I want to go to a gym of exercise classes, but really am having trouble finding time.

I am a HS English teacher and have taken on a second job at my school. Just a few hours 2 days a week. I need the money.

My principal is extremely demanding. I come home and work 3 -4 hours each night marking about 700 assignments. We must give work back within 24 hours and he uses the online grade program to "spy" on the amount of work we enter each day.

On the few occasions when I have not done enough I have been called in about my lack of professionalism and the fact that I shirk my professional duties. (Our union is working on him big time, but in the mean time....)

I pretty much have given up any social activities during the week and will not commit to 2 things over a weekend for fear of falling behind.

I really wanted to start attending Zumba 2 or 3 nights per week, but am at a loss as to how to squeeze it in.

Am I being lazy and making excuses? If so, I will suck it up and try going. I need to exercise and need the commitment of "going". I even have someone who wants to go as buddy and that would make me keep the date.

I am extremely frustrated by the job and my weight.

Thanks for the whine time. LOL

mmm well, it is really difficult finding time, so what i am doing right now is waking up at 4:30 - in order to get to the gym and take a class from 5-6am....it is difficult because i need to go to bed at 9:30 -10:30 the latest....and if i am not able to do that....then i take a very long walk with my husband, at least 45 min.

I totally feel your pain. I am a middle school special education teacher, working on my last rank and second masters and trying to have extra committments. Sometimes 30 minutes is hard to squeeze in. My compensation is to eat less and I am still losing but I lose a lot more when I am sweating. I try to get to gym in between all of this for at least 30 no more 3 times a week.

There is no need for a gym if you don't have the time.

Surely, you can find an hour a day to walk or climb stairs even if it is for 10 minutes 6 times a day.

I don't think you're being lazy or making excuses--you're in a difficult position, and your principal sounds like he makes it even worse.

That said, there are alternatives to classes at the gym. I love the gym, but when you factor in driving time, etc., it really does bump up the time commitment. But I can always find time to lace up a pair of sneakers and head out the door for a fast walk.

I value the time, and make it a priority. I feel better, function better, and lose better when I exercise.

No matter how overwhelmed I am, I do it. It makes coping with all of the other stuff so, so much easier. I suspect that taking that time for yourself would make a difference to you, as well.

I completely understand your lack of time. I am a single mom of two, and I am also taking care of two fosterkids right now (ages 1 and 4 months). I work full time as well. As someone previously stated, I wake up an hour earlier to get my exercise in. I usually do one of Leslie Sansones Walk Away the Pounds dvds. Its not easy getting up at 5 and I am tired, but I need to see the results. Start off doing 10-15 mins three times a week. You can pick up any one of her dvd's or any walking tape for about $10 at wal-mart or target. It will work out. Be blessed.

I am a school social worker and while my workload does not seem as difficult as yours (especially the take home stuff) I seldom have time for lunch during the day. What I have started to do though is I brought a pair of sneakers to keep in my office at work and when I have a free 15-30 minutes I fast walk the building. My building has four separate flights of stairs so I circle once or twice going up and down each staircase then back to my office. This way if I can't find the time when I get home at least I know that I got up and moved at some point in the day. With your schedule and amount of work I can understand your dilemma.

Okay keep in mind I can't see myself doing this in a million years. At my old gym there was a teacher who marked papers while on the StairMaster! I think StairMasters are the devil itself so I can't believe that she could do both at the same time. Could you do a recumbant bike and read papers? I used to read a book while I did the bike. Now that I think of it there were several teachers who graded papers during their work out. Esp on the eliptical machine.

Wow- your principal is tough! I think your best bet, as already suggested, is to get up earlier and walk. Doesn't sound like a gym will work for you. Start out slow and gradually increase your speed and/or time. You may even build up to going to a jog for a few minutes, then walk for a few minutes. This is called interval training, and is suppossed to burn more fat. You can do this! I hope your union is successful it getting your principal to have more reasonable expectations. Good luck!

As a fellow teacher I feel your pain. Teaching really is one if the most demanding jobs.

That said, my health and my band is ny very first priority. I get up at 5am each day and am in the gym for an hour before school even starts.

Sure, it's hard to get up at that hour. But you feel so much better throughout the day after a good morning workout.

bless yoour heart! finding time to work out is so hard...luckily I am blessed with a pretty flexible work schedule.

do you have on demand cable? they have an exercise channel and when I need something fast or something different I go and pick something off there....use the money you would spend on a gym membership and do a cable upgrade....or get some different workout dvd's...that way you don't have to drive to and from the gym.

Sounds like your only option is mornings. I may also make a suggestions, it might be time to look into a new job in a different school district if this isn't resolved by your Union. How can you truly take time to do a quality grading job if you are rushed? Good luck hon whatever you do.