Exercising at home - advice wanted!

[GettingBetter2024]

I'm very overweight (and working on food, reducing upf etc)

I dont think I could get to a gym regularly around the kids and was wondering about trying some things at home. Maybe 10-20mins a day.

Do dumbells work? Can I just start doing them? I am going to go down a google fu but just wondered how to start or what people do.

(I have had chronic fatigue and am quite sedentary so it's a "getting started " kind of thing.)

Ginmon I didn't think of that. I like some of adriennes beginner stuff (I can't really do her proper every day sessions yet)

I'm another Caroline Girvan fan.

I've just finished her 24 days of Christmas series which is made up of 10 - 20 minute sessions. She uses dumbells but a lot of them you can do with just bodyweight.

I would say that the most important thing is to set yourself realistic goals about how much exercise you are going to do. It is pointless saying you are going to do 45mins every day because you will give up after a couple of days and feel demotivated. Start with 10 minutes two or three times a week and make that into a habit and then increase things from there.

Smartwatch has really helped me to track the amount of steps I do as well as tracking calories (quite an eye-opener)

Kettles start at all weights and are really flexible as you can do anlot of different stuff. You can often pick up cheaply secondhand
Get resistance bands, body weight exercises are great if you are just starting out.

Was also going to say you can get small kettlebells to start with and do YouTube kettlebell exercises . If you can build Walking flights of stairs into your day that soon adds up .

Joe Wicks has some really good dumbbell workouts. There's also a couple on youtube called Juice and Toya (I think) who do some as well but they show beginner and advanced options of the same exercise so you can start off at the beginner level and work up to the advanced. Dumbells are fantastic - if you can get a good quality resistance band, that's also a great investment too :)

I do see her every week, yes - but I realise I'm really fortunate to have some give in my budget to be able to afford it. Find one locally you like the look of (google, search Facebook etc) and ask them what they think about longer gaps.

Cardibach - that sounds great :)

I might follow some of the videos above to begin with but have it in mind for the future - maybe to check in with or something. We won't ever afford one weekly ourselves (but can completely see why you would if you could!)

I also mix Caroline Girvan with cardio and she’s really good. I’m fit and healthy and strong and only use 3kg weights, don’t estimate the difference you can make to being toned and lean with higher repetitions of smaller weights.

About that's really encouraging thankyou. I've been googling gyms but realistically it's not going to happen and to know I can "get there" just with things at home is great.

Long term I want to be a healthy weight and fit and healthy to take me into the second half of life. Right now I'm fairly falling apart!!!

Have a look at Leslie Sansone/Walk at Home videos on YouTube.

Lucy Wyndham Read has lots of free workouts on YouTube, including lots of walking workouts which are quick and gentle. I would recommend starting off by just doing one of those per day, rather than committing to paid services when you don’t yet know if you can make the habit stick.

Hi op
have a look at your local Nuffield they may do something like this which is free to access: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/about-us/our-impact/healthy-life/joint-pain-programme

hope that link worked!!

be kind to yourself & good luck!

Ah that looks really fab but the nearest is about an hours drive from me!

I've been out for a walk. I get pain in my outer lower leg when I walk. After about 6 minutes! I've had orthotics made (nhs) which have finally arrived but its still painful so hoping the pain will decrease and is just because I'm unfit.

It kind of goes stiff and hurts but is fine if I rest it for a bit.

https://youtube.com/@fabulous50s?si=8D2Z07MMYZXSDxtu

I've been doing 'walk at home exercises' like these for 2 years now (mostly 20 -30 mins each day). Im late 30's so not quite at fabulous 50 but this habit has completely changed my life. I can fit it in between the kids and I hold myself accountable. I'm trimmer, healthier and happier. They are not intense, but enough for me to get the endorphins going and feeling good.
I know the reason I've stuck with this habit and will keep it is because it doesn't ask TOO much. I look forward to it now. Shellea is a great, optimistic person too and definitely a part of my 50's inspiration
Give it a try! Good luck ☺️

It could be repetitive/overuse simply as I'm going from 0 - this?! I hope it gets better 😬😬.

I am looking to improve flexibility and strength and am working up.to creating better habits around exercise. So for January I am.doing 1 x per week. February will be 2 x, march 3 x. So I dont have a set day to "fail" if I cant do it. I just work it into another day. Starting slowly but all movement is better than none, right?

I enjoy this I ahvent done the 2i days, still going over day 1 as the first time I did it I actually ached the next day (I am so unfit!)

Joe Wicks has a series of First Steps to Fitness 15 minute workouts on his BodyCoach YouTube channel that might be a good start? Or his gentle beginners ones.

This is a good one too begin with

Oooh didn't realise Joe Wicks did beginners. I couldn't keep up with him in lockdown.

Does it matter if I just pick and mix each day or is it better to follow something on repeat?

Ie doing arms each week. Or is just moving enough at my stage?

Grow with Jo has some really fun workouts on YouTube and she does some walking workouts with light dumbbells that are fab for beginners. I love Team Body Project but I subscribe to get the full benefit from them. They have some great beginner programmes. Not sure how many are available as freebies on YouTube though. These two are the ones that have got me consistently exercising for nearly 2 years now because I enjoy it and don’t dread the workouts. Good luck!

His first steps to fitness is a series of 6 videos over two weeks, so Mon, Wed, Fri, 15 minutes each. I guess you could try them and if you like them you could look at his other stuff.

They are fairly easy with variations so he marches on the spot but you could jog, for example.

If you're very unfit or haven't exercised for a long time, try Yes2Next on YouTube. They are for over 50s but don't let that put you off. They have workouts you can do seated, workouts with weights or bands, stretch workouts, all sorts and start from really easy 5 minute ones. You start where you are and work your way to becoming stronger and fitter. If the instructor's 82 year old mum can do it, so can you (or I)

Thanks Noble I will have a go.

Retrieve I will look at both - great to hear how you're going that's exactly where I want to get to with consistent exercise.
What does subscribing do? Just more variety
And how did you decide which ones to do? You're exactly where I want to be!! I am a bit concerned I'll give up whatever I do in a few weeks so want to keep at it. Pre kids going to a class gave some accountability (and fun) so want to keep at it here.