Let’s be real, trying to build a consistent gym routine with a 9-to-5 is no joke. And in my case, it wasn’t even a nine-to-five. It was more like six-to-six. The kind of job that drains your soul, has you stress-eating protein bars in your car, and makes the idea of lifting weights after work sound like torture. But somehow, I did it. I became that girl who hit the gym four days a week, even after the longest workdays. And if I can do it during that chaotic era of my life, I promise you can too.
This post isn’t about telling you to “just go to the gym.” You’ve heard that already. This is about what actually works when your life is hectic, your energy is low, and your time feels limited. So let’s break it down and talk about how to build a sustainable gym routine with a 9-to-5 job.
Step One: Ask Yourself What You’re Prioritizing
Before you plan anything, you need to get honest: What do you actually want right now?
- Do you want to lose weight quickly?
- Do you want to body recomp (aka lose fat and build muscle slowly over time)?
- Do you just want to feel stronger and more confident in your routine?
For me, I was focused on body recomposition. I didn’t care about dropping the weight quickly; I wanted to build my glutes, tone my arms, and create a sustainable gym routine with my 9-to-5. That clarity helped me stop obsessing over the scale and instead build a gym split that prioritized lifting, with just enough cardio to support fat loss and heart health.
If you are someone who is scale obsessed like I was at the beginning of my journey, check out this post, How to Track Progress at the Gym (When the Scale Isn’t Moving)
Step Two: Use the TDEE Calculator Before You Start
Let’s talk food for a second, because it’s so easy to mess this part up.
Before you even step foot in a gym, go online and use a TDEE calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). It’ll ask about your age, weight, activity level, and more. Be honest, if you’re not working out yet, select “sedentary.”
This was a mistake I made early on. I picked the “active” setting before I had actually started going to the gym, and it threw off all my numbers.
The TDEE calculator will give you an estimate of how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight, and it’ll also show you how many to eat if you want to be in a deficit. But here’s the thing:
If you’ve been eating 3,500 calories a day without realizing it, do not drop down to 1,500 calories overnight. That will send your body into shock, make you irritable as hell, and honestly just burn you out.
Instead, scale slowly. Maybe go from 3,500 to 3,000. Let your body adjust and then reassess in a few weeks. A healthy deficit is one you can actually stick to, not one that leaves you feeling miserable and starving.
This is often why it’s easier to lose weight when you are bigger than smaller. You have a larger caloric intake.
Step Three: Build Your Weekly Gym Split Around Your Energy
You don’t need to be in the gym seven days a week. You just need a consistent rhythm that works with your actual life and complements your gym routine with a 9-to-5 lifestyle.
Here’s the routine that saved me:
- Monday: Gym after work
- Tuesday: Gym after work
- Wednesday: Rest day (non-negotiable)
- Thursday: Gym
- Friday: Gym
- Saturday & Sunday: Optional or rest
That Wednesday reset day? Sacred. I needed it after back-to-back work chaos. It gave me a second to breathe, reset, and not hate the gym by Thursday.
Also, don’t worry about being “on point” every time you show up. Some gym days, I did three exercises and left. And that still counts. Progress is showing up, not perfection.
If you want to see how I got into fitness and my journey, check out my post, My Fitness Transformation Journey: From Struggle to Strength.
Step Four: Know Exactly What You’re Doing at the Gym
Decision fatigue is real. Especially after work. So the best way to avoid gym anxiety and get the most out of your session? Know your plan before you walk in.
Here’s my go-to leg day routine:
- Hip thrusts
- Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
- Good mornings
- Bulgarian split squats
- 2–3 ab exercises
I stuck to these for months, and yes, my butt got noticeably bigger. Don’t let social media convince you that you need to switch it up every week. Stick to 4–6 weeks of the same movements, then reevaluate. Master your form first. Simplicity builds results.
Having a pre-set workout plan also helps ease the after-work fog that hits around 6 p.m. when your brain is fried from your 9-to-5. With a clear routine, you just show up and move.
Also, going to the gym can be nerve-wrecking when you don’t have the proper items. I made a post all about my gym essentials!
Step Five: Meal Prep the Lazy Girl Way
When you’re getting home from the gym at 8:30 PM, cooking an elaborate dinner is just… not happening. That’s why the crockpot was my best friend.
Here’s what my weekly food rhythm looked like:
- Monday morning: Set a crockpot meal (something with chicken, beans, veggies, broth, etc.)
- Eat that Monday–Wednesday
- Thursday morning: Another crockpot meal
- Eat that Thursday–Saturday
- Sunday: Eat whatever’s left, grab takeout, or just survive
Even though I hate cooking and didn’t enjoy meal prepping, I still did it weekly. Because I knew if I didn’t bring my lunch to work, the whole day was done.
Plan Your Meals, Even the Lazy Ones
Even if it’s simple, have a plan for your food. Knowing what you’re eating Monday through Friday will keep your gym routine with a 9-to-5 from falling apart. The less guesswork you have, the more likely you are to stay consistent.
How I Snuck in Protein Throughout the Day:
- Morning: Premier Protein shake (30g)
- Snack: Ratio yogurt (25g)
- Pre-gym: Protein bar (20g)
- Lunch: 20–40g depending on the meal
- Dinner: 30g or more
My minimum daily goal was 100g of protein. I didn’t always hit 150g, but I made it work with what I had.
Let’s Be Honest: Fitness Can Be Expensive
People love to say you don’t need money to get healthy. But in my experience? Fitness is time-consuming and expensive, especially if you’re relying on pre-made options to survive your 9-to-5 grind.
You can absolutely make it cheaper by cooking more and eating whole foods. But you’ll find your balance. For me, I had to ask myself: Do I want to spend money or time?
For a while, money won. Pre-made salads, protein shakes, and canned chicken kept me going and it was worth it because I stayed consistent.
More Lazy Meal Ideas That Kept Me On Track
- Canned soup + protein yogurt (underrated and affordable)
- Buffalo dip made with canned chicken
- Kimchi fried rice with sausage
- Pre-made salad kits + shrimp or rotisserie chicken
- Costco rotisserie chicken – a weekly lifesaver
- Diet sodas – for a sugar fix without the calories
- Reese’s Cups – small enough to enjoy without guilt
Step Six: Track What You Eat (and Plan What You’ll Eat)
Even if you’re not tracking macros forever, you need to start with some structure. Especially if your goal is weight loss or body recomposition.
And tracking doesn’t have to be obsessive. It can be intentional. Just know what you’re eating, plan your meals ahead (even if they’re lazy), and make sure your weekly intake aligns with your goals.
Your body works on a weekly scale, not a daily one.
One “bad” day won’t ruin your week. If your total weekly calories are in a deficit, you’re still making progress. Don’t let one donut convince you to throw away the whole day.
Final Thoughts: Choose Your Hard, Build Your Routine
Creating a gym routine with a 9-to-5 isn’t about doing it perfectly; it’s about showing up with intention. It’s about planning what you’ll eat, sneaking in protein wherever you can, choosing convenience when you need it, and giving yourself room to be human.
I’ve lost over 40 pounds so far. And I’m still going. My one-year anniversary is this October, and I still want to lose another 50 pounds. But I’m not rushing. I want to enjoy my life along the way. I’m not trying to crash diet or hate every second of this journey. This is a lifestyle change. And if that means it takes two or three years? That’s fine with me.
Some people take five years to lose the weight and avoid loose skin because they took their time. I’d rather move slowly and stay sane than crash fast and burn out.
So whether you’re meal-prepping buffalo dip with canned chicken or lifting weights after a 12-hour shift just know, you’re not alone in this. And you’re doing better than you think.
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