Where to start?

[PanicDisco]

Me: I am almost 40 with two small children. I am not really overweight (BMI 26) but I am slow, tired and have sore knees. I feel pathetic, and I hate not being able to run around much with my kids. I have an under active thyroid condition which is being treated. Aside from Pilates, which I do regularly to prevent back pain, I do next to no proper exercise (I do walk a lot, occasionally jog around the park).

What I want: to be fitter, more toned and just healthier. To be a good role model for my kids.

The issue: I have no clue where to start.
I'm actually terrified of starting.

Does anyone have any tips for starting? Do I just turn up at a gym and try? I haven't got loads of extra cash but I'm so tired in the evenings I haven't found the motivation to do YouTube videos or whatever. Early mornings might work but I keep making excuses.

Start by aiming to do 10,000 steps a day (you might already if you walk a lot).
Pick an activity you enjoy and that's convenient for your lifestyle.
Try different things to work out what you enjoy and what works for you. You need to make a routine and stick to it e.g. if you occassionally jog round the park could you go to parkrun on Saturday mornings and make that a regular thing? Or you go for a swim at lunchtime or on the way home from work etc.
Aim for low impact activities if your knees hurt e.g. swimming, aquafit, cross trainer, cycling etc.
Take a vitamin D and cod liver oil supplement daily - it might help your aching joints and also consider what footwear you're wearing. I have flat feet and my knees ache if i wear shoes that don't have enough support or don't wear orthotics in them.

These are the NHS exercise guidelines for healthy adults:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/

If you like Pilates and it works for you I would start by making sure you do a good whole body class of that twice a week. That will tick the strength box and provide a good foundation, good form and strong core if you want to move into other strength stuff in the future. If you walk a lot (and walk briskly) I would get the strength side sorted first. Walking is proper exercise.

I definitely would not just turn up at a gym and try - at best you will waste time and energy, at worst you will injure yourself. Either join classes or get some PT with a proper structured programme.

You could also try eg a park bootcamp or boxing class or something like that (conditioning, HIT, mix strength and cardio) once a week - but I would find out what is wrong with knees and what to avoid first.

I am older than you and started seriously with fitness at 51. I now do strength training (including small specialist group classes) and belong to a boxing club. But I tried lots of things out to see what I enjoyed and what worked, always keeping the NHS guide in mind as a baseline to achieve each week (I now go way past it but built up slowly).

Have a look at a few gyms in your area. Make sure they are easy to get to so that you have one excuse fewer not to go.

Look at chain gyms AND smaller private gyms. You might find a smaller private gym better to start with.

But check out 1) how many, 2) what sort, and 3) how easy to book onto their group exercise classes are.

Doing classes will introduce you to different kinds of exercise so you can find things you enjoy, and they’re an excellent way to meet other members so you start to feel at home in the gym.

If you have a bit of cash - or a present from family maybe? think about purchasing a set of sessions 1 to 1 with a personal trainer. It’s expensive (I pay £40 a session) but the right PT can be literally life-changing. At the very least, you’ll have some ideas for your own workouts.