How to fit in the gym

I have been trying to lose weight, with gentleness towards myself. Nothing harsh and not too much deprivation. Well it hasn't been going very well. It seems that eating healthy may not be enough. I need to get more exercise. Also, I have been feeling like all my joints are wrinkled, if you know what I mean. I turn my head too far, it hurts. Not a lot, not like an injury. It hurts when I bend over to tie my shoe. My back is tight, my hips are tight, my ankles are tight. And this is with a 60 min massage every other week! But how to fit it in?

Here is my weekday schedule.

5:00 - 5:30 AM - Get up
5:00 - 5:45 AM - Make coffee, drink coffee, check online class site, read email
5:45 - 6:30 AM - Get ready for work, shower, dress, pack bag
6:30 - 7:04 AM - Drive to train station
7:04 - 8:20 AM - Train to NY
8:20 - 9:00 AM - Subway, walk to work (~10-15 min walking)
9:00 - 5:00 PM - Work (I have a 1 hour lunch which I usually use to do my classwork)
5:00 - 5:41 PM - Walk, subway to Penn Station
5:41 - 6:55 PM - Train
6:55 - 7:20 PM - Drive home
7:20 - 10:00 PM - Free time, dinner, spend time with Dima, schoolwork.
10:00 - 5:00 AM - Sleep

Some ideas I am toying with:

1. Just do a 15 min workout at home in the morning and in the evening, yoga, strength training (I have small dumbells and stretch bands). And then work out both weekend days.

Pluses:
Sounds easy
Not much disruption of my schedule
Still leaves me with free time

Minuses:
Will it be effective?
Will I do it?
Might also be easy to blow off.


2. Go directly from the train station to the gym. So that schedule would be:
6:55 - 7:30 - Drive to the gym
7:30 - 8:30 - Workout
8:30 - 9:20 8:50 - Drive home
9:20 8:50 - 10:00 - Free time, dinner, spend time with Dima, schoolwork.
10:00 - 5:00 AM - Sleep

Pluses:
Real workout
I usually like working out in the gym
I think I can motivate myself to do it every day (except Mondays when I go to therapy - which I am very good about going to so that suggests this would work too)

Minuses:
Losing a big chunk of free time/class work time.
I get tired if I get home late several nights in a row.
I sometimes have to stay late at work for seminars/networking/a journal club I lead
Maybe it will be too much.

3. Work out at work (there is a gym in my building I can go to for free) during lunch hour.

Pluses:
Convenient
Might fit into my schedule better than other options

Minuses:
Can't shower, will have to go back to work.
With clothes changing time, will only work out about 40 mins
Something always seems to prevent me from taking a lunch break
Will have to carry gym clothes to work.
I never used this gym, I don't know if I will like it.
Lunch time is a time to interact with my boss and I would lose this opportunity

4. Work out after work, in my work gym.

Pluses:
Convenient
Might be easier since I won't be tired from the trip home

Minuses:
I will still be getting home late (~8:30 probably)
Will have to carry gym clothes to work.
I never used this gym, I don't know if I will like it.
Losing a big chunk of free time/class work time.
I get tired if I get home late several nights in a row.
I sometimes have to stay late at work for seminars/networking/a journal club I lead
Maybe it will be too much.
P. sometimes work out after work.

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