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Original poster

Had anyone successfully gone from zero exercise to regular exercise?

40 replies

kanyewestbrom · 02/05/2022 20:40

I don’t currently do any exercise and haven’t for some years. I do enjoy the feeling after plus physical and mental health benefits etc etc. I can’t commit to anything out of the house weekends or weekday evenings because of childcare so most team stuff is out. I could tag something like gym or swim on to start/end of the working day maybe. Or workout from home. Where to start? I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed anything I’ve tried so far. Pay for an online PT? Will I need lots of equipment? Hard to even do much walking because kids are so slow.

OP posts:
LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 02/05/2022 20:41

I joined a running group after nothing for a few years. I went three times a week. I need to have the commitment of a group.

KoblinsGiss · 02/05/2022 20:43

I just found a sports bra one weekend and started going running on the Monday. That was it.

rubyslippers · 02/05/2022 20:44

What did it for me was finding a gym class I loved - I then did early morning sessions so could leave the house and be back for breakfast etc for the kids
I had a PT session at the gym and got a circuit I could do on my own when it suited me
bought a set of dumbbells for home - follow Les mills or trainers on apple fitness - these are great if you’re restricted by childcare as you can do at home
I went from zero to two classes per week and now I do 5/6 and stuff at home plus as much walking as I can
I mix cardio and weights and keep trying different things

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Exercise & fitness
resipsa · 02/05/2022 20:44

Yes! I did no formal exercise until doing C25K in March 20. Since then, I aim to run every other day and regularly run 150km a month. It's amazing!

resipsa · 02/05/2022 20:46

PS I'm up, out and back before DH and DC get up.

SylviasMotherSaid · 02/05/2022 20:47

I started doing a you tube video per night and then kept doing more videos as I got more used to the exercise . I prefer to exercise this way as I don’t feel comfy exercising in front of other people

Gladioli23 · 02/05/2022 20:49

I did, it was about 3 years ago now. I changed jobs and decided my sedentary lifestyle was going to kill me. I now generally do at least 5 hours of exercise a week.

The essential feature - finding exercise I wanted to do. I think you just have to keep trying until you find something you like. Swimming was my favourite but after 2 years of long distance swimming I damaged my shoulder and it's never been right since. Now I do a mixture of cycling to beautiful places on my electric bike (you can definitely still work up a sweat but it removes my worry about not getting home!), swimming, yoga and weights. I literally never would have thought I'd be someone who liked weights but I really do.

Keep trying things til you find something you like - the best exercise is exercise you do.

JaninaDuszejko · 02/05/2022 20:52

When the DC were small I did nothing for several years but now I swim every day before work and do yoga at the weekend. Find something you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it work out why and do something very different. E.g. I am a morning person, I don't like getting hot and sweaty, I don't like team sports, I like being flexible. So swimming and yoga suit me. In lockdown I would dream about swimming I missed it so much, thankfully I could do yoga every day.

Something that really helped was reading something on a website: 'I never regret doing exercise'. That was enough motivation for me to go regularly. In fact I think building swimming into my morning routine every day makes it much easier than doing it once or twice a week. It's as now as much of my routine as brushing my teeth.

MrOllivander · 02/05/2022 20:56

I was doing nothing. This is my exercise for the last 30 days (blue dots are workout days)
I got a peloton

Had anyone successfully gone from zero exercise to regular exercise?
CloseYourEyesAndSee · 02/05/2022 20:57

Yes, I got a PT and I still have her. Otherwise I wouldn't

Closedlips · 02/05/2022 20:59

Yes I do the Ringfit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch absolute game changer for me as someone who has never exercised, works long hours and has young children so can't leave the house too much. Highly recommend it to everyone!

Worldgonecrazy · 02/05/2022 20:59

Me, up to my mid 40s I did nothing. Drank too much, ate too much, got fat. Then I tried Jillian Michaels and C25K. Mid 50s I’m in great shape now, healthier than ever and exercise every day. Currently loving Caroline Girvan.

PinkBuffalo · 02/05/2022 21:00

Yes I had never done any exercise (apart from dancing in my youth) it really scared me cos I slow and not very clever or quick
but I joined a gym in 2019. It quickly became my safe place and I had fun there and got really fit. Had to change gyms after lockdown but I am back in that place again if not wanting to be anywhere else I love it at gym and do everything I can there (unfortunately I have to work so I am limited in that but still there 6 or 7 days a week)
before my mid 30s I would never have said I would be that person that gets a high out of doing w gym class

Egghead68 · 02/05/2022 21:04

Yes, a number of years ago though.

