Lean, toned and fit people - how much exercise you do a week?

[MissMildred]

And what has most helped your body? I'm fed up. I'm not hugely overweight - a size 12 occasionally at most, but this is heavier than I've ever been in my life and it's also the fact I'm very flabby and developing c-section overhang that is upsetting me. I know I shouldn't compare myself, but at school I am surrounded by skinny mums. I know exercise is a big thing here (I think there's definitely underlying competition between some of the mums - this is a Surrey prep after all ) and some seem to do nothing but exercise, but others - I don't know how they fit it in. They look toned, thin and great. How do you fit it in? What do you fit in? Have I just reached an age where genetically I'm going to pile on weight?

I'm presuming this is an age thing (early 40s). I definitely don't overeat, watch the carbs, don't snack much at all and don't have a sweet tooth. I do have a glass of wine most nights of the week though. One thing I do accept is that I move less due to changing my job - it involves a lot more sitting, but otherwise I'm rushing around the house, shops, school etc...

I realise this sounds like a very self-indulgent post, but I'm just so down and wondered if I just don't understand how much I need to do to stay in shape.

As you age you lose muscle mass, increasing muscle decreases fat. I try to do weights but find it tedious
I cycle instead as I love it, 554 miles in the last 4 weeks. winter I go to the gym before work for spin, circuits, Pilates, spin and swimming

I do stuff I like as a compromise

I do fancy picking up boxing again as I did get (many moons ago at Uni) to black belt level in a martial art. That's a thought.
When I did the PT it seemed to be a lot of spinning HIIT style and I find it really uncomfortable - really don't like it.
I'm also not a runner. But perhaps swimming, boxing and weights are the answer. I've just reached the stage of such a bad level of fitness I'm embarrassed and angry with myself. I'm doing yoga and some barre but clearly it's not enough.

Fitbit reports I regularly do over 10000 steps, but zilch cardio.

I carry my 12-ish kg son a lot and run around after him. I don’t drive so nursery drop offs/pick ups and everything really happens by walking. I do around 30 mins of yoga every other day (ish) and I’ve found that it has toned me up quite nicely. I used to run but can’t anymore due to knee injury but I try to lift some weights every now and again if I have spare time (which is practically never).

I guess a lot of my exercise comes from everyday stuff and I only ever really have time to do my yoga etc during nap times. I hope my kid naps well for the next couple of years.

Oh and I’m in my early thirties and quite slim and fairly fit and toned. Wouldn’t mind being mega strong but ain’t nobody got time for that with a little one. Lol.

But do you people who manage to do formal exercise almost everyday have young children and work full-time? Because I just can’t understand how you fit it in.

If I were to work all day then go to the gym for 2/3 hrs, DH would do his nut and I’d never see the kids...

When I used to be fit, was at least an hour a day and low carb/low bad fats diet

Mainly weights, some cardio and yoga, followed the p90x programme, which is excellent (can get it cheaper off eBay usually)

I don't get how you can fit this in with work, kids and home life either. Certainly not 8 hours per week unless you are part time and possibly also have family childcare. How would you find any time for other interests or ... sleeping?!?!

I fit it in because I only work part time (very part time!) with school age kids. Otherwise I couldn't fit it in.

One of the mums in DD's ballet class goes for a run while they are haivng their lesson. I have the toddler with me so not an option, but in future I will definitely do the same, it seems a great way to fit in a workout.

I'm 49 and tall and fit looking but have an easy tendency to put weight on.

Best thing ever for me time-wise and results-wise is HIIT, high intensity interval training. It's quick and if you do it 4-5 times a week you'll see results in a fortnight (though you'll feel fitter by the end of the first week).

I also do weights at home whenever I can. Invest in or borrow a set of dumbbells, and a set of kettle bells, and follow someone safe with good form on Facebook or Instagram. I like MyTrainerCarmen on Instagram, and Emily Skye (on fb or ig) is a sweetie, with some very good solid routines that don't take long.

