Why isn’t the government allowing unlimited outdoor exercise?

[Robin45]

Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for seriousness illness as a result of covid. More people are obese than they realise. Why isn’t the government allowing people to lower their risk of serious illness by getting outside for exercise as much as they want provided they don’t mix with others? By locking everyone at home the government is encouraging people to be less physically active and put on even more weight, increasing their risk of becoming hospitalised if and when they eventually get covid. Some people will exercise indoors but a lot won’t.

There's loads of government guidance that people ignore. As PP said, we should eat 5 a day. We shouldn't smoke. We shouldn't eat and drink a lot of sugary stuff, etc, etc. If we do it will probably put a strain on the NHS at some point and may make it harder for someone in dire straits to receive treatment.

I think taking children out for their fresh air and exercise is parenting. Getting out for your own exercise is different. If you can combine the two (my friend goes on family runs because DC old enough) then that is better as less chance of contact with others and in built up areas keeps them less busy so easier to SD. But, if you can’t combine the two I think it’s fine to do both. I think trying to find excuses to get out more is irresponsible. Just because you ‘can’ doesn’t mean you ‘should’. Hospitals in some areas are rationing oxygen. We all have to do our bit. Disco at home is my favourite indoor exercise. Whole family can do it and it can really lift your mood!

@Reinventinganna

These people were obese well before lockdown.

I certainly was, but I put on over a stone in weight in lockdown one because I was afraid to leave the house for 2 reasons: busy streets near me full of people in close proximity, and police threats of fining people driving for exercise, even though it was subsequently declared that it had been allowed all along. That extra stone was one I could have done without.

Why isn't the government buying everyone a Peleton?

Yes, never mind laptops for kids - I want a fucking peloton! (Shall we get a footballer involved?)

The government introduced the "once a day" exercise guidance because their scientific advisors were convinced a "lax" lockdown will not curtail the spread. As a result, they tried to mimic the March rules as much as possible while introducing some minimal additional allowances to get the economy running (e.g. click and collect).

The latest test numbers show that cases in England started going down before the lockdown. A combination of Tier 4 and school closures did the job - there was no real need for "project fear". Obviously, everyone needs to be careful but not every rule is there for a reason. Sometimes the guidances are just based on judgment calls that may be wrong.

amicissimma

You can’t compare a global pandemic to those things. Completely different. I hope you are not suggesting that just like we don’t have to eat 5 portions of veg a day we can ignore the lockdown?

I went for a three hour walk today and a five hour walk on Saturday. Totally within the rules.

There are no rules restricting exercise. There is a weird government/police mind-mess going on. Either that or none of them have actually read the guidance.

You are even allowed to drive to do your exercise under the guidance:

outdoor exercise. This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)

@Tomcullenisahero

You do not put weight on by not being able to walk all day (there is no restrictions as long as you stay local btw). You put weight on by eating and drinking crap. Plus there are plenty of exercise you can do from inside the home.

Exactly. Obesity is controlled by reducing the calories that go into your body, and ensuring that those that do are high quality nutrition. Exercise is important, but not to control obesity.

No exercise limits in Scotland

I think instead of the seemingly arbitrary (given there is no time limit) once a day element of the guidance - which could mean using a public toilet in a crowded park on a long walk instead of doing two short ones - the guidance should have accepted that everyone's situation is different but urged people to plan their outdoor exercise to minimise risks, to stay away from others, and to look after their mental and physical heath. For some people, that means a short drive to somewhere empty. For others, it means a run by themselves and a dawdle with their children. And if necessary, introduce laws about travelling long distances, which clearly isn't necessary for exercise. None of the things that have been debated over the last few days are about behaviours likely to transmit the virus, and it demonises people who are doing nothing wrong. And the debate distracts from what is actually risky - indoor activity - and from the government's failure to tackle employers who won't let staff SI, or work at home, for example.

I'm obese and even if I was allowed, I wouldn't exercise all day. I don't even exercise once most days, I don't want to.
I am focusing on improving my diet instead.

