How often do you exercise?

[whattodo2019]

How old are you and how often do you exercise?
When do you exercise and how do you fit it into your days?
I need motivation!

I'm 45 and don't exercise...

Everyday. I do a mixture of cardio, weights and flexibility though.

Pilates once a week, cycle speed training race once a week, endurance cycle 100km once a week and usually a mix of either hills cycle or leisurely cycle once week. I'm 56

This is a thread mainly of people who exercise a lot.

I used to do basically nothing, I would walk and cycle round the place at the weekend and if off work, but everything else was sedentary.

I changed jobs so I have more time now, and I now walk or cycle everywhere, so between about 4-8 miles a day, and then swim 1-2x per week, swimming between 40--140 lengths a session.

The NHS would say a genuinely brisk walk is exercise and it has health benefits even in 10 minutes doses. If we had lifestyles that allowed us to be active, walking all the time, gardening etc etc the need for condensed high impact activity would be much lower. I don't think saying it doesn't count as exercise really helps anyone, because it's clearly better than driving to school or work.

I dropped a dress size when I iced away from London and got a dog. I wasn’t very active at the time and the combination of going from that to two brisk walks a day - and having no easy access to Starbucks - made me lose weight very efficiently indeed. Walking can definitely count as exercise.

I haven’t read the full thread BUT six months ago I did no exercise. None. I did walk the dog everyday and I am generally active. I’m 45 and quite suddenly started to feel unfit - breathless, slow, walking up stairs was an effort etc.
So I bought 6 personal training sessions to kick start my fitness before joining a park gym. Now I go twice a week (without fail). It’s only 45 mins so short enough not to interfere with my day and it’s only a 10 minute walk from the house. It means I exercise outside in all weathers and over time I’ve got to know the people in the group who are fun and friendly (I’m quite shy and meeting new people locally has been a big unexpected benefit)
I would absolutely recommend that kind of exercise. I’ve also found that every few weeks at the beginning I made little step changes that made things easier so I could really feel the progress I was making. Now, instead of feeling exhausted after a session I feel energised.

@Runningonempty84 I agree with a PP that it isn't helpful to say that walking/cycling to that around isn't exercise. Sure, you have to do more of it to see the benefits versus higher intensity exercise, but having it integrated into your everyday life is a big boost to your lifestyle and fitness.

I'm interested to know what kind of mix of exercise is generally considered best for good health? A lot of people on here do only cardiovascular or strength, but they both have benefits.

You have 4 general types of fitness, with sub groups that ideally you want to maintain, cardiovascular (aerobic & anaerobic), muscular (strength & endurance), flexibility and balance/proprioception. Some types of workout will cover some/most of the above but it’s a good idea to make the effort to cover all forms of fitness and add a few workouts to cover any areas your favorite workouts don’t do much for. In the long run the benefits of covering all areas are enormous as we age. But in the short term the better your absolutely overall fitness, the better you’ll perform at the activity that most motivates you.

I have just joined (rejoined) the gym and its hard to be motivated! Always an excuse... I need a good boot up the backside.

I’m trying though.

4 times a week. Saturday afternoon, Monday evening, Tuesday 6am, Thursday in my lunch break from work.

I worked with someone who went twice a day every single day.

Nothing! Busy job, young child, blah blah blah. Need to make time for it I know but I don't love exercise which doesn't help 😂

I'm late 40's and I do formal exercise 3 x per week. At the moment its just dance fit but I will get back to Pilates soon. If you are physically able you absolutely MUST make the effort to exercise as you age. Weight bearing I believe is especially important for women so I need to add that in to my schedule too.

45 nearly 46
This week have managed 5 gym sessions and am hoping to get out for a run later
This is an odd week as I am on annual leave
Working week I aim for 2-3 gym sessions and need to add a couple of runs to that as the weather improves as I'm training for a half
3 years ago I was a couch potato
Started very very small and built up very gradually
If you go too mad at the start you won't keep going

Oh and I walk
Pretty much every day
Back and fore to work and anywhere that I can avoid driving
I started the whole 10,000 steps thing and added a gym session or run on top
My aim is 10,000 steps as a basic and then add other bits in as I can

I'm late 30s, I walk 4 miles every day, in addition to running 3-4 times a week and I go to the gym on non-run days to do weights, cardio and a weekly bootcamp style gym class. I also do yoga at home (Youtube) now and then, and a couple of times a month I'll go on a longish hike with DH.

I'm very lucky, I have a lot of free time to myself. If I had a busier life (I only work part time and have no DC) there's no way I'd have the energy or the time. I massively admire those that manage to balance kids/work/exercise.

32
Daily
When I’m at work I do it as soon as I get up in the morning, I also do challenges like the daily push up challenge etc and I do that before bed.
At the weekend I would usually do it when my sons at rugby tots/swimming lesson, but he has a broken arm so it’s up early and do it at home.
I don’t work Fridays so usually go to the gym with my boyfriend after school drop off.

I really enjoy it, so there isn’t a motivation problem for me.

|'m 58 and have picked up the exercise to remain fit and keep my weight down & beat the aches and pains that seem to be gaining on me, cycle to work and locally, kayak twice a week in winter and as often as I can when the river is ok, gym at the kayak club twice a week with a group of friends.

Mid 30s. I don't do high intensity workouts due to a health problem but I walk 45 mins a day Mon-Fri plus usually a walk at the weekend. Swimming occasionally.

52. I do CrossFit classes 3 times a week and run 3 times a week but more when I’m training. I completed my first full marathon last year in 5hrs 20min. I never exercised until I was 48.

I'm 41 with 2 DC, I exercise 6 or 7 times per week. A combination of classes at the gym, and home HIIT sessions and using the Les Mills app. I used to go to the gym about twice a week, and I feel lots better mentally for upping it to daily.

44 here, I swim 1km three times a week. Walk the dog about 2 miles a day either on the beach or in hilly woods. Walk everywhere I can, at a brisk pace. In the summer I swim nearly every day in the sea. We also do long bike rides in summer, at weekends, either flat or mountain biking.

I hate gyms, I hate yoga, I hate pilates, I hate spinning, I hate weights. I like Zumba so try and go some at home with YouTube.

Oh, and I live on the 5th floor with no lift, so stairs 2-3 X day usually with bags of shopping/child's crap! Once a month I carry a 30kg bag of dog food upstairs

3/4 times a week at the gym. Usually classes but sometimes just use the fee weights. Mixture of cardio and strength (spinning, circuits, body pump, legs bums tums etc).

I go in the evening or sometimes on my way home from work if DH has picked up the kids from school.

I'm mid 30s

Never

Im 45 and only run. CBA to do any other kind. I usually run with friends, about 7pm 2-3 times a week. And on Sunday mornings. During the summer i can be out running 4-5 miles a day. Its too nice to be indoors.

Depends on what races i do. If its a mountain race i up my game, and if its a marathon its an October one so I’m can train through the summer.

I do pilates once a week. I've also just started a new programme at the gym involving more weights. I need to do more cardio but I really hate the way it makes me feel, all sweaty and wobbly. I'm trying to build it up a bit at a time. I'm enjoying the weights though and can feel it's making a difference even though it's only been a couple of weeks. Trying to go twice a week and make it a routine so I don't skip it. I'm also doing some resistance band work at home on non-gym days.