To ask how much exercise I should do ideally and how much do you do!

[motueka03]

I’m 46, perimenopausal, knackered with work & kids & find it hard to motivate myself to do anything but I do always feel better. I have found that I am not very keen on very high paced cardio anymore but obviously need to raise my heart rate.
At the moment I can just about cope with an hour of Zumba, a 5k run (I like being outside) and a 30 min Joe Wicks a week with some walking throw in too- i’d like to do yoga too but haven’t found a class.

Is this ‘enough’? I suspect it’s not.....how much do you do? What should I be aiming for?

That sounds like plenty.

That sounds pretty good to me!

This is pretty useful-

www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/?tabname=how-much-exercise

What is your goal? Losing weight or maintaining fitness, exercise for bone density.

I am just a little older and I do about that. From my perspective, you are doing fine. But that could just be me projecting

Walk 10 miles a day at 4 miles/hour rate and do the odd work out indoors (things like crunches, squats, pushups and weights). I was swimming 5 times a week but unfortunately I can't go at the moment.
I think you're recommended to do 150 minutes a week but that doesn't seem anywhere near enough to me.

@winesalot prob keeping fit and toned I think (or rather getting fit!!) - I am conscious that it’s not great to be a couch potato in my 40’s & that i need to keep fit and active in mid life!
Honestly, I can’t be arsed!!! I’m so tired most of the time at the mo but I know I must do something so probably aiming for absolute minimum

I don’t have time to walk 10 miles a day 😂 I work full time- how do people fit it in with kids & work & tea etc etc

I'd add a strength/cardio session and yoga.
Depends how much zumba raises your heart rate?

motueka that is part of my work, not what I do for fun.

Try doing some stuff at home? That way you cut the travelling time. You could easily do 2 short runs from your door at the weekend. Some YouTube videos on other days, there a plenty to choose from.

I do a 50 minute slow run everyday indoors in winter. In summer I mix that up with some short outdoor runs. Plus some exercises, the plank, wall press ups, hamstring and calf stretches everyday. I also try and have at least a 30 minute walk everyday.

I know that exhaustion. Been feeling it since periM kicked in for me a few years ago. I started jogging 6 km 3 x week and walking on off days to lose weight before menopause, and maintain bone density. Now do less walking but still run 3 x (well, slow as I am).

I really would not push myself to do more as I am so exhausted already. You probably are similar. You are doing really well now by my reckoning. Again, I am probably just projecting so I don’t feel the need to do more.

I think comparing yourself to others isnt very good.

It all depends on how you feel and if you're reaching your goals.

Same age and I exercise 6 days a week on average - 3 runs up to 20 miles a week and usually hiit with weights on the other days, 30- 45 mins, I also walk on average 12,000 steps a day, but I will say that I’ve always exercised ever since my teens and it’s just part of daily life.

I'm 44, perimenopausal and can't stand doing cardio as it makes me hot flushes even worse. It also stressed my body out and increased my cortisol levels. I took up lifting heavy weights three times a week. It's great. It raises heart rate to 130-180 bpm, and burns 250-300 calories in a 50 minute session. I also walk a minimum of 13,000 steps per day, and often swim 1500 metres 3 times a week.

Studies have shown weight training is the most effective way for perimenopausal women to exercise.

I've also dropped a dress size since I've started just lifting weights and am on my way to dropping another. (I've gained two dress sizes since becoming perimenopausal)

Well, there was a study this week saying a slow job just once a week made a big difference! I understand we are meant to do couple of toning and around 3 cardio type activities a week from the NHS..

I am mid 40s also and walk around a mile on the school run up a steep hill every day, try to also do a couple of aqua aerobics / zumba classes, pilates and yoga (have a membership which makes it easy to make up classes. I notice it when it is half term and I don't go. I would like to try more weights though

Sounds enough exercise to me.

I usually just do brisk walking. And a few exercises every morning before everyone else gets up.

