All the people suddenly desperate to do daily exercise

[Cinammoncake]

Do you normally exercise every day? If not, then just surely exercise as normal, maybe jog on the spot or do some star jumps at home
Okay if you live in a flat and want fresh air, but if not then just go in your garden surely.

It's not forever.

Not an empty jar, a jar full of coins. D'oh!

If most people think their reason to be out is exceptional and therefore allowed, there will be further restrictions on everyone. Mental health is important for everyone, not only those who use exercise for their own important, but not exclusively important, mental health benefits. The NHS, including mental health services, will not resume an impression of normal service, until this crisis is behind it. The single best thing anyone can do at this point for their health or that of neighbours, friends, family, colleagues, classmates etc. is to stay at home. Exercise at home - it's not as good of course we all know that, but don't think a good workout for ourself, is any more important then a delay in the resumption of cancer screening programs, minor injury clinics, cataracts treatments, fertility treatment, community mental health services, etc. etc. etc. for others.

Perhaps people are discovering that cybersoace and indoor space can't be a complete substitute for the outdoors.

Also, anyone who's jumping up and down in any flat but a ground-floor flat could make a downstairs neighbour (also stuck at home) absolutely miserable. Same could go for terraced/ semi-detatched houses. In fact, it's worth co-ordinating with neighbours to exercise indoors when they're having their outdoors exercise or a shopping trip.

Going outside is very calming, and when you have been in isolation for a period of time I would argue it is essential for well being, so people are exercise will keep people well and it will keep them sane.

I really don't think it is for you to tell others what to do op. Everyone has a right to fresh air and exercise, esp those that do not have gardens.

Me and my dog would become mentally and physically I'll if we didn't get out for a good long walk onCe a day. Luckily we live near big open spaces including beaches and can easily maintain social distancing, as long as the visitors stay away.

I usually exercise twice a day, mainly indoors. Bur every week I would usually have 3 runs, I also usually walk a lot, to school and work. My son and I usually go to the park everyday to have a kick around/run about.

My fitbit has me doing on average 15,000 steps a day and my average calorie burn as 3,250. I live in a flat, so we have no outdoor space. We haven’t even been able to take our rubbish bags out of the flat. We have a few more days of self isolation as my son developed a cough a week and a half ago.

In addition to the title OP, all the people who are constantly citing their mental health as a justification to prioritise themselves over others.

This is an unprecedented international crisis. The biggest, fastest moving pandemic in history.

During the Blitz, people didn't go outside at night with torches and justify it by saying "it's for my mental health"

People need to differentiate between actual mental health issues and just the difference between feeling stressed vs happy.

And I know that lots of people will now pile on and say "well actually MY mental health is an issue and important." That's a judgment only you and your HCP can make.

But in order to get through this, people have to start accepting that it is going to be unpleasant, uncomfortable and stressful for a while and just like with the priority shopping, every country needs people to step up and accept that their personal comfort is not more important than the needs of the country as a whole.

There are countries where this is spreading who in the midst of civil war, who have third world medical care, who have a poorly nourished and physically vulnerable population who will be destroyed by this virus and people are worried about not being able to take their usual exercise?!

We need to contain and slow this virus in developed countries so we can focus resources on those who are going to suffer exponentially more than us.

It has never been easier to be a hero and the world has never needed you to be one more than right now.

Really getting sick of the arm chair prime ministers, it’s not helpful.

I do wonder if the London parks will continue to be too packed.

They always are saying that mental health is just as important as physical health. It will be interesting to see if the gov agrees with this in the coming weeks. I think that the rules will be tightened further, the mental health benefits of outdoor time for one person can't trump the physical health of thousands or the public health benefit of having a full health service or the economic benefit of surpressing the virus. Horrible situation for lots of people especially the least well serviced in society, like those with inadequate housing, no garden and an insecure income. But it will protect more people in the long run.

People in flats should get fresh air as a priority though.

