I am having THE HARDEST time even starting exercise. Let me explain, I'll try to keep it short.

I want to exercise in the morning for a couple reasons. Morning is ideal because I don't have to take away from "family time" with my boyfriend and his daughter or other errand time in the evenings. Morning seems to be the one time I can get into a "same time every day" routine, because the only thing going on at 5:30 AM, no matter where I am, is sleeping. Also, as I understand it, morning exercise is supposed to rev up your metabolism for the day...?

See, I am at my boyfriend's in Tooele Monday and Wednesday nights and also every weekend starting Friday after work. I stay at my parents' in Salt Lake Tuesday and Thursday nights, which are usually reserved for laundry and personal errands. I work full time in Salt Lake City and any drive to or from Tooele (3 round trip a week, minimum) is 45 mins., at least. Time spent with my boyfriend is pretty high priority, so that is the one thing I do the most outside of working.

The problem is, that with little sleep (4-6 hrs on any given night) and no thoughts other than, "must sleep" come 5:30 AM, I CANNOT get up in the morning to exercise! I get up, hit snooze or reset the alarm, every time! I've tried motivating myself with staring at celebrity pictures before bedtime for inspiration. I've taped pics of myself in just bra and panties over the face of my alarm clock. I've even tried setting more than one alarm clock less than five minutes apart from each other, to just annoy me into getting out of bed, but somehow I manage to shut the second one off after I've snoozed the first one.

Some of you might say that I don't want to lose weight badly enough, because if I did, I would get up. I'm starting to wonder that myself. It's so frustrating that I want to do this, but I can't get myself moving for the most important part.

I'm thinking I may just have to start with working out after work on the nights I stay at my parents' (Tues. & Thurs.). That will take away anywhere from 15 mins. to and hour from personal time for laundry and errands, but I'm getting so fed up with my not being able to get my butt moving! Maybe after I work out a couple night a week for a while I can work up to switching to mornings... I dunno, I'm lost. But, I have to do something. HELP!

No look hon, it doesn't have to be so hard. If you can't get up at 5:30, you can't!

Now, I'm normally a morning person, so I get up at 6 every day, and I go for my morning walk around 7. And then I go to the gym in the late afternoon. This way works for me. But there's no reason to make yourself do something that hard.

I think your idea of getting exercise when you're at your parents is a good idea. I know what that drive to Tooele and back is like!

So, the thing is, come up with something that works for your situation. Does your boyfriend work? Can you exercise during the day when he's at work? Can you exercise after work before you go to your parents? What about going for a walk on your lunch break? There are all kinds of possibilities. Exercise videos, for example, that you could do at any time of day or night.

And, you need to get more sleep.

Hope it helps!
Jay

Exercising in the morning is a difficult thing to get yourself to do - the evening plan at your parents' place sounds much better. I totally understand how you feel on getting motivated - once my weight fully packed on (about a year ago), I told myself I'd get thinner, since I couldn't fit most of my clothes. A year came and went, and I didn't do jack squat. I kept telling myself I needed to get motivated, but like you, I was working often with minimal sleep.

All I can say is... just... do... it. And once you do, do it again. Once you get into a healthy cycle, you will get used to it. And once you see results, you won't want to do anything to revert back to your old fat self again!

Have you thought of joining Curves? I just joined and have found that 30 minutes 3 times a week is so easy to do I can fit it into even my crazy schedule. See I work full time and a part time job, I volunteer with a city club and I have a 14 year old daughter, a hubby, 3 parrots, a bunny and a dog that all demand time from me every day.

But with Curves I have the time and I can either go first thing in the morning or after work. Most locations have kind of strange hours, but I find it works for me and I can go to the one by my house or by my work. I'm sure they have a location near your parent's house and possibly by your BF's house as well.

If you can't do it when at your BF's house then maybe you, BF and BF's daughter can go for a walk together on nights you're there. At least then you're still getting some activity in and it will benefit all three of you.

