I know everyone is busy, so I’m not looking for sympathy or arguments, but I am having significant difficulty finding the time and energy to exercise. So, I’m hoping I can get some advice from other people who have found a way to balance it all. Presently, I'm lucky if I find time, remember and/or feel up to exercising 2-3 days a week. Weekends are a lot less of a problem, because I am off every Saturday and Sunday. But weekdays are impossible. Here is a little background info before you offer any suggestions.

Monday - Friday

- I get up at 4:15 a.m. to get ready for work.

- I walk out the door around 4:50 so I can make it in by 5:30.

- Upon arrival, I clock in and begin my mostly-seated medical secretary job.

- Around 11:00 I take a 30 minute lunch break.

- I then work another 2 1/2 hours and leave around 2 p.m.

- On my way home, I go to the sitter’s house and pick up my 2 year old nephew who is in the custody my husband and me.

- We typically make it home by 3:00 if I don't need to stop anywhere on the way.

- I begin my daily housework; vacuuming, tending to the cats, putting away dishes, cleaning bathrooms, doing laundry, making beds, etc.

- This generally consumes my time until my husband gets home around 4:15.

- Once he gets home, I start cooking dinner, which we usually sit down to eat between 5:00-5:30.

- After dinner, Hubby helps me clean the kitchen and package leftovers and by 6:30-7:00 we're done.

- Then it’s up stairs to take care of Nephew's nightly routine; bath, teeth brushing, jammies, bedtime story, etc.

- If he doesn't fight me about going to sleep and everything goes smoothly, I can usually finish by 8:30 or so.

- Next, I take my shower and lay my clothes out for the next day.

- Prepare Nephew’s bag for the next day when Hubby will drop him off at the sitter.

- AND FINALLY, I climb into bed between 9:30 and 10:00, exhausted, disgusted, and prepared to repeat the process all over again.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and my family, I guess I just wish there were more hours in the day.

Killi...let me ask you do you have laundry every day? Do you vacuum and clean the cat box every day? Those are chores that seem to me aren't done every day...but they are also labor intensive chores that you could turn into exercise if you wished. Pump up the volume, put more clothes in the basket or a weight and carry it at a good clip up and down the stairs while the wash is washing walk up and down the stairs a few times. While your vacuuming do a little dance give your self some love...beep bop a loo ba...you can do this!

Dishes cooking all these things can be made fun and high energy! No reason to be stressing it. Park that car far from the door I know it's cold in the morning but hey a brisk walk will get your blood pumping! When your on that 30 minute break eat for 20 and then take a walk around the building inside or out up and down if you got some stairs.

You don't have to sit and do 101 crunches or 50 dead lifts to be exercising you just have to want to move your body!!

Once you do you will be motivated to do more and more and find more and more time for it and you.

OK so you say...ah what does she know....I have 5 kids, one who is special needs so I know! I work full time 9 hours a day and it takes me nearly 2 hours to get here and get home at the end of it. I am out of my house more then 12 hours a day, my chair has a buzzer that alerts my boss every time my butt lifts from the chair. Only kidding..but it feels like it most days. He's only looking for me when I'm not in it don't cha know?!

You can do it, play a game of tag and chase the little guy around the house! He will sleep better and so will you! You can do this!!!

I feel for you. I can't imagine how hard it must be to balance job, kids, hubby too. But, it sounds to me as if 30 minutes away is just what you need. How about after dinner, let hubby put away food and do the dishes and watch the kid while you take a short walk around the block? It would be a great time to be alone, sort out your thoughts, and get in some physical movement. I know, by that time, you're probably really tired, but if you can just do it anyway, you may find you enjoy it. Pick two days during the week so hubby will know when to expect it.

Lots of people have lost the weight without exercise so don't beat yourself up if you can't do it right now, but it would probably be so good to have some time for you. Best wishes!

is your desk height adjustable? if it's possible stand for part of your day - you will actually burn more calories doing this. like leepers said finding 30mins in your day may feel like a challenge but it can be so worth it.. if you can't leave your nephew home take him with you in a stroller.. the air should help him sleep and pushing that darn thing should use up a few more calories.. finding time to exercise can be hard especially when it's so much easier for find a reason not to.. but you are worth the 30mins

Can you perhaps get a sitter or a 'mother's helper' for maybe an hour to help with the little guy so you can try to get in some exercise? You wouldn't even have to go to they gym if you can work out with a DVD or something like that? Perhaps you have a treadmill or something else in the house? Just a suggestion...

And bless you for taking in your nephew. My son and daughter-in-law took in her nieces and they have given these girls all the love and support they didn't get at home....

Try to prepare enough food so that you can have leftovers a few times during the week or a meal or two hubby can manage himself? Take that time and walk for 30-60 minutes during these times. Make sure you take advantage of the two days off on weekends and walk or bike up to an hour a day.

There are many exercises that can be done in your home during down times using bands: http://www.band-exercises.net/

There are many other videos on youtube that offers quick exercising routines for people in your position. The bottom line is this. If you enjoy the exercise you'll do it more often, so try to find something that you enjoy? For me, it's biking, tennis and racquetball.

tmf

I'm glued to my desk most of the day too...

I'm not sure if you're stuck on a lot of telecons - but when I'm stuck on telecons, I'll stand up and move in my cube

When you get a potty break - do a couple of extra squats before going back to your desk. Say 5 squats for 4 bio breaks is about 20 squats overall. Maybe even standing calf raises. Can you find a bathroom a bit further requiring you to walk further?