Having said that I am fairly active in that I often manage 15k plus steps a day. I dont sit down much except when I am at working . Which is part time due to caring for family commitments.

I do a lot more and I’m 47 but I don’t work FT and I’m a very keen exerciser

I think you are doing plenty given the constraints of your working and family life- I’m impressed you do that given you must be shattered I’m the evenings
Can you squeeze in another run at the weekend or a country walk?

Try not to stress if feel guilty, you have a super busy life

Crikey sounds like you're doing well

I don't de la much tbh

Try to run around with the kids at the weekend a bit

Nights I plop on the couch

Bad really

The aim should be to do 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, which if the walking you do adds up to about half an hour then you are probably doing that already. However it’s also important to do some exercise that builds muscle, ideally least twice a week. That’s especially important if you are perimenopausal as your muscle mass will gradually start to decrease with the change in hormones. It doesn’t have to be full on weight lifting (though that is obviously really good for building muscle), yoga would also be beneficial. If you can’t find a class near you I recommend yoga with adrienne on YouTube, they are really great videos at all different ability levels.

Do yoga and weights at home too? Down dog app or you tube.
I'm similar to you in age and stage and my weekly routine is
Gym 45 mins
Swim 30-45 mins
Rest day
Spin bike 30-45 mins
Swim 30 mins
Run 5k
Other family sports/yoga/weights
It doesn't work out the same all the time and if I'm busy I skip one (I believe in occasional rest weeks too) but mostly I enjoy it and look forward to it. Eating well really helps my fatigue.

From Public Health England site:

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Guidelines recommend each week adults do:

At least 150 minutes moderate intensity activity, 75 minutes’ vigorous activity, or a mixture of both.
Strengthening activities on two days
Reducing extended periods of sitting

OP it sounds like you are probably doing about the right amount of cardio stuff but need to add in some strength training, unless that’s what you do with Joe Wicks whoever he is.

I’m 44 and have been going to my gym for the last 18months. I try to do the following weekly, over 5 days;
30 mins synergy circuit class, 1hour Zumba class, 2x body pump class (45mins and a 1hour class), 1hour PT session and a 40min bodybalance. I try to have aims like push ups (I can do 3x 12 full push ups now didn’t think I would ever do one) and am working towards fully unsupported pull ups, handstand and splits which I do occasionally after a class when I’m not too knackered.
I don’t worry too much if I can’t make a class but when I’m there I totally give it my all and try to do the harder option if I feel I can; always been a sweaty exerciser but I wear it as a badge of honour (I drip sweat even in bodybalance)
I started off 18months ago not having done regular exercise since secondary school and starting to get a sore hip, not sleeping well and my clothes getting tighter; I went to the gym at really quiet times maybe just twice a week and just walked on the treadmill (big boobs, was never a runner), and just moved on up from there. I remember my early circuits classes having to stop midway through the drills, having the lightest weights in bodypump and feeling sore and completely exhausted afterwards.
God I even tried a body attack classes in those first few months (what was I thinking!!! I nearly threw up. Not for me!)
So my advice, could you get along to some 30 min HIIT classes? they were a game changer for me time wise.
If I didn’t have my gym close by I would sign up for les mills online, their range of classes are good; bodypump, body combat, rpm, bodybalance and the Grit classes are good (I did them early on with no weights just doing the lunges and squats, unfortunately my gym no longer runs them).
This has honestly changed my life.
Keep at it, you are doing great and it will get easier.

an hour of Zumba, a 5k run (I like being outside) and a 30 min Joe Wicks a week
That’s a really good amount of exercise. I only do more because I have a dog to walk. Just walk everywhere that it’s practical to do so and you’re sorted!

Thanks everyone- going to try and add in a yoga class & maybe a Joe Wicks weights work out that i can do at home as have some light 2.5kg weights to start. I think the key seems to be it has to be easy for me- doing stuff at home or near home!!