Fitness problem, need help.

Joe Demko · November 4, 2002, 02:13 PM

Possibly, some of you guys share this problem. Since the birth of my daughter 19 months ago, my fitness level has deteriorated unacceptably. With a toddler and a 7 year old and both the wife and I working full-time, there just isn't a lot of free time available for me to work out. I already have to get up at 5 AM to get to work, so please don't suggest that. Already tried it and found myself falling asleep at the wheel on the way home in the afternoon. I don't have a lunch break, so that is out. As soon as work is over, it's home to get the baby from her sitter and get the boy off the school bus. Help him w/ homework, get supper on the table. Then, there is usually cub scouts or baseball or something to devour the evening hours, and then we're pushing 8:00 or so. I've also tried exercising after the kids are in bed, but evening excercise tends to get me "up" so that I have trouble sleeping. Being on the wrong side of 40 only complicates matters.
I have a gym membership I used to use 5 or 6 days a week. Now not at all. Every day I get a little softer and every day Charlie squats in the bush he gets a little harder. Any help or practical suggestions will be much appreciated.

Bogie · November 4, 2002, 04:01 PM

Go for a walk with the kids. Good bonding time. Carry the little one. Carry more than one for a better workout.

Coronach · November 4, 2002, 04:05 PM

My first suggestion would be the one you nixed...get up earlier and work out (not that I can blame you for not wanting to get up any earlier!). Maybe combine that with going to bed earlier? Doable?

Get one of those backpacks for babies and go running with your daughter on your back? Look at it this way, as she grows she'll be harder to lug around...increased resistance.

Dunno.

Mike

stick · November 4, 2002, 06:49 PM

First thing: set some realistic fitness goals then develop a program around it. With a little time management, you should be able to find a 20-40 minute slot each day.

Think about working exercise into your life at home. By doing this you save travel and prep time at the gym. Examples:

Can you volunteer with in your son's sports? Line-judging a soccer games keeps you running for at least 1 day a week (same with ref-ing basketball). Or be an active assistant coach. If you run with the kids each practice, there's 2 days of cardio exercise.

Walk/jog/run to your son's practices while he rides his bike.

My friend takes a kickboxing class at her son's martial arts studio at the same time he is in class. The place has 2 rooms just for this type of scheduling.

Make 15 minutes a day for calistetics every other day (before your morning shower?). Body weight squats w/ calf raise at the end of each rep, crunches, push-ups, dips (using chairs), pull-ups (buy a doorway bar),... you get the drift. If time gets too long, break the exercises apart and do them on alternating days (i.e. push-ups, crunches and squats on MWF and dips and pull-ups on TTh). You can do wonders without weights and machines.

Grab a couple workout tapes for the VCR (i.e. kick boxing, aerobics, tae bo, yoga) that you would enjoy. Focus on the ones that have short <30 minute programs included. Maybe there's time in the morning or when your son is doing his reading/homework and your daughter is enthralled in "The Wiggles" or "Blues Clues".

How about just 1 hour each Sat or Sun at the gym. You can put together a full body weight lifting routine in that time and YES it will be of benefit. Stick with multi-joint (muscle) exercises to maximize effiency (squats, bench press, military press, lat pull downs, rows). Don't mess around in there either. At 6 seconds/rep, 10 reps/set, 3 sets/exerciseand 1 minute between sets (or 5-6 minutes per exercise) you can easily hit 7-8 exercises covering the major muscle groups in 1 hour.

Mix and match as appropriate for your goals.

Good luck and good health.

Navy joe · November 4, 2002, 08:18 PM

I like the previously mentioned ideas, get into an activity that provides exercise and involves the family, that way you don't feel like you're short-changing them by working out alone.

Park the car and bike the last 5 miles to work or run the last two. Not too hard and come afternoon you're sure to be motivated to get back to your car. NO hitchhiking! What is work like? Would people think you too strange if at some break in the action you did 20 push-ups or 25 jumping jacks? Do heavy work? Each time you pick up something curl it, press it or something instead of just carrying it around. Use every chance you get, no elevators, watch the food intake.

