I agree with the other ladies. It is a priority and therefore must be scheduled into each day. I would prefer to work out in the evenings, but unfortunately my schedule does not permit that. I work from 11am to 7:30pm and my gym closes at 8pm. I workout before I come to work. All my kids are in school and old enough to fend for themselves at dinner or I will make something in advance they can reheat thru out the week.

Oh my, you just gave me flashbacks. I'd forgotten all about those.

it sounds like between now and when i procreate i will somehow need to become a morning person.

I think when you have others that depend on you, your life changes. Again, I don't have any kids but the 2 dogs and the 2 cats.

Before them, I didn't worry too much about when I got home or what time I woke up. On weekends, it was normal to sleep in until 10am or so. Of course they seem to have different agendas and they like to eat rather than sleep So I get up at a decent time, feed them, take the dogs for a walk, etc. I also have to work my schedule around them (make sure they aren't home too long or make sure I pick them up from doggie daycare on time).

I imagine its only a small level of effort compared to having kids but having furrkids has changed my life.

All I do is try to squeeze in about thirty minutes when I can. Mon, Wed and Fri I just do my weights which don't take as long so I can usually squeeze that in between job changes. Tues and Thurs are my cardio days. I get off at 3 and Brianna is usually still sleeping at the sitter so I'll get my cardio in before she wakes up and then go to the sitter to get her. Weekends I'll squeeze in the cardio while Brianna is napping or if I can get my butt out of bed I'll go to the gym in the morning.

My husband watches my son in the evenings while I go to the gym. They do dinner, homework and bath while I'm out. I have dinner ready for the guys so I can go right away when the hub comes home. Fair trade.

If I'm able to, I work my workout in after dropping my son off at school in the mornings or just haul him with me after school while the childcare center is open. I prefer not to do that after he's already had a long day at school.

On the weekends (husband works a lot) my son and I ride bikes together (we have a tandem) if the weather is nice or I take him to the gym while the childcare center is open. After my workout we swim.

There's always time, it's easier with a willing partner but always doable.

Eh, I'm not a morning person at all and I never will be. I drag myself out of bed at 7, the whole family is out the door for school/work at 8. I'm pretty efficient with my routines, but I'm not really "awake" until 10 am. This is why I exercise at lunch or in the evening, rather than in the morning; morning exercise has just never worked for me.

It's really just all about finding what works for the unique being that is you.

Once the kids got to about 12 years old, if I knew I was going to have a busy week, I would let them cook. I would let them know in advance that I had a meeting, or whatever or would be late on a particular night. They would have to plan a meal and I would get the ingredients at the store while doing my normal weekend grocery shopping. Then on that night they would cook and clean up. It helped them both to become pretty proficient in the kitchen.

There were a lot of things they could make like steak and baked potatoes, spaghetti, or it might even be burgers on the grill.

Now that they are older and can drive they will often tell me they are making dinner and will go and buy what they need and cook.

It is pretty nice.

I work out at 5:30 in the morning. Otherwise, there is no time. I don't spend time driving to a gym or whatever. I just put on my clothes (already laid out) and go run for 45 minutes. I occasionally do the 30DS sometime during the day as time allows.

BTW, before I started my new lifestyle I was a total nightowl and have been my entire life. Now, I try to be in bed by 10 or 10:30 latest. Swapping hours can be done successfully. It just takes getting used to.

I agree it's difficult sometimes. In the end, it's a matter of priorities. If I don't put my exercise, nutrition and sleep at the top, it doesn't get done. So, for now--that's where they are staying.

I make time! I work fulltime, have 2 young boys (3 & 2) and somehow manage to get to the gym 7 days a week. I have a fairly flexible work schedule and a hubby that helps watch the boys. I'm all over the place but it works.

Mon - DH gets the boys from daycare and I hit the gym after work.

Tues & Thurs - When DH gets home I try to hit the gym after dinner and get home for bath, snuggle, bed.

Wed & Fri - I work from home so I hit the gym at 4 before picking up the boys from daycare.

Sat - DH gets up with the boys and I go to the gym in the am.

Sun - When the boys take a nap DH has baby monitor duty while I'm at the gym.

Whew...I'm tired....waiting for DH to get home from work so I can go do cardio.

yeah i guess i forgot to factor in the hypothetical dh situation when i was trying to imagine how i would be able to manage. i just think that as my life is now, only with two kitties to support, i am out of the house at work from 8am to 6pm on non-gym days and from 8am to 8pm on gym days. so i guess gym would either have to happen at 6am or at 6 and let hypothetical dh handle dinner and bedtime for hypothetical dd and ds. dude better step up.
sigh.

Yes, it happened to me. I would not call myself a morning person but I do need to function at a moderately high level in the am. For example tomorrow morning I will take a 5:50am train into NYC where I am employed. I will take a run from Penn Station uptown to my job. Since I have been majorly slacking in my plan and have my first half marathon coming I am planning a long run which is around NYC's Central Park before heading uptown to work.


Yuppers!

It's very important to me at least to have some sort of a schedule to my day. I work from home and sometimes wish I had an office out of the house! I have 3 kids (ages 7 and under) and have two of them at home with me during the school week.

I get up at 5am to do my run because I can not do this with them awake....them + moving treadmill = OMG! for me lol The rest is worked in at nap time, after dinner when my DH can watch them (if he is in town) or after they all go to bed. If everyone is having a bad day I plug my ipod to my stereo and we all dance, this makes the little kidlets happy and mommy gets her workout

It can get really hectic with after school activities and sometimes we don't get home till after 8pm....the crock pot is my friend on many nights esp when baseball season starts (I am coaching t-ball with my middle child on my team & my oldest is in coach's pitch...talk about living at the fields!)

The only thing I can tell you though is what Robin said....when you want it to happen you *will* find a way to do it

Yup, supportive partners are a must.

Two asides: Kitty is so damn cool to ride a train and run around Central Park! And RomanceDiva, your avatar is smokin'!!!!!

Back to topic:

I get up at 4:45 2 days a week to run with my friend and I have 3 scheduled hour long sessions with my trainer for weights. Having these as appointments in my life is essential! They are my checks and balances.

I NEVER regret getting up to run. Hitting snooze to sleep in a piddly extra hour is usually not worth it. About every 3 weeks or so I go to bed at 8 pm and squeeze in some extra sleep but I think that need is more of a function from missing sleep waiting on babies to birth.

You will find a way. It is not easy, but it is possible.

Another morning person here. I get SO much stuff done when others are still in their jammies and under the covers. I get in a brisk walk early in the morning and do lots of house stuff and cooking/preparing. No sleeping in for me. Ever. I am a poor sleeper though and an early riser. No need for me to set alarm clocks. It definitely works out to my advantage.