How do I fit exercise in my daily routine?

[Halfling]

Please can I ask for some advise and help. I am 43 yo, with two DS (8 and 14 yo). My DH travels a lot for work and I am in a senior high pressure role myself. I have never really exercised previously in my life.

Due to a variety of health issues (obesity, pre diabetes, hormonal imbalance, knee pain) I have been asked by my GP to exercise.

I grew up outside of UK in a country where physical sports and outdoor activities for girls were discouraged, so never really built up an exercise routine or went to gym, pool etc.

I don't have the time or motivation to go to gym due to really long hours at work and DH working away. I try to do some yoga and cardio from YouTube but always end up skipping exercise on most days. Life seems such an endless cycle of work, chores, parenting that I really don't know how other people manage to train for marathons and work out regularly. How do they find the time

Has anyone been like me previously and has now gone on to incorporate regular exercise in their lifestyle? What has helped you to stay motivated? Will really be grateful for any tips and pointers. Thank you.

I swim and I walk and that is it.
but I don’t give myself a hard time about it I encourage myself that I am doing my best and it is ok.

I work full time shifts and have a dog and 2 teens
teens can be left while I go out,

With swimming I am organised with bag always sorted. I do a minimum of twice a week (2 x mornings or one morning one evening)
in the morning I have a quick shower in the changing rooms before I get in the pool. Shower and hair wash afterwards.
if swimming in the evening I don’t wash my hair that day until afterwards to save time, (rinse it before going in pool)
I have a sauna or steam afterwards so it is more or a treat rather than ‘just’ exercise.

in an ideal world I would do more but what works for me is realistic goals. If I swim 12 lengths (I usually do more) I accept that it is better than not going at all.

another thing I do that sometimes works is I go through phases of a short evening walk with my dd. Even 15-20 minutes is better than nothing.

Three times a week, I get up at 5am to go for a run before my usual get-up time of 6am. It was hideous at first but now it’s just routine. It’s the only way I can fit it around full-time work and family life.

I think the key is to work out what exercise you enjoy doing, and what time works best for you.

DH loves the gym / spinning either after work or even later (he doesn't actually do it anymore but that used to be his preferred combo)

I love running but can only ever do it if I am up and straight out. So need to be prepped in the evening ready to step into gear and out of the door.

So I'd say try loads of different exercise and vary your times until you find what works best for you / your body.

With anything though, start small and achievable at first. That's why couch 2 5 k was so successful for me as it started with a 30 second run. Anyone can do that!!!! So whatever you start doing just keep it easy and enjoyable and build up slowly.

I got into regular exercise by doing the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred dvd - and checking in each day on a thread on here.

Nowadays I do two zoom Pilates classes a week - great as there's no time wasted travelling - plus regular walking. I need to add a bit more strength and higher intensity cardio though.

Thank you for replying onepieceoflollipop. You are right, even a short walk is better than nothing. I try to walk for a few minutes while getting lunch at work. But that's about it. On most days, I get up at 6, get the boys ready, drop off at school, work, pick up boys, reach home by 6 pm. Then it's dinner, homework, chores... I don't know when I can fit in exercise or if there are any short and effective routines I can manage. Sorry, if it looks like I am trying to find excuses. I just don't know how I can stay regular and consistent!

There are LOADS of online fitness trainers on YouTube. You need to find a few that you can relate to.. and just do it. Some suggestions:

Lucy Wyndham Read (for beginners)
Growingannanas (Lots of HIIT workouts - adapt them to a pace you can manage, but do challengeyourself)
Heather Robertson ( very good all round trainer)
Rebecca Louise (lovely and bubbly - lots of short but effective workouts)
Popsugar Fitness and Bowflex (wide range of workouts)
Caroline Girvan ( weight based programmer for high intermediates/advanced)

Try them out and see how you get on. Most have workouts with or without weights/dumbbells. I would urge you to work out with weights - infinitely more effective. Start off with a pair of 3-5 kg dumbbells, depending on your fitness. Resistance bands are als9 excellent.

I get up at 5 and do an hour. Mix of Pilates, Nike Training app and running.

Thanks so much for all your replies. I am looking up all your recommendations. I am also planning to go to bed earlier so that I get up at 5 am and find some time in the morning when I am less exhausted.

Great to see you want to start being more active. My top tips would be to do something you enjoy but also make exercise a priority. Even over housework. A routine can be good so it’s harder to duck out of. If kids are at activities is there an opportunity there to go for a brisk walk or jog rather than watch?
parkrun /walk is great too on Saturdays. You could take the kids. They have a tail walker so no one is last.
Finally start with small achievable goals that you are able to meet. Good luck, as someone who is sporty I can honestly say that even when I really don’t feel like doing sport, I almost never regret it afterwards.

