Advice about exercise pls!

[Marnieloves]

I was very active up until the start of this year - cycling to and from work (about two hours cycling a day) and going to exercise classes a few times a week. DH got a promotion and is out of the country for the rest of this year (left a couple of months ago) and I now can’t really do anything.
I can no longer cycle to work as I drop the kids to school in the morning and I don’t have anyone to watch the kids (no family around) so I can’t attend exercise classes.

I know it sounds dramatic but my mental and physical health is suffering already. I’ve put on visible weight already and feel anxious (not about weight gain, just that I suffer from anxiety and exercise always helped with that.)

A friend who has a DC the same age as mine has offered to pick them up on Saturday morning and take them to an activity they do with their DC, and then take them home again where I can pick them up. This is to give me a few hours by myself. In total I think I’d get around 4 hours alone. If I cycled for those 4 hours, do you think it would help? Is cycling once for a few hours as good as cycling every day for a shorter time, in terms of weight loss and physical health?

And does anyone have any advice about exercises I could do at home? Channels with maybe a course that can be followed? Anything that’s worked well for you in terms of physical or mental health?

Pls help!

(Obviously 4 hours of cycling once a week isn’t going to be as good as 2 hours a day, but will it have any impact, do you think?)

There's an implement you can buy that fixes your bike so you can cycle indoors. Perhaps get one of those. I also recommend yoga for your mental health. Adrianne has some good classes on YouTube.

This:
https://www.diy.com/departments/homcom-bicycle-trainer-8-level-resistance-for-650c-700c-or-26-29-bike-tyres/5056399111921_BQ.prd?&&&&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw8rW2BhAgEiwAoRO5rEN5tWgCpXNjuvWvqwBmJz0f2lLKAzQEKoRS771rK0ifwVV0dMjTiBoCwXIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yes, longer rides are good exercise as well.
You can also buy hand weights and do exercises with them at home when DC are relaxing or in bed.
A stationary bike, if you have room, bought with some of DH’s promotion money would also help.

The obvious thing would be to buy a static indoor exercise bike, for the evenings when the kids go to bed,etc.... maybe in the lounge so you can watch a bit of TV?!
And perhaps Saturday morning you could go for a swim, or a park run for a change?

Try a hilly route or look for off road trail riding.

Thank you so much for the replies! I’m going to try all of these. I feel much more positive now!

Any exercise is good OP, the main thing is that you feel motivated & want to do it- which you clearly do!

There are thousands of free fitness videos on YouTube which you can do right at home with a minimum of equipment.
What sort of classes do you like? They have every kind of class you might want. Just do a search.
All you need is a couple of pairs of hand weights and a yoga mat. Cycling is great but it's not a well rounded fitness routine, and once a week is not enough to improve your fitness significantly. It's better than nothing, but the alternative isn't doing nothing, it working out at home.