People who are too busy to do exercise

I do a tonne of exercise, but don't have kids.

I have friends with young kids who fit exercise in however they can - weighted walks around the block with the pram, Kettlewell workouts in the garage at 5am before everyone else is awake, gym sessions on their lunchbreak etc - but I think you've got to be very driven, and kind of enjoy it, to do so.

It's not just 30-40 mins though- what about showering snd changing afterwards? What if your exercise isn't running-and you have to drive somewhere to do it? Add on journey time. What if it can only be done at certain times of day- lane swimming, gym classes etc.
I exercise 5 times a week but each time requires a block of 2 hours. More if I want to go in the spa/ steam/ sauna afterwards.
It's much more difficult than you make out, even if you prioritise it above time with your kids.

Sometimes people are just too tired ... Don't judge until you have walked in someone else's shoes.

Fully agree with this Togglebullets! It's a privilege to be able to move your better for physical and mental health. Some people have other priorities and or capabilities. Its important to be and feel proud of yourself and to celebrate that but OP reeks of superiority. Thumbs down.

Well good for you OP and very well done but please don’t be so judgy, preachy and condescending about others.

They maybe single parents, have health conditions, have no family support or what's more have no interest in running the streets and parading themselves in lycra.

When my children were babies and little I always put them first. So by the time DH got in having been out over 12 1/2 hours, with no family support whatsoever ever and living with a couple of zapping energy health conditions including long term anaemia I was literally ready to drop. Later at primary school I was dealing with squabbles, snacks, making dinner, washing, reading, supervising homework and prepping for the next day etc etc. Secondary school brought different worries, energy zapping tasks, arguments and responsibilities.

To be fair it’s only now that my children are at Uni that I feel I have some energy, inclination to finally spend some time on myself and do some exercise but have zero interest in running.

What's it got to do with you? Seriously if people don't want to exercise then leave them to it

Maybe they can, maybe they can't. Maybe they don't want to.

Are you bothered by how much free time you have? I can't imagine anyone else cares, really.

I've been told by two doctors not to go running. Even walking too much can lay me up for days. I used to be fit enough to do inverted sit ups and 10+ km runs.

Put yourself in other people's footsteps before your self serving criticism.

Bully for you. I don't have time to do anything for myself - anything - most of the time with two young DC and a job with long hours. Day is get up with kids, get them sorted, rush to nursery, rush back and start work, work all day with no break (rarely time to shovel a sandwich in), then race off to get kids from nursery and sort them out - dinner, bath, bed etc. Then do more work. Go to bed exhausted, get up with kids through the night, rinse and repeat.

I think it’s because your children are at secondary school, you quickly forget the (very rewarding but!) slog of young children.

You do you and don’t spend time judging others.

Bur do you WFH at all during the week? Many people still go in every day, with a hefty commute either side of their working day. That's 8hrs + 2 on top, 10 hours out of the house every day, sometimes in physically/ mentally demanding roles and when they get in they want to collapse. The weekend is just about enough time to recoup some energy before the onslaught of work begins again. I honestly don't blame them.

I don't have 2 hours spare without the DC. It's a struggle to fit everything in already. However part of being busy means I get over 10k steps done a day anyway. I can see that people would struggle if they have an office job. There generally would be time in the evening, but that depends on them having money and transport for the gym, having energy to do so, and not needing to use that time catching up on housework.

People who have zero self esteem do this, they take other people's flaws, life choices, no choices as a reason to big themselves up.

My mother was like this, if she saw someone overweight she would literally puff up with pride and then berate them ( to me) for hours
Miserable

Try finding time to do that with a breastfed 1 year old and a a 3 year old and working full time 😂

I go for a run with the double buggy once or twice a week. But it’s vary variable. If someone’s ill or work is busy then I really do have no time or extra capacity.

But why does it matter?
Structured exercise is not compulsory.
I don't do any and can't think why I'd need to because I am very active, healthy by all parameters and feel energetic anyway. I always join in with sports activities on holidays and manage to 'perform' very well, but I do it for enjoyment and being part of a group activity not because I want to prove my fitness levels.

What I would say might be useful in modern society is to make sure our children take part in sports or have an active outdoor lifestyle for physical development, stamina, team engagement and general good health.

Going to the gym or running regularly is not mandatory and your opening post sounds very dismissive of those who don't or can't find the time/energy to do what you choose to do for your own reasons.

Good for you. Now if you want to find me a non impact sport I can do that fits in with the times I need to give my kids lifts places and that doesn't break my stupid body then please go ahead.

They don't prioritise exercise so they need a reasonable-sounding excuse. If it is a high priority, you'll find time to do it.

It reminds me of people who used to say to me incredulously when I was a student "how to have the cash for a flight abroad every holiday????" I used to stay with friends so didn't have other costs). I always used to answer "because I never ever go to the pub".

People will say literally anything to stop other people from talking about exercise. It is unbelievably boring and running tops the league for boringness. Even amongst people who do exercise it’s still tedious in the extreme. Just stop talking about it and you never need to be annoyed by other people. More importantly, nor will other people be annoyed by you.

You've never been the sole carer to a child elderly or disabled person have you? c

anyway congrats on being so perfect 🙄

I'm lazy that's my trouble. I get home and I'd rather rest on the sofa after a long day at work rather than go out for a run (that I know I'd enjoy). I am trying to make a change but haven't yet! Lighter evenings might help me get back into a routine.

You sound like a pretty lazy runner to me. 4 miles isn’t far for a regular runner, especially at that pace.

Not so nice when someone is judging you is it…?

Not everyone is you.

Some people have fewer hours in the day as they just need more sleep. The human variance is 6-10 hours, and you don't get to pick whether you need 6 or 10. Some one who needs only 6 has FOUR more hours in every day than someone who needs six. That's a fuck tonne more of life to fill each day.

Some people have health conditions that take up an hour or hours of their day to manage.

Some people have longer commutes.

Some people are just higher energy people than others. If you are higher energy, you get more done.

Some people have found an activity they love and are prepared to prioritise it. Some people have not found an activity they love - forcing yourself to do an activity you don't like requires more discipline than most of us have.

Some people live in attractive areas they feel safe to run in. Some people don't feel safe running where they live.

Some people live in areas with lots of activities and groups to choose from to be active in. Some people live in areas where they have little or nothing to choose from.

Some people have the spare money to spend on classes or exercise clothes and trainers or equipment, some people don't.

Some people have been brought up in active lives and enjoy moving and being active. Some have been brought up in quite sedentary lives and do not really enjoy being active.

I could go on. The fact is we are all different and we all have different barriers and opportunities. Other people are not you, living your life.

If you want to be active then you do need to find what are the opportunities in your life and stick to them. But we are not all starting in the same place and its is much easier for some then others.

I just hate running. I hate getting sweaty and I mostly hate that my valuable snippets of free time being used for something other than my own creativity so I say I don't have the time to do it. I do however have time' to write or paint or play the piano.

Of course some people are too busy to exercise. If you've got 2 or 3 DC, are caring for elderly parents, running a home and working a full time job you've barely got time to scratch your arse let alone got out for a half hour run three or four times a week. And if you do get ten minutes to yourself you're too knackered to even think about exercise.

Hope this helps OP.

It's doesn't take a huge stretch of imagination, that not everyone has this luxury. What exactly is it that you don't understand? Some people have young children and no support network. People who care - many 24/7 without respite and cannot leave the person alone. Some people genuinely just don't have the time. But wow on you! Congrats for being better than the rest of us.