Need to exercise but don't know where to start

[aliphil]

I am finally admitting I need to do something about being unfit and overweight, and facing the fact that walking (school run, half a mile each way) isn't making any difference. But I don't know where to start. I've tried swimming but doing lengths is just so boring I couldn't get motivated to carry on. My ideal would be some form of exercise during which I could read on my Kindle. I also have a dodgy knee from a problem I had in my teens.

Thoughts so far:

Not swimming
Not running
Not a class where I have to try and keep up with everyone else (bad memories of aerobics at school)
I quite like the idea of martial arts, but can't find any local classes in school hours (can't commit to a regular evening/weekend because of DH's work)
There's a gym at the local leisure centre that I could join, but it's a bit scary because I've never even been in one before and don't know how anything works, what the etiquette is, what you're supposed to wear. etc.

Anyone got any brilliant ideas?

Just adding to clarify, I would be happy to join the gym, I just don't really know what you do there!

I am currently pregnant and thinking about what I'm going to do when I've had the baby and recovered!

For most people, diet is a big part of losing weight. You need a calorie deficit and even an hour a day of exercise won't burn more than a chocolate bar or two worth of calories. So I'd start there, and look at downloading myfitnesspal or a similar calorie tracker.

I used fitness DVDs to get fit after my last baby, worked really well for me. I learnt the routines and then had them on silent on the iPad while I watched the telly. There are loads of different types, dance, hiit, boxercise etc, depends what you enjoy. Just an idea. Good luck!

Ah, diet. I was afraid that might be part of it. I have great respect for people who actually manage to maintain a healthy diet, but I seriously don't know how they manage it. How can anyone cope with eating all the healthy stuff, which tends to be either dull or unpleasant, and avoiding the nice but unhealthy?

You could possibly go on an exercise bike whilst reading a kindle. Now that the weather is getting better why not get out and walk further than you have been and listen to some audio books as you go.

There’s lots of YouTube videos you could try to see what you like-maybe some yoga, some Interval training, aerobics at your own pace.

I usually find that if I’m exercising then my diet improves as a consequence as my body craves better quality food but if it does all go to pot then at least I’m burning off some of the damage. 😬

Good luck!

Gym, personal trainer. Until you get the hang of it.

If you are using an exercise bike at a pace you can read on it you will need to be on it for quite some time to get a workout and it won't be particularly aerobic. I'd go and have a gym induction, a lot of council gyms do them for PAYG members and get them to set you up a circuit in the gym. A combination of short but fairly aerobic sessions on cross trainer and bike (make sure seat is high enough so your knee doesn't hurt) plus using the resistance machines.

Aqua aerobics might be a good start, tends to be fairly low level and supported in the water.

If you don't want to go to the gym try and up your step count by 2000 a day from whatever it is now and walk at a pace where you are sweating and mildly out of breath. Just walking briskly (brisk is important!) will help.

Unfortunately if you want to lose weight then as the phrase goes "abs are made in the kitchen", it is diet that will do that. Slimming World is very easy to follow and you don't have to eat frankenfoods, decent home cooking and counting the treats is easy enough.

I would also do gym and personal trainer to do a routine for you.

Also, some classes require less coordination than others, eg body pump or spin.

I always listen to music or podcasts in the gym, makes it more interesting

Our local gym (council run) has staff that will do a gym program for you and show you how to use the machines (an induction). I do classes rather than use the gym i.e. body pump, body attack, gym fit, etc. I'm going to try an ultimate core class this week (for my flabby bits!). I'm still a fat cow though as eating is my issue!

I don't even know what half these things are - hiit, boxercise, interval training, etc. Clearly need to do some research.

I looked at the gym again and it's nearly £10 a session! Plus another £40 for introductory sessions, plus more for a personal trainer if I went that route. So I think that's out. I might have to look at the classes again (if I can work out what they actually involve - "bodymax", "virtual rpm", with no explanations FFS!) as they're cheaper. Very offputting description though - "social ... meet new people each week". Exercising's bad enough, I don't want to have to socialise as well!

Myview, unfortunately I don't much like audiobooks; the voices are never as good as the ones in my head!

HIIT - high intensity interval training I think. Virtual rpm - involves the exercise bikes probably

Thanks pixie.

Fridge, it's not the frankenfoods, it's the vegetables, pulses, etc. I have a problem with. And all the salad ... yuk. I've just looked at SW's sample 7-day menu, and honestly, there is hardly anything in there that I'd ever want to eat. Plus more expense.

