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Exercise

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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MNHQ

We’re thinking about merging this section, what do you think?

40 replies

MichaelMumsnet · 20/06/2019 11:19

Hi all,
We’re doing some work on making the Talk boards more useful and user-friendly for both regular and new users. After looking at some stats for the site, we think we could boost activity on the whole by merging some of the lesser used sections.

We’re proposing to fold the topics in this section into the Weight loss chat area.

This should increase the number of topics in the section - and hopefully lead to more posts and responses to members.

OP posts:

ChocOrCheese · 20/06/2019 17:25

Not everyone exercises for weight loss. Would you rename the weight loss area to something like "Weight loss and exercise"?

emummy · 20/06/2019 18:32

I agree; new users might not find exercise if the topic was weight loss, it would bpneed to be well signposted

AnthonyCrowley · 20/06/2019 18:35

No I think exercise is totally different to weight loss. By all means put any sort of sub exercise topics such as weight lifting into exercise but it's very, very different.

I think there's more traffic in weight loss than exercise and I think that exercise threads would get lost in the mass of diet type advice. A lot of people do exercise for non weight loss reasons.

mamapants · 20/06/2019 19:07

I think it would make more sense to put exercise under health if anything not weight loss. Agree that weightlifting and yoga etc should probably just be merged into exercise as well.

mamapants · 20/06/2019 19:10

Oh it's already under health, I think that it should stay there in that case. None of the threads on here are centred on weight loss.

FusionChefGeoff · 20/06/2019 19:16

I actually think that's quite worrying / depressing that HQ think it's right to put exercise with weight loss.

Are we all that neurotic about what the scales say we would only ever exercise to be thin?!?!?

I train for 1/2 marathons and put weight ON during training for stamina / endurance!!!

Please don't - it's patronising and very bad for people recovering from eating disorders etc who may be using exercise as a way to look after themselves but then get drawn into the diet boards - or to viewing exercise as something intrinsically linked with weight loss rather than strength, health, fitness and fun.

I'm really quite cross about this suggestion!!

OneHanded · 20/06/2019 19:16

Terrible idea frankly. I exercise to gain - muscle building and appetite increase.

notabitfit · 20/06/2019 19:17

I need both sections but they need to be separate.

Also for a person trying to lose weight it's not much fun seeing all the posts about people running marathons!

DramaAlpaca · 20/06/2019 19:19

As others have said, exercise & weight loss are very different things & don't really belong in the same topic.

AuntieStella · 20/06/2019 21:16

No.

Exercise is a health/wellbeing issue, which is nothing to do with weight loss.

Now, people who are interested in losing weight might also be interested in exercise to speed it up a bit.

But many people here are a totally normal weight, and want to talk about exercise.

If this merger goes ahead I shall be looking for new sites for when I want to chat about exercise, and just not post on MN about it any more.

This cull isn't about rolling up lesser used topics, is it? This topic is well used, and next to none of the threads are about weight loss. WTAF is really going on?

thislido · 20/06/2019 21:22

I actually think that's quite worrying / depressing that HQ think it's right to put exercise with weight loss.

I agree. Several of the merger suggestions I’ve seen have been nonsensical but this one is completely warped!

BrienneofTarthILoveYou · 20/06/2019 21:31

I agree with the others - exercise and weight loss are very different things, so it's a no from me.

Shepherdspyreads · 20/06/2019 21:44

Baffling. I'm not trying to lose weight so I'd never have though to look in that section. I wanted advice as a newbie to running. Find the suggestion that it belongs under weight loss a bit disturbing actually. Like others I'd just go back to HealthUnlocked boards.

lljkk · 20/06/2019 22:00

Exercise could be merged with Weights Room.
Does there really need to be 7 different weight loss/special diet/slimming club groups?

Women's health could include Menopause group
An unbrella long-term conditions group could replace Diabetes/Autoimmune/Lifelimiting/Allergies/++ groups.

If you're looking for merger opportunities.

PurpleDragons · 20/06/2019 22:06

Completely nonsensical to even consider merging exercise into Weight Loss Chat, as I think of you polled the users in this area you’d find that many are NOT trying to lose weight

AuntieStella · 20/06/2019 22:07

You could roll some of the more specific exercise topics (weights, yoga) back in to Exercise (from whence they came), depending on what users of those topics think.

I'm not sure Life-Limiting should be rolled in to General Health, dealing with terminal situations isn't something that requires lots of answers, and it's a great, and well used, resource exactly as it is.

I would rather see exercise in General Health than Weight Loss, or in Body and Soul, as it is a much broader issue than weight

21daysofsummer · 20/06/2019 22:10

That’s quite depressing MNHQ are we only allowed to exercise for weight loss now???

HundredMilesAnHour · 20/06/2019 22:15

I agree with the majority that Exercise isn't about Weight Loss. I exercise every day and that's mainly for stress relief! And to improve my fitness. Nothing to do with weight loss. I would never find the exercise threads if they disappear to Weight Loss as this doesn't seem a logical place to look.

MsMartini · 21/06/2019 00:25

MNHQ, if you were a board aimed at men, would you put exercise in "Weight Loss'?

Women exercise for many reasons.

By all means roll the weights room and yoga back into Exercise and they can have separate threads there.

Daisypie · 21/06/2019 00:34

Dreadful idea and based on some concerning assumptions.

LiliesAndChocolate · 21/06/2019 00:37

No!
I have a BMI of 19 and workout for the love of it! If you want add the weights room in here, but weightloss is something very very different !

Please don't

BeansandRice · 21/06/2019 18:16

No no no no!

Exercise is quite different to weight loss.

Sorry if this sounds mean, but I don’t want to have to wade through umpteen angsts boring (to me) about losing weight (it’s simple, track calories and exercise and eat less and move more)

In the Exercise topic we do talk about weight loss but in a healthier way - the focus is in fitness and health.

I know I sound mean but I want to have the focus on exercise. And get the expert advice that other posters can give.

123rd · 21/06/2019 21:48

I don't associate exercise with weight loss. I think the sections should be separate

Sunshineandshowers81 · 21/06/2019 21:52

I don't exercise to lose weight ....

FollowYourOwnNorthStar · 21/06/2019 22:00

I think this is a bad idea.

And I agree with many of the other posters hat I think it sends a bad message that MumsNetHQ think that exercise is only ever to lose weight.

I’d be curious to know if this was one person’s decision, or approved by many? I think the fact you thought this was a good idea shows you need to re-examine your views, both for the website and (I say this gently) in your own mind.

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