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.

If you are doing the vaccuming daily, that is exercise, too! You can do it, if you want to! Best wishes.

Google 'Once a Month Cooking'. You may not want to cook for an entire month but you can use some time on your weekend to prepare in advance for the week ahead. While the food is in the crockpot or oven, you have 30 minutes to work out.

Here is some tough loving... "If you want to do it, you will. If you don't, you will find excuses." Please don't hate me. I'm trying to motivate you, not upset you...

I really had to push myself to start exercising but now that I have, I'm telling you, the mental high that comes from working out is awesome. It makes you feel so good about yourself!

I don't think that exercise was any of our favorite things to do that is why we were obese. Eating and sitting and not moving. If you have a sedentary job as I also do now the weight is not going to come off like that unfortunately you have to make time. When I had to get up at 4:30, I got up at 4 and walked on the tread mill for 20 minutes. I know you probably want your sleep but you wont realize how good you feel after doing it. Just do it, no excuses.

I want to thank all of you for your overwhelming response to my post. You guys have given me some excellent suggestions, such as about making and freezing meals ahead. And you also pointed out some things that hadn't occurred to me, like that housework burns calories and can therefore be considered exercise, any movement beats no movement ; that I don't have to allocate a whole block of time to exercise, I can do a few minutes whenever I can steal them; and that I don't have to be a hero, I can let my husband or someone else share some of the burden.

All this time I have felt like I needed to handle everyone thing or I was a failure to my family. But I never considered that by taking care of myself, I will be better equipped to take care of everyone else, it's a win/win situation; everyone benefits.

I think it is time that I sit down with hubby and express my need to take some time for myself, so I can be a better me. After all, he cannot read my mind and he is usually pretty supportive. I'm sure if I ask for his help, he will be happy to assist me if he can.

It's good to know I can turn to the forum for guidance when I don't know where else to turn.

I want to thank all of you for your overwhelming response to my post. You guys have given me some excellent suggestions, such as about making and freezing meals ahead. And you also pointed out some things that hadn't occurred to me, like that housework burns calories and can therefore be considered exercise, any movement beats no movement ; that I don't have to allocate a whole block of time to exercise, I can do a few minutes whenever I can steal them; and that I don't have to be a hero, I can let my husband or someone else share some of the burden.

All this time I have felt like I needed to handle everyone thing or I was a failure to my family. But I never considered that by taking care of myself, I will be better equipped to take care of everyone else, it's a win/win situation; everyone benefits.

I think it is time that I sit down with hubby and express my need to take some time for myself, so I can be a better me. After all, he cannot read my mind and he is usually pretty supportive. I'm sure if I ask for his help, he will be happy to assist me if he can.

It's good to know I can turn to the forum for guidance when I don't know where else to turn.

Wow that post read so very different from your first post.. Reading the positive in your post was great.. you are right you don't have to be a hero.. and take on everything.. especially if you are both working.. sharing the burden of taking care of families makes for healthier families also.. just know you are worth it.. no one else can do it for you..

and that I don't have to be a hero, I can let my husband or someone else share some of the burden. All this time I have felt like I needed to handle everyone thing or I was a failure to my family. But I never considered that by taking care of myself, I will be better equipped to take care of everyone else, it's a win/win situation; everyone benefits.

This is one thing that my coworker and I both 'complain' about to each other. We're expected to be the super heroes and do everything. I'm starting to push back and ask for me time and pushing him to help out more. Your health needs to become pretty important over chores. Good luck finding the balance. I'm still struggling with that and I don't even have kids yet.

- 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.

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

You're asking for suggestions.....here's mine, going by your busy routine.

When you get home around 3pm.....THATS when your time should be to exercise. AND get that nephew involved with you! Your profile says you live in FL...walking outside should be doable pretty much year round, I'd imagine. An added benefit to getting the nephew involved, you've got a "partner" to go with you......and after a good walk, then dinner, then bath....you may notice he won't "fight you" so much to get ready for bed.

Just a thought....I wish you much luck in finding whatever works for you!

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

I have found this to be true!! I never used to have time, but now I have lots of time to prepare meals, exercise and take more care of myself.

If you don't make time for yourself now, your time will run out sooner. You go, go, go all day long and never take a break for yourself. It's an unfortunate lesson I learned from my mom, who passed away from fatty liver disease a year and a half ago. She cared for everyone except herself: us 3 kids, her job, my dad, her mother, outside activities, but she didn't eat right or exercise or slow down when the doc asked her to. The lesson I learned from her motivated me to get the band. I hope others can learn the lesson too.

PS Can you eat your lunch un-noticed at your desk while working, then use your 30 min lunchtime to walk two or 3 days a week? Just an idea.

Loved reading all these great suggestions. I spend a lot of time at a desk, too. Time to rock that for myself -- isometrics, etc. My Fitness Pal works for a lot of people -- recording the exercise seems to get me planning for how I can fit in more. Good luck to you. Choosing yourself first will benefit every one on the long run.

I will now share the secret of how I went from never exercising 2 years ago to running 2.2 miles every day.

Step 1: go to bed wearing workout clothes and set the alarm 5 minutes earlier.

Step 2: every day first thing out of bed: set the timer on my ipod nano for 5 minutes and walk around the house staying in constant motion until the time is up.

5 days later set the alarm for 1 minute earlier.

Step 3: every day first thing out of bed: set the timer on my ipod nano for 6 minutes and walk around the house staying in constant motion until the time is up.

6 days later set the alarm for 1 minute earlier

Step 4: every day first thing out of bed: set the timer on my ipod nano for 7 minutes and walk around the house staying in constant motion until the time is up.

7 days later set the alarm for 1 minute earlier

Step 4: every day first thing out of bed: set the timer on my ipod nano for 8 minutes and walk around the house staying in constant motion until the time is up.

then just keep doing this

when you get to 20 minutes if the weather is nice walk out the door and away from your house for 10 minutes then walk back.

When you get to 25 minutes. Try walking while listening to each odd numbered song and try picking up the pace for every other song

When you hit 30 minutes. try running during every other song.

The key is to build a manageable habit. that you can incorporate into your routine. The more you do it the more natural it becomes. For decades I would fall into the trap of "by the time I get changed to go work out or go to the gym I won't have time to work out so why even bother". Now on the other hand I don't feel as good on a day that I don't work out.

I cannot emphasize enough how important I believe "focusing on your habits" is the most important part of weight loss.