Free YouTube exercise for very unfit complete beginner

[Iknownothing]

I thought I would take up exercise for Lent.
I'm 50 and very overweight. I currently do no exercise at all so I need something that starts very very gently and then builds up. Ideally something that builds my stamina so I don't stop at the top of the stairs to catch my breath. I'm more concerned with shape rather than weight.
Please do not tell me to join a gym, do couch to 5k or go swimming - I feel very self conscious exercising so would not want to do anything in public. So something I can do in my living room with the curtains closed would be ideal which is why I thought YouTube would be good. But there are thousands that all claim to be the best and I'm so confused. Can anyone help?

Do you have an Apple phone? Apple fitness plus has workouts for beginners that are very good - including ones for people who start in chairs etc.

just 10 min a day would be a great way to begin. The first two weeks are free and then it’s a monthly subscription so you could try it to see if you like it first.

try Get Fit with Rick! Generally low impact and lots of different work outs to choose from, mainly aimed at getting you more active. Good luck!

Leslîe Sansone

I liked the body project low impact videoes when I first started. But id just narrow down what you want to do (dance, aerobics etc) and just choose a random one, if you hate it choose another in 5 mins type thing. The “best” is the one you gel with the most and will come back too often, so take the time to find a person, music, type of exercise YouTube video you enjoy with the most rather than looking for the optimal training one at the beginning

you may have to try a few before you find something that you like. Fabulous50s on you tube. She focusses on mature adults and does short workouts (10 - 20 minutes) which I’ve found a good start. I’m still looking for a tai chi workout that’s a good video quality, but tai chi is a great movement work out too

Lucy Wyndham Read has some very short workouts you can do every day to get into a routine. Loads of beginner-friendly, low-impact options.

I recommend Lucy Wyndham-read on you tube, she has lots of short exercise videos, 5 to 20 minutes, they are low impact and target different parts of the body. I am 60+ and have been following her since 2020.

Leslie Sansone does walking fit videos on YouTube that are about 15 minutes long. She does some absolute beginner programmes as well as some faster longer workouts. It's all low impact as I found so much stuff involved jumping and was crap for my knees and pelvic floor.

I like the walk a mile videos, I started doing them in covid with the DC!

I felt the same way when I wanted to start moving more. I really recommend Fabulous50s on YouTube. It's made especially for women over 50 and perfect if you're starting from zero. There’s a great variety too: walking workouts, standing abs, balance, flexibility, and even seated exercises. Schellea, the instructor, is so warm and encouraging. She also offers a free workout plan on her website that you can follow day by day—super helpful if you’re feeling overwhelmed with where to begin. Hope that helps! 💛