When (Exactly) Do You Work Out?

The comments about finding a time to workout that works for you really resonate with me. I used to wake up at 5:45 am to work out at the local gym, but one day my car got broken into and I never could bring myself to get back into that routine. Now I am lucky to work at a place that has its own gym which offers Spin Classes during lunch, I try to make it to my work gym 2-3 times a week for Spin Class, and I also belong to a very expensive Rock Climbing and Yoga Gym. I try to workout at that gym an addtional 2-3 times a week to get my moneys worth!

I’m very late to this thread – but would love to share a few tips that have made a huge impact in my life. I grew up very athletic, playing 3 sports a year, but became less engaged in working out as my adult schedule ramped up over the years. I too preferred the after-work wine + couch combo. I also hated dragging myself to crowded big box gyms. It just didn’t work for me. Once I stopped forcing myself to do what I thought was the “right” exercise routine, I freed myself up to find what I truly enjoy. This has been a game changer for me.

1) Invest in some basic home exercise equipment. I have free weights, resistance bands, and a yoga mat. (All from Amazon/Target). My husband has a set of stackable weights (which scare me, frankly), a weight bench, and we’re getting a treadmill this winter. We live in Portland, OR where the gloomy winter months make it difficult to exercise outside, so we’re planning ahead this year. Endorphins save the day!

2) Find online exercise programs / apps you enjoy! I’m a big fan of Beachbody. The app is $99/year (a cheaper gym membership does not exist!) and you have unlimited access to hundreds of fun workouts, most of which are around 30 minutes. (But – they are intense). I love weight lifting, HIIT, and yoga classes, but there is truly something for everyone, at all fitness levels. I also like Down Dog, which is a free yoga app. If you want to shell out $8/mo, the premium version allows you to customize your flows.

Working out at home has been life changing for me. It’s logisticslly easier, less expensive, and you’re in control of your experience. It’s also more relaxing.

3) Find something you simply like doing. This seems to be a common theme in the comments. Whether it’s gym classes, home workouts, long walks, running with friends, hikes, swimming – find what doesn’t feel like a chore and do it. The more you just like your activity and feel good doing it, the more you will do it. I came to some big realizations around age 33 (I’m now 35) where I stopped judging myself for hating frenetic gyms and classes where I felt like I needed to wear a $200 Lulu outfit. I just found what works for me.

4) Workout in the am. Agree with others here – if this means getting up 30 minutes early to knock out a yoga session or a jog, it’s then done for the day! If you exercise at home, this is even easier – no gym grooming situation to plan for. I personally find that I procrastinate less when I prioritize exercise as essential to the morning, like my cup of coffee.

Caveat here – find a time that works best for you. Maybe it’s mid-day when your office breaks for lunch, or en route home after work. Maybe it’s meeting a friend for a Wednesday night yoga class to also build in some social time.

5) If you’re someone who needs public accountability, try out new classes to find your fit and gym/studio vibe. So many places offer free first-time student classes/specials, cheap drop-in rates, or unlimited one-month trial memberships. Try before you buy…that way you’re not financially committed to something that isn’t a good fit for you.

Like many of the others, I have to workout in the morning otherwise it doesn’t get done. I am a full time physician with 2 boys (6 and 2) and there is no time for me at the end of the day. I am a runner and will run outdoors year round, but after my second son was born we moved out of town to an area where I don’t feel safe running in the dark (mountain lions and bears, oh my!). So now I workout at home in our family room. I am addicted to Cathe Friedrich’s workouts, which are a combination HIIT, weights, boxing, you name it! She is amazingly strong and working out with her has increased my strength and shred the post pregnancy weight. I feel stronger than ever though I do miss the morning runs in the winter. We are debating getting a treadmill but what I love about running is being outside, feeling like I’m escaping for an hour or so, so I’m not sure I’d like the treadmill.
Mornings are tough and I don’t get enough sleep, but I feel more awake at work and happy that I made time for myself before the boys get up and the chaos begins.

