Cooking Dinner vs. Exercise

[BeckyM]

I'm hoping some of you have innovative solutions to this dilemna I'm always facing. I love to cook and want to make good-tasting healthy meals for my husband and me. I also work full-time, which means I don't leave work until at least 5 or 5:30pm. I also want to exercise regularly, but I find myself running out of time for all these things. I usually end up having to choose between cooking a nice meal and exercise. Or if I try to do both, we end up eating at 10pm (like we did last night!). Has anyone found a solution to this that works? I'm thinking of some of the people who wrote in the "3 Heads" topic that they cook meals almost every night. Do you find time to work out too? I want to do both, and I'm struggling to fit it all in. Suggestions?

[Abby]

I hear ya! I face the same problem so just today I started getting up at 5am (an hour and a half earlier than normal) to go to the gym so I can have plenty of time after work to cook, work in the yard, etc. I tried this earlier in the summer, but it didn't last very long. I'm determined to make it happen this time. The hardest part is making the decision when the alarm clock goes off to put my feet on the floor. Once I'm up I'm fine.


Originally posted by BeckyM:
I'm hoping some of you have innovative solutions to this dilemna I'm always facing. I love to cook and want to make good-tasting healthy meals for my husband and me. I also work full-time, which means I don't leave work until at least 5 or 5:30pm. I also want to exercise regularly, but I find myself running out of time for all these things. I usually end up having to choose between cooking a nice meal and exercise. Or if I try to do both, we end up eating at 10pm (like we did last night!). Has anyone found a solution to this that works? I'm thinking of some of the people who wrote in the "3 Heads" topic that they cook meals almost every night. Do you find time to work out too? I want to do both, and I'm struggling to fit it all in. Suggestions?

[marys]

I'm in the same situation. Hopefully someone out there can help us! I haven't been very successful at getting myself out of bed at 5:00 am to exercise!

[MrsReber]

I work out and cook dinner. My husband and I are used to eating late, though- usually never before 7:30. Tonight I will get home at 6:00, get to the gym around 6:30 and most likely get home around 8:15. Then I will attempt to cook a pork and broccoli stir fry with rice. We'll probably eat around 9:00 or a little after. No kids so its not a problem for us. On other nights if I am going to the gym, I will start some dough in my bread machine so it's ready when I get home and then when I'm back from the gym, I can put a pizza together quickly. We will also have pasta on those nights I work out. I can usually do a quick white clam sauce or olive oil and fresh veggies tossed with pasta. I've even gotten my chicken marsala recipe down to about 20 minutes so we have that too. Then, on the nights I don't work out, I can take my time and prepare a nice meal. Getting up earlier is out of the question for me. I get up at 5:20 as it is and I travel over an hour to work one way. It can be done! I used to even cook when I was still at my last job and I was getting home at 8:00 or 9:00 at night. I am determined not to eat junk for dinner! Good luck and a good workout to all! It really improves one's state of mind!

[Grace]

That is a tough dilemma. There are two things I can add to think about. How about working out after dinner? I find that I can go out and walk with my husband and dog for 45 min to an hour after we eat and it's wonderful, and helps our food settle. Or I'll go in the basement and do an excercise video or something, and it tires me out real well too so I sleep like a rock. (Some people say that you shouldn't exercise right before bed because you won't be able to fall asleep, but I've NEVER found that to be true - just the opposite! I'm usually dead after a workout!). Anyhow, the other option might be to cook 2 or three dishes on the weekends, and then eat them as leftovers all week. I did this with the lasagna last weekend, and it was wonderful knowing after work I could come home to something homemade, delicious and healthy that was already done! Oh, and there's always the crock pot idea - 5-10 minutes in the morning, and a finished meal when you get home! Just some ideas....

Grace

[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 08-22-2000).]

[RunnerKim]

Unfortunately I don't think there's any magical way to have more time so its a matter of making the time for the things that are important. Like Abby, I have to force myself to get up early. It has gotten much easier now that its a regular habit but I still find myself struggling. I run in my neighborhood so don't have driving to a gym to deal with. On the weekend when I have more flexibility, I sometimes go swimming, but during the summer its more often hiking.

