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 personally find routine and repetitive mindless exercise like jogging exceptionally boring. Pounding the pavement 4 times a week is my idea of hell. I like the gym, cycling, and swimming but do it when I feel like it a few times a month and that’s fine. Sometimes I do less and sometimes more, it realty doesn’t matter.

Both in secondary school, give over, that’s a completely different situation to someone with children in primary!

I used to exercise loads and now I have a small child, ft very demanding job and am literally so exhausted I cannot find the energy. I assume things will change when child gets bigger

I 😆mean seriously though who gives a flying fuck that she manages to go running several times a week? Only her. I've lost 13 stone. I dont make posts saying how it's inexcusable that other people haven't lost weight because if I can do it then surely no one else has an excuse? I'd get my arse handed to me and it'd be justified. 😆

What about a two year old and no childcare? As soon as he goes to bed, or my husband takes over at the weekend, I have to work as fast as I possibly can. Genuinely no rest and no time to exercise.

When I had young kids and no-one to relieve me for 40 minutes, I couldn't have gone running, like many here. How fortunate you are, OP, to have the kind of support that enabled you to do that when you had young kids. You can feel smug but not everyone is that lucky.

I hate running anyway but I get a lot more than 4 x 40 minutes of exercise a week. I aspire to more than the small amount you do.

Of course, not everyone has the health or energy to do it either. They aren't less than because of it.

I think people are missing the point. It's not about running, it's about any form of exercise. You should prioritise exercise every day. There's no excuse. Run up and down the stairs 20 times, do head shoulders knees and toes , sit ups, press ups. It's not that hard to incorporate it into your say, while at home if you can't get out. And for anyone with a dog, you should be walking that poor animal at least once per day.

Well that’s great for you. I can’t just leave my children home alone whilst I go for a run.
I get home from work and feed them/get them ready for bed. Then I tidy up and do prep for the next day. Generally takes me to 8;0.
then I finish off work as I needed to leave early to collect the from nursery in time. Generally takes me to 10pm.
theres 8 hours left till I need to get up in the morning to get ready for work / nursery and there’s a good chance I will need to get up with my toddler 1+ times in the night.
where do you want me to squeeze it in?

Ah, thank goodness you’re here! How else would anyone have worked out that dogs need walked?

Sit ups and press ups will damage me (literally can't do them and they actually aren't that great for the pelvic floor, I believe), I don't have stairs in the main house. I don't go running. However, my fitness watch, which resets on a Monday morning, says I have 177 intensity minutes so far this week, which is even more than OP runs!

Thanks for reminding me that dogs need walking. I'd totally forgotten. (Even though they did actually get an hour this morning). Though farm and working dogs don't necessarily need as much formal walking.

I'm really sorry that with all your laudable exercise that it's clearly not making you happy to the extent you're quite horrible to other people. I feel sorry for you OP.
Kindness is free, and being that insecure to feel attacked by other people's lives, choices and struggles must be a really hard way to live. Are you ok?

Oh knob off. No lots of people don't have 40 mins a day to go for a run. Lots have to work all the hours god sends and when they aren't they would like to spend some time with their kids or on things they enjoy. If that's running then whoopdy doo for you but it's not for everyone. I work 7 days a week in 2 quite physically demanding jobs,have an 8 year old daughter, 2 dogs and 5 horses to sort out and the last thing I fancy doing at the end of a long day is go for a run. Why do you give a toss what anyone else does with their often limited spare time?

Some people prefer to spend their valuable free time on more cerebral activities, which, from your post, is obviously not your thing. I get that you prefer your mindless repetitive activity. Come back and tell us how you are in coming years, once you've completely knackered your knee joints.

I have time. We all have the same hours in a day. I don't have that time free though. Between my 3 children and the house, with my husband working shifts, I don't have much time for myself at all.
I have a neighbouring couple who I really admire who both run regularly, together and separately. But they're in the position you are. Two high school aged children.
Some people really are too busy.
Yes I can spend time on the sofa each day. What people don't consider while I'm sat there though is that I'm pumping milk to feed my baby, who is asleep in front of me and basically always with me.
Trust me, I'd love to run. Or cycle. Or return to the yoga classes I absolutely loved before. But it's a while off for me.
It's 4something AM and I'm sat scrolling with a double pump attached to me and a 4 month old asleep on my lap. I could stay up and go for a run after this, I guess, but then I'll be running and continuing to exist all day on 3-4 hours of sleep.

Sounds like you already fit in plenty of exercise then and wouldn't need to go running. The OP was about exercise not running, for the OP it's running, for others it's something else.

OP @Hollyandivygoout if you have kids secondary school age you are likely at least in your 40s, and would be advised to do strength training of some kind along with running, to avoid losing too much muscle mass and getting injured, ans support joints better. I do two runs a week, two sessions more focused on weights and callisthenics (which still raises the heart rate), and one yoga class.

We've collectively as a society made exercise pretty hard and miserable. I can run regularly, but I can see how people can't. We need more linked up green spaces, better bike and walking trails, and better active transport options.

I guess @Hollyandivygoout is too busy and important to come back to her goady thread.

I generally do a couple of exercise classes per week and one or 2 runs. I can't often fit an extra run in the week though, even though I don't watch telly.

Yesterday:
Up before 6 (so can't exercise early). Leave for work at 7.
Home at 6. Marked until 730. Made tea. Cleared up.
Checked dc were OK. And that dc1 was revising. Remember I need to find time to teach him how do analyse poems properly.
Sewed pair of trousers that needed fixing.
Went to bed to read. Crashed at by 10.

I hate it when I can't do mid week exercise but sometimes you genuinely can't.
Do I get up at 530 and run? But then I'll be even more tired at night and won't be able to read.

We all make time for doing the things we enjoy and we avoid doing what we don’t like.
You run. Some people scroll through their phones, watch tv, read.
I have a relative who runs every morning and evening and does half marathons, posts photos etc. she works F/T in a not very demanding job. She pisses me off, expecting everyone to admire her. Her house is a tip and is pretty grimy. Her DH has a very demanding job but ends up shopping and cooking and looking after the 2 young kids while she is out running.
Plenty of men are like this, too. Their lives are work and leisure and nothing else.

But you have time to look on here?
And it’s not specifically running … any exercise, things can be fine at home for 30 minutes.

She only posted it to watch people froth, and everyone dutifully fell into line.

Loooool … love all the people on here that have zero time for exercise but obviously have the time to sit on here reading posts and commenting!!!
Also, the OP has said exercise, it’s not specifically running so all those excuses of don’t feel comfortable, have kids at home etc etc, there are many things that can be done at home in the front room … put down the phone and move, you’ll feel better for it.
Wonder how many have not time but do have time for a trip down the doctors for ailments caused by being unhealthy and overweight?? 🤔

You can do exercise in the home doesn’t have to be a run or gym.

Absolutely! I have no time for people with performative hobbies. Lots of us quietly get on with busy lives and don’t judge how others spend their lives. Because someone isn’t‘ visibly exercising doesn't mean they are sitting at home in front of the tv.
Maybe the OP is just being provocative.