Some people find that Curves isn't for them, but for me who is just getting back into the swing of exercising it's perfect.

Cheers, Tamara

ps...if you do decide to check it out, wait for a deal so you can get the initiation free! Then you can pay either monthly or for a year (auto from your bank), it's a little more if you go monthly but it also gives you the option of moving on to a more challenging gym if you need to.

I am new to this. As in I just decided I was losing weight for real a few hours ago. I think just making the decision real is a good step, and preparing yourself for the lifestyle changes that come with weightloss. I'm hoping mindset will be enough for me, and helpful for you too. I have tried the "just do it" mentality before, and I usually find myself trying very hard for a few days, and getting discouraged rather quickly. Good luck, and stay positive.

froglegs,

Jay

I too split time between my parents' home and my boyfriend's. One thing I've found helpful is that my boyfriend knows how frustrated I get when I don't wake up in time to exercise, so he does a pretty good job of kicking me out of bed.

But sleep is important. It is good for your health, your weight loss, and your sanity. So if you aren't getting enough sleep you may need to try something else. Perhaps instead of choosing between family time and exercise time you could combine the two. Go out for an evening stroll, take hikes on weekends, ride your bikes together.

You might also like wearing a pedometer. It sounds like your life is really busy. Counting steps allows you to add a little exercise in here and there, set goals, and gauge how well you are attaining them.

I am certain that when you find the right routine you will have the willpower to sustain it.

Hi! I grew up in SLC (Holladay--east bench).

I have the same motivational problems. Don't think you're all alone!

Does BF have any desire to join a gym? Then you two could work out together on your nights with him. And then perhaps once on the weekend.

Do you get a lunch hour? I walk on my lunches (30 mins/1.5 miles) because it's hard for me to fit in exercise at other times. Even fitting in 15-20 mins here and there will help.

I've tried to become a morning person and my body just won't have it! So I can understand not being able to wake up that early.

Morning is NOT the best time to exercise. Whatever time you CAN exercise is the best time. If that means you won't exercise at the same time every day, that you need to break your exercise up into 2 or 3 15 minute sessions, that you need to exercise in the evening, indoors or out, works, then THAT is the best time, best way to exercise...for you.

I tried mornings too. And like you, I just could NOT get motivated in the morning. Kept hitting snooze. If I DID manage to get up, I'd look out and think it was too dark, or it was raining, or GOING to rain, or that I was just too tired to get on my gym clothes and go out. When I realized all I was doing was making excuses rather than getting in the exercise, I knew I had to do something different. For me that meant going to exercise right after work. Sometimes it meant taking clothes and going for a 30 minute run at lunch time and eating lunch at my desk at work. Sometimes it was too hot, it meant hitting the gym, and other times, I could just go outside. But whatever time it ended up being, it worked out. I exercised. Something I didn't do much of when I thought I HAD to exercise in the morning only.

Yup. I've done the same. The only way I've kept at exercise for 4 years now was to not tell myself to just do it. This time I decided to keep it changing, keep it interesting and to give myself REASONS to do it. Like how I feel after. But I don't do the same activity all the time. That's why I always got bored with it before. I also don't follow a schedule. That's always been very difficult for me. I just try to get it into whatever part of the day I CAN do it. That might mean combining exercise with other routines. See below.

I do this as well. Its easier to spend weekends there so they get time to see their grandson and I don't spend hours on the road just getting there and back. But they're not health conscious at all. So I have to find ways to get in my exercise there. Sometimes they would watch the baby while I'd visit their local Curves. Or I'd head down to the high school and run the track with him in the stroller, or go play tennis with my daughter. Usually, I pop in one of my daughter's WATP videos and do that when they're not watching TV. And when they are, I watch with them and just stand up and march in place while watching. Or sometimes, since they have a 2-story, I run up and down their stairs.

Thank you, all.