You could try to think of meals that you could start before exercising that maybe take a little while to bake/cook. Although I'm normally not interested in eating much after a good workout. And I've found that if I don't exercise 1st thing in the morning then its way to easy to come up with excuses not to do it.

Otherwise I think you need to evaluate where all your time currently goes - and then make decisions about where you want it to go. You can't just decide to start getting up an hour and a half earlier without going to bed early. So something has to give. Some things won't be quick fixes - like if you decide you spend too much time commuting to work. Recognize that you're making choices about what you do and how you spend your day and then you'll have the power to do what you really want to do.

Good Luck,
Kim

[MaryB]

I'm a big advocate of planned leftovers. Typically I make two meals over the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights) where I know I'll have enough leftovers for another meal (no one is allowed to eat these for lunch!). Also once it's a bit cooler, I make various kinds of soup and freeze them in individual servings which we can then eat for lunch or dinner. I also have a set of dishes that I know I can make quickly (tacos, fajitas, clam sauce, sausages, etc) that I use to fill in the holes.

I also should add that I try to exercise as soon as I wake up (5:30AM). Otherwise it doesn't get done. Right now it's not so bad, but I have motivation problems in the winter when it is dark and cold!

[This message has been edited by MaryB (edited 08-22-2000).]

[Denise]

My solution to this problem has been to workout at lunch time. There is a gym close to my work that I joined and I can usually squeeze in a half hour workout and still have time to get a quick shower in. Then I'll try to take the dogs for a walk or run (even if its only 15-20 minutes) either in the morning or after dinner. I also don't cook dinner every night. Just a couple of times and then eat leftovers or healthy premade foods like baked fish sticks or premade spinach tortellini.

[CATHIEA]

I cook almost every night. I get in my exercise either in the morning or over the lunch hour. I used to get up 1 1/2 hours early to get to the gym to exercise, but now I take walks or do nordic track at home, so I only need to get up around 45 minutes early. When that doesn't work, I walk over the lunch hour, or if I'm really crunched for time, I might take 2 10-minute breaks and walk the stairs and halls in my office building. I like the idea of walking or doing other exercise after dinner too. I think the problem is we get so focused on the idea that the only exercise that counts is in the gym, then travel time becomes an issue. If you exercise on your own, you need to set aside less time.
CathieA

[Fan]

This is a tough one. I used to try working out after work, but it got frequently pushed aside in favor of working late, making dinner, or just feeling tired. I tried the mornings, but often hit the snooze & found it was too much of a hassle (seemed to forget something important - like my shirt!). THEN, I tried working out at lunch & this worked great. Getup a little earlier to work (avoiding traffic), cut out some of the "fat" in my day & hit a nearby gymn (w/in walking distance) at lunch. Have loads of energy instead of post-lunch lull in the afternoon! Took a while to get into the swing, but worth it!

[Kristilyn1]

I was starting to wonder if there was any lunchers out there! I too work out at lunch. I love that post-lunchtime high that usually lasts until well after I get home. I already get up at 5:30 (two small kids) so in the morning is not really an option. I like lunchtime because it doesn't cut into my "family time". The drawback is I don't get to spend the 45 minutes I should each session. As a runner--I do a few miles on the treadmill 4 days a week and try to plan a long run on Saturdays. Then any walks or bike rides I can squeeze in after dinner are just "bonus miles" so to speak. Definitely agree that you have to look at your life and choose something to sacrifice. I had to give up my office social time.

Kristi

[Laura B]

I generally fit exercise in after dinner. I cook 4-5 times a week and exercise 4-6 times a week. I have found that I just CANNOT get up early to exercise. It just something my body and/or my willpower refuses to do. And I don't like midday exercise because I don't want to have to shower in the middle of the day, etc. So, evening workouts at home is what I do. I have a slew of excerise tapes that I rotate through. I alternate total body workouts with aerobics. I find that doing tapes at home is so much cheaper than a gym membership and there is no hassle involved with traffic, etc. This is what has worked for me. Sometimes I don't get around to the exercise until 9pm, but I don't find it a problem. It helps me sleep like a baby.

