How much exercise do you do each week, and why?

[Blissybop]

Bit of a debate with a friend about how much the average person exercises so I was wondering if you were being totally honest how much do you excercise? Not just the gym but any sport, class, hiking etc.

And also why? As in why do you/don’t you?

I don't do any. If I particularly wanted to, I could find the time, but I CBA.

I aim for 20mins before work - yoga, weights (both youtube) or a run. It has gone to shit a bit due to the heat but I am making sure I get a walk in in the evenings.

54 years old
3x strength sessions per week with a PT, roughly 1 hour and do half hour of cardio afterwards
3x gym sessions per week doing cardio (stair master/bike/rower/incline walk on treadmill)

had a stroke a few years ago, luckily only a “small” one but gave me the kick up the arse I needed to lose weight and get fit. I do strength as I see my parents in their 80’s struggling to get around and it’s not what I want for myself. Strength training helps you in your later years and cardio keeps your heart healthy x

I work full time in a very demanding job, so have very limited time during the week. A usual day during term time is get up and spend time with the kids/help them with music practice, drop off, work in office, come home to see the kids 6-8, log back on and work again 8-11pm or later. So I can only really exercise at the weekends and haven’t been prioritising it!

However, since the summer holidays started I’ve had a bit more time and doing a 20 min dumbbell workout each morning and feeling great. It’s really improved my mental health and made me realise I need to change things at work so I can sustain it.

Barely anything.
I walk a lot. I enjoy walking. But I don’t do as many proper walks as I’d like. Partly time/priorities, partly lack of energy and motivation at the moment. So my walking tends to just be 2-5k 2-3 times a day (school run/supermarket/kids clubs etc).

I do yoga once a week. It’s made me a bit stronger. I used to do it every day but that’s fallen off now. I don’t always enjoy it while I’m doing it but I enjoy the feeling afterwards and it helps me sleep.

I do a few press ups every day.

I do one very short run a week.

i know I need to start strength training but I haven’t managed to motivate myself yet. And I don’t know where to start. I have followed Sally Gunnel for a few years now and her workouts look doable but I haven’t made the step into actually doing them. Firstly because it feels like a chore and secondly because I’ve heard so many people say that if you’re not lifting heavy you may as well not bother so I feel like home dumbbell workouts may not be worth it. And there’s no way I’m joining a gym. So I do nothing…

Loads but I'm a trainer of sort so I can access many facilities and have everything at home too.

3 Reformer
1-2 Mat Pilates
3 spins
3 hiit sessions (sprints, boxing, weights)
2 body pump
1-2 netball

Sometimes there are a couple of sessions a day, I do something every day but mixed up.

My husband trains five days per week.

I'm 49, according to egym bio age machine, I've got a metabolic bio age of 31.

A mix of Spinning and HIIT classes. Usually 4 per week, sometimes 3 if I’m busy. Plus I play a sport one night a week

Zero as I’m unable to

Run 3x a week, lift weights 3x a week. Walk a lot on top of this when at work, not so much when WFH. I use the gym at work to do it on my lunch break or after work when there, or at home when not. I’m an academic so don’t tend to be in over the summer months.

Similar age. I would love to build up to being able to do this much! At the moment what I do is the max I can do without feeling exhausted - I need more recovery time than you? ( three strength/gym class a week and three half hour runs)

selection bias, of course. People who don't exercise won't reply here. I'm sure you would get plenty of responses if you started a thread asking 'Who doesn't exercise at all?'

Plus your exercise is just as important as your DC’s music.

On the “no time” I fully get why many people are in the situation and it’s easy to have a life whereby you feel you don’t have any time for yourself be that to exercise or to take time out for another reason. I also think as women we have almost been programmed to put everything else before ourselves even if that means sacrificing our own physical and mental health.

I work full time, I have a disabled son and I’m a single parent. I know it’s hard and often feels impossible. But actually taking some time for yourself even if just an hour a week is so important and can help put you in a much better position for dealing with what life throws at you. So many of the women I do my strength class with have disabled children and the primary reason we all started was to make sure we were strong enough to do what they need not just now but 20 or 30 years down the line.

2 classes a week, normally either spin or HIIT. Then 2 planned gym sessions a week.

DS and I love walking, so we normally head to the Peak District at the weekend and do a 10kish walk, sometimes a bit more depending on the route.

I've recently broken my bike rack so need to get another. Once that's working we try and get a cycle or two in a week during the holidays.

I do it because I like feeling strong, but I also do it because DS is going to need care for the rest of his life and I want to make sure that I am managing my health as well as I can and make sure I am around for as long as possible.

@HeidiLiteI wouldn’t expect people who don’t exercise to reply because why would they? The point is the responses are not representative of how much exercise people who do actually exercise do in real life.

Stunning cross post there @Sirzy

Ha very true. I wouldn't have replied to a no exercise post or probably even read it.

well yes that's what I said?

I hate it to, despite doing up to 10 classes a week. I just tell myself it's like car maintenance, you have to do it or you'll break down eventually. I don't think I have any of the mythical endorphins everyone talks about.

I hated PE too and had some particularly horrible PE teachers so I picked things like strength training which have no link to school.

No it isn’t 😆

I do 2 spin classes a week and then alternate between a yoga class and circuits class, I also walk the dog daily, would like to do more but time with young kids and finances at the moment don't allow it

I’m in the same situation as you here! That lack of ‘incidental movement’, like walking to a station or bus stop is what gets me. I know the answer is do more steps, but around exercise I love, it is a bit compromise!!

Not much as I’m busy looking after a toddler with low sleep needs. I walk let’s say 6-7k steps a day, sometimes more like 8. Then I do strength training, pilates or yoga at home 3x a week if I’m lucky, more often twice. 20 minutes sessions usually. So yeah. I used to work out every day, not anymore.

I think that although you’re seeking a representative view, in reality those MNetters who do do some sort of exercise will respond and those who don’t will scroll on past.

i am 61 and work full time, mostly from home in an office role. I have a treadmill at home and walk 30 mins a day at a very brisk pace, 5 times a week.

OP this thread won’t tell you what the average person does because very few people who do nothing will post on this thread

3 x 1 hour functional strength training a week
2-3 x half hour runs a week
1 x yoga / Pilates a week
walk outside every day at least 30 minutes (sometimes not very briskly in the hot weather!)

I do it because I’m 59 and want To stay fit and strong for as long as possible.