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

May I just reiterate that I totally get why many women with young children find it difficult to find time to exercise, but I was wondering more about all the years before and after looking after children. And why don't women exercise enough to keep themselves healthy - why is this not a priority.

I'm also curious about psychological barriers to exercise that one or two posters have mentioned. What are they and how could they be overcome?

Also, some say they HATE exercising. Why - and do you mean ALL types of physical activity? There are so many ways of keeping fit - surely there must be something you might be able to put up with for 15-20 minutes a day if it's in your best in? What might help you to find your fitness groove?

YADNBU I work full time and have DS7. I run twice a week and do boot camp for an hour three times a week. I'm about to turn 50. My fitness is really important to me mainly because I plan to be around to see my ds grow up. But I have a very supportive partner who shares the childcare and housework equally and who understands how much I benefit from being healthy. We both work full time and earn roughly the same.
I honestly think lots of women are missing that and that's where they find they don't have the time.

So while I agree with you that exercise is important, it is unfair of you to criticise people who find the psychological effort to go out and exercise overwhelming. It’s not just a matter of finding time. Finding the mental strength to get out there can be much harder

In this era of YouTube there is no requirement to leave your house to exercise.

It's either portion size or snacks, or potentially high calorie drinks I guess.

I wonder if somewhere along the way and on a societal level, we have lost track of what normal fitness is / should be. I'm sure many people would have the time really if they swapped out TV or phone surfing, but just don't have the inclination. It's hard to get going when you're not used to it. I don't do as much as listed in the op. I don't know anyone who does. But something's better than nothing.

It bores me. I do 10,000 steps walking commute on office days. I should probably do a dancing class as exercise has to be incidental, not a thing in itself, for me enjoy it.

Also, to add - i actually found it easier when my kids were younger. I bought a running buggy, and did get out regularly when DC1 was a baby, and when DC2 was a baby he went to the creche at the sports centre for a hour for classes.

It's now at primary age, I find it hard - no available childcare, trying to fit work hours in around school hours, with weekends spent taking the kids to activities and parties. It's not impossible. But it's harder.

A few posters said that they used to run but now, for one reason or another, cannot do so anymore.

Have you considered resistance based or weight training? Much more effective, time wise, than running.

Have a look at Caroline Girvan - she has lots of really well structured programmes on YouTube:

Something that may help some people is Parkrun/walk on a Saturday morning. At my local one there are many walkers and it takes them just under 90 mins - no one is last. Lots have pushchairs and some run with pushchairs. My favourite part is the coffee afterwards.

To me it is critical to my mental and physical health. It’s easy to look around and see what an impact not exercising has on you as you age, there are some glaring examples of this in my life right now and it is pretty scary stuff. The key is to find something you like and stick to it on a consistent basis and that is harder than it sounds in terms of affordability, space to do it at home, time needed to walk far enough for it to have an impact. I am lucky enough to have older kids who can be left alone and the ability to pay for classes I enjoy which is key to motivate me to get up at 5 to fit it in before work. It just isn’t that easy for everyone

I joined a gym when youngest DC started nursery when he was nearly 3. He's now 26. I continued to go to the gym 3 x a week until covid hit (although had to take school holidays off when DCs were younger).
During lockdown 1 I did lots of walking. Haven't rejoined gym for various reasons but bought spin bike and rower for home use by me & DH. I do 3 x 45 min spin classes per week plus 3 - 5 mile walks on 3 other days - so 1 rest day a week.

Forgot to add that I'm 59 and intend to carry on exercising as it's more important as I get older.

YANBU

I work FT (which also involves work at home in the evenings weekend) + extra self employed work at the weekend.

My kids are KS1 & KS3 age. DH often works away midweek. We have no family help.

But now I fit in 3 runs, 2 weights, and 2 'active hobby' each week.

But these haven't just happened spontaneously. I'm lucky that we have a gym at work I can nip into for 30 mins during the day. There's no way I could go after work. And we have (paid) childcare that means I can run or do my hobby after work.

And I have a very supportive husband who when he is home facilitates my run/hobby (and likewise I facilitate his gym/active hobby time).

We didn't get to this overnight. It's been a very gradual build over the last 5 years. And both of us have had to come to our own individual realisation that we want to prioritise our health and happiness. We've both tried various regimes and hobbies before settling on the ones we enjoy.

On the one hand, I absolutely couldn't have done this when the kids were tiny. I was overwhelmed, wasn't coping at work, full of anxiety etc. On the other hand, working on these things (and sleep) has, I think, been the thing that got me out of that.

A PP mentioned women being conditioned to put everyone else first. And I think that mindset is where changes need to be made. What I learned, is that I'm better at looking after everyone else, and at work, if I do these things that I enjoy* and which help me feel better.

