Exercise! What do you do? How often? And how the b'jesus do you stay motivated??

just started 30 day Shred so I'm here for advice.

although "DIG DEEP" is a good motto!

True, Errol. I started with 5's and then worked my way up to 10 but now don't bother with the lighter ones as I don't get the same results. Exercise safe!

I try to run early in the morning before I am awake enough to come up with all those excuses, OP.

Put out your kit in the evening, slip into it directly from your pyjamas and go-go-go!

couch to 5k is a brilliant way to get into running for which you need very little kit and can do from your doorstep. No schedule, no driving to a gym, etc.

Another way may be to join a team (netball/volleyball/etc). DO you have friends you could go to exercise with? Having an appointment motivates some people into actually doing it.

thanks for the thread. Lots of great ideas!

I love the head space that exercising alone gives me too lotta, but also enjoy the banter with everyone at kickboxing - so a bit of both.

Also, get yourself a set of 10lb. Hand weights and do bicep curls, shoulder presses and squats/lunges for 10 minutes every day

10lb is too much for a lot of women, if they've not done that sort of thing before - esp if you want to do more than just biceps.

I run. Started with a C25K thread here a few years ago and never looked back .

Like others, I run in the morning. ATM I'm training for a marathon, so running 4 or 5 times a week, including my local parkrun every Saturday (there's a thread for that too ).

I find it helps having something to aim for, so I'm going to try a sprint triathlon next, which should help get me into the swimming pool regularly over the winter.

There's nothing like an injection of endorphins into the body after a good exercise session. It's the body's natural happy pills, and can lift the spirit enormously. Just keep that in mind when you're debating whether to go or not.

YY to going right after dropping kids at school. If you've got tiny ones then they're already strapped into the stroller, presumably, so best to keep up the momentum for another half an hour or so. For mums with babies/toddlers/pre-schoolers a jogging stroller with rain cover is a godsend...absolutely the best money we spent on 'baby gear' as I used it for jogging and also walking.

Also, get yourself a set of 10lb. Hand weights and do bicep curls, shoulder presses and squats/lunges for 10 minutes every day. It makes a HUGE difference to your metabolism to have strong muscles.

Other things that motivate me:

The feeling of being all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a long walk or run and the lasting energy, mood, appetite and sleep-enhancing benefits that being fit imparts. Being all sweaty feels good and you will start to crave it.

Being able to fit into my favourite skinny jeans.

Getting out of bed in the morning and congratulating myself on the fact that I have actually changed the shape of my legs through my efforts (this is not a boast...if left to their own devices my legs are unfortunately a bit hobbit-like. Lots of running/walking has made them much more toned).

I've just started exercising after never doing it before.

Obviously am pretty motivated still by the novelty of it, but I think an hour is hardgoing. I don't think I'd want to exercise for an hour.

Can you think of anything that would be fun to do? I went swimming this morning which I really enjoy, but you have to do what works for you - perhaps a sport or a zumba class or something relaxing like yoga. Do you prefer to do something with people or alone? That might input into your decision.

This looks fun and different, if you like terrifying yourself

I was reading some stuff about Couch to 5K today and they reckon that 20-30 minutes 3 times a week is about right. That sounds doable to me and I like the fact that you're moving up a scale so it gives you something you can see even if your goal isn't to lose weight (mine isn't either, but I want to gain energy and some strength would be nice). There are various apps you can get which track your progress - not just for running - so you can see an improvement, too, and some of them let you add music.

Or make it functional - cycle to the shops or something?

I think it needs to be manageable, so not too long that it seems taxing, and something you look forward to - getting out of the house when DH gets home would hit that spot for me!

misty - there are some things suitable when you're pregnant you know - aquanatal is the most obvious. I walked a lot when I was pg - limited only by bladder capacity!

This thread is very motivational - despite my posts on it so far, today I couldn't be bothered to trek to the gym or do any exercise but I remembered all these posts and off I plodded. Felt terrific once I'd got on the treadmill and feel very virtuous right now :)

am marking place

i need motivation although 3 months pg atm will need to get back on it after babys here

I cycle to work. There's no parking, and it takes ages on public transport, so a big motivation is that it is quick and free.

I also like the fact that I am commuting and exercising - two birds with one stone. Plus I don't have to think about whether I am going to do it or not - I have to, to get to work.

Losing weight is very motivating - results as everybody else has said - as is the feeling that you can have the odd treat without guilt.

Like lavenderhoney, I look at myself naked in the mirror every day. I much prefer what I see when I am exercising regularly (still the same size - 12 - but better proportioned).

