Fitting in Exercise

So I could use some advice please. I am struggling on how to add in regular dependable exercise into my schedule. I work an hour and a half drive from my home and I work long hours. I am lucky to get home by 7pm and I leave no later than 6:30 each morning. I am a morning person so by 7pm I am exhausted and still have meals and clean up, etc to do before I go to be and start all over. I have an elliptical at home so I can use that at any time. Suggestions?

Ceci

Yeah that's a tricky one. Your lunch hour would be whered I'd start, if that's an option.

In Canada, the current recommendation is 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of activity that gets you breathing heavy( like, you can say a few words, but can't carry on a conversation). The kinesiologist at my clinic says that they count anything over 10minutes at a time towards the 30 minutes. So maybe work towards 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after work of sprint intervals on your elliptical?

then maybe a 30 minute work out video on YouTube on the weekend when you might have more time. 

Pop sugar on YouTube has tonnes of different routines.

A lot of people really didn't exercise in the beginning of WLS. I didn't really till the past two years. I did however start parking farther away from stores so I would get in some extra steps through out my day. I would go up and down the stairs. 

You will not even realize that you have added more steps in your day. Right now I would focus on your eating habits. 

I got used to early AM workouts. The end of the day, I am mentally burnt out from work, as well as seems always something to do.

In good weather I would run/speed walk before going to work, and during the winters I am lucky to have a gym 5 min from where I work.

The gym is also almost barren at 5:30 AM, and I can get in and out quickly.

Oh i hear you on the long commute!!! I leave the house at 6:05 and I'm home by 5:50 most days.  The times that I have exercised consistently, I either went at lunch time, or got up even earlier.  Evenings don't work for me either.

I get up at 3am m-f just to exercise.  If I didn't I wouldn't have time by the end of the day.  

Get up a half hour earlier to do the elliptical.

I too am a morning person.  By the time I get home in the evening and lunches ready for the next day & dinner ready, it's time to put on my jammies.  Fortunately for me, my hubby is the one with the long commute.  We both have basically the same work hours, but he has an hour + commute and mine is about 15 minutes.  I get up the same time as him and hop on either the eliptical or stationary bike.  We live in a semi-rural area and it's not safe on our roadways so it has to be indoor workouts for me.  

Wear a fitness tracker and figure out how to get in more steps.  Park further away, take the stairs, etc.

I am not a morning person, so did aquacise classes in the evening. 

I also used the treadmill and watched movies while I was walking on it.  I only watched TV or movies when I was on the treadmill so instead of sitting on the couch I was on my feet.

Walking... Use hand weights to increase the intensity.  or take yoga on weekends.

most days - housework and shopping gives me 7-10K steps.  

Now I introduced more walking - I walk 45-50 min 3 x week... On those day I have 10-13K steps... 

but- whenever I go - I try to part farther from the doors (unless I am in a hurry). I use stairs anywhere I can.  At work - I use the bathroom farther from me...(on days I don't walk) 

Maximize effort - i.e. use ankle and wrist weights when walking. Shopping? use ankle weights to increase intensity.. .

I would try 20 - 30 minutes doing your stretches,  sit ups, push - ups, light hand weights. ect. in the mornings listening to the news or favorite tunes, 30 minutes at lunch time fast walking or stairs for your cardio and 20 - 30 doing the same BEFORE getting in the car to drive home. It could put you in the right frame of mind and make you more alert for that long commute home and even give you a little more energy to do everything you need to do when you do get there.