Be honest, how much exercise do you REALLY do?

[JMAngel1]

I think I need to up my exercise game - I'm 51 and noticing I can feel out of breath climbing four flights of stairs at work whereas I would skip up them a few years ago.
The exercise boards on here are really intimidating with everyone claiming to run followed by a swim or a HIIT class every day then yoga at night! I don't know anyone in real life like this so not sure what "normal" is I suppose.
So if you're a full time working mum like me, how much exercise do you really do each week? And how do you fit it into your days?

Oh and I should add that on my (rare) days in the office I can’t fit in any exercise but do walk at least 10k steps.

So for me WFH has been an absolute game-changer and I would never go back to working full time in an office for this reason

I exercise every day and genuinely couldnt manage without it for my mental and physical health. I cycle to and from work five days a week 40 mins each way and then usually do a 30 min online exercise class in the evenings too (I use Les Mills On Demand which is brilliant and only a few quid a month). Then tennis once a week. I’m a full time working single mother so it is doable but I prioritise it because without it I can sink into aching joints, sleeplessness and ‘meh’ mood quite quickly .

I think instead of asking what other people do you need to figure out what would work for you.

E.g. I'd love to go for a run in the morning or the gym/class after work but DH works long and unpredictable hours and leaves v early and I have a child who is too young to be left alone.

On the other hand I work from home 3 days a week so I do YouTube strength training videos on myunch break and the two days I'm in the office I bring my running gear with me, change on the loos and go for a ru on lunch break.

Dd is not sporty at all but we've always taken her on long walks and she can swim so we'll usually take her for a hike or swim at the weekend.

I'd like to get a run out of the way in the morning and join a dance class, a running group and a sea swimming group but it'll have to wait a few years.

Google sarcopenia if you want a reason to do something...

It all depends on what you can do reasonably and consistently. People underestimate how much can be done if you factor it in to daily life. Sitting on the floor is one thing.

Peter Attia is very interesting on YouTube. He says decide what you'd like to be able to do in your last decade (get up, live independently, play with GDC, whatever you think is important) and train for that. Currently looking after parents who can barely get up off the sofa and can't live without help, so it's becoming ever more important to me.

@DrinksbytheSea I know what you mean. Actually my mum and dad were quite physically active but I was not into PE, was completely uncompetitive and hated team sports, cannot reliably catch/throw a ball etc. I spent my 20s boozing and smoking and thinking that people who went to gyms were wankers. I strongly felt a ‘them and us’ thing. Just assumed I would never be a person who would exercise- that was for people who got up early and had their shit together.

But I had my kids and then something changed somehow and now I work in the fitness industry. I no longer have the ‘them and us’ feeling- there is nothing special or different about people who exercise regularly. They come from all walks of life. Some of them absolutely love their workouts, some of them are actually obsessed, some of them are super competitive. But lots are just there grudgingly because they know it’s good for them. Some just go along for the social side. Some only do it because a Dr has told them they have to.

I do absolutely realise that fitting it in to a busy schedule is almost impossible for some people though.

@Whatsgoingonwithmyhead

It's one of the top reasons people in my office like WFH when they do surveys or all staff calls, the flexibility to build in exercise of your choice into your working day. For me, childcare has often been the reason extending my commute to enable exercise hasn't been possible, but it also limited the variety of exercise I could do, I play on a team now, 5 days office working where I am now would likely mean I couldn't attend all the coaching sessions and games.

I started for my mental health. Although I would love to have a beautiful figure it’s never really been about physical health for me. I work out for my mental health.

I got to the gym for around an hour 4 xs a week and walk the dog (90 minutes usually) each day. I'm 51

Usually 2 1-hour trips to gym where I work out moderately but not like mad, once on weekend, once at lunchtime when working from home. I'm between jobs right now, though, so I'm trying to go x4 a week. I' m 46 with two kids at secondary school, I've managed gym x2 a week most of the time since my late 20s when I worked at a job with a gym over the road, so I went there.

Every other morning at, 20 mins yoga, a couple of mornings I do 20 mins HIIT, but only if I'm not going to the gym. I'm not trying to lose weight or change my shape, I just want to establish a baseline of fitness and try to keep it up so that I spend as little time being as possible being 'frail' when I'm 70+.

53. 40 minutes of Pilates 5 days out of 7 at 6am otherwise it won't happen

I am late '50s I do around two and a half hours of exercise per day, strength training is my main focus, I run around ten miles a week, walk around 15 miles a week, 5/6 yoga sessions per week.
I enjoy swimming & cycling but I focus mostly on running for cardio because I find it more time efficient.

How do you fit this in?

Do you work, have children?

I can barely walk. I can only use one are 'properly' and that's diminishing. I am well aware I don't have a very bright future, but it is what it is.

Interesting that a lot of people are saying that WFH enabled them to do more exercise. I found that I did a lot less even though I had more time through not having the commute. We did do a bit more walking though.

@WhoaJayShettybambalam I'm the same - have to work out for my mental balance - moving first thing gives me the strength to deal with the day and general stress - also I sleep so well

I swim 3 times a week & walk for at least 45 mins 4/5 times a week. I’m trying to get into weights at home, but it’s a bit sporadic at the moment.

My children are in their 30s, I have my own small business and I probably work around 15 hours a week.

I do a spin class on my peloton every other day for 30 or 45 mins and lift weights whilst waiting for the kettle to boil (I drink a lot of tea!) but I won't lie I do as little as possible outside these times! Oh apart from butt and fanny squeezes on the sofa 😂

edited to say I am 52

Ah that makes sense.

Sadly I work twice that and have two children under 7.

I think a lot depends on the sort of job you have - but what has worked well for me is wearing comfortable clothing and keeping weights by my desk. So if a meeting finishes 5 mins early, I do a few squats or something

I play tennis 3 X week for usually 2 hours per session. So 6 hours of tennis + at half an hour walk three to four times a week on my lunch break

I hear you! I wasn't able to exercise as much when my children were small.
I did used to work more hours but I also exercised more in my 30s and 40s because I had more energy then.
Also live alone and I am financially independent so don't have to sacrifice any of my time for any kind of wife work.

If you have no time, try something like Fit in 15 or the old fashioned XBX programme - only 12-15 minutes a day.

I walk dogs for 5-6 hours a day, Monday to Friday.

I do nothing at weekends

I'm 53 years and I jog everyday for 20 minutes.