If you work full time, how do you fit in keep-fit?

[Newyea]

Just that! If you keep fit, how or when do you fit exercise into your working day? Especially (indeed specifically!) if you work in an office, and do not have much flexibility over timings.

Sort of allied to this, if you have any (healthy :-) lunch tips that help you feel full of energy, this would also be helpful. New year, new job, hopefully new me. Thank you!

I don’t. I just don’t have the time.

But I don’t have a car so walk everywhere (eg 10 mins with a full backpack and about 5kg in each hand when I come back from the shops).

Lift is broken more often than not and I live on the 6th floor - so go up the stairs.

I try to walk to work unless I’m terribly late then I jump on the tram (15 mins each way by foot).

I don’t exercise per se but I’m also not unfit. I want to take up running in January and aim for twice a week, before work (I usually leave at 8:30am but I don’t get back until 11pm/midnight most nights, which is why I can’t be up regularly super early). I will need to be ruthless with bedtime though and use any commute for emails and other admin - which usually gets done when I get home in the evening.

When I worked in an office I ran home through London, at another job I went to the gym at lunchtimes

I’m a dyed-in-the-wool owl. Gym in the evening helps me to wind down to be able to cope with the 9-5 (although it’s more like 8:30-8).

I’m lucky to have an active job, but want to start swimming again. The only way I can fit it in though is to go directly after work, which could be logistically challenging.

In the evening whilst the kids are at their activities. In the lighter mornings I will get up and head out for a run but my muscles are so sluggish!

So I'm a loan parent, no childcare options for just going gym and a gym membership would be a luxury, I have no at home equipment.

But....I can't believe I'm about to admit this, I do a 30 or 60 mins aerobic DVD workout in my living room each night when he goes up to bed 🤣

Why is this embarrassing well....

I found a load of old celebrity workout DVD's in the tip shop for like 10p each, I have about 15 of them. So I randomly choose one and do it, anything from Miranda's maracas to Davina McCall or even a strictly workout one.

Ok I'm probably not fit enough to go run a marathon, or do a ironman.

But it's some form of exercise and better than nothing. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Also it's rather amusing especially when I stumble across a funny one.

I don't mind jumping about my living room like a loon with nobody watching. Occasionally DS who is 8 has refused to go to bed, so we do it together and there are fits of laughter from the pair of us. To be honest I think recently I've done more with him than without him. But I suppose it's a fun childhood memory 🤣

I get up at 5am three times a week for a run (usually get up at 6am for work, so this is only an hour earlier). Far from making me tired for the rest of the day, it energises me - although I’m usually exhausted by bedtime at 10pm.

It was really tough at first, but it’s just habit now.

@FourEyesGood how long before it became less tough?

I’m lucky enough to have some flexibility in my job, so I usually get up at 0615 and then either work out from home and then go into work (twice a week) or go into work early and then take an hours break around 0900 to go to a class. I think I will start working out after work more though - I’m much sharper in the morning, so feel I should be focussing on my work then.

I seem to need more sleep than others though - to get up at 0615 I need to have lights out at 2200, and ideally in bed reading from 2130. If I do that I get 7 hours of sleep most nights, which I really need - any later to bed or earlier up and it’s too often under 7 hours. I don’t always sleep that well so need to prioritise time in bed. I’d get up at 0530 if I could but I can’t really handle going to bed earlier than 2200 and am not prepared to compromise on less sleep. I seem to be in the minority with this though, as posters on MN who get up crazy early usually go to bed later than me!

I used to run 5k every second day but I have a dog now so just walk him. I get up at 6am. He gets 40min walk in the morning before work and again on my lunch time (wfh). Then after I finish he gets about 20/30mins at night. It's brisk walking over varied terrain, not a pavement toddle. My kids are 13 and 11 so they can get left in while I'm out (DH is shiftworker) I wouldn't manage if they were young and couldn't be left. I go to bed usually between 10 and 11pm. I do different shifts each week but it's 5 x 9 hour days with a one hour lunch so long hours. It's a struggle to fit everything in but that's life I suppose.
I wake the kids for school at 7.45 and I've usually done around 3 miles with the dog, had a shower, done the dishwasher, put a wash on and sorted their lunch and bags before that.

Just to add, I've got a massive front and back garden that my dog will not shit in so I have no option but to walk him! Some days when the rain is bouncing or it's freezing I could see it far enough and if I could stay in my bed an extra hour I would but taking him out certainly keeps me fit!

