Wanted, fit people to tell me how I can start exercising again in my 30s after a whole decade of general laziness

[llareggub]

The subject title really says it all.

In my teens I was very active. I did some form of exercise nearly every day. I swam pretty much every day between 6/7 and 14 and after I gave up serious swimming I worked at an indoor ski centre where I skied every day.

I gave up any form of exercise when I went to university apart from dancing in nightclubs. I enjoyed a very hedonistic sociable 20s with lots of drinking, dining out, clubs, the usual sort of thing. I did go on the occasional health kick and start going to the gym which I loathe, but by and large I was pretty lazy.

Fast forward to my 30s and I have given up all of my unhealthy ways and I am now a teetotal, non-smoking sensible kind of person. BUT I am over-weight, unfit and increasingly unhappy with this state.

I want to get fit and lose weight but I know from past experience the only way for me to do this is to exercise more and eat less, not just lose weight. My son has just started walking and I want to be able to do lots of fun, active things with him.

I have lots of weight to lose - maybe 5 stone?

Question: what is the best and safest way to start exercising? I work full time so would need to fit around that but I also want to mainstream exercise so that I can do a manageable amount each day. I hate the gym, too.Can anyone help?

Hi,
Pilates is great, but will not really help you lose weight...

Swimming, though it is great, is going to make you feel hungry and want to snack. Your metabolism is going to decrease due to being immersed in cold water.

Buy a bicycle, cycle to work, cycle for errands, take your kids cycling. Free fun family activity and cardiovascular fitness.

Oh, and can you get yourself to a dance class at your local college, such as salsa? Ectremely fun.

I think we should perhaps start a new wobbly women thread!

Hi, can I join in too - have just come home from an hours power walk! I was inspired by a lovely slim friend who confessed that she power walks every day. I'd like to build up to running too.

I need to lose about 1 1/2 - 2 stone and am also planning to start healthy eating after the inevitable New Years eve food fest.

Fwiw I found that having some fast paced music on my i-pod helped, I downloaded a Ministry of Sound workout album which was great.

so who have we so far

Jofeb04
JingleyJen
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llareqqub

anymore for anymore?

Message withdrawn

llareqqub
sorry we seem to have hijacked this thread - should we start up somewhere else?

Lenny - great if you would join us - just as long as you are happy to do some kicking as well as recieving a kick up the bum!

Jofeb04
JJ
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llqreqqub
Lennygirl

anymore?

can i play? (asks in small voice)
used to run a bit about a hundred years ago but am now rather wobbly and far too self conscious to join a gym!

BeeEm welcome to the wobbly women! (anyone got a catchier name?)

anyone want share their goals / short term targets?

Hurrah! There are a few of us. I don't feel so bad now.

I must say I do feel better for my run/walk this evening. All glowy and amazingly, wide awake not lethargic. Am going to do the ironing this evening.

Re: swimming and metabolism, swimming is something I can actually do well and is more for relaxation rather than anything else. Same with pilates. Would love to cycle but my son has only just started walking, it is far too soon for cycling. Will think about the logistics of getting me, plus laptop to work on a bike...any suggestions?

i'm in.

am currently doing slimming world and have over 5stone to lose. i need to get fit and running for a fun run in sept.

i just want to run, but the thought of going into a shop for running shoes scares me. for now, can i get away with some off the peg? then once i'm more confident will get some good ones, i promise.

I think another thread would be better...this isn't all about me, me, me! Would much prefer to be part of a group.

My husband cycles to work every morning, he uses a back pack for his laptop. Many of my working friends cycle to work because it is the only exercise they have time to do when they have a family to get home to at the end of the day. It is a lot easier to drop by at the gym after work if you dont have a family, I think. Besides, they say it wakes them up. You can have your youngest either on a front seat on your bike or a back seat. SO, you can cycle to the nursery on the way to work.

Does he cycle all weathers?

So
FairyTaleOfNewYork
BeeEm
Jofeb04
JJ
Scanner
llqreqqub
Lennygirl

I will start a new thread called WobblyWomen if no one objects...

Good idea jen.

Will it be in health? I'm next running on Tuesday evening but will aim to get out walking tomorrow.

Thanks to all those who posted with advice, it was appreciated. To all us fellow wobbly women, here's to a successful and fit 2008.

He cycles all weathers. It is essential to get good rainproof cycle gear, you can order online from Chainreaction Cycles. He is quite dedicated though....

Insprational tale

Many moons ago several of us started a Runners Thread on MN. There's a new one on the go now in Health. One of the founder members was Twink who doesn't post anymore but she was pretty inspirational really as fas as losing weight and getting fit goes....

By Twink on Tue 12-Jul-05 07:15:54
I did my first RFL 3 years ago, so this is my fourth year IYSWIM. A bit of history, apologies to those who've heard it before. After having my daughter, I piled weight on, reaching around 14 stone which is not great at 5'4". I lost a bit on my own then joined the local Rosemary Conley club. They were signing up to do RFL but I felt I couldn't even walk 5k let alone run it so didn't join in but vowed that next year I'd be there. I started going to the gym & walking on the treadmill, gradually increasing the incline until after about 6 months it was as high as possible. Then I started trying to run a bit but on a 0% incline & found it easier than the walking. 3 months before RFL 2002 I followed their training programme and made it round a flat course on the day in 29mins 58 secs. The time was entirely due to my brother promising to double my sponsorship if I completed in under 30 mins After that, as I said earlier, I met my neighbour & we decided to enter a 10k race, then a half marathon & we've just carried on. Now we also do speed work & hill training which helps us to get quicker. At the moment we seem to be beating the ageing process and are still improving. We also keep our weight under control without dieting and I'll never go back to being a 40-a-day smoker, for me RFL has literally been a life-saver.

Last time she posted on the Runners Thread she had just done the London Marathon and was training for a triathlon!

Wow. That is amazing. Thank you so much for posting that. Will pop along to the runners thread too at some point, but will check out RFL perhaps as something to aim for.

so ladies New thread here

if hangover isn't too evil may dust off me trainers tomorrow and go for a run/walk/gasp/shamble. although am hitting the gin tonight as am vvv hormonal.
am quite excited and if you lot promis to keep an eye on me i really may well actually do some running. oooh am excited.