Please or to access all these features

Exercise

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

If you've lost your exercise/running mojo, come on in for a Christmas countdown .....

480 replies

lechatnoir · 22/10/2022 10:24

I've not done any significant exercise for the past 9 months, have put on 1.5 stone, taken up smoking again after years away and feel like shit as a result plus add peri-menopausal symptoms SadWorking from home , lack of money and general feeling of negativity everywhere hasn't helped and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In a fit of madness I signed up for a HM for next March but need a kick up the arse and a serious overhaul before I can even start to think about following a running plan. Ive got 7 weeks before I start training but think 8 weeks is more realistic and will also tie in nicely with the festive season (right now I just want to hibernate not party).

So aims are:
Get basic fitness levels up and gently resume running
Build some strength and flexibility
Stop smoking (day 3 and countingSmile)
Include some proper self-care - early nights, hair colouring more regularly, just a bit of pampering occasionally.

Get back in the habit of regular exercise with some sort of weekly timetable.

Anyone want to join me and post for support, encouragement, ideas and give each other a proverbial kick up the arse along way?

OP posts:
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 23/11/2022 21:36

Slow day here but yoga, workout, and 10k steps ✅

illiterato · 23/11/2022 10:21

Gym for weights this morning- machines and accessory work as its Wednesday (free weights Monday and Fridays). Listened to the latest "The Rest is Politics" which I'd saved for the occasion so it went very quickly. I keep thinking about attempting a bar dip but don't want to be disappointed if I cant do one.

lechatnoir · 22/11/2022 22:19

Nice to hear the running is getting easier and just feels more natural (I get this) @illiterato that's what I'm aiming for & getting there.

Very gentle 5km today after a heavy legs session yesterday - tight glut and tender thighs ConfusedBlush. Early start tomorrow so just doing the 15 minutes Morning Stretch with YWA.

My eating doesn't seem to have improved (blaming HRT) so might put myself on some sort of pre Xmas regime next week or I'll run out of clothes that fit (plus running when overweight is sooooo much harder Sad)

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 22/11/2022 21:32

Another rest day chez Bogroll... so that's 20,000 steps done as I've been getting around by bus and the bus stop is a mile away so I've covered 5 miles of gentle, functional walking between one thing and another. I also did some gardening so that's bumped it up too.

Body's been gently functional today rather than total rest mode. I still need to go easy for a few days though.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 22/11/2022 20:21

Day 22!

18k steps, one GFWR, and one yoga. @illiterato i don’t move any furniture. Some of the more dance-y steps need more room than I have but I just sub in something else there - he always goes on about just keeping your feet moving if you can’t get a step right, so I figure it’s effectively the same thing.

slightlysoreboobs · 22/11/2022 18:01

well done on the running, Ricking, jeffing (had to Google that one!) swimming and everything else! I did nmtz this morning, one round of each circuit (rather than 2) and think I’ll try and do this every day this week. 30 minutes is just so much more achievable than an hour.

londonmummy1966 · 22/11/2022 16:07

Rest day yesterday and I got a 1km swim in today although it had to be indoors as I had to take DD to a hospital appointment when I'd normally hit the outdoor pool. (The only thing that gets me in the freezing water is the peer pressure of going with friends) Sadly, I'm clearly eating too much as the 2 kilos I lost last month have reappeared.

illiterato · 22/11/2022 14:25

@Judystilldreamsofhorses Just looked up Rick on YT - looks fun. Is it something you can do in quite a small space? Or do you need to sort of clear your sitting room furniture to the side?

I just did my usual 5k run today but for the first time in forever felt like I properly got into my stride and felt comfortable/ natural. Came in under 30 mins at what felt like a relaxed pace so happy with that. Gym tomorrow.

BogRollBOGOF · 22/11/2022 06:51

I had a rest day yesterday which meant some short and a gentle flat walk to ease some post-race aches from Sunday.

It definitely felt better doing something than nothing at all.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 21/11/2022 21:47

I feel like I am phoning it in amongst the runners here, but day 21 of healthy for 30 = done. 13k steps and a load of Get Fit With Rick. I love him - today I did short workouts to Wham, Madonna, 80s rock, and 80s classics, so about an hour in total. (I’m just on YT, not paying for anything and absolutely no affiliation to Rick!). Did 10 mins of YWA with the cat really endangering herself because she likes to sit underneath me during planks.

I was WFH today and wore some size 10 jeans I last put on a few months ago - they were uncomfortable after I had the Mirena fitted and ballooned up so I put them to the back of the wardrobe. Now they feel great! I know that is mainly my hormones settling, but thanks Rick too, and thanks OP for this thread!

londonmummy1966 · 21/11/2022 16:42

@SydneyCarton - yes - might work even better on a 3k when you know you don't have so far to run!

