How Do You Fit Exercise Into Your Schedule? / I Got My Treadmill!

[Plantgoddess+]

My dogs are my personal trainers. I have made it a point for the last 10 years to walk whatever dogs I have at the time everyday for at least 30 minutes. The 2 I have now start watching me from the time they finish breakfast until I give in and take them. I'm lucky in that I can walk on my own property, but I start with a 1/4 mile climb up a steep hill and then another 1/4 mile on up the ridge and the rest is easy up and down. In the summer I walk about 20 minutes after getting up. I have to feed horses, dogs and make coffee. I fill a travel mug with coffee and set out.
Friends are another great way, I've been able to stay home the last couple of years and have taken up hiking, biking, and kayaking with friends. I live in the Northwest so never run out of incredible areas to explore.
I also garden about 1 acre of property around the house as well as a deceased friends yard which is almost as large as mine.

[mks22300]

My excerise is chasing 13 preschoolers around everyday!

[feministmama]

I think friends are a great motivator. My mother has been doing a couple mile walk with a bunch of other women for years now and she loves it. She gets up 5am everyday too. Now I'm a different story. I don't have friends near by to walk with (I should get some huh?) I try to walk in the mornings after I drop off the boy at school. I don't have to be at work till later. But I inevitably sit down in front of the computer and before you know it I'm late for work! I also try to study and I end up falling asleep . So then I tried riding the bicycle in the gym at my university. It's open weird hours so that doesn't work too well too often. Then I have a Nordic track. The old fashion wooden kind. It's a good workout but my feet slip around on the gliders and I hate that. I also have tapes or sometimes I watch the tape but listen to my own music and jump around.

So I guess what I'm saying is variation and try to make friends.

[feministmama]

Oh and I have a friend who sometimes walks home from work instead of taking the bus. It takes her hour but its a way to add exercise in her day

[knitgal]

You know, one of the main reasons people don't exercise is time. They say they don't have it. Here's the thing though, you have time to knit and time to be on here. I know it must be hard to find the time, but once you start you will feel awesome.

You have more than one dog, don't you? Take them both for a good long walk. Walking is great exercise.

I joined a gym recently and have found that I really enjoy going and doing the eliptical or the treadmill for 30-40 minutes and then weights for 20-30. Usually I am done within an hour. I'm sure you have an hour that you usually sit and knit.

I usually go whenever I can, even if I'm exhausted from work. I stand and walk in heels for 8 hours at work and sometimes I am practically limping, but I will still go because it actually makes me feel better. I also try to commit to 3 days a week at the gym. 3 days could be 2 days on the weekend and one other day. I find it helpful to track my exercise on the Body by Glamour site. It lets you log your minutes and it's really encouraging to see the progress.

[Sunshine's Mom]

My husband and I go into our backyard and play badminton! We're having so much fun. We also have a paddle ball court so we're trying that once it gets too windy to use the badminton birdies. I think our doing something fun makes exercise easier than just, you know, "exercising". We also have lots of gym equipment in the basement including an eliptical machine and we use these in the winter. But, I'm really enjoying the badminton. Haven't seen the clothes get looser yet, but I am having fun!

[hartleystudio]

I can really speak to this. Over the last few years and babies I have gained my fair share of weight. Nothing was fitting and I was having to make the change to the plus size department. I joined a gym and have been going about 3 times a week for 18 months. I got in shape, worked out really hard (ran bleachers, lifted weight ect. Not wimpy stuff) I lost a few pounds and body fat but never really lost weight like I wanted.

THEN,...my dog got really sick and almost died and my Dad died and I lost my appetite. (I would not recommend this diet to anyone) 6 weeks later I am 20 pounds lighter, fit into all my clothes and feel much better. The dog lived and we buried my Dad and life goes on.

I asked at the gym about this and they said that working out is a terrible way to loose weight. (if you pm me I can get a copy of the article they gave me, it was really good) You will be healthier and feel much better (I do) but if you want to loose weight you have to eat less. I have found this to be totally true. I was shocked at how little I needed to eat to feel full and keep my energy up. My terrible 6 weeks really opened my eyes to how much I was eating and how much of it was unnecessary.

So, I still go to the gym and enjoy it but I really eat much less now than I used to.

I hope that helps. The gym will make you feel like a superstar but you need to eat much less at the same time to loose weight.

Good luck!!!!!

[Jan in CA]

Exercise? What's that?

[Abbily]

I go to Curves 3x a week. It's cheaper than the gyms around here, it's quick and it's a no-brainer. 30 minute workout in circuit fashion where you do each machine for 30 seconds, and you go around twice. There are also prescribed stretches that take maybe 5 minutes altogether. I go during my lunch break with one of my coworkers, so we keep each other honest about going.

[jcmom]

Unfortunately, what made me start going to the gym was the diagnosis of osteopenia. I guess it's like pre-osteoporosis. Shook me up since I'm not that old. Anyway, we also homeschool, so my DD and I go after she does algebra and it's then her PE. We also got a good deal on the membership. Surprisingly, I like it. It's also within two miles from my house. It was getting into the habit that did it for us. Go do whatever works for you.