gosh umm.. creeping in the door for support!

[Theas18]

Bit scared of this forum as it's all about really fit people!

I am very unfit...

Tried couch to 5k, couldn't even do day 1. tried at lower inensity. Still killed me fr several days after.

Have now joined a gym - and am trying to swim reg but got and ear infection and have been off for 2 weeks...

Now done my 2nd pilates session this week. I can cope wth that though I still need 2 days between sessions to recover!

I have intentions to really get the swimming going and maybe start some more active classes as well when the pilates gets easier but how do i stay motivated?

Thanks!

Welcome! Here are my ideas:

Start slowly and don't take on too many new things at once.
Build it into your routine (this is where classes are good), or cycling as transport.
Well done on the Pilates!
Finally, keep popping back to your thread and telling us how you get on

Hi Thea:)
I think people vary in their baseline or untrained state, some have naturally a good level of aerobic capacity. Others quite low.
But everyone can improve with training (albeit at different rates and to different degrees)

Perhaps try walking only to start with and build up at a pace that seems right for you?

Strange as it may seem, we all remember feeling as you did.
The person in the class stepping the wrong way, the one who sits there 'glowing' after a few seconds, the one who walks like Frankenstein's monster after a toning class.
BUT
Hang on in there. Stick with the Pilates and a bit of other stuff till they get easy, then add more.

thanks! that's my on-site and steady. I think maybe I tried to much before.
walking I'm not too bad. before the summer I did a couple is miles in 30 mins most lunch times-but I don't seem till get lunch breaks now.. and the weather is going off

I think achievement keeps you going.
Being able to look back at a week and say that you did 2 classes or swam for an hour or whatever -and that you hadn't been able to do that the week before - gives you a buzz and helps you to want to keep going. A sort of virtuous circle?
and I am far from fit and turn an alarming shade of pink each time I do another day of my fitness dvd, but the fact I can see miniscule improvements every few goes encourages me to carry on in the hope that I can keep building on it. ( and maybe, just maybe, that one day I might be able to do it without panting like an out of control St Bernard. )

Yayy ear plugs arrived. I can swim today :)

Swam Fri. Had a swimming lesson for the 1st time in maybe 40yrs on sunday too :)

Hoping to get there today as well.

Good work on the swimming. Do try and get back to the walking though - spending time outdoors is supposed to be good for our mental health isn't it?

Atta girl!

When I got back to running after a few years off I struggled to run for 30 seconds, I learnt to slow down and keep at it. Bloody glad I did, it's changed my life. Most of the battle is balancing patience and determination.

How's it going, Theas18?

Update.

Swimming 4-5 days a week. Loving the lessons :). Not enjoying busy times but still going .

Enjoying my physio class too (gym ball/Pilates type stuff but very controlled)

Actually felt less fit on Monday - grr! More out of puff etc hoping its because I'm working harder after the classes eg my back crawl legs are working harder but gosh was I puffed out!

Trying really hard to prioritise swimming as work stress will eat me up otherwise.

Marking my place!

Don't forget that sometimes you'll just have an off day, or maybe you're coming down with something. Anyway, good work!

Checking in at pretty much the 8 week mark.

Still swimming regularly. Physio class - Pilates/ fitball but very careful and thoughtfully done once a week ( the Pilates was too hard and uncontrolled for me yet).

Knackered and achy - see my other post! Starting to feel guilty if I dint go though lol

Ha you're getting the bug! Hope you start feeling energised and not achy soon.

Updated again....

Today in my swimming lesson I followed one of the fitness program cards, and did 34 lengths total in 1hr which is the furthest ever!.

What with mum and all the Xmas stuff I'm not going so often - just 2x this week which is disappointing but it's finally starting to show progress...

And I've stuck with it since sept and done 8 swimming lessons an by next week 10 Physio classes.

Hey, well done! It's hard at this time of year, but anything's better than nothing, and it keeps you in the rhythm till the New Year.

Something that's worked for me recently - I am very unfit - I brought a yoga mat, placed it on the landing, printed off some exercises on the internet and every morning I do the exercises after my cuppa. It may be small fry for some people but I am proud of this small step. I think it works for me because its routine, warm upstairs when I wake and I manage to get it done when the children haven't woken yet.