working out + time management

[Farah636]

This feels like one of the most basic, fundamental things that I imagine any advanced exerciser (or certainly any Cathe enthusiast!) has down....and even though I've been a more or less regular exerciser for years, I realized that I'm no longer there...and I was wondering what you all do to build/stick to a routine, and how much time you allot for yourselves for working out.

My biggest problem is finding time to get all the exercise in. I started graduate school a few years ago, and that's really when the problem started. Before that, I was a fitness instructor at the student rec center, and since I didn't have a heavy course load, I had time to teach a TON of classes, and thus got my workouts in whenever I taught -- 10-15 hrs/week. Then I started working on my M.A., and taught fewer fitness classes. And now I've started my Ph.D. at a new university, and have a new rec center, where of course I do not teach anything. I miss getting my workouts in while on the job...it was nice!! But now I have to make my own time for exercise, and I have to admit it's rather difficult. It seems if I'm not teaching, I'm not as motivated. Plus with my courses and TA job, I just don't have the time/energy for the 2 hr workouts I used to do...and it's frustrating because I used to have time to do *everything* -- cardio, weights, pilates, yoga -- I did them all regularly and LOVED it. Now I feel like it's just the bare minimum -- minimal cardio, minimal weights. Working out is admittedly not as enjoyable for me as it used to be, and I'm not quite sure how to get out of this funk!

So far I've thought to try some of the classes at my rec center, and I'm also in the process of renewing my pilates cert so I can maybe apply to teach sometime/somewhere. But yeah. Thoughts? Suggestions? Aaaah, I NEED to be happily obsessed with working out again!

 

[Fit_mommy]

Well my first thought is to not set your goal at 2 hour daily w/o sessions b/c for most, that's unrealistic and not necessary. What time do you start your day? I have to leave my house around 7:15 am mon-fri in order to get my son to school and myself to work on time. I have no energy for exercise by the time I get home at night so I get up before dawn to work out. I am up by 4:30am and in my work out room at 5ish. It took a little while to get used to but as long as I get to bed early enough, I am fine!

Good luck figuring it out! Where there's a will there's a way!

 

[horsing around]

I agree with Wendy; two hours really isn't necessary.

I also workout at home. I enjoy exercising so motivation isn't a problem for me. When I was going through Grad School and working full-time, I got in the habit of planning workouts into my schedule. I have found the less time I have, the more regimented I am about fitting my workouts in!

Perhaps a goal for you to begin with is between 45-60 minutes, 3-4 days a week. I'm sure once you get back into a routine, you'll have no problem sticking to it.

Lisa

 

[112toGuru]

Would I be wrong if I thought that in your post it sounds like you enjoy the teaching part, maybe the social part of the exercise you get teaching classes? I don't think it sounds like 2 hours a day is to much for you, clearly you are comfortable with that. If it's the workout you want could you change the way you commute, i.e. on bike rather than drive to accommodate at least some of the activity you miss?

How do you use the rest of your time? The other thing is exercise on you own is much more focused on you and requires your own internal motivation , where as in class it may be split, much of it on the participants in the class, you may actually be getting a better workout in less time by yourself than what you use to spend in class.

Maybe this isn't an answer, but when it comes to fitting it all in, what's most important & what are you willing to sacrifice, it may be with a little time you can do all of it, finding where everything fits best.

Linda

 

[CathydsRNA]

Try breaking down the problem...is it lack of time due to your course, thesis, work load, do you miss teaching fitness classes, or are you holding yourself up to your old standard of 20 hours a week and demotivated because you know you can't realize that kind of workout schedule anymore.
If it's merely a matter of trying to regain fitness, shoot for a reasonable workout time per week and schedule, schedule, schedule. See how it works and adjust if you have to. Be flexible. I agree with a previous poster....you can shoot for maybe 3-4 hours a week or less to start.

If you need the social part or you miss being the teacher, that could be more difficult but not impossible. Perhaps you could set up and teach a fitness class at the university for your fellow grad students and try to find one or two group classes at a gym to supplement your home workouts.

