If you run/ exercise - when do you do it?!

[Orangeba]

I'd like to try and get more fit but I genuinely don't know when I'd fit it in my day. We get up at 5 anyway - DH to walk the dog, he gets back 5.30ish so I wouldnt have time to run and then get ready before we leave. After school I've picked DC up and then we are doing homework/ dinner and DH isn't home until 7.30/ 8 most nights and I'm exhausted. Any suggestions?

Not sure I understand what you do between 5am and the start of school/work/whatever. If I was up at 5 I would have lots of time for a run, although I'm not keen to go out running in the dark personally. Lighter mornings are coming though

You have to do it when you don't feel like it 8 is late but not impossible

You have to squeeze it in - waiting for the kids club ?

You have to adapt - fitness video whilst the dog is being walked

Very quick lunch after 20 min run and 2 minute shower

Take the dog on a run instead of DH? It's not ideal for sustained jogging/running but it's something?

When I worked (I’m on mat leave) I either built it into the commute if I was going into the office or I did it at lunchtime as I’m not a morning person and we have dogs too so I’m not getting up any earlier than I already do sorting them out! When I had DD I started doing 30 min home workouts on the Les Mills app while she napped (now she’s older she watches and laughs at me 😂) Weekends I do it before breakfast, I’ll go to something like Parkrun (DH will come to that too with the baby, either walk with her in the sling or volunteer) or a spin class.

I’m going through chemo at the moment and feel tired pretty much all the time but I know I feel great when I’ve done something even if I only manage a 15 min jog that day - so I force myself to fit it into the day somewhere.

Weekend mornings, then usually an evening in the week when DP is doing the bedtime.

Also try to go for a quick run sometimes at lunch time, either if I'm wfh or in office.

Some people do YouTube workouts in the evening but we don't have the space without either waking kids or parading around while DP watches tv

I generally run late at night, so after 8. Though I don't run alone. I have a scheduled class and casual drop in classes that I can skip if needed; one is around 8.30 pm start another is Saturday morning 9am.

I also fit in you tube videos and exercise while I'm waiting for dinner to cook.

I think it would be helpful to know more about your routine to see how you can fit it in. What hours do you work? Commute? How old are the kids? Can you fit anything in whilst they are at activities or together with them.
Exercise is a priority in my household so we make sure that everyone has opportunity to be active.

When time is limited, several short bursts through the day tends to be easiest to fit in, particularly if energy is limited too.

There's a lot on youtube, a lot doesn't need much space or equipment either. Walking workouts, standing yoga are great for getting moving when time and space are limited, and a couple of 10, 15 min sessions are easy to fit in stray moments.

When dc were young I used to be a master at fitting it in around them - get everyone up and dancing to Lazytown, use the payg gym while they did gymnastics, run around the sports club while they did football, take the dc to my circuit class, get dh to drop me 3 miles from home when we've been on a family day out, do a home workout video while dc watching tv or in bed.
Now I try to do 2 x 30 minute Les Mills Grit sessions on my lighter work days (when I can finish early or start late because of overtime on the other days), plus some daily abs, and a full on session on the rowing machine or a run at the weekend.

I wfh some days, so I have time to go for a run after dropping the kids at the bus stop and before starting work.

I do a mix of early morning and evening exercise but easier for me now as my DC are older so don't require supervision anymore

If you are up at 5am anyway then could you do a home workout while DH is out with the dog (plenty of online HIIT extra on YouTube)

I run three evenings a week at 8pm and do yoga 3 evenings a week at 8pm. Sometimes it does feel like I'm dragging myself through porridge but it's worth it, eventually.

I do it around 9pm after the kids have gone to bed. I use Les Mills on demand. The HIIT ones are only 30min but I tend to do the 55min ones because I like old school body combat and step.

I'm assuming you work when your children are at school. Otherwise the obvious answer will be when they are at school.

When I ran regularly I’d be up at 5:30 to do it before a shower and the school run/work.
now I don’t run so much but when I do it just fits it in around everything else. I hate running in the evening for some reason, much prefer it on a totally empty stomach and before I’m awake enough to know what I’m doing!
why don’t you get up and take the dog at 5, it makes the most sense.

so what time do you need to leave then if you get up at 5 but have no time to exercise? I do mornings or after work, DH has the kids then.

trial a week where you take the dog out for a run instead of DH, and he stays home and does morning chores while you exercise?

The trick is to put the exercise in your diary and work round that, not try and work the exercise round your diary.

Me, I have to go first thing or I just won't.

Do you work? If no after school drop off, if yes alternate with DH and the dog walk. If DC are too little to be left get a running machine- it’s a total game changer. The other thing that really got me back into exercise was aiming for 20 minutes, rather than 45 or even 30. 20 minutes does make a difference and you can almost always fit 20 minutes into your day.

how early do you leave for work/school if you don't have time at 5:30am??
I only train one evening a week and the rest of my running tends to be at weekends although I have been known to run to/from work and I could go out at lunchtime if I really wanted to.

I tend to do evenings when DH gets home. Sometimes that isn't until 8pm but I'm home & in the shower by 9pm. I'm not one for getting up early and going straight into exercise. I also find evening runs help me unwind from my day & give me some alone time.

Right after I'm back home from work. If I don't do it then, it won't be done at all.

I like the idea of Les Mills HITT. We are in a semi detached house - will it be crashing about for the neighbours? I also wondered about getting an exercise bike and doing it while husband is walking the dog.

In terms of taking the dog - he loves stopping and sniffing and can get a bit hyped up from a run.

I go to gym classes at 6.30am. It's a big rush to get home and ready for school/ work and out of the house on time, but evenings are busy enough so gym wouldn't suit then. My kids are old enough to stay at home (wake up and watch TV) alone while I'm out at the gym .