That a 20 minute workout is enough?

[Isthisreally]

Early 40s and spent my entire life skinny-fat, eg a size 8-10 but rolls of flab everywhere. I absolutely hated exercise and wouldn't do anything beyond a walk. When I say I hated it, I would feel like throwing up, panic, cry, feel ashamed and generally feel lots of very negative emotions about myself. I was very uncoordinated, clumsy, weak, and always had a sense that my body had never fully calibrated with my inner being (if that makes sense!).

So anyway, something changed last year and I decided that I had to take the bull by the horns and stop this. I bought a smart watch and aimed for 10k steps a day. This became addictive!

Then I got myself a set of 1.5kg dumbells and did a few Caroline Girvan videos. It almost felt like she was my friend and she wasn't judging me (I know, this sounds nuts!!!) And was doing it 4 times a week for around 2 months. I moved from 1.5kg weights to 3kg over 2 months and felt like I was much stronger in my day to day life. The only thing was, i could only work out for 20 minutes. Once I started feeling sick or headachy, I stopped. I knew if I kept going I would never do it again but if I stopped, I would be back to it a day or two later.

I also adopted new habits of 'snack' sized exercises; taking the stairs, standing when I could sit, doing standing core exercises waiting for the bus, squats as the bath ran etc.

Working mum life took over and the regime stopped for around 4 or 5 months. Tonight I tried again after that break And to my delight I could use the 5kg dumbells for half the workout, 3 for the other. Again, I got to 20 minute and had to stop as i felt sick and headachey. I want to do it again soon and know I wont if I push through while feeling unwell.

So, aibu to stick to 20 minute workouts so long as i am being really mindful of my moves, challenging myself the entire 20 minutes and lifting as heavy as I can, progressively challenging myself in that way? And, if so, will I tone up at all or does that take hours?

I should assume that im a migraine sufferer and never push through anything where I feel im at risk of being wiped out for 2 days.

20 mins is fine but I would work on adding in other things - warm ups, cool downs, stretching, and cardio. Add in just one thing for five mins this week and then look at it again next week. The trick with exercise is making it a habit.

I went from nothing to 30-45 mins seven days a week. I cycle, do strength, yoga, and add in stretching and meditation. I’m making sure I switch each day up (so don’t do strength two days in a row) and use the yoga and stretching as my recovery days (or a non-class ride - I have a peloton). My energy levels are way better, as is my sleep, and I’m also pleased I’m actively doing something to hopefully protect myself as I get older.

You’re doing great, OP!

It’s very possible YOUR 20 minute workouts are like HIIT workouts and totally amazing

put into chat gpt what you’re doing and the fact that after 20 minutes you’re getting fatigue symptoms. I bet money it comes back as you’re doing a great job that’s building strength, muscle, bone density etc

Yeah of course, it’s more than most do. I think the average step count in the UK is about 4K a day, we’re a bone idle nation.

This makes interesting reading. I do the Burpee Girl dance and hit 10 min workouts every day. I did go Jessica Cooke’s work outs either 3kg weights a few years ago which were ok, but I didn’t get the dopamine hit I get with other work outs. I know 10 mins every morning doesn’t sound like much, but I find it very sustainable.I am completely uncoordinated cause I have an eye problem. Just asked for a referral for a Dexa scan cause I’ve had breast cancer and I’m on Tamoxifen, I’m 51 and post menopause. Think I might give Caroline a go depending on scan results when I get.

YANBU at all. This is brilliant. You have discovered a form of exercise you enjoy that works for you. I have often read that short frequent bursts of exercise are way better for us than less frequent long ones. So 20 mins every other day plus a few 2-5 min bursts each day, and 10k steps is way better than one very gruelling high intensity hour or 90 minute bootcamp once a week.

Keep at it. I love exercising like this too.

20 mins is great. Better to do 20 mins 3x a week than an hour once a month!

Want to echo others here though, definitely nip to your GP about the feeling sick etc. I was the same when I first started running 10 years ago. Turned out I was severely anaemic (iron deficient). A blood test was all it took to find out and I was soon on iron tablets and feeling SO much better.

