AIBU to wonder how non-exercisers cope with aches as they age?

[secretgoose]

This is a curiosity post not a judgemental post.

But those who don’t go to the gym and don’t do any exercises, what kind of ailments are you living with and how old are you?

I’m 32 and I’ve been going to the gym for 4 years. I have some problems with my health occasionally such as hip tightness. I went out with my friends who don’t gym and after so long walking they both complained their legs were aching and I wondered how they will cope when they’re 40,50,60…

this isn’t judgemental because I think we have a real huge problem with exercising for aesthetics rather than how it makes us feel (as proven by the uptake of weight loss jabs). My bmi is currently in the overweight category. To look at me, I don’t look like a “gym person”. But I know I feel 10x fitter than I did in my 20s and for me, that’s what counts. Just wanted to add a little explainer so people don’t roll their eyes at me.

Maybe having a gym free/weight lifting free life isn’t as bad as I think it would be in terms of health but yeah, judging by how some of my friends are in their 30s, I really worry about it.

I’m 53 and have never really exercised, although I've had some hobbies that require me to be active. I’m waiting for a knee replacement (exercise wouldn’t have helped this), but apart from that I don’t have too many aches and pains

I was away at the weekend with a bunch of people. Most of them are older than me. (I'm 50) The past few years I've struggled to keep up with them. I do lots of walking, but mostly flat areas. We were talking on hills. Since the new year I've been swimming and going to the gym 3 times a week. I haven't lost weight, so was a bit disheartened about that, I'm still obese. But walking up those hills this year was a breeze. I kept up with the group instead of trailing far behind, and found I wasn't so knackered and out of breath as I was previously. So I will keep on with the exercise, as it is obviously doing me good. I felt so good after the walks.

I do suffer from knee pain occasionally, but I've had dodgy knees since I was a child, so put up with it.

I think I get what you're saying. I've never really done much in the way of exercise and it's because of a combination of - I'm naturally slim and don't need to exercise to lose weight, and I have always loathed the entire idea of sports/exercise which I mainly put down to my experiences of PE at school (which I think was crap because I am a bit uncoordinated and not at all competitive). My family isn't sporty and I have never seen much of a point to it.

But you're right that there are more benefits to exercise than just losing weight or doing it because you enjoy it, and I'm realising that more as I get older. I have started doing pilates which is quite good and helps a lot with core strength. It feels gentle in terms of I don't have to charge about getting all sweaty and muddy but OTOH it feels like it's actually doing something. My gynaecologist recommended it over yoga for this reason. She said yoga is only good for fitness once you get to a very advanced level.

I'm 45 and I do no exercise. I don't smoke, I drink about 7 units a week.

I did running for exercise (a lot) from age 30 - 39, as I was running a lot I started to do other exercise like circuits /weights to augment my running, then stopped completely.

I now do no deliberate exercise, I don't walk, run or do any gym exercise or stretching.

I was at a swimming pool yesterday (kids, slides, school closed) and wandered into the main pool and did about 4 lengths about 3 or 4 times. I felt more out of breath than I would like to. I feel fine today. I'm generally very physically inflexible but I always have been, I did dance and gym as a child and teenager and despite regular stretching I was worse than average.

When I exercised a lot I had occasional aches and pains from the exercise, now I have occasional aches and pains for no reason. I am very happy and healthy and my BMI is 22 but I micro-dose GLP1 to easily keep it there. When I was running it was similar, otherwise if I do nothing, it sits at 25 - 27. I'm tired because I don't sleep enough, this is not exercise related.

I should start exercising again and I should sleep more.

On the plus side I eat really well and have started to see the benefits of my skin care regime. When I was running I didn't eat as nutritiously and didn't wear sunscreen - except to prevent sunburn. I don't know when I'll have time or motivation to do it all.

I freely admit to exercising (walking) daily just to look good.

I don't run any more - haven't for at least 20 years - because I injured myself running. Oh the irony.

I'm 61, bmi is 21, and I do not have aches or pains. I do have an excellent mattress and I think that makes a difference. Neither of my parents and none of my grandparents ever had arthritis or rheumatism, so perhaps genetics plays a part too.

It’s not really exercising in the gym that stops aches and pains as we age.

