[ncuneo]

In the begining a professional, social or family obligation was a great reason to skip working out or go off plan. Then at some point I would rearrange my workout schedule or calorie budget to meet those obligations yet stay on plan, now a days I seem to be sticking more to my health/fitness plan and rearranging my professional, social or family obligations, within reason of course. I'm just curious how others juggle making time for themselves and their health and fitness along with their life obligations.

ETA: Thinking about my post I just wanted to clarify that the common sense important things (i.e. my son, husband, business meetings, etc.) do take priority and I do reschedule fitness around those items. I just wanted to make sure it didn't sound like I won't attend a soccer match or a business obligation because it conflicts with 4:30 yoga or something

[Arctic Mama]

I have a three year old, 23 month old, and I'm in the third trimester of this pregnancy. I am at home with them all day, and will continue to be so, because I'm homeschooling in the future.

I'm a fairly busy girl, and there's a lot of kids to work around (we aren't anywhere near done after this one!).

That said as a preface, I work my fitness and health around my life. My first obligation is the care of my children and household, after the needs of my husband are met (which are minimal, as he can wipe his own butt and make lunch for himself ). My day is full of a whole lot of have-to's (have to go hre, do this, get this done, etc etc) and those are crucial. So for me, that takes priority. I am not going to not read my to kids to work out. I am not compromising their nap schedule to schlump off to the gym.

That said, I DO prioritize my health in my daily schedule, because those have-to's happen every day. I would not be ABLE to serve my family if I was in such bad health, and so frantic, that I never made the time to do what is necessary for my personal upkeep. So I schedule in time to really get ready every day, I take my vitamins, I have an hour blocked out DAILY to work out. A family emergency takes precedence over all of these, but in the normal course of life it is no less important to take care of myself than them, it just doesn't always come first in my daily schedule. But it IS on there, every day, to give me ample opportunity to care for myself AND them. Sometimes that means heavy lifting and a long workout DVD, many days that means a nap. Either way my health is important enough to try and maintain along with my house and family.

I won't rearrange appointments to make time to work out, rather I am mindful of my daily schedule WHEN making these appointments, and put them in blocks of time best for all of us (which, coincidentally, doesn't interfere with my workout block either). I won't NOT eat out or at a barbeque because of my diet, but I WILL be mindful of my calories and calculate what I eat while there, I don't let that slide either. Honestly my health is so integrated into my day that its not a big extra effort, especially with eating. Exercise can pose more of an obstacle, but I still do my best to fulfill that obligation every day. My family comes first and important events/distractions do come into play, but my whole goal, daily, is to keep things as consistent as possible, and that INCLUDES not interfering with my workouts or eating more than is necessary.

Hope that makes sense!

[mandalinn82]

Sometimes, the plan has to change to accomodate life...you're traveling, or you're sick, or you have an obligation. Some shifting around of the plan is inevitable.

BUT...I find there is rarely any reason to abandon the plan altogether. I can always make better choices around eating and exercise.

So, for example, let's say I have a business trip where I'll be very rushed, and will be in hotels and airports. I can't cancel the trip, but I can make healthy eating choices, pack protein bars so breakfast/snacks are quick and mindless, bring my resistance bands and gym shoes, do some yoga in my hotel room before getting ready for the day, etc. It's not my normal, full-out routine, but it's something.

If I have a choice at all, I'll find a balance between the two...won't abandon any obligation completely, either to my social/work life or to myself.

[asharksrevenge]

I am at a very fortunate point in my life that I do not expect to be in again. I'm currently waiting for my graduate courses to begin. I'm not married, don't have any children or significant others, owe no bills or debts, own nothing that needs to be maintained. I am using this valuable time to work on me, so everything else takes a backseat. If I am on vacation, I will plan how I can exercise there. If I am at a social event where I don't know if I'll have healthy options, I eat beforehand. I love this break from life but I am realistic in realizing it won't last. But at least it will give me a six month head start on a great healthy eating and exercise plan, and I think the momentum will carry me through when life begins to get more stressful. I couldn't have asked for a better situation to lose weight in!

[rockinrobin]

It's a combination of both. Unbreakable/unmovable events are just that and can't be changed, so I than work my food/exercise around it.

That's what it's all about though. Learning how to navigate real life all the while adhering to your principles of upholding a healthy lifestyle.

The circumstances may change, but the requirements don't. You adjust. You balance it out. You figure it out. You will and do have other priorities, but that doesn't take away from the fact that eating/exercising well IS still a top priority and for me, will always be. It is without a doubt one of the most important things in my life. Luckily, there is some flexibility.

[stella1609]

I do a little bit of both. At least half of my workouts are social because I do yoga, spin class, and cardio/weight training at the gym with my best friend, and she sometimes runs with me too on non-gym days. My work schedule changes from week to week since I work retail, so I plan out my workouts a week in advance based on whether I work early, late, or am off. Last night, I only had about 600 calories for dinner and my best friend and boyfriend wanted to go out to dinner. We went to Outback and I ordered the grilled chicken light and had two small pieces of bread and water to drink. It worked out perfectly!

So I guess I think the answer is you have to do some of both to have a well-balanced life, which is what this is all about, right??