I work FT in an office. I swim 3 mornings a week before work, and on the other two weekdays I do a class at lunchtime. The gym is very close to my office though, which makes this easier.

Walk to speak to people rather than sending emails all the time. Walk to the furthest kettle rather than one in the next office. Walk off site every lunchtime. Then I get changed and go straight to the gym after work, rather than going home first and sitting down - as that's the absolute kiss of death to any motivation.

I started a couple of years ago, so I can’t really remember! Maybe two or three weeks? I’m a teacher so have to get used to it again after each holiday, but that doesn’t take long.

I’m very lucky to work within sport and have a great gym at the venue I’m based in, I’ll use the gym during lunch 3 days a week for strength training. I realise not everyone has that access/ flexibility in working day.
The biggest time saver has been running during the kids activities, I’m out x 3 nights a week and a few times at weekends so during daylight I’ll often run instead of heading home for a short while before pick up. In dark nights I’ll do pay as you go at the leisure centre closest to their activities and either treadmill run or a different workout.
I was quite inactive 5 years ago and now exercise most days, I’m mid forties and never been fitter/ stronger, I feel so much better mentally exercising too. Good luck Op finding what works for you.

It's really hard OP/ I have a demanding full time job: leave house at 7 get back at 7 on office days:

Two days a week I WFH and I run at 730 am on those days before work: I also always exercise on a Saturday and Sunday.

Occasionally I'll fit in an evening work out but it is rare.

I have a cross trainer in the sore room which is a godsend.

If I can work out 3 times a week I'm happy: 4 is ideal:

I go to bed really early eg 9 pm to fit this all in!

I used to get up early and run
Run when they were at swimming lessons or football training.
Run with the dog
Run with them cycling alongside
Workout with hand weights or a DVD early morning or evening. I have done Les Mills too which is great value!

The key thing is to make exercise your priority

Whatever you do - make the first change so small that you can easily do it every day. And expect to see no change. Results will come far later and don’t be put off if you don’t see it right away.

you can easily scale up later, but get good habits that you can maintain forever in place first.

lunches - I have cold rice, veg and some kind of meat or cheese. I eat well at lunch and then have light dinners.

I want to start this. I work funny shifts though.
Does your morning work out give your more energy or make you a bit more tired as the day goes on

It is undoubtedly hard. I was a regular gym goer before I had a child - after work three times a week plus a run at weekends. Once I had a child I realised I would never see her if I returned to that routine, so I stopped. I got back into running through covid and really enjoyed it. Wfh was saving me two hours a day of commuting time so I used some of that for running. I found a run before work really energised me and also made me less hungry for that morning. Now I am back in the office part of the week I am finding it difficult to fit in again. The recent weather hasn't helped either - the ice before Christmas made it too precarious for me to run.

Thank you so much for the great advice. I’m up. It’s just past 7.15 (Still on holidays obvs.) plan was to leap into exercise. Reality: I am like a lazy old cat, and I’m drinking a cup of tea instead, and thinking about it instead.

That all said, I do (did) always prioritise exercise, though I always used to exercise after lunch, since I think I am mentally sharpest in the morning (like another poster). I need to get into a new mindset! Oh and I’ve just given up coffee (hence the tea), so now I feel a bit more tired than I might.

I basically have these very high standards (new regime: no coffee, no junk, lots of healthy exercise, excellent work) but I’m not sure I can live up to them… @Scarydinosaurs I think your points about small steps are very useful!

Btw, to the larks out there, I’ve always allowed myself about an hour to “wake up”. This too HAS to stop (new job). Does anyone have any tips on improving morning mindset. I don’t think other people are so sloooow! Plus, soon, I simply won’t be able to be so slow! But it would be nice to be speedy and happy with it (the thought of speeding makes me feel a bit ill!). Organisation is probably the key?? Thank youuu!

Atomic habits book might help you. I found it fascinating!

Hi OP

I really struggle with fitting exercise in as well ( single parent, 2 primary DC one with SEN). Exercise outside the house isn’t going to happen realistically - so think am going to have to start trying to do 30 mins at 5.30.

I was just about to start a thread asking if anyone can recommend an online fitness programme for someone starting back into fitness? I’m post operation so needs to be fairly gentle to start with.

Getting up quickly - think this os tricky as some people just aren’t programmed that way. I think if you can get up as soon as the alarm goes and jump in the shower if you have time? So you are showered and dressed ready before even starting the morning coffee/tea etc? And yes I guess being organised. Make your lunch the night before as well!