Yeah 20 mins a few times a week is great going OP. Sustainable & is obviously working for you if you've got stronger. You're clearly pushing yourself.

Don't worry about what all these influencers with no jobs are doing in the gym, you're doing great.

Thank you everyone! I think a big part of the issue is literally timing and time. My children are young and one still doesnt well at night; she won't settle at bedtime and then wakes in the night. I get up very early and work full time.

Here is my schedule:
5.45am: alarm goes off. I get up before everyone to wash and get myself ready and these 45 minutes where I have my breakfast and coffee, shower and put on my make up/do my hair are non negotiatiable and a hugely important part of my 'self care'.

6.30am I get the kids up and get them ready for school.

7.30 drop kids at breakfast club/childcare. Drive to work, get parked and start work.

8-4.30work

5 pick up kids.

5.30 get home, do dinner, homework, sometimes clubs, bath etc. Its all hands on deck with me and my husband getting everyone fed, washed and organised.

8pm bedtime starts

10pm realistically is the time everyone is asleep.

10.30 asleep because im exhausted.

2am wake up

5.50....and on and on it goes

Husband does 50% of everything as we have no support at all.

So I normally try to squeeze my weights in at 10 when I am exhausted!!!

My kids are 3, 6 and 9 by the way

You’d be better doing the workout in the morning or as soon as you get in from
work

is there any way you can squeeze it in at lunch time ??

I go every lunch to the gym for half an hour then come back and eat lunch at my desk

I used to do my workouts in the living room amongst the chaos of the kids after nursery & school - id stick tv on and just do it before we ate

can you not run out an evening or 2
a week and leave husband to bed time alone - we both do this the a few eves a week too and pop to local gym for a class or something.

I see putting kids to bed as a 1 person job tbh I think each person should get a break from it every other day cus i find it stressful having to do it every single night.
(kids are 1& 5)

@boulevardofbrokendreamss can you tell me where you downloaded your Powerwave workouts from, please?
I went to classes for years and have my own bag but I’ve struggled to find much online. I left the classes as I went back to work and struggled to fit them in.
I am so much less toned now!!! Thank you x

No OP - not for me. Anything less than a 30 minute cardio workout for me is insufficient

Hi, can you explain what you mean please? Suffient for what, if you dont mind expanding.

20 minutes is better than zero minutes.

YANBU thinking 20 mins is enough - & positive for mind & body in all sorts of ways. Re the headaches / sickness, are you taking the proper rest / drink breaks while working out, & warming up / cooling down properly? How is your diet and specifically your iron levels?

Just read your daily schedule - I work and have a 6 yo and believe little and often is enough to maintain a good level of fitness, so am happy with 10 min home workouts. I squeeze in something while dd is at club one evening a week (weights / HITT / yoga) and on a weekend morning when she’s watching tv or with DH. I walk almost 4 miles daily (school run) but am lucky to wfh to be able to do this. When I worked in an office I would walk every lunchtime.
Could you start kids’ bedtime earlier so you get a little time to yourself in the eve? I went thru a phase of putting dd to bed (which I do 99% of time as dh works most eves) then coming downstairs and doing a Pilates programme for 10-20 mins before chilling. I can fit in 5 mins yoga before bed or a short HITT workout before getting in the shower in the eve.

I love Caroline, I’ve been doing her videos for years. The 20 minute ones are enough if you use weights heavy enough to make them feel hard/like you have to stop before the timer. (But not too hard or you won’t enjoy it). If I don’t have much time I’ll do one every day as it’s “only” 20 minutes and therefore difficult to make excuses, but if I have more time I’ll do different muscle groups in a row or add one on to the longer workouts if I want consistency for a particular area. I do the 10/15 minute abs a couple of times a week and doing that consistently has given me visible abs. I would not have the desire or time to do frequent “full” ab sessions so the short ones are “enough” for me. I started off doing her cardio videos before trying weights but now prefer to do my cardio outside

I feel that to get real benefit from a cardio workout you must do 30 mins minimum

It’s better than no cardio workout at all, though…

Yes agreed

A proper tabata workout is 20 minutes long by design.

Ah yes - I did a tabata class back in 2014 - they’re hard!! Very challenging! Are those classes still going?