I do what I enjoy
So a mix of spin, boot camp/military fitness and pole fitness. Horse riding as well but I don't really count that

Repeated and their obviously.

I use fitness blender. I've hardly ever repeat a workout and I watch tv while I'm working out. You just choose how long or how hard you want to work out.

When I am feeling meh I just do a 10 minute tummy one or there little black dress workout which keeps the wobbly bits at bay. I used to shred but this is more varied.

Just about to embark on a fitness plan after the birth of my first. I loved the gym before I got pregnant as I was a big girl and the weight was visibly coming off - all the incentive I needed. Spoke to the trainer about just this subject a few days ago and she said you can get a bit of class/programme fatigue, you probably need to do something to get you excited about exercise again (if that's possible). So instead of yoga, try Pilates and instead of a cardio class try Zumba.

Before the dc were at school, it was long walks with the buggy, up hills as much as possible, DVDs at night and at weekends dh watched them or I got a babysitter for a couple of hours and I went running.

I keep my running stuff ready to go, no faffing looking for it.

Now, I do 6p6w and callentics, swimming, running -I do something everyday. Its not to be fitted in, its a must.

I also can't do it with others, I like the time to myself, and I might want to run one day not swim.

To motivate, I say to myself come on, you'll be back in an hour... Also, standing looking at myself naked in a mirror in broad daylight was enough to make me put down the biscuits. Plus I have slim, fit friends and didnt like being the fat one. I was always very slim before dc.

I also am on the lc bootcamp with BIWI and its amazing:) lost loads and am much fitter. The thread keeps you going.

Sorry its long:)

It's such an individual thing. Some people find that training/running with a friend helps - this is my idea of hell! I'm with people all day long and I really need that time to myself. Some people find they need to set goals to motivate themselves - again, not for me! I spend my days doing stuff that other people tell me/expect me to do, so I really need to feel like I'm in control of my exercise plan and time.

Agree with others - find something you love and then keep at it. 3 times a week as a bare minumum. The more often you do it, the quicker you will see results, the stronger you will get, the better you will feel, the more motivated you will be to keep it up.

I do davina McCall DVDs at home before kids wake up 4 times a week. Means its quick over and done with and I can listen to radio 4 so don't get bored. Cut down on portion size (dinner off small plates) over 6 months gone from 11 stone size 14 to 9.5 stone size 10!

99.9% of the time I feel better for doing it even when tired. That's what gets me out running 4-5 miles from work at lunchtimes twice a week and out on bike at weekends.

Do it with a friend ! I swim regularly with my neighbours and we call each other and make sure we go.

Tooextra would it make sense to have a light snack and exercise once DC's in bed, then have a late dinner (my dc's aren't all in bed til 9pm most nights so that is when we eat normally but no way could I be exercising then, after dinner etc-you have steely willpower to ever be managing that )! You would really enjoy your dinner so much more then too!

My motivation is really simple. I knackered my knees years ago. If I do not stay fit I'm in pain.
So after I drop the kids off I swim every morning and then do one or two classes.
When I'm working I try to swim before or in the evening.

shakespeare I am SAHM, I have 3 dc's, 8-5-3. So two in full time school and one in nursery. Before nursery etc I used to belong to a gym with a creche and used that. Once mornings in nursery were established, after everyone is dropped off I just head straight to do whatever exercise I am doing that day. Like others, I dress in appropriate kit and just do it. A bit like brushing my teeth, exercising isn't something I think about any more , I just do it.

I tend to do about an hour every weekday morning and sometimes squeeze in something in the afternoon, eg if DS1 is in his kickboxing lesson I arrange a session for me at the same time, rather than just sitting watching him...I usually have the whole weekend off though, DH is a mad keen cyclist so his opportunity to this properly is on the weekend, he squeezes daily half hour-45min sessions for himself - running or cycling - around work in the week. I figure it's fair enough that I get plenty of opportunity to exercise in the week and he doesn't so I don't push for my own time for this on the weekend, plus I'd rather spend time with the DC's anyway. I usually take them swimming while DH is doing 3hrs on the bike somewhere and he gets back around late morning so we have the rest of the day together. I also tend to take the same approach in school holidays, rarely do much, perhaps the odd run or gym session but I am mostly very lazy and relax, but I actually find this pretty good for me as I'm exercising pretty intensely the rest of the time . The first week back after that is a killer but then I start getting a kick from regaining fitness (and form - muffin top starts melting away again ).