Vigorous exercise study

[Tubs11]

47% of women have done no vigorous exercise in the past 12 months

This news story had irked me and feels like a women bashing exercise

Me: I haven't done vigorous exercise since pre pandemic and damn right I have no motivation or interest in doing any as I'm still knackered from having to raise and educate kids whilst working during the pandemic. Incidentally I'm the thinnest I've ever been as I didn't have time to eat!!

Anyone else annoyed by this study?

I think it's a really important statistic that ought to be talked about. I find it really difficult to exercise because I spend the whole day either at work or doing childcare.
I can't just leave my kids at home alone. Yes I probably could get up at 5am if I was really committed, but I don't want to, because I am also knackered!

I also have health problems related to pregnancy and birth which the NHS doesn't think are worth treating but which hugely restrict the types of exercise I can do.

I was surprised tbh. That's a lot of heart problems and cancer being stored up.

I sadly prioritise exercise over housework but a heart attack in 20 years is worse than a messy house now.

Sorry, shouldn't have started a thread where I have little time to dedicate to it

I'm currently a satm of 3 under 5
We're also doing up our home

I stand by my statement that I have no interest in doing vigorous exercise at this point in my life, I used to run marathons so know the intensity difference

I estimate I get on average a daily minimum 5-6 hrs moderate exercise. I'm up at 6am and I sit down at 9/10pm with breaks for meals.

I'm pretty sure there are plenty of women in that 47% that are just as active at a moderate level

I had to look up the % for men because it wasn't being reported on the radio and that isn't right or fair

Back to stripping walls before the twins wake

I too found women I know did more exercise during the pandemic @actiongirl1978 Though these overall figures don't surprise me, on reflection.

If anyone is wondering how they can exercise vigorously at home, can I put in a word for Caroline Girvan? I came across her after seeing her mentioned on here.

Second this! I've been doing some of her glutes exercises to help with my knee (running!) and they've helped brilliantly. Though her weights workouts are the thing! She's very good.

I have zero time or interest for vigorous exercise at this point in my life so would fall under the 47% and I wonder how many others fall under this category.

Probably about 47% of them!

I honestly have no idea why you are so offended by this. It’s just the conclusion of 1 study. It hasn’t exactly said ‘47% of women bone idle and can’t be bothered to exercise’ it has just report that, presumably, the self reported findings have shown.

I wonder if some of the issue is "vigorous". I exercise regularly, but I rarely get so out of breath that I can't hold a conversation. Most of my exercise is of walking type intensity, I frequently get warm or increase my heart and respiratory rate but rarely to sweaty and panting levels.

I'm sedentary
WFH, at a desk 8-10hrs a day and no chance of walks through the day
Shop online
No DC

So I get up and work maybe 8-6. Finish and change, exercise 6.15 - 7.15. Shower, cook, eat. Sit down for maybe 8.30 and watch TV/read/socialise. That's my day done

I'm surprised by the number of posters who can only seem to conceive of "exercise" in an artificial form, eg gym or home workout. Are your lives really so sedentary that you don't do any "activity" in your daily/weekly life that can be classed as vigorous? Is this due to car-culture? Are people who don't drive much more physical in getting out and about?

Basically, yes. My current life is that sedentary. I work from home at a desk-based job. I drive over an hour every day on the school run for the youngest DC (live rurally, no closer options, no public transport). Grocery shopping ditto - either done online or requires a car. Pretty much all my activity or exercise has to be deliberate.

Also I don't really buy into the idea that being generally 'active' is in any way equivalent to planned, sustained resistance-based exercise - which is what women in particular need in later life. Obviously it is better to be active than sedentary, but I don't think walking to the shops and climbing stairs is enough, sadly.

I'm surprised by the number of posters who can only seem to conceive of "exercise" in an artificial form, eg gym or home workout. Are your lives really so sedentary that you don't do any "activity" in your daily/weekly life that can be classed as vigorous? Is this due to car-culture? Are people who don't drive much more physical in getting out and about?

Normal life activities have never given me the same level of physical reaction like a session rowing or hiit does. Even with heavy shopping.

I'm not surprised by this at all. I like to see women focused studies as it used to be nearly all studies were on men and whatever result was applied to women.
Studies on heart disease, heart attacks, pain, just to name a few where women have missed out due to the studies being male focused.

You can get a workout in the smallest of space. Youtube has thousands of videos for all abilities.
I find having a kettlebell and yoga strap is all I really need for a solid workout.
I do 50 kettlebell swings a day followed by a all over stretch.
You've worked your muscles, heart, and flexibility. All so important for bones, heart health, and mobility as you age.