Microholic · November 4, 2002, 09:36 PM

If you have the room and $$$, buy a home gym. I just bought a Body Solid Bi-angular model and am very satisified with it. Can do a complete workout in 20 mins or less depending on push or pull day, less time than it takes to go to the store for a gallon of milk. Its so convenient to have the weight stack, am much happier with this than a tower or olympic bench.

trapshooter · November 4, 2002, 09:46 PM

You could do what I did, and just give up for the next ten years. But believe me, it's tough to shed 50 or 60 pounds in two months. (Nothing but diet and exercise, thats the good and the bad news).

On the other hand, I would try a reasonable diet and modest exercise. Can you walk at lunch? Then eat food you can take with you, (and just enough to tide you over until dinner). Will your employer install a treadmill or other equipment? Healthy employees don't take as much sick time, and don't die at work as much. It's a good investment for them. Exercise and eat a bit quicker. In the morning, 15 pushups and 25 or 30 situps don't take up much time. Get a pullup bar for a doorway to work different muscles.

Snack on 0 fat stuff, like celery. (Good for the walking lunch, BTW). Don't drink soda pop, or even a lot of fruit juice. The pop will kill you, and juice has a lot of calories. Too many calories in, they don't come out, except in the waist. 8 oz. of V-8 has 35 cals., about as good as it gets, unless you can hack nothing but water. Want some fizz? Club soda. Once in a while, mix it with fruit juice, but watch the juice. Want candy? Eat some, just not the whole bag, bar, or whatever. A little chocolate is good for you. Hard candy lasts longer and has less fat, though, so you can have more of it for the same caloric burn later. Chew gum (I like Carefree cinnamon). Have the guts to throw food away. Quit eating before you feel full. No fast food, no chips, cookies, doughnuts, etc. Sorry. That's just fat you have to burn, or your body WILL store it. I'm not a food Nazi. If I want it, I eat it, just not very much of the bad stuff. Unfortunately, the bad stuff all tastes great, AND is more filling. Discipline. Choose your food vices wisely.

Get one of those hand squeezers. Good for the forearms, and helps you get a better grip on the CCW, too.

Sneak in the exercise where and when you can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and other stuff like that. All the pain-in-the-a$$ things almost nobody does. Whoever mentioned taking the kids for a walk (backpack or not) is right on. Kids can give you a great workout.

To do what I did, get up about 3:30 (like me), and get to where you can do 4-5 miles in an hour on the mill (like me), and then you'll get in shape at whatever weight you want (175-184, like me). And your legs and feet will hurt like he-- (like me). But, it has added benefits. My cholesterol was checked three days ago at 141. Tri-G's at 99. Resting at 112/68 or less (depending on time of day, etc.). It would really help if I quit my two-pack-a-day habit and the two drinkies at happy hour, according to my doctor. I'll probably die in a car wreck next week.

Am I a marathoner? Heck no! Can I stay with a 25 or 30 year old? Again, heck no, if I play thier way (which I don't). But in other areas, there are more benefits, if you catch what I mean.

Do what you can, now. It'll be easier to catch back up later.

vulcan · November 4, 2002, 10:47 PM

Like microholic suggested . I use to go to the gym , but my schedule is no schedule. I rush out to service calls all hours of the day & night with 1/2 hr. notice. It was hard to stay on my normal 11/2hr workout 3X a week. I bought a set of weights & bench and find I save a lot of time not having to drive to the gym & back. I also find it more comfortable because I don't have to wait for gym machines, smelly lockers,sweat covered benches & I can listen to my radio instead of muzak. Because of my schedule my workouts might be 2:00am or 10:00am, I don't know day to day. The home equipment made it more flexible for me.

I'm in my 40's,But can still pass the airborne physical training test when I was 18(I made that my fitness benchmark). Make excercise part of your lifestyle & soon it just becomes part of your daily ritual.

LBC · November 5, 2002, 10:22 AM

Golgo, I'm in almost the exact same position as you, only with a 9 month old.

I have a treadmill and weight bench in the basement. Like you, I try to get up at 5:15 a.m. (I have to be at work at 7 a.m.). I find I can run 1-2 miles on the treadmill, then do three sets of push ups, dips, curls, and sit ups (Navy SEALS workout) in 40 minutes or less.

That at least keeps you in generally okay condition.

Glock40 · November 5, 2002, 10:59 AM

It comes down to one basic thing

How bad do you want to be in shape?

If you really want to train, you will. Buy an exercise bike. Get a baby jogger and have your older one follow you on his bike. Maximize your weekend time. Cut back on kids activities. Change your work hours. Change your sleeping habits.