Group exercise classes work for me (currently on zoom) or arranging to do a YouTube class with someone else at a regular slot.

You could try the Body Project beginners classes on YouTube to start with. The more exercise you do, the easier it gets, and as a PP said, you never regret doing it.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 02/05/2022 21:06

I was 39 and had never exercised in my life apart from a bit of gentle swimming. Joined a boot camp after being persuaded to go along and try it with a friend and from that discovered I quite enjoyed running.

Signed up for the race for life and trained with the same friend to get to a 29min 5k.

Have been running regularly ever since and am now 52 and regularly run either a 5k 6k or 7k depending on how I'm feeling.

My 5k time is now 32min no matter how hard I try but I guess that down to my age.

Idiotintraining · 02/05/2022 21:27

Not to the mood down but I visit my dad in a care home. He has dementia and terminal cancer. I walk about 5k a day to see him. I get on a bus walk from bus stop, back to bus stop and then home and I average around 10k In steps a day. Since end of Jan have walked in excess of 300 miles. I would say don't throw your self in at the deep end do something light and build up. Depending on what you fancy there are plenty of walking netball and football groups around now.

Original poster
kanyewestbrom · 02/05/2022 21:33

Thanks all. When I used to exercise regularly 7 years ago pre-kids I would either gym or swim at 0530 then go straight to work! Now I’m up then getting myself ready so I can then get 3 children ready as am on my own during the week. This prob means running is out too.

No room for a Peloton sadly. What do I need for a YouTube workout (I know this is a stupid question). Do you wear trainers? Need a mat? Sports bra?

OP posts:
Lessstressedhemum · 02/05/2022 21:40

I started a couple of years ago during the first lockdown. I do Fabulous 50s videos on YouTube and Brand Fitness walking workouts as well as YouTube yoga and some Pilates. I just decided one morning that I needed to get fit, so I found a fairly gentle, short workout on YouTube and did it. As I got fitter, I upped the amount of exercise until I do around 90 minutes a day now. It's a combination of cardio, balance, strength using light dumbbells and resistance bands and stretching/yoga.

I use Fabulous 50s and stuff because I just wouldn't be comfortable in a gym in front of people and, also, I really don't want to be traveling on the bus every day.

Lessstressedhemum · 02/05/2022 21:43

I just had a sports bra, trainers and leggings. After a wee while, I bought some resistance bands and some 2kg dumbbells just to give me options and up the intensity. I've recently got a yoga may and a couple of blocks, but they are really not necessary to start. All you need is bra, shoes and yourself.

wonkymonkey · 02/05/2022 22:04

Discovering I could exercise from home in lockdown worked for me. Quicker, no time taken getting to and from the gym etc. Apple Fitness, You Tube videos and running. And I aim for only 20-30 minutes a day so it’s manageable rather than feeing I HAVE to do an hour which I used to try to do (and hate) at the gym.

coodawoodashooda · 02/05/2022 22:11

Closedlips · 02/05/2022 20:59

Yes I do the Ringfit Adventure on the Nintendo Switch absolute game changer for me as someone who has never exercised, works long hours and has young children so can't leave the house too much. Highly recommend it to everyone!

I think id like that

Egghead68 · 03/05/2022 05:02

kanyewestbrom · 02/05/2022 21:33

Thanks all. When I used to exercise regularly 7 years ago pre-kids I would either gym or swim at 0530 then go straight to work! Now I’m up then getting myself ready so I can then get 3 children ready as am on my own during the week. This prob means running is out too.

No room for a Peloton sadly. What do I need for a YouTube workout (I know this is a stupid question). Do you wear trainers? Need a mat? Sports bra?

A sports bra is good if you are doing high impact exercise but you can wear two normal bras in a pinch. You also need trainers for high impact (jumping, running, skipping etc) but they’re not essential otherwise. You don’t need a mat if you have carpet or a rug. I would suggest not buying anything to start with and just going for it.

This is a good beginners workout you can do without buying anything:

urrrgh46 · 03/05/2022 05:46

If you don't like how exercise makes you feel I suggest you start with Leslie sansone and Jessica smith or some of the other walking workouts on YouTube. Reps to the rhythm is also good. You can take these walking workouts at a more gentle pace (do smaller movements) & so ease yourself back into exercise and how it feels. Jessica smith has a website that sells her Workouts digitally, which also includes a schedule if you need one.

Libertybear80 · 03/05/2022 05:55

I do a 7 minute workout everyday now. It got rid of my back ache in a week so I keep it up.

Libertybear80 · 03/05/2022 05:56

I can recommend Lucy Wyndham Read workouts