SydneyCarton · 21/11/2022 16:31

@londonmummy1966 Interesting! My next running day is Thursday, but I have an annoying recurring 10 am meeting which makes it tricky to fit in a 5K after doing the school run. Might experiment with a 3K though - it feels odd to expect a faster time with less running, but I know what you mean about being able to power through two mins of fast running knowing you've got a rest period to recover.

londonmummy1966 · 21/11/2022 11:59

@SydneyCarton - yes the intervals can be baffling. The best PB improvement I got was cutting my 10k interval in half so from 3 mins:1 min to 90:30 sec. I shaved off 8 minutes... I think it is that the running interval is so much shorter I can run a lot faster. You might find it fun to try 2 minutes:30 sec on a 5K and see what happens.

TheABC · 21/11/2022 11:11

Joining in, I have completely lost my mojo and want to get a head start on the usual NYE resolutions for 2023.

I went for 7am swim this morning and I am looking for spring half-marathon right now; training to start in earnest in January. I plan to get back into the 5k weeks by then.

SydneyCarton · 21/11/2022 11:05

Another 5K ticked off - upped my running interval to 5 mins with 55 secs walking and came in at 5 seconds per mile slower than 4.30 and 55 on Saturday Hmm. You're right @londonmummy1966 longer running intervals doesn't always equal faster times, although I suppose different routes, different days etc etc.

illiterato · 21/11/2022 10:07

well done @londonmummy1966 . I need to be better at just getting out on Sunday afternoons as kids usually just want to veg after rugby in the morning. I totally could have gone yesterday- my kids are old enough to leave by themselves, but I talked myself out of it- bit cold. So a poor weekend for me unless you count a 4k beach stroll with a coffee in my hand on Saturday pm (that's probably stretching it isn't it?). Back in the gym this morning and got the weights up on the deadlift and the back squat (my nemesis) so happy with that.

londonmummy1966 · 20/11/2022 22:13

After a couple of days of next to nothing I managed a 10k event in lots of mud at Hampton Court this morning followed by a lunchtime Jeff down the towpath from Hampton Court to Teddington lock so about 11 miles run whihc was this weeks long run target so I'm feeling a bit back on track.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 20/11/2022 22:09

Today has been a bit of a struggle here - I feel like I am getting a cold maybe. Did a GFWR, steps just sneaking in at 10k at 10pm, and yoga stretches done.

FlySwimmer · 20/11/2022 21:22

3.1km swim this morning 🏊🏊💪

and a lovely stretchy YWA this evening.

slightlysoreboobs · 20/11/2022 08:11

I did NMTZ (still heavily modified but both rounds of all the circuits) yesterday and my legs seem ok today - pretty bad DOMS this week but that’s to be expected isn’t it!

Has anyone ever tried doing NMTZ or other Jillian Michaels things four or five days a week? I started out thinking 1 hour 3 times a week would be good but I’m wondering if I can squeeze it in more often and get stronger faster….

CherrySmiler · 19/11/2022 23:10

CherrySmiler · 13/11/2022 12:16

I posted here on Day 1 and promptly forgot about it. Not a great start….
However I have been trying. Since 22 Oct have:

  • Did a 13km walk(on the 22nd to get myself started)
  • Weymouth parkrun over half term
  • Two 7km and one 5km run with running club
  • Home parkrun yesterday
  • And 13km long slow run this morning.
I’m doing a 10km run at beginning of December so trying to build up the distance again. This week planning 2 x 7km runs with club, parkrun on Saturday and maybe another 10-13km on Sunday. I am 5th on club leaderboard today for distance covered this week so happy about this!

The week didn’t quite work out as planned 😊

  • Missed 1st run with club so ran following evening in torrential rain - only 5km.
  • Ran 8.2km following evening with club which was enjoyable.
  • Parkrun today!
  • Tomorrow morning - thinking minimum 10k, max 13km.
2 wks to 10km race!

Need to go to bed as feeling hungry from watching Bake-off final.
Happy running for anyone running tomorrow and week ahead. Trying to run consistently is making me feel better. Hoping I can keep it going through December.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 19/11/2022 22:32

Just under 16k steps today, which included a 30 minute fast GFWR workout. My knees hurt! I did my yoga straight after, and then went out for Thai food. Balance. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

SydneyCarton · 19/11/2022 19:51

Saturday 5K Jeff during DC’s football club. Faster than Thursday although kept the same intervals, although I did do a back to back fast for 5:2 on Tuesday and Wednesday so was almost literally running on empty Thursday morning!

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 18/11/2022 21:33

15k steps today, including a GFWR workout, plus ten minutes of yoga. Bit worried about my PF so need to take it easy over the weekend.

lechatnoir · 18/11/2022 21:31

Managed a gentle 5km this morning but took a much needed rest day yesterday. Just started hrt and feeling a bit lethargic and out of sorts so trying to keep going but listen to my body. Hoping to do a weights workout tomorrow but I'll decide in the morning.

OP posts: