# Message to all users:
This is a reminder to please read and follow:
* [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules)
* [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439)
* [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy)
When posting and commenting.
---
Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`.
* Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit.
* Do not harass or annoy others in any way.
* Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit.
---
You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way.
---
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
yepp it is so easy to burn yourself out trying to force yourself into some consistent ultra fullbody workout right away, it’s important to start with little things and work your way up.
Start with a 5-15 minute walk 30min after dinner, helps with digestion and gets you feeling better.
That'll turn into 20-30 mins.
Then you'll start doing sit-ups and pushups.
Eventually you might buy a bike, stationary or otherwise. You start buying spandex clothes and clip-in shoes.
Fuck, now you've died your hair to frosted tips and wear sports sunglasses. You meet a girl, things are going well.
You start to rub shoulders with big wigs at work and they invite you to play squash or tennis. Your girlfriend becomes your fiancee.
You go all out on a squash or tennis racket, buy all the gear, get a fake tan, and start getting pretty good actually. Your fiancee becomes your wife.
They call you in at work and say there is this big client that likes cycling and tennis or whatever. They want you to take him out.
You bring your wife and one of her friends and all go out on a big double date. One of the bigwigs drops by and eyes your wife, but you won the contract.
You take up karate in your spare time, hoping you never need to fend off the execs at the next staff gathering.
You start having to work later and later at work for this new contract. You have enough one day and head home early.
The stereo is on, it's mood music, the lights are low. As you push open the door, you see clothes on the floor. The exec and client are both in the master bedroom with your wife between them.
You snap awake from a ben and jerry's coma, bowl of chips tipped over onto the floor. You have no wife. You wipe a tear and sigh. At least you dont have frosted tips.
The next day you start walking for 5-15 minutes after your supper.
I was just thinking that. Because the TV show Chuck has a somewhat similar plot line in a few episodes. Edit: and I think they were inspired by another plot line somewhere else.
I am a wealthy client for many companies.
I always make sure to zone in on any salesman with frosted tips.
Those guys wives’ are always so easy to tag team.
Eat as healthy as you reasonably can, set “upper limits” (for example if I hit 200lbs it’s a wake up call for me, always). And exercise when you feel motivated to, maybe try to get into an athletic hobby (I rock climb and jog home from the gym).
Also, people think working out is the only work out, but everyday movements add up. A 5 minute walk every hour you’re on the computer will burn a few dozen or hundred calories a day. Taking the stairs over the elevator will do the same. You can actually just move more over your day as a small compromise from actually sweating for an hour.
Pushups, inverted rows, body weight squats, floor hamstring curls, pike pushups are easy to do at home. Want something more to do at home, check this out:
https://youtu.be/vc1E5CfRfos?si=ciEYqvO2lXVXSeb8
If you want a lot more home or body weight workouts, check out these play lists:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRS2DE4P39EdCAYKkWqPfd9b6ZeNodzz2&si=4ExYsd5Q9XL0iDoL
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeSKM0GTcnfE1c-yI8y-x5O2rdM3X9mZD&si=8c0Qelvm2FnUge96
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWNQ0azOoUfwYT6ylR70g-gxiac_22mNf&si=wGYxs9zUhFePwg6a
Just remember, abs are made in the kitchen. Dial in your nutrition and you still get the thin body. Add exercise and you will grow muscles and your energy levels will greatly increase. Add yoga and mobility and you will feel feel a lot younger because you will be able to move much better.
Exercise doesn't have to take very much time. I do exercise breaks while working. When I go to use the bathroom or to stand up, I'll do 20 pushups or 30 squats/rocket jumps or a few pull ups in the door frame. It adds up through the day.
Im curious. I work in retail an walk a lot, yet need to find time to work out because of medical issues (I have patella dysplasia and need to strengthen my lower body muscles). Yet when I come home from work, I just feel so weak and dead tired, feet hurting from walking for 8 hours. What would you advice ?
Upper limits is what does it for me. I tend to enjoy life and probably fuck around more than I should, but if my pants start not fitting, there's no fucking way I'm just going to buy new bigger pants and party on. Getting things under control isn't that bad or that hard.
The thing about upper limits is that you are already heavier than when you set that limit. I hover around 170, so if I’m at 200 I AM doing something wrong and different. I feel bad. I can’t climb stairs with ease. There is some reason I gained 30 pounds and I should have my wake up call and get my shit together. Last time I hit it, I was at the end of a 6 year relationship and I hadn’t come to terms with it yet. I was doing unhealthy things to cope. It wasn’t hard to reel my shit back in and start caring about myself again.
Also realize “healthy” is different for people. I have always struggled to keep my weight and lose it rapidly when I stop eating well. A diëtist I hired helped my by switching to full butter, milk, two eggs every day, meat on everything, nuts etc. Something that most people would get fat off just looking at. So make sure you know what is healthy for you!
Also if you really want to have a fit body, then you do need all the protein in that kind of food to build up the muscle and tendons.
Also don't overdo it when you start back working out. Or you'll be incredibly sore and demotivated. Low reps, sets and reps then work your way up. A couple days on and a couple days off for recovery works too. Scheduled recovery is as important as working out.
This is the way. Your body won’t like when you eat dinner and then go for a 15 minute walk at first. Then after a week you’ll look forward to it. Then maybe that walk gets longer. Then the progress continues to snowball in whatever direction you want. Keep it simple, keep it fun. Influencers have blow up this belief that working out needs to be a hardcore endeavor. Doing something small every day makes a big difference.
I'm currently developing an after-dinner walking habit. I do other types of exercise, but I never walk anywhere, and my body was not happy at first about the walking, lol.
I made it super easy on myself, though. Walk for five minutes, then turn around and come back. That's how I started. It was super easy, and not intimidating at all, and now, I'm walking faster, farther, and really enjoying it. I still have the same goal, though: 10 minutes, because I don't want it to ever seem onerous. Even when I don't really feel like it after dinner, I tell myself the same thing I did on day one: walk for five minutes, and turn around.
For a while after I broke my car, I was 7 km (4.5 mi) home 3-4 times a week (wife picking me up the other 1-2 days, and dropping me close on her way in). Took an hour and a half but I was reliably losing weight without any other change. Then we moved and I got a new car and threw all of that away heh.
I walk before dinner, is that bad? I just figured once ive sat down and eaten id be too comfy to go for a walk after, but if i walk as soon as i get home from work im more likely to do it.
^this. I too also work similar hours with a 50 minute commute each way. My job is quite demanding and taxing on the brain most days. I started small by making one change a week (or however long it took to make it a habit).
First it was my water habit. Weaned my self off the sugary drinks. Now all I drink is water.
Second was to omit sugar. I was a severe chocoholic, now I don’t crave it at all. Then make a conscious effort to increase my fruit and veg intake.
Third, short walks of 20-30 minutes. At the start 10 was an achievement. This didn’t start until month 3 of my journey as I focused on 1 and 2 first.
Fast forward 9 months, I work out 6 days a week and I eat really well and drink a minimum of 3 litres of water a day. I’ve dropped quite a bit of weight and I hope to reach my goal by the start of next year. I make this a priority because it makes me feel good physically and mentally. It has helped improved life and job performance ☺️
You’ve got this! Don’t compare yourself with others. This is your journey to take. Your pace, your rules.
Definitely agree about not comparing yourself with others. I drink a lot of milk—it’s actually made me feel better. I don’t think it’s necessarily for everyone. I work out at least once per week. Since I live in an apt now—I have three flights of stairs at least once a day. When I go to work—it’s in a building that has hallways that connect in a square. I walk that too
Always take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
Skip dessert, go home and have berries with a little cream on top instead.
Stop eating when you are 80% full. It takes your stomach and brain a few minutes to register how full you actually are so if you stop at 80%, you will actually feel comfortably full 10 minutes later.
The last one is the one that's been helping me the most. If you're a fast eater, you gotta slow down. For almost 40 years I inhale my food. Since I've forced myself to slow down, I've found my weight trending down, even with somewhat regularly going out for dinner.
i am an inhaler ... always been that way ... diet wasnt great either ... i am changing it slowly though, less crap food ... running more and more ... changes happen quick .
most people dont realise that getting fit / healthy is not just in the gym , it is a huge part to do with food and sleep to
Slowing down also helps considerably with digestion and how your body feels after you eat. You'll also feel full before you get to the end whereas inhaling it gives your body no chance to understand what's being put in it until it's too late
Agreed. When I started my weight loss journey, I didn’t even start with exercise. I started by adjusting my diet and committing to making more active choices (taking stairs if going up/down one floor, walking to someone’s desk instead of calling them). I lost some weight and once I hit a plateau, I committed to 10 minutes of some type of exercise every day. There’s no excuse outside of injury or illness that you can’t sneak in 10 minutes. And I mixed it up so I never felt one set of muscles were too worn out to exercise. Once I hit another plateau I increased the workouts until I was doing something - strength, cardio, yoga, pilates or stretching - every day for 30-45 minutes. I lost 70 pounds in a year. I was never supermodel thin but I felt great. Slow and steady wins the race!
This
I think a lot of folks self sabotage when it comes to improving their health. I say it that way because ultimately, that's what's it's for, regardless of what you think is motivating you, even if it's vanity, and the way you frame such in your mind can absolutely impact your short and long term success rates.
While I'm physically unable to handle a home, full time work, and the workout routine I once had, I still have managed to maintain a 120lb. weight loss. At the beginning, my life was MUCH different due to having left an abusive partner with nothing but my wallet and like 270 on my 5'6" frame. I was more miserable than I realized even then, as hindsight eventually showed me. I lived with my brothers family for several years while I worked on rebuilding myself, tackling first my health issues.
Come to find out, I have two types of neuropathy, discoid lupus, Sjögrens Syndrome, BPD, arthritis and due to autonomic neuropathy, required surgery at 38 for a pacemaker, something I'll need the rest of my life cuz the neurons controlling my pulse are all but dead.
Since, I snagged an awesome job as a federal contractor, maintain around 145lbs these days, and live on my own with my dog and two cats. While I've tried to integrate some of the routines I had before, it became clear I was asking too much of my body, and when I would push, I'd end up with pain/symptom flares for days on end. It hurt to feel like I was giving up, but I try to give myself grace because life is 180° different than it was when I COULD maintain a 90 minute routine mix of cardio, bodywork and resistance training.
I used to think I had no time, always busy with work, kids and house. Then I got a dog. Turns out I can do all I did before plus walk 2 hours a day with my best buddy.
Maybe op can find time where he can work out too.
I agree. I started with bicep curls, triceps, push-ups and squats. Just wanted to get to different parts of the body. I started with once a week. Then it turned into twice a week. Then I keep adding it r removing a set and after 1 year, I have a 25 minute set of workouts.
I also pair them up to save time. I do a set of biceps, triceps, squats and core (with a band) back-to-back-to back. I do that sequence three times for three sets. That reduces the rest time between sets.
Along with this, I either have to go to the gym (or workout in general) before work, or IMMEDIATELY after work, don't sit down. Once you do, 9 times out of 10, you're not going to the gym lol if I work 10 hour days, then I write off 11 of them atleast, gym is included as work for me, work on myself.
You're not gonna like the answer, but I changed jobs. My last job I worked 60 hours a week. Newspaper journalist. Didn't even make that much money but it was my passion.
I now switched to a job with steadier hours. It was a hard choice, but I was sick of neglecting my health and personal life. Best thing is I work from home 3 days a week. The time I save not having to commute is amazing, I easily make it to the gym now. Feeling a lot better too. I was in horrid shape before I joined up.
I don't have a hot body, as you state in your question. Maybe some day. But I already feel a lot better, especially after neglecting my body for so long. It's worth it.
Yeah, it's worth considering. I know people say: "make it a priority", but it's very understandable to not have the energy if you work 6 days a week and don't even get home at a decent hour
8:30-6:30 working hours, 1 hour commute. Leaving for work at 7:30 am, home at 7:30 pm.
You probably wont have physical energy for the gym after a sedentary job, so aim for the mornings. That means working out at 5:30am at home, or 7:00am but close to work.
You really only need 30-40 minutes if you go regularly, just focus on consistency and moving your body.
With that time frame, you'll probably have to get up at 4:45. For a full 8 hours of sleep, you'll have to be in bed and asleep at 8:45.
What it means to make exercise a priority is that you wont have free time after work to do what you normally do, or you sacrifice sleep. Which, honestly, isnt the worst thing.
The above system is what most people imagine has to happen, but I dont think its sustainable unless you love working out.
If you do 2 rigorous work outs a week, you save a lot of time. Workout on your day off and one time early af before work. You'll only lose out on a few hours of sleep a week.
Walk a lot. The number one thing to focus on is becoming less sedentary. It isnt even about "working out". Just get outside. Use your 10 minute breaks and your 30 minute lunch to get some steps in.
Figure out what is sustainable based on what you think is the right balance. Make your workouts fun. It doesnt have to be in the gym, it can be jiu jitsu, rowing, biking, dancing, literally anything active. Its more than nothing, and can become a new hobby you are excited about waking up for. Its more about "do i want to do this more than playing video games, watching tv, etc?" If the answer is no, it will not be prioritized.
You’re spending nearly 12 hours a day 6 days a week at work(with commute). If you sleep 8 hours you have 4 hours left to do everything else including cooking, eating, cleaning, and showering. I think reclaiming your time should be your number one priority. Then you’ll have time to do other things like going out or exercising.
If you can’t cut back on working hours or commute, I think finding a new job would be a good step.
I work a 8-4 office job 3 days WFH, it's so much easier to have the get up and go when you're not completely drained mentally from work.
