV.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Facebook? Like you mean what I look at once a week waiting for a meeting to start? Netflix? Which we have never watched don't subscribe.

Many working parents don't have the luxury, but it sounds like you have a cush job since you can get things done in half an hour; I don't even get a quiet half hour to myself all day until 4pm (ie, just finished my last meeting of the day, and finally able to actually think about the rest of my work). And then pickup the kids and make dinner.

OP, the people who make time to workout either a) work part-time, b) work from home [and probably work out while 'working'] c) have one kid who they toss into gym daycare after picking them up from regular daycare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This might be one of the most depressing threads I've ever read. When do you sleep?

Yeah wow, so depressing to see women actually make time to prioritize and value their health. Look, I have kids I need to be healthy for. I want to have experiences with them and have them remember me as strong and capable. I want to be hiking with my grandkids one day, able to climb a tree with them if I want. I want strong healthy homes and to not have aching joints and bad knees when I’m 60. So yes, I take a precious 45 minutes a day 4-5 times a week to invest in that for myself. So do all these women. You can think it’s depressing but it’s more depressing to see 65 year olds who can barely move.

+1

I also think it is important for kids to see their parents exercising and being healthy. I have found that active parents tend to have more active kids. A friend complains that her kids don't like any sports and complain about being active, but she and her husband aren't active either and activity is not built into their lifestyle at all.

Aging well is also one of my top goals. I don't want to be one of those people who retires and it too unhealthy to get out and do the things they dreamed of doing in retirement. We take a lot of trips to national parks that involve a lot of hiking. I want to stay in shape to continue doing these things.

+ 1000

Prioritizing exercise should be as obvious as "prioritizing" sleep, or eating, or showering, or teeth brushing.... What's really depressing is that so many parents (moms in particular) are made to feel guilty for being healthy!

I totally agree with this. Nobody thinks twice when you make time to take your car for an oil change - its just expected that as a responsible car owner, you will do routine maintenance on your car. But when you prioritize your health by making time to exercise and eat healthy you are "selfish." It makes absolutely ZERO sense. You only get ONE body to live in for life. You can buy a new car, you can't buy a new body.

I had to see a physical therapist about a year ago for a knee injury, and something she said really stayed with me. I am 39, and she said that when you hit your late 30s to early 40s your body goes into "use it or lose it" mode. She explained that at this age, your body starts to go into decline, and if you don't actively work to take care of your body, your overall fitness level rapidly starts to go into decline. I had my 20 year high school reunion last year, and it made me really think about how fast the last 20 years of my life have gone. Its crazy to me that in these next 20 years, I'll be almost 60! There are a lot of really unhealthy 60 year olds out there who's day to day choices are starting to really impact their overall quality of life. I don't want to be one of those people - as I get older I want to do whatever it is I want to do, whether its run a race, go for a hike, or dance at a wedding. If you think about it in those terms, maybe it won't be so impossible to prioritize wellness in the here and now.

I agree that people need to prioritize; for us the only option is to get up at 4am to workout before my spouse leaves (our kids are light sleepers and even just doing yoga downstairs will wake my oldest), and I try to do this but since I can't get to bed until 11am after getting kids to sleep, packing lunches, and cleaning kitchen, by the weekend I am VERY tired. There is no slack in our schedule, and we don't have really well paying jobs so no fancy house cleaner or such.

But equating getting your oil changed, which you do maybe twice a year, to weekly or daily exercise?? Work on you analogies, dear.

Anonymous wrote:above poster again. I also went through a phase where getting to the gym was hard so I did beachbody workouts at home (21 day fix workouts are only 25 min) and also did Jillian Michaels workouts. Did they make me as strong as lifting at the gym, no, but they did make me a little more fit.

I did Jillian's workouts. They're pretty good for what they are which is something that's inexpensive, requires little equipment and motivates you to do something on a daily basis when you can't get to the gym for whatever reason.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

or the time they spend on facebook or binge watchign netflix.

funny I workout 5 days a week, work full time, commute have 2 kids and still have time to do other things. It's all about priorities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like a lot of these people are early risers and/or don't need 8 hours of sleep or have equipment at home. For those of us who don't have the money or room for a home gym and have to get sleep (or we feel really awful), and work outside the home with a commute, we are screwed.

Interestingly enough, when I am regularly working out, I’m good with 6 hours of sleep. When I didn’t work out, I needed 8. Before working out I needed naps a few days a week. Now I almost never nap.

