How much exercise do you do?

[PerfectionistProcrastinator]

I am soon to be 37 and do no exercise. I’m a few lbs overweight and go through phases with exercise but in general, normal for me is none. My job is physical but not in an exercise replacement sort of way.

For me any exercise I do goes hand in hand with trying to eat better etc, so quite stop start. DP on the other hand always takes regular exercise, and so do his circle of friends.

It got me wondering how common it is at my age for people to do no exercise outside of normal day to day life such as running around after children and walking into town etc.

I’m mid 50’s and started running a few years ago with Couch to 5k, then joined a social running club ( ie one that includes slow overweight people who want to have fun). I hate running ..but like others say I do it so I can eat more and sleep better. I also like knowing I’m not in those stats about people that don’t exercise. The running club makes it easy, I turn up, see friends, have a chat, exercise hard (but laugh / groan with others). The club ensure variety so I don’t get bored and give up.

I also do kettlercise (Kettlebell weight training to music) it burns a lot of calories and is enjoyable. At the moment we’re doing facebook live classes (which is great as no one can see you puffing or taking a 10 sec rest) or zoom classes. Why not look to see if there are any facebook live exercise classes on at the moment and go for it...they joy is they don’t even have to be local if they are virtual.

Finally in lockdown I do a 20min 8am Wake up class on facebook live which could be pilates / kettle bells / abs etc ..a good start To the day and over before its started!

I have chronic back pain vanillandhoney. Do you do a specific workout?

@needsahouseboy

I have chronic back pain vanillandhoney. Do you do a specific workout?

I do the following which are workouts designed to strengthen your lower back (which is where I have the most problems) - I can also manage to do targeted abs workouts but you may struggle with those depending on your level of pain.

Hope it helps! :)

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323204#lower-back-rotational-stretches

They're probably not great for burning calories or anything but since I've started doing them, I've found I can walk further and I don't suffer with as much pain as I did.

Normally in the gym 5 / 6 days a week. Miss it so much.

Me too AriettyHomily 😕

My friends exercise but not full on gym sessions like me and DH is more than happy for a long walk instead of a sweaty hour of cardio. They don't understand how much I can't wait to get back in the gym!

Seeing some of the replies is making me wonder, those who regularly exercise, is it because you like the way it makes you feel? Because you know exercise is important for health? Habit? Or do you just genuinely enjoy the doing of it? I know there will be a range of answers and everyone is different so I’m curious.

I find using cardio machines really boring and I am no good at running. I really hate it in fact. Surely it’s best to find something I really enjoy doing. I just need to find it!

I really want to do kettlebell workouts but there’s not much space at home and I worry about dropping them on the wooden floor/myself! Also, when I tried an beginners YouTube workout one last year I couldn’t move for a few days! I can’t squat 😒. I saw somewhere a kettlebell class in the swimming pool with looks amazing! But not local to me and nowhere around here does it.

I'm 45 and do about 150km of cycling a week.

I used to do a lot of running - marathons - but don't find the joy in that at the moment.

I exercise for good mental health more than anything - it's a total stress reliever for me. Cycling is active meditation and I always always feel better after a ride.

I initially did it to try and get healthier and lose some weight but I soon started to improve and enjoy it and once that happened I wanted to train (and eat) to get better at it. Then my friendship groups started to change, simply because the people I spent most time with changed and now a fun day or evening out will almost always involve exercise.

For example, tomorrow evening I'm going mountainbiking with 5 friends. A decade ago it would have probably been the cinema on a Monday eve. If we go out for a chat, coffee and cake we'll almost always incorporate a long bikeride or run to get there.

Even an summer afternoon at a seaside pub, we'll cycle there and get the train back.

I do it for my mental health. So that I can enjoy life and my children and hopefully, my grandchildren. So that my bone density is protected. So that my metabolism works. So that I feel energised. So that my body works as it should. So that I sleep well. So that my joints don't hurt. So that the endorphins make me feel good.

Lots and lots of reasons.

I've been exercising since lockdown for my mental health. I have an ankle injury that means I can't run but I do 4 or 5 strenuous HIIT/circuits workouts (usually involves some weights) that last 20ish minutes a week then a 10 minute stretch session afterwards. I don't walk far because I have a 3yo in tow :) but he's getting faster on his balance bike so the walks are getting longer too.

Back to the office this week (!) so let's see if the habit is engrained enough for me to keep it up. I do hope so, I feel fitter than I have done for years.

I notice a big difference in feelings of lethargy and lower mood if I don’t exercise for a few days. Also headaches/migraines are very rare since I started exercising regularly (used to get them often through stress) and I love just feeling strong. It’s amazing the effect on self esteem.

I have mainly kept up a 10km brisk walk 6 days a week since the gyms closed (used to go 6 days a week and really enjoyed it) and a decent, up and down hills, bike ride with DC most days to force some exercise on them! Can’t get into home workout videos, not sure why. Really, really can’t wait to get back to the cross trainer and lifting heavy weights when the gyms reopen.

