How do you factor exercise into your life?

[flumpsfortea]

Predictably dull but my New Year’s resolution is to really try and make time to exercise next year. I’m approaching 40 and feel the need to try and look after myself a little better and future proof my body! The problem is I hate exercise, I always have. And I’m busy with work, kids etc so I just don’t have the time and/or motivation. I do walk a fair bit. I take my dog each day and also try and walk on my lunch break. But that’s it.
At home I have a treadmill and some dumb bells. If I aim to do half an hour on the treadmill everyday and some weights a few times a week would that be a good starting point? I have no clue where to begin or if this would even be worthwhile but I feel like I have to do something. Also have some resistance bands.

I think the variety of different advice here shows how different it can be for everyone - it’s not a one size fits all solution.

i think everyone struggles to find the time initially, regardless of how busy you are. Like you, I also walked the dog every day but wanted to start doing more. I considered where the pockets of spare time were in my day, and for me that’s lunchtime in the lighter months, which is when I started. I couldn’t get a decent workout in at the gym in one hour including travel time, so I started doing YouTube workouts. I started with get fit with Rick, who has plenty of free workouts which start from 10 minutes. It’s easier to find a ten minute window than commit to a full gym session! I find his workouts are really easy to start with and you can find slightly longer to move up to if/when you’re able. There’s something about the structure of them that I find really fun! I still do them now, but I also use grow with jo (also shorter workouts available and she does a few which incorporate weights too which you might like).

I can’t get on with Lucy Wyndham read but I’ve found I really enjoy walking workouts, so I’ve since also found Kat gates-buettner and bodykindfitness are good for these.

now it’s dark in the evenings, I walk the dog at lunchtime so do my workouts in the evenings, and I’m joining the gym again in January to start mixing gym workouts and YouTube workouts, I may start getting to the gym before work when the weathers a bit better, but that’s a way off!

I understand why people suggest running but for me, I hate running and would never do it, so c25k would never have worked for me. Japanese interval walking might be a good start point for you though, it’s basically a walking workout where the speed varies, I really liked it.

in terms of the treadmill, I like the idea of saving a certain tv show or audio book or whatever just for treadmill time, but what worked for me is putting a playlist together of good bouncy music and adjusting the tempo and incline to the beat. It’s more enjoyable, it makes you feel like you’re strutting along to the music and/or in a music video (!) and I’d rather work at a higher intensity committing to 3 songs (which soon becomes 4, then 5, etc) than 30 minutes at a steady boring pace.

My job is my exercise - I run a dog walking business so I’m out and moving for about 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday.

Re knowing what to do with the free weights, Juice & Toya are great!

https://www.youtube.com/@JuiceandToya/playlists

Your posts have been really helpful. My instinct was the gym closest to me that has the right ‘feel’, but my inclination would be early morning classes and only one gym offers them!

If you hate it, it’s just gona be another chore!

What can you do instead? Wild swimming, yoga, netball, bike riding or something social with a friend?

the best advice I would give is start with consistently doing one thing (or gym twice a week). Going from nothing to something everyday is just not really sustainable long term and you might fall into yo-yo habits

Great start taking the dog for a walk! Only 20 mins depends whether it is a stroll or a fast walk and whether it is on a flat area or hilly.Try to get more out of the dog walk first. As you have only 20 minutes try to walk faster, therefore go further. Do you walk DC to school? On you phone you can download a free app, mine has a heart, that counts your steps some watches count heart beat. The fitter you feel the more you will want to do.

I couldn't get on with Cto5k. Tried several times, could never manage the 20 minute solid run. Didn't matter what I'd, how slow I went, I just couldn't sustain it.

does it matter? Nothing wrong with walking once or twice during a 5 or 10k, or simply alternate walking and jogging. It's just a way to get you out and moving.

What I mean is that it shouldn't put you off if you enjoy it a bit. The good thing about running is that once you have bought your trainers and your sports bra, it doesn't cost you more, and it's very flexible.

I think that's great. If you have a standing desk, you can put the treadmill under and get steps in while working or doing other stuff.
Ive been doing home workouts with dumbells and bands for over a year now. Half hour or so about 3 times a week. It works! I do feel much stronger. Loads of workouts on instagram and threads, jsut save the ones you like.
I save crap tv to watch on the tablet when I exercise as my reward for doing it. I never like it for its own sake but do feel the benefits

Yes though with all the walking just doing two/three half hour sessions with the weights would be great! Tons of YouTube videos to get you started. Start there - any is better than none but over doing it will lead to quitting! You need to aim for a sustainable schedule.

