any tricks to just do it?
 

Hi all. I've been doing pretty well with food, honestly most all my recent progress is from food only. (so I end up losing a few pounds a month). I would like to see faster progress.

I enjoy exercising. I enjoy weight training. I've worked up to being able to jog 1 mile straight, in about 12-13 minutes. In fact, the only time I have any circulation is when I'm running regularly.

However, I am currently going to school, homeschooling, keeping up with the house and a new dog and general life things, and for the life of me I just can't get into the habit of exercising.

I'm educated, I know all the reasons I should, I know how it makes me feel. I like pushing myself. But when it comes down to it I will choose sleep, homework, time with my kids or making sure the puppy doesn't pee on the floor to finding time for exercise.

I used to go with my mom, but she doesn't have a gym membership anymore (I still do). I have 30DS, the gym membership(although it's an extra cost since I have to pay for kid care whenever I go), ttapp workouts, pilates, running, free weights at home, a safe neighborhood to run in (in the cold and dark since I'm in alaska, but still....), but I just don't seem to find the time to actually exercise. My schedule doesn't allow me to go to bed regularly any earlier than 11pm. Which means 7am is the earliest I can wake up and feel rested, and my kids are usually up by 7:15.

Help!

try incorporating kids and puppy into your exercise.

If you like lifting, and have school age kids, you might like Crossfit Kids. If you go to crossfit(dot)com, there's a link on the left side of the page to the CFKids site. They post a workout that's plenty challenging for adults, but fun for kids, and they offer scaled down options so all ages and fitness levels can participate. Kids can post their times/results to comments on the site, too, so there's some chance for online community there, as well. The workouts are usually 20 mins or less, and you can always choose to just do the parts you and/or the kids like, if you're short on time.

Do you get much for snow in Anchorage? I was thinking also, you might look at getting a kicksled or two. It works like a kick scooter, basically a small sled you can either have a single dog pull or propel it by kicking, and you can carry a passenger in the basket area, so easy to take little ones along. Not sure if that interests you or if you have the snow for it, but if you have snow and/or CC groomed trails, that might be a fun winter activity with the kids, while you get a good workout. Even kicking and running behind a dog that's pulling, or riding the runners and steering, is a surprisingly good workout. I dogscooter with my dogs, which is the same thing, just for folks that don't get enough snow for sledding.

Apart from that, I think it's just a matter of finding your motivation, reason to start. For me, it helps if I set goals to give my training some direction. Last year, for running, I set my sights on a 12K run with challenging hills. It seemed just crazy enough, and kept me running from January to June, when the run took place. I also set a few lifting goals, I made a list of stuff I suck at that I wanted to get better at. Each day, I'd include something in my warm-up or workout that was leading me toward the goals I'd decided on. For next year, I am aiming to do a 50 mile fun run, which will keep my running workouts on track, and I will set some new goals for lifting, strongman, and will be working on my gymnastics strength and skills, since I'm gymnastics impaired, lol. Maybe there's something cool you can set your sights on for summer, maybe a group event like a run, or some type of personal physical challenge, like a local hike or climb. Other folks get motivation from rewards, large or small. If you can set your sights on something you want to do, or treat yourself to some reward, sometimes that's all you need to get you back on track with training.

My experience is, you have to choose exercise over ALL these things. Not every day, but at least a few times a week. You just have to make a conscious decision that exercise is going to be a priority, maybe three days a week. It is good for you -- you deserve the health benefits and the stress relief. And it sets a good example for your kids.

Last April I sat across a table from a friend and told her pretty much what you said in your post -- and she gave me the same answer I've given you. Today was actually the first workout day (not counting planned rest days -- I work out 5 days/wk) I've missed since then (child home sick from school -- and I'll probably sneak in an hour of yoga after the kids go to bed).