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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to exercise

651 replies

beewaspfly · 16/06/2026 06:19

help me out here. Wrong side of 40, in the thick of perimenopause. All of my friends, and I mean all, have started exercising like crazy in the past few years- even the ones I’d least expect. My GP keeps telling me I HAVE to start strength training or I’ll have an unbearable later life.

but…I don’t want to. It’s just so tedious. I hate the gym, hate PT even more, hate classes (have tried several), hate home work outs, even the short ones. I don’t get any endorphin rush from it or whatever. The prospect of doing it ruins my day - it’s better if I do it first thing but even then I hate every minute.

id rather just be walking somewhere nice, meeting friends, working, napping, catching up on tv and eating amazing food with my family, reading and enjoying my life without the sense of impending dread.

im size 10, love to walk for HOURS every day, slim but not really toned (ok, a bit flabby in some areas), feel pretty healthy on the whole. Can’t I just keep doing what I’m doing? Please??

my mum is in her 70s and fine doing what I do, although she has had some falls lately. Dad says he wish he’d worked out as he’s such a weedy skinny old man now (his words). But they’re fine. My grandmother is in her 90s and going strong.

why do I have to do this? Why is everyone else doing this? Someone tell me one good reason and I’ll stop moaning

OP posts:
SunshineCatcher · Today 02:24

I was exactly like you! I used to exercise and feel really pissed off afterwards. I think it was a
mixture of feeling like I had better things to do, and not actually enjoying the exercise that I’d chosen. I was always wondering why people would harp on about endorphins when I thought it impossible to release any inside of me. It seems quite funny thinking about it now. Well, then I found step aerobics on YouTube and my life has been completely different for the past 6 months. I’ve lost 30lbs, I’m now in the normal bmi range, and I actually feel so good! I find step aerobics really fun, I think it’s mainly the instructor, but I really do enjoy it! I am terrible at doing weights. I’m very on and off with that as I still don’t enjoy it, but it’s a start at least. I really hope that you find something you enjoy!

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