To have never exercised? (but want to start)

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

I don't exercise. Never been on a treadmill, never been out for a run. Well, I tell a lie - I did try to go out for a run once and got a stitch in my side and an awful pain in my neck. I had to lie down on the sofa until I stopped feeling sick. It was a 50 yard jog. So I never did it again. I honestly have no clue how people run marathons. They must work so, so hard.

I go on walks and I used to walk to work but that was primarily to get to work! Not to get fit. I really, really want to get fit and I want to do it right this time by actually working out.

I'm doing the 16:8 diet which works really well for me, and I'm starting to lose weight. But I don't just want to be slim I want to be toned. I've got a flabby tummy, back fat and cellulite all down my legs. I really want to change it and be in the best shape of my life before I hit 30.

My cardiovascular whatsits (don't even know the terminology) must be absolutely shit. Have I left it too late to get fit now?

What's 16:8?

It's daily fasting: 8 hour window where you can eat, 16 hours not. I do midday-8pm as I've never really eaten breakfast anyway.

I found these NHS workouts a good start, and there's couch to 5k.

It's never to late. I think most people don't keep up because its hard to start with and you don't see results right away you really have to be commited to it and never give up. I think of my work outs like important appointments I never miss them unless it's unavoidable. Everytime i think it's to hard and I want to quit I think why I started and how far i've come. 5 years ago I couldn't have ran the length of myself now i'm very fit I would never have believed it possible.

Best way to tone and decrease clothes size is resistance workout with weights. You may not loose pounds because muscle weighs more than fat but you will lose inches ( I'm not taking about huge muscles either) Muscle uses up more calories so its a win win. Google it for some ideas. Your not even 30, still young but it's never too late anyway. Good luck X

If you are under 30 you definitely haven't left it too late.

And it has the added bonus of having loads of health benefits too.

Starting with walking more might not be a bad idea. Then you can add other things too if you want.

Couch to 5k is brilliant, the ASA swim fit site also has some swimming programs and is free to join.

I didn't step foot inside a gym until I was 30. The chap who showed me round when I went in was really taken aback that I'd not been a gym member before. Like you I enjoyed walking and went for walks sometimes but other than that, nowt.
A few years later I'm still a member (albeit different gym).
Try it, nothing ventured, nothing gained. You could book a couple of PT sessions to kick things off.

Sorry I know I'm not helpung(!) but do you drink drinks when you're fasting or is it total nil by mouth?

*helping

Buy a fit bit or similar, do 12,000 steps per day and eat 1500 calories. I lost 26lbs in 3 months doing this. My energy levels improved so much. I can't run due to back operation, but you might feel ready to after 6 weeks of this

Blimey, that's not quite true. Muscle weighs the same as fat, a pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle. The difference between them is that muscle is denser than fat.

I want to stay swimming (can't do high impact exercise) but am worried about people seeing me, and I'm not a great swimmer

Oh goodness, if you are under 30 then theres loads of time! I'd never run in my life, and then did C25K at 40, and a marathon at 43. I realised the reason I couldn't run was that I'd just tried to go out and run without breaking it down into tiny segments like C25K does - and you are encouraged to run really, really slowly.

I started swimming more seriously at 41, and yesterday I did 2km, and this morning 1km in a lake. When I started I could barely do 5m of front crawl

I started running in my 40s. Just did 8km yesterday. A year ago I was out of breath, wheezing, purple-faced and sweating after one minute.

Running program. I did a version of learn to run 10k. People like C25K.

Weights and yoga is the way to go.
Kettle bells are fantastic but make sure you watch a video from a trained instructor if you plan to go it alone with weights rather than at the gym.

Kettle bells took inches off me. 15 min workouts starting slowly 3 times a week. Yoga 30 mins every day.

Exercise isn't just important for weight loss, like you say it's so important for cardiovascular fitness. It's never too late to start but start small :) maybe swimming or yoga!

Well done for wanting to start

EZA No you can have water whenever you want, and other zero or low cal drinks.

Thanks to everyone who's replied. Not had time to go through all the suggestions yet but I will do. I'm just about to start a gentle exercise video (Youtube does have its uses!) and once I've done that I'll come back here for motivation and inspiration and give a lot of consideration to the advice that you've all given.

Approaching a bit of a milestone age is probably a good thing as it's a bit of a wake up call for me. I don't want to feel unhealthy/unfit forever, I really want to make a change and improve my overall health rather than just trying to be slim.

Thanks Jellybean

Following with interest as with age I've got totally unfit and fat and need to get my fitness back!

I didn't really start exercising til I was much older than you, after 3 dc. I love Pilates and feeling much stronger and more confident about taking on further exercise. I didn't need to lose weight so much, just start getting some muscle and strength instead of being one of those ill looking anaemia skeleton women. A lot of friends do recommend Couch to 5k and also kettlebell which I'm thinking of trying next.
Weight bearing exercise so good for bone density as well

CMOT really inspired by your story. You just have worked damn hard to get to where you are now. Amazing achievement.

must* have, sorry, bloody autocorrect

Tabata training is brilliant. I was the same as you. So you exercise for twenty seconds then ten seconds off you do 3 rounds then a minute break.