If you've lost your exercise/running mojo, come on in for a Christmas countdown .....

[lechatnoir]

I've not done any significant exercise for the past 9 months, have put on 1.5 stone, taken up smoking again after years away and feel like shit as a result plus add peri-menopausal symptoms Working from home , lack of money and general feeling of negativity everywhere hasn't helped and I'm sure I'm not alone.

In a fit of madness I signed up for a HM for next March but need a kick up the arse and a serious overhaul before I can even start to think about following a running plan. Ive got 7 weeks before I start training but think 8 weeks is more realistic and will also tie in nicely with the festive season (right now I just want to hibernate not party).

So aims are:
Get basic fitness levels up and gently resume running
Build some strength and flexibility
Stop smoking (day 3 and counting)
Include some proper self-care - early nights, hair colouring more regularly, just a bit of pampering occasionally.

Get back in the habit of regular exercise with some sort of weekly timetable.

Anyone want to join me and post for support, encouragement, ideas and give each other a proverbial kick up the arse along way?

I want to lose a stone. I need to lose more but the thought is too daunting.

I am going to get back in the gym next week. I have to. This has already made that more likely. Thank you.

I always feel better for doing it but work takes over.

I will do it. I will do it.

Gym done this morning ✅
My legs were not especially happy first thing, but it’s done.

Will probably do a YWA later to stretch out - glad to see so many others follow her, she’s ❤️

Hello ladies. I'm hoping to tag along too. I'm an on/off runner on my own and do very well if I've spent a shit ton of money on a personal trainer... However Can't afford the PT anymore and got to week 7 of C25k a couple of weeks ago, got covid and haven't really been since. Need a bit of motivation to get back on it!

2 miles of Jeffing this morning - managed to miss the rain but bit dodgy running on city pavements covered in wet leaves 😬Last two runs have been 4 mins run and 1 min walk, but I think next time I'll change to 4.30 and 55 secs and gradually work towards 30 second walking breaks

Hey @SkiingIsHeaven in the same boat - aiming for a stone by Christmas and will worry about the next one in 2023 ---- why not crack on and start with some yoga or stretching tomorrow? Morning workouts very popular on here

I'm a big fan of Yoga with Adriene but this morning only had a small window but wanted a decent stretch (I can't always be arsed with the reflection & mindfulness when I'm tight for time!) and came across a fab full body workout that would be a great post run stretch - lots of hip flexor/glute/leg stretches but included everything else - even had a nice wrist stretch. Mady Maddison and I did the 15 minute full body stretch (free on YouTube) no chat, straight into it and 30 second holds and 10 second breaks.

YWA day four, done. Steps were about 10k by the time I finished teaching at 1, and then my stupid Fitbit died (I think it is faulty) but usually I do about 20k on a Thursday.

I need to be in on this.. I've just signed up to a 6 week PT plan and so need to be fitter not to mention slimmer..

I posted and didn’t come back! I’ve been working out with my PT twice a week and doing a dance class weekly. I struggle on work days because I do long hours but want to start doing yoga at home (max 20 minutes).

@lechatnoir thanks. You have inspired me. I have just finished a series of stretches and mentally feel better for it. Many thanks.

Gah- still haven’t started move 30 with Adrienne. MONDAY!! I did however get out for my run around Hyde Park which was just gorgeous. I miss London 😭. I must admit to not running the whole thing as I had a bit of a thick head after dinner last night but prob ran 7k and walked 3k in intervals so still a fair number of steps if nothing else. My lovely SIL is going to take the DC tomorrow morning so I can do Parkrun.

Tired and aching (used aching rather than bad aching). I think it's a combination of actually having an uninterrupted week back to normal levels of activity, and the weather going cooler/ damper which always seems to tense my muscles.

A total of 16 miles of runs. 2 classes and a swim. Plus getting back into a short morning yoga practice.

Day five of YWA was a struggle - we ate early because DP has football and doing it on a full stomach was NOT good! But it’s done, and 15k steps.

It's encouraging to see so many others joining the group.

I've done YWA, a 5 minute workout with LWR and a 5 minute meditation with Great Meditation two days in a row.

Baby steps but I know I'm more likely to stick to something short, sweet and do-able.

Feeling so much better already. I think I just needed the push/encouragement to get started again.

Thanks again @lechatnoir and well done to everyone else.

If you're reading this and thinking it's too hard, remember that you can do anything for five minutes...

Make that 19 miles this week. DH wants to up his exercise so we had a family outing at parkrun. The first time I've been genuinely the slowest in the family 😂

A little stretch with some bedtime yoga helped last night.

Well done everyone keep posting and sharing your successes however big or small.

Rest day for me so nothing to report other than a brief walk and resisting too much booze tonight as I've got an early run planned tomorrow.

13k steps and a 30-minute cardio session, incorporating some of my rehab moves, this evening.

YWA day six, and 14k steps - done. Tomorrow will be far fewer steps as no plans to leave the house, but I will do the yoga.

Did 5K while the DC were at their football training this morning, which makes three runs in a week for the first time in ages. I changed my intervals to 4.5 mins running and 55 seconds walking and it definitely made a difference in terms of overall speed. Plus I found a fiver on the pavement so win win 😆

Office is being refitted next week so we’re all WFH which should give me the opportunity to get a run in every other day

DD is in hospital (planned) so the week has been a bit erratic. I managed my Tuesday swim in the Lido and my Wednesday evening run (12k) went really well. I missed Thursdays swim but made up for it on Friday while she was in theatre and got in my long run (18km) whilst DH and a friend were with her yesterday. Am a bit achy today but it is a rest day so not a problem. Food is an issue though as I'm having to grab what I can when I can and by the time I get home I cba to cook properly.

Hope your daughter is okay @londonmummy1966

Poor steps here today but I am sitting on 85k for the week. I’ve done YWA day seven, and a 10 minute cardio YT workout.

I’m only in work two days next week so steps are likely to be lower - I’m in NE Scotland and it’s dark so early that I am not keen on going for a walk when I finish WHF. I’m going to do that cardio workout on those days though as well as the yoga.

2.7k swim & 10k steps today. Wanted to do a quick YWA stretch this evening but couldn’t fit it in.

hope your daughter is on the mend @londonmummy1966

Thank you for your kind wishes - todays exercise has been 9 laps of the ward pushing DDs drip... I'd planned a walk home this evening but it was cold, dark and damp and I was offered a lift.... tomorrow is another day.

I am coming along for the ride!!!

I did a countdown to Christmas a couple of years back and felt really smug at how great I felt compared to people overindulging around me.

I say this now, having had a baby in between and now very overweight, just 10 minutes consumed more chocolate than I care to admit!

Can I do turn my habits around? 🤞

Ps. I am going to vow to drink more water!

@cantforthelifeofme tiny steps! I follow a lot of fitness stuff on TikTok (as I sit on my arse on the couch) and I really think half the battle is just doing something. I’m having to modify some moves on Adriene because there is no way I could do them right now, but I am showing up, being consistent etc which is the aim of the game!

Another 5K run this morning - my interval app randomly switched itself to no audio for the last run interval, so I did 6.5 minutes uphill feeling like death and thinking "It MUST be 4.5 minutes by NOW??" 😓Also did the school run to get some more steps in - just under 12K at the moment.