[Pat58]

I get up at 5:00 a.m. and work out from 2 to 4 weekday mornings per week, and go to Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. aerobics classes. It is very hard getting up that early from Mon. to Fri., but if you can motivate yourself to do it, you'll find the rest of the day goes better and your mood will be elevated. I pack my gym bag the night before and lay out my work-out clothes in the bathroom. When the alarm goes off, I remind myself that everything's ready to go, all I have to do is roll out of bed, brush my teeth and go. Somehow, it takes 5 minutes at night to put everything together but 30 minutes in the a.m. fumbling for water bottles, etc. You will need to go to bed earlier - developing a rythmn of "early to bed early to rise" is well worth it, though.

[laden]

Something I do to squeeze in a little bit of extra exercise is as soon as the food goes into the oven I have 35-45 minutes to walk the dog.--I get exercise and don't stress out waiting for the food to cook.

[Danielle]

I've struggled with this for a while. I just can't get myself out of bed in the morning to exercise before work, and while I like to take walks over my lunch break, I prefer to go to the gym after work. When I lived alone it really wasn't a problem, but when I got married I thought my workout time would cut into dinnertime. Luckily my husband doesn't get home until 6:00 or 6:30, which is when I'm usually getting home from the gym. The nights I do workout I usually throw something in the crock pot in the morning, so dinner is pretty much ready when I get home. Or I make a dish the night before that I can throw in the oven.

[Shelly]

Becky, I agree with Grace and MaryB; planned leftovers are a lifesaver! I just cannot bring myself to get up early. I have to be to work at 6:45, and as a nurse I work 12 hour shifts (7a-7p), so there is just no way I could drag myself out of bed at 4:30 am for a workout. I've finally come to grips with the fact that, unless I have an unusual amount of energy, I just can't work out on days that I work 12 hours. I do work out on the rare days when I get off at 3:30, and leftovers or something like frozen cheese ravioli w/Prego sauce or the Butterball frozen chicken requests with salad or veggies is what I usually do. Fortunately, my fiance has no problem with eating leftovers.
Also, he just recently bought a heavy bag (punching bag) and hung it in the garage, so I can do that at home if I prefer. It is a really good cardio/upper body workout, but it took me awhile to learn how to do it correctly (it's harder than it looks!) We also have a weight bench (he hates the gym), so i really have no excuses! I do like going to the gym for my cardio, but we pretty much do our weight training at home now. I would love to walk outside, but I live on the Florida Gulf coast, and right now the humidity and mosquitos are in full swing.
There are so many good suggestions on this thread; hopefully you'll figure out something that works for you. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[andrea]

am i a freak? maybe...but since my favorite aerobics class is at 7pm, i get up early to do food-prep. chopping onions, peppers, or carrots, trimming/peeling chicken or shrimp, cooking rice in my rice cooker...i do that in my pajamas while drinking coffee and watching the news! it's actually relaxing...much easier to do that half-awake than crunches or curls. i get home, throw it together, go to aerobics, and heat it up when i get home. thank goodness for tupperware!!!

[BeckyM]

Thanks for all the great ideas! It sounds like this is a challenge for most of us, but some people have figured out pretty good ways to make it work for them.

I too have to get up pretty early to get in to work on time, so working out in the morning isn't a good option for me right now. But, I'd like to get an elliptical trainer or some other piece of aerobic equipment for home, so maybe I could squeeze in a workout in the morning if I didn't have to go somewhere else to do it. I also couldn't work out over lunch (other than maybe walking), because I take too long to shower, dry hair, etc., and I couldn't do all that AND work out in an hour. (I'm AMAZED by women who CAN do this!)

So I'm planning to stick to working out right after work, but I think I need to do a better job in the food planning area to make this work. This week I did make large meals on the nights I had extra time, so then we've had good, healthy leftovers for the other nights. I also like the idea of doing a bit of food prep in the morning (chopping veggies, etc.), so I have less to do when I get home from the gym at night. Or, I could even do some of the food prep for the next day at night before bed.

Thanks again for all your posts! It helps inspire me to know that other people have found ways to do it all!