Need to start exercising, total novice, help please!

[froglet44]

I am almost 40 and I think it’s fair to say I haven’t prioritised my health for a long time. I drink, I vape, I eat a balanced ish diet but it definitely could be better (too much UPF and at least one takeaway a week) and I don’t exercise at all.

I walk a reasonable amount. I try and always walk at lunch if I’m wfh or if I’m in the office I’ll walk around the block. But it’s not really enough.

I am lazy. I have no motivation to do things I don’t enjoy and sadly I have never found any exercise I enjoy. I tried the gym but hated it. I’ve done yoga and don’t mind that but I don’t do it regularly. I would like to perhaps get into weights but I have no idea where to start. This is my problem sometimes, if I don’t know how to do something I get overwhelmed with the thought of learning it and just never bother. Add work, kids and dogs into the mix and I genuinely don’t feel like I have the time and if I do I just cannot be arsed.

I know my attitude stinks and I’m trying to reframe exercise as something unenjoyable but necessary like cleaning. I don’t like it but I know I have to do it anyway to feel better about myself.

Im also aware that from a health perspective I need to try and look after myself more. So if you have any tips for an overall healthier lifestyle with exercise in particular for someone who is clueless and lazy, then I’d be grateful.

You would love taking a body pump class 😊

Could you contact your local running club and see if any are doing a group couch to 5k, exercise is always better with others.
find your local parkrun - you don’t need to run, lots of people walk. There are tail walkers who will walk with you if you want to. it’s a great community to be part of, and it’s free. Your family could join you.

Take a look at your local leisure centre to see what classes are on?.

Starting any new exercise isn’t easy, but within a couple of weeks you will feel the difference. Same with dietary changes, once you start to feel better, it gives you a boost to continue. Don’t look at it as a diet, just opt for healthier options, nothing wrong with the odd takeaway. But the same as everything - in moderation

good luck! I hope you find something that works for you

I think you might be me! Minus the kids and add a decade anyway.
my most recent idea is using the habit stacking theory. This week I'm going to do push ups off the counter every time I boil the kettle. Squats while waiting for my laptop to log on in the morning, 10 when I break for lunch, 10 when I return from lunch and again when I shut my computer down. I'm going to do calf raises while brushing my teeth. Wall sits while the dog scoffs her food.
I just need to think of a few more things for some deadlifts, tricep dips and kettlebells swings to hook onto. Or maybe I'll do alternate days and switch these in for the squats and pushups every other day. Maybe some skipping in the garden while waiting for the dog to do her business.
No idea if it'll work, just going to give it a go and see.

how old are the kids, and is there something you could do with them? do they ride bikes? roller skate? like trampolining? swimming? dancing? just playing?

It's about finding something YOU enjoy, which of course is different for each of us.

With work, and kids, then I think it is good to go to something that is a team sport or a class so you are committed on that evening every week, and it is ring fenced 'you time'.

Might be worth trying something like 'Back into Netball' or even walking football where people are very welcoming and it doesn't matter if you are not yet as fit as you'd like to be.
But ultimately, it's just finding something YOU enjoy.
Could be 'Clubbercize' (sort of zumba in the dark). Or joining a women's rugby team. We all like or hate the idea of different things.

My salvation came in the form of the rowing machine and the elliptical at the gym. You can do both with your eyes shut. So I get loads of cardio exercise in while listening to audiobooks. I don’t actually enjoy the exercise, but I get so engrossed in my book that I am quite happy while I’m doing it.

I’ve been through the same thing and currently love going to the gym, start with classes that charge if you don’t turn up!! That pushed me to get off my bum, then I got loads of motivation when I started seeing a change in my strength, so now I attend the gym loads just because I love being so strong,

but find what works for you, try loads of different things, also remember you are only human so some days you are going to have no motivation and that doesn’t mean you should completely give up xx

Agree with @rosiemanchester - Start with gym classes that charge if you don't turn up. It worked for me. I do a regular small group weights class and feeling progressively stronger and looking better has encouraged me to stick with it. It's also motivated me to up my steps during the day so that I get some cardio in too. I also enjoy doing a Body Pump class every now and again - loads of gyms run these and they're a great full body workout and suitable for all fitness levels.