I actually 'pinterested' desk exercises last night...

Chair dips to work triceps.

Sitting down, lift one leg and hold it for 30 sec, switch legs. This should work your quads.

Walking on your lunch break helps too.

Some others that I've read last night... Put your hands under your desk and push (pull??) up. do the same but pushing down on the table.

Take a hand and put it on your inner thigh and push in then repeat pushing out.

Home stuff - When you've grabbed something for dinner - do a bicep curl. Even though canned green Beans isn't much weight it's better than nothing. As you're cooking or even brushing your teeth do some calf raises or leg raises. I've marched in place in the shower lol.

Sitting down, lift one leg and hold it for 30 sec, switch legs. This should work your quads.

Holly molly i'm doing this as i type..and i can feel the burn.... what a great suggestion for us office dewllers.. i also do the go to the furthest bathroom for my bio break it's in the far back corner of the building up a flight of stairs... you should see me when i really need to pee... do the shuffle.. comes to mind.

got tired reading your daily to do......

please note any movement you do HELPS

and it is possible to lose without doing exercise but if you can exercise, it will most def

help out more.......to answer your thread question, you MAKE time..you find it.....10 min here or there

(walking, marching in place, stepping)......you are worth it

Killi...let me ask you do you have laundry every day? Do you vacuum and clean the cat box every day? Those are chores that seem to me aren't done every day...but they are also labor intensive chores that you could turn into exercise if you wished. Pump up the volume, put more clothes in the basket or a weight and carry it at a good clip up and down the stairs while the wash is washing walk up and down the stairs a few times. While your vacuuming do a little dance give your self some love...beep bop a loo ba...you can do this!

Dishes cooking all these things can be made fun and high energy! No reason to be stressing it. Park that car far from the door I know it's cold in the morning but hey a brisk walk will get your blood pumping! When your on that 30 minute break eat for 20 and then take a walk around the building inside or out up and down if you got some stairs.

You don't have to sit and do 101 crunches or 50 dead lifts to be exercising you just have to want to move your body!!

Once you do you will be motivated to do more and more and find more and more time for it and you.

OK so you say...ah what does she know....I have 5 kids, one who is special needs so I know! I work full time 9 hours a day and it takes me nearly 2 hours to get here and get home at the end of it. I am out of my house more then 12 hours a day, my chair has a buzzer that alerts my boss every time my butt lifts from the chair. Only kidding..but it feels like it most days. He's only looking for me when I'm not in it don't cha know?!

You can do it, play a game of tag and chase the little guy around the house! He will sleep better and so will you! You can do this!!!

Edited February 14, 201412 yr by ☠carolinagirl☠

I agree, it can be challenging....

You can always be a "Weekend Warrior"....also, do you ever watch TV? I think I watched the entire OJ Simpson Trial while walking on my treadmill.....or so it seemed...

Buying a treadmill or elliptical for your home would cut out travel time to and from a gym. Plus, if only a 15 minute window of opportunity opens, you can do 15 mins of cardio. If the next day, only a 10 min window opens, then you only do 10 mins that day.... Don't want to buy equipment?????.... Get out and walk for that 10 minute window. If there's a will, there's a way!!!!

However, if you're not motivated or if you're overwhelmed by being out of shape.... That's a whole other ball game. I can only share with you that I looked like a beaten pup for the first six to eight weeks that I started exercising..... For me it was pure agony. Moving a 327 pound body is torture. But, I'm stronger than I realized, bc I persevered. Now, I exercise six days a week. I found my will.... I found my way! Best of luck to you!

This has been an informative subject. I think you should give your husband a 1/2 hour maybe time to do chores in the evening. Or can you take nephew for a walk after you pick him up.

I have to say that since I committed to exercise, I have so much more energy. I had lots of excuses not to. I work all day, most nights after work I take my daughterscto dance on the other side of town and don't make it home until after 9 pm. Weekends are super busy catching up on things that weren't done during the week. Then I realized I wasn't helping anyone, mainly myself by not exercising.

Now, I am at the gym while my daughter dances at least two nights a week and I am at the gym first thing Saturday and Sunday mornings. I feel better, I sleep better and it has done wonders for my stress level. The laundry will be there tomorrow and my husband is capable of handling dinner a couple nights a week. In the end, I can't take care of anyone if I don't take time to care for myself.

You certainly can get a treadmill and at least walk for 30 minutes once everything is done and I also don't see doing laundry and vacuuming daily. I am sure you could skip that to every other day and in the 30 minutes you would be doing those things walk.

I dont have your difficult schedule, so I dont know if these ideas would work, but......... could you cook extra casseroles on weekends and make extra salads, and have hubby just heat a dinner up 2 times a week, then you could exercise while he "cooked dinner". ? That and exercising on weekends ( by yourself or at the park with the little one ) would give you exercise 4 days a week ! Try googling"freezer cooking" or "hobo meals" and crockpot cooking. Also maybe have your nephew do some gentle stretching/ yoga with you at night

? This might make both of you relax for better sleep and less stress. Good luck !

P.S. I forgot to mention google " The Pioneer Woman", Ree Drummond has some great freezer meals , and she has 4 kids on a working ranch, and a fun cooking show too.