I have a 7 year old and a 9 year old. Ever since they were born, I have trained without interuption. It is all about willpower.

By the way, a 0 fat diet is the WORST method of controlling your weight. You need a high protien, low carb diet with fat. It is carbs that your body stores as fat. Read the atkins book. All the 0 fat stuff is a myth. America has gotten fatter and fatter ever since their diet has gone towards high carbs and low fat.

trapshooter · November 5, 2002, 11:09 AM

is right. You do need some fat. Just the right kind. And carb loading can be terminal, so cut back on pasta and potatoes, beans, etc. I don't think it makes sense to try and completely stop eating stuff that tastes good. That just leads to bingeing (sp?) later, most of the time. Control and discipline is the key, for both diet and exercise.

(BTW, if I was unclear, in my original post, I didn't say don't eat some fat, I recommended no fatty snacks. It's the snacks that pose the greatest temptation, IMHO).

MK11 · November 5, 2002, 11:47 AM

Buy a jump rope. It's one of the most efficient cardio workouts, it's cheap, and you can just do it in the living room or the basement. Supplement with some pushups and situps. You rarely will have enough downtime to say, "Hey, I should work out," so make time for it as part as your schedule. Do it three times a week, that ain't bad.

Glock40 · November 5, 2002, 11:56 AM

Sorry Trapshooter, I wasn't trying to slam you. You are right. You can't give up eating fun stuff. Everything in moderation - I should have said "controlled carb" diet. Heck, what is life without a candy bar or beer sometimes (hopefully not together).

The Most wise words I have heard on dieting:

In 100 years, we are all going to weigh the same.

November 4, 2002, 02:13 PM	#1
Joe Demko Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2000 Posts: 1,143	Fitness problem, need help. Possibly, some of you guys share this problem. Since the birth of my daughter 19 months ago, my fitness level has deteriorated unacceptably. With a toddler and a 7 year old and both the wife and I working full-time, there just isn't a lot of free time available for me to work out. I already have to get up at 5 AM to get to work, so please don't suggest that. Already tried it and found myself falling asleep at the wheel on the way home in the afternoon. I don't have a lunch break, so that is out. As soon as work is over, it's home to get the baby from her sitter and get the boy off the school bus. Help him w/ homework, get supper on the table. Then, there is usually cub scouts or baseball or something to devour the evening hours, and then we're pushing 8:00 or so. I've also tried exercising after the kids are in bed, but evening excercise tends to get me "up" so that I have trouble sleeping. Being on the wrong side of 40 only complicates matters. I have a gym membership I used to use 5 or 6 days a week. Now not at all. Every day I get a little softer and every day Charlie squats in the bush he gets a little harder. Any help or practical suggestions will be much appreciated. __________________ "No honest man needs a handgun smaller than a canned ham." Bill Ruger

November 4, 2002, 04:01 PM	#2
Bogie Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2000 Location: Job hunting on the road... Posts: 3,827	Go for a walk with the kids. Good bonding time. Carry the little one. Carry more than one for a better workout. __________________ Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist. And making the world's greatest bottle openers!

November 4, 2002, 04:05 PM	#3
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	My first suggestion would be the one you nixed...get up earlier and work out (not that I can blame you for not wanting to get up any earlier!). Maybe combine that with going to bed earlier? Doable? Get one of those backpacks for babies and go running with your daughter on your back? Look at it this way, as she grows she'll be harder to lug around...increased resistance. Dunno. Mike __________________ The axe bites into the door, ripping a hole in one panel. The maniac puts his face into the hole, cackling gleefully, "Here's Johnny...erk." "And here's Smith and Wesson," murmurs Coronach, Mozambiquing six rounds of .357 into the critter at a range of three feet. -Lawdog "True pacifism is the finest form of manliness. But if a man comes up to you and cuts your hand off, you don't just offer him the other one. Not if you want to go on playing the piano, you don't." -Sam Peckinpah "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein

November 4, 2002, 08:18 PM	#5
Navy joe Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2001 Location: VA, USA Posts: 1,804	I like the previously mentioned ideas, get into an activity that provides exercise and involves the family, that way you don't feel like you're short-changing them by working out alone. Park the car and bike the last 5 miles to work or run the last two. Not too hard and come afternoon you're sure to be motivated to get back to your car. NO hitchhiking! What is work like? Would people think you too strange if at some break in the action you did 20 push-ups or 25 jumping jacks? Do heavy work? Each time you pick up something curl it, press it or something instead of just carrying it around. Use every chance you get, no elevators, watch the food intake. __________________ FY47012

