lifestyle change - scheduling ideas?
 

Hi all,

I'm still new to this forum and have only recently gotten serious about my journey to becoming healthy having to encompass a real lifestyle change. I'm already taking small steps and am planning for the bigger changes for when I move in a few weeks (back to my hometown and to a job I love - so that part is encouraging). While planning things out, it looks like one of my stumbling blocks might be scheduling. Unfortunately, I've allowed my habits of eating and sleeping at completely random times to carry over from college and grad school into my new "grown up" life.

I think it might be harder for me (or at least just as hard) to make sure I get into and out of bed at a decent hour every day so that it will be easier to stick with exercise and better eating habits. Has anyone else run into this issue on thier journey and if so, how did you motivate/kick your own butt into staying on schedule so that you could stay on plan? Thanks in advance - any advice or suggestions are appreciated! :)

I continually run out of time each night before bed, and each morning before heading out to work. :dizzy: I do best when I have a datebook or agenda. I plug in bed time, wake time, exercise time, shower-makeup time, breakfast and packing lunch time, cooking-eating time, tv time, computer time, etc etc. And then it works. Why don't I keep it up? That's the 64 million dollar question! :lol:

You can download some on the net, or buy a nice one at Barnes and Noble or an office supply place. I have to use one that goes 7AM-11PM, or at least one that has margins above and below so I can scribble in times, because a lot of them only go from 8-8.

Good luck!

I make my lunch while I'm cleaning up after supper. There is never enough time before work in the morning!

I think its important to make realistic goals.
Personally, I'm not really a huge morning fan. It sounds like utter torture to roll out of bed at 6am to work out. I'd rather stay up an extra hour and do a work-out than get up earlier. For some people, this would be the opposite.

What I guess I'm trying to say is you have to make sure that your plan fits in with your life. Realistically look at how everything pieces together and find the time to fit in exercise from there. If you know that you'll just never do something, don't set yourself up to fail.

What hours will you be working at the new job? I'd start trying to get myself on a routine that will accomodate those hours - if you start now, you'll find it easier to deal with the schedule once you start working.

Personally, I do try to get up and work out early in the morning (meaning getting up about 5 am on weekdays). For a long list of reasons, it's the only time that works for my schedule. I do find it helpful to stay on plan the rest of the day - putting in that effort of getting up and working out makes me not want to waste it by making bad eating choices later one.

I don't know if there is any magic other than deciding to do this and sticking with it. Just start using your alarm clock and go to bed earlier at night. I got one of those sunrise alarm clocks which wakes me up with a light that increases in intensity (it has a back up noise alarm just in case). That does seem to be a somewhat gentler way to wake up if that's an issue for you.

Hard to say what will work for you, but what has worked for me is commiting to a schedule and then the rest of my life just has to fit in around that. So if a friend asks hey let's go do xyz but I'm supposed to be exercising or cooking at that time, then I suggest an alternative. I guess you have to be a little selfish. I also try to combine things. So for a long time I was jogging with my toddler in the jogging stroller. So I was getting him out of the house and out for some fresh air and exercising. Add to that I jogged to the park so we could hang out together. If friends want to get together for drinks or dinner then I try to suggest doing it at my house where I can control the menu. Professionally and personally things have changed a little for me recently and it has meant that I have had to incorporate early morning workout into my daily life. It's hard I don't like getting up early, but it's about commitment. And I can't stress preplanning and packing your meals enough. I'm always prepared even if I'm going to a restauarant. I have a general idea of how many cals I can have or I've looked up the the restaurant's menu and I know what I'll be ordering. I try to eat around the same time everyday, which can be difficult, but if I get too hungry a binge is enivitable. I know it's unrealistic for many people to live that kind of structured life, but for me it's a must, I REFUSE to regain this weight. It's just about priorities I guess, and for me my health is at the top.