How Do You Motivate Yourself After Work?

I am gym-o-phobic. I wouldn't go to the gym at all. For me it's much more motivating to work on something at home. Whether it's wrestling with the ivy in the garden like I did tonight, or working on deconstructing a wooden pallet, like I did last night, liberating yourself from exercise needing to be at the gym might help. It also helps to do things that I love. For now, my routine looks like 10 or 15 minutes of cardio to a video in the morning, and then whatever adventure seizes me at night. Maybe you're different than me, but it's a thought.

It is a great idea to do it in the morning because I am the same way when I get home.

The reason I get up early to exercise before work is because I am too tired to even think about it after work. Also, after work, I have work at home with meals, dishes, laundry, bills, etc. There is no way I could have ever exercised after the work day.

And yes, I did get up at 4:30 AM as was necessary to have time to fit a one hour run into my day before work. There are many articles and posts written on how to train your body to do this.

Maybe, since you have to get up at 4 AM, it might not be practical, but some ideas in posts earlier than mine have some good ideas and suggestions.

There was one thread a while back posted, "Anyone exercise at 4:30 AM?" which had a lot of responses.

Good luck! You'll figure out what works best for you. Where there is a will, there's a way.

I love all the suggestions!

I have to get up at 4:15a to workout before work...in the summer, I totally do that. I get to run or row outside before it gets hot.

In the winter, I pack my gym bag the night before and keep it in the car. I also go to a gym near work as soon as it's over. If I work out for an hour, the traffic dies down and my 1 hour commute is closer to 40 minutes. :) Getting out of frustrating rush hour slow downs is a HUGE motivator for me.

And, with my current job, sometimes I go in early and take a long lunch to workout in the middle of the day. I usually plan that when I know I have a big writing task at work since that also seems to help my performance and focus.

KMM, is it possible for you to skip the morning shower, take a 2-hour lunch break to work out at a gym near your job, and then shower and return to work? That way you can exercise at a time that's not right after a long and hard day of work. Maybe you can ask your manager if you can finish work later to make up for lost time.

Like QUAIL75 said, I bring my gym bag with me to work and go right after work. For me, working out in the morning just won't happen (I'm up at 5:45am to get ready) so after work is best. Plus, I have to carry my gym bag around on the subway... if I bring it in to work, I'm going to use it!

Besides bring the gym bag in, other things I've found helpful are:
a) finding classes/activities at the gym I like doing. It keeps me interested which keeps me going.
b) packing my gym bag at night. I first lay everything out to ensure I've packed everything. In the mornings, I can just grab and go as I'm always in a rush--still trying to get the not pressing snooze thing down. I'm failing... Miserably.
c) my gym membership allows me to visit any location in the city. Since I live in NYC (work on one end, live on the other end), I usually go to different locations (for different classes) at places on route to my house. Somehow, this makes me feel like its not inconvenient and I can't use the excuse, "its out of the way." Dunno, it just works for me.

Good luck!!!!!

I bring my gym bag with me and go to the gym right after work. I know if I went home first, I would never go out again. I also try to walk at lunch.

Hubby and I have an agreement that if I walk/work out right after work, he will cook supper.

Back when I used to go to the gym after work (I now get up early and go) I had a membership close to where I work so I could change after work and go straight to the gym so I wouldn't have an excuse once I got home to not go. On the days when I was really tired I would just walk into the gym and jump on a cardio machine for at least 5 minutes and move at a decent pace and that would help wake me up then I would move on to my weight workouts. Also, having a change in your workout routine helps you from getting bored so a gym with classes would be a great option. :)

I've been known to change it up a little. For example, I'll do cardio in the morning and a yoga class after work. Knowing I'm not going to be doing the same old hum drum makes it easier.

I agree with the coach. I definitely did not have an hour commute, but i found once i got home, exercise was the furthest thing from my mind once I took my shoes off. If the only gym you can use is close to your house, put your exercise clothes in your trunk. Go straight to the gym and work off some of the fatigue and regain some energy. maybe you should also look at what you are eating. If you are eating lots of processed stuff or other junk, that can sap your energy too.
I find that when I exercise either at home or in the gym (which i no longer belong too), I find the energy to keep going in about 3 to 4 minutes.
do some tabata training or HIIT at home. You don't need equipment and even though I wouldn't advise it (unless it is a DVD of such routines), you can do it in front of the TV. I don't exercise while the TV is on because I find that I am paying too much attention to the tube and not to the intensity I need to work at.
not sure where on the east coast you live, but maybe start a walking club at work. We have one here from my work group and once the weather is nice enough we go for a half hour walk.
You can get away from your desk and walk the stairs for five or ten minutes. We have three flights at work and I can run up and down them several times. I find the exercise taps into an energy I didn't know I had.
Lastly, not to be callous-- but if your health journey is important enough to you, being tired and whatever other excuse you can come up with can be pitched out. Don't let excuses make you fail. If you want it bad enough, you will find the time and the energy.

What can you do while you are AT work? Can you take stairs instead of the elevator. Can you walk during lunch? Is there a gym closer to work that your membership would work at that you could go to right after work before driving home? Your schedule is a challenge but don't let that be your barrier to success. There has to be options that can work. These articles may have some additional ideas that would work.

Squeezing in Exercise
How I Learned to Stay Active on the Run
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_artic
les.asp?id=380

Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Hectic Life
13 Tips to Get More Nutrition and Fitness into Your Day
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_arti
cles.asp?id=186

10 Ways to Find Time for Exercise
Busting the #1 Exercise Excuse: Lack of Time
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_artic
les.asp?id=1675

Coach Tanya

I am currently struggling with finding the energy to get to the gym and work out after a long day of work. I cannot work out in the mornings; because I'd have to get up at like 4:00 AM (eastern time) to be done and ready to leave for work by 6:45 AM (eastern time.) I also have the downside of driving one hour to work, working for 8.5 hours, then driving another hour home. By the time I have finished my day and gotten home I have zero energy left.

How can I motivate myself (or even get more energy) at the end of a busy day to get myself to the gym? Advice is appreciated!