November 4, 2002, 09:46 PM	#7
trapshooter Junior member Join Date: January 2, 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 902	Well...heck. You could do what I did, and just give up for the next ten years. But believe me, it's tough to shed 50 or 60 pounds in two months. (Nothing but diet and exercise, thats the good and the bad news). On the other hand, I would try a reasonable diet and modest exercise. Can you walk at lunch? Then eat food you can take with you, (and just enough to tide you over until dinner). Will your employer install a treadmill or other equipment? Healthy employees don't take as much sick time, and don't die at work as much. It's a good investment for them. Exercise and eat a bit quicker. In the morning, 15 pushups and 25 or 30 situps don't take up much time. Get a pullup bar for a doorway to work different muscles. Snack on 0 fat stuff, like celery. (Good for the walking lunch, BTW). Don't drink soda pop, or even a lot of fruit juice. The pop will kill you, and juice has a lot of calories. Too many calories in, they don't come out, except in the waist. 8 oz. of V-8 has 35 cals., about as good as it gets, unless you can hack nothing but water. Want some fizz? Club soda. Once in a while, mix it with fruit juice, but watch the juice. Want candy? Eat some, just not the whole bag, bar, or whatever. A little chocolate is good for you. Hard candy lasts longer and has less fat, though, so you can have more of it for the same caloric burn later. Chew gum (I like Carefree cinnamon). Have the guts to throw food away. Quit eating before you feel full. No fast food, no chips, cookies, doughnuts, etc. Sorry. That's just fat you have to burn, or your body WILL store it. I'm not a food Nazi. If I want it, I eat it, just not very much of the bad stuff. Unfortunately, the bad stuff all tastes great, AND is more filling. Discipline. Choose your food vices wisely. Get one of those hand squeezers. Good for the forearms, and helps you get a better grip on the CCW, too. Sneak in the exercise where and when you can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and other stuff like that. All the pain-in-the-a$$ things almost nobody does. Whoever mentioned taking the kids for a walk (backpack or not) is right on. Kids can give you a great workout. To do what I did, get up about 3:30 (like me), and get to where you can do 4-5 miles in an hour on the mill (like me), and then you'll get in shape at whatever weight you want (175-184, like me). And your legs and feet will hurt like he-- (like me). But, it has added benefits. My cholesterol was checked three days ago at 141. Tri-G's at 99. Resting at 112/68 or less (depending on time of day, etc.). It would really help if I quit my two-pack-a-day habit and the two drinkies at happy hour, according to my doctor. I'll probably die in a car wreck next week. Am I a marathoner? Heck no! Can I stay with a 25 or 30 year old? Again, heck no, if I play thier way (which I don't). But in other areas, there are more benefits, if you catch what I mean. Do what you can, now. It'll be easier to catch back up later.

November 4, 2002, 06:49 PM	#4
stick Member Join Date: September 6, 2001 Posts: 90	First thing: set some realistic fitness goals then develop a program around it. With a little time management, you should be able to find a 20-40 minute slot each day. Think about working exercise into your life at home. By doing this you save travel and prep time at the gym. Examples: Can you volunteer with in your son's sports? Line-judging a soccer games keeps you running for at least 1 day a week (same with ref-ing basketball). Or be an active assistant coach. If you run with the kids each practice, there's 2 days of cardio exercise. Walk/jog/run to your son's practices while he rides his bike. My friend takes a kickboxing class at her son's martial arts studio at the same time he is in class. The place has 2 rooms just for this type of scheduling. Make 15 minutes a day for calistetics every other day (before your morning shower?). Body weight squats w/ calf raise at the end of each rep, crunches, push-ups, dips (using chairs), pull-ups (buy a doorway bar),... you get the drift. If time gets too long, break the exercises apart and do them on alternating days (i.e. push-ups, crunches and squats on MWF and dips and pull-ups on TTh). You can do wonders without weights and machines. Grab a couple workout tapes for the VCR (i.e. kick boxing, aerobics, tae bo, yoga) that you would enjoy. Focus on the ones that have short <30 minute programs included. Maybe there's time in the morning or when your son is doing his reading/homework and your daughter is enthralled in "The Wiggles" or "Blues Clues". How about just 1 hour each Sat or Sun at the gym. You can put together a full body weight lifting routine in that time and YES it will be of benefit. Stick with multi-joint (muscle) exercises to maximize effiency (squats, bench press, military press, lat pull downs, rows). Don't mess around in there either. At 6 seconds/rep, 10 reps/set, 3 sets/exerciseand 1 minute between sets (or 5-6 minutes per exercise) you can easily hit 7-8 exercises covering the major muscle groups in 1 hour. Mix and match as appropriate for your goals. Good luck and good health.

