What come's first--your workout--or the demands of life...

My workouts usually come first. Unfortunately, with a long commute (1 hour 15 min one way) and long hours at work, I have to choose between getting enough sleep and working out on weeknights. I only have 3 hours between getting home and getting to sleep on time. So, I sleep more on Mondays,Wednesdays,and weekends, and work out the rest of the weeknights (and Saturdays and Sundays of course). The dishes rarely win my time and the cooking gets done early in the morning since I'm up anyway because of my doggies. My sleep disorder doctor said I should work out as much as I can, so I can sleep better. I have medical permission! I try to juggle things as best I can. I'd never work out if I put other things first.

FitDoggie

"The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more."
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

Good topic Kath! I get up early so I can work out before the boys' day even start. If it is a little later, and the phone rings, I use my caller ID and decide if I have to answer or not.

Taking care of myself is more important than most of life's demands.
If I'm taken care of, everything else is. One thing at a time. If I'm not, everyone suffers. LOL!
Kali

Just got vacation pics added!
www.PictureTrail.com/kkali
 
Workouts come first for the most part. I am lucky for the most part as I own a business and I run it from home most of the time. Therefore I can usually get all my workouts in and still take care of business. I am single now and my son is grown so I don't have those demands either. I too let the phone ring. If it's important they will leave a message.

Terri
 
well Shelley posted my thread I just did on the same topic, so you can check that out ;) I'll say what I said before. My workouts are very important and try everything in my power to get them in BUT I do have a 17 month old who needs my time & energy first. I agree w/ the poster who said your kids are only that young once. I'm sure it will be easier when he is older. Also, I value time with my hubby even more since I only spend time w/ him on the weekends (he's in law school and works full time). So....you get the idea :)


"you miss 100% of the shots you never take"

Debbie
 
I get up at 5:30 am to workout so I know it will get done. However, I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old. If for some reason, I don't get a lot of rest at night because they are sick, I will skip my workout. This doesn't usually happen. I think sleep is very important. I usually am asleep by 9:30 pm. My priorities were different when my kids were newborn . I didn't get in the habit of a morning workout until my 2 year old daughter had a regular sleep pattern about 1 1/2 years ago when she was 6 months old.

I feel like I sound like blah balh blah! Sorry. Melissa
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

My work outs are extremely important to me and I do all I can to make sure I get them in!

I am fortunate in that my close friends & family know this and help me to balance it out by not making me feel bad if I want to shift things around, etc. to get my work out done.

It's not that family/friends are less important b/c you can bet your a$$ they are not!...it's just that I need my exercise to keep me feeling good physically and mentally and it's not such a big deal to allow me that 45-90 minutes 6 days per week for JUST ME! It's not a lot of time...

My DH bowls at least 2x per week for most of the year...sometimes 3x a week and each bowling league lasts a minimum of 3 hours so that's atleast 6 hours per week he is devoting to something for JUST HIM and I don't complain. Everyone needs SOMETHING and for me...it just happens to be my work outs! :)

Now that I am a SAHM it is easier for me to get my work outs in w/o them interfering with other things because I do it while everyone is at work (and Joey is content by himself or SLEEPING :) ) but when I was working I STILL made the time. I would do it about an hour after DH and I ate dinner. It meant less time for us to spend together at night during the week but again, he went bowling just as often then and on bowling nights, I would often try to exercise while he was at bowling so it really didn't make a difference. :)
 
I am extremely lucky that my 2 year old daughter sleeps until 9 am, so I can get up early in the morning and exercise without the distractions of life.

Lori
 
I'm extremly lucky right now. I don't have a job so I spend my days as a housewife/professional exerciser. I know this situation will not last forever so I'm totally taking advantage of it right now. I know that later, kids will come, work will come, more school will come, so right now, I'm focusing on my marriage/family/workouts.
I'm lucky that I can exercise at any time of the day but I'm trying to do it earlier and earlier so that when all that stuff comes, I'm ready for it. Like many of you, I have to exercise to feel sane and not lazy so it has been a major priority and will continue to be probably the rest of my life.
Carolyn
 
That's a tough one. I guess I have to say that it's a close tie. My workouts are a priority, but my workouts have to be done around my family's schedule - school functions, sports games and practices, family functions, etc. Most of the time, I can get my workouts in, but some days I just can't - unless I do it in the middle of the night and then I'm just too tired and cranky the rest of the day. I still don't get to exercise as much as I'd like to, but I'm consistent.

I definitely don't answer the phone when I'm exercising and try to avoid any other interruptions.

Oh - I'm lucky that I'm a SAHM. If I worked, I don't think I could get my workouts in. Just not enough hours in the day!

