So the never ending frustration here, and I've complained about it before, is my EXERCISE. Gosh, it seems like I can never get ahead with it!

I'll admit, there for awhile I got kind of slack with it, but even with only going to the gym maybe once or twice a week, I was still seeing pretty decent results so I didn't worry about it. However, I knew I didn't need to continue on like that and I finally got the motivation to try and up it to 3 times a week, at least. But apparently, oh **** no because that's when sh!t hit the fan at work and started getting all crazy. I'll have my workouts all planned out nice and pretty, and then work calls me in for these long and/or awkward shifts and ruins my plans because I can't afford to skip the hours and they're scheduled just right so that I can't plan around them. It doesn't help that my gym closes early on weekends, and I'm usually working on weekends, so that's out of the question too because the gym closes at 5 on weekends.

Long story short, if I'm lucky I can get in a workout during the day, twice a week. I'm almost wondering if I'm gonna have to start getting up the crack of dawn just to get in a work out (which would SUCK for me); I can do evenings sometimes but I'm usually exhausted from work or the gym's crowded and I couldn't get to do what I want to do anyway cause the big beefy guys hog up the free-weight section at night. I feel like it's starting to catch up, too, because my weight loss has slowed down a little bit; I was losing 7 or 8lbs a month, and now I'm only losing 5, and I know if I got in one or two extra workouts a week, I'd be back to where I was. It's just really hard to fit them in without making my routine really wonky.

Hopefully things will get better, in the mean time, lord knows when I'll hit goal. -_-

Lauren, you sound pretty determined, so I think you will work something out. In the mean time, be proud of yourself for doing the best you can in a difficult situation.

I used to have a job with a very irregular schedule and I needed the money, so I know what it's like. You can never plan anything.

The only advice I have is to think about some kind of exercise you can do at home.

Yes, getting up and working out at the crack of dawn sucks. Yes, hitting the gym after a long day at work is exhausting. Life is busy and it will only get busier. The bottom line is that if you really want to get the workouts in you will. I have a stressful full-time job and a 4 year old yet I manage to workout at least 4 times per week.

If you still don't think you can pull it off then I suggest buying some free weights so you can workout at home.

I'm sorry your schedule has been so difficult lately.
I work out at home so I don't have bother with gym hours or beefy guys hogging weights. Is there any way this is a possibility for you?

Another thought... and I hate to say it because I'm sure you aren't going to want to hear it, but your weightloss might be slowing down just because your weightloss might be slowing down. At 182 I know I wasn't losing 7 or 8 lbs a month despite a large deficit and exercising at least 4 or 5 times a week.

My schedule is the pits too. I had settled in to a nice routine and then things changed and I'm having to rearrange my priorities.

I'm basing future changes (rearrangement of priorities) on an article I recently read. The article said, instead of saying "I can't do something because I don't have time" change it to "I can't do something because it's not a priority". Because that's really what it is. You're prioritizing other things above exercise. Of course you have to make work and sleep priorities. But what do you do when you get home? Nothing? Watch TV? Anything useful? Make exercise a priority.

Planned change: although I hate going out at night to my boot camp because I'm already out of the house 2 nights a week for school, and one more for my run club, I'm going to have to do it because it's the only time I can go. I tell myself I can't go at night because I miss out on family time. Which is true. But really, my family is doing their own thing and while it's nice to be home, I have time before and after my class to spend with my husband and kids. It's not a forever thing. I have to make it a priority. It's not like I'm doing anything else, like jogging on the treadmill. I'm sitting at the computer, watching TV or doing pretty much nothing useful.

I have to be at work at 7 AM most of the time (it's the 6 AM shifts that put a crimp in things). I used to get up earlier than necessary and check facebook and 3FC, and just play on the computer because it was the only time I had to myself. I started going to boot camp instead and then I'd head straight in to work a couple of days a week. I'm up. Why not prioritize exercise instead of facebook? I can get facebook on my phone later if I want to.

As hard as it is to drag myself out of bed in the morning, I really like how I feel because I'm doing it. It's worth it.

So try it. Start using "priority" instead of "time" and see if that changes things.