I get edgy if I don’t exercise daily. Appreciate it’s harder when you have young children noticed my own and friends exercise and hobbies increased massively now we have teens that basically ignore us.

That Apple fit is amazing 20 or 30 minute work outs refreshed weekly. It’s never been easier if you want to do it.

I think it would have been helpful if they looked at barriers to exercise.

The headline singles out women in particular because 47% is a huge statistic, bigger than the 34% of men who said the same. It will just generate more traffic.

According to that article, “The NHS defines vigorous exercise as activities such as running, swimming, an aerobics class or gymnastics.”

I think there’s a much wider case for encouraging different forms of physical activity. For example I rarely do much cardiovascular exercise at all, I only swim maybe once every couple of weeks. But I lift heavy weights 4x a week and walk 10-12k steps a day.

A lot of people still think that ‘exercise’ means slogging away in the gym for hours, but for many that’s not an enjoyable way of staying fit. There are lots of other ways to live and healthy and active life.

I agree.

I find it interesting that you have mentioned how thin you are OP. Exercise is not just about getting thin. In fact, being strong usually means you carry slightly more weight as you reasonable muscle development.

Exercise has a whole load of benefits for both mental and physical health. It saddens me that our society is obviously not structured to enable more women to access those benefits. I certainly don't see it as being about lazy women.

During the last couple of years, between looking after small kids (especially during lockdown and home-schooling) and living in a tiny flat I had lots of obstacles to exercise and completely understand how difficult it is to add it into an already overloaded life.

We have very restrictive room in the living room (where there's also usually someone working from home), no room to store any equipment and a downstairs neighbour who knocked on the ceiling the one time I convinced the kids to try Joe Wickes during lockdown. Taking the kids out to the park, I could only go at a toddler's pace. My partner was able to go running after dark but I didn't feel safe when I tried it. He also put his exercise before the millions of things that needed to be done for the family and I didn't feel able to do the same.

I don't find the study offensive. I think it's important to look at the gender difference here and understand what's happening for women in reality so they can be supported.

I now have slightly less on my plate and I am able to look after myself more, including exercising. I couldn't even think about my own health before. It wasn't an option to do it regularly and was so difficult to achieve that even if I'd had the odd opportunity, I was exhausted and so it felt punishing to use my very rare free moments for that rather than resting.

@Octomore I've always been slim so exercise was never been about weight loss for me

When I was doing HIT my weight stayed the same and I definitely ate more crap

At a moderate level I eat better but definitely less since having kids and a by-product of that is that I'm thinner

Certain women, like me, don't have time for vigorous exercise at this moment in their life and how many of those are in the 47% but at a healthy active level?

So why do you mention being thin in your OP? Your weight makes no difference to either the benefits that can be had from exercise, or the barriers that prevent women from exercising in the way men do.

Back to stripping walls before the twins wake

But OP, you say you don't have time for vigorous exercise. Couldn't you take the DIY at a slower pace, or cut the time short, so you have time for something for yourself? Just a few minutes?

If you don't want to do it that's fair enough, and it's your choice.

Your weight makes no difference to either the benefits that can be had from exercise, or the barriers that prevent women from exercising in the way men do.

Agree with this.

There's a lot of lifestyles in between "vigorous exercise" and "sedentary"

I don't believe vigorous exercise is necessarily beneficial. Humans evolved as predominantly gatherers, not hunters. And modern day "vigorous exercise" always seems to incur very specific injuries- I've never torn a muscle, I have no joint damage in my knees etc etc (Fwiw I classify myself as very active, but I rarely break a sweat or get out of breath)

Your weight makes no difference to either the benefits that can be had from exercise, or the barriers that prevent women from exercising in the way men do.

Being overweight can be itself a barrier to exercising though. Women are more likely to be embarrassed about exercising than men. Being overweight or obese will only have a worse effect on that. It’s really common to see women saying they won’t run/swim/do a public exercise class because they feel to fat to go. Obviously you can exercise alone at home but that comes with other issues.

I think that was addressed to the OP who said she was slim.

Everything can be a barrier if a person wants it to be.

Very frankly, if someone can't find even 15 minutes few times a week to do something for themselves, they really need to rethink their current live. Having not even that bit of time to be able to use for themselves is not healthy. Also in some way believable (sorry)

Also when people question it
I've had a doctor tell me to try some gentle walking before after I've listed all the exercise I did
Just because I'm a size 16 doesn't mean I'm not able to do a 90 min spin class!