Erica
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

Wendy--
You truly inspire us all. I'm in agreement that family always comes first. I would never deny my kids any attention or put off a family function to workout.My kid's are very active in golf, track, softball and soccer. They can count on me there to cheer them on. Maybe thats why now that they are older, they see how important exercise/running is to me, and they give me some space. Don't get me wrong there are days x( But for the most part they give me a few to myself. Plus I'm very spoiled when they are in school I can focus more. Of course not every adult in my life is understanding. :) Sometimes I may get a call from MIL and she would question why I woudln't pick up the phone when Im running on a treadmill or lifting some weights, esp when all she wants to do is chat :) It took a few years for me to realize that it is ok to put me first once in a while. Even if it means having to call someone back :)

You look fantastic and what a handsome little boy you have.
 
My workouts are of huge importance to me, but with two young kids (6 and 3) they are my top priority. Once they are settled and I do decide it's time to workout, they know better than to bother me! :D My son answers the phone for numbers he recognizes and tells people "Mommy's exercising," so my friends and family also know that it's a big part of who I am.

As a matter of fact, my brother's wife no longer speaks to me and one of the reasons is because I don't answer my phone while I'm working out! Needless to say, she's overweight and couldn't understand why it was such a big deal!
 
I'm ashamed to admit it, but my priorities seem to be:

1. WORK
2. WORK
3. WORK
4. EXERCISE & HEALTH
5. HUSBAND
6. EVERYTHING ELSE

-Nancy
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

>Well yesterday, for example....
>
>My children were out chasing each other and a friend with
>squirt guns while I worked out for 3 hours in all.

I wish I had 3 hours in a day to workout!!! Oh, I guess if I got up at 2 a.m., I could!!:p I envy you, Charlotte!!
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

DURING my workouts, I don't answer the phone, the door, etc. The problem for me is if I don't get to sleep on time the night before, I can no way get up to workout. (Mornings are the only time I have) So, if I get called in with an emergency or something, I won't get up early to exercise the next morning.....and this always makes me mad and puts me in a lovely mood the rest of the day!!!}( }( }(
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

Yeah, I am a SAHM too, if I wasn't not sure what I would do. I love to be able to workout when I want and as long as I want and still end up somehow to have a clean and orderly house, but my garden looks like crap right now. Just have to let somethings go so it will be the garden! LOL!

Charlotte~~
 
My workouts come first and always have. I have been exercising at home since son#1 was born.

Even when my boys were little, they knew not to interrupt my exercise sessions unless it involved blood, protruding bones or fire!

Tammy
 
If its truly a demand, the demands come first. My job requires me to work overtime, some weekends and I have buisness dinners occasionally and have to travel. I workout around these and other responsibilities including cleaning the house, paying bills and shopping and other errands. With that being said, I still find time to workout about 6x a week or so...oftentimes that means not starting my workout till 9PM. The things that I don't consider demands, I will frequently bump so that I can get my workout in. The things I bump would be going out to socialize, chatting on the phone, watching TV. I still don't bump to many things but have had to become really good at organizing my time and even better at following thru on working out at night when I come home and just want to jump into bed and go to sleep.
 
RE: What come's first--your workout--or the demands of ...

Hey Kath.

Thanks for the kind words.:)

I just looked at your picture trail! Great pics! Lovely family! :)

Ofcourse there are some who just don't get the need/drive to exercise...my one SIL won't even walk to a store that is 5 minutes away let alone pick up a weight or do an aerobic routine! lol The other though is like me. She loves to work out. She recently acquired a job at a gym, in fact, and is in the midst of taking her tests to become a cert. personal trainer...it's sooo awesome for her! She is actually the one who inspired me about 3 years ago to get back into working out. I had weight to lose and she got me moving again. I had exercised on and off for years but was never nearly as committed as I have been for the past 3 years.

Take Care! :)
 
You make taking care of yourself a priority, schedule it wisely, and STICK TO IT! You are not being a bad mother, spouse, etc., if you are faithful to an exercise routine. Exercise can be thought of as one of the "demands" of life like eating, sleeping, etc. You make it a priority to go to the dentist - as preventative maintenance, right? Think of exercise this way. Everyone can do it no matter what your schedule. It's a matter of working smarter, not harder. There's always a way. Plan, plan, plan - that's the secret.

Yesterday I had to start work at 5:30AM, so I was up at 2:50, and was in the basement working out at 3:30. But that was the only way to get in a workout. It was my choice, and I'm glad to do. This morning is another early-to-work day, so I'm sitting here typing this at 3:00 AM! (I wake up by drinking coffee and getting on the computer!) I'll soon be heading to the basement to workout. Am I nuts? Depends on your definition of "nuts." I don't think it's nuts to be in really good shape at my age - it's part of keeping age at bay. Somebody guessed my age as 42 yesterday - she refused to believe me when I told her I was 55 and I showed her my driver's license. That makes the early AM workouts worthwhile!!!!!!
Just Do It! :)
 
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