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Original poster

How to fit exercise in to full time work and life

89 replies

rainydogday · 08/01/2025 07:29

I am in a rut. Perimenopause has got hold of me and I have gained a stone. At the same time I have got a promotion and now work full time in a busy role. I generally have weekends off but this is taken up by taxi ing teenagers to their jobs, clean the house, washing and walk the dog. I use to spin 3 times a week when I was part time, and was a keen runner. I literally have lost the mojo for any of it and have no clue when I would actually fit any of it in. Any top tips on how to schedule exercise back in?

OP posts:
missfliss · 08/01/2025 07:42

I know this may not be applicable to you - but I have to get up early to execrcise. Alarm at 5:30 am for a run or gym. Back home again by 7 am to get my son ready for school and get ready for work.
I realise you may have commutes that make even that hard - but that's what I do.
I don't love running in the dark but either go with friends or use a chest light and go on boring but well lit urban routes

GetyourheadoutoftheovenIris · 08/01/2025 07:45

I have to get up at 5 to work out or if won’t happen.
Getting my steps in isn’t always possible though.

user1494050295 · 08/01/2025 07:47

I take my daughter with me and I go on the treadmill while she and her friends swim

GreyAreas · 08/01/2025 07:48

I do Saturday mornings before any chores and then between 8 and 9 two weekday evenings (I need to decompress from work before I exercise and I am better in the evening than the morning.) But I have been there with the no mojo, and honestly when you don't have it, exercise is very hard. I think you have to make it part of a holistic approach - address work life balance, drop non essential chores, make time for you, cut alcohol and sugar, take vitamins if deficient, walk.

GOODCAT · 08/01/2025 07:48

I also get up early to do so. You need to identify times when you can exercise e.g. before work, lunchtime or after work or at points in the weekend. There must be times even if it is just ten minutes to do some hiit. Schedule it in and make it a priority. Get the teens doing their share of chores to free you up too.

klopteaklrd · 08/01/2025 07:53

I do it weekday evenings, I'm not a morning person so can't do it then, and like weekends to be relaxing so keep those clear. I tend to go to 1 activity or class a night Monday-Thursday, the only annoying thing really is food, I cook dinner and then go out around 6.30/7 so can't eat very much myself (DH does all the clearing up, school pick up and packed lunches which is why I cook). So I usually get chance to sit down by 9pm by the time I've showered etc. Added bonus is no time to snack!

I feel a little guilty at being away from the family with that level of frequency but I just don't fit it in otherwise and need to prioritise my health, and keep weekends clear for family.

I will put my hands up to admit that I WFH though, I probably would find it harder to motivate myself to get out 4 nights a week (in winter especially) if I'd been out at work all day.

BigDahliaFan · 08/01/2025 07:53

56, wft, have a dog and needy husband. I get up early 3 times a week. It used to be for a 6.30 class now it's a 7.30. It gets it over and done with. I'm aiming once I've shaken off Christmas flu to add in walking on the other days.

I used to go straight from work but found excuses not to go far too often.

It's hard as I have peri insomnia....but feel better for it when I get up and go.

klopteaklrd · 08/01/2025 07:56

Oh and I walk for 30-40 mins every weekday lunch time, fast.

klopteaklrd · 08/01/2025 07:58

Oh and just to say 2 of those nights are a team sport I play, so it's really more like a hobby which makes it much easier to motivate myself. One of the other nights is yoga which I enjoy, it's only really the other activity I have to really force myself to do because it's something I need to do as opposed to want to do.

Sidge · 08/01/2025 07:59

I used to run a lot and gym daily when I worked part time. Now I’m full time I go to the gym three days a week at 0530 for an hour, then home to shower and get ready before leaving with DD at 0730 for school and work.

I also try and do something at the weekend - a walk, gym or a run. Means getting up earlier but I do feel better for it overall and just go to bed a bit earlier.

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 08/01/2025 08:00

I used to do 6am classes, shower at the gym then straight to the train for work. My DH did the morning routines and me the pick ups and evenings.

Spanielsaremad · 08/01/2025 08:02

Get up early and do it before work, do it in your lunch hour?

MumChp · 08/01/2025 08:03

My husband leaves early 2 days a week to go to the gym before work. He spends Saturday morning playing rugby.

