Exercise

[Goingtobeawesome]

My mental health is a mess. I think I've read that exercise can help though I dream stuff and don't know if it's real or not, if I read it or not quite often.

I need to do something free or in the house and could do with losing weight as well but tbh my MH is more of an issue than the fact I'm fat tbh.

Exercise is supposed to boost mood, so it could help.

Have a look on YouTube - there are lots of workouts to choose from. I quite like 30 Day Shred (with Jillian Michaels), but there are many other options.

You don't need weights to start with. You can improvise by filling empty bottles with something relatively dense (e.g. sand).

I did the shred but didn't lose anything though was careful about my food.

How do you fit in exercise, showers, school runs etc all without multiple clothes changing/ showers at odd times of the day?

Everything feels too hard at the moment and I know that's because I'm mentally struggling. I need advice and suggestions as well as support, so thank you, Hainault.

I exercise after the DC have gone to bed in the evening. Then I shower and put my pyjamas on. Warming up before going to bed (by having a shower or a bath) is meant to help you sleep, so I tell myself that this is a perfectly normal time of day to shower.

I didn't lose any weight the first time I did the Shred either, but I certainly felt fitter at the end. The second time through I lost half a stone.

I don't always feel like exercising. I aim to have 3 fixed days which are my non-negotiable exercise days (Sunday morning, Wednesday evening and Thursday evening) - I picked these times because I know the DC don't have activities on these days. I also have a fixed rest day (Saturday). On the remaining 3 days I see how I feel, and exercise or rest accordingly.

You've already taken the first step. You are planning to do something with the expectation that it will help. The first step is often the hardest - so well done! Changing things is hard - but it is not impossible and you can do it. I'm happy to offer what support I can.

P.S. I love your username - very apt . I bet you're already way more awesome than you realise.

I run after I've done the school run. When I get up I put my running stuff on, then shower and change after I've been. I love the feeling of a shower after a good sweaty muddy run in the rain.
My mental health is definitely improved by regular exercise, no matter what it is. You probably don't feel up to running outside at the moment, it does take confidence to start I've found, but whatever you do will make you feel a lot better imo.

My name change was because life was going to be awesome once something was resolved. It partly is resolved so not quite awesome but will get there. Hopefully.

My evenings are usually spent on here and watching too much crap tv. Need to get my head sorted and that's why I'm struggling because I can't.

I have to drive dc3 to school and when I have gone to school in my exercise stuff I've felt such an idiot. I'm clearly not a gym bunny so feel like I'm kidding myself. I used to be sporty and used to be able to run. Every part of my life at the moment is rubbish as I'm failing at everything (except my volunteer job) and I know if I could just start I'd get somewhere.

I really want to fix things though.

Thank you.

Hi,
I have a similar problem Goingtobeawesome. I lost weight a while ago by doing regular exercise. I did it in the morning before getting my shower and getting ready for work.

I want to do that again but now I get into work earlier than before which is good for me. Before I rushed into work more and now I feel more organised.

So, I'm nervous about doing both- exercise in the morning and getting into work early. I'll see if I can sometime this week once I uncross my fingers .

I've never lost weight through exercise. I find that so demoralising tbh. I need to be positive though as I hate this me that is negative and DH isn't liking me much either

I don't exercise to lose weight because I don't stick to it. I have lost weight but it wasn't my prime objective. I needed to boost my mood by doing something I enjoy. I love dancing so do Zumba both at home and in a class, I also do Pilates, done properly you really have to concentrate and an hour without thinking does me wonders. Also walking when ever I can. It really does help, I can feel the difference in my mood if I don't at least go for a walk every day. Find something you like and go from there shred most defiantly wasn't it for me

I quite like walking but feel silly just walking for so long then back again whereas walking one hour to the shop and back is fine . I have asthma which is getting worse so I really need to do something.

I'm going to wear my gym kit to school, get new bottoms that fit and get over the daft feeling I have at wearing it to school. Then I am going to start valuing myself and walk for an hour three times a week. Small changes are manageable.

