Busy schedule...need help

[jayrock]

Hey everyone

So ive been hitting the gym about 3-4 times a week for about 2 hours at a time. Ive lost a good amount of body fat but stayed at the same muscle mass. I'm a chef and work 2 jobs. One is 3 days a week from 5am-6pm and one is 4 days a week from 1pm-11pm. I was wondering if anyone else leads a busy lifestyle and has a good routine set up that doesnt burn them out. Although i do get to the gym i cant get a good routine down, some days im too tired to lift so i just do cardio, somedays i lift and burn out before i can do cardio. I read somewhere that not getting enough sleep is the worst thing for trying to get in shape. its hard enough trying to eat right in my line of work but getting more sleep really isnt an option. I take vitamins every day and i plan on starting a few other supplements soon.
To wrap it up I guess what im looking for is someone else with a busy ass schedule who has a good routine set up but still gets enough rest to function every days with a busy schedule. Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JMRQ]

High-Intensity Interval Training may be of use- it's when you alternate between going 100% and less at intervals...

 

[PushAndPull]

I don't work 80 hours a week so i'm not speaking from experience, but here are my thoughts. Lack of sleep, probably a high level of stress, and someone "who tries to eat good" probably doesn't. Not that I blame you, but all of these are going to reduce your body's ability to recover from your workout. So I would go with a couple of lightweight workouts a week, untill you can reduce your workload. Like one upper body day, one lower body day. I would keep them short and easy.

 

[Phineas]

I don't work 80 hours a week so i'm not speaking from experience, but here are my thoughts. Lack of sleep, probably a high level of stress, and someone "who tries to eat good" probably doesn't. Not that I blame you, but all of these are going to reduce your body's ability to recover from your workout. So I would go with a couple of lightweight workouts a week, untill you can reduce your workload. Like one upper body day, one lower body day. I would keep them short and easy.

Niceeeee.

 

[bigsalad22]

i agree with push and pull. keep your workouts short and easy. crank up the intensity, and if your trying to get in shape (i'm guessing you mean lose bodyfat) concentrate more on your diet.
by the way...what are you doing in the gym for 2 hours? you shouldn't have to spend two hours in the gym to get in shape. more is not better. how about instead of being in there 4 days a week for 2 hours each day...you do something like 40 minutes a day 5 or 6 days a week? if your diet and supps are in check then you should be ok.

 

[today]

sounds great !

 

[Flathead]

I don't work 80 hours a week so i'm not speaking from experience, but here are my thoughts. Lack of sleep, probably a high level of stress, and someone "who tries to eat good" probably doesn't. Not that I blame you, but all of these are going to reduce your body's ability to recover from your workout. So I would go with a couple of lightweight workouts a week, untill you can reduce your workload. Like one upper body day, one lower body day. I would keep them short and easy.

X2 > Spot On!

 

[fraseram]

yeag def... if your body is already stressed then you DO NOT want to stress it out more by throwing in intense workouts that stimulate more stress hormone LOL think feeling good endorphins instead. DO keep your workouts under 1 hour also. try light weights one day then liss cardio the next??

 

[don_juan]

you can try a full body routine twice or 3 times a week and also don't go too heavy on the weights, it is good for muscle building and also for fat burning especially if you are that busy.

 

[gtbmed]

Ditch the cardio, sleep at every opportunity, and get help with your diet.

Cardio, stress, and lack of sleep all lead to an increase in cortisol levels, which isn't good.

 

[jayrock]

Thanks for all the advice. I think im going to do my best to do about 40 mins 6 days a week. Upper body, lower body, cardio, and cycle it like that. Does my day off matter? Should i do 6 days straight and 1 day off or 3 on and 3 off?

 

[bigsalad22]

3 on and 1 off is smart. with that work schedule you won't want to go 6 days straight.

 

[Gazhole]

Definitely agree with what has already been said:

Short and intense > needlessly long.

I've been doing circuits this summer, and at most i'm training for forty minutes and holy hell are they difficult. I got a really tough one done in just twenty minutes and my cardio was absolutely slaughtered, but within the hour (and a nice PWO drink later) i was totally energized again.

Long workouts drain me to the point of not caring if i work out or not.

 

[dave 236]

^^^^This is priceless.40 minutes of hell makes 2hrs.of doing a set every 5mins look like romper room.(I know ,I'm old throw me a bone)

 

[ScorpionKing]

I work 70 hrs a week and I still hit the iron at least 3 to four times weekly at 2 hrs each time. I was having a tough time getting home and than getting to the gym. So' I have a big shop behind my home I turned into a gym. I got it fully loaded with gym equipment I bought from a gym going out of Biz.

 

[gtbmed]

Definitely agree with what has already been said:

Short and intense > needlessly long.

I've been doing circuits this summer, and at most i'm training for forty minutes and holy hell are they difficult. I got a really tough one done in just twenty minutes and my cardio was absolutely slaughtered, but within the hour (and a nice PWO drink later) i was totally energized again.

Long workouts drain me to the point of not caring if i work out or not.

I've been doing Starr's 5x5 and I made it into this circuit:

Squats
Bench
Sumo deadlifts

It is ridiculously difficult but I've built up such a good work capacity from training this way.

 

[bigsalad22]

I work 70 hrs a week and I still hit the iron at least 3 to four times weekly at 2 hrs each time. I was having a tough time getting home and than getting to the gym. So' I have a big shop behind my home I turned into a gym. I got it fully loaded with gym equipment I bought from a gym going out of Biz.

thats cool. it would be nice to have a gym that close to home...
but how does that help this guy with the original question?