Hey all... just wanted to vent and maybe get some advice.

I'm 220#, 6'2", fairly good build but could stand to lose about 30lbs of fat to become very trim.

I've been hitting the gym after work about 3-4 days a week since November and ahve really enjoyed it, although I didn't lose much weight, I did "replace" fat with muscle, and noticed a definite improvement in appearance and strength.

Anyhow, with my wife going back to work after the birth fo our first child, I have found that getting to the gym at all during weekdays is REALLY difficult, because I'm normally the one who has to drop off and pick up my daughter from daycare. I then cannot get to the gym until at least 6:30pm when my wife gets home and gets settled, and by then its not going to be fair to just hand my daughter over and say "I'll be back in a couple hours".

Last summer, before I got a gym membership, i LOVED inline skating around my area, and found it to be a great cardio workout. This summer, I think I might suspend my gym membership (to use again in the fall and MAKE time), and just take my daughter in a jogging stroller, and push her with my blades after work to kill 45 minutes and get a workout at the same time.

Can anyone suggest alternatives which would still allow me to get to the gym? Even though, between inline skating and hitting 3 buckets of golf balls + 1 round of golf per week, I have a decent amount of excercise, just not weights.

Thanks.
Eric

 

just remember to keep eating healthy. running or jogging is always good too.

 

I'm in a similar position, although my kids are older. But between baseball, softball, etc, it's impossible for me to get to the gym after work. The only way I can do it, which is a bitch, is to get up extra early - like 430 or 500am - and do my weights then. It's tough to get out of bed that early, but you won't regret it for the rest of the day.

 

Can you set up a bench and free weights at home? Just something simple to supplement the blading. It would cut out drive time, and if your baby has a meltdown & your wife needs your help, you either skip it or cut it short that night.

 

i agree...getting up early in the morning to hit the gym sucks, but once you do, I always feel great the rest of the day. I feel more alert.

 

There is always some time....Jog at night...

 

Nope, unfortunately we're actually in a place thats too small (or feels that way) and are looking to move w/in a year to a place that has a lot more room.

 

Cut the golf to nine holes. Skip the driving range. Free weights at home. Lots of cardio.

I do weights at home and high intensity cardio bike rides - over the past two years I've gone from 210 to 190, (I'm 6'3) so your goal is definitely in the right range.

 

Weights don't have to be big. You can do a lot of exercises (though not much core work) with a set of dumbells and a basic bench.

 

I agree. For the core, buy an inflatable exercise ball. There are a million & 1 core exercises you can do on the ball with or without weights. If you don't have room to store it inflated, pumping it up is a mini-workout in itself!

We actually use the ball in place of a bench at my strength training class. That way, you get some core work stabilizing while you work your upper body. Good stuff.

 

Guys I literally have NO room for a ball + any dumbbells... with 2 bedrooms (one taken up by the 1 year old baby), little/no storage area, and my wife running a business in her spare time taking up some of the useable space we have.... we honestly have no room to find a spot fo rme to workout at home. I have my rollerblades in the closet and will be cleaning them off tomorrow to go for my first trek of the season. I gotta find room to store a soon-to-be-acquired jogging stroller for my daughter.

I think I'm going to have a talk with my wife and then the babysitter, to work out something where I can hit the gym right after work before picking up Zoe.

 

Just have a low-carb diet then have some stretching in the morning. It will help at least but you must do it habitually to see some results

 

With my 14 hour workday starting Monday I will be taking the next 2 months somewhat off. I will try to do a run through central park after work but I'm with you guys.

 

Get a resistance band to work your upper body. Takes up no space and you can do a full upper body workout in 15 minutes. Throw in some push ups, pullups, and situps and your set. The rollerblading can substitute for your lower body workout and you can use that as your cardio along with walking your child.

 

What are you guys talking about when you refer to the "core"

 

Core as I know it is stabilizing muscles, especially those concentrated in the torso. Basically those break dancers who can grab a flag pole and do a sideways hand stand... strong cores.

The good thing about core is an adequate workout can be done with no outside equipment. That shit tires you out like no other if you do it right.

Mike

 

this winter i had the same problem, i wanted to get back into the gym but had no time for a membership. so this was my solution:

-gold's gym dumbbell weight set - 50 lb / bell
-power line fold up bench

i feel like i get a lot of workout on my stabilizers because it's a lot harder to control a press with dumbbells than a barbell. core workouts are harder to accomplish but it can still be done, i just up the weight or increase my sets and do at least 4 exercises per muscle group to achieve a well round.

takes up 32" wide and 28" deep.

 

Old thread that I originally started, but with an update:

We moved into a house, and although the problem with time to go to the gym still exists, I can now easily fit a weight bench and exercise ball and have room for a lot more!

So, I've been looking at getting a bench and weight and want to do so soon. Should I get a basic bench w/ adjustable incline, or should i spend a few bucks more to get the one with preacher curl armpad, ham curl attachment, and even maybe the fly attachment?

And should I bother with a barbell, or just get two decent dumbbells and weight? I like free weights and with a good program (any suggestions?), actually prefer them over machines. Just need some suggestions on what kinds of equipment to buy, keeping it pretty cheap at the same time.

Thanks!

 

i still use the above and stand by you can get the full workout. it was also very cost effective. i just use the following websites for a wide array of free weight exercises:

http://www.shapefit.com/training.html
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

 

I would get both. I like to use different exercises to work familiar muscles.

btw. I just started to go back to drinking mostly water all the time. You'd be amazed how much healthier you feel when you make the switch. Cuts out a lot of sugar and carbs.

 

CleanCL: Thanks for those links... now bookmarked!

Both the barbell and the dumbbells, I presume is what you're talking about?

I mostly drink water and some milk. Rarely pop. Coffee in the morning with just a touch of milk and almost no sugar. I need my coffee, there's no getting away from it... LOL!

 

Exactly. I like to use the barbell to increase muscle mass and the dumb bells to refine the muscle. Who knows, I could be doing it completely wrong. I think if you have a decent weight program and eat/drink healthy, you'll be in the right direction.

I drink coffee as well with fat free half and half in the morning. I used to drink 2 cups a day, but I'm trying to cut out the afternoon cup. I'm dying right now though...