Is it possible to just be naturally unfit, despite regular exercise?

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I'm mid 30s.

I've always exercised apart from a few years while I was at uni and my only exercise was walking to the pub

I've gone through various exercise phases in my life e.g. Running, cycling, horse riding, gym, fitness classes etc at various points of my life , but the point is I've always been a pretty active sort of person.

I'm slim (5 foot 6ish and size 8) and never been overweight.

This year I've decided I want to get seriously fit so I've upped my exercise. But I still feel so unfit.

At my weekly boot camp class I'm still bottom of the class (been going 6 months now) and struggle to keep up. At cycling group I trail behind and can't get faster than 12 mph. Lots of the other women are ten or 15 years older than me but much fitter and faster. How?!

If I run 5k (Parkrun) I feel awful the whole way round and ready to collapse at the end.

I went skiing this year and my legs ached so badly I was having to stop every few minutes. And yet my overweight friend who smokes like a chimney and does no exercise the rest of the year was skiing fine

Even walking up the stairs at home makes my legs ache.

How can I exercise regularly and still be unfit?!

I don't think I'm overdoing it - for example this is my exercise routine over the last 7 days:

Sat: 20 mile cycle
Sun: 1 hour boot camp class
Mon: 35 mile cycle
Tues/weds/Thurs: cycle commute to work and back (20 mins each way, 10mph speed)
Fri: rest day so nothing except a very gentle walk

Anyone else? Any ideas why this is?

how's your diet? If you're not getting enough of the right nutrients and vitamins it can make you tired And lethargic as well as not providing your body with the energy it's needs to keep up with all your activities. I'd book an appointment with the dr to check vitimin levels in your blood etc.

That doesn't sound right to me. I do less excercise than that and feel pretty fit at the moment. In the past I've felt terribly unfit and not even had the energy to excecise when i had a vitamin Deficiency deficiency, could be something like that?

I suppose people's bodies genetically are different and capable.of different things so if you've always been like this it's probably normal. Eg i go to classes with some.people who are extremely fit, way more so than me, yet they are not flexible enough to touch their toes which I have always been able to easily do, even when overweight. Same with stamina. i ski once a year, if I'm lucky, and never get aches or pains and yet i have friends who go a few times a year, play sports all year round and have trouble keeping up. It's weird. I think bodies are all.different bit if it's a recent problem, could be a vitamin/iron issue?

I'd say my diet is ok - although I do need to cut down on sugar especially chocolate, biscuits etc

I eat meat, fish, veg, salad, fruit. For example last night was homemade lasagne with loads of veg in it made with lean beef. Tonight will be salmon with vegetables, tomorrow curry with rice and naan

Have you had your iron levels checked recently?

I do have hypermobility, if that could be the cause?

are you very flexible? I'm hypermobile and it means my body has to work harder to achieve the same result as other people, very frustrating!

ah cross post!

I was diagnosed with hypermobility a few years ago (I had some investigations done as I was getting a 'clicking' hip and hip pain when running)

I don't actually know much about the hypermobility. I just stopped running as much and started cycling more which suits me anyway as I find runnning pretty tedious.

it's due to the instability in joints, the muscles have to work harder in order to stabilise as well as to do the actual job. I had physio which really helped, using weights to strengthen muscles before trying cv exercise. Core muscles are especially important.

I could've written this! I also have hyper mobility so it's interesting that this might be a contributing factor.

If you have hypermobility/Ehlers Danlos syndrome you are not going to be able to do things other people do and your whole life should be about injury prevention and non impact sports like cycling/swimming.
You should be referred to a rheumatologist for a proper assessment on either the Brighton/Beighton charts or referral to the extended scope physiotherapist in the musckulo-skeletal department (ESP MSK) then you will be eligible for referral to appliances for splints if you need them, insoles and even occupational therapy.
Hypermobility is no joke and a friend of mine who has the severe form of the condition with internal problems such as a heart condition and irritable bowel syndrome is now in a wheelchair after years of marathon running.

If you are a pear shape or have heavy legs you may have lipoedema (like me, alas). It's a genetic condition where our fat is stored differently and never shifts. Women with lipoedema are often hyper mobile as well. Apparently it effects up to 11% of the female population.

I watched a programme a while ago which suggested that some people respond very quickly to exercise and others really don't and remain at the same level of fitness. Maybe you're one of them? I think I am someone who only responds slowly as it takes me ages to get better at exercising.

I figured out when I was a teenager that my body doesn't do speed or strength. I get buckets more exercise than most people. My heart rate is high, I can't work harder. I just don't get stronger or(much) faster. It's ok. Just how I am. I do privately half think "shame on people who waste their natural potential to be fit", though. (Includes DC).