40+ Work Hours...Can you still eat well and exercise?

I just finished my first full week of working full time outside of the home in almost 3 years, and I wanted to share some of my challenges that you may have as well:

1. I had to figure out to still fit exercise into my schedule.
2. I had to change my thought process on what to eat for lunch.
3. I had to figure out how to get enough sleep since I have to leave for work at 7:30am. 

Let me explain...

EXERCISE

For the past couple of years, I would either go to the gym (They have a babysitting area.), run with the jogging stroller (when he was younger and...lighter!), or exercise while he was napping, in the middle of the day. 

Now, I can't go to the gym until the evening, but I don't want to put my son in babysitting after he's been in daycare all day. That would also mean that I would see him for less than an hour each day, and I'd rather spend a couple of hours with him each day since it's already a big change for both of us (and so far he only wants me to work half day - wink wink). 

What to do what to do....

I decided that I would wake up at 5:30am and either do an exercise DVD or yoga on my own.

It's been a bit tough since I'm not used to waking up so early, but I'll get used to it. And I remembered that I used to love working out and then going to work since it started my day off right, and I definitely do feel more refreshed and energized when I exercise before the long drive and a full day of work.

I will go to the gym at least one day on the weekend and may take one class at night during the week, so I am excited to still have variety and a change of environment. And once in awhile, I will be able to go for a run outside when someone else is watching him. Exercise can ALWAYS be scheduled in.

How can YOU fit exercise into your busy life?

LUNCH AT WORK

I used to work on the A+ Plan every morning, then go do an activity with my son, and we'd be back for lunch. I would pull something out of the refrigerator and either cook something or take out some leftovers from the day before. Now at work during lunch, I need to have everything prepared in advance. I decided to cook several dishes on Sunday night to give everyone options for the week. Not only did I need to pack lunch for myself each day, but I also needed to pack lunch for my son, and we are both not "sandwich people" (That would have made it too easy! wink wink). 

I am used to advising clients on how to eat well while working, but each person needs to figure out what works best for them. Preparing in advance for lunches and side dishes for dinners (preparing the entrees after work at least 2x/wk), and picking up sushi or a salad once or twice a week during a lunch break is what seems to work best for me.

How can YOU eat well while working full time?

SLEEPING ENOUGH

I used to literally run to the gym, shower and eat breakfast, and get dressed for work. In my current situation, I have to get myself and my son ready to leave. Getting 2 people ready to go is much more time consuming than getting yourself ready (Kudos to you full timers with several children!). How could I do this without waking up at 4am on a daily basis? How could I keep my son happy, my house clean, meals fresh and healthy, the laundry done, the bills paid, and fit exercise and a little bit of relaxation into my daily life? 

For my first week back to full time work, I did not get enough sleep. I am naturally more of a night owl and have never been one to go to sleep at 9:30. I also need some time after my son goes to sleep to be able to do work on the A+ Plan and cool my body down before sleep. My new goal: I am going to try to get into bed at 10:15 and read for 15-30 minutes before falling asleep. I would still prefer more sleep, but that seems to be the best method as of right now. 

How will YOU make sure you get enough sleep while still being able to maintain your household and work?

I hope this (long) blog post helped you see that we each face daily challenges, and all it takes is figuring out the best strategy for YOU to have the most enjoyable life possible. YOU choose.