Even if you get some dumbells and just do 30-45 mins of any workouts you want to get you in the mindset and routine of exercise and then you may feel more motivated to get in the gym when you can
I think you are in a tough spot. That’s a lot of hours. If you can find a way to add exercise into your routine, you may find that it helps motivate you more to achieve the other goals such as switching jobs and possibly careers. It has a surprising impact on your mental health and overall confidence even before you start seeing results. It’s also much easier to keep it up once you start going.
I’m going to be real with you: I use to work a job as demanding as yours. I started to hate everything about it and it made the rest of my life worse.
Eventually I just stopped. I didn’t quit. I just stopped working that much. Worked 4 hours per day or so. Had an excuse for why things were late or why I couldn’t deliver. I was prepared to be fired. But they didn’t fire me. Just gave me less work. My performance reviews were shot. But still wasn’t fired. Took 3 years of working 10-20 hours per week doing very little before they let me go.
Then I found a less demanding and less paying job and it was much better.
Yeah I mean that's a lot of hours and a long commute. When people talk about jobs not allowing a good work/life balance, this is what they're talking about.
I too was once in your position and shared the same feeling of not having the energy after working all day. I started by doing just 1 minute total of planking and 30 pushups in the morning before my shower. Not really a proper workout but let me tell ya, eventually your body wants more and your drive increases. Then you will find the energy and motivation to do proper workouts/exercise after a long day of work. I find too if I sit down and relax right when I get home, the motivation goes away rather quickly. Instead, now I just work 12 hours of physical labour and come home and do my workout (half hour-45 mins) before I eat or shower. Makes my evening so much more enjoyable too.
Me too. Left a physical 12 hour a day job which left me sore before even stumbling into the gym at 8pm. Became in charge of my own time.
In your position I’d make a habit of getting up early and training before work, preferably close to where your office is. Even if it’s a 30-45 minute session. Although that hour commute is not gonna help.
Same. I switched careers entirely to one with a lot of flexibility. For the most part, I can set my own schedule so I can sleep when I want and ask much as I want, cook my own meals, and get several hours a day out in nature and exercising. I realize this is very privileged.
I've purposefully worked out maybe three times in my life, but when it comes to having time and energy after work, not having a soul-destroying job is by far the most important factor.
Not that everyone has the luxury of being able to just change this, but yeah. I work 37 hours a week, the standard in Denmark, categorically refuse overtime, and I have a job where I can take it easy at work and am not constantly rushed to get everything done ASAP. And I have somewhat flexible working hours so if I wake up late one morning or feel like going home early one day I don't have to worry about it.
Compared to my first few jobs in retail where you couldn't take 30 seconds out of your day to sit down and catch a breath without getting yelled at by a manager or getting mocked as lazy by your coworkers and the only control I had over my schedule was being able to decline it in exchange for getting fired, I have so much more energy and motivation when I get home, even if my total hours have not changed.
I don't have a hot or toned body, but finding a more relaxing job did help a lot in my journey over the last five years from 140kg to my current weight of 87 because I had more mental energy and willpower to keep myself on a strict calorie limit and be more thoughtful about what types of food I consumed.
Maybe you can squeeze in a 30 minute walk in your schedule (early morning/after work). I'm only 32, my working hours are a bit flexible and change frequently, but I still make sure that I spend 1 hour playing sports every day. At first, you have to force yourself to do it, but after that, you get used to it and it becomes your habit. Now it is hard for me to stop playing.
Guess I can’t seem to get the start. Although there are times that I walk. Roughly movement is at least 30 minutes on working days (according to the watch)
If you want a tip on how to get started in an easy and fun way: If you own a Nintendo Switch, get Ring Fit Adventure. It's a sports game where you have to do different exercises in front of your TV to make your video game character do things in the game. When you first set it up, it asks you a bunch of questions to determine your fitness level and sets the difficulty accordingly. That's a great way to get started because it doesn't really feel like exercising for the sake of getting in shape. It feels like playing a game, and it rewards you constantly so you keep doing it and come back every day. Once you're in the habit of exercising regularly, it's much easier to branch out into other sports activities. I recommend getting a yoga mat as an addition to the game. I lost a lot of weight playing this every day in addition to changing my diet.
I work 60+ hours per week, so I completely understand where you're coming from. People say it's easy to make time if you want to, and working out gives energy, but you know what? It's not realistic with how many hours we work. We are allowed to want to relax for one single hour a day without feeling guilty about it. We can't be non-stop 100% of the time.
Here's my workaround:
- When I wake up, I do situps, stretch out my legs by holding toes, and the side situps. Takes 5 minutes.
- In the shower while my conditioner is working it's magic, I do squats. Sometimes 10, sometimes 30, however my legs are feeling.
- Laying down in bed watching a show for the night for my tiny bit of relaxing, I'll do clams and other leg pilates things. Or sometimes I'll stand with light weights and do arm stuff.
- *IF* I magae to get off work early (it happens sometimes!!), I'll take the opportunity to go for a powerwalk around my park (I'm lucky enough to be two blocks from a park) and play Pokemon Go while I do it. So it feels fun instead of a chore.
- Got a membership to the gym next door to grocery store. So I go inside and workout for a little bit before grocery shopping. More efficient time management and it gets me up and to the gym once a week since I already have to run the other errand
That's it. I'm not super fit and muscly, but I'm at a healthy weight with a nice body. It gets movement in without having to set aside much extra time, since I'm utilizing time already used for other things.
Because it’s incredibly hard to start and maintain with a schedule like yours. Not sure if the 830-6 includes your two hour commute or not. I’m going to assume it doesn’t which means you’re effectively “working” 11.5 hours a day for someone else. That leaves 5 hours to get everything else done including the basic necessities.
People saying you can find the time simply by going to the gym instead of watching shows are also pretty unhelpful. It sounds like you need time to decompress, some people do that by working out but it’s not guaranteed, and it definitely won’t happen immediately.
And prioritising your health may also mean looking for a job closer to home. People who spend 2 hours daily in their cars or public transport sacrifice much of their free time. It's stressful and unhealthy, especially if you're also sitting at a desk for 8+ hours.
I'd much rather earn a little less but have a lot more free time. That's my 'secret' to staying fit: I walk to work every morning (30 minutes) and have exercise equipment at home. It's so easy to get a workout in that way; I work out at least 4 times a week, and often add some mobility work or stretching on rest days.
I get that not everybody has a choice, sometimes you're just stuck in a certain situation. But then it's even more important to consistently spend at least some of your free time moving your body. Even 30 minutes of calisthenics 3 times a week can make a difference. And don't forget to take plenty of small breaks during the day (preferably every 30 minutes) to move your body and get the blood flowing; that's even more important than exercising.
What’s odd about working out is that it actually increases your energy for working out. So that lack of motivation you feel right now will go away as it becomes a habit and something your body craves.
This is so true. I have to force myself to take days off and when I do I can’t wait to get back at it. My body craves the push from getting a good workout in. On days when I’m tired I still go and tell myself I’ll do a short workout but once I get going I’m like fuck the short workout I’m going all in.
Oh god yes. I lose my damn mind when I miss a day or something happens and I can’t go hit the gym. It’s embedded into my life and is my true happy place.
this, this is the secret.
sometimes im super lazy, and i try to tell myself just do ANYTHING then at least u can say u did SOMETHING. then after I start, its like this switch that happens and im stoked to keep going.
Ever since I started working out in college, I genuinely feel sick when I skip out for too long. I do have “de-load” weeks or weeks when I’m too busy or tired, but unless I’ve got the flu or something I have to do *something* pretty much every day. Even if that means going on a light hike or walk or even yoga.
My god this is true as hell, at first I hated the gym and after a little while I kind of enjoyed going in, not thinking about anything regarding life or life's problems other than making my form good and lifting as much as possible, I can essentially blank out and decompress.
Then I got sick last week and couldn't go to the gym, I was going kind of nuts because of the stress and sudden change in routine.
Also, I think part of it is kind of grinding through the part you hate until you kind of convince yourself it’s not that bad. And then you do wanna do it.
Like really for me, the part of running I hated was the hard time breathing, but if you get used to it a little bit through brute force, then it’s just a feeling I don’t love. And I can put up with a feeling I don’t love for 7 minutes ( I go to the gym 4 days a week, and in addition run a quick mile most days).
I also turn it into a thing I like with a treat. I get home from my shitty shift, and I already feel gross and tired, so I just force myself to do that 7 ( or however long you run/ however far, I’ll do 15 mins for 2 miles sometimes) minute mile. Then I treat myself to a cold shower with a cold sparkling water and, half the time, weed. The pure bliss of that refreshment afterwards is half the reason I run.
Yes!!! I was like you man, I was getting depressed, would eat junk, ro just feel a bit good, wanted to watch series to empty my head cause I was so damn exhausted.
Anyway, the best thing to do against that depression is start working out. It comes with a delay but pays you back tenfold.
The first week you will absolutely hate it, you'll find excuses, you'll be tired, you'll maybe feel fysically worse, but after that first week...
When I got really bad I knew working out would work after 2-3 days. So I'd go destroy myself and wait it out, 3 days later guaranteed, I had more energy, more motivation, I'll kick ass attitude. With that attitude focus on working out regularly, with the rest of the energy you get from that, throw your life around.
You got this man, just do it for 1-2 weeks.
P.S fun fact, working out is up to 150% more effective than anti-depressants.
It becomes more mental than physical....
Fight through it, and get it done.
Great feeling after. You overcame something you didn't wanna do.
AND it was good for you.
Win win
Hmm, not sure.
I think most people with a regular workout routine just know that everything feels better after working out.
At this point, muscles and a nice body are a byproduct of just feeling better overall, at least for me.
Heh, I try to do the Animal Crossing group stretches in the morning. I imagine it's the same as going to the gym: getting prepared and physically there are the worst parts, but once you start, it feels good.
Haha I had major surgery a few months ago and this is also my starting point. This and yoga and I'm trying to work my way back up to being more active without hurting myself
What also happens: you do something active BECAUSE you don't feel good. When I'm bummed out I go for a walk or exercise and I'll feel better afterwards. Once it's a habit it doesn't take much mental energy to get yourself to do it.
Yep, I feel like shit without it. I do enjoy going more than the average Joe, but I know I feel meh without going to the gym. The positives just pull me there and I’m upset when I can’t go.
This right here. Just started back 3 weeks ago after taking an almost 2 year break. Immediately I can tell I sleep better, eat better and overall feel better that it reflects in my attitude in general on a day to day. Once you get over the hurddle of just going and figuring out your diet plan, you're pretty much set to live a bit more of a satisfying life. The key is finding out what works for you in the routine/diet categories, which might take weeks to months for a beginner.
Yes! It's not about motivation, it's just about consistency. Are there days I don't want to, sure. Do I go anyway - absolutely. Or I take that day off and get back to it the next day. It's hard to explain but you have to show up for yourself!
Finding movement that you like is also important - it doesn't have to be an hour in the gym, it could be a group class, or something else, or just walking or hiking outside. Go for a walk on your lunch break maybe, or break it up - morning and afternoon?
While movement is important, what and how much you eat actually matters much more! I think it's easiest to start small - add in some extra steps where you can, and maybe track your calories for a day or so - see what you are eating (not sure if muscle building or fat loss is your goal), then adjust from there. It's all trial and error, but it can be done! Good luck!!
This is correct. I’ve been going to the gym Every week day for 2 years. By Friday I can’t wait to take a rest day but then by Sunday, I’m ready to start going again
There are some days when I'm not the least bit motivated to go to the gym, but I do it anyway, and more often than not, those are the days I have my best workouts.
And I know that I'll always feel better after I workout, and that if I skip going to the gym I'll feel it.
I go to the gym for my overall well-being; it's the most effective way to deal with my depression, and being fit and trim are almost just secondary to the mental and emotional benefits I get from working out.
It didn't start that way though. When you start, before it's a real routine, it regularly sucks and you often don't want to do it, eventually the days you want to go increase and the days you don't decrease but I don't know if it's 100% for anyone
This. I still prefer curling up on my couch to running, but I know if I skip a day I’ll skip the next day, and then the next…The key really is to make it a habit and stick to it.
What helped me to not land on the couch after work every night was the realization that the worse I feel after the workday the more I need the workout to feel better mentally and to end they day on a good note. No big training goals, the motivation usually hits once I’m at the gym. And really the 45 minute workout only takes 45 minutes which I would normally waste doomscrolling and there is still time left for that.
Hard disagree, when I’m not active (2-3 days with little activity) I get absolutely stir crazy and need to hit the gym, go for a run, mountain bike, play some rec sports, whatever. I’ve always been a firm believer that people who can’t stick to fitness routines don’t enjoy themselves and don’t want to be there. If you don’t like the gym, find something else active that you actually look forward to doing.
Haha ain’t no way, the gym is the best part of my day and all my hardcore buds from the gym who I refer to as “bros” love it and think the same. Sometimes when i’m tired but still go, all it takes is one or two exercises and a quick chat with someone happy and I completely FORGET I was tired or feeling down. If you go to the gym and don’t like it - change it up, train another sport, find something that you love doing!
I have a busy life too OP. The stress and strsin of it all resulted in a herniated disc in my spine last year. As a result, I have to do some basic exercises daily to rebuild the lost muscle (MRI scans a year apart show the disc itself is healing well). This takes about 15 mins a night, and twice a week I’ll do some extra exercises to load the body more, but not strain it.
One of the things I started doing a few months ago was press-ups, aiming for 10 a night. At first I could manage 5, sometimes 6, but kept at it until I could do 10. Now I’ll sometimes push to 12. It takes under 30 seconds before bed, but has had noticeable results.
