Making time to exercise

[FunnyActressInLA]

I wanted to chat about making time to exercise. When someone says that usually people think that means trying to find an hour or two in your schedule to go to the gym, or take a class or meet with a trainer. But what I'm talking about is trying to find bits and moments within your busy day to get moving. The reason I've been thinking about this lately is my "not acting" job I have is seasonal. I work Spring Break, Summer, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Xmas-NYE. So the other times of the year I try to get acting gigs, take classes, or call in for shifts. So basically I have time to exercise when I'm not working those seasonal shifts. My DS is a teenager so I don't have to worry about daycare to workout, he's pretty self sufficient. I UNDERSTAND when people have everyday stressful long hour jobs and little ones to take care of and say they can't find time to exercise. But I feel everyone can carve out little 10 minute breaks, 2-3 times throughout the day to do some quick wall pushups, walk up and down some stairs or take a quick walk around the block. And I will be implementing what I'm talking about starting Monday. My spring break work schedule is starting up for about 2 weeks. With working, classes, rehearsals and shows I'm nervous about finding time to keep up with my almost daily exercising. What I have planned is this, on the days I'm working I KNOW I won't exercise before work, unless I have the late start shift and I know that I'm really tired when I get home from work so I will probably not exercise after work either. So just in case that happens I need to carve out those little moments during my workday when I CAN do some form of activity. I get 2-15 minute breaks and a 45 minute lunch. I have decided to split up my lunch into the 2-15 minute breaks so that for lunch I can take that 45 minutes and go for a brisk walk, doing stairs or hills whatever I can get closeby to get a workout. I've also decided to not take the shuttle to work and walk from home to work which almost 3/4 of a mile. There and back every day I work will be a 1.5 mile walk. I'm also bringing my resistant bands to do when I have down time. And once spring break is over, I can resume my bike riding at the beach, my swimming at the Y, and my yoga classes. EXHALE...Anyhoo basically what I'm saying is if we plan we can find little nuggets of time to do some sort of exercise when are schedules are filled with work, family and life! Make yourself a priority and find the time!
Okay done, sorry about the whole...box! LOL!

[apple]

Re: Making time to exercise

Thanks for your thoughts! I really REALLY appreciate them...especially breaking the time up in chunks. I envy you being able to ride your bike at the beach!!!

[Yo Yo Girl]

Re: Making time to exercise

Good post actress. I try to fit in as much incidental exercise as I can each day, in addtion to my planned exercise. I always wear my pedometer and I love to challenge myself to get in more steps than I did the previous day. So I do little things to get the amount of steps up, such as:

- after I have ironed an item of clothing, I walk it up to the other end of the house to hang it up in the cupboard, instead of waiting until all items are finished
- I also try to do this when I hang out the washing, instead of bringing it all out to the clothesline at once, I make several trips
- I make excuses to walk up an down our stairs as much as possible
- I take advantage of unloading the dishwasher and putting the items away
- when at work, I will walk around the classroom as much as possible instead of sitting at my desk
- I always park further away than necessary - only when it is safe to do so
- plus, I always go and do the weekly shopping - that adds up to quite a few thousand steps alone

So even though these tasks may take a little longer than usual, the steps really add up and it motivates me to not just take the easy option of sitting on my butt.

[earlychildhoodeducator]

Re: Making time to exercise

Since I've joined the squat challenge I've found it only takes about 1 minute to do 35 squats which burns like **** but doesn't break a sweat so I do several sets a day like:

After I flush the toilet
right before I step on the scale
while the tv is on
while I'm waiting for the microwave to be done
before I sit down at the computer
before I go to bed

and today I even did some inside the tanning room at the gym. I figured, I'm just standing there anyway

[Porcelain]

Re: Making time to exercise

I have a treadmill and it was a chore and a bore to walk on. I just wasn't very motivated. BUT, there were a few shows that I liked to watch over the week. I am in school too so I felt guilty about watching the shows but I knew I needed a break from studying. So, I moved my furniture where my treadmill faced the TV and now I say "Okay, if you want to watch that show instead of studying you need to do it while you are walking." I went from begrudginly walking 15 minutes at a time to being able to walk for an hour. I don't always walk an hour but I do for 30 minutes at a time now. When I started I said there was no way I could get in an hour's worth of exercise in a day. But then I started doing it in 15 minute intervals.

