So I am sure many of you deal with very busy hectic lives find it hard to fit in exercise. I am needing advise on how to incorporate exercise into my daily life of working about 60 hours a week at a very stressful job where my decisions affect people's lives, raising 2 step-children as my own (one that takes up my every waking minute due to her behavioral issues) and one involved in sports. My husband is so supportive of me, but he does not like to exercise either. I find myself already getting up very early in the mornings to get things done for the day and kids ready for school. I then work all day and am so tired when I finally get home and then deal with dinner, the house, the kids, bible study...then it is at least 9pm and I am BEAT. I know I have to exercise! Any advice/motivation??

I've often wondered if some people who are super busy but overweight are care givers. Either jobs, or family matters that always come first. Do we compensate by giving ourselves food instead of doing other things that will take our time like exercise?

Walk at lunch/breaks. Take the child who consumes your time on a walk to talk. Walking stimulates creativity too so maybe you'll both be inspired to find a solution to the behavior issues.

Park as far from the door at work/ stores/ etc as you can to get in extra steps. Pace or walk when you're in the phone. Get up and take a short walk once an hour if your job is sitting at a desk. Work it in if you can't create time.

It sounds like you are getting significant exercise in daily life. I can understand finding the time for structured exercise can be difficult. I live about a 45 minute drive from the nearest gym. So this approach did not make a lot of sense. What I found that worked for me was my front driveway. It is a bit of a steep hill. I would spend about 30 minutes a day walking up and down it and that gave me great structured exercise.

kbrtn gave very good advice. I work at a desk and i find myself pacing to get in some exercise. also when you take bathroom breaks maybe work in some squats while in there. you can catch exercise moments anywhere if you are looking for them. Good luck!

Thank you all so much for the advice and support!! I will start incorporating small things into my schedule today!!

Two things I've found as a busy mom --

1) Nobody wants my time at 5:30 in the morning. If I can get my butt out of bed and go to the gym or hit the treadmill at home first thing in the morning, then I can get that time in. My 14 yo had to learn to wake up to an alarm but he's a big boy and needed that life lesson anyway. I get back home around the time he gets in the shower, so I'm there to see him off to school. Basically all he misses is me waking him up and he's fine with that.

2) As a sports mom, I spent a lot of time at practices when they were younger, standing on the sidelines watching games. During practices, I started walking circles around the baseball or lacrosse fields. That way, I was there in case of an injury or whatever but I wasn't just sitting on my butt watching THEM exercise.

Try to find some times that you can add in some time for yourself. You can do this!

Ginger

I have a super busy life also with two extremely busy kids. My daughter is a competitive dancer with 12 hours a week of dance and my son plays baseball with 2 games a week and 2 practices a week (about 3 hours each). I have found that I can walk the parking lot while my daughter dances and I also walk around the baseball field while my son plays. I can see the game and keep walking, win win! Also get your step-child with the behavior issues to walk with you. Making kids feel needed and important will do wonders for a lot of behavior issues, just tell the child that you really need their help to exercise and keep you motivated and I think it will solve two problems. Good Luck and just keep walking!

I have also bought a treadmill and made a rule at my house that whoever is on the treadmill gets to control the TV, no more sitting on the couch to watch.

You must get a lunch break, get some walking in. When you take kids to sport practice stay and do some walking. Be selfish pick and hour out of your day, drop what your are doing and get healthy.

I hear you!!! Focus on 15 minutes a day. Walk up and down stairs if "taking a walk" is an odious thought to you. Do that for 10-15 minutes a day and you'll be really accomplishing something! Also remember that it is OK and necessary to take time for yourself. It is important to set some personal boundaries for yourself. "Dad" needs to give you 20-30 minutes a day to be alone--don't be afraid to ask for it. And don't be an all-or-nothing person. Some is always better than none. If 5 minutes is all you can manage right now, 5 minutes is a good start!

Two things I've found as a busy mom --

1) Nobody wants my time at 5:30 in the morning. If I can get my butt out of bed and go to the gym or hit the treadmill at home first thing in the morning, then I can get that time in. My 14 yo had to learn to wake up to an alarm but he's a big boy and needed that life lesson anyway. I get back home around the time he gets in the shower, so I'm there to see him off to school. Basically all he misses is me waking him up and he's fine with that.

2) As a sports mom, I spent a lot of time at practices when they were younger, standing on the sidelines watching games. During practices, I started walking circles around the baseball or lacrosse fields. That way, I was there in case of an injury or whatever but I wasn't just sitting on my butt watching THEM exercise.

Try to find some times that you can add in some time for yourself. You can do this!

Ginger

Hey Snappy--Are you competing with me for helpful responses? This is great advice!

Such a great thread. Life can get overwhelming at times. I love the idea of giving the behavioral issues child the "job" as your trainer. Maybe you could pay him or her fifty cents a "session" and up the stakes. Also sometimes I've made a game with myself out of finding the furthest possible spot to park the car. Do you watch movies? We got a peddler that works sitting down or as an elliptical standing up. There's that whole world of Wi also, though I've never tried any of that.

You are on the right track knowing you need this. Here's a mantra: I choose myself first; every one benefits. I choose myself first; every one benefits.

HEEEYYY Debi Amador...What a clever and effective idea!!! Treadmill=Remote!! Need that on a tee shirt!

How about the Bible on tape or cd or iPod where you can listen to it while walking on a treadmill or while you are at sports practices/events? Also my exercise physiologist suggested I start "smoking" and take a 10minute smoke break just to walk around the block 2-3 times a day. Just a few ideas.

I was the same way... At christmas time, my step mom got me a FITBIT - you can set personal goals on how many steps you want to do each day... it makes me want to do more then i did teh day before, sometimes i do, and another times not so much... but the point is i keep trying... i had 2 month down time due to a DVT behind my knee... but i am cleared to walk... so i walk...

i take the steps at work rather then the elevator (started just going down the steps in the begining, now i go up & down) we have 4 floors at work... i take a 15 min break twice a day, and go walk each floor & take the steps getting there (This now takes me about 7mins) at lunch time, i walk the parking lots it use to take me 30 mins to do this, now i do it in less then 10mins... I park as far away as i can when i come to work or shopping etc... when i get home... i get 30 mins to myself... so either the hubby starts dinner or he is doing dishes (sometimes both LOL) but during that time - its ME time... lately he has been getting the kids to do the clean up & joining me on my walks. if you dont make time for you... NO one will...

Good luck!!!

Wonderful advice everyone....I am going to go for a walk this afternoon at my son's baseball game....ya'll are wonderful!!!