Reassure me that 45 minutes/5 times a week at the gym is enough

Running does not burn many calories? Can you please clarify this, because I am pretty certain that my 10 mile runs burn more than just a few token calories (not that I run just to burn calories).

What form of exercise burns more than running?
I can only think of cross country skiing

You don't have a clue about substrate use during exercise do you kirinm

@Kirinm: what HR do you think OP needs to achieve? How would she calculate it for her?

I DREAM of being able to exercise 5 times a week for 45 min! Dream of it!!

My experience is that running doesn't burn as many calories as other forms of exercise. I'm not suggesting it's a bad thing.

running burns loads of calories and is great cardio

I don't think it's nonsense at all. I'm not suggesting your HR won't increase but it'll stay at a steady rate unless you add in some sort change in speed. Interval training is regarded as a great form of exercise to a) increase fitness levels quickly and b) burn fat.

This is so interesting I'd never thought about the implications for women from a health perspective of living under that sort of regime in a hot country.

One thing as well on your workout OP - I've started seeing a P/T a few months ago and the difference between what I was doing and what he makes me do is upping the weights. Once your body gets used to a routine or weight then it stops being so effective - so basically all your gym visits need to be hard work. I go 3 times per week and workout for around 45-50 mins - which is about 35 mins weight based then 10 mins HITT on bike or ropes, I couldn't do that more often, although I sometimes do parkrun 5k as well.

However like you I seem to be unable to out train a bad diet so he has asked me to start keeping a food diary. I've got a sneaking suspicion I'm going to lose a shedload of weight this week as I'm too embarrassed to eat my normal way, so that should be a great thing !

Running doesn't burn a great deal of calories and your heart rate is unlikely to her high enough to burn fat unless you are doing sprint intervals
Nonsense

Ah, just read you can't do burpees. There are lots of exercises you could do I'm sure had I think it's the best form of exercise given the limited time you've got.

Time wise it's plenty but if you're looking to lose weight you need to vary what you're doing. Running doesn't burn a great deal of calories and your heart rate is unlikely to her high enough to burn fat unless you are doing sprint intervals.

Try doing a 20 minute HIIT session and then weights. Start with 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off and decrease your rest time as and when it starts to feel easier. Burpees, mountain climbers, high knees, jumping squats etc will all get your heart racing.

25 minutes of Kettlebells is fine if you go something like 45 seconds on 15 off. Use dynamic moves so swings snatches jerks clean and presses and squats.

Or like Suzanne says get a barbell and do compounds eg deadlift, clean, press, back squat, press, bent over row (that's one) and do a 10 down to 1.

I reckon I've sent decades doing stamina so now I am focused on strength & speed, too (novelty).

I often wonder about women in middle east, if they have huge health issues because of the expected female lifestyle (mostly at home, very little sun so low Vitamin D, only poor women have physical jobs, patchy culture to encourage sport, etc).

Sounds plenty to me. If you wanted to fit more in, which I'm not saying you need to, could you run outside in your lunch breaks if you have showers in your office ?

For weights I would stick to compound movements and superset with opposing muscle groups
2 or 3 way split

If time is limited then IMO strength training and running would be the most efficient options

Thing is, it's not a forever situation. Only while your DC are smaller & your work could change again, etc.

You should have been offered a programme by the gym? As part of your membership?

Have you had proper advice on the diastasis recti too? It sounds severe if a burpee nearly causes a hernia. Lots of exercise exacerbates the separation so you could be inadvertently damaging yourself. I had a massive separation and tackled that separately. I can do burpees until the cows come home now. I don't though. As I hate them.

Go for 30 min gym session in your lunch break. If you focus properly it really will make a difference. Don't turn into one of those people who stagnates at their desk. I get a one mile walk in during my 25 min break whatever the weather.

If youve got half an hour to spend at he gym, then its better than not going to the gym isnt it.

If you havent got more time, or even if you dont want to be there longer, you can maximise the time you do have.

Also if youre an anxious person with an ED history, then you need to make sure youre not overdoing it anyway, because exercise obsession is no better than food or dieting obsession, plus you risk burnout