How to fit exercise in to full time work and life

[rainydogday]

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?

Just an uodate|
I am on my 3rd week of boot camp! Only
Once a week at 7am! That's a start... really enjoying it

Well done OP.
It is really hard fitting exercise into working full time, kids, housework and still trying to have down time and do what you need to at the weekend.
I find early morning is the only time it is practical to work out. Although currently in bed scrolling mumsnet putting off getting the dumbells out!

Around 9:30 pm sometimes up at 8:30 for a bath and to read.

How heavy is heavy? I could do this but wonder if my hand weights are too light.

I would say if you can do 3 x 12 reps easily they are too light. You'll need different weights for different muscles though. You want to get the the point where on rep 3 at about 7 or 8 you really can't go on. Some days you'll do more others less but over all youll see you get stronger. I currently lift heavy but only do 2 or 3 lifts, but i'm talking 50kg+

I started with 3 kg dumbbells and, over a period of months and years, built up to 12.5 kg:

3 kg
5 kg
8 kg
10 kg
12.5 kg.

Though I currently only use the 12.5 kg for goblin squats, RDLs and weighted lunges - not arm work. For the latter I mostly use 8 kg, and 10 kg for things like straightforward press-ups and hammer curls.

To progress to a higher weight, you need to challenge yourself, i.e. do 8-12 reps where the last few are really hard, to a point where you cannot do another one.

As a general rule, I tend to use between half and two-thirds of what Caroline is using. Which is good enough for me.

@startingoveragainagain @Semiramide

Thank you very much for your replies. I will start with my 2.5kg as a total beginner and go from there!

You schedule it in when WFH. It’s the only way. My down days are when I go to the office so I only do a gentle 5K in the morning. On WFH days, I have a longer lunch to fit in exercise properly and as I’ve no travel considerations, it works.

One of my colleagues actually works while cycling on their indoor trainer. I’m not sure how they do it as I tried but couldn’t make it work whereas they’ve set up a desk and everything around their indoor bike. Is that an option perhaps?

I go to gym at 7 but my DS is now old enough to get himself up and off to school

I also thought they were goblin squats 🤣 but it turns out they are goblet squats.

OMG......... I swear I thought I'd typed goblet...!!!!!!! 😂

I prefer goblin squats 😁

I work full time and i go to the gym at 4:15 straight from work. Im home before 5:30. I do it 3 times a week and i went yesterday afternoon a d it was empty! Bliss!

That's an amazing effort keep it up. Am traying to get my self into gym when ever I can and get some work out in.