When do you steal time to work out?

W

Weeble929

Member
I suppose this is for everyone, but Cathe I'd love your suggestions. I'm a former 6 day a week Cathe enthusiast who's become far less firm and dropped off the map with working out the last year. My life has totally changed from single girl who always had 1.5 hours to dedicate to workouts, to a new stepmom whose every minute seems to be full of something. I love my new life so much, but my priorities have of course completely shifted. Now I'm hoping to rebalance to find a happy middle ground. I should note I sit on my butt in an office all day long, that's not helping.

What do you working moms do to fit it in? In the real world it seems like I'm either going to get it done at 5:30 a.m. (ouch)...I normally get up around 6:30, or try to fit it in right after work. That's harder because there's always a variable - dinners out, stopping for groceries or that one extra errand, rushing home to spend time with the kids and man... I have so many things I want to do, all of them good, working out has fallen to the back of the line.

I remember the confidence that feeling strong brings and I want it back. I miss my Cathe time so much. What have you ladies done? It seems I'm pointing to my own answer - 5:30 a.m. is my time (ugh now I have to figure out how to get my butt to bed before 11:30). So how does everyone stay motivated to get yourselves up that early?

Any encouragement helps... I appreciate any advice. Thanks!
;-)
 
I'm in the same rut....I think we just have to start repeating to ourselves....
"I am a morning person, I am a morning person" And then start getting those tushies out of bed. Supposedly if you do it for 21 days in a row it will become a habit.
 
Ok, Rhea, I'll let you know in 21 days if I'm making it happen!

Typing out my question made me really think about it and see there are opportunities if re-adopt some of the no-nonsense "It has to be done, just like eating or sleeping" mentality I used to have in my single days. I've been living with a new go-with-the-flow attitude since my life has changed so much this year. With kids around your day can change on a dime and I've let that reshape my priorities, which is totally fine. But I feel like I need to carve out that 1 hour somewhere that's just for me, and require it as a part of respect for myself. So I looked at the calendar and I see opportunities where I can add 1 morning here, 1 evening there...even if it's just a Timesaver. If I end up being really successful at holding true to this respect for myself, I can actually work out every darned day.

I'm giving it a shot. Starting tonight when I get home.
Cathe, I'm coming back!!!

Where would we all be without this board? I've been in top shape, and no shape, and the boards are always here to help me. Thanks to Cathe and all my fellow exercisers.
 
I actually always have been a morning person (for working out). I also have a desk job now 8:30-4:30 and I think it helps to add on the lbs. So...JUST DO IT - get up early and get it done! I wake up at 5:45ish and am working out between 6-6:15 am for an hour. Then I HUSTLE to get ready.

You would laugh - I spend more time on my physique than on my make-up and dress. (Hey, I look good underneath!!) :)

Look at it this way, you don't have to work out every morning. Try it 1-2 times per week to get in the routine. Do other workouts later in day. You mentioned you are a new step-mom. That time is important too. Depending on the age - get them involved with exercise too, or find an activity for them that occupies them when you're working out! Hope this helps.
 
I get up at 4:15 AM Monday thru Friday to get my workouts in....if not life would get in the way. Work, doctors appointments, grocery store stops, running kids here and there. I look at it as ME time.

I do fall asleep pretty early-on most night I am in bed by 9:30 ;-)

It just works for me...I am much happier being able to work out in the morning and know it is done for the day.

HTH

Kathy
 
You know, I'd have to admit, when I was working out in the early am, I felt great the rest of the day.
 
Yes I agree, long ago when I pushed myself to do AM workouts I really felt energized all day. Getting the first week under my belt to start building a habit will be my key.

I'm feeling the motivation rearing it's head by talking to you guys. Thanks so much again.
 
I'd start with something short and sweet like Cathe's CTX series or her Timesaver dvd. It's easier to get motivated if you know your workout isnt too long, and for me, if I have 1 hour allotted for my workout and my workouts are only 40-45 min long, I feel like I'm getting away with something when I can hit the snooze a time or two. I'm a coffee drinker so it helped me to set my programmable coffee maker at 5, the smell of coffee helped me to drag my butt out of bed.
 
I am a SAHM, for the most part and still get up at 5:30 am to work out (before the kids get out of bed). That way whatever comes up during the day nothing keeps me from working out. I think I'd go insane with out that time for me. I use to get up that early to workout before work and just maintained the habit after I left to raise my family.


