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

I would say several factors were at work for me. I do think people develop their exercise habits as children so barriers created in childhood can be something that are always there to be battled with. For me, this was about my experiences of people teasing me as a child for not being athletic, being the slowest person, the smallest, weak, etc. It just created such a social fear that for a long time I could not exercise if other people were around. My rule for my family now is that no one is allowed to comment upon my exercise, even if I look very silly.

Another barrier was female stuff like not having good support wear (ouch) or being afraid of leakage when menstruating. Especially leakage because of course people will comment on it.

Being unable to find a regular method of exercise that I was able to do without feeling WORSE after exercise. Others encouraged me to do things like running but this gives me migraines. I couldn't keep up with running partners who were inevitably taller, and who would make negative comments without taking into account that I was taking 110 steps for every 100 they took. I tried a low impact program that was supposed to be moderate intensity but I would be knackered all day, every day, when I was doing this program, and it made my joints ache horribly so that I actually became clumsier instead of more agile. Over the years I have tried different things and in general exercise makes me feel worse but I have found a "happy medium" where I seem to get some of the benefits in energy while minimising the joint aches caused by the exercise. But I have never reached a point where exercise made me feel unequivocally better. I've never had a runners' high or anything like that.

One thing that has helped me is that I think the trend in research has been that any exercise is better than none. Even if you only take a brisk 15 min walk per day, it might not be the ideal that the health experts suggest, but you'll get a health benefit than you wouldn't get if you had not done it. In other words, the body doesn't waste any exercise. So even if you just get up off your couch right now and run up and down your house stairs for 2 min, you'll get some benefit. So I find that very encouraging. I just try to do what I can.

Walking that amount each day is great though and does have benefits still.

You could say this about me and DH. He is a decent Ironman athlete (Kona standard). I am markedly less fit, although still well above average. The truth is that a) I am less motivated and don’t have the same drive to get up at 4am to fit in a session b) I am not as genetically/physically gifted and c) having been pregnant or breastfeeding (or both) for the last five years has changed my body dramatically. I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is indicative of unequal relationships. It certainly isn’t in our case.

Honestly? I can't be bothered. I work 5 days a week with 2 small children. I am up by 6:30, get myself ready and then get them up, fed, ready etc. Do 2 different drops offs before work and half the week 2 different pick ups after work. Then it's home and dinner and bath/bed for them. Once they're settled we eat, clean up, get clothes and lunches ready for the next day.
I used to be so fit, a size 6-8 but life hit me in the face and now I'm a size 12 and classed as overweight.
I know if I ate better and exercised more I'd feel better but getting the motivation to actually do that seems impossible right now.
I keep saying 'when they're older'. Can't wait for that day

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?

This made me think. It's not so much that I hate exercise, it's more exercising just for it's own sake. So I like cycling, but I'd need there to be somewhere I needed to go on a route I felt confident to cycle.

Swimming would be ok and would be better for my knee (old injury), but I'd never go on my own, takes a big chunk out of the day and it gives me thrush.

Walking is good, but just walking round the village bored me - I tried it when DS was still going to school, drop off, then brisk walk, bit starting work late meant finishing late. The only downside of WFH is not walking to work, but the office has moved so not an option. If I can persuade DS to go for a walk into town on the weekend I do, but can't afford to do it too often, and he will rarely walk home again.

Any sort of class or activity is likely to be during the extended bedtime routine, and usually needs driving to/from (I don't drive).

Feels hopeless. But tbh everything about my life does feel impossible right now.

If walking counts then I am absolutely fine. If not then I am scuppered 😂

I manage it, but I'm a dog walker and we don't have children so we both have plenty of free time.

According to my phone I walked almost 250km last month and covered over 325,000 steps.

I do what I consider 'free' exercise, cycle commute, don't use lifts and escalators, carry shopping etc

I love exercise and do meet that definition of enough exercise. I honestly think that everyone has the potential to love exercise but it's about finding the right sport for you. And I was not a sporty child at all - I discovered sport at uni and one of my biggest regrets now is not trying out sports outside school as a teenager.

I have a disability that rules out 99% of exercise. It’s rubbish, but it’s not a moral failing or a case of ‘not caring’.