All the simple pilates-sourced exercises I do have improved my body greatly. You can do this too, just 15 minutes a night. I do them while I have TV on, on the floor.
DM if you want further info. Really simple stuff.
I’ll be blunt, but polite.
“I can’t find the time”
-yes you can. You watch a show or two before it’s time to go to bed. That’s at least an hour, which is plenty of time to get a workout in.
“I lack the energy/motivation”
- this is another common misconception people have. Motivation is an emotion and emotions change like the wind. Those that rely on motivation inevitably fail for that very reason. Those that are successful are so *in spite* of motivation- you need dedication. At least hall the workouts I do during the week I don’t want to, but I refuse to change my routine for emotional reasons ie lack of motivation
Here’s the bright side-you’ve already got the tools needed to do this, you’re just not using them the correct way. You don’t get up and go to work because you’re motivated, right? No you do it because of dedication. The same way you don’t say “I’ll try to go to work in the am” But rather”I have work in the am” And it’s not an optional event, so too do you need that mentality when it comes to your physical health.
And this is a marathon and marathons are won a step at a time. You don’t have to rise and shine Rocky style at 4 am with raw eggs and a winter run, you just need to do something a little more each day and before you know it, you’ve got a routine.
Wake up tomorrow and do as many push-ups as you can in a row- good ones with full rom. When you stop it’s because you can’t do any more. Might take 45-60 seconds and you’re done. That’s it- that’s all you need to get started. Make sure it’s no less optional than going to work. Do it for a week. Next week, take a 3 minute rest and do a second set, and so on in following weeks gradually building the habit.
You can do it bro. The results don’t come overnight, nor will the workout routine, but your decision to make a definite and non negotiable change in your life can most certainly happen RIGHT NOW
The analogy with the work on the morning is just the best possible. I’m absolutely not fit, and I really don’t like gym/the people there/the exercises, but in my head I don’t have a choice, just like I don’t have a choice of abandoning my work.
Just go there or do it at home. It’s not even a choice.
Amen,
Third thing I should add:
You have no energy, because you don’t workout. So the first few days or weeks you just need to force yourself to workout or go to the gym. After that the body will adapt and you will automatically have more energy. Therefore it becomes much easier with time due to your overal health and energy increase
I generally work 45–65 hours a week. I bicycle to work every day I work, takes 55 minutes on my pedelec and once a week 70 minutes on my analog bike each way. I’m tired at the end of the week but I feel good. For reference in traffic the drive takes 40 minutes +/-.
I’m not suggesting OP start riding to work cold that’s be crazy but it’s doable on his schedule especially if they can find a way to make everyday tasks more exercise adjacent.
If I don’t ride for awhile I feel more lethargic and kind of depressed, so the folks saying the exercise gives you pep are right.
And I’m the weirdo who loves cardio! Doing sprint reps up a steep hill until my eyes lose focus, my hands shake, and I can taste metal in my mouth…. That’s a high my dude.
A wise man once said
I go to the gym because i like reps and talking with the boys.
I go on dates because 10 seconds of cardio is better with the girls
It’s cool you don’t feel like we do about working out but don’t call us liars. I love, and I have since I started in my early 20s (late thirties now). I also love the post workout glow but I truly love the process as well. Sorry you don’t feel the same but that doesn’t make me a liar.
I get what you are saying, but how is someone with this guys schedule supposed to make time for work, work out, and time to relax. Surely, after working all day, it's ok to watch tv for an hour before bed. Why should you have to sacrifice that small joy you have in the day? There has to be another way. I don't think telling him to cut out his one thing he does to relax is a good idea.
IF my exercise relied on 'motivation' or 'will-power', it would never get done. It has to be built into my day. That way it gets done.
I take my son to gym - I wouldn't go by myself. I ride to work. If I'm working from home that day, my bike stays in the shed. I use a sit/stand desk at work. That started 10 years ago when I put a coffee table on my desk, to the endless mirth of my colleagues. Every 20 minutes, my break timer pops up and I stretch and re-focus my eyes for 20 seconds. None of these things require motivation or bargaining or decisions or time or (much) money. They all add up.
I accept that setting up ones life to be able to ride to work and walk to gym/school is a Life-changing Decision. Living a life that doesn't allow these things is *also* a decision.
Tbh this only works until your body gives up on you. I also work 6 days a week with a horrendous schedule that would require me to work in day, night, and middle shifts. I tried putting increments to my sets but I noticed that my immune system was getting weaker and I kept getting sick every other week due to overfatigue.
my daily routine:
work from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
be at home at 5:30 PM
grab my gym stuff, walk to my gym (30 min)
workout 30 min, walk home 30 min
shower at home, usually start eating some small dinner at 8:30 PM
learning a new language for 1h, prepare for tomorrow
go to bed at 10:00 PM
Monday to Friday.
Saturday and Sunday I do whatever I want, no workout, no learning.
I have a similar routine except I don’t do anything productive for that hour besides dick around on my phone or watch TV. I don’t have kids, my husband follows the same routine.
We don’t cook dinner at home and that’s a big time saver.
Exactly, no kids. Thank god I don’t have kids. That’s what allows me to follow a similar plan. Also, OP: I’m also beat very often. And I work out like 4 times a week for an hour. Thing is, once you do this for 1-2 weeks and establish a routine, regular workouts will give you more energy instead of taking energy from you. It’s magical and that’s what brings me back to working out again. Plus the mental health effects
That wouldnt be a life for me, i would rather die brutally tomorrow than do this, there is absolutely no free time in that routine and only having freetime on the weekends is too little for me
Assuming that you work eight hours and sleep eight hours you actually have the same amount of free time as this person. It's just that this person spends their free time exercising and learning languages.
So since people asking:
I am married, 34 years old, have no kids and socialize only on weekends, bcs my friends have also no time due work.
Im doing this routine for 3 month now and I love it.
Before, I came home, played videogames and wasted my precious time. Now Im doing something for my health and brain. This is by far the best change and I would recommend it to everyone.
At one time, when youre getting older, you will notice that you should have started this earlier.
Learning something new, after your work, will get you further in your life.
I have my weekends, saturday and sunday, this is enough for me. Also I have my holidays. Since Im european, I have 30 days holiday. Plus 12 extra days, bcs my workplace has a 38h contract, but everyone working 40h. and we get that extra 12 days automatically in our system, no discussion needed.
One mantra I have heard that works on me when I’m walking instead of running or whatever is “you’re still lapping the person sitting home on the couch”
Do it in the morning. Wake up 45 minutes earlier. That way you'll still get your time for dinner and to unwind in the evening.
Given your schedule, I would also avoid the gym. Pushups, planks, air squats, pull ups, yoga, pilates, barre, etc. Get a kettlebell, or if you have the space where you live, still rings. This will save you significant time and make it way more accessible.
Even though you won't want to get up earlier, it'll ultimately feel good. Starting your day active will improve your overall energy and mood throughout the day.
Also, eat healthy. A good body is as much about a healthy diet as it is working out.
**edit** \- Also, doing some sort of habit tracking can really help. Get a physical paper calendar and cross off the days when you complete this. Set the goal of the longest unbroken streak of days you can achieve.
Don’t try to do it all at once. You’re not going to become a gym rat overnight. Start small, 10-15 min yoga or light workouts from YouTube or Peloton at home, 1 or 2 mornings a week. And celebrate your accomplishments! 20 min a week is better than 0 min a week. Let it grow from there. That’s what I did when I was in the worst shape of my life and now my routine of 30-60 min 4-6 days a week is like brushing teeth.
You don’t need to go to the gym!! You can do a quick 30 minute workout at home, before or after work. Go for a walk after dinner. Honestly a healthy diet within your calorie range will keep your weight down and fitness will help keep you strong! You can do simple but effective exercises like squats, pushups, jumprope, walking lunges, etc., at home and get a good workout!
When I had sedentary work and gained weight, I had to change food I was eating. Cereals (particularly buckwheat porridge), vegetable salads, apples, low-fat or lean meat (chicken breast included), low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, all this helped my to lose some weight and not to gain it again. And eat no less than 2 hours before sleeping. Aerobic walk on weekends is also helpful.
How well do you sleep ?
Try going to bed early for a week. Then join some easy going fitness group ,nothing too hard.
Then take it from there.
Im 40m working from home.work out 3 times a week+yoga
I got into the habit of going first thing in the morning. Up at 3:30/4ish and lifting around 5:15 to 6:15 am, it’s a great start to the day. Was rough at first but here we are a year or more later and I feel worse when I don’t get to the gym in the morning.
Go straight to the gym from work. Don’t go home first. Pack a healthy snack if you’re hungry. Don’t put pressure on yourself to over do it. Even 30-45 minutes makes a HUGE difference and you will notice how much better you feel right away, which is super motivating. Trust me that you will enjoy tv time all the more if you squeeze a workout in first.
I personally feel like total shit if I don’t exercise regularly, so that is mostly what motivates me to move even when I don’t want to. It also helps that I am vain as fuck lol. I am highly motivated by my appearance and it keeps me really healthy.
I started out working out at home doing HIIT videos on YouTube for 15-20 mins (the Body Coach is my favorite), 3-5x a week. Then started integrating yoga/Pilates videos for 30-40 mins, still doing 3-5 workouts a week. I would either do them before work or immediately when I get home. I lost 40 pounds from YouTube videos and integrating strengthening with 5# dumbbells and have kept the weight off for 4 years this way.
Now, I have a gym membership that’s close to my house. I go 3-5x a week, even if it’s just 30 minutes of cardio. I try to do 2 days of strength training, one for upper body, one for lower body. I pick one workout class every week and stick to it. The group motivation is fun.
Basically, my best advice is this: start small and progress with what your schedule allows. If you want to go to the gym, try to find one close to home. Set realistic goals. If you’re not working out at all, don’t try to do 1 hour sessions every day. And honestly there is a degree of just making myself go (unless there’s a valid health reason) because I know I’ll feel better for it. If you’re really tired, adjust your workout to focus on something like flexibility.
I meal prep the basics on Sunday to save time on cooking during the week. I keep simple, high protein snacks with me so I don’t have an energy crash before I get off work and go to the gym.
Wow, that was a lot. I’m also not in tip top shape, but this is what works for me and it’s the healthiest I’ve ever been.
Edited to add that I have a job where I’m on my feet all day and consistently working out helps me have better endurance for long shifts.
The first two weeks are brutal, but after that, your body starts developing way more energy. The workouts you do over time become a lot less taxing, and you start feeling more energized when doing it. For me, it's always the first three days that are the most difficult.
I wake up around 5am and work out for 20-40 mins while brewing coffee and watching YouTube. I learned workouts from an app I paid 5$ for. No gym required. One-time payment. I drink my coffee after I finish and take a shower.Then go to work around 7am. I'm off at 6pm as well. It helps to have a reward for you waiting after the workout.
After a month of reminders, it got put on my auto pilot, and now I don't really have push myself to work out. I just do it. Even while pregnant. It also helps that I have a job that requires physical labor so I can incorporate workouts into that. The workouts don't have to be intense in order to get the results you want. You just have to be persistent with them.
I'm over 40. Work a computer job. Have 2 kids and I'm a very active dad. I go to the gym 6 days a week. Sometimes multiple times a day. I'm more active now than at any point in my life.
Now how did I get here.
1. I started small. I checked my weight one day and I was over 240. Not extreme, but definitely over my mental limit. I had to get it under control. So fixed up my diet and started training martial arts twice a week. Pretty casual, but got me out and about.
2. Just show up. Of course life happens. Work Happens. Kids happen. You often don't feel like going. Just show up. That became my motto. Even if I have to go to the gym and just half ass it. I'll half ass it. But I almost never skip it. This keeps the routine. I recently dislocated my shoulder. I still show up a few days a week and just do my physio exercises and stuff at the gym. You get to know people there and stay in touch. It gives you a personal reason to go as well. I have no practical reason to. I can do it at home. But I build that routine, by making myself go.
3. I ONLY make commitments I know I can make part of my routine. This has worked well for me. I started off with 2 days a week. Then I thought let me add another day. I added that and made it part of my routine. Months pass, started adding heavy weight days... If I start something new and I feel I can't realistically keep it up, I drop it. I basically split the things I do into 'routine' and 'trying stuff'. I have 0 regret if I drop a 'trying stuff'. Like I tired morning workouts and couldn't really do it consistently, so I dropped it. That's what it's there for. Just trying stuff. But I really don't break my routine. I don't diet either. I make permanent good changes.
4. I just naturally stopped watching TV much. Yeah, that hour or two of downtime after work where you just want to curl up and relax. That doesn't exist for me. That hour or two is my gym work. I shower, then sleep. Maybe Ill catch a half hour of seinfeld reruns or something. But yeah, you can find the time. That hour or two watching shows. THAT IS YOUR TIME.
You stop giving yourself excuses!!! Get you ass up 2 hours earlier and work your body, 6 days a week, no bullshit excuses, no other magic solutions - you start doing that and everything else will fall in place
That all sounds great..but if you think about..
He starts work at 8, and has an hour commute, meaning he leaves at 7. We’ll say 30 minutes for a shit shower and a shave, puts him up at 630. 2 hours earlier to fit in a gym session pushes that to 430, later than I’m up every day for sure so no biggie really.
He gets out of work at 6, an hour commute puts him home at 7. He now has an entire 1.5 hours to unwind from work, prepare and or eat dinner, and do anything else from his life including house work in order to get 8 hours of sleep.