I did the C25k nhs app and stuck to it this year by doing my runs while the kids are in their activities at the leisure centre, was not spending anything on it in the summer as did the runs in the park next door but now it's darker earlier I do pay as you go for the gym and run on the treadmill. Lots better than hanging around in the cafe for the hour they are doing their swim/dance and I can't think why I didn't do it like this before. Agree with the previous poster though you need your bag all ready to go.

I just accepted I had to pick exercise over cleaning, cooking etc. Something had to give, it was hard at first to prioritise myself but got easier.

I finish work then cycle to the nearest pool- 15 mins, swim 20 lengths and cycle back. This was enough to get me fit, usually go every other day. Added in a couple of evening classes now I'm feeling fitter, dance aerobics and boxfit. Pick what you like doing and do that, and I second always having a bag ready!

I think routine is key. I exercise sporadically so am not really the best person to give you advice but when I go regularly for a period it's always about building in a routine. Look at your day and think when could you combine in exercise. If you are obese then you probably need to build up gradually anyway. Could you do a yoga video when kids are doing homework, could you do steps on the spot with weights while watching TV at the end of the day, could you park further from work and walk in etc. Is there a night that would be easier to go to the gym and do a class etc.

Getting up at 5 to go for a run is a tad over ambitious fir those of us who are very unfit and/or hate exercise! I have tried many of the suggestions above ( including C25K several times) but just never stick at it. Swimming,walking,pilates,yoga...tick. Never enjoy them enough to create a habit that sticks.
However now that my weight has crept to an unnaceptable level,I'm going to have to pick one of them and try again.

There are lots of walking workouts on YouTube. I lost 10kg after my firstborn just walking and watching what I ate.

You can do them anytime and anywhere. Very practical for busy people (and can be done discreetly too)

I get up early a few times a week. I don’t enjoy exercise- I do it because I have to. I use the Les Mills app. It’s not about motivation, it’s about discipline

I also have got rid of surplus bins in my house so I'm forced to go to the outside bin more often.

I'm trying to not take my laundry basket upstairs so I have to go up.and down more often putting clothes away.

I sometimes side step whilst washing up.

Also walk for all phone calls

What has worked for me is joining a gym and having a personal trainer. That gives one appointment a week and encourages me to go in between. I am BMI 32, I haven’t lost much weight but my strength fitness and general wellbeing is much better. I never thought I’d enjoy a gym but I love the weight training.

They helped get over my gym shyness and I am also an exercise newbie and needed showing everything. I go at 8 am and then on to start work slightly later. Can your DC get themselves to school? Also an online Pilates class and some cycling to work.
if you have the money, you can invest in your own health.

You can also get a standing desk at work and try side step in short bursts

I am in a similar high pressure job and totally understand it’s difficult to find the time. What worked for me was going swimming or to the gym before work. That’s difficult if your DH is away as you probably cannot leave the 8 year old alone. What about fitting in the gym at weekends or during the day if you work from home some days? I also have a high pressure managerial job, but I am very strict about making time for the gym now.
I also think walking is very underrated. I lost weight going for walks during the pandemic. I did 10,000 steps a day including by a long hill.

The absolute best way to exercise is to make it part of your daily routine. Is there any part of your day where you could walk or part walk to ?
I do parkrun and go to the gym sporadically, but get most of my exercise because I drop DS off at his early morning gym and then walking to and from work from a free car park about a mile away.

I relocated 200 miles so could walk to work instead of driving!

That's a bit drastic though. And there were other reasons to relocate

Before moving I looked for something that would work for me - so did a Pilates based holistic core restore course which ran for an hour a week online with 'homework' of another 15 mins or so inbetween. It was an initial six week course which was easier to keep up with, then I did an extra six week one which got it established in my routine. I found committing to that hour a week easier - got DH to do bedtime that night and made it the night we ate batch cooked food to save some time. It also helped sort out my pelvic floor so huge incentive to do it.
The 'homework' was really about spending less time faffing around on social media and 15 mins doing some exercises - I kept the mat, ball, stretchy band thing where they were easy to grab.

My lifestyle is similar to yours, OP and I’m also stuck in the house unless I drag DS out with me. I got myself a treadmill so I could run at home which helps - currently using the Couch to 5k app to get back up to speed. And use YouTube workouts -
Billy Blanks tae bo
Pamela Reid
yoga with Adrienne

It’s really hard to fit in in the evenings and I hate getting up early!

Make sure you have 2 rest days on work days - you shouldn’t exercise every day especially when you’re just starting. So really it’s only 2-3 days you need to fit it in round work.

And then make sure you do 2 sessions at the weekend and go for something extra like a long walk or swimming too. Make your leisure/family time more active.

That sounds really difficult OP. If diet is a factor might it be easier to try and make changes there and then do active things at the weekend with your kids (walks, bike rides etc)? I’d struggle to get up at 5 to excerise!