Hate exercise and eating healthily

[Englishrose223]

Don't enjoy exercise or eating healthy but am about 3 stone overweight at least and need to make a change. I need your tips and help!! How can I enjoy exercise more? How do I start cooking and eating healthy??!

What exercise have you tried?

What don’t you like about ‘healthy’ food? I struggle to believe that you don’t like anything healthy.

What does a typical day look like?

Do you walk much? Could you try driving less and walking more? That way you don't have to love / enjoy it but just see it as a way of getting from a to b. I do drive but not daily and walk at least 2 hours a day. Not practical for everyone I know.

With diet I used to binge eat chocolate daily but now only eat it on Sunday. It took a lot of willpower at first but now comes naturally. Could you wean down the junk food to just one treat day a week?

Plant based as much as you can personally manage will help loads too imo.

What's your definition of eating healthy, and what exactly do you dislike? fwiw for me it's lots of vegetables, moderate amounts of lean protein, small quantities of complex carbs healthy fats and dairy. Plus a wide range of herbs and spices.

Exercise - find an online trainer you like. Lucy Wyndham Read, Rebecca Louise, Growingannanas, Caroline Girvan.

I'm the same OP. Although I like cooking interesting, healthy(ish) meals. I snack constantly if I'm not at work.

I hate exercise. Or rather, I hate the type of exercise that I would be able to do. I'd love to get back into climbing or take up weights at the gym but that costs £££ and time I can't afford to spare.

Just following for inspiration

If I can't get to the gym I just go for a walk. I'm lucky that my dd loves walking too. We just talk about our day. You could also buy some hand weights and do a quick YouTube video.

With regard to diet, try to fill your plate with lots of colour. I feel short changed now if I don't have salad or veg on my plate (after a childhood of mainly beige foods!)

You must like something! Walking, swimming, dancing, yoga - DIY, gardening?

I’m not a sport person but I like walking and being active. I have recently started Reformer Pilates which is amazing. I’m addicted to it. I never thought this would happen! I also started running 3x a week which I can’t believe. Im in my late 40s and I need this stuff for my health, which is more motivating to me nowadays than vanity. I do look better though and I feel great. you only need to find one or two things you like, and they can be things you do to get from a to b such as walking or cycling. Keep trying til you find something!

I am similar, and trying to improve my health before a heart operation. It is very difficult. I have been able to force myself to walk more and try to eat less high fat stuff and more veg and salad. Hopefully we can all share tips or encouragement here.

I'd love to get back into climbing or take up weights at the gym but that costs £££ and time I can't afford to spare.

You don't need a gym membership to do weight training, @NoHopeNoJoy . Try Caroline Girvan - free on YouTube. All you need is 2 pairs of dumbbells. Highly recommended - Caroline's workouts are life changing.

Food wise eg you have a baked potato and beans/ some cheese that’s healthy, beans on toast? A boiled egg? Healthy doesn’t just mean salad.

It means cutting down, not having white bread with everything, having fruit/ a yoghurt instead of a share bag of crisps. For me it was all fizzy drinks cereal and crisps. Snacking every night. I lost a stone by literally sitting on my hands/ knitting/ eating a frozen yoghurt instead of eating Pringles and drinking coke. I halved how much bread I ate and only had an egg for breakfast and had my small bowl of cereal in the afternoon instead of snacking on cereal all day. Aside from that it was normal eating!

Mumsnet is better than Google.

Interesting username, @TheHateIsNotGood ...... Why so disparaging? Many people struggle with healthy eating and exercising - surely you'd want to focus on helping rather than sneering?

I've been looking at her workouts. How heavy should the weights be for a total novice?

@Englishrose223 - Meera Sodha has a lot of simple but tasty vegan recipes at the Guardian. All you need to add is some chicken, fish or eggs if you want a healthy omnivore diet.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/article/2024/jul/04/meera-sodhas-vegan-recipe-for-golden-garlic-and-lemon-spaghetti

Your reply is so rude. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't bother! What's wrong with looking for tips about how to be more healthy? I'm just trying to make positive changes. Jesus, look at yourself. How nasty.

It depends on your current fitness. I started with 3kg but probably could have managed 4kg.

Now working out with 8, 10 and 12.5 kg. Plus a single 15kg for overhead lifts.

I got mine from JD Sports, Argos and Factory Weights, but also via Freecycle. People who are trading up often sell on their old dumbbells. Or there is the option of adjustable dumbbells, but they tend to be somewhat fiddly and bulky.

But even buying new works out way cheaper than a gym membership. Caroline's programmes are very well structured. I particularly like EPIC Heat and EPIC 3.

Classes. It makes it all alot more fun. Walking through thr door the first time us the hardest part. Once you find one or two people you like/make friends with it massively helps with making it all a bit more fun. My first body combat class I had no clue what I was doing, I even fell over in one , but you soon.learn to laugh at the stuff ups and look forward to seeing all the regulars. Now I love it. The instructors, the people, they are all fab.

I've also found having a PT useful. Having someone there to push you to Try new things, and make sure you do them.properly so you don't hurt yourself is a huge help. You can tell them what your aims are and what you want to focus on ( I decided I wanted to give weight lifting a go and I'm really enjoying it) and they will come ups with a program fir you. And you are less likely to give up when you have someone who is encouraging you and as a back.up if you need help.

You must be a very unhappy person that this is your only contribution. Hope you feel happier soon and can be a bit nicer to people just looking for some help. Take care!

I think you need to lie down in a dark room, @TheHateIsNotGood , as you are clearly unwell.

And stop derailing this thread.

Again, a rude unhelpful response. What's wrong with people. Go away please.

@TheHateIsNotGood I think you need a new username as ironically you seem to be a fan of spreading hate.

Hi op meet your sister!!

I love nice food and hated exercise until recently.

I started very small.. little walk around the block in the morning then again in the evening if I was up to it. Just persevered with it until it became a habit. I also bought some small weights and started working on my upper body. Now I feel a bit rubbish if I don’t do something every day.
it also has a knock on effect with food because you feel like it’s undoing your hard work.

so my advice is to start small and gradually increase your time and effort so it’s not that noticeable.

Sorry you've had these rude responses, @Englishrose223.

Have a look at Lucy Wyndham Read. She is lovely and calm - not overenthusiastic and shouty like some online trainers. Most of her workouts are short and very manageable for novices.

I particularly like this workout of hers:

She also has some indoor walking and running programmes. Particularly useful if you feel self conscious about running outside.