Hi!

I've just joined after having received a shock when I weighed myself! (Although to be honest, I knew I had put on the pounds!)

I would quite like to exercise more regularly, but I find that working the long hours and the amount of work I then have to do at home, makes it really hard to find the time to go to the gym (which takes about an hour + time to eat afterwards, shower etc).

Every day I have to leave home at 7.15am to travel to work to arrive by 8.05 or else the traffic is too bad. I then work all day (as a pastoral head most of my breaks and lunchtimes are hectic!) before returning home at about 6-6.30 pm - sometimes 7ish. Like yourselves, I then have to do the obligatory marking, planning, admin work before it all starts again tomorrow.

Over the years I would say that I have become pretty good at managing my time and workload. The nature of my position in School means that unfortunately, things like marking have to wait until I get home.

However, I would be really grateful for any advice, hints/tips, suggestions any of you fellow teachers have about how you overcome similar difficulties to find the motivation to keep going and to keep fit! I need to lose about 2 stones before the end of May!

Cheers!
S

Hi Sarah,

I don't envy you a bit with that workload! However, if it's any help at all I have to be on the road for work by 7:25 every morning and I found the only way I could get the amount of exercise I wanted per day was to go out cycling or running at 5:30 in the morning. I'd be back home before 7, quick shower, quick breakfast on the road. It means you have to have everything ready before you go to bed the night before but in some ways that's better as you wake up less anxious.
Best wishes
Paul

Hi Sarah
Not sure I have any constructive advice but would like to sympathize with your predicament. A day in school used to leave me shattered. I am sure that being on the go all day means you are exercising without realising it. I always wear a pedometer in school.
I got round it by moving to a cheaper area and going part time. As I don't have a family to support, I can afford to do this so I'm lucky.
I wish you all the best!

There are a couple of hurdles ahead to get a routine going and you just need to persevere. I need to be heading to the office by 07:15 to 07:30 each day. My local gym opens at 06:30 Monday to Friday and 08:00 at weekends. It took some time getting into the habit to go each morning as it is too easy not to bother and I am not naturally interested in sport or exercise. There are many days when you don't feel bothered but if you battle through that, and it does take time, then a time comes when it is just part of the day, getting up at 05:30 having a small amount of breakfast and in the gym by 06:30 becomes no bother. What I cannot do is exercise at night - too much effort. No easy route, perserve and after a few months it becomes a way of life.

If you don't mind working out at home then a rebounder (mini trampoline) is excellent as only 15-20 mins 3 or more times a week will leave you feeling energised and above all it is not boring so it won't feel like a chore - for me anyway! It also burns more calories then the same time spent jogging. As muscle burns fat and really, if you want to keep the weight off, you need to tone your muscles up too. This can be easily done by holding small weights while you jump every other day. Jumping to favourite music or to a dvd workout - whichever you would prefer, will both reap rewards. I did it last year and it really works, and am continuing to do it this year. One can also vary the intensity when you get a bit fitter - so if you only have ten minutes then just warm up for 2 minutes, really go for it for 6 minutes and then cool down for 2 minutes - now I can't think of many other activities with such excellent benefits for such small pockets of time!

Thanks everyone for your advice! I feel much more positive now that I know others find the time to exercise in spite of equally hectic lives! Lots for me to think about! I'm not usually a 'morning person' so I'm not sure that a trip to the gym then would work though, but who knows!!! In a few months I might feel so energised I could handle it!

I'd never even thought about jumping to music, Steph! Might try it tonight!

Cheers and good luck with your exercise!
Sarah

Hi Sarah
I am a fellow teacher who is also too tired to excersise after a hectic day, completely sympathise with your predicament. the only way i get around it is going to the gym before school. i pack my bag the night before and leave my gym kit ready so all i have to do is jump out of bed, get changed and leave. it does take some getting used to, and exercising first thing in the morning is a shock to the system so dont expect to be able to do what you usually can, but even if you just do a little bit it is so surprising how energised you will feel for the rest of the day, and smug that you have already done your exercise quota by the time you get to school. also, exercise first thing in the morning is the best way of burning fat and will raise your metabolism for the rest of the day. good luck!

