Finding the discipline

[Pastadisaster]

Working parents, how do you find the discipline to workout in the evening? I can get up at 5am and force myself to exercise (can't say I enjoy it!) but recent change in circumstances means I no longer have the time in the mornings as I need to take the dogs out. So I'm still waking at the same time but not able to fit in a workout before work.

I finish work at 4pm, pick DS up and an home for about 4:30pm. Walking dogs, doing dinner, getting DS showered will take me to about 6:30pm. I go to bed at 9pm so I have the time in the evening, but I am really struggling to be arsed! I have a exercise class membership, and I also have a reasonable set of cardio and weights equipment at home. I don't have an excuse of it not being accessible but by 6:30pm I'm wiped out.

Please let me know if you manage it, how?? How do you force yourself to do it? I never had this problem pre DS and I worked longer hours!

Oh that sounds like a nightmare! My version of finding the discipline is getting up at 5. I can’t imagine that PLUS evening classes 🫠

Can you make it an aim to try and bunch of classes temporarily, and then once you’ve found your favourites work them into your routine? Try and always go to the same ones and make friends so it’s harder to cancel 🫠

Geographic proximity.

Its 10 min walk from my house.
I book classes and I'm "punished" if I dont go.
I am mamage 2 classes every week same days same times.

Its not brilliant but its something...

Don’t beat yourself up, I don’t think I’d be able to find the time or motivation with that schedule either!

Could you jog the dog walk, or incorporate a conditioning set as you go? (Squats, lunges, push ups, wall sit etc)? Can you do a couple of 5 min sets during the evening without having to go out?

I mainly exercise in the morning/during the day. But if I’ve booked something in the evening I’ll go 1. Because I’ll get a strike if I don’t and 2. I know I’ll enjoy it. Do you love the classes you do? Would you prefer something else?

I have to book sessions/classes in advance where you can’t pull out at the last minute. I don’t have the willpower to do stuff at home or just turn up at a gym when I fancy it (I would never fancy it 😂). My classes are 5 mins away in the car and my dh and oldest ds go as well so that helps. We can also take Ds2 if needed and he amuses himself with a friend. I go 2-3 times a week (a couple of evenings and Fri morning which is my day off, or Sat morning) and I play a team sport too so that also involves a commitment which I can’t just pull out of. DH often does the 6am classes but that’s not for me.

I bool classes as soon as they become available on the app, then they are in the diary and I go. Whereas exercise at home can be postponed too easily or I get distracted by someone (small house, nowhere to do it except the kitchen and I have older DC coming and going as well as DH). But I'm more of an evening person and being out till 8 or 9 is no issue in fact it's normal after years of taxiing DCs to evening activities, I appreciate you're not at that stage yet, but you have got the advantage of them being in bed early. Get in the habit and it becomes easier.

My schedule is similar and I usually exercise after 7 pm, I can’t be bothered to do it in the morning. I have no idea how I find the discipline, I have been training regularly, usually 6 times a week since 2019. During the pandemic I discovered Les Mills on demand and I’ve been doing their workouts since, including active recovery (Body Balance).

I don’t find the discipline, It’s my me time, my cherry on top of the day. I am one of those people who have constant mental chatter, can’t sit still and are good at multitasking. The only time when I can switch off and be fully focused and present is when I exercise, I am looking forward to this feeling every evening.

My suggestion is to reframe how you think about exercise. It can be rewarding, it brings endorphins and better sleep. I can’t be arsed to watch tv but if I skip my training I feel restless and unhappy.

I feel all that too! Only being able to totally switch off during exercise. Then the endorphins and sleep coming afterwards!

I found the only way I do it is find something I love doing so I want to go rather than feel obligated to go. Would a personal trainer work, a commitment to someone else? I also don’t sit down if I can help it!

Now I’m at the stage where I don’t like to not do it but it took a while to get to there.

many many days where I had to push myself out the door to go for a run. Booking gym classes helped as it would invariably forget to cancel them in enough time and didn’t want to get strikes. Basically a lot of just making myself do things against my will, eventually it became habit and now it’s not a chore.