So unfit, please tell me it gets easier?!

[dreaminofparis]

I'm just looking for some inspirational ladies to tell me it will get better! Pre my 21/2 year old daughter I had a really good level of fitness. I would go to gym/run 3/4 times a week and are healthy. Fast forward a pandemic + baby + break up + a full time stressful job I have done zero proper exercise and my diet has been shit. I'm 40, 9 stone 11 and 5ft 4 and overhauling my diet is the easy bit. I did a beginners' workout on YouTube (one of these 30 day things) and day one nearly killed me!
Please tell me it does get better and I should just keep preserving even if I can't complete half the exercises.

Also, anyone else got some good free workouts they used to get basic level of fitness back? I'm going to try couch to 5k too as I've done that before and it's good as easing you into exercise.

Any help, advice or motivation all greatly received.

It does get easier. I’ve never been overweight but I was very unfit having not done any exercise for years.

I started c25k in the New Year and now run 5k every weekend. It was hard at first, but it did get better.

It gets easier and you start to get a buzz from doing it. I find I have more energy on the days I exercise now whereas when I first started I’d be in bed by 9 to recover!

YES, it gets easier, and hopefully you’ll even start getting a bit of a high from it. You’re doing the right thing by just cracking on with it- doing the bits you can and having a little rest when you need to. Bit by bit, you’ll get stronger and quicker. By the summer you should be feeling a big difference. 💪🏼

Thanks ladies. As I said I used to have a decent level of fitness and loved the high you get from exercise. It's just the initial starting again and even doing ten push ups is torture. Going to try and do the couch to 5k as I think that will build my cardiovascular health and once I'm a bit stronger do the strength training bit xxxx

It gets easier. I've never been very fit, and had done literally no exercise for about 2 years, if not longer. Also had major surgery during that time. I'm almost 14 stone and 5'6".

4 weeks ago I started swimming, I couldn't do a single length without getting out of breath and having to stop. This week I swam 70 lengths in an hour. I'm absolutely buzzing!

What's made a massive difference for me was joining a class - I push myself much harder when I'm in a group, I've discovered!

@GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut congratulations! I bet you feel bloody amazing. Swimming is so good for cardiovascular health and also mental health. I'd love to go again but being a single mother means I'm stuck indoors after nursery xxx

@dreaminofparis, yes getting back to a previous fitness level takes time- but it’s usually much quicker than getting fit for the first time, if that makes sense! I teach fitness classes and when I’ve had a week off for a holiday it feels so tough when I go back. But it only takes a week or so to get back to where I was!

I restarted C25K after Xmas and it’s not always been easy but it’s a really good feeling fitter again. To prep before running again I started walking more briskly 45-60mins so I was covering 5k walking.

The first day is always the worst.

If push ups are torture - don't do them! Come back to them in a few months if you feel like it. The best exercise is the one you enjoy.

If you had a good level of fitness pre-baby you'll probably get a pleasant surprise at how you feel just a few weeks in.

It will get so much easier. I was a sporty kid who then became a sporty young adult. At 30 I just stopped everything due to family life . At 50 ii decided I needed to get back to it . My first run , only around the block nearly finished me off but within 3 months I was running 5k 3 times every week . The first couple of weeks is the worst . Don't give up .

I feel your frustrations. I have always been the ' sporty one' naturally slim , I know I am very lucky . However since having my son 7 months ago I have never felt so big. I am a stone heavier and finding life very stressful ! Sounds like you're doing an amazing job !! It's a marathon not a sprint . You can do it !!!

We are leading parallel lives. My daughter is 2. Same height and weight. Managed to remain reasonably fit during my first pregnancy and after. 2nd was during the pandemic just not got back to it. I'm going to to couch to 5 k soon. Will be grim. But I feel so blubbery and my back is sore because I've lost so much strength. Good lucky. Maybe we should coach each other. I

So many wonderful supportive comments thank you! @Npie123 your comments are lovely thank you.

@TaraRhu always up for fitness motivation buddy. Might try and squeeze my first CT5k session tomorrow if you're up for it? X

I got back to (almost) pre baby fitness pretty quickly after my first baby. I had my second just before the pandemic and a combination of that, two young children and a busy job left me completely unfit, about 2 stone overweight and not feeling very good about myself at all.
I was really lacking in motivation despite several attempts at kickstarting it again. I ended up signing up for a marathon (my second) just to give me the kick up the backside I needed to force myself into regular exercise!
it’s hard - really hard. Especially after kids. And as you get older you really have to work harder for it. But it is possible!

@dreaminofparis yes! Totally up for that. I am going to try this week at some point. Just want it to stop raining!