What benefits to you find from exercise and how did you start?!

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I’m not really unfit but I don’t feel fit fit! I try and walk as much as I can and a few days a week I hit 10,000 steps but I don’t really do any other exercise.
In past I’ve done a bit of running and yoga but I’m struggling to find my motivation at the moment.
What benefits do you find from exercise & how do you motivate yourself to start with?

I have a dog and she's needs walking and running, otherwise I wouldn't get up and do anything! I walk really fast and am reasonably fit because of it

Key for me was finding an exercise I enjoy. Oh and living 5 mins walk from the venue. And the DC being old enough to fend for themselves and no longer needing ferrying to swimming/gym/scouts/friends houses every single evening. Only when that happened did I start exercising regularly. I walk the dog before work listening to a podcast or audiobook that helps me relax for an hour then after work and weekends I do classes - body attack, yoga, Pilates, body balance. Something like 10 classes a week now and I love it. Started being able to do more stuff when my youngest was 13, it wouldn’t have been possible before, I started with yoga then added more and more. I absolutely love my classes, I look forward to them and feel like it’s a treat, plus it helps me manage my back pain, it only flares up occasionally now. If something feels like a chore I make all sorts of excuses and don’t go but because I love going, I get quite irritated if something comes up on a class night that prevents me from going. Still not slim though 🙄

Loads of benefits

I look better (shallow, but…)
I feel better, more energy
Better posture
More aware of my body, helps me make healthier food choices
I drink more water
I feel more confident about joining friends and family for physical activities

How did I start… I am historically a total exercise avoider. I finally accepted that I would never do stuff off my own bat and I needed to book into classes. I also found Barre which I really like. I had done Pilates first which I would always advise as a starting off point, to avoid injury - Barre is like Pilates but more fun.

I’m currently doing 4 classes a week, which is a bit of an expense but I’m aiming to replace some of those with C25K now that the weather is better and I’m fitter. But I will need to make sure I do the runs at set times (way back from school drop off) so I actually do them!

I do home exercise as it's the only way I can fit it in. I started during lockdown - set myself up with a mat, hand weights, boxercise gloves and resistance bands. I have to do it first thing in the morning otherwise it doesn't happen - I lay my workout gear out the night before and put it on before I leave the bedroom! I also agree with a PP that the "Something is bett than nothing" philosophy helps on low motivation days - 15 minutes of exercise is better than 15 minutes on the sofa.

I go to fitness classes 3 times a week, 45 minutes classes focusing on building strength and toning up. Using bar weights and dumb bells, squats/lunges/abs etc.
I go with my friend. She had been going on/off for years. I had never gone to anything before.
Been going for 18 months now. I’ve lost several inches all over and everything is a bit firmer. Also lost 3/4 of a stone.
I wasn’t overweight but at the top end of healthy weight and bum/tummy/thighs were soft and jiggly.
After a class I feel good, only way to describe it.

This for me - I love my gym. It’s expensive and I have to go a lot to feel like it’s worth it but it’s a treat to go and I enjoy it.

I just feel better in myself. Less achey, all the pains go away and my skin feels much better. I am able to cope with things mentally, less anxious and more chilled out. It also reduces my appetite (I crave all sorts of unhealthy shit if I can't exercise post illness). I feel happier, can lift things like shopping bags more easily and climb stairs without getting out of breath.
I got into through watching my relatives run marathons. My grandad would take us running and time us doing sprints. I was always interested in yoga, sports, dance and gymnastics. I was a good sprinter but became injured. Now it's weights mostly and my own workouts like choosing 8 types of exercise that I do at home e.g hold a plank for 30s, rest in sitting position against door 30s. I tried p90, dance videos and now back to going to a gym again and swimming. Weights I like to do at home.