To not know where to squeeze in more exercise?

[squashedalmondcroissant]

Not really an AIBU as I probably do know in reality 😂 More looking for advice/recommendations etc!

I want to exercise more not just for the weight loss aspect but more for my own fitness and flexibility, I want to be strong, toned and healthy rather than wobbly and flabby. I want to be able to swim or run without gasping for breath and be able to move freely and 'functionally'. I've been watching a lot of exercise videos and following people giving workouts on Instagram and I find it all so inspiring, I really want to try them out but I'm just so knackered I don't have the energy to do it!

I don't drive so I walk to work, about 25 minutes each way at least 4 days a week depending on my shifts. I also walk the dog, probably 45 minutes a day again depending on work shifts. I have a fairly active job where I'm on my feet all day so on a busy day I can easily hit 20,000 steps, even on quiet days it's rare that I do less than 10,000. I walk/hike sometimes on my days off, maybe making my dog walks a bit longer or I try and roller skate if the weather is good. Obviously if I have to go to the shop or anything on days off I have to walk there too so I get quite a bit of exercise already but because of this I'm just so tired at the end of the day I don't want to do more exercise! I don't feel like I ever do a 'proper' weight bearing workout though, It's all just transporting myself from A to B!

I find it really hard to motivate myself to exercise first thing in the morning but if I'm too tired at the end of the day what do I do? Aibu to not know where else to squeeze it in? Do I have to just suck it up and make myself do it? Feel free to give me a kick up the backside, I need it!

Can you turn some of the walks into runs?

You do a lot of cardio but not any strength training. If you did 10 mins a couple of times a week that would proabbly help. You could do upper and lower body and alternate them, then it really wouldn't take much time. Or like others say wear weights when you walk.

The good news is you do quite a bit of cardio already so you're ahead of the game in that sense. If your workplace has shower facilities, it could be worth turning a walk to work into a run. (Or coming home, but from experience when you're knackered after a day's work isn't the best time to run - but some people actually prefer it.)

The other bit of good news is that strength training, which is the bit you're missing, isn't especially time-consuming - it just needs to be built in regularly. It can be as simple as a few sets of press-ups, crunches and sit-ups every couple of days. Or buy some kettle bells and look up a workout. Or look up one of the many home workout plans out there, there are all sorts tailored to whatever timeframe suits you. But it doesn't need to take more than 15 minutes per day. The results will be cumulative rather than gradual but it's about building a routine.

Also, when you go to the shop, heavy shopping bags can act like kettle bells to liven up the walk home...

I like the fiton app - it has lots of quite short workouts, many without much of any equipment and I use it for 10-15 minute strength workouts as I run (reluctantly and for short periods) for cardio, although they also have short HIIT workouts for cardio which get me POURING sweat really fast so I do those sometimes if I really can't face going out for a run. I also do yoga, I just moved so haven't found a yoga studio yet, but Yoga with Adriene on youtube is great. Even doing a 20 minute video a couple of times a week will be good for flexibility and strength but obvs better if you do it more often- she does a 30 day challenge every Jan and when I do it the difference after 30 days is AMAZING. Though I've never managed to stick to it - one day!

I second yoga with Adriene. It makes you feel really relaxed, while strengthening everything. And she has a cute dog.

If you want 60 days free peloton app just PM me
It's got yoga, barre, bodyweight stuff, stretching, no equipment really needed

Caroline Girvan has a cute dog too! Lifting weights is the most important exercise you can do (I was a confirmed cardio addict before, but have been converted to the benefits of weights):
Yoga is great but it doesn't strengthen your skeletal muscle and bones like lifting does:

@squashedalmondcroissant - for strength work (which is what you are missing), every day is not ideal, especially for a beginner. If you did a full body Pilates class once a week, that would be half the gov recommendation (see my link below). Obviously you can do more if time allows and you enjoy it, but I would focus on getting those foundation boxes ticked first.

Maybe just focus on some short weight training workouts to add in. You are massively active already! Weights will tone you up.