Need MOTIVATION, TIME, and ACCOUNTABILITY!

I'm really unhappy with all my flab and would love to tone up and loose some inches.  Problem is I'm so incredibly busy.  I work full time and have a ministry full time.  We are on staff at our church which means we are involved in chuch activities 6 out of 7 days.  We also have 4 kids so we try and spend time with them too.  They range in age from 2 1/2 to 17 years.  My husband and I started our diet today.  We are starting off counting calories and are going to attempt to exercise.  I have Praise Team practice this evening directly after work so I'm not sure when I'm going to find time to exercise.  I am so out of shape physically.  I have been trying to do sit-ups but can only do 10 - 20 at a time and somedays am unable to do any.  I get a sharp pain in my abdomen some days.  Guess I need to go to the doctor for that...

How do I get motivated AND find time to exercise???  I really need someone to hold me accountable....

Take 5 (or 10):  Go out and take a brisk walk between activities.  Every few minutes add up!  Bundle up the kids and go outside and play catch (or buy a trampoline:  You wouldn't believe how much fun it is to bounce with your kids and its a great low impact work out).  Carve out a few minutes each day.  They will add up!  Good luck, I know it is a challenge.  I have two kids and a full time job (teacher) that never ends when the bell rings.  Let me know what you can find to do, I may try it too!

I agree with dburgert, even 5 or 10 minutes is better than nothing and over time you will find those odd moments that you can stretch, lift weights, take a walk, pace while on the phone, etc.  Those minutes all add up. 

I'm in the process of working my way back up to my 30+ minutes a day after drifting away from exercise but will start at 10 minutes a day and keep increasing each week or month until I've built it back up. 

There is a monthly exercise challenge  http://caloriecount.about.com/roll-call-decem ber-exercise-challenge-ft122068 if that would help keep you motivated.  I've found that has helped me alot over the past year or so that I've been a part of the callenge.  I don't always make my goal but knowing that I'm posting my monthly amounts for everyone to see helps spur me on some days.

Good luck.  Feel free to PM me if I can help.

Hi Niki!

I understand about time constraints.  I work full-time in a school environment (I am a roving counseling between 2 districts and 3 schools).  In the evenings I work with Foster kids who are preparing to transition out of foster care into adulthood teaching life-skills, etc.  I also pick up contract work as a parent educator and teen health educator ... I am teaching at least one time per quarter (even during the summer).  I sit on two community coalitions as a board member, am a graduate student (nearly done ... Dec. 12th .... yay), a single mom (of one teenage daughter and one 12 year old black lab) and maintain a long distance relationship with the love of my life.  I understand how busy life can be ... here are a few things that I have done to help motivate myself to exercise ... as well as a few tricks that I have picked up to save time.  Hope they help!

1.  If I can walk it ... then I do.  I don't drive to the store 3 blocks away just to pick up a few things or ride the elevator when it is just a few flights of stairs ... 14 flights of stairs may require an elevator ride ... but 4 or 5 ... I can do it!

2.  Instead of finding the coveted parking spot near the door ... I park at the back of the lot and walk through the parking lot to the door.

3.  I bought a treadmill ... and I use it (LOL)!  I sometimes do not find the time to work out until 10 or 11 PM ... so instead of settling on the couch to watch a TV treat ... I hop on the treadmill to watch my stories.  Sure my treadmill is in my livingroom (and it is a decorating NO-NO) but I don't care ... if it is put somewhere convenient ... then it will be convenient to use it!

4.  I pack easy and quick to eat lunches like a Slimfast and apple slices (I only have about 20 minutes for lunch usually) ... I spend 10 minutes wolfing it down and the other 10 minutes walking around the campus (or parking lot) at whatever school I am in that day.  I also pack low cal snacks that I can munch on to make up for my super slim lunch -- I make up a bunch of baggies of stuff on Sunday evening before bed ... so I don't have to think about it for the rest of the week (popcorn, reduced fat triskets, veggies, fruit slices, rice cakes, etc).

5.  Lastly, I give myself permission to have a little "me" time.  My health better be important to me ... because if it fails ... then I am no good to anyone ... no matter how many things I am doing.  If I get sick, end up in the hospital or worse ... then all the things I am doing ... will not get done.  So I have to take care of me ... before I can take care of everything and everyone else.  Give yourself the permission to put yourself first ... it is actually a very selfless act!

Good luck to you!  I hope this helps in some small way!

God bless,

Gwen