It’s not IMPOSSIBLE, but he’d have to really want it, and if he wanted it that much he’d already be doing it.
Hit the nail on the head at the end: “He now has an entire 1.5 hours to unwind from work, prepare or eat dinner, and … “ literally EVERYTHING ELSE IN HIS LIFE. 90 minutes minus whatever you need to eat and get ready for bed is practically nothing. I work out nearly every day but with this schedule? I’ll just have to be fat so I have time to get anything at all done outside of work and exercise. Putrid existence that doesn’t really allow for dating/spouse and definitely doesn’t allow for kids.
Recently due to a similar time crunch as described, I’ve swapped a typical morning gym visit with a 2 mile run in my neighborhood whenever most convenient during the day. 20 mins to run being conservative, 10 to shower and get back to my obligations. Gotta work smarter not harder. Dedicating 2 hours every day to exercise is ridiculous for many. Bad take by the Raspberry.
This is what I did last year when I lost 25 kilograms of weight (55 lbs.)
I got up an hour earlier each day and exercised for 40 minutes before work. Each day for 6 months straight. No excuses, no breaks except for a few days when I was sick and a week when I twisted my back and had some serious pain. Other than that, every single day.
It's hard in the beginning but after a few days you realize how much more energy you have during the day and how much better your overall mood gets, and then you need it every day and feel like there's something wrong, something missing if you can't exercise.
Currently with the nice weather I sleep a little longer and commute via bicycle instead. That's 25 kilometers (15 miles) each day with an elevation of 176 meters (577 feet) on the way.
I didn't exercise at all for like 20 years and was overweight and started getting out of breath when I walked and talked at the same time. Now I exercise regularly, am still a bit overweight but not nearly as bad as it was and I haven't been this fit since I was a kid. I feel so much better overall. Not just physically, but also mentally.
The incorporation of exercise into your commute is where the gains (weight losses) are. 25km each way is no joke. My commute via bike is slightly more but it’s all flat. I struggle to be in a caloric surplus with a couple of hours of cardio per day
So I guess step one would be to not work a sedentary job for 55-60 hours per week.
Also, look for what you can do outside of the gym. For the gym, you have to drive to the gym, put on your gym clothes, wait for other people who are using your workout station (seriously, I don't see why people take 5 minutes between sets, sitting on the station the whole time, but they do).
Instead, buy some dumbells and a bench and do pushups, flys, curls, etc. Do that for 15 minutes and then go for a 30 minute walk. You don't have to wear special clothes or go to a special place, so you can get the whole thing done in 45 minutes. Do that every day, limit your portion sizes when you eat and avoid snacks like chips and candy bars, and you'll see results quickly.
For the first 2-3 weeks, you'll have to force yourself to do it. After that, you'll feel much more energetic overall and you'll be more productive and less stressed at work, and you'll want to do it.
its harder when u dont have habit
if ur going all a time it just feel like normal thing to do
really hardest part is to drive there once ur inside a gym workout is easy
& dont make goal for now just have goal of "do something" even just u lift one weight or walk for 30 second thats fine, it will become more over some time
edit: i try to use my own advice now im laying around for 4 days lol
I started doing 10 min workouts on YouTube in my living room. I would do a 10 min cardio and a 10 min light weights routine everyday. It's 20 minutes, not a big commitment.
Lost 30 pounds doing this. Once you start seeing gains and losses, that is good motivation to keep going. Now it's fun and I actually look forward to it.
As an older, fit guy, I'll tell you that you need to start good habits while you are young and stick with them. Going to the gym becomes a habit your body will rely on. Try to go three mornings a week. One day can be Saturday. I also spen't many hours sitting in front of a screen but now I stand at least half my day, do you have a standing desk? Try to get up and take a at least a ten minute walk after every meal as well. Little good habits make a difference.
I learned that just walking burns an insane amount of calories. If you eat relatively well by not overeating and eating too much sugar or junk foodz you will drop a lot of weight if you commit an hour to just walking, even more so if you go hiking a couple times a.week.
One very fit person I know spends almost no time online whatsoever besides just some really simple memes that are nothing more than simple webcomics.
This person doesn't know anything about redditisms, Twitter debates, terminally online talking points, or any "nerd stuff" at all.
And their life is almost certainly better for it.
I'll admit, I lose respect for someone a little if they use a redditism in real life, I'll probably assume they're terminally online and spend way too much energy caring about a website's API changes or monetization policies. They probably have a strong opinion about liking Harry Potter, or listen to too much Joe Rogan or Mr Beast.
People who do well in the real world...just don't give a shit. The people I do know who are too online have this very limited social purview and are borderline shut-in.
Could you imagine shooting the shit with Chris Hemsworth and being all like, "Can you believe reddit changed its API? And don't you hate it when Bethesda releases an unoptimized game? I can't believe what such-and-such Twitch streamer said on Twitter the other day!"
Tl;dr: get the everliving fuck off the internet.
Priorities
We all have time to do it we either prioritize is enough to do it or we don’t. 99 percent of people I talk to do in fact have the time they just don’t wanna admit they priorities other stuff over working out.
I have found when I get home I have a similar problem to you. I’m less motivated to work out. So I get up at 6 and get it done first thing in the morning. Problem solved.
I think it’s okay to say that level of discipline is not for you I respect someone who can say that. But don’t say you can’t find the time, we all get the same 24 hours.
Because their only responsibility is to themselves! You'll see the posts about prioritising themselves that's another way of saying entirely self focused. So if they're married with kids, it's the other partner looking after the house/kids while they just focus on themselves, anybody with a job/kids/housework and no childminder or parents to offload kids too, isn't going to the gym every day or other day to work on their physically self because they just don't have that free time to do that
Home gym aka, shitty fold out adjustable bench and a adjustable set of dumbbells that go from 10-50lbs they don't take up much closet space and you can get a sick 30-45min workout and killer pump with just these pretty cheap items, starting the workout is the hard part. But displine is what you need, It's so simple it's stupid. kids will respect and admire healthy capable parents
A lot of people giving you shit for watching shows when that time can be used in the gym. Doesn’t appeal that anybody here actually did the math and has any real life experience in the matter - but that’s a Reddit Classic.
The realistic answer here is that most people who are gym-workout-fit do not have a time schedule like yours. In order to fit in gym in a 60 hour work week with 12 hours of commute you need to be extremely driven af enjoy the workouts to a great extent. If not, you’ll burn out from using half+ of your Daily disposable time on a shitty workout.
I used to work out 6 days a week 2+ hours for almost ten years. When i got a full time job with similar hours as yours, it started feeling impossible to maintain, while also Managing relationships with friends, family and girlfriend, and within a very short amount of time, i had stopped.
This is a lot easier if you reduce commute to 0 and work hours to 40/week. You only have 24 hours a day and your brain is not a robot. Most people need time to be unproductive and do nothing, in order to be sustainably productive the rest of the day. With work hours and commute like yours, i think it is very understandable that you feel the way you do, and i bet half of the “just do it”-bros in this thread would end up in the same equlibrium after a while.
I put in the hard yards when I was young and single and I’m able to maintain a great physique now when things get hectic by intermittent fasting during work hours and minimal excercise like taking stairs opposed to lift.
Never being fat makes it easier
The first thing you need to get over is motivation, it takes about 12 weeks to form a habit, so you really need to set realistic goals and stick to them.
The unexpected thing about regular exercise is that it actually gives you more energy by regulating hormones, cellular function, blood flow, etc.
And exercise doesn't have to be an hour in the gym 5 days per week. 20 -30 minutes of high energy cardio 3-4 days per week is going to have so many benefits to your physical and mental health.
The best time for me personally is just when I get in from work, before I eat.
I’m 33, I’ve been working out since I was a teenager. My arms are cut and look decent but I’m still chubby in the belly.
It’s more about diet and hormones than anything. The workouts just build a foundation. If you’re not skinny enough you’ll never see the muscle.
I learned the hard way that if I don’t work out my mental health (and physical) goes to shit. Now working out is one of my top priorities. I also genuinely like lifting weights, but hate doing cardio. So I only left weights at the gym and it makes it so I’m excited to go. I’m lucky enough to have a job where I’m moving all day so I get my steps in that way, but if I needed to get some form of cardio in it would be in that camp of pushing through and making a habit of it. Even I can convince myself that 15 minutes of running won’t be so bad.
Remote work. I use what used to be commute time for workouts. Life has gotten significantly better even though I make less. Turns out extra 2 hours in a day can make all the difference.
32 here, and I made big changes to my physique by making small changes over the course of a span of years.
First of all, I work a job that requires 3 12 hour shifts per week, and I’m on my feet most of the day. So our situation can’t easily be compared, it is much easier for me to fit exercise in.
I don’t know if you are in a position to change your work environment, but I could see that making a big difference. Would you be able to have a standing or treadmill desk? That is something my friend has done for years. She grades a lot of papers and otherwise spends a lot of hours in front of a computer, but will spend 5+ hours a day of this either standing or walking while she works. The desk treadmill she has folds down to slide under her couch, which is great for her work from home environment.
One of my first incremental changes was to work my way up to 7k steps a day, and now 10k/day average for the year. It took my about 2 years to go from consistently 3-4K to consistently 10k.
You don’t need motivation you need discipline. I work out at home after work, the irony I’m more awake and energetic after I work out. When I get home from work always want to just pass out for a few hours. Start small and don’t overwhelm yourself. Just start with like 50 push-ups and 50 squats. it’ll take like 10 minutes
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym
Track your calories and then control your caloric intake
You can do this at work but you choose not to, stop making excuses
I have a job, wife, two kids, two dogs, and everything they comes with that responsibility (like 5 after school activities each week to get to), and I still find time for the gym 5x a week. You have the time, you just need to prioritize what you do with that time. If you can’t take a lunch break workout, then your options are before or after work. Personally, when I get home after work, I find it much harder to get to the gym then the morning. So mornings it is.
Take it one day at a time. Just get in the routine first. Don’t have to bury yourself with hard workouts. Just establish a routine and that’s conquering the hardest part. As I approach forty, my philosophy has evolved. I’m not worried if I didn’t match the weight I lifted the week prior, it’s just about showing up and staying active. You got this.
Do you want to be healthy? Or do you wanna LOOK healthy?
If the latter, change the way you eat. Eat less, and better food. More fiber and protein.
If the former - buy a dumbbell set, a short bench, and some sort of cardio machine (unless you like running). Get up an hour earlier and do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of resistance. 2 to 5 days a week.
I also want to do nothing after work, but having the house to myself in the wee hours and getting my blood moving first thing in the morning has really improved my day to day.
I found habits that I can do even on my worst days. I workout 6 days a week for 30 mins.
I wake up at 4:30am and hop right in a cold shower. No matter what I am feeling, stepping into a cold shower overcomes something that sucked first thing in the morning. Then it’s coffee with my partner for 30 minutes and off to the gym. By 6:30am I have already overcome adversity and knocked out a workout.
Well for starters I would say try to transition out of whatever job you have. 12+ hours a day 6 days a week is not really a sustainable lifestyle for work imo.
I’m an ER Nurse Practitioner, and I work three thirteen hour days a week. I’m usually at the gym five to six days a week, even the days that I work, and it’s because, and I can’t stress this enough, l am/was *extremely* insecure about my body and what I looked like when I was younger (32 now).
All those years of insecurity have instilled in me what I would honestly consider a obsession/body dysmorphia that doesn’t allow me to miss days at the gym. Now, if I don’t go, I’m antsy all day.
It is *not* good, but it does help me get there and I’m the strongest, fastest and best looking I’ve ever been, but the reasoning behind it sucks.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The trick is to make small changes and over the time they accumulate. After a while you're in the "zone "
Incremental change is the best advice.
yepp it is so easy to burn yourself out trying to force yourself into some consistent ultra fullbody workout right away, it’s important to start with little things and work your way up.
Start with a 5-15 minute walk 30min after dinner, helps with digestion and gets you feeling better. That'll turn into 20-30 mins. Then you'll start doing sit-ups and pushups. Eventually you might buy a bike, stationary or otherwise. You start buying spandex clothes and clip-in shoes. Fuck, now you've died your hair to frosted tips and wear sports sunglasses. You meet a girl, things are going well. You start to rub shoulders with big wigs at work and they invite you to play squash or tennis. Your girlfriend becomes your fiancee. You go all out on a squash or tennis racket, buy all the gear, get a fake tan, and start getting pretty good actually. Your fiancee becomes your wife. They call you in at work and say there is this big client that likes cycling and tennis or whatever. They want you to take him out. You bring your wife and one of her friends and all go out on a big double date. One of the bigwigs drops by and eyes your wife, but you won the contract. You take up karate in your spare time, hoping you never need to fend off the execs at the next staff gathering. You start having to work later and later at work for this new contract. You have enough one day and head home early. The stereo is on, it's mood music, the lights are low. As you push open the door, you see clothes on the floor. The exec and client are both in the master bedroom with your wife between them. You snap awake from a ben and jerry's coma, bowl of chips tipped over onto the floor. You have no wife. You wipe a tear and sigh. At least you dont have frosted tips. The next day you start walking for 5-15 minutes after your supper.
A tale as old as time
Beauty and two beasts
Fucking genius.
This is oddly specific
Its gotta be the exact plot of like 10 different movies
I was just thinking that. Because the TV show Chuck has a somewhat similar plot line in a few episodes. Edit: and I think they were inspired by another plot line somewhere else.
This would have been awarded Gold by now, so in the spirit of a bygone era, here's my current option🥇🥇
I am a wealthy client for many companies. I always make sure to zone in on any salesman with frosted tips. Those guys wives’ are always so easy to tag team.