November 4, 2002, 09:36 PM	#6
Microholic Junior Member Join Date: December 3, 2001 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 7	If you have the room and $$$, buy a home gym. I just bought a Body Solid Bi-angular model and am very satisified with it. Can do a complete workout in 20 mins or less depending on push or pull day, less time than it takes to go to the store for a gallon of milk. Its so convenient to have the weight stack, am much happier with this than a tower or olympic bench.

November 4, 2002, 10:47 PM	#8
vulcan Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2002 Posts: 265	Home Gym. Like microholic suggested . I use to go to the gym , but my schedule is no schedule. I rush out to service calls all hours of the day & night with 1/2 hr. notice. It was hard to stay on my normal 11/2hr workout 3X a week. I bought a set of weights & bench and find I save a lot of time not having to drive to the gym & back. I also find it more comfortable because I don't have to wait for gym machines, smelly lockers,sweat covered benches & I can listen to my radio instead of muzak. Because of my schedule my workouts might be 2:00am or 10:00am, I don't know day to day. The home equipment made it more flexible for me. I'm in my 40's,But can still pass the airborne physical training test when I was 18(I made that my fitness benchmark). Make excercise part of your lifestyle & soon it just becomes part of your daily ritual.

November 5, 2002, 10:22 AM	#9
LBC Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2001 Posts: 385	Golgo, I'm in almost the exact same position as you, only with a 9 month old. I have a treadmill and weight bench in the basement. Like you, I try to get up at 5:15 a.m. (I have to be at work at 7 a.m.). I find I can run 1-2 miles on the treadmill, then do three sets of push ups, dips, curls, and sit ups (Navy SEALS workout) in 40 minutes or less. That at least keeps you in generally okay condition.

November 5, 2002, 10:59 AM	#10
Glock40 Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2002 Posts: 111	It comes down to one basic thing How bad do you want to be in shape? If you really want to train, you will. Buy an exercise bike. Get a baby jogger and have your older one follow you on his bike. Maximize your weekend time. Cut back on kids activities. Change your work hours. Change your sleeping habits. I have a 7 year old and a 9 year old. Ever since they were born, I have trained without interuption. It is all about willpower. By the way, a 0 fat diet is the WORST method of controlling your weight. You need a high protien, low carb diet with fat. It is carbs that your body stores as fat. Read the atkins book. All the 0 fat stuff is a myth. America has gotten fatter and fatter ever since their diet has gone towards high carbs and low fat.

November 5, 2002, 11:09 AM	#11
trapshooter Junior member Join Date: January 2, 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 902	Glock40 is right. You do need some fat. Just the right kind. And carb loading can be terminal, so cut back on pasta and potatoes, beans, etc. I don't think it makes sense to try and completely stop eating stuff that tastes good. That just leads to bingeing (sp?) later, most of the time. Control and discipline is the key, for both diet and exercise. (BTW, if I was unclear, in my original post, I didn't say don't eat some fat, I recommended no fatty snacks. It's the snacks that pose the greatest temptation, IMHO).

November 5, 2002, 11:47 AM	#12
MK11 Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2001 Posts: 577	Buy a jump rope. It's one of the most efficient cardio workouts, it's cheap, and you can just do it in the living room or the basement. Supplement with some pushups and situps. You rarely will have enough downtime to say, "Hey, I should work out," so make time for it as part as your schedule. Do it three times a week, that ain't bad.

November 5, 2002, 11:56 AM	#13
Glock40 Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2002 Posts: 111	Sorry Trapshooter, I wasn't trying to slam you. You are right. You can't give up eating fun stuff. Everything in moderation - I should have said "controlled carb" diet. Heck, what is life without a candy bar or beer sometimes (hopefully not together). The Most wise words I have heard on dieting: In 100 years, we are all going to weigh the same.