People who are too busy to do exercise

[Hollyandivygoout]

I run about 4 miles, 4 times a week. I’m in a routine and force myself to do it even when I can’t be arsed. It takes me about 30-40 minutes each time I go for a run and I squeeze it in early morning, before dinner, just whenever I can really. I work full time and have 2DC who are admittedly at secondary school now, but this is something I’ve always done.
My AIBU is finding it annoying when people tell me they don’t have time to do any exercise. It’s like they’re so busy and important and I’ve got all the time in the world. I honestly don’t believe that the vast majority of people can’t squeeze in half an hour a few times a week.

I get to the gym twice a week. Unfortunately I don’t have childcare for my 2 year old outside of that. I do walk a lot with him though and do things like soft play and I will crawl round behind him! I also do some exercises at home but space for equipment is very limited so it’s resistance bands and small weights mainly at home.

She BETTER have that popcorn in her treadmill's water bottle holder!

My colleagues are used to seeing me looking like a beetroot and don't bat an eyelid. 😅

Chances are if you a single working parent you don’t need to “do 5 minutes exercise in your living room” because you are likely doing 10 to 15,000+ steps a day and run ragged looking after you kids.

Doing a 5 minute work out in your living room is not going to give you any more health benefits than say, taking that time to sit and relax because you’ve been on the go all day. Or reading a book. Or meditating. Or having a quick phone catch up with a friend. This idea that cramming a crappy pointless 5 minute work out into a busy stressful life should be a top priority is nonsense.

Running is by far the easiest way to exercise quickly and with little fuss. Sadly I was injured about ten years ago and can’t run anymore. I cycle and swim but both are a lot more faff than running.

You wouldn’t. You’ve chosen to live a life that is not compatible with doing a lot of sport/exercise (or any other time-consuming hobby).

What I think people fail to understand is that those doing a lot of exercise do so because a, they enjoy it, b. They centre their life around it.

I would not live a life like yours because it is not compatible with my sport (and my two other time consuming hobbies) which between them take up 15-20 hours a week.

I used to do about 15-20 kilometers a week and absolutely loved my time running (rather slowly). Unfortunately a bad accident coupled with menopause rather put a spanner in the works. I'm now dog walking, attending Pilates class and doing weights at home but it's not the same.

OP I agree with you to some point but I think there's a stigma to weight and fitness levels that's rather hard to ignore, especially when you are in a slump. I'd also argue that many people are struggling financially and working all hours so there's time deprivation and when they aren't working sitting down scrolling might be a reasonable thing to do!

Variety of experience and the way in which we choose to live our lives is a good thing.

Exercise isn't just pounding the streets jogging or sweating it out at the gym though.
Simple gentle movement is enough even if that means putting a bit of extra effort with your housework, a few extra minutes walking the dog or walking the kids to school.

Take a look at the Blue Zones where most of the worlds longest living and healthiest folk live. None of them have got to that age in good health by sweating it out to a Jane Fonda video or slogging it out at the gym every day. They all partake in enjoyable movement like gardening, walking, swimming and simply moving the body every day.

I think we have become a tad obsessed about exercise over recent years. People were perfectly healthy years ago without having to jog 4 miles several times a week (which imo looks to be the single most miserable form of exercise) but they moved about a lot.

I’m probably a fairly good example of someone who didn’t have time to exercise. Young children, exhaustion, perimenopause and quite frankly no motivation, were all reasons for me.

Now I have teenagers, DH doesn’t leave for work until 7:30 and I work from home. I get up at 4 to go to the gym because I can and most importantly, I enjoy it. It’s fun for me. If it wasn’t, I probably wouldn’t do it.

Seriously?: "You’ve chosen to live a life that is not compatible with doing a lot of sport/exercise (or any other time-consuming hobby)."

She's describing a life working ft and having small children, very common and not something alien. Children do grow up quickly you know and can then be left home while mum is going out to the gym/a hobby.

Why do you care OP?

What business is it of yours?

OP, everyone has different circumstances.

When I wfh, I ran three lunchtimes a week, plus ParkRun, and a class on a Sunday night.

Now I'm working at an office with no shower. It is dark when I get up. It's dark when I get home. I live in a village with no street lights, and no pavements beyond the village centre. Little narrow country lanes. Running in the dark around here is very dangerous even with a head torch.