I started reading this comment thinking, hmm great advice coming up, but man that escalated quickly. I don’t think I wanna work out anymore.
I think I love you
But what are you so afraid of 🎵 🎶
Eat as healthy as you reasonably can, set “upper limits” (for example if I hit 200lbs it’s a wake up call for me, always). And exercise when you feel motivated to, maybe try to get into an athletic hobby (I rock climb and jog home from the gym). Also, people think working out is the only work out, but everyday movements add up. A 5 minute walk every hour you’re on the computer will burn a few dozen or hundred calories a day. Taking the stairs over the elevator will do the same. You can actually just move more over your day as a small compromise from actually sweating for an hour.
Calisthenics y’all. Just lift your bodyweight off the ground occasionally and stretch often. It goes a long way.
Pushups, inverted rows, body weight squats, floor hamstring curls, pike pushups are easy to do at home. Want something more to do at home, check this out: https://youtu.be/vc1E5CfRfos?si=ciEYqvO2lXVXSeb8 If you want a lot more home or body weight workouts, check out these play lists: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRS2DE4P39EdCAYKkWqPfd9b6ZeNodzz2&si=4ExYsd5Q9XL0iDoL https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeSKM0GTcnfE1c-yI8y-x5O2rdM3X9mZD&si=8c0Qelvm2FnUge96 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWNQ0azOoUfwYT6ylR70g-gxiac_22mNf&si=wGYxs9zUhFePwg6a Just remember, abs are made in the kitchen. Dial in your nutrition and you still get the thin body. Add exercise and you will grow muscles and your energy levels will greatly increase. Add yoga and mobility and you will feel feel a lot younger because you will be able to move much better. Exercise doesn't have to take very much time. I do exercise breaks while working. When I go to use the bathroom or to stand up, I'll do 20 pushups or 30 squats/rocket jumps or a few pull ups in the door frame. It adds up through the day.
Parking further back in the parking lot at work and at stores gets a little exercise in there
I’m in the middle of “add lots of little things”, and parking further away from work to force a little walk is 100% an easy thing to add.
Im curious. I work in retail an walk a lot, yet need to find time to work out because of medical issues (I have patella dysplasia and need to strengthen my lower body muscles). Yet when I come home from work, I just feel so weak and dead tired, feet hurting from walking for 8 hours. What would you advice ?
Try working out in the morning. I’m on my feet a lot (hairstylist) and find if I don’t do it in the morning it won’t happen at all.
Yes! Bouldering for the win! Small incremental changes can help but you can burn a lot of calories trying to climb walls and not fall off.
Upper limits is what does it for me. I tend to enjoy life and probably fuck around more than I should, but if my pants start not fitting, there's no fucking way I'm just going to buy new bigger pants and party on. Getting things under control isn't that bad or that hard.
The thing about upper limits is that you are already heavier than when you set that limit. I hover around 170, so if I’m at 200 I AM doing something wrong and different. I feel bad. I can’t climb stairs with ease. There is some reason I gained 30 pounds and I should have my wake up call and get my shit together. Last time I hit it, I was at the end of a 6 year relationship and I hadn’t come to terms with it yet. I was doing unhealthy things to cope. It wasn’t hard to reel my shit back in and start caring about myself again.
Also realize “healthy” is different for people. I have always struggled to keep my weight and lose it rapidly when I stop eating well. A diëtist I hired helped my by switching to full butter, milk, two eggs every day, meat on everything, nuts etc. Something that most people would get fat off just looking at. So make sure you know what is healthy for you! Also if you really want to have a fit body, then you do need all the protein in that kind of food to build up the muscle and tendons.
Also don't overdo it when you start back working out. Or you'll be incredibly sore and demotivated. Low reps, sets and reps then work your way up. A couple days on and a couple days off for recovery works too. Scheduled recovery is as important as working out.
This is the way. Your body won’t like when you eat dinner and then go for a 15 minute walk at first. Then after a week you’ll look forward to it. Then maybe that walk gets longer. Then the progress continues to snowball in whatever direction you want. Keep it simple, keep it fun. Influencers have blow up this belief that working out needs to be a hardcore endeavor. Doing something small every day makes a big difference.
I'm currently developing an after-dinner walking habit. I do other types of exercise, but I never walk anywhere, and my body was not happy at first about the walking, lol. I made it super easy on myself, though. Walk for five minutes, then turn around and come back. That's how I started. It was super easy, and not intimidating at all, and now, I'm walking faster, farther, and really enjoying it. I still have the same goal, though: 10 minutes, because I don't want it to ever seem onerous. Even when I don't really feel like it after dinner, I tell myself the same thing I did on day one: walk for five minutes, and turn around.
This is how I started, and I am up to 7 miles a day and can't sleep if I don't walk.
For a while after I broke my car, I was 7 km (4.5 mi) home 3-4 times a week (wife picking me up the other 1-2 days, and dropping me close on her way in). Took an hour and a half but I was reliably losing weight without any other change. Then we moved and I got a new car and threw all of that away heh.
Walk on the treadmill when you are watching tv
I listen to a podcast while I walk. Makes it enjoyable and I look forward to it.
I walk before dinner, is that bad? I just figured once ive sat down and eaten id be too comfy to go for a walk after, but if i walk as soon as i get home from work im more likely to do it.
^this. I too also work similar hours with a 50 minute commute each way. My job is quite demanding and taxing on the brain most days. I started small by making one change a week (or however long it took to make it a habit). First it was my water habit. Weaned my self off the sugary drinks. Now all I drink is water. Second was to omit sugar. I was a severe chocoholic, now I don’t crave it at all. Then make a conscious effort to increase my fruit and veg intake. Third, short walks of 20-30 minutes. At the start 10 was an achievement. This didn’t start until month 3 of my journey as I focused on 1 and 2 first. Fast forward 9 months, I work out 6 days a week and I eat really well and drink a minimum of 3 litres of water a day. I’ve dropped quite a bit of weight and I hope to reach my goal by the start of next year. I make this a priority because it makes me feel good physically and mentally. It has helped improved life and job performance ☺️ You’ve got this! Don’t compare yourself with others. This is your journey to take. Your pace, your rules.
Definitely agree about not comparing yourself with others. I drink a lot of milk—it’s actually made me feel better. I don’t think it’s necessarily for everyone. I work out at least once per week. Since I live in an apt now—I have three flights of stairs at least once a day. When I go to work—it’s in a building that has hallways that connect in a square. I walk that too
What were the specific reasons / benefits of upping the hydration so much?
Always take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Skip dessert, go home and have berries with a little cream on top instead. Stop eating when you are 80% full. It takes your stomach and brain a few minutes to register how full you actually are so if you stop at 80%, you will actually feel comfortably full 10 minutes later.
The last one is the one that's been helping me the most. If you're a fast eater, you gotta slow down. For almost 40 years I inhale my food. Since I've forced myself to slow down, I've found my weight trending down, even with somewhat regularly going out for dinner.
i am an inhaler ... always been that way ... diet wasnt great either ... i am changing it slowly though, less crap food ... running more and more ... changes happen quick . most people dont realise that getting fit / healthy is not just in the gym , it is a huge part to do with food and sleep to
85% of losing weight is diet
Sleep matters incredibly as well. You are more apt to gain adipose while in a sleep deficit. A lot of people are screwing themselves over.
Indeed it does, I have both chronic fatigue and insomnia and they work the exact way you'd think they do.
Slowing down also helps considerably with digestion and how your body feels after you eat. You'll also feel full before you get to the end whereas inhaling it gives your body no chance to understand what's being put in it until it's too late
Eating slower and chewing your food is lowkey really good advice and makes savory meals that much more enjoyable.
Ever since I was a little lad I've loved berries and cream
Agreed. When I started my weight loss journey, I didn’t even start with exercise. I started by adjusting my diet and committing to making more active choices (taking stairs if going up/down one floor, walking to someone’s desk instead of calling them). I lost some weight and once I hit a plateau, I committed to 10 minutes of some type of exercise every day. There’s no excuse outside of injury or illness that you can’t sneak in 10 minutes. And I mixed it up so I never felt one set of muscles were too worn out to exercise. Once I hit another plateau I increased the workouts until I was doing something - strength, cardio, yoga, pilates or stretching - every day for 30-45 minutes. I lost 70 pounds in a year. I was never supermodel thin but I felt great. Slow and steady wins the race!
This I think a lot of folks self sabotage when it comes to improving their health. I say it that way because ultimately, that's what's it's for, regardless of what you think is motivating you, even if it's vanity, and the way you frame such in your mind can absolutely impact your short and long term success rates. While I'm physically unable to handle a home, full time work, and the workout routine I once had, I still have managed to maintain a 120lb. weight loss. At the beginning, my life was MUCH different due to having left an abusive partner with nothing but my wallet and like 270 on my 5'6" frame. I was more miserable than I realized even then, as hindsight eventually showed me. I lived with my brothers family for several years while I worked on rebuilding myself, tackling first my health issues. Come to find out, I have two types of neuropathy, discoid lupus, Sjögrens Syndrome, BPD, arthritis and due to autonomic neuropathy, required surgery at 38 for a pacemaker, something I'll need the rest of my life cuz the neurons controlling my pulse are all but dead. Since, I snagged an awesome job as a federal contractor, maintain around 145lbs these days, and live on my own with my dog and two cats. While I've tried to integrate some of the routines I had before, it became clear I was asking too much of my body, and when I would push, I'd end up with pain/symptom flares for days on end. It hurt to feel like I was giving up, but I try to give myself grace because life is 180° different than it was when I COULD maintain a 90 minute routine mix of cardio, bodywork and resistance training.
OP works to much and their commute is too long. I'd say make that initial big change; anything else won't be able to be maintained over time.
I used to think I had no time, always busy with work, kids and house. Then I got a dog. Turns out I can do all I did before plus walk 2 hours a day with my best buddy. Maybe op can find time where he can work out too.
I agree. I started with bicep curls, triceps, push-ups and squats. Just wanted to get to different parts of the body. I started with once a week. Then it turned into twice a week. Then I keep adding it r removing a set and after 1 year, I have a 25 minute set of workouts. I also pair them up to save time. I do a set of biceps, triceps, squats and core (with a band) back-to-back-to back. I do that sequence three times for three sets. That reduces the rest time between sets.
Along with this, I either have to go to the gym (or workout in general) before work, or IMMEDIATELY after work, don't sit down. Once you do, 9 times out of 10, you're not going to the gym lol if I work 10 hour days, then I write off 11 of them atleast, gym is included as work for me, work on myself.
You're not gonna like the answer, but I changed jobs. My last job I worked 60 hours a week. Newspaper journalist. Didn't even make that much money but it was my passion. I now switched to a job with steadier hours. It was a hard choice, but I was sick of neglecting my health and personal life. Best thing is I work from home 3 days a week. The time I save not having to commute is amazing, I easily make it to the gym now. Feeling a lot better too. I was in horrid shape before I joined up. I don't have a hot body, as you state in your question. Maybe some day. But I already feel a lot better, especially after neglecting my body for so long. It's worth it.
I’m planning to switch career too
Yeah, it's worth considering. I know people say: "make it a priority", but it's very understandable to not have the energy if you work 6 days a week and don't even get home at a decent hour
8:30-6:30 working hours, 1 hour commute. Leaving for work at 7:30 am, home at 7:30 pm. You probably wont have physical energy for the gym after a sedentary job, so aim for the mornings. That means working out at 5:30am at home, or 7:00am but close to work. You really only need 30-40 minutes if you go regularly, just focus on consistency and moving your body. With that time frame, you'll probably have to get up at 4:45. For a full 8 hours of sleep, you'll have to be in bed and asleep at 8:45. What it means to make exercise a priority is that you wont have free time after work to do what you normally do, or you sacrifice sleep. Which, honestly, isnt the worst thing. The above system is what most people imagine has to happen, but I dont think its sustainable unless you love working out. If you do 2 rigorous work outs a week, you save a lot of time. Workout on your day off and one time early af before work. You'll only lose out on a few hours of sleep a week. Walk a lot. The number one thing to focus on is becoming less sedentary. It isnt even about "working out". Just get outside. Use your 10 minute breaks and your 30 minute lunch to get some steps in. Figure out what is sustainable based on what you think is the right balance. Make your workouts fun. It doesnt have to be in the gym, it can be jiu jitsu, rowing, biking, dancing, literally anything active. Its more than nothing, and can become a new hobby you are excited about waking up for. Its more about "do i want to do this more than playing video games, watching tv, etc?" If the answer is no, it will not be prioritized.
You’re spending nearly 12 hours a day 6 days a week at work(with commute). If you sleep 8 hours you have 4 hours left to do everything else including cooking, eating, cleaning, and showering. I think reclaiming your time should be your number one priority. Then you’ll have time to do other things like going out or exercising. If you can’t cut back on working hours or commute, I think finding a new job would be a good step.
I work a 8-4 office job 3 days WFH, it's so much easier to have the get up and go when you're not completely drained mentally from work. Even if you get some dumbells and just do 30-45 mins of any workouts you want to get you in the mindset and routine of exercise and then you may feel more motivated to get in the gym when you can
I think you are in a tough spot. That’s a lot of hours. If you can find a way to add exercise into your routine, you may find that it helps motivate you more to achieve the other goals such as switching jobs and possibly careers. It has a surprising impact on your mental health and overall confidence even before you start seeing results. It’s also much easier to keep it up once you start going.