@Hayliebells

Im in the US. Fitness is a big thing here and the higher the income the more important it is to be fit. Going to soul cycle is a social event and status marker. I’m big and not doing great in terms of fitness for my income group. At work the guys all go to the gym in their home or building for an hour every morning at 4am. They all have a high level of fitness. I have a gym in my building and do a power walk for an hour every morning at 5am. As a single parent I have an au pair to enable this. I can’t be unfit and seen as successful professionally where I work. I’m currently very overweight and working on getting down to the top end of the normal BMI range.

The lower the income in the US the higher the obesity rate and the lower the average fitness level. Of course there are exceptions to this but it’s a clearly seen trend. I walk the trails with my children at the weekends. I don’t consider this exercise because it’s a dawdle not a walk. I never see low or lower income people on a regular basis. Not surprised either because I’m able to do this with the children because my au pair and cleaner take care of a lot of the mundane jobs at home.

I just wanted to mention the HUGE benefits of weight training. I was diagnosed with osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis) in my mid-50s. Now in my mid-60s, this has completely stabilized. Almost entirely due to exercising - the last 4 years with weights.

Osteoporosis is hugely debilitating and has been called a silent killer. Weight-bearing exercise and walking are so important!

I work out with dumbbells weighing 5-15 kg. Started off with 2kg and worked my way up. Lots of workouts on YouTube, but in my view Caroline Girvan is streets ahead of anyone else.

Come on, grab a couple of water bottles or baked bean tins and give it ago! Maybe try someone like Rebecca Louise first, as Ms Girvan is quite challenging.

2.5 hours across the week is really not much but surprisingly hard to fit in. I like things like workouts on YouTube (on silent) while DH and I watch telly in the evening, or my stationary bike while watching Netflix. Realistically though it’s much more appealing to just sit still. Also I personally have a connective tissue disease so I would like to go super hard but it’s not worth it for me in the short term.

I used to do a mixture of Les Mills and Joe Wicks pre Covid and back issues. My lungs still aren’t fully recovered and I have to still be careful with my back so I have used walking workouts to get back on track. I started using Bree on the FitOn app and are now using Get Fit with Rick ones free on YouTube. They vary from 1200 to 10000 steps and are to music and you can vary the effort you put in. If anyone is wanting to get into exercise slowly I would look at those. Joe Wicks also does lots of free works on YouTube, aimed at all different levels, including the PE with Joe ones aimed at kids.

On the Les Mills Facebook group parents often posts their workouts with DC. Everything from them dancing along to the aerobics or dance ones to using foam weights and one mum rigged up a spin bike using her child’s bike on a clamp. Or even using a play pen or bouncer for the younger ones.

I found it tough to get into the mindset of finding what I can do and forgetting about the stuff I can’t and I think it can be tough to say to yourself, you need to do something, so if you can’t run/spin/swim then can you do seated cardio, go for a 5 minute walk etc and not just have excuses.

I'm very sorry. Apologies for not thinking of those who are disabled or otherwise incapacitated.

Just because I'm so tired. I couldn't think of anything worse at 9 at night or 6am.

I do walk a lot though.

I walk between 10,000 and 15,000 a day. That’s all I do.

I do this too. I have two kids, two dogs and a demanding full time job with long commute so if I didn’t exercise first thing it wouldn’t happen. I do find it more difficult in winter as I prefer being outside, but I love weights and reserve Saturday mornings for long runs. It’s difficult but it can be done if you prioritise.

I’m lucky in that I love exercise, although this didn’t happen until I hit my late 20’s, but I do it primarily for health reasons. When you’ve lost two parents too young, your health becomes more of a priority. Bottom line is I don’t want to die. I’m mid 40’s and my dad was only 5 years older than me when we lost him.

I walk everywhere as I don't have a car. I enjoy walking, l walk to work and back and l have a physical job, but it definitely keeps me slim and.in very good health, l can eat what l want and never gain weight, l am in my 50's.
I loved PE as a young girl, running especially and have a friend from school who was a fantastic runner and still running now in her 50's.
I have other friends who drive everywhere and ared really unfit and have health issues.

It is harder to exercise when you are juggling childcare with working and life demands. But it's not impossible. Exercise is really important to me, as much for my mental health as for my physical condition, more so since becoming a parent.