It is the constant sitting that causes issues.

If you have a job that requires lots of moving about or you’re a parent to young kids or you’re retired but spend your days pottering about - that is more effective on your joints etc than if you sit down all day and then go to the gym for an hour.

I don’t think we got to a stage where older people were healthier and more mobile but now we’re going the opposite way.

When I was younger we would play, then as we’d get older we’d hang around town, we’d play knock knock ginger, then we’d go clubbing - not even healthy things as such but they all involved not sitting on our asses indoors all day.

So many young people do not move their bodies enough and this will absolutely have an impact on them later on in life.

I don't really get your point about the aesthetics. Exercise doesn't really make people look good unless they are exercising really regularly, almost obsessively and already eat a very healthy low fat diet. I would say anybody I know exercises because it's good for their general health and any toning or weight loss is a side effect. Many people I see at my level (not very fit) at yoga or exercise classes are slim sometimes very thin. They must be there for other reasons. My ds is extremely fit with a 6 pack, trains almost daily in his team sport and it's his whole life, he is extremely passionate about the sport. The body he has developed reflects this but wasn't the goal. Similarly my friend started to exercise because of family history of a particular condition and became addicted and competitive and now runs half marathons and does hyrox. She loves her fit body and is strong but was always slim, you wouldn't notice the difference in her unless she was half naked, she hasn't changed clothes size.

There's nothing wrong with exercising to look good, but I do think it's a shame that's its promoted that that's the main reason.
My mum and grandma both worked in jobs where they were on their feet a lot (care work, retail) and due to that, and a bit of smoking and the terrible diet is advice in the 70s and 80s, they were always slim. Exercise for them was always something women did to lose weight, so it didn't apply to them. Unfortunately as they aged, both moved very quickly from 'slim' to 'frail'. Whilst they both avoided the typical illnesses associated with being very overweight such as heart disease, neither were very healthy as they got older and both died from illnesses that could have been survivable otherwise.

Sounds like you’re doing amazing!!

I absolutely sympathise. I joined the gym because I was a few pounds from being obese and the doctor was threatening to take me off the pill because of it. Absolutely terrifying concept as someone with horrific periods.

I also found gyms really daunting so I joined a gym and explained at reception I was really anxious. A member of staff walked me round everything and I felt like a total berk. Not sure if I was holding stuff correctly, embarrassed I couldn’t lift any of the weights. Totally out of my comfort zone. I did a few exercises I was comfortable with and repeated them. At the start just focus on making the gym a familiar environment. I then got a gym app which creates workouts for me and it has videos explaining how to do them. Some of the people who initially looked “big and scary” I’ve now spoken to and gym people are the nicest!!! They’re all so lovely and always happy to help.

Yeah absolutely!!! But I also do yoga most nights before bed which I think must help more than I realise.

I also don’t “push” myself beyond my limits. I read a terrifying story about a lady who ended up shattering her pelvis because she was so determined to lift like the women do on Instagram. You can also achieve a nice stretch in the gym with weights if you go down on your weights which I do if I’m feeling injury prone.

I’m not perfect but DOMs tend to show up after I’ve had a long break. And I think this is the other thing that puts people off - they don’t realise the DOMs will stop after a month, they think it’s a permanent feature of going to the gym.

Do some hamstring stretches and you’ll be right as rain before long

It’s a lot better than it was 24 hours ago.

The worst aches I’ve ever had were in the couple of days after I started an Ashtanga yoga class. I honestly wondered if I’d got flu or something.

Exercise makes me feel energised and healthier. I do have aches constantly and wondered if I have fibromyalgia tbh. Exercise does I prove this. Currently walking and pilates. Used to run and cycle a lot but too many injuries to continue

Possibly these non exercisers do another different physical work and are not overweight to have aches.
Everyone is different.

this isn’t judgemental because I think we have a real huge problem with exercising for aesthetics rather than how it makes us feel (as proven by the uptake of weight loss jabs)

this actually made me laugh out loud. How on earth has weight loss jabs proven it’s about aesthetics. For most its about the health risks associated with obesity.
and as you’re over weight you face those risks, no matter how much exercise you do.

yes when losing weight aesthetics come into play. Of course they do. Few like being fat or how they look fat. Maybe you do and that’s fine, but what difference does it make to you.