We expect children to take part in cleaning, laundry, looking after pets and chores. We are not a hotel.

We only ferry kids around if they can't walk/bike/go by bus/train.

Wibblywobblybobbly · 08/01/2025 08:06

Can you build brisk walking into your routine? I walk 20 minutes to the station and then another 20 minutes at the other end. So, with the return journey, on the days I'm in the office I get in 1h20 of brisk walking as part of my routine. I dropped half a stone within a couple of months just doing that.

I've also signed up to a Saturday morning exercise class which I'll go to whilst DH takes DC to a class.

HelenHywater · 08/01/2025 08:11

I used to get up early to go for a run - before 7am so I'd ran by the time I needed to get everyone up for school. I loved it - only don't do it now because of knee issues.

I do a workout now at home at the end of my working day (wfh).

I now do a yoga class first thing on weekend mornings - so before dogs and kids are up.

Semiramide · 08/01/2025 08:11

Aim to do two or three 45-minute sessions a week. Preferably first thing in the morning.

The rest of the week, try to fit in 2-3 short (10-20 minute) sessions whenever you have a 'window'. One weight-bearing/pilates, the other HIIT/cardio. Some exercise can be done while watching TV. Do a plank or some squats while waiting for the kettle to boil.

Walk as much as possible, at a fair pace. Take the stairs instead of the lift. Especially effective if wearing ankle and/or wrist weights.

Utilize your time wisely and focus on resistance based exercises. I have a collection of short YouTube videos that target different areas - Caroline Girvan, Growingannanas, Rebecca Louise, Lucy Wyndham Read, the Bowflex 3-minute plank.....

Fizbosshoes · 08/01/2025 08:17

I loathe early mornings but I do exercise after work at least 3 times a week. Running or strength workouts, or something from YouTube.
The advantage of the indoor workouts is that I can pause them v briefly to run and put something in the oven or brief my teens to turn something on/get something out in preparation for dinner!
But we do eat fairly late which doesn't suit everyone.

1apenny2apenny · 08/01/2025 08:32

There's some great short workout routines to get back into it. Caroline Girvan has a 20 minute no repeat weights and a kettlebell one for example. Could you do these as soon as you get in from work?

Tdp123 · 08/01/2025 08:37

Can you run with the dog? Kill 2 birds...

DUsername · 08/01/2025 08:46

I wfh a few times a week so I exercise on my lunch breaks - either a run or the gym. Sometimes I get up early and do the gym.
Honestly, I also prioritise it over cleaning on the weekends. Exercise is scheduled in first.

I also try and make use of any hanging around for teens time - if my youngest is at an activity where there is no point going home then I go for a run.

What has also helped at times is to have a very strict exercise schedule, when it feels like my needs are coming last in the family. Making a time slot that is sacrosanct and sticking to it - anyone who needs a lift will have to wait or find another way. If you're a runner could that be parkrun or a local running club?

EmmaStone · 08/01/2025 08:47

Evenings for me - I go to a 6:30 class on a WFH day, and 7:15 classes twice a week where I literally get home, changed and run out the door again. It does mean I feel like I'm out every weeknight though (as there will usually be something on the other evening), and come Friday, I'm pooped!

Thethingswedoforlove · 08/01/2025 08:53

Could you aim for one exercise session during the week and one at the weekend initially? With a view to increasing one weekday or one weekend or both over time? I have a treadmill at home and run on that twice during the week and once at the weekends. Plus I aim to go to the gym once during the week and once at the weekends. Don’t always manage all of the above. I used to swim too but that isn’t happening at the moment. I also have demanding teens and a parent who needs care and a very full on full time job. It’s aboht figuring out what and when in advance and sticking to it. You can do it!

Princessfluffy · 08/01/2025 09:06

Active commuting is good if you can walk or cycle some or all of your journey to work and school runs.

Running is a very efficient use of time as you don't need to go anywhere else to do it, exercise time starts straight out of the front door.

I've never done YouTube yoga but that seems like a good one.

user3827 · 08/01/2025 09:33

Have you got a DP? If so tell him/her that you need to exercise and work out a time best for both of you

JimHalpertsWife · 08/01/2025 09:36

If your teens are okd enough to have Saturday jobs then they are old enough to get the bus there and back (or travel to/from the local gym you drive to instead of running round after them(.