I actually agree with you OP. Regardless of whether its law or guidance, to be discouraging people to leave their homes for exercise I think is wrong. There was a Scottish Minister on TV this morning basically saying don't leave your house at all. We all know that obesity is mainly tackled through diet but all forms of exercise that help physical and mental health should be encouraged right now and walking is a much more accessible starting point than a Joe Wicks workout for someone trying to make changes. My DM is 74 and she was out walking with different friends almost every day over the autumn and it was lovely to see her getting fitter. She's never been overweight but she wasn't fit. Now she's stopped because she doesn't feel it's allowed under lockdown.

If you are obese it’s not just down to lack of exercise, and many who are very obese can’t exercise anyway, they need to eat healthily and reduce some weight first

Whilst you can supposed to go out to exercise once and stay local there is no time limit, plus you can do exercises at home, or in your own garden

@OnlyTeaForMe

Why isn't the government buying everyone a Peleton?

I'd be down for that as long as they also provide me with a treadmill and rowing machine.

The main thing is to make sure you keep your distance and remember what causes increased risk. I went for a walk at the weekend and as it was a popular location I saw a couple of families with young children bumping into people they knew. Standing and chatting on the footpath and the kids running around. Don't blame them at all but that's clearly more of a risk in an area with a lot of cases, even though outdoors, over going for two 45 min walks a day and not talking to a single other person. One is mentioned in the guidance specifically and one is not. When you need to decide what to do (within the law) just think about the risk involved.

Do you the government would provide me with a swimming pool too?

I'm going for a 10 mile circular walk at the weekend. I won't be breaking any rules. You can exercise for as long as you want.

I've been out twice today. First to walk the DCs about a mile and a half in total to a a playground. Not really much in it for me other than daylight. Then a run with another low risk SAHM which my watch happily confirms as exercise reaching a heart rate of 178bpm

My main constraint is the combination of daylight and homeschooling.

In lockdown #1, while everyone was fretting about Michael Gove's mixed messages on exercise, I did lots of 1-2 hour runs, heading off to the quiet countryside where most people from my suburb would never think to explore. Social distancing was an irrelevance. If I'd bought in to staying very local and doing a suburban 5k, I'd have passed a hell of a lot more people!

Do whatever exercise you want to as long as it's reasonably safe (no Converse up mountains with your lunch in a carrier bag ) and avoid obviously busy places. Don't park your car in a nuisence way or leave litter etc.

I need more formal exercise in lockdown because I naturally stop moving. No school runs. Sitting on a chair for 5+ hours making sure the DCs learn. No popping out to catch a pokemon. No fitness classes. I can easily spend a whole day totting up less movement than it takes to get to 9:30 on a school day. Being short means that unless I want to exist on a restrictive 1300 calorie day diet, I need to be active to eat a respectable amount of food that is not tightly controlled. It's very easy for me to gain lockdown weight.

It suits the government to be vague anf let the curtain twitchers blame runners/ cyclists looking after their health. Really they would benefit from a fitter nation, but they're not that forward thinking.

I assume the rule is in there to avoid as much social contact as possible and is probably more geared to people living in towns where if you went out 2 or 3 times a day you are more likely to come in contact with people. If there is a park nearby most people will probably flock there, so they want to limit the time and number of people there. So you have to go out for exercise, so no dawdling or sitting on the grass. Giving more space for everyone.

Obviously if you live in the middle of nowhere and everyone is keeping to the stay local message, it would not be a problem if you go out more than once as you are not risking increasing your social contact.

Also during the first wave of this virus it was thought that outside transmission is very rare, I think the jury may be out on this new variant with is much more transmissible and so it is possible you can transmit it to a close contact outside, especially in this colder weather.

@wanderings

It is allowed, but in their mission to keep the public confused and terrified with mixed messages, the government are telling us we should exercise but we shouldn't really because we are spreading the virus and people will die if we do. There is no time limit in law, and no limit in law on the number of times a day. The government are spreading the word that there are unofficial limits, to keep the public confused, and to keep the curtain-twitchers busy.

They also want to be able to blame the public when the post-lockdown obesity crisis is the next thing to "overwhelm the NHS". I can just imagine Saint Boris saying "we told you you could exercise, even though we snatched away just about every way to make it enjoyable".

I agree