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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you fit exercise into your work day?

108 replies

Wannahaveitall · 31/08/2014 19:55

I work fairly standard hours 9 - 6, with an hour's commute each way. I do have the option of flexible hours, starting earlier or later. I need to start exercising for the good of my health, and wondered how other people working full time fit it in? Do you exercise at weekends?

I'm already knackered at the end of the day, shudder at the idea of dragging myself to the gym, but I know it will probably boost energy once I get into it.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
minipie · 01/09/2014 08:43

I don't!

DD only sleeps 8.30-6.30 so can't really exercise while she's asleep, and she's a toddler so I can't exercise while she's awake. Commute takes an hour across London, walking more would make the commute too long and cycling would be lethal. lunch breaks often don't exist in my job.

I work 4 days a week and am waiting till dd starts nursery school, then I can exercise while she's at nursery on the 5th day except I'm having another baby so that won't happen

goldopals · 01/09/2014 08:45

I am a teacher. I walk my dog and use the exercise bike (own my own). I prepare for the next day using my laptop while on the bike

kslatts · 01/09/2014 08:48

I go swimming in the morning on my way to work, we also have an exercise bike at home which is great.

however · 01/09/2014 09:04

I used to leave the house at 8 ish so I'd exercise between 6 and 7. My husband preferred to exercise at night so it worked well.

holly47 · 01/09/2014 11:12

I work full time and exercise approx 4 times per week. I either go to one of the 6.30 classes at my gym on the days I work from home (before hubby leaves for work), do a class on Sat or Sun mornings at my gym (my husband and I alternate) or go for a run (while my sons are at parties etc at the weekend). I'm lucky in that I'm a morning person....I've been known to wake up at 6.15 and be on the bike in my spin class by 6.35! It's all a bit mad but it works for me...

BigFatGoalie · 01/09/2014 12:51

Up at 5 to get 45mins to an hour in before DD wakes up and I have to get ready for work. Body For Life book changed my life! I do weight training three days a week a Gillian Michaels DVD I found for free on YouTube twice a week. I'm strong, lean and super fit and yes it can be SO hard some days, but it's really worth it. And all of that on my living room floor :)

careeristbitchnigel · 01/09/2014 12:53

20 minute run 3 times a week and half an hour to an hour on the exercise bike in front of the TV every night.
As of next week I will be adding in a couple of body weight exercise programmes I found on pinterest. I also have Cindy Crawford exercise DVDs I do sometimes

daisychain01 · 01/09/2014 20:09

A word of advice re high intensity workouts. Take care not to launch straight into them with no prep or warmup as it can be really dangerous. Any good instructor should warn you of that, but take care if they get you leaping around in an attempt to show "how quickly you can work out". Do your own warm up and stretching in the changing rooms if needs be! Instructors can vary immensely in quality.

Re fitting in food, you will get the best out of your work out if you can have a very light snack at say 11am if you are working out at 1pm or a slice of toast if you work out first thing. Otherwise you could feel flakey and run out of steam Smile. A mini bowl of porridge is great fuel in winter, for longer runs, eat it about 90 mins before running or cycling and you'll be raring to go!

Re my routine, I have run for the best part of 20 years, nowadays I cross- train a lot more (early morning swim and cycling a mix of flat and hilly terrain). I prefer to run at lunchtime, but if its a busy day I run first thing, never in the evening as Im not an evening person for sport, fresher in the a.m. Except yoga that's lovely anytime.

Even 30 mins is better than nothing, I get my kit on and get out there, once Im out I feel good!

loveandsmiles · 01/09/2014 20:18

I am SAHM but with 5 DC never have an opportunity to excercise during the day! I force myself to get up at 5am, Monday - Friday and go for a 15-20 min run - hate getting up but feel great once I've done it - sets me up for the saySmile

LittlePeaPod · 01/09/2014 20:38

I am on ML at the moment so go through the day. However when I was working I used to get to the gym for 6.30/6.45 or I would go late 8/9pm

Shetland · 01/09/2014 20:47

Thanks ellieFrederickson :)

stealth I cycle to work - 6 miles/40 mins - and I don't shower. I just have a wash at the sink and a change of clothes.

Snafflepants · 01/09/2014 21:11

I normally run 6 days a week (continual loop of half and full marathon training)

I squeeze it in around the rest of my family, sharing school drop offs and pick ups with DH and will run at either end of the day depending on what day it is.

Getting up at 6am or running late with a friend and a head torch!

DH and DD (7) also run so twice a week we run as a family: once as part of Sweatshop running community which does fantastic 6 week 0-5km courses for all ages and abilities and then on a Saturday morning we go to our local parkrun (free 5km run held all over the UK (and world) in parks, run by volunteers, completely free and it's you against the clock, not a race). It's a great start to the weekend and a great way to track your progress and everyone is welcome.

DD isn't competitive in running at all so when we run together we run at a pace that she can comfortably chat at - as we're so busy I often find it's the time we get to have our most I depth chats - she jabbers on about all sorts!