Again, if you have internet, there’s a plethora of bodyweight-only workouts you can stream. Literally thousands.

Agreed. I need ~7 hours of sleep. There are SO many cheap options at home. Heck, go running and then do push-ups. That will get you in great shape. I used to do Tae Bo (the horror!) in my living room when I was in grad school.

As for the commute thing, I won't take a job with a long commute because it's not worth it to me, not for the lost hours spent sitting or for everything else I miss out on.

You have got to prioritize exercise or it won't happen. Sometimes that does mean making very big decisions to afford yourself the opportunity. For those of us who get it, it's worth it.

So you think everyone has the luxury of choosing a job based on their work out times? Wow. You don't get much if you think that most people have this kind of leeway. Seriously.

I dunno. Maybe they could replace the time they spend typing into DCUM that they don’t have the time to work out.. with .. working..out.

It’s like people I work at the office with who spend at least a half hour a day complaining that they have too much work to do. Work that takes me about a half hour to do...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. My DH leaves for work at 5 am; I drop off kids and get to work at 9 am. Work to 530, then get home at 6pm, make dinner (DH picks up and usually has activities and homework until I get home), then kids aren’t asleep until 9. I could maybe work out at 930, but usually have to clean up and do other chores.

How would you fit in an hour of exercise here? No lunch break, sorry.

You can work out on both Saturday and Sunday. That gives you two days. Then try for 1-2 days during the week. Can your husband handle dinner and/or kids bedtime 1-2 days so you can workout earlier in the evening. Or can you run on a track and bring the kids with you (they can play or watch iPad)?

How old are your kids? I'm sure its really tough with your husband leaving for work at 5, but I highly doubt your kids are up at that time. I workout in my basement at 5:45 everyday; I keep a monitor in my 2 year old's room in case he wakes up. My 5 year old is old enough to know where I'll be if he wakes up early in the morning. Maybe you could try working out at home before your kids wake up? Its not easy but its an awesome routine to get into.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This might be one of the most depressing threads I've ever read. When do you sleep?

Yeah wow, so depressing to see women actually make time to prioritize and value their health. Look, I have kids I need to be healthy for. I want to have experiences with them and have them remember me as strong and capable. I want to be hiking with my grandkids one day, able to climb a tree with them if I want. I want strong healthy homes and to not have aching joints and bad knees when I’m 60. So yes, I take a precious 45 minutes a day 4-5 times a week to invest in that for myself. So do all these women. You can think it’s depressing but it’s more depressing to see 65 year olds who can barely move.

+1

I also think it is important for kids to see their parents exercising and being healthy. I have found that active parents tend to have more active kids. A friend complains that her kids don't like any sports and complain about being active, but she and her husband aren't active either and activity is not built into their lifestyle at all.

Aging well is also one of my top goals. I don't want to be one of those people who retires and it too unhealthy to get out and do the things they dreamed of doing in retirement. We take a lot of trips to national parks that involve a lot of hiking. I want to stay in shape to continue doing these things.

+ 1000

Prioritizing exercise should be as obvious as "prioritizing" sleep, or eating, or showering, or teeth brushing.... What's really depressing is that so many parents (moms in particular) are made to feel guilty for being healthy!

I totally agree with this. Nobody thinks twice when you make time to take your car for an oil change - its just expected that as a responsible car owner, you will do routine maintenance on your car. But when you prioritize your health by making time to exercise and eat healthy you are "selfish." It makes absolutely ZERO sense. You only get ONE body to live in for life. You can buy a new car, you can't buy a new body.

I had to see a physical therapist about a year ago for a knee injury, and something she said really stayed with me. I am 39, and she said that when you hit your late 30s to early 40s your body goes into "use it or lose it" mode. She explained that at this age, your body starts to go into decline, and if you don't actively work to take care of your body, your overall fitness level rapidly starts to go into decline. I had my 20 year high school reunion last year, and it made me really think about how fast the last 20 years of my life have gone. Its crazy to me that in these next 20 years, I'll be almost 60! There are a lot of really unhealthy 60 year olds out there who's day to day choices are starting to really impact their overall quality of life. I don't want to be one of those people - as I get older I want to do whatever it is I want to do, whether its run a race, go for a hike, or dance at a wedding. If you think about it in those terms, maybe it won't be so impossible to prioritize wellness in the here and now.