Finding it hard to continue working out/eating proper now working full time

Judge Roy Bean

Hi guys.

Just trying to get an idea of how to balance out work and working out?

Started a new full time job about 6 weeks ago and have had very little time or enthusiasm for working out.

Before I got the job I was working out 7 days a week, an hour and 20 mins a day roughly and had a much improved diet.

I lost a Stone in a month, 13 11 down to 13 (not that i need to, was just a bit unhappy with a really small gut that developed).

I really enjoyed it, and felt so good about myself working out, building up a sweat and eating much better.

Since then I'm struggling though, up at 6 or 7 most mornings, don't get home til 8 or 9 that night which sucks, and im not eating as well as i was.

Any tips?

Thanks

Kenno90

That sounds like some job .... or some commute. I also work full time but the Gym is on the way home, so i have to walk past it.

I'd feel guilty if i didn't go in a few times a week

LuckyLloyd

It sucks, doesn't it? I'm not going to say it's easy, because it isn't. However, I will say that there are millions around the world that work the long hours and fit their training in. It can be done.

You had a routine that was unsustainable within the working week. Forget about that routine. The task is establishing a new one. You probably won't manage 7 sessions a week. That's fine, just get started with something.

For starters, nothing stopping you doing some stretching and body weight exercises (push-ups, sit ups, air squats) for 20 - 30 minutes at home three times a week. Throw in a walk or a jog two nights after work. Then hit down the gym Saturday and Sunday and get something more complete in. See if you can get two solid weeks in and take it from there.

Diet wise, cook on Sunday evenings and have a few lunchboxes of good food sitting in the fridge / freezer ready to be heated when you get home in the evenings.

It's not easy, it requires planning and organisation. But trust me, it can be done.

Judge Roy Bean

Thanks guys.

Bought myself a weight bench so plan is to maybe get 15 minutes on that each morning before work and probably 150 sit ups before and after work.

Decent walk from bus stop to and from work aswell, and I'll take it on board about the dietary situation

hunter164

Personally I think if you really want to train you'll make the time, for a while I was working 12 hour days and still getting to the gym. It's all about routine, make yourself go and soon you won't even think about it, it'll be second nature.

As for the cooking side make a big batch on a Sunday and or else a decent bit on the Sunday and then maybe a Wednesday.

kerry4sam

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Hi guys.

Just trying to get an idea of how to balance out work and working out?

Started a new full time job about 6 weeks ago and have had very little time or enthusiasm for working out.

Before I got the job I was working out 7 days a week, an hour and 20 mins a day roughly and had a much improved diet.

I lost a Stone in a month, 13 11 down to 13 (not that i need to, was just a bit unhappy with a really small gut that developed).

I really enjoyed it, and felt so good about myself working out, building up a sweat and eating much better.

Since then I'm struggling though, up at 6 or 7 most mornings, don't get home til 8 or 9 that night which sucks, and im not eating as well as i was.

Any tips?

Thanks

I like this quote

I'd be up some mornings at 5:30am and wouldn't get chance to work-out in some form until approx 5pm. By then some days I'd be shattered tired and even looking for an excuse not to. The above quotation pops into my head every one and again and gets me on my bike out peddling in all weather conditions; pushing through all pain-barriers and all restrictions in my mind!

Congrats to you on your New Job & your Weight-Loss Judge Roy Bean!

Persevere on those tough days after your work, with your exercise and you will manage your weight. Plan out your food though for breakfasts and your dinners for when you finish work so late and to prevent you from eating food you may regret afterward.
Persevere with your exercise on the days you just want to kick back and rest-up due to lack of interest.

As I said, the above quotation is something that comes to my mind on days I know I want to excel with my cycling but my shoulders are down and I just want to rest up.

Hope it Helps you in some way too
kerry4sam

Hanley

Can anything be said for some HTFU cream??

Ant11

Hanley wrote: »

Can anything be said for some HTFU cream??

Followed by a spoon of cement.

Ant11

Worth a watch, might be able to relate to it.

http://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work.html

Mellor

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Before I got the job I was working out 7 days a week, an hour and 20 mins a day roughly and had a much improved diet.

Small observation. If you were managing fine to continually work out 7 days a week, every week for 6 weeks for 80 minute sessions. Then maybe your sessions were on the mild side. If you up the intensity, then you'll probably achieve the same amount in less time. Which means you need to git in less time in your week for working out.

cmyk

Most people who say they don't have time for a bit of exercise seem to find enough time to catch up on their on demand tv shows or facebook feeds.

