To not want to exercise

[beewaspfly]

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

Could you add on ankle or wrist waits for some of your shorter walks,
walk press ups or bicep curls whilst you want for kettle or pan to boil. It doesn’t have to be full on gym sessions.
I loathed all exercise at school but I can tolerate, even enjoy strength training. I’d like to live to see and enjoy my pension.

You don't have to exercise. If you don't want to then don't do it.

But just don't turn into one those people who complains constantly if you have health issues that could be alleviated by exercise or other lifestyle changes. (Walking is exercise too).

If you're fine and healthy you must be doing something right.

It will help you improve the quality of your life as you age. Both my parents are mid-80s and have always exercised and moved a lot. The quality of their retirement and what they have been able to enjoy in their 60-70s is down to how fit they kept themselves. I’m mid 50s and doing 10 squats whilst the kettle boils plus 10lunges each side will strengthen your hips and thighs. Sally Gunnels FB page has simple effective intro to basic weights for life strength. Very effective and does not take much time. After 4 weeks of two lots of 20mins a week or daily “kettle boling” exercises you will notice the difference.
It want to stay out of hospital longer or reduce the carers your need to wipe your butt then maintain your strength and flexibility for as long as you can is a no brainer.

I also don’t like exercise but walk and cycle quite a lot. Still working full time at the moment, if I had more time I would like to swim and do yoga as I enjoy these activities but no interest in gym, running, weights etc.

Yoga and pilates are beneficial for endurance and general strength but will not improve bone density or muscle growth. If the goal is preventing osteoporosis and protecting muscle then you need to add additional weight to the exercise.

Oh apparently hours of walking is brilliant

it’s what the people in the blue zones do

50 jumps/ hops a day helps with bone density . Look at the royal osteoporosis website

Basic Farmers carries are also really good

I hate the gym so do things at home. And walk a lot.

So don’t bother but are you going to expect other people to look after you when you are frail.
I’m 50 and exercise hard. Why? Because I don’t want anyone to be wiping my arse for me when I’m old. I plan on retaining my independence as long as I possibly can.
I don’t want to go into a care home or be sat in front of the tv because I can’t get up and about.
is that what you want in old age ?

Why not integrate the exercise into your daily life?

Most resistance exercises could be done while watching TV.

I wouldn't say I "enjoy" exercise but I do like the way lifting weights cured my aching shoulders, the way cardio kerps my blood pressure down and the way I can walk for miles on holiday.

It’s not helping in old age like weight training would though.

op do you want to be able to get yourself on and off the toilet in your dotage? Do it with that in mind.

Does your mum have osteoporosis? If not chances are you don’t, but if you’ve always been slim you might do. That would make me exercise.

Im my late 50s I exercise because I have, despite being fairly healthy otherwise, very high blood pressure and I don’t want to take any more medication than I am. Family history is fairly shit.

I go and do wirghts in a small group class 3 times a week. I don’t enjoy it, I’m in no way a natural gym person. But leave the house at 7.15, I’m back by 8.30. At work by 9.15.

it’s a chore, like cleaning the loo or emptying the dishwasher, I just do it.

I started lifting 18 months ago. I still
don't enjoy it particularly. Every gym visit is a chore. But even an hour three times a week is less than 2% of your time.

I know I’m so much stronger and fitter. My cardio health has improved without even trying.

Do it or don’t do it, choose to ignore or listen to the advice but don’t pretend your fit because you walk for an hour a day on the flat and are a size 10.

I have been doing 40 minutes of PT once a week for about five years. I can see the difference it makes to me and I look and feel like I really work out a lot. (I do other stuff, but in terms of building muscle / strength this is all I do.)

I guess my point is: don't be put off by the 3 times a week for 40 minutes or whatever they say.

Anything is good; anything done regularly is better.

Walking for two hours a day is great. They are currently suggesting that walking + weights is the perfect issue.

I also work on my balance. I have osteopenia, and my mum has terrible osteoporosis and has been in continuous pain for the last 6+ years with broken bones, in and out of hospital blah blah, so I have a real live example in front of me that I see on a regular basis to remind me that I need to do this. I do balance exercise as well (mostly standing on one leg while brushing my teeth).

But -- you do you. Lots of people don't take any of the self-care health advice, as is their prerogative to so.

I feel the same, I think about doing weight training a lot but never seem to get round to it. I actually don’t exercise much at all I have realised I am very sedentary. I work from home and do some housework and cooking and that’s it. I’m not even active anymore. I do a Pilates class once a week. My weight is fine I am slim but I worry about my health so I need to actually start doing things because at 50 there’s are getting short

Resonates with me. I do 15k steps a day. Whole food diet, don't drink at all, BMI 21, green tea, body's a temple etc. But I just can't lift weights. I detest lifting anything heavy, the feeling in my body when I try, it makes me so irritable.
Trouble is, at 57, it shows.
My legs are toned, my core is good from walking up hills but my arms are spindly sticks with a little doughy lump where my muscles should be, and I'm a lot weaker than I was when I was younger and weighed more. I get so annoyed with myself because it's the missing piece of the jigsaw, but I just won't do it.

I also hate the gym and after a few years of PT sessions and dragging myself to do it I switched to tennis and now play 3 times a week quite happily. The thing is I know it’s a higher risk sport for injuries and it doesn’t provide quite the same protection for bone density etc going forward so I am going to have to kick myself up the arse. My friend does Ceroc dancing and loves that so is there something like that that would appeal? My mum is in her 80’s and I hate to break it to you but very energetic and fit and puts it down to years of PT sessions that she did working out with weights in her 60’s. She still lives in her home and is always up a ladder painting or in the garden. I guess the pair of us need to think about the “ why” of doing it and whether that’s worth it for us.

I feel exactly the same as you. Always hated sport and exercise and only walk. Also late 40s and trying not to think about strength training! I read an article about walking with wearable weights (ankles,wrists) and I thought maybe 🤔. Would that be a possibility for you?

This. It's not other people's fault that walking alone simply isnt enough to keep your bones strong or build muscle which is why they are suggesting weights. Thats just a physiological fact so you being petulant or whiny about it isn't going to change that.

If you dont want to lift weights or do any resistance training then dont do it- it really is that simple. 🤷‍♀️

It you’re happy doing what you’re doing and understand the risks, then carry on the way you are. It’s not as if you’re sedentary. My mother is in her 80’s and has never lifted weights. She has kept active though. She does have arthritis and I’m not sure of her bone density, but she’s happy.

People age and die. There’s no getting away from that. I think it’s important to live the life you want.

@beewaspfly a couple of things that jumped out at me - you said you would do it if it was ten minutes but not forty. So just do 10 minutes at home with whatever you have to hand. A simple routine with tins of beans is better than nothing. This isn't about being weight it is about mobility and protection from breaks in your later years. That's your "why".

Also you said you don't like the feeling of being "in your body". That's something to unpack I think. your reactions are quite extreme. Not unreasonable as such but something to explore.

My mum had her hip replaced last year at 54. She said it was because she’d always worked on her feet which may be true but she’s also never stuck to exercise outside of this, always believing this was enough activity. She needs the other hip replacing soon too. I want to avoid this fate in 20 years so I run or lift weights 6 days a week.

Walking is great exercise. HTH.

It's not enough to protect against the risks associated with ageing