I wonder how much difference regular household activity makes. Grocery shopping for example involves lifting and twisting and heavy weights. Preparing a meal is physical, from vigorously chopping veg or whisking a sauce or scrubbing a pot. Laundry requires bending and moving constantly. Mopping, vacuuming, making beds etc. I sometimes think if I did structured exercise I'd end up needing a cleaner, online shop more and eat more ready made meals. I wonder genuinely which would be more beneficial if it was a choice.

I’m not smug or sneery in the slightest but I can absolutely see how I’ve come across that way.

I hated the gym when I started and was chasing a certain look. My primary motivation for starting was because I have PCOS and awful PMS, so I take the pill. You can’t be on the pill if you’re over a certain weight so the doctor was threatening to take me off the pill, which for me would have been like a death sentence and that’s not an exaggeration, my menstrual cycle on its own literally causes me hell.

I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, but I’m not smug because I know if I didn’t have hellish hormones - I would never have started. I have total empathy and care for people on all different health trajectories. It’s tough as hell out there. It’s so hard to stick to any regime.

I was intrigued because of my own ignorance and revelations as my health journey has progressed. I didn’t think my back pain would vanish as a result of working out as silly as that sounds. I can open cans etc without having to ask my husband for help!

What I’ve learnt from this thread is that the key is to have an active lifestyle in whatever form that may be. Whether it’s walking, gardening, sports, gym. I’m very sedentary because of my job so I have to force exercise into my lifestyle but it sounds like others already have an active lifestyle without having to think too hard about it.

So I appreciate it looks like I’m just being a judgemental nosy Parker, I think you learn more by talking to others and I can’t really have this discussion with friends or loved ones without offending them which obviously I wouldn’t want to do.

I'm 48 and have just started some exercise classes again, but it was after a gap of about 8 years of no exercising at all. I think I also didn't exercise or do sports at all until I was in my late 20s. It's something I do when I have spare time, but not a priority, and when life is busy I don't force myself to do it. I've never felt much in the way of aches and pains, and I never had problems keeping up with my dcs in pregnancy, postpartum or their early years. I think genetics has just been lucky for me in that sense. I've been able to catch up pretty well with some challenging exercise classes despite a long absence. It probably helps that I don't drive so I've always clocked up steps just doing errands and taking my dcs out, and we go out to different places often quite far, not just short trips out in the local area.

I think this depends on the household. Many of the time savers are also energy savers - eg driving to the supermarket or getting deliveries is very different to walking home carrying shopping. My current hoover is far lighter to lug around the house than the one my mum used, and I can't say I make many sauces from scratch!

It's probably because you're lacking protein. Honestly double it for a month and see how you feel. You're just in constant doms

I'm lucky enough to be able to do 90 mins exercise a day (I get up early and do 30 mins on a cross trainer, then go for an hour's brisk walk later in the day), and I often have aches and twinges. Not as a result of the exercise but not prevented by it either.
I am 45, normal BMI.

Was it a mirena? I came off the pill and it sorted out my back pain within 48 hours 🤔🤔🤔

My job is unfortunately quite active now and it seems to be about the same as a long walk, so honestly by the time I get home the last thing I want is to go to the gym.

I need to change this though as obviously the gym would give me a more complete workout.

I have total empathy and care for people on all different health trajectories

no you don’t, clearly, you even thought those on weight loss drugs were just doing it for aesthetics. And gave no consideration to the health issues associated with being over weight.

im lucky in I have a home gym and work out 5-6 days a week, always have done, and I gained weight due to some factors, and I used weight loss injections to get my bmi back to 20. Of course aesthetically it’s fantastic, but I’m so much fitter now,I’m no longer over weight, and my health is so much better, it fact it’s optimal in all blood tests.

so don’t judge people op, or crow. Because as said, no matter how much gym you do, you are overweight and have the health risks associated with that. Ss the saying goes, you can’t outrun your fork.

I jog, but my bf does no formal exercise. I still have trouble keeping up with him walking around. Some people are naturally fitter and stronger.
Also, some serious exercisers are always injuring themselves...

Did they garden? A lot of old people keep fit with gardening.