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Original poster

Help me figure out when I can exercise

33 replies

Gggdryvhu · 13/10/2026 08:02

So like loads of others I have a busy parenting and work life, with an inactive job. Im trying to carve out some time for movement and exercise in my week, 7k steps a day and 3no. 30 min home work outs.

Mon - fri my kid gets up at 7ish, partner leaves house at same time. I do nursery run, too far to walk but sometimes cycle before starting work.

During the work day I sometimes have time for a lunch walk and could focus on this becoming a better habit.

End of the day I pick our ds from nursery half the week and partner the other half. Typically allowing me to work a bit longer.

Whoever picks up makes dinner and we split bed and bath times. Ds is usually asleep by 8:30 but we're both shattered by then! Im usually in bed about 10:30.

Where would you fit in more movement and exercise? What do you do that works?

OP posts:
fiorentina · 13/10/2026 09:50

Due to work and kids my workouts are mainly at weekends - Friday evening, Saturday early evening and Sunday. I also try and do something on a Wednesday. The only real way to ensure you do is to diarise it and stick to it. I do try and go for a lunchtime fast walk too. It’s definitely a challenge some days!

Could you fit in half an hour before 7am some days?

Another1DD · 13/10/2026 09:07

One thing worth factoring in alongside the early starts and lunchtime walks is that energy and recovery can shift across the month, so rather than aiming for the same intensity every week, it might help to save heavier lifting or HIIT for the days energy feels higher and stick to gentler walks or stretching when it's lower. That could make the 6am starts people mentioned easier to sustain, since you're not fighting your body on a low energy day. If anything feels like more than ordinary tiredness, proper pain or very heavy bleeding, for instance, that's worth raising with a GP rather than just working around it.

SleeplessRoads · 13/10/2026 08:11

Drive half way to nursery and walk the rest?

MozzarElla84 · 13/10/2026 08:11

I bought some gear for at home (balance board, weights, yoga mat, resistance bands) and i use online tutorials like Paola Pilates etc. I walk and cycle a lot as a means of transport and i hope to take up running again soon. But the home workouts, just 15-20 minutes a day is easier for me to do than carving out 1+ hour to go somewhere to exercise.

Makingsenseofitall · 13/10/2026 08:10

I realised that if I was serious about lifting weights I was just going to have to get up earlier to fit it in. Been doing it since January and I couldn’t be happier. I got up early this am to run as I am travelling for work. I don’t naturally want to exercise then and I often do my running in the evenings but getting up earlier does just help to fit it in. I just made it a priority for my health. I’m so glad I’m doing it.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 13/10/2026 08:09

Go for a run before everyone gets up.

Makingsenseofitall · 13/10/2026 08:09

You can both get up at 6 two (different!) mornings during the week and have an hour to exercise then. And then once or twice at the weekend? What sort of exercise were you thinking of? A run outside or a home weights / HIIT class could work?

Fhipiddf · 13/10/2026 08:05

Get up at 6? After dinner and you take it in turns each night with bath and bed?
weekends?
I do a mixture of those, one early, one evening and one weekend. Use your lunch for a walk.

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