80% of women too unfit to be healthy?

[FlowerArranger]

I listened to Women's Hour while doing my workout today. In a segment on women in sport, one contributor stated that research shows that 80% of women are too unfit to be healthy.

I Googled and found a reference to a Canadian study from 2007 and CDC research from 2013:

A new (US) government study estimates that nearly 80 percent of adult Americans do not get the recommended amounts of exercise each week, potentially setting themselves up for years of health problems.

www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-80-percent-of-american-adults-dont-get-recommended-exercise/

I don't suppose British women do much better? If this is indeed true, it is is shocking.

I remember when my children were little and I was working full-time, there was little or no time to exercise in a formal way - though I'm sure all the running after them and running up and down stairs and housework and gardening kept me fit enough!

If this is you, you are excused......... but what about all the years before and after looking after children? Why don't women exercise enough to keep themselves healthy? Which the CDC defined as:

at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or a combination of both

Personally I (in my 60s) work out most days and I feel so much better for it.

YABU - I don't see the need to exercise regularly
YANBU - regular exercise is vital

In my area there's loads of rounders teams that play winter and summer, there are also very popular netball and basketball leagues.

Doesn't surprise me! Although there are lots of women at the gym, most of my friends and family don't exercise regularly at all. I don't think I do tons (3-5 sessions of high intensity a week, maybe 1 or 2 low intensity activities per week) ... it's not daily at ALL or excessive. I have an office job and chronic pain which is massively helped by exercising so I make sure I do it. It's definitely commented on as if I exercise excessively! Eating crudites for lunch also definitely invites comments. It always surprises me how much other people DON'T eat fruit and veg. And I wouldn't say I'm especially strict or healthy either - I eat plenty of salty snacks and chocolate!

What seems to put a lot of my friends off is the length of time it takes over and above the exercise itself, plus all the stuff you have to lug about

I don't do makeup so, apart from having a natter at the beginning and end, it really is just turn up, exercise, and leave. No stuff to lug about unless I go on my way to work. Even then it's just a small bag of clothes and a towel.

I went back to the gym off the back of this post and I'm so weak! I could only do weights on the lowest one.
I only stayed for 45 mins but I got a bit of cardio in and lots of upper body weights.
Thank you OP

Good for you :)

Why women? I take far more exercise than my other half. Always have.

Why women? I take far more exercise than my other half. Always have.

Already been asked, and answered. On page 1.

FlowerArranger · Yesterday 20:10
I'm just referring to today's Women's Hour. I didn't have time to research men as well. And this is Mumsnet after all 😀

@FlowerArranger I completely agree with you , as you know.
I have always exercised with intent since my teenage years. Mostly running, some weights.
I watched my mum decline and die last year. She had lung cancer but was doing ok until she had a fall down the stairs and broke her hip. She was 82 and had never done any form of exercise, not even walking.
The fall was the catalyst for other other health issues- the less mobile she was the more frail she became and so it went round in circles.
I am determined to reduce the chances of suffering the same fate. I have lifted weights for 1.5 years now to help strengthen my bones and improve my balance and co ordination. I am not interested in being slim ( I am but that is not my goal) I am interested in being strong and protecting my bones into old age .
I seriously think people have very little idea of the risks they take by not exercising. I mean who lies on their death bed and complains that they moved too much? There are forms of exercise for everyone. EVERYONE.
There are many days when I don't want to exercise but I do- I do it for myself, as an investment.

I go to the gym three times a week and do two yoga classes a week and have long hair. I don't find I have to wash my hair every time after going to the gym - and just have a quick shower without hairwashing unless it ready for a wash. It's not because I'm not working hard or not getting sweaty and I definitely had to wash my hair every time when it was short. And I don't bother with makeup. I go to the gym when I'm working from home, though I do usually wear makeup at work. I wash my hair twice a week, ideally it would need three times but I use dry shampoo to make it last another day, as my hair feels better overall for not washing it quite so much.

