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**JanetMorris** · 01-16-2006, 07:00 AM

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Lynn Harrison, 34, customer relations coordinator for an insurance company, Guelph, Ontario
Obstacle: Lots of in-the-car time and family activities
Breakthrough: Creating breaks for exercise in the family calendar after weekly "find time" strategy sessions with spouse
Accomplishment: From lifting weights a few times a month to 3 hours a week

Her Day, Pre-Makeover
7 am: Starts work from home (checks e-mail and voice mail)
8 am: Greets babysitter for 2-year-old Olivia
8:30 am: Makes lunch for Emilie, 6, and then drives her to school
12 pm: Lunch with Olivia
1 pm: Volunteers at Emilie's school and then works
3:30 pm: Picks up Emilie at school; then takes her to dance lessons and Olivia to gymnastics
4 pm: More work
5 pm: Brings the girls home from lessons and prepares a homemade meal for the family
6:30 pm: Coaches figure skating
8 pm: Gets her daughters ready for bed and then plops on the couch to watch TV
11:30 pm: Zzz

Harrison used to do everything--figure skating, downhill skiing, golf--but over the past couple of years, her car has been logging more miles than she has. Harrison finally realized that not going to the gym--and working out at home--might just help matters, because driving to and from the gym used up 40 minutes.

"Lynn needed to schedule her exercise rather than allow it to happen ad hoc," says her coach, Mark Ellwood, author of A Complete Waste of Time. Fitting in her workouts around her daughters' many activities, her husband's hockey games and practices, and her own coaching was a logistical nightmare. So Ellwood had Harrison enlist her husband's help. Now, every Sunday, they sit down with the family calendar and everyone's schedules, and they map out the week--carpooling, meals, her workouts, and even TV time. "It only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and it really helps to get a feel for the week," she says.

Another switch: Instead of picking up the TV remote on Friday nights, Harrison picks up a pair of dumbbells and exercises while her husband watches TV. (By scheduling her TV time and watching only favorite shows, she's cut her vegging-out viewing by 4 hours a week.)

Then she plans another workout for the weekend. "I won't go to bed on Sunday until I've done my weekend workout." Although she doesn't leave the house to exercise, she avoids distractions by asking her husband and daughters to act as if she's not there--no interrupting or asking her to do something for them.

And if all else fails, Harrison has guaranteed herself at least one workout a week: She hired a personal trainer, who knocks on her door every Wednesday at 6 am.

01-16-2006, 07:00 AM	#1
JanetMorris Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 419 Senior Member	Make a Date to Exercise Learn More Related Stories > 25 Ways to Fit in Find Time to Exercise > Excuse-Proof Your Exercise Plan > Drop a Size in 4-Weeks Plan Related Products > Get Your Free Gift and Trial Issue Lynn Harrison, 34, customer relations coordinator for an insurance company, Guelph, Ontario Obstacle: Lots of in-the-car time and family activities Breakthrough: Creating breaks for exercise in the family calendar after weekly "find time" strategy sessions with spouse Accomplishment: From lifting weights a few times a month to 3 hours a week Her Day, Pre-Makeover 7 am: Starts work from home (checks e-mail and voice mail) 8 am: Greets babysitter for 2-year-old Olivia 8:30 am: Makes lunch for Emilie, 6, and then drives her to school 12 pm: Lunch with Olivia 1 pm: Volunteers at Emilie's school and then works 3:30 pm: Picks up Emilie at school; then takes her to dance lessons and Olivia to gymnastics 4 pm: More work 5 pm: Brings the girls home from lessons and prepares a homemade meal for the family 6:30 pm: Coaches figure skating 8 pm: Gets her daughters ready for bed and then plops on the couch to watch TV 11:30 pm: Zzz Harrison used to do everything--figure skating, downhill skiing, golf--but over the past couple of years, her car has been logging more miles than she has. Harrison finally realized that not going to the gym--and working out at home--might just help matters, because driving to and from the gym used up 40 minutes. "Lynn needed to schedule her exercise rather than allow it to happen ad hoc," says her coach, Mark Ellwood, author of A Complete Waste of Time. Fitting in her workouts around her daughters' many activities, her husband's hockey games and practices, and her own coaching was a logistical nightmare. So Ellwood had Harrison enlist her husband's help. Now, every Sunday, they sit down with the family calendar and everyone's schedules, and they map out the week--carpooling, meals, her workouts, and even TV time. "It only takes 10 to 15 minutes, and it really helps to get a feel for the week," she says. Another switch: Instead of picking up the TV remote on Friday nights, Harrison picks up a pair of dumbbells and exercises while her husband watches TV. (By scheduling her TV time and watching only favorite shows, she's cut her vegging-out viewing by 4 hours a week.) Then she plans another workout for the weekend. "I won't go to bed on Sunday until I've done my weekend workout." Although she doesn't leave the house to exercise, she avoids distractions by asking her husband and daughters to act as if she's not there--no interrupting or asking her to do something for them. And if all else fails, Harrison has guaranteed herself at least one workout a week: She hired a personal trainer, who knocks on her door every Wednesday at 6 am.
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