If you are thinking you need to hold to your previous standard of 20 hours a week, ask yourself why? Remember you are already committing a lot of time for your education and career while doing your PhD which is time consuming and exhausting never mind adding a regular job to the picture. I know, I did my PhD in the area of science and it was almost completely time consuming. You need to be realistic and ask yourself what really want. Then go for it and don't look back.
Cathy

 

[MidgetDogg]

2 hours is a lot of time to devote to exercise everyday. Admittedly, 3 days a week, I do have about 2 hours allotted for it - but they're broken up. I get up early in the morning and run for anywhere between 40 - 60 minutes. During the week, I do that on Tues/Wed/Fri. In the evening after work, I do weight work on Mon/Tue/Thu. Saturdays is a 40 min run, with a couple hours in between, and then a weight or toning workout. Sundays are long run days.

I work full time and have a 10 year old daughter. She and I both take piano lessons, and I spend several hours a week practicing. My house is acceptably clean and I'm single, so I have to do all the work around the house myself.

The only way I'm able to get the workouts in is by making them a priority because I don't feel as good if I don't do them. Plus, I sort of love doing them most of the time.

That said, I don't think it's necessary for me to actually be running 5 days a week. I would be able to maintain my weight by dropping 2 days, but I love how it sets my energy for the day and I'm training for distance.

I had a period where I had too many things going on that I was trying to do, but I came to realize where my passion was (piano) and dropped the other stuff. I discovered running as a love after that, which worked out well because it takes care of the exercise that I dropped by ending my tae kwon do classes. I'm much happier now.

 

[RapidBreath]

bummer! I hate it when life gets in the way. But, how about instead of trying to do everything in every workout just do cardio 3x/week, one day of a full body weight workout and one day of yoga. I think trying to cram it all in is just making it less fun. Also, you may be getting burnt out on your course/school load. Be kind to yourself. School is only going to be so long and there are times (even for a graduate student.) when you get more time to workout. Its ok to only have a regular rotation and not teach 10-15 hours/week. My word, you must be really fit!

 

[meredith]

I find it essential to get up early & get it done. If you have other stuff in your life (I work & have kids), the evenings just aren't going to work very well. Now sometimes, like once a week, I get to go to a fun extra Zumba class in the evening but I can't count on it. And if you have to get up early, you have to go to bed early. That's a critical piece too.

 

[Farah636]

Yeah, I'm reconciled to the notion that 2 hour sessions aren't in the books, at least not on weekdays...though I should clarify that a 2 hr workout for me isn't necessarily 2 hrs of high intensity cardio or anything...weightlifting, yoga, pilates make their way in too.

My day starts at 9 am usually -- I tried getting up 1-2 hours earlier to get some exercise in, which worked for a while, but school's been getting stressful, and as I now go to bed around 2 am, it's back to late mornings!

But anyway, I do still work out pretty regularly -- almost every day, actually, usually 30 minutes minimum. It just doesn't feel fun anymore because most days I'm not doing as much as I'd *like* to do, and I'm not seeing results anymore.

I do like the social part of teaching classes, I actually just got back from a bikram yoga class and I feel soooo much better, working up a sweat and doing it with a group...but 1.5 hour yoga classes are a luxury I save for the occasional weekend. And you're right, Linda, you don't always get a quality workout with classes, and an individual workout is definitely more focused. Truth be told, I do love a mix. Classes, going on my own, dvds, a little of everything.

I actually already ride my bike everywhere -- it is my only mode of transportation. So I end up cycling 3-5 miles/day, but I don't know how much it counts -- Davis, CA is very flat land, and I have a cruiser, so it doesn't feel like too much work

RapidBreath -- the thing is, I *used* to feel so fit! I mean, I still feel fit -- I work out more than everyone I know, it's just not as much as I used to, when I'd crack whips in bootcamp classes and such. I feel like I've fallen back a bit, which I guess is the thing that is irking me the most. I used to feel like Wonder Woman, and now I'm just...a kinda strong woman, lol. And to top it off, I recently fractured my toe, so I can't run or do really any of my dvds (I even tried Cathe's low impact stuff, but it still hurt) so I'm counting on cycling classes and bikram yoga to up my heartrate.

I made a strict workout schedule for myself to follow, but I reckon I was too ambitious b/c I followed it only 50% of the time. And now I have to make a new calendar to accommodate my sad little toe...might be a good opp to make more realistic goals for myself? Ugh, I hate the thought of having to be "more realistic"....I'm too idealistic for that! But I suppose it's for the best. Plus I must remind myself that I my PhD is my priority and everything else is second, and I just need to square with that, right? Right.

Although I keep thinking, "nooo!! I'd rather be fit than be educated!!" ...Going to go busy myself with a Spanish linguistics book before I drop out of school to work out full time....

Thanks for your comments and suggestions, guys. I appreciate it!