It's not exercise as you are interpreting it. Going to work I do well over my 10,000 steps a day so am active each day and when I am not at work I often go to the gym. At the moment I am indoors such a lot I have gone on walks to try and keep my activity levels up.

I think it's a brilliant opportunity for people to change their lifestyles and get fitter if they want. Some friends of mine spend their weekends with kids glued to tablets and phones and I'm happy to see them get out for a family walk ornbike ride

I've never felt so lucky to live on a farm with miles of fields and bot a soul to see, liberally feel for the people stuck in cities and flats and dont blame them wanting a nice long walk. Enjoy your once a day, fresh air does wonders

Thinking the next thing to sell out will be treadmills!

Les Mills have added a load of free videos to their website, plus Chris Hemsworth has made his fitness app, Centr free for the next 6 weeks.

I'm not well enough yet to work out but hopefully soon.

@MarshaBradyo

People in flats should get fresh air as a priority though

I totally agree. But sadly, based on people's behaviour so far, I can't see anyone with a garden who likes to run sacrificing it to enable people in flats to have the space to exercise and stay away from each other

I normally walk everywhere - as a minimum, that's a 45-minute walk either way going to and from work, and usually a good bit more than that. Walking is also very much recommended in late pregnancy, so if none of this were happening, now I'm on maternity leave I'd probably be going for some lengthy walks including getting the train to the beach and walking by the sea. However, we are where we are, and I'm absolutely on board with practicing very strict social distancing. For me, what that means at the moment is a quiet walk alone, in areas where I can stay well over two metres from anyone else. I think that's a fair balance - it's in line with the guidance and poses no discernable risk to me, baby, or anyone else.

People in flats should be given top priority for outside space for sure.

Me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me...
Is no one watching the news from Italy?
Yes it is shit, yes it is tough and yes it isn’t fun but why can’t people just stop being so damn selfish and realise that this is seriously bad and stay in their houses! Simple! Stay in!
If I hear one more comment about how someone has to get out I might scream.
All you are doing is making it worse for everyone.... and making this last longer... esp for those of us who have to stay inside at all times for the next 12 weeks
Stop being so self obsessed and selfish

Yes, it's amazing how so many are obese and overweight when they're ALL walking miles every day
But some of us really care about our health and take responsibility for it and are not therefore a drain on the NHD. Virus aside, let's face facts, the NHS is groaning under the weight of obese related health problems.

@MarshaBradyo Finsbury Park and Clissold Park were empty yesterday (z2 north London) having been jam packed at the weekend. It was very easy to keep 2m between people, 5m would have been possible as there were so few people.

suggesting your mental health is more important then other people’s lives

Not everyone who will die over the next few weeks will die from Covid. Some may take their own lives due to poor mental health. Lack of exercise will cause others to die eg if they have circulatory or heart conditions. For others it will be domestic violence from being shut up with an abuser that will kill them.

Mental health is people’s lives.

If everyone assumes 5 meters is possible because everyone else is staying away and therefore I'll have a quick walk, then suddenly the park will be full again 😏 It's difficult when everything is so quiet to not assume a quick walk won't hurt but it will. Either everyone obeys the rules or they will have to be enforced

It's 7am. Me and ds up early so I can take him for a walk now when its quiet and we are less likely to meet people. He is 7 and he ( we) will all go demented if he does not go out

People feel trapped at home so need to get out abit?

I can understand why people might want to go out for a walk even if they don’t normally do formal exercise.

I don’t do much exercise, but my normal daily routine generates nearly 10k steps, so now I’m not going out I’m getting much less exercise than usual. I’m sure the same is true for many others.

But we’re lucky enough to have a garden so we should be able to figure out some sort of home exercise routine. It’s a lot tougher for people in flats.

Having said that, given the way people were carrying on at the weekend, I’m concerned that this going outside once a day to exercise is going to turn into the same sort of crowds in the park situation that we saw at the weekend. I suspect that there’ll be further restrictions on going out soon.