Also, Les Mills Online have a huge selection of different classes if you would prefer to work out at home. They charge a monthly subscription fee but usually offer a free trial so you can sample the various workouts.

Logistically it probably would have to be a lot of home workouts but in a way it’s harder to stick to that. If I’m in the gym or in a class then I have to do it, if I’m at home there’s always the option to stop early or not do it at all. I know most of this comes down to my mindset and I’m working on changing that but it’s very hard when it relates to things I don’t actually want to do.

Have you thought of taking up pickleball or dancing - maybe tap dancing? I think exercise is much less boring as a group activity.

I felt unfit after I had my dd and I started by doing super easy low impact workouts on YouTube. I did some for over 55s just to get used to being active again. Then when I joined a gym and started classes once I had a bit more faith in my body.

Also listening to a good playlist or a good podcast will help if you don’t actually like exercise.

Swimming is good if you have a pool near you. I got into it after recovering from an operation so needed something not high impact.

Sign up for classes if you need someone to be accountable to. Boxercise or a martial art like ladies kickboxing classes if you don't want just the gym.

Gym-

Go and do an induction, and they will give you a plan tailored to your needs. I went after my second child and felt like a big wobbly blob. I followed my gym plan to the letter 3/wk, it took about 40 mins start to finish for about 2 months and the weight just fell off, I felt and looked amazing. It was hard and boring, but I dragged myself there. Made friends, joined classes and never looked back. Confident and stromg.

You can totally do it.

I've done the Body Project workouts, many are free on YouTube. The presenters are British, fun, not too young, encouraging, much better for me than some of the coaches out there. Please have a look!
Also gyms can be very different from each other. Our local council gym has an older clientele so is much nicer for me.

I bought a walking pad, i walk on it while wfh or watching tv so i don’t need to make time in my day to use it.
I also splashed out and bought a cross trainer and some small dumbbells from decathlon, though have to be honest I’ve lost a bit of motivation to use those recently as i need to fit that into everything else i need to do.

Gardening is great exercise and you get a real sense of doing something good.

I got a stern talking to from the nurse at the GP practice about my weight and Blood Pressure which oddly gave me the motivation in my 50s to get off my backside. I have exercised before and was really very fit in my early 30s.

Anyway I joined a gym - one that does weights classes 3 times a week - it's fairly expensive and is fairly rigid on cancellation times - so to be honest it's just easier if I go and don't put any headspace into thinking of reasons for cancelling.

Before work is better for me. It gets it over and done with - I wouldn't say I enjoy it or get a high from it (a reasonable amount of smugness sometimes) but I feel it's something I'm doing for my health and I feel stronger for it. (2 years now), I've dropped a dress size too (nearly 2 dress sizes).

I also started to consciously look at my diet - and added more fibre, more veg and less snacking.

I feel better for it - I've not turned into a gym bunny, or transformed myself but I've halted what I thought was an inevitable decline.

My sister did similar through walking - 5K every morning and then building up at the weekends to more.

I think many of us are like that.

About 20 - 30 mins of what I do at the gym, I could easily do at home, but a) I feel like a right plonker on my living room carpet and b) it is too easy to think 'I'll do it later'
Which is why so many of us are suggesting either joining a team - you don't want to let the others down, plus, you might look forward to spending the time with them and the laughs you have - OR paying for a terms worth of classes so you are committed and don't want to lose the money.

Get your partner on board if you have one, so it is clear cut that you are out every Tuesday (or whenever) and it is just routine, and if you don't feel like it, both your dp and the dc are asking you why you've not gone.