If body comp is your only goal then one hard full body strength session at the weekend with a couple of intense short strength based conditioning sessions during the week is arguably all you need.

From the nutrition point of view, and I'm not singling you out here but there's not much excuse for eating badly in this day and age. Either prepare food ahead of time or make better choices if you're stuck out.

Lunchtime carveries serve portions 2-3 times what most people need but there's no rule against just asking for less, or more veg and meat, no one needs 8 roast potatoes, the same can be done in any restaurant. Better choices can pretty much always be made, people just seem to complicate that with an all or nothing approach.

Judge Roy Bean

Some really great encouragement, tips and ideas here.

Thank you so much guys

thegreatiam

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Thanks guys.

Bought myself a weight bench so plan is to maybe get 15 minutes on that each morning before work and probably 150 sit ups before and after work.

Decent walk from bus stop to and from work aswell, and I'll take it on board about the dietary situation

There is your time right there. Stop wasting it on a pointless exercise like situps and do something more beneficial.

150 burpees would be better

Judge Roy Bean

thegreatiam wrote: »

There is your time right there. Stop wasting it on a pointless exercise like situps and do something more beneficial.

150 burpees would be better

Are situps not beneficial in order to get rid of a really small gut? It's the only part I'm unhappy about

Alf Veedersane

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Are situps not beneficial in order to get rid of a really small gut? It's the only part I'm unhappy about

Sit ups won't get rid of a small gut.Working out and eating right will.

Judge Roy Bean

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Sit ups won't get rid of a small gut.Working out and eating right will.

I've completely removed bread/wheat and drastically cut down on alcohol.

Won't the situps along with this help?

thegreatiam

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Are situps not beneficial in order to get rid of a really small gut? It's the only part I'm unhappy about

correct diet is the only way to do that.

You cannot spot reduce fat. at all, not even a little bit. Fat is a layer all over your body, it jsut happens to be more around your stomach. If you look closely you also have it over your back arms and legs, you just cannot tell.

To reduce that belly fat you need to reduce all the fat on your body.

Also, situps are a horrible exercise that slowly damage your back, leading to bad posture which makes your stomach stick out more making you look fatter than you are.

If you have time for 150 situps then you have time for 50 burpees, 50 lunges and a 3 minute plank, all of which will help you burn fat and strengthen your stomach a billion times better than situps.

Alf Veedersane

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

I've completely removed bread/wheat and drastically cut down on alcohol.

Won't the situps along with this help?

Working the stomach muscles won't reduce stomach fat. That's spot reduction - it's a fallacy.

You should replace sit-ups with something more likely to burn the fat,like burpees as was suggested above.

runawaybishop

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Are situps not beneficial in order to get rid of a really small gut? It's the only part I'm unhappy about

You cant spot-reduce fat. You'll probably find more success doing compound exercises that build more muscle and so result in more calories burned per work session. Your diet is the main factor though.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

A personal trainer of mine once said to me and it really stuck.... "either your goals are a priority or they are not" once I started to prioritise the important things the time was there. Its important or its not.

Judge Roy Bean

So in a nutshell

*Burpees not sit-ups
*Focus on diet diet diet/food prep in advance
*Make time and stop putting it off

?

I'll man the F up guys

Alf Veedersane

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

So in a nutshell

*Burpees not sit-ups
*Focus on diet diet diet/food prep in advance
*Make time and stop putting it off

?

I'll man the F up guys

More or less. You don't have to stick to burpees though. The 50 burpees, 50 lunges and 3 minute plank suggestion from the greatiam is another way of better spending the time it took to do 150 sit-ups.

Judge Roy Bean

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

More or less. You don't have to stick to burpees though. The 50 burpees, 50 lunges and 3 minute plank suggestion from the greatiam is another way of better spending the time it took to do 150 sit-ups.

Cool I'll watch some videos on them when I get home and start them tonight

Also, is a workout more beneficial in the morning or the evening?

Stench Blossoms

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Cool I'll watch some videos on them when I get home and start them tonight

Also, is a workout more beneficial in the morning or the evening?

Whichever one you would enjoy/stick to more.

Alf Veedersane

Judge Roy Bean wrote: »

Cool I'll watch some videos on them when I get home and start them tonight

Also, is a workout more beneficial in the morning or the evening?

I don't think it matters (though I'm open to correction from the more knowledgeable on here).