So, I think a mixture of mindset and opportunity/circumstances, is whats is holding women back. And probably a lot of ignorance on just how good they could feel/how important it is.

*I don't enjoy running until it's done. And my house is clearly not one of these Instagram show homes! I can't do everything!

I hate it and it's boring. Plus I'm knackered already when I get home and everything hurts. My priority atm is not completely losing it mentally.

Also I've been told since I was 11 how fat and disgusting and lazy I am and did the diets and exercise and all that shit (whilst still being completely miserable)just to get back to where I started so I've accepted it. Fuck it.

People are lazy.
They take their health for granted.
They live in the moment (mostly a good thing except...)

YANBU. I always remember one of my cousins telling me she "didn't have time to exercise" but always found the time to drink a bottle of wine on a Saturday and Sunday and watched all manner of tv shows in the evenings and go for a coffee and a slice of cake when the mood struck her and get her nails done once a week 🤣
I pointed out to her that it wasn't that she didn't have time - she just wasn't prioritising exercise. She looked at me in shock and awe.
I have small children still, and exercise at least 3.5 hours a week including walking. I do put it as a priority though as I know the benefit for my mental health as well as my physical health.

I used to avoid exercise at all costs because I found it so difficult. I’m not at all overweight, but very weak and not fit at all.

I started a circuits class about 6 months ago just once a week. It’s been slow progress but I’ve stuck with it and I don’t feel like the imposter there anymore. I started couch to 5k in January and struggled even with week one. But I’ve forced myself through it and I’m now doing week 6! It’s hard still, but I’m so much better than I was. I now really enjoying exercise and look forward to challenging myself.

I'm not sure if saying people should enjoy exercise really helps. I don't enjoy it or get endorphins, even after a run, maybe sometimes after a fun HIIT class. But I am far less likely to develop cancer, diabetes or heart disease etc.

I have to get up at 5am to exercise before work as it's the only time I have. I find this very hard and I don't have kids but I do it because otherwise I wouldn't exercise. I have no idea how I'd fit in having kids as well.

When I was younger - I didn't exercise because I didn't enjoy it. Not much more to it than that.

Now, I have realised it's important even though I still don't enjoy it. I have two young children, a senior job and I struggle to find the time. I watch maybe 1 hour of TV a week. I manage one hour of weights/strength a week and a fair amount of walking and running around with the kids, it's not enough but it's what I can do.

I struggle to find exercise I enjoy. I used to run but I fell down the stairs last year and my foot still hasn't healed properly. I'm definitely unfit and unhappy with it, just struggling to motivate myself. We have an exercise bike, weights and I used to do pilates (still have the ball, mat etc) so I have no excuse for not carving out time it's just that by the time the kids are home from activities, fed and in bed...it's often 10pm.

I agree. I only made progress with exercise once I accepted that I was never going to enjoy it, but the health benefits are worth it. Like brushing my teeth

Same. Hate it, but my heart and brain love it so. Yeah.
While it doesn't make me happy at the moment, it does lift the brain fog and things are easier then

Combination of things for me (and I’m really struggling with it at the moment as my lack of motivation is getting me down):

1. time - two young kids aged 4 and 5, very full on, and I work 4 days a week in a high pressure job too. By the time I’ve got them to bed the very last thing I feel like doing is exercise;

2. enjoyment (or lack of) - I’ve never enjoyed exercise, and have tried various things. Pre kids I used to quite enjoy body pump and other classes but I just can’t get into anything now. I don’t like getting sweaty and out of breath, I don’t get an endorphin rush, I just hate it. The lack of fitness feeds into it as I just give up too easily as it all feels too unattainable. I also convince myself that unless I also overhaul my diet it won’t make any difference anyway (although I know it’s good for health even if doesn’t lead to weight loss);

3. laziness. I’m coming to realise that frankly I’m just pretty idle. At a push i know I COULD make time- getting up earlier, squeezing something into my lunch break - but I just can’t seem to muster the energy. Case in point today- had every intention to go on a brisk walk at lunch but in the end it was too cold, I looked like shit so didn’t want to see any neighbours and just cba.

I find it quite depressing. I do want to be fitter and healthier and need to lose about a stone but I just can’t get into the groove

People around me are not exercising when working full time. My DH has stopped when covid hit, and never got back into going to the gym. He did enjoy feeling fitter, but didn’t necessarily enjoy working out. After a long day at work, he struggles to motivate himself to get up.
Most friends (fulltime workers) are the same.

I enjoy my sport, play several times a week, or go to the gym if I’m not playing my sport. However, I work 2 days a week and have enough energy to be active. Once you have built up fitness, it’s more enjoyable and not a task, so you get energy from it.