Exercise and FT work

[topcat2014]

I'm out of the house 7am to 6 pm Monday to Friday with a second job 10 to 5 on Saturday.

Just about manage a half hour walk each day.

How do others make time!

I work from home quite a bit and can run in my lunch break. I also will run after work, often with a club. It means we don’t have tea until about 8:30pm but for me it’s a priority. Long run happens Sunday morning. My hours aren’t as long as yours as I very often start and finish my day at home, but even if they were I would still get it in. I would just have less time for other things!

Crucial missing info is whether you have kids and if so whether there is another parent on the scene?

WFH 2 days a week, walk the dog twice on those days. Also fit in a 30ish minute at home workout after work 2-3 X per week plus another at the weekend. I find working out at home much easier in terms of finding time and motivation. I do a mixture of strength training and cardio.

Share cooking with DH and we don't have children though so don't have to factor that in. I can see it would be more difficult otherwise but it really is a matter of prioritising as pp says.

WFH 3 times a week and go to gym at 7 am those days. I'm lucky to have this situation I know.

Empty nest now - so, in theory, evenings are my own to do what we want with.
Maybe it's motivation rather than time!

Well, I'm not out of the house 7-6 Monday to Friday with a second job but I do work full time 9-5 and have two hours a day commuting 3 x a week.

I exercise (as in classes etc) five days out of seven. Circuits 30 minutes on a Friday lunchtime (I WFH), yoga Saturday am, Gym Sunday morning, Yoga Monday evening, Gym Tuesday evening. Wednesday and Thursday "off". When I'm at home I walk the dog, when I commute I walk to the station, have a walk at lunchtime and walk home from the station and so also get 10k steps a day.

I've recently discovered 15 minute YouTube workouts (well, 10-20 depending!). One every evening adds up over the course of a week. I got some cheap dumbbells from Argos (poor delivery guy not v impressed!) but there are lots you don't need any equipment for, just Google! Also lots of standing versions so I don't need to move furniture around to lie down. It's the only way I've found to integrate any exercise at all around work and family!

Lunch break - walk 30 mins.

before and after work 15 min indoor workout with weights.

Definitely think about exercise snacks, 2-3 times a day of you can.

before work when you get out of bed you could do a ten minute mobility or strength routine, at lunch you could do a ten minute brisk walk and in the evening a 10 minute hiit / Pilates / strength / yoga routine.

build it into the commute on the day working from the office. i.e get off/on one bus stop earlier or later, cycle to train station, park further away...

excercise 'snacking' , taking stairs, run on the spot for 30seconds...

many gyms have classes (if that's your thing) early morning or late evening or during lunch time.
go dancing

Yes it probably is a case of priorities between 6-10pm then! The truth is a lot people who balance exercise and FT work just don’t sit down watching the telly very often…

Maybe try booking exercises classes, that way you’ll be more likely to go out and do it than if she were left to own motivation.

I go to classes either 5am or 6am, depending on what’s available. I’m out of the house around 7:15 each morning

I use my WFH lunchtimes too - try to aim for gym twice a week and a yoga class once a week.

Have considered trying to integrate some sort of exercise with the kids at the weekend - running while they're on their bikes or scooters maybe? Would be interested to hear from anyone who manages this.

in those circumstances I would do some combo of:

1. find an exercise class or gym close to work and go to a class at 6pm
2. park my car a 20 min run/walk from home or work and have 2 short bursts of exercise at the beginning and end of working day
3. buy some home exercise equipment and work out 3 weekdays in the evening or 2 weekdays and a class or gym session on Sunday

If I’m pushed for time I do weight training while making dinner. I follow Caroline Girvan workouts and do the stirring in the 60 second rests between exercises.

I work FT over 4 days so 7:30-6 4 times a week. I walk 3-4 miles 4 evenings a week which takes about an hour, then swim on my lunch break once a week, and gym classes on 1 evening a week.

Thanks for the suggestions - time for a rethink - especially with better weather on the way

Motivation does sound like the issue - but once you start and make your exercise part of your routine, that helps. I work from home 4 days, so can do dog walks in the day. Otherwise I’m doing formal exercise 2-3 evenings plus Saturday and maybe Sunday too. We have kids but we’re all active so we make it work somehow.

March - October it's easy, because it's light enough in the mornings/evenings to go out before or after work. I'm a runner, so I just put my gear on and go. October - March is hard and I've struggled this winter, in particular, because it's been so wet and that has really impacted my motivation to get out. Consequently, I've gained half a stone and am feeling fat, untoned and unfit. But the evenings are getting lighter again and the clocks go forward in three weeks, so I'm just trying to do my best until then. Otherwise, I just take any opportunity I can to walk rather than drive, take the stairs rather than the lift, etc. Every little bit helps.

If you work from home then it’s much easier to fit in exercise. I go out to work each day, leave at 7 and return at 5, with a strict 30 minute break only.
Like Op, I am also out on Saturday, working.
if you have to clean, do the laundry, do the garden, food shop etc, you are on the go all the time. That in itself keeps you active and pretty young. I try to do floor exercises and lift weights at home, but some days I am exhausted. Age also is a factor, I have just turned 60.

I work similar hours to yours. 7 am - 4/5 pm. Then 1 hour dog walk a day. I don't have the energy to do "proper" exercise. And by that I mean weights, gym, running or yoga/pilates.

It is the lack of energy that is the killer. I need to just chill for a couple of hours and decompress after the working day. Plus have dinner and my bedtime routine. To get at least 7 hours' sleep i need to be in bed by 9 because i'm up at 5:30. The time just disappears.

To the OP: don't feel guilty or that you "should". The working hours and expectations are not compatible with a healthy life. Me and DH just feel as if we are being squeezed for every last drop. And it leaves us drained at the end of the day.

I run and do weights at the weekend (unless i get drunk or have more work to do...then it just gets rolled onto next week!)

DH and I both work full time and have pre-teens, but try to squeeze an hour per day of gym time in whenever we can. Our gym is open 5AM-11PM so totally possible to start early or go it either before or after dinner, depending on if kids need to be driven to/from activities. Weekends of course, then kids will come along too.
Being fit makes such a difference to my quality of life so it's non-negotiable for me.

Youtube is the answer, quick 15 mins or 30 whilst cooking. Try Eleni fit or Madfit, so many options to find your preference / goal.

A half hour walk is good. It is worth trying to see if you can fit in some strength work at some point for your long term health.

I've recently drawn out my time commitments for each day (with travel time) and it's clarified that I have got less avaliable, usable time than I feel that I should. Plus energy; my job is on my feet being mentally alert so I don't feel able to catapult into action straight from work mode because I am mentally and physically drained. I can potentially fit 2x 25 min mid-week runs before work, but it's an early start and a long day.

You have after 6pm every evening, that’s quite a lot of time.