Yoga with Adriene on YouTube has changed my life. I look forward to doing her routines and you can do it in the comfort of your own home – all you need is a yoga mat! She has so many different types of yoga routines, as well as 30-day challenges, and it feels really nice to pick a routine that fits with how I’m feeling that day. I have been doing her routines almost daily for over two years now and I mix it with walks or running depending on the day. I think the most important thing is not to feel obligated to do a certain kind of exercise – find what truly brings you joy and you will stick to it. Don’t force it. A 30-minute walk with an audiobook can work wonders, so can a 2-mile run, or a 25-minute yoga routine. Just find what works for you!

I’m from Spain (I hope soon from Catalonia) and here all the things happen too late. I have two kids and my husband arrives at home at 8:30 pm, so, I workout mondays and wednesdays from 9 to 10 pm on a gym. On mondays I do strong and on wednesdays I do steps.

Awww, so happy I’m not the only one feeling this way! By the time by kids are in bed and I do everything that needs to be done, it’s super late and I don’t want to exercise!! But I do. Yup. And it feels good. But man it’s hard to get myself going! Yes, I want wine, not exercise;)
I also try to fit stair climbing during my lunch breaks, or at least a walk. It’s good for the body and soul!
Thanks for this post, love it!

I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan so I try to run to work 2 or 3 times a week. I pack my clothes in a running backpack and shower at the gym across the street from my office. In the winter, I’ll sometimes bring in extra shoes & an extra coat on Monday so that I don’t have to run with too much stuff in my bag. I looooove skipping a subway ride and it’s less stressful than biking for me. It saves time (I run from 8-9, shower at the gym from 9:00-9:20, and at work by 9:30) and if you bundle up with warm running tights, it’s really nice to get a good dose of sunshine in the morning since it’s dark by the time you get out of work. Running home works too but I have less energy after work and apparently the air quality is better in the mornings. I do worry about my lungs with NYC pollution.

I’m feeling the same way Joanna! I find “workout commutes” have been helping me lately. I always feel invigorated after but I know I need to do more with weights/HIIT training. That’s where I get stuck: in finding a group to do this with and not paying for a pricey gym membership.

I get up at 5:12 am two days a week to run for an hour, and slightly later than that on Wednesdays for cross-training. We do our long runs on the weekend and usually don’t start until 6:15. I am really lucky, because I have crazy friends who will do this with me and we are very careful not to get out of habit even when we aren’t training for a specific race. I have to go to bed at 9:30 and drinking that glass of wine is not in the cards, but I find it worth it . . . most of the time.

Morning is when it has to happen for me or it gets pushed down on the list. And just as you said Jo, after getting my two boys down, the last thing I have energy for is a workout. I wake up super early to make sure I have time for myself and that includes working out.

All of these comments are so inspiring! I seem to be much more laissez-faire than most of the other commenters – I don’t have a schedule and merely fit things in when I can. I’m also extremely cheap, so my routine reflects that. Here’s the assortment of things I do:
I highly recommend getting some gym equipment for your home! I use this elliptical (super cheap): https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-55-1610-InMotion-Elliptical-Trainer/dp/B000VICRO8/ref=sr_1_5?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1506872261&sr=1-5&keywords=elliptical I use this a couple times a week while I watch Netflix after work. There are also a lot of stationary bikes on Amazon that fold up nicely and can fit in your closet.
I also enjoy Yoga with Adriene on Youtube, or sometimes I just make up my own yoga routine with my favorite poses.
On the weekends, my husband and I try to be really active. We aim to go on a hike each weekend (it’s easy in the Bay Area), and often add in a bike ride or tennis as well.
Finally, I walk a lot and live on top of a massive hill. I also have a walking buddy at work, and we’ll power walk during our lunch break. I really enjoy each and every one of these activities, which I think makes a big difference! Exercise shouldn’t be torture.

