I am a teacher and have had the last 8 weeks off at home so eating right was a bit of a challenge but am doing great now but being off made working out a total breeze...I could do it whenever it fit in the day. NOW that reality hits I am afraid that I will find the excuse of being too tired to get up early or do it when I get home...while it's scorching hot I plan on at least walking for 40 minutes on my breaks everyday, but then I still have to find the will power to keep up on my running, interval training and weights. I LOVE working out, but know oh too well what happens to that will power when I work full time...BTW I teach preschool which is more than draining on my body and spirit most of the time but we are not in a place where I can just change careers...I need support to keep on kicking my own butt into gear!!!!

I feel you. I'm a former preschool teacher but I will be working with elementary age children in the fall. Those little ones take a lot out of you for sure!

I know it's hot, but can you run during lunch instead of walking? I did that for a while and it really helped keep me on track and energized me for the afternoon

Sometimes when you're dead tired you just have to do things anyway. I dragged myself off to the gym sooooo many times when my mind kept telling me I was so tired and should just stay home but I suddenly found the energy to work out when I was there!

Good luck, I hope you can stay on track and I'm sure it will not be as difficult as you think it is!

I am facing the same thing. Exercise has been easy over the summer; my husband and I play tennis early every morning (because it's too hot any other time). But that will be over when we both go back to school. Since he leaves really early in the morning, my plan is to do a cardio workout and weight training when he leaves. But I don't know if I'll be able to get up that early.

I'm also worried about my food choices. I won't have as much time to plan or prepare, and I do a lot of stress eating.

I hope you find success at staying on-track.

I teach college (and therefore have to work on research projects during the summer) but I have kind of the same situation--it's easy to stay on track during the summer when my schedule is more flexible. I think the trick will be forcing the working out to become a reflexive habit. After work I go to the gym. After work I go to the gym. After work I go to the gym.

I have been getting up early and exercising before my husband leaves, and I plan on continuing that when school starts back up. It is more difficult, but it is one of those things we are just going to have to do.

I have a great cooler bag that I plan on filling with healthy foods for lunch, snacks and dinner the 2 nights I have night class...that way if I do not make it to the teachers lounge first thing in the morning they will still stay cool.

The good news is that you'll be on your feet/away from food much more often. Your base level activity will probably go up, so you can probably take a day or two a week off from intense cardio to let your body rest and heal. I think going overboard coupled with chasing around kiddies all day would be too much more anyone to emotionally OR physically handle.

I DO do my runs on my break but there is no way I am running when it is litterally 100 degress plus...so that is why I will walk until the weather gets cooler and run when I get home from work and then it's a bit easier to get my running in...until the snow and ice come in the winter...BOOOOOOOOO! Glad to know I'm not the only one in this "boat" and I'm sure I'll be looking for more support as I get back into it...thanks to you all for your support!!!

^^This^^

I'm a professor, so I have about another month before I go back to work. However, I'm actually looking forward to it for the reasons doopdoop mentioned. When I have my mind on work, I have less time to think about food. Also, I'm looking forward to some cooler weather so that I can start making soups, which are always lower calorie and filling for me. And I exercise and do more activity in general when it's cooler. So, believe it or not, there are some advantages [in terms of weight loss] to school starting.

You are SOOO right about thinking about food less when I'm at work...there is just less time to worry about snackin! I agree about moving more in the cooler weather too...thanks for all the UP SIDES everyone...I needed to hear them!

I am a college student, and I am back on the meal plan as of August 27th. My college is all-residential, and meal plans are mandatory, and even if they weren't, I'm too broke to buy/cook my own food! =P I've been calorie-counting, so I am definitely nervous about what I'm going to do for fall. I THINK some of the foods have signs which list nutritional info like calories, but of course, the nice ladies serve it to you, so portion sizes are a guess!

So yeah, I'm very nervous. My upside, though, is that I'll be moving around a lot more, so I can afford the likely increase in calories. Just by walking to class a lot, instead of sitting on my bum like I do at home! So as long as I avoid late-night snacking (a college student tradition!), I should be fine, I hope.

In your case, think of all the energy you'll be burning taking care of kids! Even though you work out now, when you're not actively working out, do you sit around a lot? If so, think of all of that nothingness being replaced by activity! But good luck to you. Stay motivated, and you can totally do it!

How did your first day back go?

Excellent...thanks for checkin in with me...I walked on my break and then came home and ran and did weights for an hour...and stayed within my cal. intake too! WOOT!!!