What sport or fitness did your mum do?

This sounds like my mum. She was not sporty at all. She took us as kids to various sports but if (when) we found we were awful at them. (I'm pretty rubbish at most sport) then she would agree and we'd give up. There was another mum at school who was into running and fitness and mum was very disparaging of her. She was also bemused when later Dsis and I found sports/fitness that we enjoyed and that it's something we do for fun and socially rather than something to be endured.

When we were young she walked and cycled to most local places as she didn't drive but once my dad retired he essentially became her chauffeur and she rarely walked or cycled anywhere.

My DM was born in the 40s, hated sports at school, but used to go walking and bowling with my dad. In later years became reluctant to walk anywhere and uses the car even for 5 minute journeys, now becoming less mobile which is a worry.

She always looked down on sport and we were never encouraged to do anything physical, she is bemused by my DSis and I as we are both very active.

My DM is 82. She danced when she was younger and taught country dancing. She then trained as a fitness instructor and took classes until she had a heart attack at age 74 (heart attacks can happen to the slim and fit). She now attends classes aimed at people who have had heart attacks etc and she also does exercises every morning. She also walks every day and does her garden. She puts me to shame!

My mum born in the 40s did no formal exercise and still does not. I never however remember her being sedentary and she still isn't. She was either working or looking after the house or garden and never sitting still. She still spends hours a day gardening which keeps her active and well.

None. She's 82 now and fit as a fiddle. She does watch what she eats as she's scared to death of getting diabetes like her brothers and sister.

Mine did aerobics and Callanetics. She also had a rebounder (mini trampoline) and step machine. And did lots of walking. I grew up doing those alongside her. She’s still in good health although does have a knee issue which has required surgery. Her parents just did lots of walking and have lived long healthy lives too (minus knee issues).

Born late 1930s, dabbled a bit with her Lizzie videos and did a bit of a yoga course at some point, but very little interest in sport/ fitness through most of her life. I wasn't any good at PE, but that was OK as we're not good at sport in my family.

The saving grace for me was that she liked the idea of me dancing, so I went to lessons (which I enjoyed but had no talent at. She was also happy for me to do the DoE award (because it resulted in a trip to the palace having heard about it from a teacher friend). This lead to me taking up hill walking, and aerobics, then yoga, other fitness classes and running. DoE also involved me learning to swim. DM didn't like swimming because it's cold and therefore didn't facilitate me learning.

She first broke a bone in her 50s, again in her 60s and arthritis set in rapidly in her mid 60s and has plagued the last 20 years.

Her generation has been stitched up by society. They naturally had an active youth, but life became more automated at the point that keeping up muscle density becomes more important. They were raised on rationing, expected to be slim through the 60s and 70s, given lots of poor dietry advice and exercise options were limited and constrained by being lady-like. All the female relatives I've had born around then have really struggled with osteoarthritis in their last decade or two.

I'm hoping that weights and high impact exercise throughout adulthood will help fend it off...

Someone mentioned badminton upthread - I had forgotten that mum played badminton in her 50s and early 60s in an adult league. She learned to play from scratch. Most of her siblings (all born in Ireland in the 30s and early 40s) were actually quite sporty, come to think of it - hurling and camogie, rugby, cricket, and hockey, plus Irish dancing and ballroom dancing were all part of their lives. Mum went dancing two or three times a week in her 20s, and got to the dances and home again by bike. Back then, dancing was incredibly energetic and not for the faint hearted. No wonder she's fit as a fiddle.

Also she also had horribly low self esteem which I've taken by the bucketload.

Again, I will reiterate to my own children that exercise is important.

None. She's been overweight since I was born.

Trying to break the mindset of absolutely zero priority for my health. I always make a point of drinking water/eating well/exercising so my children can see that it's important.

But I hate every second of it and it all feels very unnatural.

My mother was born in the 40s. She did a lot of swimming when she was younger. But when she started a family there was no time or money for sports. She smoked a lot and ate unhealthy food, drank to much.
She developed a form of diabetes type 2 that was hard to treat and after a difficult time, she died 8 years ago of the consequences.

I was never encouraged todo sports, but seeing my mum suffer from diabetes made me determined to do things differently and to continue the battle for a healthy weight. So i do bootcamp twice a week and running 3 times a week.

My mum was born 1951 and was a top sportswoman representing the country in main sport, university blue in two others - did everything. Got married, had me (and siblings) and did absolutely nothing albeit all the housework and a full time job. But never organised team sport or conscious cardio exercise since she left university. Maintained a healthy weight, however. In her sixties started walking regularly.

She died this year. I’ve been reflecting on her life and how sad it was she pretty much gave up all sport and exercise when she was 22, when it had been such a massive part of her life up until that point.

Keep Fit. It was in the fire station, they used to move the engines out beforehand.

Interesting thread.

My mum a mid 40s baby did keep-fit in the local hall. And she didn't drive so walked, more of a run, everywhere.
Now mid 70s and very fit for her age.

Her own mum was less active and quite over weight (maybe not compared to people these days)
Her dad was a walker who had an active job and was walked for pleasure too.

Me, I gained weight when I bought my first car aged 24, and it's been a constant battle since.

My mother was born in the30s and was a professional dancer. She did some sort of dance/movement based exercise all her life. Her ability to do really hard core work based on Pilates and Alexander Technique lasted into her mid-80s until dementia took over.

Both of my grandmothers played tennis and walked a lot. They both maintained their Edwardian lady training of a long afternoon walk every day. My father’s mother lived into her 90s. Walking contributed to that longevity, I’m sure.

I see.
I was just curious and the thread has really been interesting.

For myself, coming from a family that did nothing, I’m the only one that does regularly do exercise. Yoga 3 x a week, hiking, walking, swimming etc. I think me being determined not to become obese & have preventable health issues like DM, or become doddery like DF (long divorced) really has come from reflecting on my parents habits, so their habits have affected my own attitude for sure.

My M was born in the 30s. She had a brief spell of going to "keep fit" in the village hall with DF for a while and that's it.

My mum did yoga (or at least I remember reading a yoga book when I was 3 whilst she mostly lay in child's pose), badminton, some tennis I think. Pretty sure she did Jane Fonda videos as well.

Now she's 73, and she and my dad have done ballroom dancing for about 25 years, they do the cha cha, rumba, samba, waltz etc, they're great at it. She also walks for miles.

No formal exercise, but walked a lot, eg a few miles a day age 80 despite a leg very deformed with OA. Had a knee replacement age 80 and sailed through it despite no physio follow up and being confused. Until age 80 she had a little routine she did when she got out of bed - touching her toes etc. This kept her extremely flexible - could hold her leg up straight by her ear for example.Unfortunately now at 85, osteoarthritis and dementia have rendered her immobile. 😢

@lljkk why did you ask the question and have the responses been as expected?

My mother did the Mr Motivator and Rosemary Conley videos every morning before work. As soon as the step thing came out we knew we had to entertain ourselves for the next 30 mins/hour whatever it was.

My Mum did a lot of walking, she walked everywhere, and loved walking the dog miles. we never had a car.
She is now 79 and still walking everyday, never been overweight, always slim and good mental health.

Later my mother played cricket for her college, gardened and hiked most weekends, one aunt cycled ( and went on a hunger march from Manchester to London in 1930s, if that counts) and one played golf well into her 80s.

They were less sedentary by all accounts, I think.

Sorry, I quoted your post because you mentioned your aunt going on a hunger March. How wonderful to have heard about that first hand, terrible as it all was of course.

Mum was born 1938 and dad 1934. Neither have ever done any exercise.