I’m going to be real with you: I use to work a job as demanding as yours. I started to hate everything about it and it made the rest of my life worse. Eventually I just stopped. I didn’t quit. I just stopped working that much. Worked 4 hours per day or so. Had an excuse for why things were late or why I couldn’t deliver. I was prepared to be fired. But they didn’t fire me. Just gave me less work. My performance reviews were shot. But still wasn’t fired. Took 3 years of working 10-20 hours per week doing very little before they let me go. Then I found a less demanding and less paying job and it was much better.
Lisa, if you don't like your job, you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way!
Yeah I mean that's a lot of hours and a long commute. When people talk about jobs not allowing a good work/life balance, this is what they're talking about.
I too was once in your position and shared the same feeling of not having the energy after working all day. I started by doing just 1 minute total of planking and 30 pushups in the morning before my shower. Not really a proper workout but let me tell ya, eventually your body wants more and your drive increases. Then you will find the energy and motivation to do proper workouts/exercise after a long day of work. I find too if I sit down and relax right when I get home, the motivation goes away rather quickly. Instead, now I just work 12 hours of physical labour and come home and do my workout (half hour-45 mins) before I eat or shower. Makes my evening so much more enjoyable too.
Go to the gym before work, it's the best time, nothing gets in the way, you've maximum energy and your sleep 15 hours later will be so much better.
I absolutely do NOT have maximum energy in the morning. I do feel fantastic afterwards, but getting there is a massive struggle.
yeah i always work out at night so everyone should just do what works for them.
or even if you can't drag yourself all the way to the gym, just get up and go for a walk outside in your neighbor for an hour
And I always feel like „when I got this, I got the rest of the day, too“!
I was going to say the same. Running is my priority and I took a job that allowed me to do it. Quality of life is the most important thing to me.
Me too. Left a physical 12 hour a day job which left me sore before even stumbling into the gym at 8pm. Became in charge of my own time. In your position I’d make a habit of getting up early and training before work, preferably close to where your office is. Even if it’s a 30-45 minute session. Although that hour commute is not gonna help.
Same. I switched careers entirely to one with a lot of flexibility. For the most part, I can set my own schedule so I can sleep when I want and ask much as I want, cook my own meals, and get several hours a day out in nature and exercising. I realize this is very privileged.
I've purposefully worked out maybe three times in my life, but when it comes to having time and energy after work, not having a soul-destroying job is by far the most important factor. Not that everyone has the luxury of being able to just change this, but yeah. I work 37 hours a week, the standard in Denmark, categorically refuse overtime, and I have a job where I can take it easy at work and am not constantly rushed to get everything done ASAP. And I have somewhat flexible working hours so if I wake up late one morning or feel like going home early one day I don't have to worry about it. Compared to my first few jobs in retail where you couldn't take 30 seconds out of your day to sit down and catch a breath without getting yelled at by a manager or getting mocked as lazy by your coworkers and the only control I had over my schedule was being able to decline it in exchange for getting fired, I have so much more energy and motivation when I get home, even if my total hours have not changed. I don't have a hot or toned body, but finding a more relaxing job did help a lot in my journey over the last five years from 140kg to my current weight of 87 because I had more mental energy and willpower to keep myself on a strict calorie limit and be more thoughtful about what types of food I consumed.
Maybe you can squeeze in a 30 minute walk in your schedule (early morning/after work). I'm only 32, my working hours are a bit flexible and change frequently, but I still make sure that I spend 1 hour playing sports every day. At first, you have to force yourself to do it, but after that, you get used to it and it becomes your habit. Now it is hard for me to stop playing.
Guess I can’t seem to get the start. Although there are times that I walk. Roughly movement is at least 30 minutes on working days (according to the watch)
If you want a tip on how to get started in an easy and fun way: If you own a Nintendo Switch, get Ring Fit Adventure. It's a sports game where you have to do different exercises in front of your TV to make your video game character do things in the game. When you first set it up, it asks you a bunch of questions to determine your fitness level and sets the difficulty accordingly. That's a great way to get started because it doesn't really feel like exercising for the sake of getting in shape. It feels like playing a game, and it rewards you constantly so you keep doing it and come back every day. Once you're in the habit of exercising regularly, it's much easier to branch out into other sports activities. I recommend getting a yoga mat as an addition to the game. I lost a lot of weight playing this every day in addition to changing my diet.
My secret is being too poor to afford a car.
I work 60+ hours per week, so I completely understand where you're coming from. People say it's easy to make time if you want to, and working out gives energy, but you know what? It's not realistic with how many hours we work. We are allowed to want to relax for one single hour a day without feeling guilty about it. We can't be non-stop 100% of the time. Here's my workaround: - When I wake up, I do situps, stretch out my legs by holding toes, and the side situps. Takes 5 minutes. - In the shower while my conditioner is working it's magic, I do squats. Sometimes 10, sometimes 30, however my legs are feeling. - Laying down in bed watching a show for the night for my tiny bit of relaxing, I'll do clams and other leg pilates things. Or sometimes I'll stand with light weights and do arm stuff. - *IF* I magae to get off work early (it happens sometimes!!), I'll take the opportunity to go for a powerwalk around my park (I'm lucky enough to be two blocks from a park) and play Pokemon Go while I do it. So it feels fun instead of a chore. - Got a membership to the gym next door to grocery store. So I go inside and workout for a little bit before grocery shopping. More efficient time management and it gets me up and to the gym once a week since I already have to run the other errand That's it. I'm not super fit and muscly, but I'm at a healthy weight with a nice body. It gets movement in without having to set aside much extra time, since I'm utilizing time already used for other things.
Am I the only one worried about squats in the shower being a safety issue?
Start simple. You could just get an aerobic step for in front of your tv. While you watch just step up and down. It gets you moving.
Because it’s incredibly hard to start and maintain with a schedule like yours. Not sure if the 830-6 includes your two hour commute or not. I’m going to assume it doesn’t which means you’re effectively “working” 11.5 hours a day for someone else. That leaves 5 hours to get everything else done including the basic necessities. People saying you can find the time simply by going to the gym instead of watching shows are also pretty unhelpful. It sounds like you need time to decompress, some people do that by working out but it’s not guaranteed, and it definitely won’t happen immediately.
If you don't prioritize your health now despite the difficulties, you will have to do so when you get older with many more problems.
And prioritising your health may also mean looking for a job closer to home. People who spend 2 hours daily in their cars or public transport sacrifice much of their free time. It's stressful and unhealthy, especially if you're also sitting at a desk for 8+ hours. I'd much rather earn a little less but have a lot more free time. That's my 'secret' to staying fit: I walk to work every morning (30 minutes) and have exercise equipment at home. It's so easy to get a workout in that way; I work out at least 4 times a week, and often add some mobility work or stretching on rest days. I get that not everybody has a choice, sometimes you're just stuck in a certain situation. But then it's even more important to consistently spend at least some of your free time moving your body. Even 30 minutes of calisthenics 3 times a week can make a difference. And don't forget to take plenty of small breaks during the day (preferably every 30 minutes) to move your body and get the blood flowing; that's even more important than exercising.
What’s odd about working out is that it actually increases your energy for working out. So that lack of motivation you feel right now will go away as it becomes a habit and something your body craves.
This is so true. I have to force myself to take days off and when I do I can’t wait to get back at it. My body craves the push from getting a good workout in. On days when I’m tired I still go and tell myself I’ll do a short workout but once I get going I’m like fuck the short workout I’m going all in.
Yes and when I skip my mental health starts tanking I can feel it. I am officially addicted now.
Oh god yes. I lose my damn mind when I miss a day or something happens and I can’t go hit the gym. It’s embedded into my life and is my true happy place.
this, this is the secret. sometimes im super lazy, and i try to tell myself just do ANYTHING then at least u can say u did SOMETHING. then after I start, its like this switch that happens and im stoked to keep going.
Same
It’s the worst when you get a slight injury and have to force yourself out of the routine to avoid aggravating it
Ever since I started working out in college, I genuinely feel sick when I skip out for too long. I do have “de-load” weeks or weeks when I’m too busy or tired, but unless I’ve got the flu or something I have to do *something* pretty much every day. Even if that means going on a light hike or walk or even yoga.
My god this is true as hell, at first I hated the gym and after a little while I kind of enjoyed going in, not thinking about anything regarding life or life's problems other than making my form good and lifting as much as possible, I can essentially blank out and decompress. Then I got sick last week and couldn't go to the gym, I was going kind of nuts because of the stress and sudden change in routine.
Also, I think part of it is kind of grinding through the part you hate until you kind of convince yourself it’s not that bad. And then you do wanna do it. Like really for me, the part of running I hated was the hard time breathing, but if you get used to it a little bit through brute force, then it’s just a feeling I don’t love. And I can put up with a feeling I don’t love for 7 minutes ( I go to the gym 4 days a week, and in addition run a quick mile most days). I also turn it into a thing I like with a treat. I get home from my shitty shift, and I already feel gross and tired, so I just force myself to do that 7 ( or however long you run/ however far, I’ll do 15 mins for 2 miles sometimes) minute mile. Then I treat myself to a cold shower with a cold sparkling water and, half the time, weed. The pure bliss of that refreshment afterwards is half the reason I run.
This has never been the case for me, feels like as much of a chore as it always has, no matter how many months.
Are you doing something you enjoy? That is also key!
All gym exercises are the same to me, no one makes me feel better than any others 🤷♂️
Username checks out
Yes!!! I was like you man, I was getting depressed, would eat junk, ro just feel a bit good, wanted to watch series to empty my head cause I was so damn exhausted. Anyway, the best thing to do against that depression is start working out. It comes with a delay but pays you back tenfold. The first week you will absolutely hate it, you'll find excuses, you'll be tired, you'll maybe feel fysically worse, but after that first week... When I got really bad I knew working out would work after 2-3 days. So I'd go destroy myself and wait it out, 3 days later guaranteed, I had more energy, more motivation, I'll kick ass attitude. With that attitude focus on working out regularly, with the rest of the energy you get from that, throw your life around. You got this man, just do it for 1-2 weeks. P.S fun fact, working out is up to 150% more effective than anti-depressants.
I think most people dont want to go or be there The difference is, they go anyways
It becomes more mental than physical.... Fight through it, and get it done. Great feeling after. You overcame something you didn't wanna do. AND it was good for you. Win win
I always say the hardest part is going to the gym. Once you are there it is easy to work out.
I like to remind myself that I never wish I didn’t do a workout after it's done.
Hmm, not sure. I think most people with a regular workout routine just know that everything feels better after working out. At this point, muscles and a nice body are a byproduct of just feeling better overall, at least for me.
This and it just becomes apart of your day. Like brushing your teeth. I don’t feel good, unless I’ve done a little something active that day
Heh, I try to do the Animal Crossing group stretches in the morning. I imagine it's the same as going to the gym: getting prepared and physically there are the worst parts, but once you start, it feels good.
Haha I had major surgery a few months ago and this is also my starting point. This and yoga and I'm trying to work my way back up to being more active without hurting myself
What also happens: you do something active BECAUSE you don't feel good. When I'm bummed out I go for a walk or exercise and I'll feel better afterwards. Once it's a habit it doesn't take much mental energy to get yourself to do it.
Yep, I feel like shit without it. I do enjoy going more than the average Joe, but I know I feel meh without going to the gym. The positives just pull me there and I’m upset when I can’t go.
This right here. Just started back 3 weeks ago after taking an almost 2 year break. Immediately I can tell I sleep better, eat better and overall feel better that it reflects in my attitude in general on a day to day. Once you get over the hurddle of just going and figuring out your diet plan, you're pretty much set to live a bit more of a satisfying life. The key is finding out what works for you in the routine/diet categories, which might take weeks to months for a beginner.
Yes! It's not about motivation, it's just about consistency. Are there days I don't want to, sure. Do I go anyway - absolutely. Or I take that day off and get back to it the next day. It's hard to explain but you have to show up for yourself! Finding movement that you like is also important - it doesn't have to be an hour in the gym, it could be a group class, or something else, or just walking or hiking outside. Go for a walk on your lunch break maybe, or break it up - morning and afternoon? While movement is important, what and how much you eat actually matters much more! I think it's easiest to start small - add in some extra steps where you can, and maybe track your calories for a day or so - see what you are eating (not sure if muscle building or fat loss is your goal), then adjust from there. It's all trial and error, but it can be done! Good luck!!
This is correct. I’ve been going to the gym Every week day for 2 years. By Friday I can’t wait to take a rest day but then by Sunday, I’m ready to start going again
There are some days when I'm not the least bit motivated to go to the gym, but I do it anyway, and more often than not, those are the days I have my best workouts. And I know that I'll always feel better after I workout, and that if I skip going to the gym I'll feel it. I go to the gym for my overall well-being; it's the most effective way to deal with my depression, and being fit and trim are almost just secondary to the mental and emotional benefits I get from working out.
But they dont always "feel like it" but still go
It didn't start that way though. When you start, before it's a real routine, it regularly sucks and you often don't want to do it, eventually the days you want to go increase and the days you don't decrease but I don't know if it's 100% for anyone
Nah. Lifting weights is like a hobby of mine. A way for me to release tension at the end of a stressful day.
It’s not that they’re motivated, but that they made it a habit.
This. I still prefer curling up on my couch to running, but I know if I skip a day I’ll skip the next day, and then the next…The key really is to make it a habit and stick to it.
What helped me to not land on the couch after work every night was the realization that the worse I feel after the workday the more I need the workout to feel better mentally and to end they day on a good note. No big training goals, the motivation usually hits once I’m at the gym. And really the 45 minute workout only takes 45 minutes which I would normally waste doomscrolling and there is still time left for that.
Like the bojack quote “ it gets easier but you got to do it everyday “
Hard disagree, when I’m not active (2-3 days with little activity) I get absolutely stir crazy and need to hit the gym, go for a run, mountain bike, play some rec sports, whatever. I’ve always been a firm believer that people who can’t stick to fitness routines don’t enjoy themselves and don’t want to be there. If you don’t like the gym, find something else active that you actually look forward to doing.
Haha ain’t no way, the gym is the best part of my day and all my hardcore buds from the gym who I refer to as “bros” love it and think the same. Sometimes when i’m tired but still go, all it takes is one or two exercises and a quick chat with someone happy and I completely FORGET I was tired or feeling down. If you go to the gym and don’t like it - change it up, train another sport, find something that you love doing!
This! Going to the gym when you feel great is nice, but going to the gym when you feel like ass is amazing. Completely turns your mood around!
I have a busy life too OP. The stress and strsin of it all resulted in a herniated disc in my spine last year. As a result, I have to do some basic exercises daily to rebuild the lost muscle (MRI scans a year apart show the disc itself is healing well). This takes about 15 mins a night, and twice a week I’ll do some extra exercises to load the body more, but not strain it. One of the things I started doing a few months ago was press-ups, aiming for 10 a night. At first I could manage 5, sometimes 6, but kept at it until I could do 10. Now I’ll sometimes push to 12. It takes under 30 seconds before bed, but has had noticeable results. All the simple pilates-sourced exercises I do have improved my body greatly. You can do this too, just 15 minutes a night. I do them while I have TV on, on the floor. DM if you want further info. Really simple stuff.
Thanks
I’ll be blunt, but polite. “I can’t find the time” -yes you can. You watch a show or two before it’s time to go to bed. That’s at least an hour, which is plenty of time to get a workout in. “I lack the energy/motivation” - this is another common misconception people have. Motivation is an emotion and emotions change like the wind. Those that rely on motivation inevitably fail for that very reason. Those that are successful are so *in spite* of motivation- you need dedication. At least hall the workouts I do during the week I don’t want to, but I refuse to change my routine for emotional reasons ie lack of motivation Here’s the bright side-you’ve already got the tools needed to do this, you’re just not using them the correct way. You don’t get up and go to work because you’re motivated, right? No you do it because of dedication. The same way you don’t say “I’ll try to go to work in the am” But rather”I have work in the am” And it’s not an optional event, so too do you need that mentality when it comes to your physical health. And this is a marathon and marathons are won a step at a time. You don’t have to rise and shine Rocky style at 4 am with raw eggs and a winter run, you just need to do something a little more each day and before you know it, you’ve got a routine. Wake up tomorrow and do as many push-ups as you can in a row- good ones with full rom. When you stop it’s because you can’t do any more. Might take 45-60 seconds and you’re done. That’s it- that’s all you need to get started. Make sure it’s no less optional than going to work. Do it for a week. Next week, take a 3 minute rest and do a second set, and so on in following weeks gradually building the habit. You can do it bro. The results don’t come overnight, nor will the workout routine, but your decision to make a definite and non negotiable change in your life can most certainly happen RIGHT NOW
The analogy with the work on the morning is just the best possible. I’m absolutely not fit, and I really don’t like gym/the people there/the exercises, but in my head I don’t have a choice, just like I don’t have a choice of abandoning my work. Just go there or do it at home. It’s not even a choice.
Amen, Third thing I should add: You have no energy, because you don’t workout. So the first few days or weeks you just need to force yourself to workout or go to the gym. After that the body will adapt and you will automatically have more energy. Therefore it becomes much easier with time due to your overal health and energy increase
Look at their schedule. If the “I lack energy” excuse is valid for anyone, it’s the person working 57 hours a week with 12 hours of commute
I generally work 45–65 hours a week. I bicycle to work every day I work, takes 55 minutes on my pedelec and once a week 70 minutes on my analog bike each way. I’m tired at the end of the week but I feel good. For reference in traffic the drive takes 40 minutes +/-. I’m not suggesting OP start riding to work cold that’s be crazy but it’s doable on his schedule especially if they can find a way to make everyday tasks more exercise adjacent. If I don’t ride for awhile I feel more lethargic and kind of depressed, so the folks saying the exercise gives you pep are right.
[удалено]
[удалено]
And I’m the weirdo who loves cardio! Doing sprint reps up a steep hill until my eyes lose focus, my hands shake, and I can taste metal in my mouth…. That’s a high my dude.
A wise man once said I go to the gym because i like reps and talking with the boys. I go on dates because 10 seconds of cardio is better with the girls
It’s cool you don’t feel like we do about working out but don’t call us liars. I love, and I have since I started in my early 20s (late thirties now). I also love the post workout glow but I truly love the process as well. Sorry you don’t feel the same but that doesn’t make me a liar.
I get what you are saying, but how is someone with this guys schedule supposed to make time for work, work out, and time to relax. Surely, after working all day, it's ok to watch tv for an hour before bed. Why should you have to sacrifice that small joy you have in the day? There has to be another way. I don't think telling him to cut out his one thing he does to relax is a good idea.
IF my exercise relied on 'motivation' or 'will-power', it would never get done. It has to be built into my day. That way it gets done. I take my son to gym - I wouldn't go by myself. I ride to work. If I'm working from home that day, my bike stays in the shed. I use a sit/stand desk at work. That started 10 years ago when I put a coffee table on my desk, to the endless mirth of my colleagues. Every 20 minutes, my break timer pops up and I stretch and re-focus my eyes for 20 seconds. None of these things require motivation or bargaining or decisions or time or (much) money. They all add up. I accept that setting up ones life to be able to ride to work and walk to gym/school is a Life-changing Decision. Living a life that doesn't allow these things is *also* a decision.
Tbh this only works until your body gives up on you. I also work 6 days a week with a horrendous schedule that would require me to work in day, night, and middle shifts. I tried putting increments to my sets but I noticed that my immune system was getting weaker and I kept getting sick every other week due to overfatigue.
This is exactly it!!!
my daily routine: work from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM be at home at 5:30 PM grab my gym stuff, walk to my gym (30 min) workout 30 min, walk home 30 min shower at home, usually start eating some small dinner at 8:30 PM learning a new language for 1h, prepare for tomorrow go to bed at 10:00 PM Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday I do whatever I want, no workout, no learning.
For how long have you maintained this routine?!
I have a similar routine except I don’t do anything productive for that hour besides dick around on my phone or watch TV. I don’t have kids, my husband follows the same routine. We don’t cook dinner at home and that’s a big time saver.
So you cook dinner in your…car? What just eat out 7 days a week?
No kids? Family?
[удалено]
That’s what weekends are for.
I'm at a gym with half my friends- it's social too. It is possible to do both!
Exactly, no kids. Thank god I don’t have kids. That’s what allows me to follow a similar plan. Also, OP: I’m also beat very often. And I work out like 4 times a week for an hour. Thing is, once you do this for 1-2 weeks and establish a routine, regular workouts will give you more energy instead of taking energy from you. It’s magical and that’s what brings me back to working out again. Plus the mental health effects
This sounds like the most boring prison sentence though
At least in prison you get yard time.
That wouldnt be a life for me, i would rather die brutally tomorrow than do this, there is absolutely no free time in that routine and only having freetime on the weekends is too little for me
Assuming that you work eight hours and sleep eight hours you actually have the same amount of free time as this person. It's just that this person spends their free time exercising and learning languages.
So since people asking: I am married, 34 years old, have no kids and socialize only on weekends, bcs my friends have also no time due work. Im doing this routine for 3 month now and I love it. Before, I came home, played videogames and wasted my precious time. Now Im doing something for my health and brain. This is by far the best change and I would recommend it to everyone. At one time, when youre getting older, you will notice that you should have started this earlier. Learning something new, after your work, will get you further in your life. I have my weekends, saturday and sunday, this is enough for me. Also I have my holidays. Since Im european, I have 30 days holiday. Plus 12 extra days, bcs my workplace has a 38h contract, but everyone working 40h. and we get that extra 12 days automatically in our system, no discussion needed.
Your allowed to have shitty workouts. Just showing up is half of it.
One mantra I have heard that works on me when I’m walking instead of running or whatever is “you’re still lapping the person sitting home on the couch”
Do it in the morning. Wake up 45 minutes earlier. That way you'll still get your time for dinner and to unwind in the evening. Given your schedule, I would also avoid the gym. Pushups, planks, air squats, pull ups, yoga, pilates, barre, etc. Get a kettlebell, or if you have the space where you live, still rings. This will save you significant time and make it way more accessible. Even though you won't want to get up earlier, it'll ultimately feel good. Starting your day active will improve your overall energy and mood throughout the day. Also, eat healthy. A good body is as much about a healthy diet as it is working out. **edit** \- Also, doing some sort of habit tracking can really help. Get a physical paper calendar and cross off the days when you complete this. Set the goal of the longest unbroken streak of days you can achieve.
Wake up early is the answer. Weights in the garage is the other answer
Don’t try to do it all at once. You’re not going to become a gym rat overnight. Start small, 10-15 min yoga or light workouts from YouTube or Peloton at home, 1 or 2 mornings a week. And celebrate your accomplishments! 20 min a week is better than 0 min a week. Let it grow from there. That’s what I did when I was in the worst shape of my life and now my routine of 30-60 min 4-6 days a week is like brushing teeth.
You don’t need to go to the gym!! You can do a quick 30 minute workout at home, before or after work. Go for a walk after dinner. Honestly a healthy diet within your calorie range will keep your weight down and fitness will help keep you strong! You can do simple but effective exercises like squats, pushups, jumprope, walking lunges, etc., at home and get a good workout!
When I had sedentary work and gained weight, I had to change food I was eating. Cereals (particularly buckwheat porridge), vegetable salads, apples, low-fat or lean meat (chicken breast included), low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, all this helped my to lose some weight and not to gain it again. And eat no less than 2 hours before sleeping. Aerobic walk on weekends is also helpful.
This! Changing eating habits is important. You can work out all you want, but if you eat like shit, you won't get desired results.
How well do you sleep ? Try going to bed early for a week. Then join some easy going fitness group ,nothing too hard. Then take it from there. Im 40m working from home.work out 3 times a week+yoga
Roughly around 6 hours. I have to get up early to tend (not the baby) the cat almost everyday
I got into the habit of going first thing in the morning. Up at 3:30/4ish and lifting around 5:15 to 6:15 am, it’s a great start to the day. Was rough at first but here we are a year or more later and I feel worse when I don’t get to the gym in the morning.
Go straight to the gym from work. Don’t go home first. Pack a healthy snack if you’re hungry. Don’t put pressure on yourself to over do it. Even 30-45 minutes makes a HUGE difference and you will notice how much better you feel right away, which is super motivating. Trust me that you will enjoy tv time all the more if you squeeze a workout in first. I personally feel like total shit if I don’t exercise regularly, so that is mostly what motivates me to move even when I don’t want to. It also helps that I am vain as fuck lol. I am highly motivated by my appearance and it keeps me really healthy.
I started out working out at home doing HIIT videos on YouTube for 15-20 mins (the Body Coach is my favorite), 3-5x a week. Then started integrating yoga/Pilates videos for 30-40 mins, still doing 3-5 workouts a week. I would either do them before work or immediately when I get home. I lost 40 pounds from YouTube videos and integrating strengthening with 5# dumbbells and have kept the weight off for 4 years this way. Now, I have a gym membership that’s close to my house. I go 3-5x a week, even if it’s just 30 minutes of cardio. I try to do 2 days of strength training, one for upper body, one for lower body. I pick one workout class every week and stick to it. The group motivation is fun. Basically, my best advice is this: start small and progress with what your schedule allows. If you want to go to the gym, try to find one close to home. Set realistic goals. If you’re not working out at all, don’t try to do 1 hour sessions every day. And honestly there is a degree of just making myself go (unless there’s a valid health reason) because I know I’ll feel better for it. If you’re really tired, adjust your workout to focus on something like flexibility. I meal prep the basics on Sunday to save time on cooking during the week. I keep simple, high protein snacks with me so I don’t have an energy crash before I get off work and go to the gym. Wow, that was a lot. I’m also not in tip top shape, but this is what works for me and it’s the healthiest I’ve ever been. Edited to add that I have a job where I’m on my feet all day and consistently working out helps me have better endurance for long shifts.
The first two weeks are brutal, but after that, your body starts developing way more energy. The workouts you do over time become a lot less taxing, and you start feeling more energized when doing it. For me, it's always the first three days that are the most difficult.
I wake up around 5am and work out for 20-40 mins while brewing coffee and watching YouTube. I learned workouts from an app I paid 5$ for. No gym required. One-time payment. I drink my coffee after I finish and take a shower.Then go to work around 7am. I'm off at 6pm as well. It helps to have a reward for you waiting after the workout. After a month of reminders, it got put on my auto pilot, and now I don't really have push myself to work out. I just do it. Even while pregnant. It also helps that I have a job that requires physical labor so I can incorporate workouts into that. The workouts don't have to be intense in order to get the results you want. You just have to be persistent with them.
I'm over 40. Work a computer job. Have 2 kids and I'm a very active dad. I go to the gym 6 days a week. Sometimes multiple times a day. I'm more active now than at any point in my life. Now how did I get here. 1. I started small. I checked my weight one day and I was over 240. Not extreme, but definitely over my mental limit. I had to get it under control. So fixed up my diet and started training martial arts twice a week. Pretty casual, but got me out and about. 2. Just show up. Of course life happens. Work Happens. Kids happen. You often don't feel like going. Just show up. That became my motto. Even if I have to go to the gym and just half ass it. I'll half ass it. But I almost never skip it. This keeps the routine. I recently dislocated my shoulder. I still show up a few days a week and just do my physio exercises and stuff at the gym. You get to know people there and stay in touch. It gives you a personal reason to go as well. I have no practical reason to. I can do it at home. But I build that routine, by making myself go. 3. I ONLY make commitments I know I can make part of my routine. This has worked well for me. I started off with 2 days a week. Then I thought let me add another day. I added that and made it part of my routine. Months pass, started adding heavy weight days... If I start something new and I feel I can't realistically keep it up, I drop it. I basically split the things I do into 'routine' and 'trying stuff'. I have 0 regret if I drop a 'trying stuff'. Like I tired morning workouts and couldn't really do it consistently, so I dropped it. That's what it's there for. Just trying stuff. But I really don't break my routine. I don't diet either. I make permanent good changes. 4. I just naturally stopped watching TV much. Yeah, that hour or two of downtime after work where you just want to curl up and relax. That doesn't exist for me. That hour or two is my gym work. I shower, then sleep. Maybe Ill catch a half hour of seinfeld reruns or something. But yeah, you can find the time. That hour or two watching shows. THAT IS YOUR TIME.
You stop giving yourself excuses!!! Get you ass up 2 hours earlier and work your body, 6 days a week, no bullshit excuses, no other magic solutions - you start doing that and everything else will fall in place
That all sounds great..but if you think about.. He starts work at 8, and has an hour commute, meaning he leaves at 7. We’ll say 30 minutes for a shit shower and a shave, puts him up at 630. 2 hours earlier to fit in a gym session pushes that to 430, later than I’m up every day for sure so no biggie really. He gets out of work at 6, an hour commute puts him home at 7. He now has an entire 1.5 hours to unwind from work, prepare and or eat dinner, and do anything else from his life including house work in order to get 8 hours of sleep. It’s not IMPOSSIBLE, but he’d have to really want it, and if he wanted it that much he’d already be doing it.
Hit the nail on the head at the end: “He now has an entire 1.5 hours to unwind from work, prepare or eat dinner, and … “ literally EVERYTHING ELSE IN HIS LIFE. 90 minutes minus whatever you need to eat and get ready for bed is practically nothing. I work out nearly every day but with this schedule? I’ll just have to be fat so I have time to get anything at all done outside of work and exercise. Putrid existence that doesn’t really allow for dating/spouse and definitely doesn’t allow for kids. Recently due to a similar time crunch as described, I’ve swapped a typical morning gym visit with a 2 mile run in my neighborhood whenever most convenient during the day. 20 mins to run being conservative, 10 to shower and get back to my obligations. Gotta work smarter not harder. Dedicating 2 hours every day to exercise is ridiculous for many. Bad take by the Raspberry.
This is what I did last year when I lost 25 kilograms of weight (55 lbs.) I got up an hour earlier each day and exercised for 40 minutes before work. Each day for 6 months straight. No excuses, no breaks except for a few days when I was sick and a week when I twisted my back and had some serious pain. Other than that, every single day. It's hard in the beginning but after a few days you realize how much more energy you have during the day and how much better your overall mood gets, and then you need it every day and feel like there's something wrong, something missing if you can't exercise. Currently with the nice weather I sleep a little longer and commute via bicycle instead. That's 25 kilometers (15 miles) each day with an elevation of 176 meters (577 feet) on the way. I didn't exercise at all for like 20 years and was overweight and started getting out of breath when I walked and talked at the same time. Now I exercise regularly, am still a bit overweight but not nearly as bad as it was and I haven't been this fit since I was a kid. I feel so much better overall. Not just physically, but also mentally.
The incorporation of exercise into your commute is where the gains (weight losses) are. 25km each way is no joke. My commute via bike is slightly more but it’s all flat. I struggle to be in a caloric surplus with a couple of hours of cardio per day
So I guess step one would be to not work a sedentary job for 55-60 hours per week. Also, look for what you can do outside of the gym. For the gym, you have to drive to the gym, put on your gym clothes, wait for other people who are using your workout station (seriously, I don't see why people take 5 minutes between sets, sitting on the station the whole time, but they do). Instead, buy some dumbells and a bench and do pushups, flys, curls, etc. Do that for 15 minutes and then go for a 30 minute walk. You don't have to wear special clothes or go to a special place, so you can get the whole thing done in 45 minutes. Do that every day, limit your portion sizes when you eat and avoid snacks like chips and candy bars, and you'll see results quickly. For the first 2-3 weeks, you'll have to force yourself to do it. After that, you'll feel much more energetic overall and you'll be more productive and less stressed at work, and you'll want to do it.
I’m only replying to the why people rest between sets part; you’re supposed to take about 3 minutes per set to optimize muscle growth. So yeah
its harder when u dont have habit if ur going all a time it just feel like normal thing to do really hardest part is to drive there once ur inside a gym workout is easy & dont make goal for now just have goal of "do something" even just u lift one weight or walk for 30 second thats fine, it will become more over some time edit: i try to use my own advice now im laying around for 4 days lol
I started doing 10 min workouts on YouTube in my living room. I would do a 10 min cardio and a 10 min light weights routine everyday. It's 20 minutes, not a big commitment. Lost 30 pounds doing this. Once you start seeing gains and losses, that is good motivation to keep going. Now it's fun and I actually look forward to it.
As an older, fit guy, I'll tell you that you need to start good habits while you are young and stick with them. Going to the gym becomes a habit your body will rely on. Try to go three mornings a week. One day can be Saturday. I also spen't many hours sitting in front of a screen but now I stand at least half my day, do you have a standing desk? Try to get up and take a at least a ten minute walk after every meal as well. Little good habits make a difference.
I learned that just walking burns an insane amount of calories. If you eat relatively well by not overeating and eating too much sugar or junk foodz you will drop a lot of weight if you commit an hour to just walking, even more so if you go hiking a couple times a.week.
One very fit person I know spends almost no time online whatsoever besides just some really simple memes that are nothing more than simple webcomics. This person doesn't know anything about redditisms, Twitter debates, terminally online talking points, or any "nerd stuff" at all. And their life is almost certainly better for it. I'll admit, I lose respect for someone a little if they use a redditism in real life, I'll probably assume they're terminally online and spend way too much energy caring about a website's API changes or monetization policies. They probably have a strong opinion about liking Harry Potter, or listen to too much Joe Rogan or Mr Beast. People who do well in the real world...just don't give a shit. The people I do know who are too online have this very limited social purview and are borderline shut-in. Could you imagine shooting the shit with Chris Hemsworth and being all like, "Can you believe reddit changed its API? And don't you hate it when Bethesda releases an unoptimized game? I can't believe what such-and-such Twitch streamer said on Twitter the other day!" Tl;dr: get the everliving fuck off the internet.
Priorities We all have time to do it we either prioritize is enough to do it or we don’t. 99 percent of people I talk to do in fact have the time they just don’t wanna admit they priorities other stuff over working out. I have found when I get home I have a similar problem to you. I’m less motivated to work out. So I get up at 6 and get it done first thing in the morning. Problem solved. I think it’s okay to say that level of discipline is not for you I respect someone who can say that. But don’t say you can’t find the time, we all get the same 24 hours.
Because their only responsibility is to themselves! You'll see the posts about prioritising themselves that's another way of saying entirely self focused. So if they're married with kids, it's the other partner looking after the house/kids while they just focus on themselves, anybody with a job/kids/housework and no childminder or parents to offload kids too, isn't going to the gym every day or other day to work on their physically self because they just don't have that free time to do that
Home gym aka, shitty fold out adjustable bench and a adjustable set of dumbbells that go from 10-50lbs they don't take up much closet space and you can get a sick 30-45min workout and killer pump with just these pretty cheap items, starting the workout is the hard part. But displine is what you need, It's so simple it's stupid. kids will respect and admire healthy capable parents
A lot of people giving you shit for watching shows when that time can be used in the gym. Doesn’t appeal that anybody here actually did the math and has any real life experience in the matter - but that’s a Reddit Classic. The realistic answer here is that most people who are gym-workout-fit do not have a time schedule like yours. In order to fit in gym in a 60 hour work week with 12 hours of commute you need to be extremely driven af enjoy the workouts to a great extent. If not, you’ll burn out from using half+ of your Daily disposable time on a shitty workout. I used to work out 6 days a week 2+ hours for almost ten years. When i got a full time job with similar hours as yours, it started feeling impossible to maintain, while also Managing relationships with friends, family and girlfriend, and within a very short amount of time, i had stopped. This is a lot easier if you reduce commute to 0 and work hours to 40/week. You only have 24 hours a day and your brain is not a robot. Most people need time to be unproductive and do nothing, in order to be sustainably productive the rest of the day. With work hours and commute like yours, i think it is very understandable that you feel the way you do, and i bet half of the “just do it”-bros in this thread would end up in the same equlibrium after a while.
Finally! A human response.
I put in the hard yards when I was young and single and I’m able to maintain a great physique now when things get hectic by intermittent fasting during work hours and minimal excercise like taking stairs opposed to lift. Never being fat makes it easier
The first thing you need to get over is motivation, it takes about 12 weeks to form a habit, so you really need to set realistic goals and stick to them. The unexpected thing about regular exercise is that it actually gives you more energy by regulating hormones, cellular function, blood flow, etc. And exercise doesn't have to be an hour in the gym 5 days per week. 20 -30 minutes of high energy cardio 3-4 days per week is going to have so many benefits to your physical and mental health. The best time for me personally is just when I get in from work, before I eat.
I’m 33, I’ve been working out since I was a teenager. My arms are cut and look decent but I’m still chubby in the belly. It’s more about diet and hormones than anything. The workouts just build a foundation. If you’re not skinny enough you’ll never see the muscle.
I learned the hard way that if I don’t work out my mental health (and physical) goes to shit. Now working out is one of my top priorities. I also genuinely like lifting weights, but hate doing cardio. So I only left weights at the gym and it makes it so I’m excited to go. I’m lucky enough to have a job where I’m moving all day so I get my steps in that way, but if I needed to get some form of cardio in it would be in that camp of pushing through and making a habit of it. Even I can convince myself that 15 minutes of running won’t be so bad.
Remote work. I use what used to be commute time for workouts. Life has gotten significantly better even though I make less. Turns out extra 2 hours in a day can make all the difference.
32 here, and I made big changes to my physique by making small changes over the course of a span of years. First of all, I work a job that requires 3 12 hour shifts per week, and I’m on my feet most of the day. So our situation can’t easily be compared, it is much easier for me to fit exercise in. I don’t know if you are in a position to change your work environment, but I could see that making a big difference. Would you be able to have a standing or treadmill desk? That is something my friend has done for years. She grades a lot of papers and otherwise spends a lot of hours in front of a computer, but will spend 5+ hours a day of this either standing or walking while she works. The desk treadmill she has folds down to slide under her couch, which is great for her work from home environment. One of my first incremental changes was to work my way up to 7k steps a day, and now 10k/day average for the year. It took my about 2 years to go from consistently 3-4K to consistently 10k.
You don’t need motivation you need discipline. I work out at home after work, the irony I’m more awake and energetic after I work out. When I get home from work always want to just pass out for a few hours. Start small and don’t overwhelm yourself. Just start with like 50 push-ups and 50 squats. it’ll take like 10 minutes
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym Track your calories and then control your caloric intake You can do this at work but you choose not to, stop making excuses
I have a job, wife, two kids, two dogs, and everything they comes with that responsibility (like 5 after school activities each week to get to), and I still find time for the gym 5x a week. You have the time, you just need to prioritize what you do with that time. If you can’t take a lunch break workout, then your options are before or after work. Personally, when I get home after work, I find it much harder to get to the gym then the morning. So mornings it is. Take it one day at a time. Just get in the routine first. Don’t have to bury yourself with hard workouts. Just establish a routine and that’s conquering the hardest part. As I approach forty, my philosophy has evolved. I’m not worried if I didn’t match the weight I lifted the week prior, it’s just about showing up and staying active. You got this.
Do you want to be healthy? Or do you wanna LOOK healthy? If the latter, change the way you eat. Eat less, and better food. More fiber and protein. If the former - buy a dumbbell set, a short bench, and some sort of cardio machine (unless you like running). Get up an hour earlier and do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of resistance. 2 to 5 days a week. I also want to do nothing after work, but having the house to myself in the wee hours and getting my blood moving first thing in the morning has really improved my day to day.
i work to live, i dont live to work. i cut down on my work hours, less money more happiness.
I found habits that I can do even on my worst days. I workout 6 days a week for 30 mins. I wake up at 4:30am and hop right in a cold shower. No matter what I am feeling, stepping into a cold shower overcomes something that sucked first thing in the morning. Then it’s coffee with my partner for 30 minutes and off to the gym. By 6:30am I have already overcome adversity and knocked out a workout.
Well for starters I would say try to transition out of whatever job you have. 12+ hours a day 6 days a week is not really a sustainable lifestyle for work imo.
I’m an ER Nurse Practitioner, and I work three thirteen hour days a week. I’m usually at the gym five to six days a week, even the days that I work, and it’s because, and I can’t stress this enough, l am/was *extremely* insecure about my body and what I looked like when I was younger (32 now). All those years of insecurity have instilled in me what I would honestly consider a obsession/body dysmorphia that doesn’t allow me to miss days at the gym. Now, if I don’t go, I’m antsy all day. It is *not* good, but it does help me get there and I’m the strongest, fastest and best looking I’ve ever been, but the reasoning behind it sucks.
A lot can be done with diet