I've lost motivation this last fortnight and I only did about three bits of exercise last week but I also do over 10k steps a day so that helps keep things ticking over when you can't be arsed to be hardcore.

Almost 50, so I don't belive age is an 'excuse' for piling on the pounds! Yoga x 3, lane swimming for an hour x 3, running 5km x 3. Also don't eat much!

Walking. I don't drive, so I have to walk everywhere. Even a lazy school day involves a minimum of 90 minutes walking. If I add doing anything else, it's a minimum of two hours, at a fairly brisk pace (trust me, when you have to walk all the time, you lose the habit of ambling). It doesn't take much effort, doesn't cost me anything, and has gifted me thighs that could crack walnuts.

My mumtum is another matter, however.

I am wrestling with the whole how to fit it in thing. I think I have to replace my train commute with cycling twice a week (as that is time neutral-ish) and then do 3x running, as it seems highly efficient in terms of improving fitness. These would not be my chosen fitness activities mind, all other things being equal. But I'm buggered if I am elevating fitness to my main hobby as it just ... isnt, important as it is.

Oh, I see the last few posts about fitting it in. I am a SP, work FT. The reason for starting HIIT was because it was quick. I do them for 15 mins or 20 at a push. Follow Joe Wicks the Body Coach, he's great. On YouTube. I do them in the kitchen after work, kids are banned from coming in for 20 minutes!

I totally agree with exercising whilst your dc are in a class. I wear gym kit pretty much all day, so that if ever I get even ten mins, I can Do a quick run or something.
I'm always really surprised how few people do this.

Thanks PeppermintPasty will look into those.

I'm early 40s and do at least half an hour of cardio most days of the week. Mix of spinning and running, occasional bodyweight. Mostly run though. I eat well, lowish carbs and try to minimise sugar. Very lean, size 6-8.

I have no idea how anybody who has children, works out of the home and sleeps at all also manages to have the energy for structured exercise on top of that!

I walk my dog for two hours per day - from 6-7am and 7-8pm - during the work week and around 4 hours per week at weekends. I really don't feel like I could manage anything else on top of this (for what it's worth I'm not sure walking does much at all for my weight/shape - it definitely does a lot for my mental health, though) and I don't have any children.

Following this post with interest - am in a similar position, have always been relatively fit but struggled to get the 'magic stone' off. I'm intrigued as to how any of the previous posters find time to go ten times a week? I work full time and go during the day, aim for 3-4 times a week for either running, gym or a class such as HIIT or LBT.

When I was lean, toned and fit I was doing about 20 Miles a week of hill running, split over 2 shorter and 1 longer run, plus maybe 3 sessions a week of strength/core stuff at home.

Now I am mainly eating cake and breastfeeding.

Both experiences are great.

arethereanyleftatall wearing gym kit all day sounds rather lovely - I fear it would be frowned upon at the office though!

I'm beginning to see why my 2x running/week isn't showing major results. I had no idea normal people (non-athletes anyway, you may not be normal ) did as much exercise as you lot. Or is this one of those confirmation bias threads and actually most people do bog all?

I walk between 6 and 7km every morning, and swim every weekend (between 1.2 and 1.5km each time). That's it. I ski a lot in winter.

I do it by getting up at 5am. I start work at 8:45am, and don't get home until close to 6pm, so exercising after work is next to impossible.

I've accepted that I'm not a gym person. I've tried it several times, and just don't like it. You have to find what sort of exercise suits you.

But also remember that maintaining, gaining, losing weight is around 80% diet and 20% exercise. So really analyse your diet objectively. Most people don't understand portion control at all. Diet is a far harder thing to tackle than exercise too.

@Lawrence22 luckily I work in a gym, so it's work attire!

I have two kids and work full time. I go to the gym once they're in bed. If they were older/more independent I'd go lots more!

Lawrence22 I think it's reasonably established now that to have any effect you've got to do something about 4x a week. That certainly holds true for me, when I upped my exercise (even though the sessions are short) I saw results for the first time in years.