How can I find the time to exercise? Any ideas?

[milkyjo]

Ok, my goal is that in 6 months time I will lose at least a stone in weight, I think this is a pretty reasonable goal. I am cutting down portion sizes and although I eat quite healthily I do have a problem with the amount I eat. I haven't done any exercise since being 4 months pregnant with my DS. And then I only did aquanatal later on in pregnancy (which isn't really cardio/ lose weight exercise). I work long days and weekends and my DS (13 months) is very demanding so I find it very difficult to actually get any cardio exercise in, I can quite easily do some stretches and sit ups in the evening but I will not be going out in the dark for a jog - morning or evening! What's the alternative? I work shifts so I am not able to commit to a group and I can't afford a gym membership. Any tips would be greatly received, thanks.

Do you have a lunch/similar break? How about a walk/run in that time? If you did 20 mins every day that you are at work it would have a good effect.

Have you thought about swimming?

I have regained my figure; I was size 16 and now size 10 with a waist and muscle definition 6 pack but not extreme IYKWIM.

I lost 3 stone using the Paul Mckenna way of eating and some stretches twice a day which can be done in bed and standing doing washing up and also sitting down on the comp. or whatever; they are called Internal exercises and are easy i can tell you if you're interested.

milkyjoe, whilst stretching is beneficial it wont help much with fat loss.

A combination of resistance training and cardio will give you the best fat loss effect for the least time invested.
You can do resistance training exercises at home with little or not equipment.
EG:
www.youtube.com/user/diethealth

there's loads more stuff on youtube

can you build some extra activity into your working day, stairs instead of lifts, brisk walk in your lunch break, that kind of thing?

lovesaI dance informally and walk regularly but I have never done weights or formal or informal jogging type stuff.

IMO everyone is different and you can become toned and loose weight (see my post) without any formal gym - type exercises.

Def 30 day shred. Can even do on laptop while toddler watching cbeebies (don't need sounds once you have done it a couple of times!).

Another recommendation for the 30 day shred here, it's only a 20 minute work out so not too hard to fit in. I also DO go running in the dark in the evening, just for 20 minutes. I keep to main well lit roads and have downloaded some good music to keep me going.

I won't go running in the dark either, but will start again as soon as evenings get lighter which isn't that far away now. Running is the thing that got me in best shape, both for fitness and weight loss.
Until then i am doing 30 day shred which i find great for toning, but not weight loss as i have been carrying on eating as normal (i.e lots of biscuits!).

Another vote for the 30 Day Shred.

Its the only thing I have ever managed to stick to and that's mainly because I can fit it in whenever I have 20 minutes to spare (well its actually 30 including warm up and cool down).

You get pretty fast results in terms of body shape and muscle defnition with it as well, which also makes it highly motivational.

In the week I tend to do it when dd goes down for her nap and that way I have enough time to do the workout, shower and dress before she wakes up.

It does work for weightloss, but only if you eat healthily at the same time. I combine it with logging my food intake on My Fitness Pal and have lost three and half stone and gone from an 18 to a 12 since the end of June 2011. You may not see a shift in the scales at first, but it does happen.