When I did go to the gym or run at lunch time at work I didn't wash my hair or redo makeup and just had a quick shower from the neck down. Apart from looking slightly pink when I went back to my desk it was fine.

They are just lazy excuses. They can all exercise in their front rooms or just go for a walk.

@BigButtons yes re walking but I thought that wasn't sufficiently intensive?
Re working out in your own home - that still makes you sweaty!

The problem with men affecting women's inclination to exercise is a very serious one. I don't run much, but I walk a lot. While I know I will never be totally safe, I do take some precautions if I'm on my own. I stick to well lit areas if after dark and either built up areas or well used paths. I carry two rape alarms and usually a hefty umbrella, pointy walking poles or a very sturdy wooden walking staff. I swing these vigorously when I feel the need.

I walk briskly and confidently and can put on a very "don't fuck with me" face when necessary.

Never let a man run or walk behind you. Stop to look in your bag or tie a shoelace until he has gone past.

In short, don't trust any man but don't let them stop you exercising.

A friend of mine who has been harassed while running is in favour of a curfew for men three or four days a week 😁

Any walking is better than nothing! And yea of course you can get sweaty in your own home. No need for gyms and make up and blow drys and fancy outfits - and it’s free!🙂

I'm not scared of men, though maybe I should be, but found what stopped me running, apart from how horrible it is, was the profound shame of lumbering along the streets being overtaken by everyone from rubbery young things with bouncy ponytails to old ladies walking their Pekinese dogs.

If one more person recommended I do park run I was going to garrot them with their own fluorescent leggings. Hideous combo of being overtaken by impatient proper runners, then patrionised as you stagger over the line an hour after everyone else by the well-meaning 'fat marshalls'.

Quite like a bit of Joe Wicks, as he actually says how hard it is as he goes along.

I’m a huge fan of Leslie Sansone, Walk at Home program. Fitness walking for all ages. Some older stuff free on you tube. I pay for the app.
you don’t need much space at all to get in a good workout. 12 minute mile, to 45 minute 5K, available 24/7 right in my living room.

@BigButtons my point is that, for some people, it doesn't matter where you get sweaty (gym or home), getting sweaty is what causes need for hair washing /blow dries etc. Similar to why some women will go swimming but won't get their hair wet.

Ah - ok- misunderstood your point. To my mind what they focus on is skewed in that case. They would choose a nice blow dry and a makeup routin over keeping their bodies strong ? That is crazy imo.

I love her. Been doing her power walks for years.

@xogossipgirlxo have you checked out the app and the newer videos? There are some very good ones.

No, I haven't, is it expensive to subscribe?

Sorry, found it's 7 dollars a month. Might give it a try.

Its not so much about the "nice blow dry". I'm mixed race and I know for myself and other black and mixed race people I know, our hair can become like an extra job and swimming/getting sweaty adds to the maintenance and extra washing that it really doesn’t like.. Protective hairstyles are good for this but growing up I was so reluctant to get my hair wet. Not because I was precious about how it looked but it got me down that it was yet more time taken up dealing with it.

I've got my gym routine quite nicely in sync with hair washing now but it's still a bit of a pain in the arse.

@xogossipgirlxo what i like most about it is it is right on my smart tv.
so just like i have a selection of netflix, youtube, news chanels etc i have the walk at home icon on my tv.
click on it and instant access to the video's by time: 1 mile, 2 mile etc.

The whole ethos of parkrun is inclusivity and that it is not just for 'proper runners', nobody gives a shit if you are slow or walk the whole course, just you being there participating is the main thing.

I think my smart TV is probably bit too old now for any new apps, but I play workouts on my laptop, so it shouldn't be a problem. I just had a look at February calendar, it looks very interesting, I watched all her videos on youtube, so might try it out for a change. I'm not that much into heavy lifting etc., more power walking, light cardio, pilates and yoga person, so her workouts are perfect to me.