I’m a SAHM weekend of 3 kids. I hadn’t worked out regularly in over 6 years. But i heard about mommastrong.com, and it has really changed EVERYTHING for me. It’s the first and only routine I’ve every been able to stick with. Courtney is AMAZING. The community of support is amazing. It’s doable. It’s effective. And it’s real- no bikini-body talk with these woman. It’s about strength. . Healing your core. And showing up for yourself. I can’t recommend mommastrong highly enough. It’s THAT great.

My co-workers and I started a squat challenge. We set alarms on our phones and 3 times throughout the day we jump up from our desks and do 25 squats followed by 10 push-ups! It barely takes a minute and gives us a nice energizing break. I look forward to doing it once the office gets extra chilly in winter.

Finding a studio/gym with childcare was key for me. The studio I go “hires” other clients/moms as childcare providers in exchange for workout memberships. Brilliant. Finding a place and workout you enjoy makes it a treat, not a chore. Not kidding, a treat. I’ve made friends, feel part of a community and am in the best shape of my life.

Like many of other commenters indicated, I use exercise as a method to manage a pretty severe anxiety disorder. It is so important to my mental health that I will prioritize exercise over just about anything else, whether it’s sacrificing sleep to get a work-out in, or squeezing a late night Jillian Michaels video in before bed. It gives me confidence and energy in a way that nothing else can. Props to all the strong women that make time to move your bodies in ways that feel good to you!

One thing I would share, and that I’m slowly learning to deal with, is that a commitment to exercise can toe a tricky line between healthy and obsessed. While working out helps to manage my stress, it’s also a way for me to exert control over my schedule, appearance, and body image. This winter, I herniated two discs in my neck, and I literally fell apart when I had to give myself a break from exercising so my body could heal. I had re-teach myself how to recognize that the fact that you are injured, exhausted, or mentally depleted oftentimes means that I need to take a day, week, or months off to get myself back into the healthiest place for me and my body.

Just a long-winded way of saying that while making excuses to skip the gym may not be healthy for some people, it might actually be the best thing you can do for yourself in some circumstances. Take a hard look at your reasoning — sometimes a break from exercising may be just what you need!

One of the best decisions I ever made in my 20’s was not to have a desk job. I went back to school to become an occupational therapist. I literally run around and play with children all day long, and now that I’m older and see the effect that sitting all day has had on other women my age, I am grateful to my younger self for that choice. On the weekends, I love to contra dance. Contra is an American social dance that has its roots in English and French country dancing, is always done to live music and a caller, and is extremely fun. There are contra dance organizations all over the country, including one in Brooklyn within walking distance of where you live! Hope to see you there one Friday night.

I view working out as practicing gratitude for my health and body. I deal with some pain in my life, so every run or workout is a moment when I can be thankful that my body works, is beautiful and can do amazing things. I typically go after work, and whenever I feel like just sitting on the couch instead, I remind myself that there will be a time when I can’t easily run, and in those moments I’ll always be happy that I did get off the sofa.

Also – get a trainer. It’s a splurge, but it’s really an investment in your health (physical and mental). You’ll learn so much and get some variety into your routine to keep things fun!

Wow so many comments here! I either go very early in the morning or straight after work before dinner. I run so that is pretty convenient because you don’t have a class schedule but also trickier because you don’t have a schedule…!
But for me to actually make it happen is to make a workout non-negotiable. The most powerful thing I read somewhere years ago and now my mantra: It Doesn’t Matter. It’s cold outside. It doesn’t matter, go. But i,m tired. It doesn’t matter. But I want to have wine and netflix. It.Doesn’t.Matter. Almost always works and wine&netflix feel so much better after!

I just got on my bike again for the first time in years and lights went on in my brain that haven’t been lit in an age. It was amazing. I’m making it a goal now to bike to work two times a week. Already I feel and experience such a difference in my day because I can feel that my brain is activated in a new way. I have always loved biking in the city but surrendering to my kids and my schedule caused me to forget it. Now I feel like I have something of my OWN that’s making me FREE. It’s wonderful.

On another note, the question for me remains: When do you find time to READ? That feels impossible!!