I run before work. Sometimes as early as 5am. Its the only time I can be guaranteed not to be distracted or disturbed and it means its over and done by 7.45-8am and I don’t have to worry about it.

I’m not a natural athlete and sometimes I really don’t feel like it but I drag myself out of bed and do it and always, without fail, feel better for having done it.

It really is just a case of doing it until it feels natural. There’s no way to shortcut this. It helps if you choose something you enjoy a bit so if you hate running choose something else. But the bottom line is you just have to crack on with it.

Echo getting it out of the way in the morning - I get up ridiculously early to do this, but I know after work it is just never going to happen.

Also, make sure you find an exercise that you - if not "like" - can tolerate enough to stick with.

The best exercise routine is the one you can commit to, and all that. I love swimming, for example - but can tolerate a run (and echo Park Run) as a back-up option when I can't get to the poo.

Ambient exercise! Putting laundry away, checking out groceries, cycle to the shops, walk to work, hoovering. Make exercise a part of life rather than an add on.

sorry but how is that exercise?

No one ever got fit with laundry and house chores 😂

But previous generations weren’t all working out in gyms, lifting weights and pulling themselves along reformers.

Of course housework and commuting can help you stay fit.

"help" yes

but previous generations were active full stop. It's not a bit of dusting that keep you fit.

If you think of times where portions were a lot smaller, food was not processed, laundry didn't magically get washed in a machine, food shop was done regularly and without car..

It's a whole different lifestyle

You've always been doing housework etc.. it doesn't magically become exercise when you decide to get fitter. That's the main point!

I honestly think you have to find something you enjoy or you just won't keep it up.

It can be hard to start a session of exercise but knowing if you drag your sorry arse to it, that you will enjoy it in 10 minutes time and feel good afterwards will get you over the bump.

If you know you will hate every minute of the next hour of exercise you won't make yourself do it.

If you know you will like it you will find it easier to have the discipline to go. And it is discipline, not will power, that you need.

@SereneCoralExpert but I never said just housework, the post you replied to mentioned
cycling & walking. My gps and parents have never stepped inside a gym or gone for a jog. I grew up with a car, a washing machine and a cleaner..

my grandparents were farmers and/or blue collar factory workers. They lifted heavy things daily, so that indeed counts as exercise. Me loading the dishwasher, not so much.

I def agree with the habit stacking and getting it out the way early.
Also its a good idea to start small but try and be consistent with it to form new habits.
I do mine in small doses (15 mins pilates twice a week, 20mins weights three times a week). With my cardio I find a good show on Netflix and only watch it when Im on my exercise bike or ministepper.
Then its just trying to be more active/walking in daily life.

Again no one has claimed only loading the dishwasher is enough exercise.

that can of course be interpreted differently. OP asked how to make time for exercise and a poster told her she should not add exercise, but just exercise by putting laundry away. OP probably does that anyway.

Do you like dancing? I really enjoy a channel called Mylee Dance on YouTube. I try my best to follow along and get dopamine from getting bits right! Before you go for a shower follow 3 of her videos. You’ll be sweaty and feel pumped.

@flumpsfortea the exercise that will work best is the one you'll keep up consistently.

Pre-40 is a great time to start being more active to build some muscle & bone strength before perimenopause truly kicks in!

For cardio, I focus on being super efficient. Warm up, 30 seconds super hard followed by 2-3 minutes gentle moving to recover, repeat 4 or 5 times. Stretch down. Done. Once a week on this plus 2 strength sessions is enough as long as you're not massively overeating.

NHS has some good entry level strength work here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-resistance/
Warm up, choose 2 or 3 areas, warm down.

That's 3 lots of less than 30 minutes each week & enough to make a significant difference to your overall fitness level.

Add increasing weight load as you get fitter & some yoga/meditation/tai chi to manage stress levels & you've got a great recipe to see you through the next 20 years in far better shape.

Choose smarter not harder, and eat to fuel your body with whole foods that do it good & you won't go far wrong!

Do you have any local friends who’d like to do the same? I walk loads but my favourite walks are the ones I do with female friends, we have a good old gossip along the way!

As for weights, Caroline Girvan on YouTube, I just do the twenty minute full body dumbbell workout as it’s easy to fit in (although I don’t do it as often as I should)