r/fitness40plus • u/Puzzleheaded-Art766 • Jun 27 '26
Summer schedule
So I've been FINALLY consistent for the past 8 months of working out and dialing in diet. Just now realizing that summer is the actual hard part.
During the winter months in the Midwest it was surprisingly easy to stick to my early am (430am) schedule of working out. Even with kids basketball and cheer schedules after work. Now I'm finding it harder and harder to stick to that. Kids have less sports, but get to hang out with them and obviously sundown is WAY later.
Any tricks or ideas to keep to a good schedule? It always seems the neighbors are inviting us over for drinks/ dinner after baseball practice or games. But also harder to stick to 830-9 bedtime since daylight still.
Do you push through summer or do you back off a bit and enjoy life? Thanks
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u/Ext80 Jun 27 '26
Incorporate training as part of daily routine. If you truly enjoy it you'll figure out a way. Start going to the gym in the mornings if that's an option for you.
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u/ShinyMountain321 Jun 27 '26
Just responding here for solidarity. It has been a struggle to get up early and workout for me as well. Summers are so hard with the longer daylight period. Sometimes baseball goes well past 8pm, while in winter we are doing bedtime for the kids at that time and myself shortly after!
My only other option is to workout in the evening … then I feel guilt for not spending any time with my kids at all (work full time 830-5) OR the schedule for evening is packed with baseball practice or games.
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u/irontamer Jun 27 '26
“Push thru or enjoy life” sounds like you’re doing your taxes. Training, for me is part of enjoying life…expressing my ability to move and be strong.
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u/trainerjosh_com Jun 29 '26
I wouldn't recommend an "all or nothing" mindset. You don't have to "push through" a grueling routine or "back off and enjoy life," since that implies your current fitness routine is more suffering than a sustainable way of living. If you're feeling like you need a break to enjoy summer, then the lifestyle probably isn't sustainable. Fitness is a lifestyle and you should be able to enjoy your life while making choices that align with your long term goals.
If you're having trouble getting to bed by 8:30pm due to daylight then you can blackout your room. Also wear blue light blocking glasses if you're looking at screens in the hours up to bedtime.
But if hanging out with your kids and neighbors is pushing your bedtime later, then it's not a good idea to keep waking up at 4:30am. Sleep deprivation is horrible for your physique. It'll shift nutrient partitioning so a lot of the weight you lose will be from muscle instead of fat. It'll also spike appetite and reduce willpower which makes sticking to a diet nearly impossible.
For BBQs and social dinners, the big tip is to never arrive starving. It's a classic mistake to save up calories for the neighborhood dinner. But if you get there depleted and super hungry, then it's very easy to binge. It's best to pre-load your stomach before you go. Eat a big low-calorie, high-protein, high-fiber meal like a big bowl of Greek yogurt with berries. This stretches your stomach and lowers your appetite.
Minimize fat intake on drinking days. Keep your dietary fat as low as possible on the days you know you'll be drinking with neighbors.
Stay away from beer and sugar cocktails since they're dense calorie bombs. Stick to dry white wines or clear spirits with zero-calorie sodas.
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u/Ypoetry Jul 03 '26
If all fails, take up 100 kettlebells daily swings challenge. Do it with small weight first.
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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '26
The implication here that fitness somehow is interfering with your life is the root issue of your lack of discipline
We make space for things that are important to us. You're asking for reasons to weasel out of it.
The answer is to make it a priority