There will still be times when you just can't. In that case, twice a week is still really good, and you can always do push ups, sit ups,and other exercises at home on those days you can't get to the gym.

I agree with those who say it's a matter of commitment more than scheduling. I've made excuses about exercise most of my life. I could never find the time. Now, at 55, I'm finding the time to do it 4 times per week, regardless of how busy I am.

As soon as you make the commitment, the scheduling issues will sort themselves out. And you'll make the commitment when your desire to reach and stay at goal weight becomes greater than your desire to take it easy.

I hope I don't sound harsh. As I said, I have a long and proud history of excuse-making and procrastinating. That's what's helped me understand that the excuses aren't real.

F.

I have to agree with those who mention commitment, and cutting out excuses. If you really want to go workout, you will; if not you will let your schedule, the busy-ness of the gym, the people working out at the gym, your tiredness (etc., etc.) get in the way. And I mean that in a supportive, but tough love, kind of way!

Fit it in... just do it! You can. If your goal is 3x a week then I suggest doing 2 of those times by Wed so you have 4 more days to get in the last workout. I go 4 days a week, period. Not always easy as I work nights and my gym also closes early on the weekends.So, I get where you're coming from with having a crazy schedule.

im with the commitment and priorities boat.

i know it's frustrating. I KNOW.

i practice a very, VERY time consuming form of yoga. you either MAKE IT, or ya don't. maybe it should be the same with the gym.

i practice 6-7 times a week.
it is a MASSIVE time crunch. 3 hours of my day, every day. every. single. day. (although to be fair, 2.5 of that is class, getting there/getting home) and the other 30 mins is the "de-sweating" shower.

i MAKE the time. on top of that, you don't just "show up" there has to be a class scheduled.

with the gym... buy boys in the way? show them you're a tough woman. RAWWWWR.


you know what they say, there is no force stronger in the world then the force of 1 determined woman.

Well, as far as evenings are concerned, when I get home from work (usually around 6 or 7, I get home, take a breather (nothing major, just give myself a minute to get my thoughts out, talk to my mom, just get ready for the next phase lol), then we eat dinner around 7 or 8, and well, my gym closes at 10. I guess I could go at 9, then I really would miss the crowd, but I always feel weird staying til closing time cause I feel like I'm "that" person. I guess I could just get a small snack when I get home or pack one with me to eat in the car and work out before i get home.(I cannot workout on an empty stomach). I might just have to start doing that.

Thanks for the suggestions... the reality is exactly what y'all say: there are no excuses. I don't know if I'll ever muster up the courage to workout in front of the beefy guys though, lol, but I can make it so I'm not "that" person and still miss the crowds.

i have a goal....my goal is to run every workday (or 5 days a week) for two miles or more at the gym...that's my goal...i actually started the last week of august...tomorrow is the last day and i will have made my goal...due to tomorrow's busy work schedule, i will be getting up at the crack of dawn (or "pitch black" as we alaskans call it lol) and going to the gym...i can't take the chance that work will be so busy tomorrow that i have to stay and work through my long break...

not that getting up at 4:30 a.m. doesn't suck....its 8 p.m. and frankly i'm exhausted by now....but tomorrow i do what i have to do to meet my goal

and then i get a protein smoothie from the gym....that's my reward for 5 weeks of running

That's a pretty small reward for all that work! Although I imagine your sense of accomplishment is a far greater reward.

F.

Wow! Good luck! I need to follow your lead..... I attempted a running streak but I was only able to manage 7 days before my schedule said "nope". But that week reminded me of how easy it is to incorporate running in to my day if I just do it.

Again, good luck!

OOH! Idea!

If I went twice a week (if that was all that was available to me), and just worked out longer, say 1h30 - 2hrs as opposed to 45min - 1hr, that would be sufficient, wouldn't it? That'd be 3-4 hours a week, which is what I'd get working out for 3-4 days a week at an hour per workout.

Another question: what is a good snack to eat prior to working out?

IMO anything you decide to do is sufficient! Ya, 2 days is great!

For that long of a workout I'd eat something a little higher in carbs (good carbs). I would need a good 300 calories or so to get through that long of a workout (maybe more).