Fitting Exercise Into My Crazy Busy Life

So quick update on the TrueStar vitamins - it appears that I have a little more energy in the last couple of days... however, I'm not quite sure if it's the placebo effect (since I was told it would take about 3 weeks to really start noticing the difference)... or maybe the excitement of my new blog giving me an adrenalin rush!  Either way, it feels good not to be dragging my butt for a change :-)

Speaking of dragging my butt, I have a long history of working out, not working out, working out, not working out... well, you get the picture.  Growing up, I was a competitive figure skater and trained about 4 hours a day, 6 days a week.  I quit just before turning 17.  That being said, I found it difficult to find a regular workout routine that worked long term - mainly because I felt that unless I was working out 1.5-2 hours at a shot, it wasn't worth doing.  So finding time to do this became a challenge while in University.  Eventually, I accepted that an hour workout would do the trick.  But even then, life often intervened and I would either be great and workout regularly for a period of time, but then things would come up and I would miss some time.  So then I would go long stretches without working out.  I was constantly "starting over".  This went on for YEARS!  I'd feel great when I stayed committed, and guilty, blubbery and out of shape when I slipped.

I think I have now finally found a long term solution.  It took many years to get here, but I found that limiting my workout to 20-30 minutes, 5 days a week was actually do-able.  It's enough to elicit changes in my body, keep me feeling healthy and strong, as well as mentally on target.  I do, however, wake up at 5am to do this - the only time I feel I can fit it in!  It's a lot easier to wake up and know that in less than 30 minutes the workout will be done (mentally it was too challenging to think of doing an hour and so it was too easy to hit the snooze button).  I work out at home and have a variety of workout DVDs - including many with weights, pilates and an exercise ball.  I like Mari Windsor, Denise Austin, Kelly Coffey-Meyer, Jillian Michalels and I just ordered a new one from kettleworx.com - I like these because they are full body, pretty intense, but still easy to do workouts.  I am not the most coordinated so I stay away from any with tricky choreography or lots of dance moves.  And the best part of doing it at 5am - no excuses that something else has come up, and it's done for the day!

I have also incorporated 10 minutes of stretching every day - it really helps with circulation and actually re-energizes me.  Who knew?  Last trick... I try to get up once an hour and take a 2 minute walk around the office.

Would love to hear how the rest of you busy working moms maintain regular exercise.  It's hard, but so essential as we get older (especialy need that extra energy to keep up with the little ones!).  So any tips and tricks welcome!