If you have gone from being completely inactive to fit, how did you do it?

[pandarific]

I'm curious. I'm not asking people who've always been sporty / good at and enjoy team games / enjoy fitness, either.

I'm talking to My People - the two left feet, uncoordinated, 'Ugh, sports day, I'm going to sit down here and make a daisy chain ah shit they've seen me' people.

I really need to get fit. I used to walk a lot and got away with it because I was in my 20s, but after a baby and in my 30s I need to sort it out. Anyone like me managed to become fit? How'd you do it?

Following because I've bought a treadmill and I've been using it a few times a week for a few months now and I still sweat like a mother trucker after 5 minutes 😂😂

following. I have been doing dance videos on youtube in an effort to keep fit but it's not much and it's taken ages to get my step count on my fitness watch up to 6000 to 8000 steps a day. My FIL is in his 60's, has arthritis and does 13000 steps most days, I'm so pathetic.

Couch to 5k. I’m obese and very unfit. I’d always ignored people’s suggestions to try it as I assumed it wasn’t any good for people like me who hate any form of exercise. I finally gave it a go during lockdown and have just completed week 9 - running for 30 minutes non stop! I still can’t believe it!

I’m your people- skivved pe at school, never exercised and overweight. Like pp I started C25k at beginning of March and now I run 5k every other day- takes around 35mins so I’m slow but I do it. Also I try to hit at least 10,000 steps- usually go for a walk. So not fit yet but better than 3 months ago.

Personal trainer. Paying for sessions with her in advance meant I HAD to go and also, the shame of not showing up pushed me to do it.

Weight training. I found out that I love lifting. And I discovered that lifting didn't give me that out-of-breath feeling (that reminded me of P.E.). This meant I could be successful and get fit. Weight training helped me see results which kept me going (such as my small muscles developing, seeing the amount I could lift increasing, sore muscles etc).

Just did it. Had enough of being fat. The longer you keep to it the more you enjoy it and miss the days you don't work out. Don't look at it like a weight loss goal or journey, but a new lifestyle. A new way of living. Bare in mind whatever you put in your body will determine what kind of performance you'll get out of your body.

@Myneighboursnorlax that is awesome well done!

I found excersize that I actually enjoy, yoga. I now do it most days, just short free videos on youtube. I started with Yoga with Adrienne and now Five Parks Yoga and Yoga with Kassandra.

@Myneighbour - do you feel better for it? I'm furloughed but DD is back at school FT and suddenly I have no excuse not to be getting fit. FFS.

Couch to 5k lots on youtube. It's about motivation and results, and the feel good factor and they all link in.

@pandarific I'm the same. Want a C25K buddy?

Couch to 5k and Zumba videos on Youtube. The Zumba was my start point. I could do it with my kids and it just felt like a funny activity rather than fitness stuff.

The single best thing I ever did though was mis-measure the space I had for the treadmill which meant when it was delivered the only place it fitted was in the living room (with an armchair relegated to the hall). I'm convinced that without the tv to distract me while I walked (and now jog) I wouldn't have used it half as much. In the beginning I was so unfit that a brisk walk was hard work where as I now end up walking for a whole film or jogging for a whole 30 min programme. The distraction is my key.

I love your description of your people - that’s me

I got away with it too until ds was born. After a year the baby-tummy hadn’t disappeared so I started jogging. I did couch to 5k only it took me 18 months.

I preferred to do it on my own because I knew it wasn’t going to be quick. 10 years later, I can run 10k on a good day.

I’m older than you so I do a weekly karate class too to keep me supple.

Also giving a recommend for couch to 5 k - just finished my 9 weeks and feel slightly amazed like @Myneighboursnorlax - It's really built my confidence too. What was good for me was how clear and simple to follow it was and how it built gradually, so once I'd made the decision to commit I just had to do what I was told. If confidence is a problem (it was for me) believe in the program rather than yourself in the beginning - that sounds a bit weird/negative, but at the beginning the thought of running 30 mins solid felt very unlikely, with the program you see it's possible. In that sense I can also see a PT working - it removes all the fuss, doubt and anxiety over what you're doing that can make it easy to give up or become disheartened by any self-imposed exercise routines. It sounds like you are quite motivated, I wish you luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Which app do you all recommend for C25K? Can you listen to music in between?