Linda
 
I am a 5:30 am-er too! I have four kids and work full time. I will not give up my workouts! They are the only thing that are really worth the sacrifice of setting my alarm for 5:00 am.

The only thing is, I really do have to make sure I'm in bed at a reasonable hour. But when I get a good sleep, like 7 - 8 hours and then get up and do my workout, I just go all day long like the energizer bunny.

If I don't do it, x( not such a good dayx(

It takes a while for the habit to become in-grained. But once it does, it's not so bad at all. I LOVE knowing that so many other people get up so early to work out!

Kerry
 
It is all about the early AM for me.........before the sun comes up!

I am not a parent as of yet, but I am a teacher. I have little ones in my face all day long (love them though!!!). I find that working out early in the AM gets me going all day long.

At night, I am ready to CRASH!

:)

Try it out, you will love it! :)
 
thats why i want to to quikie muslce workouts in the morning at least i get something in and then if i have time ill do somecardio after that and still keep the muscles strong for when i decide to do a long hard workout . yes i and extremely busy even in my days off imm still trying to make up a quick rountine of my own for those hectic busy days:)
 
I too can sympathize. I, too, became a stepmother to 4 children and work full-time and my priorities shifted. It wasn’t until day I realized, how much weight I had gained in 2 years (40 pounds) that I realized I had to make a change. I was so overwhelmed with my new family, my new home and the construction that was taking place around the house that I had no time to workout.

Yes, it is difficult to find time during the day. I also find it is best in the AM. I get up at 4:00 am work until 5:00 and head out to work.

After a few weeks you will get used to getting up early and you will feel so much better, and energized. Don’t think about, just get up and go. You will love yourself for doing it.
 
Have you thought about breaking it up a bit? I get up at 5:30 and do my cardio with Cathe about 50 min. Then I go about my day/work/kids/soccer/tball/(yikes). When I get home, after dinner, I lift for 20 minutes-30 min while watching whatever my DD and DS can torture me with on the Disney Channel. I alternate days of upper and lower body. I do this M-F. On the weekend I really hit it hard since I have more time. And I usually take one day off a week, either Wed (so many committments that day) or Sunday. I hope this helps. I struggled with it for so long and finally decided that I had to find the solution, no one was going to do it for me. Good luck!
 
WOW! I am impressed by all you morning exercisers! I have twin babies and I workout after they go to bed around 6:30/7pm. I have always loved to workout at night, I tried to fight that, but I am back to to working out at that time. My mornings start at 5:30am, but just to get ready for the day and to feed the babies. The evening is my only "me time" that will most likely not be interrupted. I am in bed no later than 10pm.
 
I used to be a single working mom of 2 young children so my only option was to work out in the early morning. To make it easier, I did as much as I could the night before, after the kids went to bed. I would put a water bottle in the refrigerator ready to grab, have the workout I was going to do set up in the player and anything I else I used during workouts like a towel, etc. right there in my workout area. To make it even easier, I put my workout clothes on the night before so all I had to do was pop out of bed and put my shoes on. In winter, I just put on some roomy sweats over my workout clothes. Even after I got used to getting up that early and my body adjusted, I still prepared everything the night before. I hated to go through all of that preparation and not followthrough.
 
I have just started becoming a morning workouter. And I have to say I like it, it's done with and you don't have to worry about finding the time for it later. I often have to cut down the workouts and make them work for me, but that is the beauty of a CATHE w/o there are so many premixes you can always find something to fit your schedule. :)

I also do as much as I can the night before, I get lunches ready, have the work clothes picked out, I sometime sleep in my w/o bra and sweats or boxers. It does get easier after each workout. Now I just have to work on getting up a few minutes early so I can add more time to w/o. I also find using a rotation helps because then you don't have to think about what w/o to do.

Congrats on your new life, I'm sure you'll find the time again.
:)

Jenn
 
I also am a 5:30 am worker outer. It is truly the only time of day that guarantees me working out on an extremely consistent basis (5X a week). Although my kids are grown, I still can't imagine working out at the end of a long work day. I think it's because when I come home from work, it's time for my husband and I to unwind, have a nice dinner, relax, etc. I love my a.m. workouts....although I must admit it is HARD to do very advanced and demanding workouts at such an early hour. I also do NOT like working out for more than 60 min.....I really have to get ready for work and refuse to wake up earlier than 5:00a.m.to do so. So I try to not go any longer than 75min. for my morning workouts. Once in a while I'll do a longer one on the weekends.
 
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