I have the same problem with my college work.
I had exams straight after christmas so over christmas i had just been sitting revising and eating whatever i could to stop me being hungry.
I put on a lot of weight, and now i only have 1 exam which is on tuesday.
I can finally relax!
Its hard because on a week night i have that much work to do and so i dont get time to do anything else.
Then on a weekend i just want to relax because of all the work!
I do eat healthier which is making a big change!
Also i walk to college and back, and i go swimming every thursday night.
Instead of leaving it to when i feel, i make a routine of when i am going to do things, such as my swimming on a thursday.

I know what you mean as I am a teacher too. I decided to combine teaching and exercise by creating an after school dance club. I am actually an English teacher and so don't have a PE qualification or anything but this hasn't been a problem.

My class is really popular. 60 students attend! I warm up with them, teach the moves, practice with them and cool down with them. My exercise watch tells me I'm burning around 500 cals every class!

The great thing about the class is that I do my exercise before the long ride home, the hunger kicking in, alongside my eyelids drooping.

You could benefit from simply helping out with the PE dep instead of beginning a new club? You'd be surprised just how many calories you can burn.

My parents are teachers (in school administration too, so extra work!), so I understand what you mean by the workload.

My suggestion is to commit to a weekly class - so for me, latin dancing and yoga. That way, you have to attend. If you choose something you like (again, dancing for me!) it becomes more of a social event rather than a chore and releives stress as well as shedding weight

When I was teaching I lost the car (crash), and ended up having to cycle to work. The nasty shock soon turned to a great feeling and I arrived at school feeling much better. You have further to go, but maybe find somewhere a few miles away to park up and cycle the rest?

I altered homeworks so I only had a sheaf of papers to carry each way, or so I could mark it online (via the Intranet we had). This also helped the RSI I had developed from 20 years' marking!

I also got a gym buddy and we always went when planned as we didn't want to let the other down.

And I learned to say 'no' ('OK, I'll do that - what would you like me to give up instead?') and take a proper lunch break to eat / go for a walk and nothing collapsed around my ears.

Good luck

Hi Sarah

All credit to you for being such a dedicated professional. Whilst not a teacher I do spend a fair amount of time in schools and can understand yuor situation.

I imagine you find eating healthily and sensibly gets messed about with by schedules, especially eating on the run. To lose 2 stone in 4 months you will need to address both the input and output.

I know you said you were too tired to exercise, but you know that exercise is stress relieving and energising. So as you mention you are NOT a morning person, I think if you could manage (family commitments allowing) a spurt before you leave school or on way home, followed by light supper then your additional work I suspect you actually may get a 2nd wind.

Are there any other staff you stay late and who would undertake a brisk 30 minute walk. Or could you do so with someone at home, family or friend. Soon be light enough to go alone..... Or a swim, or gym on way home. May need some change of planning for meals but you would feel so much better, I am pretty sure.

I like to multi task on a stationary bike, it is very easy to read on one of these although not as efficient as concentrating on every rotation. Pah! A calorie is a calorie...

Hi Sarah
I know exactly how you feel. I am a head of dept. I leave home about 7.00 so gym before school is out. I finish about 6 ish on a good day. Last year I did the 5 k fun run for breast cancer and had a free 1 month gym membership. I decided to join the gym and discovered classes ( free with gym membership). At the moment spinning classes are flavour of the month. If the music is good and the teacher motivating the time just goes and I burn about 500kcal. I can admire inspiring teaching as an unfit me gets motivated to work hard and enjoy it. My class is 7.15 after a busy day but afterwards I feel great. I try and do 2 classes a week, 1 evening and 1 Sat morning and I do feel better; it also lowers my blood pressure. I just have a light snack after the evening class which also helps the diet.