If you don't know what to do or are bored you can go to exercisetv.tv and they have mini workouts that are great for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Other things I started doing are:

Parking father away from building
Using stairs instead of elevator
Using dumbells while walking on treadmill
Dancing during commercials

Ideas I like:
Doing wall or counter pushups or squats each time I go to the bathroom or while I am waiting for the microwave. (This is something easy to do at work if you have a fairly private bathroom.)

[FatBottomGirl]

Re: Making time to exercise

I am like you FatActress and because of my busy workload and family obligations I try to squeeze in exercise throughout the day. I try to exercise while I am on breaks at the office or at lunch then when I get home I will add another 20-30 minutes straight to my routine (whether treadmill or stability ball workouts). I like doing it this way for number of reasons:

I don't have to smell like a "pig" at work as I only doing it sporadically throught the day so I don't get over heated. With everything I do there is no way I am going to a gym.

Exercise is exercise - whether I do it all in one go or not... my body is benefitting from the effects.

Exercising at work - is great way to relieve some pent up stress. Just doing squats, pedaling, jumping jacks = whatever you can do and feel comforatable just for minute or two will make help alleviate the tension your body is feeling and therefore ultimately make you more productive.

You don't need all those fancy smancy gadgets at the gyms to get success - the bands, stability balls, water bottles, hand weights, etc. will do the same -- unless you are trying to bulk up. Don't have a treadmill - walk around the block; there really is not excuse why you can't exercise (unless against doctors orders) so everyone can make time - they just have to choose their times wisely.

Great post!

[DigitalMocking]

Re: Making time to exercise

Great post actress and others.

Ultimately exercise and eating and all of it comes down to choice. I get personally frustrated when people say they "can't" exercise because of <pick responsibility here> because it's just BS. You make the choice not to exercise, to be honest, there's nothing wrong with making that choice if you're at least eating better, but in the end it is a choice.

Part of the people who are hugely successful in this for the long term have made that choice. They've taken control of their lives, their eating and their exercising. Sometimes it means getting up early or finding new ways to exercise with your kids. I spent money that I didn't really have for a bike trailer so I can get a few bike rides in a week with my 3 year old in tow.

[Outback Jess]

Re: Making time to exercise

Ya'll will love this. I've been away at a conference, and my eating has been pour! I did not exercise at all over the last week, almost since last wed. This morning I got on my bike which is hooked up to a wheel called a "trainer" so I can ride indoors....and it was incredibly hard, and I was like, "oh man I've lost 19 months of endurance and building up in 5 days!....I was telling my husband and his eyes bugged out of his head and he just started apologizing, over and over and he went off and adjusted the dial that He had ON SUPER HARD!!!!!! No wonder! goodness I was dying this morning and feeling so bad about what I allowed!

[FatBottomGirl]

Re: Making time to exercise

Ya'll will love this. I've been away at a conference, and my eating has been pour! I did not exercise at all over the last week, almost since last wed. This morning I got on my bike which is hooked up to a wheel called a "trainer" so I can ride indoors....and it was incredibly hard, and I was like, "oh man I've lost 19 months of endurance and building up in 5 days!....I was telling my husband and his eyes bugged out of his head and he just started apologizing, over and over and he went off and adjusted the dial that He had ON SUPER HARD!!!!!! No wonder! goodness I was dying this morning and feeling so bad about what I allowed!

ROLF - hopefully he is still alive... not sure if my hubby would be

By the way Outback I just wanted to say WOW!! You look about 10-15 years younger in your bottom picture... You prove not only does Atkins help you lose weight, but also shed a few years - Great job! No wonder you inspire so many!!

[RachelnLa]

Re: Making time to exercise

hahaha, jess! Too funny. my hubby came in the room to watch me on the gazelle. He said he was so proud of me.. awww. He's so supportive. He got me water and rubbed my legs when I was done. I'm putting miles on that gazelle, dear! Feels great. I got a podcast from itunes (free) with paced music to go fast and slow in timed intervals. They are saying by 9 weeks I should be able to run three miles!! wow. I'm excited. It seems to be helping the inches and the scale.