I don't know how to exercise...help!

[unfestive]

So my New Year's resolution is to look after my health a bit better (original I know). But over the last few years I've got into very bad habits with diet, alcohol and zero exercise. I would like to lose at least 1.5-2 stone but more importantly I need to look to the future and think about my long term health.

I don't want to go full throttle in January as I know I'll start strong but then give up. So my plan is to clean up my diet and attempt dry January (or at least a slightly damp January - certainly no weeknight drinking) in the hope that these things will boost my motivation and give me more energy to exercise eventually too.

But the thing is I just don't know where to start. I'm one of those people that goes to the gym once in a blue moon, goes on the treadmill/bike for a bit then fannies around on weight machines with no real understanding of reps, technique or benefits. And in any case I don't get time to go the gym often enough for it to make the tiniest bit of difference anyway.

Realistically I have maybe 30-45 minutes in a morning where I could do something at home. But what? Would any beginners workout do as long as I'm getting moving? My only real goal is to improve fitness and health. I feel like something like couch to 5k would work for me as it has precise instructions and a routine...but I hate running so I don't think starting with that would help much.

Please...where do I begin? Because not knowing is what puts me off and then nothing ever changes. I need focus and maybe some sort of daily challenge to keep me on track.

I do the Leslie Sansom walking exercises.
Easily found via Google.

I think you're being very sensible to take it slowly. For example running when you are 2 stone overweight is horrible and demoralising.

In the early days I would find something you can do at home and fit in. I would do this on-top of walking, I think it's a mistake to think of going for a walk as having done your exercise for the day, walking is simply moving as you should anyway. IMO a good start is someone who has a variety of workouts with differing lengths. I would recommend:

https://m.youtube.com/c/growingannanas

She has a variety of workouts with differing amounts of time eg 40s on 20s off. She has a 14 day back to basics and lots of 28 day plans. Yes sometimes they are a little repetitive but when you know you're only doing 30 mins you keep going. She does include weights too.

Caroline Girvan is also very good and popular on the exercise threads. She's very weight focused. She has a great little 15 min dumbbell workout.

Others include Heather Robertson and Lucy Wyndham Read. All on YouTube.

Have you looked at ‘Grow with Jo’ on YouTube?

Thank you for the tip about Burn Pilates, I’ve just finished their standing workout and I enjoyed it a lot! It was challenging enough and pregnancy-friendly at the same time.

I have to go to fitness classes, ones that you pay for in advance are better as it motivates me to go

I follow a lady called Lucy/ Lucyssquad on YouTube she is brilliant and does many different types of work out for different amounts of time. I do her morning and evening one most mornings/nights and then I also do an odd 20 mins every other night. In January when my daughter goes to school I plan on either joining a gym or starting to go walking/running 2/3 times a week.

start slow and apparently it takes 21 days to build a habit!