I work 5 days a week, full time, and have small DC. DH and I have no childcare outside of school wraparound care. And I've just started a new and more demanding job. All this means is I just have to work a bit harder to fit it in. So tomorrow, I'll get up at 6am and do a work out. Run early morning in the weekend. Walk as much as I can. It's not as much as I'd like right now (and I really miss swimming, it's better for my back but I simply don't have the space in my day yet to do it). But there are things I can do.

I think part of the problem is the pressure of the 'all or nothing' approach. When people start exercising, they can charge in, go at it hard till they injure themselves or get bored. It has to be a way of life and a realistic part of your daily routine to succeed. For instance, I know I can't do longer runs as my body isn't up to it, but I love running so I stick with my 5ks. I am not a natural runner, I look bloody awful when I do it but I don't care!

I did grow up with exercise bring part of my life, that makes a big difference.

I'm lucky, I guess I was/am one of those sporty types. I dropped my team sport pre kids (too busy at work) and then picked it up after taking one of the DC aged 10 to training in said sport (I was encouraged by another mum on the sidelines who also played). In the really busy baby/toddler/work/doctorate years cycling was my saviour. It was part of my commute. Childminder was opposite direction to work so rounds trips circa 8 miles a day (plus added benefit of cycling a baby then toddler up a massive hill).
More recently the dog has added brisk walks to the mix...(@Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday could dog walking not be your thing?). In the last two years have been realising that I need to add strength stuff and stretches so trying to find time for Pilates...
It really is about finding something that fits as part of your day and also that you quite like doing

I used to think I was reasonably fit from my lifestyle, fairly active job (at the time, now do desk work), walking the school run most days, taking son swimming, walks in the woods, gardening etc, never been overweight. I started Couch to 5K about 18 months ago aged 42 thinking it would be a piece of piss - so cocky, I went straight into week 2 thinking I'd breeze it. I was immediately humbled! I stuck with it and now run around 4 hours per week so feel pretty aerobically fit. Then realised I could barely do a press-up so have started strength training.

I have always exercised even working full-time and DC. When the DC were small DH and I would take it in turns to exercise. I would run around the sports ground whilst DS was at rugby training or DD at netball. It has to be in your mindset otherwise you won't do it. DC have grown up with the ethos that exercise and sport are part of life.

I am 58 now, work part-time, cycle about 300km a week, do spin class and have just started swimming again, managing about twice a week.
I also have an enormous appetite for food and wine and would be struggle with my weight if I did not exercise.
I see my neighbour every morning driving her secondary school aged DD to school...less than 2 miles away. I just do not get it.

I think PE at school sets us up to fail. It certainly did me. It was all about team sports. Basically if you weren’t good at football or netball, you were shit at PE. There was minimal athletics.I left school assuming that because I have very little in the way of hand/eye co-ordination (pretty sure I’m dyspraxic) it meant that I wasn’t good at sport. I’m now incredibly sporty, despite that almost having been a laughable concept when I was at school! And I do think that some people never really get the opportunity to see themselves in a different light.

I agree with this.

Up until covid happened, I had been forcing myself to go to the gym and had got into a pattern of going 3x a week and I felt better for it. Covid obviously stopped that, and it is really hard to get going again.

It's all very well saying 'surely you can find X minutes a week', but for those of us that need the motivation of other people being there to make us go - you have to have those minutes at the time that the class is on. Yes, I know you can follow something on You Tube or do your own thing, but most people aren't that motivated. It's a bit like not doing homework unless you have to hand it in, or not going to work if it weren't for the fact that you have to turn up to get paid.

Knowing it is good for us, isn't anywhere near the same things as wanting to exercise.
In the same way people make choices like having a bar of chocolate or a pint of beer, or a couple of 'unnecessary' biscuits, even though we know they are empty calories and don't do us any good in the long term
and
Not all people volunteer despite all the studies showing how good it is for your mental health and wellbeing
and
The majority of the population don't prioritise getting enough sleep routinely
and
not enough of us spend enough time out in the fresh air
and
not enough of us spend time laughing, again despite all the science showing how good laughing is for you
etc
etc
etc