*Not enough hours in the day to exercise =/.....

I can't seem to fit in exercise into my schedule. I am a freshman in high school currently, and if you are one that hasn't been to high school in a while, let me refresh your memory.

Ever since losing 10 pounds in the summer, I have been trying to maintain this loss year-round, and it's worked. I normally exercise 3-4 times a week. However, these last couple of weeks have been rigorous. We have had 4 weeks straight of school with tons of work, and final exams this week. I am so burnout. This morning when I woke up, in order to keep myself from falling back asleep I had to lay on the floor. :P I have to get up at 5:30 am everyday and only get about 6 hours asleep every night.

Anyway I am not here to complain to you so I'll cut to the chase: I can't seem to fit in exercise anymore. I have not exercised in weeks due to over-working and lack of sleep. This has resulted in a 4 pound weight gain. =/ I am so mentally and physically exhausted I'm surprised I can even type this. What can I do so I don't regain the pounds I lost? :(

(Oh and BTW- I try to get to bed as early as I can but I cant seem to force myself to go to bed any earlier then 10 =/ It's just my internal clock...)

You'll find a way.  Sometimes it takes time to figure out how to get time. 
I always work out for 30 minutes to an hour a day.  When I know i'll have a busy day then i'll just split it up and work out for 20 minutes early in the morning and 20 minutes late at night just to get everything in

I hear ya!  I'm not in school, I'm 42, but the same applies.  That's why I only get to have 1,200 calories today.   I don't allow myself to go one calorie over if I'm not going to exercise, which I'm too tired to do tonight....but 3,500 calories make a pound of fat, and if I can't exercise, then I only get the 1,200.   Sigh!  The good side of course is that even without much exercise, I'm still losing weight, nice and steady, just by sticking to that one rule... NO FUN, I know, but it really does work.

i agree with mrsmueller....

in highschool when i first got into running i would go for a run when i first woke up for 20-30 minutes and then i would go maybe later in the day....

now that i'm in university it's obviously a lot easier to find time to slot in the gym

i remember my days were so busy with studying/extra curriculars etc after school i didn't really snack at all so 30 minutes of cardio and maybe some toning and free weights did it for me

by the way...i wouldn't get to worried about it...as soon as exams are over you'll have all summer right? and you may think ppl are noticing when you gain a few pounds but chances are you are the only person who has.  as you said you've been maintaining your weight over the whole year....i remember from the age of grade 10-12 my body put on about 10 pounds....but i probably would have looked unhealthy if this hadnt happened.

Hang in there.  You only have a few weeks left and then you can spend the summer eating properly and exercising.  Also, at freshman age, your body might still be changing so you might be adding and losing pounds as you continue to grow. 

I hear ya. It's been a long time I've been to high school. I have one kid in middle school and another in elementary school and between keeping track of their homework, projects, and schedules, I can't wait for school to end! What I would recommend for the last few weeks of school is to moderate your food intake. Eat fewer calories than you normally would if you were exercising. Only eat low-calorie, clean, healthy foods. Once school is done, you'll have more time to exercise.

Hey! As others said, hang in there.. School comes first, and chances are you`ll have no trouble shedding off these few extra pounds once your schedule clears up.

I realise you`ve probably considered this option, but is there any chance you might be able to squeeze in at least 15-30 minutes of some exercise before bed? I mean, if you can`t fall asleep before 10 anyway, might as well make the most of your awake time. Who knows, it might even help your internal clock shift a bit..

I have had the same problem fitting enough exercise in. I'm an accountant so most of my job involves sitting. You have to make it your priority. In college I took more classes then high school so it only got worse for me. Even if you can walk to the bus stop or walk to a friend's house etc at least you are still getting moving. Try going up the stairs instead of taking the elevator or do jumping jacks during the TV commercials. All the little things like this can add up.

i know you think you just don't have the time for anything besides school, but consider joining a sports team in the fall.  i added sports to my already busy high school schedule my freshman spring, and i found that it forced me to budget my time better and schedule my priorities, in the end even giving me time to relax!

I understand! Days need to have more hours! I start my internship next month and here is what my schedule is going to look like

4:00am wake up

work all day

7:00pm get home, start working out asap, shower, and go to bed!

repeat Mon - fri

If you absolutely cant find the time, concentrate on eating only nutritious foods, stay away from junk and don't over-eat.  This is only temporary until school is done.......right?  In the meantime ask yourself........can you take a short walk at lunch, or maybe walk to or from school?  Do you at least have a Phys ed class.........if so make the best of it.

As far as getting to sleep............Try not to drink or eat 2-3 hours before bed.  Avoid any caffeine even in the early afternoon it can stay in your system for 8  or so hours. ( Exercise is not reccomended before bed either, it will wake your system up and will be harder to fall asleep ) Perhaps try a "sleepytime" herbal tea an hour before bed (meditation breathing is also great) to help you fall asleep faster...........instead of watching tv, listen to "relaxing" music.  Sleep is very important to a teen.......If you can get this under control, perhaps you will eventually be able to get the proper sleep to wake up earlier to get your exercise. 

Good luck and don't stress, just be accountable for your health, you only get one body treat it right.

I just graduated, so I hear you on the lack of time. Freshman year shouldn't be that bad, though!

To give you a hint of what I did:

6:00- Wake up (I had zero hour)

6:20-6:30ish- Drive to school

7:00 Class starts- lasts until 3:00

3:00-5:30/6:00 Track or XC practice

6:00-6:30  Eat

6:30-11:30 Homework...

11:30-12:30 Read! (I like my relaxing time, and I'm an insomniac so I couldn't fall asleep anyway.)

Throughout the day whenever you have time, do your homework. For classes, I always did the notes for the entire chapter the weekend it was first assigned so I could just spend the time reviewing every night and lectures were review for me. I loved joining a school sport- great for exercise, fun, and you're getting involved.

Hope this helps!

i know this sounds kinda rediculous, but i've got the same problem, only i just dont work out after school cause it gets so muggy and humid here that i cant stand it.

how i deal with it is, i walk to school. this sounds kinda rediculous, but i live 3 miles away from school, and since my school bus picks me up an hour before school starts anyway, i can.

i shower at night, wake up at 5:45, pack a lunch, have a breakfast, and leave at 6:15 when i walk, and on days i bus i leave at 6:30.

i would definatly suggest something like that,

and, the low-impact exercise makes me awake by the time i get to school

just try and be creative