Run, group fitness and lift weights. Muscle mass makes a huge difference when you're getting older. I personally don't consider walking exercise, it does not get my heart rate up and doesn't do much for muscles either. Well, of course it's better than not walking.

Age 34. Started gym last year, having never exercised. Now do at least an hour Monday to Friday, maybe 1.5hr a day. Try to walk at weekend though weather has been a bit rubbish here last few weeks

Too much at the moment. I'm.46.

Each dc needs exercising separately (run / walk/ cycle/ tennis) then I need to do something for me, usually fitness blender or yoga with Adriene.

OP I exercise for various reasons...

• I love the way I feel after a hard workout (sweaty, invigorated, can feel the endorphins)
• I like knowing I feel strong and fit
• I like my body slim and toned
• And I can have a guilt-free bottle of wine on Friday and Saturday nights! 🍷

this is why. Exercise keeps you young and healthy. www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/well/move/regular-exercise-may-keep-your-body-30-years-younger.html

@Wearywithteens
Not true for me, in my group of friends I'm the skinny one but also the only one who does zero exercise.
My friends all run, swim, cycle, do various yoga/Pilates type classes.
They are fit and strong and I seriously need to sort my shit out!!!

I exercise for the physical and mental benefits, because I don’t want to be a frail old person. I read/heard somewhere about wanting to be able to live independently and wipe your own arse etc for as long as you live and that is exactly how I feel.

I have (healthy) friends younger than me that cannot do a simple squat down and get back up without using their hands for support. I am only 37. Shocked me to the core when I found that out and fucking terrified me.

Yoga I always enjoy whilst I’m doing it but weights sessions are often hideous at the time. But afterwards I feel amazing both physically and mentally. Every time.

If I don’t exercise I don’t sleep well. When I don’t exercise I don’t eat as well. When I’m not good to myself I feel like shit and less happy than when I am.

Yoga every morning and a walk with friends somewhere up high every week or so. We did 13 miles yesterday 👍😊

I spent life until I was 32 never exercising and I was always slim - 5ft 7 and size 8-10. Then I was diagnosed with severe ish asthma and then Addison’s disease which means I take a lot of steroids- Addisons means I don’t make cortisol at all so have to replace it with steroid tablets every day for life. Won’t bore you with it but it’s incredibly rare - 1 in 100,000 and it’s fatal if untreated. Anyway the steroids mean I have put on 4 stone and I am now a size 18.

It’s hard but I make - and I do mean force- myself exercise. I walk for 2 hours every day as briskly as I can - luckily my son who has autism also enjoys doing this. I force myself to do couch to 5k every other day on the treadmill. I watch what I eat. I’m not losing any weight- with the steroids it’s near impossible unless I starve myself- but I’m not gaining either and I am getting fitter. I am nearly 40 and terrified of diabetes/ weight related issues. That’s what spurs me on.

I can’t stand exercise. I’m a natural tv / book lover and spent my entire childhood hating sports and pulling sickies for sports days!!

I have fibromyalgia, so not as much as I would like. I've ordered a new crosstrainer-cum-bike as my old one broke down and I don't know when gyms are going to be open again, so currently walking is my only form of exercise. I've tried doing home workouts but am crap at them and right now, my chest is tight and i have trouble breathing.

I exercise for lots of reasons.

1. I like the challenge. It’s rewarding to set yourself goals and meet them. To see yourself getting fitter, faster, stronger and more flexible.

1. It improves my physical and mental health. Running is like meditation for me. A total brain cleanse. I love that about it.

1. I look a hell of a lot better when I exercise. I’m nearly 40 and thanks to exercise I have toned arms and defined abs. I look better than I did in my 20s.

1. It means I can eat more! I’m fond of good food and wine. Exercising daily means I can indulge sometimes without putting on weight.

1. I’m a bit addicted to the exercise endorphin high. Sometimes when I run, it’s like everything is working in perfect harmony - legs, arms, lungs, everything. I feel like I could do anything then. I feel like superwoman.

1. To set a good example to my children. They’re sporty and it’s mostly because me and their dad are. We talk a lot about having respect for ourselves and that means treating our bodies well - getting enough sleep, taking care of our mental health, eating what our bodies need and exercising regularly. I hope they will grow up to see exercise as normal and something that is just incorporated into their daily routine.

There’s probably more but those are the edited highlights!

Try to do 30min targeted a day , whether that's a run or a hit session. Two kids under 3 & the sleep deprivation is a killer.

I’m mid-40s. I aim to exercise on 250 days each year. For an average of 1 hour per day. So far for 2020 I’ve exercised on 135 days (and done 135 hours of exercise). I’m started to think that this isn’t enough though.

Two personal training sessions a week. One pilates class and occasionally a yoga class, all of these done via Zoom at the moment. Swim for 40 minutes twice a week (I have a pool).