Just go to one and leave after three tracks if it isn't working / it's too hard. I do Les Mills classes and to start with they tell you to leave after half time and add in one more track each time. Most will do similar.

I am doing weight watchers online and can highly recommend it. You can pay monthly. Even my dh has started both lost a stone and I still have a treat at weekends. It is very flexible.
Tbh diet is the main thing you won’t lose that much by exercise alone.

Thanks Fridge, I didn't realise leaving partway through would be an option.

hollytom, don't WW say you have to use skimmed milk and low-fat cheese and spread? I think those would be my biggest problems, apart from the obvious ones like chocolate!

The way it works is you get free foods if which you can eat as much as you want basically fruit and veg, fat free yoghurt, eggs, chicken and fish. Outside of this you get a daily points allowance and and weekly. You can use your points however you want but obviously if you have a bar of chocolate that will take up quite a few points. I certainly don’t have low fat spread can’t stand it I have butter on toast but less than I normally would.
I usually have porridge or scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast, soup and yoghurt and fruit for lunch and then tonight I had chicken stir fry and rice and a chocolate biscuit.
It is a diet but I am not finding it too restrictive personally I find I can be good in the week if I know I can have a treat at the weekend. Not trying to promote it or anything but I am finding it doable whereas I usually stick to diets for a week or two and then get fed up

Is there an app for step counting that anyone can recommend? I can't really afford to buy a new gadget just for that.

My phone has one built in. A Samsung one

It depends what your phone is, www.decathlon.co.uk/oncoach100-connected-wristband-id_8376345.html I started with one like this when I didn't have an iphone, it might not be 100% accurate, but you can see a good estimate of what you are doing and the trend when you are trying to increase.

Buy a fitbit or cheaper non branded version. It measures everything for you including calories spent and you can log the calories you consume. Even if you don't want to diet you can make sure that you are eating less than you expend.

I joined a yoga/pilates studio last week and have managed to fit in a class every day since. It might not be the quickest way to lose weight but it is good for toning, improving flexibility and general well being.

I am not dieting but I am logging all my foods. Yesterday I had a calorie deficit of 500 which if I maintain for a week will lose me 1lb of fat.

I ate the following:
apple, 1/2 banana, mandarin, greek yogurt and granola for breakfast
Sourdough bread, chicken, ham, couscous, salad for lunch

bounce bar for afternoon snack

chicken, tomatoes, peppers, red onion with tomato and basil sauce done in a tray bake with pasta for dinner.

I also did a pilates class and my 10,000 steps.

Try 'map my walk' for step counting. Gives you your route mapped out too. You do need to have data on though so don't know if that is a problem. Exercise needs to be something you enjoy or at least don't hate and will fit in your life to stick with. A lot of martial arts clubs will have sessions a few times a week so maybe look into that as you could potentially swap nights depending on DH work. Also some do family sessions so depending on age of kids you could go with them. I'm the least co-ordinated person ever but still manage a circuit class - you could maybe try something like seven minute circuits (lots of free apps) at home to see if you get on with it - although if you have never tried before a class is good to get technique right. I also do see people cycling and walking in my gym while reading so that could work - although you might not be going fast enough then to get much benefit. Good luck finding something that suits.

First day of the slightly different me. It was my volunteer shift in our church coffee shop, so being on my feet all morning probably burned some extra calories (I hope), and I managed not to eat any cake. A bit of shopping, and for the first time in I don't know how long I managed not to treat myself to chocolate or crisps; instead I got tomatoes, smoked salmon and smoked mackerel for some slightly healthier lunches this week.

Being a big Lord of the Rings fan, I've downloaded the Walk to Mordor app, in the hope that it will motivate me to add some extra steps. I will look at Fitbit equivalents and try to make sense of the reviews! I'm going to need trainers and a sports bra too, aren't I? More money ... Is it possible to buy cheapish trainers that are OK for your feet?

Audrina, how ever do you manage to fit in a class every day? I'm very impressed!

Decathlon is very good value for trainers and sportswear or asda or sainsbury. You don't need anything fancy really, just something that fits and has support.

HiiT 20 minutes three times a week. You can do it from home with no equipment. The body coach has one on YouTube called absolute beginners HiiT. Do it every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and you will see great results.

HIIT for me too. I go to classes but you can do it at home and gradually build up what you do. Biggest plus for me is its quick, 20-25 minutes and you see results quickly.