How to get fit and healthy

[Notfatnotfit]

Hello,
I feel so defeated
Yesterday I managed to walk my fastest ever time of 1 hr 1 min for 5km and I was overjoyed. Usually takes me an hour and 8 mins so I thought I did really well.
Come home and tell my husband and he says well done but you know that is an incredibly slow time. I googled and he's right.
I've been walking for a few years but only strolling really just enjoying the fresh air wheras now I'm walking briskly. Not briskly enough clearly.
Will I ever be fit?
I'm 53kg and nearly 55.
Can someone advise pls
What should I do?
I can't go running as that triggers an autoimmune flare up.
I just want to get fitter and not feel demoralised.
How fast does everyone else do 5km on here?

Stop comparing yourself to other people. Well done you for the walking and your H should have been celebrating your success. Keep at it! I listen to motivating podcasts when I go out (Feel better, live more). Even tiny progress is progress so keep it up. Well done you xx

The time is irrelevant, you are out there doing this.
You're enjoying it and feeling benefits of it.
Don't let the time factor consume you, continue what you've been doing and you'll improve your time without realising or worrying about it.

I need tips from you as I do nothing

It's not incredibly slow. It's an average walking pace. It's about 17 mins a mile. Fine for walking to avoid injury and enjoy the scenery. Taking time to appreciate the scenery has as many if not more health benefits than simply upping your heart rate.

What you could do is add a timer app that buzzes every 5 mins to encourage you to speed walk for one minute, so fast you are slightly out of breath, then back to normal pace for 5 mins - keep doing this, then extend the speed walks to 2 mins on, 5 mins normal pace, up to 5 fast, 5 normal. This will build your overall walking pace.

I'm getting over Covid. Just walking to the shops with DH or DS I find I am lagging behind right now but decided to not ask them to slow down, just to try to keep pace with them to build my stamina back up. Gently pushing yourself a bit helps.

Can you do strength training at all?

Walking is so good for you. If you can elevate your heart rate whilst doing it, even better.

Don't let anyone negate your achievements.

Keep on doing what you are doing. You don’t need to be fast. What about adding something else in like weight training, Pilates, yoga or swimming?

Getting fit is accumulative. You just keep doing it bit by bit, and it builds up.

Men are like this. They always assume whatever you are doing it’s about personal bests or winning.

My DH is like this. I entered a half marathon and before I had taken 1 step he was talking about race times and what’s decent and what’s not. I was like, WTF, I just want to finish.

Thank you all
Yes I should just be glad I'm going out consistently
I had an injury in July that scuppered any exercise at all and it's like I've had to start from scratch.
I used to do Pilates and I have a set of weights that I have not got round to using. My other main exercise is hula hooping which doesn't get the heart rate up but I feel like it tones my waist.
Where we live is all hills so my heart rate goes up v high and I am out of breath a lot
The sun is out so will head out now
I also love listening to podcasts about health and wellbeing
Thanks

If you’re walking a hilly 5km then just over an hour is a great time!

I walk 5k on a treadmill. I set it to 5k per hour so it takes me exactly an hour. I have it on a bit of an incline, but not too much.
I think your pace is good.

How tall are you and how tall is your husband? I am 5ft 2 and mine is 6ft. He walks quite a bit faster than me as he has longer legs. People are all different. The important thing is that you are walking faster than you did and improving your health and fitness, it doesn't matter if you aren't breaking records.

I'm about 5 ft 3.5 and he is 6ft 😂

Op, ignore your arse of a DH.

I started doing 5k at 48. It took me months to be able to jog it all the way. I take the view that if today's time is faster than yesterday's time, then that is progress. Celebrate it.

In general terms, I reviewed my health after a health scare three years ago.

Diet - I moved to eating 30+ fruit & veg a week. Keep a food diary
Fluids - more water, less alcohol
Exercise - Four lots of strenuous exercise a week. For me, after 13 years, that's two 5k runs a week, a karate class and something like mowing the lawns or a long walk.

But think, what do you want to be fit for? Running a marathon? General health? Losing weight? Rowing the Atlantic? Set an objective first, and then work slowly and steadily towards it.

After 13 years running and at 61, I can run 5k in 33 minutes. I will never be Linford Christie but I'm happy with my time and how I feel.

My DH nearly ruined walking for me when he bought me an (unasked-for) Fitbit one birthday... 🤨 I'd always walked at least an hour a day, and would enjoy the mental and physical benefits that brings... but now I'd have a lovely walk then realise I hadn't 'made my steps' and would feel deflated...

I threw that fekker in the bin (the Fitbit, not the husband).

Also, going through our 50s as a woman brings huge challenges and changes that men just don't get! Your body will be doing a lot of work to adapt to that - so listen to it rather than him!

Men and their bloody numbers obsession and measuring, grumble grumble...

Op I wouldn’t worry about your weight either! I am the same height as you and I’m 57kg which is bang on 9st. I used to be 8 1/2 most of my life but post menopause this is my new normal, mostly a bit extra round the middle - but I can wear most of my old clothes and I don’t feel bad about it. I also walk a lot, run twice a week, do yoga and weights. The weights make a big difference in toning and feeling stronger but if you pick them up and start, be gentle and take it a step at a time. Plenty of ideas on YouTube. Stop worrying, just enjoy it!

I've just checked the stats on my phone and apparently last year my average speed was 3.6km/h and now it's 5.1km/h so that speaks for itself
I will take that as a win and it shows I must be improving albeit slowly

rowing machine has helped me get stronger, I have it behind the sofa and can now row 3 k at no 16 .. i follow dark horse rowing on you tube free videos. I like his count down timer, and interval training workouts.

What a dick. The only person you are competing with is yourself, you are making great progress for you and that is all that matters.

Have you got a local parkrun? They are always welcoming and lots of people walk rsther than run the 5k course and there will always be an tailwalker volunteer to encourage you.

Yay I did 5km in 59 min 6 secs today
I will compete against myself
And I'm especially pleased I got the first km in just over 10 mins and it's all uphill