@ilovemyfather I'm a single mom with full custody of my 2 kids. I workout for 1-1.5 hours 5-6 days a week. I was doing crossfit for 2.5 years, but they don't have childcare and the price of my membership there was killing me. So I switched to the YMCA a few months ago. My kids love it- they play in the kid area until I'm done, then we swim. I still do the Saturday partner WOD at my old box Saturday mornings, and I also do a functional fitness class there Mondays at 5pm.
I pack my gym bag the night before, pack snacks for the kids and games/cards/etc just in case. I go right after work after picking them up from camp or the aftercare program at school. If we go home first, all 3 of us lose motivation to go back out.
I also do a lot of meal prep on Sundays to save time throughout the week, or preset my pressure cooker.
It's takes a lot of planning ahead which I'm AWFUL at. I have ADHD lol. But I'm a much better human and more patient mom when I'm doing something for ME.
@ilovemyfather It's hard some weeks and I struggle. There are definitely days when we go home, order pizza, and play board games or watch a movie. but thank-you! It only took a nasty divorce 3 years ago to motivate me to make myself a priority
@harko Unfortunately, I live in an apartment with very limited space. My gym is only 10mins walk from my place so thankfully its not an issue to get there.
@romanticcode I like to think I have a balanced diet. I’m 32F, 70kg, 163cm and eats approx. 1600-1700cal (I’m trying to lose some fat), eats 150g protein everyday, about 250g veggies/fruits per meal, and moderate carbs. Hydration, I do take electrolytes once a day and don’t really drink coffee or sodas either.
Could be my sleep thats the problem? Generally I weightlift 4x a week and do cardio on rest days - about 60mins each session.
@ilovemyfather Pre workout is a must after work. 15 min after taking it you will certainly want to go to the gym. I work a rotating schedule of days and nights. When I’m on nights, I workout before work, when I’m on days, I workout after work. After discipline and habit set in, you will have more energy each day. I also take a natural testosterone booster from bluestar supplements called status. It has helped with energy.
@ilovemyfather If I was in your shoes I would continue to workout but back off the intensity and duration of workouts and only add in more once it started to feel automatic. Fighting to go to the gym and feeling mentally unprepared for a workout is a sign that you are trying to do too much. Going to the gym and working out should feel automatic, like brushing your teeth. It should be giving you energy, not sapping it.
I go after work, and the only way that consistently happens is if I pack my gym gear at work and get changed at work and drive straight to the gym. That means there's not even an argument to be had, it's just the next stop in my day.
I also decided on a 4 day routine. I could try for a 6 day routine, but that would not leave any space or energy for the other things in life that are ultimately more fun and more important, so its a burnout risk for sure. 4 days is great for me.
@gtorre I think going to the gym in the mornings are natural nowadays for me. My biggest issue is how my energy is crashing midday and how it affects my work sched which then affects the free time I have in the evenings
@gtorre I do sleep 8hrs a day, how good it is - I’m not sure. I do wake up few times a night and some days are restless.
My diet is 1600-1700cal and 150g protein per day. I eat about 250g of veggies/fruits per meal and moderate carbs. Pretty balanced I would say. That said, I’m 32F, 70kg, and 163cm. I am also on a deficit to lose a bit extra fat.
My workout consist of weight training 4x a week and cardio on days I don’t lift (incline walk 30mins).
@ilovemyfather Lower energy during a cut (particularly at the end) is pretty normal I think. How long have you been cutting? Could be time for a diet break.
@ilovemyfather If you’re going to sleep at 10 and the gym is 7am, your days aren’t that bad honestly. That’s a full night of sleep. Do you wake up often? Toss and turn?
@ilovemyfather I used to do after work because I thought I’d be too tired in the morning. But now that I workout before work I am more consistent, and my workouts are the same if not better. So I get up at 4:30, gym from 5:30-7ish, then work from 7-3:30. I work at a power plant, so no such thing as work from home. Luckily we have a gym attached to the locker room at work, so no wasted time in the mornings.
but thank-you! It only took a nasty divorce 3 years ago to motivate me to make myself a priority