Where do I start?

[AalyaSecura]

I've concluded that I need to take action to improve my fitness - parental ill health has been a wake up call that I can't just expect to carry on 'getting by' with my health if I want to avoid problems as I get older. I'm 45. I've struggled to find a path with exercise because I've always been a bit underweight - made worse from time to time by spells of anxiety - so am wary of all of the 'lose weight!' spiel for different exercises as it's the last thing I want. I know some weight bearing exercise is important as I'm at higher risk of osteoporosis (already take prescription calcium as a pre-emptive measure), but I have a dodgy ankle so high impact stuff like running seems unlikely to be good for me.

I do have time to fit in exercise, I can devote some cash to it. I dislike the next-day achiness of using weights and the extreme out of breath sick feeling if I push v hard with cardio. Fully accept that I might just have to push through this though. I have a fitbit that tells me I do on average 8k steps a day, but that I don't get my heart rate up enough.

I could really do with some advice on how I start to build up fitness, what kind of exercise might be best for me given the 'mustn't lose weight' thing, and what might make the biggest difference for lifelong good health. TIA!

Weights. The next day achiness (DOMS?) will pass once your muscles are used to it. I do free weights, bodyweight and weight machines and it is the best thing I have ever done for anxiety.

Agree with weights, but form is very important. Would you consider seeing a personal trainer, at least initially, for a programme and to teach you good form? The majority of my exercise is at home using hand weights and a mat, I use Fitness Blender (hundreds of free workout videos created by husband and wife PT team) at home too.

For general health you will need a mix of cardiovascular exercise alongside some resistance work.

Sorry, posted too soon. For your cardio work, you should absolutely not be pushing till you feel dizzy and extremely short of breath. It's about moderate, sustainable exercise. It's ok to be a small bit short of breath - in fact, you need to be to build fitness - but not to that extreme. That is a sign you are doing too much. Of course you won't enjoy it if that's how you are feeling. For your weights, you should feel that they are hard, and your muscle fatiguing at the end of your sets. Resistance training will also help with bone density. It's not just weight bearing exercise for that.

Thanks all - ok so some kind of weights, and a more gradual build up of cardio, that sounds sensible. I’ve spoken to a couple of personal trainers in the past who really seemed to find it hard to get out of the ‘everyone wants to lose weight’ mindset, but might be worth another try.

What kinds of classes might be not full-on cardio, or allow gradual build up of weights? I’m scared of having to go from 0 to 100 and hating it if I go to a class. Otherwise might be better to focus on home based stuff.

I would ask for something suitable for beginners at wherever you go for classes. Most classes are, and will have adaptations. Body Pump is a weights-based class and some circuits classes use weights. I would definitely start with classes or a PT or some form of help though for weights, otherwise you can either hurt yourself or not make any progress. Form really matters, building up slowly, that sort of thing.