I have a Wii and a few exercise DVDs but it all comes down to me feeling I'm worthless so out everything and everyone first.

It does help my MH but I do have a lot of laundry. Get yourself some nice new kit and take little steps. Have you got runkeeper on your phone? It's free and can be set to just walking, might give you something to aim for by walking for an extra km a week or for an extra 5 mins a day?

Can you walk to feed the ducks or something? A nice target.

Is school too far to walk to?

I don't have runkeeper. Never heard of it. I tried a step counter but it was disheartening when I'd walked a while and it said I'd done 12 steps.

School is about five miles away, motorway, so not walkable.

Im going to do it though, walk I mean, not walk on the motorway!

Check out if there are any 'Health Walks' near where you live. Our group has walked graded for difficulty (3 grades I thinks) and you meet as a groups with leaders and sweepers at the back to make sure no one gets lost, gets injured etc. It can be social or you can walk by yourself but knowing someone will make sure you get back to the beginning (ours are all circular walks).

Just googled and one came up that is five miles. Bit much to start with but will save the page. When DH was off work we walked a fair bit and did 4-6 miles quite often but I wouldn't do it alone.

Hi Goingtobeawesome - how are you feeling today? Are your DC back at school?

Hi

The kids went back to school today. I spent most of the day at the hospital so no chance for housework or exercise but DH and I are fine, I've managed with the children okay and I have eaten without any guilt . Realistically I won't be able to do any exercise or waking until Friday but that's fine. I'll get there. Thanks for asking .

This morning I did my first run. Was okay. My legs were fine but my lungs hurt. I've got asthma and I need to learn how to manage it better I think.

Well done - that's an amazing start! I bet you felt a real sense of achievement afterwards.

Have you considered doing couch to 5km to help you build up your running stamina? I've not tried it personally, but there are often threads about it on the Exercise boards, and lots of people find it works for them.

It was better than I expected. This morning DH didn't want to go so I went on my own . I stopped twice, fairly close together at the start, so I could retire my lace, do my inhaler and then do the second puff. I then ran the best part of 2km without stopping. Admittedly not very fast (2.11km in 21minutes 9seconds) but I did it and I didn't walk at all.

Using my inhaler helped massively and I will take it every time. My thighs are okay until I try and kneel down then it is very painful.

I'm a bit disappointed with the runkeeper app as I can't see a way to compare my runs and I have just downloaded the 5k one.

DH runs about double what I did in the same time but I'm not going to compare. He's been running for longer, is not two and a half stone over weight and doesn't have asthma. I'm proud of myself. Hope to lose weight and DH has told me to stop daily weigh ins as that won't help. I will do once a week and hope I lose something.

Thank you for your well done .

Hi. Exercise definitely helps with mood, and it's great that you're doing it outside as that helps as well - getting a bit of sunshine (hopefully) and natural light. You should really congratulate yourself that you can run that distance already without stopping.... That's a lot more than most people . If you want to build your distances up, it's fine to walk for a bit or even run really really slowly for a bit. I find that when you are exercising you automatically begin to make more healthy diet choices, so as not to undo your hard work! It sounds like you're doing really well - keep it up you will see improvement day by day! Good luck

I went running in Tuesday and it was dark, started to rain and was freezing but I did it! Plan to go tomorrow night as well. Thoug haven't read you don't lose weight through exercise I am a bit miffed as I don't eat much as it is. I did have to stop more than the previous time but it didn't out me off. I just kept going and the app said it was my best time and I burned off more calories . Today I have decided to have a week without bread. It's empty calories but also I think my stomach doesn't like it. Next week will be no fizzy drinks and then I'll chose something else the following week.

How is it going? It sounds like you've made a really positive start.

I haven't run this week which is bad but I have been really busy doing loads for other people. I need to get back into it. Part of me is a bit fed up though as apparently you don't lose weight through exercise and that is the main reason for doing it.

I managed my two weeks with no bread until I forgot today and had a slice of tiger bread but have easily done a week without fizzy drinks.