I'm walking 30-60 minutes a day now as I really enjoy being outdoors. I've done Couch2-5k before but I'm waiting till I've lost a bit more weight as I don't want to do my knees n!
I've got some hand weights and am dipping my toes in to this.
I'm about to try yoga as I've discovered Donna Noble who runs yoga classes online for over size 16s.

@K1999 thank you!

@Turangawaewae I do feel a lot better for it actually. I can really feel the difference. After week one my legs ached after each session, and now they hardly ache after 30 minutes!

@rubabayaga I agree about the just doing as you’re told. If I wasn’t using the app and just going for a run without it then I’d give up after 5 minutes! But I stuck to it with the app because I had to follow the rules!

@Turangawaewae I used this one (hopefully the picture attaches) and yeah you can play music at the same time

Following this and hoping that the answer isn't just couch to 5k. Because it turns out that I've never learned to run properly. My legs feel like lead after 5 steps and knees start aching. Cycling is better but still hurts my knees after a while.

May I ask what app you use for the couch25k? Seems to be loads out there

C25K is amazing. I need to do it again because things happened in my life and I didn't continue for long after finishing it, but my God it got me fit. And I'm an old, sedentary, usually unfit couch potato. Seriously, if I could do it aged 50-something, anyone can. I'm promising myself I'll start again and this time continue with running.

I am totally not sporty or a team player . Sadly I am not super fit either! But I have found activities that I enjoy, and am slowly losing weight and being less knackered when trying to exercise. I am also one of these people who sweat like a bstrd and go bright red, which doesn't help with the anti-sport feelings.

I like:

Walking - nowhere special, just around the neighbourhood mostly. Of course I like to make an effort and see new places, but part of the joy is just putting on trainers, going out of the front door and hit the pavement. Done.

Reformer Pilates - haven't been since lockdown but am looking forward to starting again next week. I enjoy the group aspect, and the stretching feels great! It's nicely social without being super hardcore. And it's a 5 min walk from where I live.

BodyPump - again haven't been since lockdown but can start again next week. I absolutely don't like going to the gym, don't like the smell/the machines/the posers who hang around the place, but with this, at least there's a purpose (a set day/time/activity) and I enjoy the challenge of lifting the weights to improve my strength/endurance. Needless to say, I think I'll have spaghetti arms as I haven't done anything with them since March...

I have tried Couch to 5k in the past but just felt awkward/jiggly when doing it. I should probably try again some day!

I found some friends who were in the same boat and they keep me accountable. We do a workout video together three times a week. I know that's not possible for many places at the moment with social distancing but you can still commit to doing it at the same time in your respective homes.

The videos we do are low impact and stupidly easy so it doesn't trigger bad memories from PE lessons! We're working up to more intense ones.

I was one of your people... you have to find your motivation.

Hated sport/exercise.
Size 24-26 depending on store.
Found my motivation after losing weight on the FODMAP diet, due to tummy issues.

Stayed determined to sort myself out, and give my kids the best chance of having an adult in their life, as adults (currently 11/16) as dh seems intent of eating/drinking himself stupid.

Joined a gym. Go 3x a week. Don't really love it, but love the feeling after the workout, and the changes in my body.
Got an MP3 player, and walk most weekends in excess of 4km.
Park further away from shops etc.
Walk to shops when I can.

Currently size 14/16 depending on store.
Getting fitter and stronger each week.

Started Sept 2019.

This was me until a few years ago! I started by walking loads and doing the 7 minute exercises every day. After a month or so I started at the gym, and took it slow. In the past I've gone from 0-100 and that's not sustainable, so I started doing 20 minutes 3 times a week and slowly worked my way up to doing an hour 5 x a week (that was because I started to really enjoy it though, can get the benefits from a lot less)- mixture of cardio and strength training. Couch to 5k is really good and a realistic pace, I'm running a lot now during lockdown. Basically take it slow, listen to your body, and try different things- if you don't enjoy one don't punish yourself by doing it.