Workout how?

Something that I struggle with constantly is not only how to fit in a workout, but what to even do for a workout. I look at people that I know who manage to work a full time job AND workout on a regular basis and go "PLEASE TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!!!" because it just doesn't seem to happen for me.

I work a full time job and by the time that I get home everyday, I'm pretty burnt out. The idea of getting dressed in workout gear and leaving the house again to do a work out just makes me sink further into the couch and convince myself that I'm fine as I am. I'm also good at making mental road blocks for myself. As soon as I get in the door, I'm already trying to think of what to make for dinner, how to get the dogs outside for a little exercise (if I'm not too tired), and how to finish out my night. Doesn't seem to leave a lot of room in that schedule to spend time working out.

Many people say that working out in the morning before work is the best for them. To them I say I would love to, but I also love to sleep.

I wake up at 5:00 in order to get to work on time as it is. My mornings consist of trying to get myself, Tyler, and the dogs ready for the day. The idea of waking up another 30 to 45 minutes early is just a no go to me. Sleep is at a premium and there is no way that I'm willingly going to miss out on it.

When it comes to where to work out, that is also an issue. I would love to work out at my house, but that is difficult because of 1 thing....or 2 furry things. Yup the dogs. They love trying to "help" so I end up with an Auggie on my yoga mat laying underneath me or jumping over me if I'm doing plank type moves. Scout will try to be encouraging and lick my face when it's in range. While I appreciate the cute level of all this, it makes it very hard to do anything productive.

Like I've said previously, I'm attempting to get into running but that is a slow process. Right now, the place that I like to run is about a 10 minute drive away. That's not bad at all, but when I want to take the dogs with me, it becomes an ordeal. This quick 30 minute drive and work out turns into an hour in order to get Auggie and/or Scout geared up and into the truck and then go run. (do I have poop bags? Water and a bowl? Leash or GPS collars? etc) We live on a busy road where people drive WAY faster than they should and the shoulder is small. These things keep me from running directly from the house.

One way that I've tried to alleviate my issues was a membership to the local YMCA. This lasted for roughly 4 months. Tyler and I were on a work schedule that let us go to the gym at 4:45am, get a 30-40 minute workout in, and still get to work on time. (I will also point out that no animals were in our lives then). This worked well because it got us going for the day but there were some issues. First, while it wasn't quite the busiest time of the day, there was still an amazing amount of people who had the same idea we did. The idea of getting up so early to avoid crowds and then end up waiting for machines was frustrating.

Secondly, I really wanted to take part in the classes but all the ones that I wanted to do would be after work. This wouldn't be a huge issue if it weren't for the fact that it was the busiest time of the day at the Y.  I love the idea of a group class and having a small community to help you stay motivated. That's the keyword though, SMALL. I do not consider a class that requires the use of the gym small.

The dogs are a major blockade when it comes to doing workouts at home which is my most preferred option right now. I've let that stop me from doing things at the house so many times that I've lost count and that has to stop. That leads into my struggle of "what do I even do to workout?" I've mentally shot down or tried so many things that it's hard to find the motivation to develop any kind of routine.

My plan right now is to try out Gymnastics Body online classes since one of my co workers rants and raves about their online courses. Poking around their website earlier, I'm actually pretty excited to give it a shot. Plus, they let you take a free 30 minute class to see if it's something that you're into before you sign up. Paying for an online class that I don't even get to see how it's structured has always been something that keeps me from giving those a shot. What this means is tomorrow, the dogs are going to get some outside time. If it ends up being something that I want to get into more and I think will work for me, then I'll come up with more options for them and me.

Tomorrow's workout: GB class tryout & walk with the doggies after the football games. (Go PACKERS!) Fingers crossed on the GB online class.