Agree about apps - they really keep me motivated see the miles rack up, the calories burned and the speed get quicker...

babybat · 01/09/2014 21:15

I cycle to/from work every day (about 4 miles each way so about half an hour). I do an hour's horse riding once a week, and start/finish a bit later on that day, and once a week I do a pilates class in the evening - I found one that's on my way home and starts at 6.30 so I can go straight from work.

If I go home I'm more likely to collapse on the sofa, so if I can work it into my day, that works better - even if it ends up making my day a bit longer.

Purplepoodle · 01/09/2014 21:26

Pre kids I used to do a spin class mon, wed, fri 7.30 - 8.15 near work. Enough time to finish and get washed then into work. Wasn't so bad as threw myself out of bed, into gym stuff and out the door. Then would cycle or take the car to the gym.

mummypig14 · 01/09/2014 21:30

I've lost 2st this year.

I have a 10min walk, then 25 min train then 30min walk to work. This gives me 10,000 steps a day easily (I have a fitbit flex).

I've started going to the gym befoe work 3 times a week now (Mon, weds, Fri). It means leaving at 6, to get to the gym (near work) at 7. Finish at 8, walk to work and shower and be at my desk by 9.

It's depressing getting up so early but I've got used to it. I would rather miss out on seeing my DS in the morning than at night!

BuggersMuddle · 01/09/2014 22:26

I am a cyclist, so I try to cycle commute when I can. That said, my 'home' office is 11.5miles from home. I cycle frequently - commuting 3-4 times per week, run on the weekend. I otoh am a bit shit with the rest. I need to train running and I'm shocking at it - suspect lunchtimes are the way forward. I used to train strength and am really very good at it, but I love cycling so....

writtenguarantee · 02/09/2014 11:16

Try to work exercise into your commute. Perhaps park a 10 minute walk away. Never use the lift. Weekends. Evenings. But find something you like (walk/run with a friend), otherwise motivating yourself at the end of a day is hard.

101handbags · 02/09/2014 11:59

I commute as well - I have to walk 25 minutes at a brisk pace from my house to the station & back, then 20 minutes to my office when I get to London and back again to the station in the evening (I hate the tube). So I walk for 90 minutes at a brisk pace 5 days a week and that's enough for me. I wouldn't have time for anything else anyway as I get up at 6am and get home at 7pm every day. PS I am permanenty knackered and I don't even have any kids!

RockinD · 02/09/2014 14:09

Cycle to work and back (3 miles a day).

Do as many shortish journeys (5 miles or under) by bike as I can.

30 minute yoga session at lunchtime, three times a week.

5 mile walk with DH at the weekend.

toolonglurking · 02/09/2014 14:56

I get up at 5.55am, run for 45 minutes, get home showered etc. and am sitting at my desk for 9am :)

A year ago I would have laughed at that - but once you get into the habit, its quite straightforward Grin

dinkystinky · 02/09/2014 14:59

Pre kids I used to get up at 6 and exercise in the morning at the gym before getting to work for 8.30/9

Post kids I go to the gym at lunch time 4 x a week and do one personal trainer session in the evening at home once a week as DH works long days and the prospect of getting up at 5 to get an hours exercise in before the kids get up is not appealing.

Greengrow · 02/09/2014 15:06

When they were younger I cycled to the tube station every day including some hills which is high intensity and short - the best. I even cycled back from the tube station very slowly in early labour at nearly 40 weeks (I am not necessarily recommending that!).

Sparrowlegs248 · 02/09/2014 15:09

I used to do classes after work but found that it was to the detriment of life in general. I have 3 ponies so dealing with them before and after work is a bit of exercise. Through the summer i have cycle to work and back twice a week, 20 mile round trip. What with the roadworks i wasn't any slower than driving. I go for a walk every lunchtime, even if only ten minutes but try to do a proper brisk walk twice a week. Also taken to going for a stroll in the evenings instead of sitting reading/watching telly. Ride bike and ponies at weekends. Once the shorter days are here will stopped cycling and run with a workmate after work.

familygermsareok · 02/09/2014 15:10

I run most days, on a working day I will get up at 5:30 to fit a short 20-30 min run in, non working days will do a longer one. Have to force myself to get up but it really sets me up for the day and I feel so much better that I know it's worth it now. Also have to be disciplined about getting to bed at a reasonable time and not vegging out in front of the telly at night. I am rubbish at motivating myself to exercise in the evening though.

Agree with Snafflepants re Parkrun, it is a fantastic way to start Saturdays and very friendly.

familiessharegerms re Insanity DVD I used this to get fit for for Tough Mudder and though I hesitated about the price I did find it really good at getting me fit and keeping me interested and motivated. I also do it if I can't get out for a run. I think it is worth the price.
( like your name, we must come from the same kind of germy families! Grin

TinyMonkey · 02/09/2014 15:13

Cycle 9 miles to work, a 3 mile walk along the river at lunchtime a couple of days a week, cycle 9 miles home, stopping off at the pool for a 1km swim one evening a week and swimming early morning one day at the weekend.

Well, that's what I was doing before I got pregnant. Now I'm down to walking 10,000 steps a day and the occasional swim. Hoping to ramp the cycling back up again gradually once I return to work.