I can't wait for it to be light in the evenings. Not long to wait😊

The winter nights must fly by in your house... 🙄

No idea what you want op? A gold star? a medal? I don't see why anybody should have to defend themselves against anything they don't do that others do. So yes you are BU

I don’t particularly have time to exercise. I take it in turns with DH to get up with the baby at 4am on alternating days and then in my day “off” that I have to get up at 5:30 for work so it’s impossible to get up early enough to squeeze it in before work.
In the evenings I’m the one to pick the kids up and go straight from work to the nursery run, dinner, bath, bed etc and then DH isn’t home until 7:30pm during the week.
Technically I could go after that but honestly it’s a mixture of being so exhausted from being up from 4am and I usually don’t eat dinner until DH gets back. My evenings at the minute after the kids go to sleep are just cleaning up, having dinner, sticking on a wash, tidying up the toys, showering and bed! It’s depressing but it is what it is. I don’t moan to anyone about not having time.
I walk a lot during the day and I don’t eat too badly so it balances out.

I get what you are saying but think you're being a bit unfair too. I know full well that exercise is good for my physical and mental health however my job has recently been extremely demanding, I also have two young children, and in the past two weeks exercising has dropped off my to do list. I put this down to being a human, not a robot.

I really wish they'd make a TV programme about all the things we are meant to do as parents and then actually see if it is physically possible to have an immaculate home, homework done, home cooked meals, 150 minutes of vigorous exercise a week, quality time with kids and friends and a high flying career. Oh and be stress free and have 8hrs sleep a night. Would be interesting to watch.

Yes it is possible

Although "immaculate" house might have been "clean"

Quality time with kids and friends might have included things like exercising together and doing major home DIY together - fun

Home cooked meals - so during the week they were quick ones - pasta and a creamy vegetable sauce ; tuna pasta bake ; jackets and slaw - they are not long or complicated

What I did have was quite a short commute - 30 mins or thereabouts

This.

And I haven’t got the motivation. I’d rather do anything but exercise.

Well bully for you. Are you always this smug?

I work FT as well. I had good intentions of exercising on Monday evening but got a phone call from a relative who was having a problem I needed to help him sort out. By the time I got off the phone it was time to eat and then I had a committee meeting for a voluntary role I do so didn't get home until 10pm.

I've been away for work Tuesday - tonight. I've stayed with friends for the last two evenings so no chance of exercising.

Tonight I will get home at around 8pm. I'll be shattered and the last thing I'll feel like doing is exercise.

Tomorrow I finish work at 6.30 and am meeting friends for dinner at 7pm.

Some weeks are obviously not as busy, so I do exercise then. But I refuse to feel guilty that I can't always fit everything in.

Oh god I KNOW

All these fat fucks unable to get off their arses and just be as bloody disciplined and amazing as me you. They're not really busy, just lazy and somehow morally inferior to us you.

The good thing is you can bask in the warm glow of your superiority - hell it may even burn so brightly it will consume some extra calories! Every little helps.

We need a few more emoji's for mumsnet... like a Goady Fucker or Smug Arsehole (I'm picturing a pucker with a smirk for the latter and this is something I really didn't need to be thinking about but here we are).

It's a shame so many people won't exercise because they "don't like it"

It does so much for mental and physical health - it really makes me feel that people either don't care for themselves, or won't take responsibility for themselves ( and then expect the NHS to pick up the tab)

And they will be teaching their children the same - increasing the chance that the children will have poor health or shortened lives

It's sad

Your giving them too much credit. I was more thinking lard ass on the windup.

I agree with you OP actually.

Funny how a lot of people who don't have time to exercise do have time to post of Mumsnet or watch rubbish TV.

Exercising does not mean having to go to a pricey gym or do anything complicated.

You can just do easy things like going for a walk rather than drive to the shops, going with your kids to the local park for a walk or swimming together at the local pool or using YouTube exercise video and exercise in the comfort of your own home.

In many instances 'I don't have time to exercise' translates to 'I can't be bothered'...

The fact that we have so many people in our society who choose not to try to have a more active lifestyle and a better diet isn't consequence-free.

It means more sick days at work, more overweight people and more pressure on the NHS.

I think you have hit a nerve OP considering the defensive responses you are receiving...

I used to run. I used the Couch to 5k app and found it really good even if I had to repeat the runs a little more than the app suggested to get to my goal. That's fine.
I stopped running. A bout of ill health, a diagnosis of early onset arthritis, other demands on my free time have made it difficult to return to. But not impossible and I'm hoping I get back to it.
Cost is a barrier. You'd think just "getting out there" and putting one foot in front of the other would be fairly cost free. But getting good trainers that will protect your joints are expensive (my last ones, including gait assessment, cost £120).

I found it interesting that your post was full of frustration and was judging others. But you were also concerned that others were assuming you had a less important job or more free time than they had. Might be worth examining why you think that is the case. Is it someone close to you who is giving you this vibe?

It's great that you find that motivation. Maybe you could break down why you are motivated and offer some support to others to join you in exercise. Start a run club? Lots of women feel unsafe out on their own.