Does anyone actually manage to exercise regularly?

[Chloejane1]

I keep meaning to be more consistent with exercise, mainly because I notice I feel better mentally and physically when I’m moving more.

The problem is fitting it around everyday life. A walk is probably the easiest thing for me to stick to, whereas anything involving a proper exercise routine tends to disappear after a week or two!

Has anyone found a realistic way of keeping active that they’ve actually managed to maintain long term? Would be interested to hear what works for you.

I did couch to 5k last year and have kept running 5k three times a week, most weeks. It only takes half an hour, and I can start and finish from home, which saves time. I wouldn’t say I enjoy running - it still feels hard and I’m not always in the mood - but I have a back injury at the moment that’s stopping me running and I’m actually missing it. The couch to 5k app is really good, and it helps that it’s all free.

I did the couch to 5k 12 years ago and still try and run twice a week. I try and go to running club on Mondays and Wednesdays as I just turn up and do the planned run. It’s my social life too,

I try and walk about 7000 + steps daily. If you can, go for a 20 min walk after each meal or two mid length walks per day.
I also work out at home and fit it in whenever I can. First thing in the morning works for me and then it’s done for the day. I lift weights and follow Caroline Girvan online but there’s loads of online trainers you could follow. I’ve done this consistently for about 6 years now and feel great.

I'm retired so I can schedule exercise anytime.
I walk daily
Pilates Saturday
Dance class Thursday
Gym Monday and Wednesday
Swim Friday
All this on a good week because I have long term health conditions.

When I worked it was much less but overall I was probably more active, just not doing formal exercise.

Yes but only because the do a gym class or run at 6/6.30 daily and I have now done this for 3 years. I’d never have the time or motivation to do it after work. I’m not happy that it’s not fully light when I have to get up now though.

I go to a yoga/pilates studio around 5 times a week. My work has some flexibility meaning on my two WFH days i can squeeze a Before dinner class. On other days it is after dinner and at the weekend, whenever i want. My kids are all teenagers so that helps a lot too, they dont need childcare anymore.
The type of yoga/pilates i do is challenging rather than relaxing and as i am quite competitive, it keeps me addicted motivated.

I go through phases but each time the motivations are completely different.

For years I did weight watchers and losing a lot of weight made me want to tone up. That drove me to exercise regularly for a long time about 3 years

Then I discovered Strava, that made me want to compete with myself and that made me exercise regularly for about 3 years.

Then I did Healthy Wager, again lost weight and it made me want to exercise a lot regularly.

I only go up and down about 8lbs but I try to nip in before I put on too much. Each gap is about 6-12 months as well.

It's annoying I can't stick to one thing rang motivates me. I now have a coach who designs my workouts. Only started last week and so far I'm on track with 4-5 workouts per week building up gradually.

Yep, I just get up early… around 05.30. I’m 52, work full time in the office, and my kids are self sufficient now.

I go to the gym for weight training 06.00-06.45 three times a week.
I run three times a week including a long run at the weekend.
I do a Pilates class in the evening once a week.
I walk the dogs every day.

I am retired so find it pretty easy to do 12 to 15k steps a day, and I go to the gym twice a week. I manage to keep this up almost wherever I am in the world, since walking can be done almost anywhere, and it’s easy enough to use the gym ins hotel of somewhere locally. But there are times I’ll miss a session at the gym. I don’t stress about that too much. I don’t however to any body weight stuff at home, even though I suppose I could / should. I need more time in the week :)

I do yoga and Pilates classes around 5 times a week. The places I go to have apps where you can book into drop in classes at all sorts of times of the day so I just book around work and my other commitments.

I run 3 times a week and do weights at home 3 times a week. Both only take 30mins and I manage to fit them in around life.

without sounding harsh, if you have time to post on MN, you probably have 20-30mina to do exercise!

Yup - I bicycle 10 miles a day for the school run and then go to the gym/ do some skipping and stretches on the way back. I walk 4/5 miles each day on top of that (going to the shops/ to meetings/ etc.) There are some days that are less active but minimum on those days is that I’ll skip for 12 minutes and do lunges, squats and push ups - and still walk at least a couple of miles. I go a bit nuts otherwise - in terms of anxiety and feeling out of control - and then I don’t sleep.

Yes but I just have to prioritise it over other stuff and be smart with my time. So I might use my lunch break to do a strength session or a run, after kids are in bed to hop on the bike or go for a run, combine running with the kids going out on their scooters, etc. My DH knows how important exercise is for my mental health so he has always supported my training by watching kids when needed, ferrying us all to and from events, that sort of thing.

Most people have the time, you just have to sacrifice whatever else you would do in that time (doomscrolling, watching TV, cleaning the skirting boards…)

I walk for around an hour and a half on hilly terrain. I've recently started with weights when I get back, only five minutes or so, slightly different each day. And I get out on my bicycle when I can.

No, I’ve never managed past 6-8 weeks not even walking regularly. Now I’m older I’m really regretting it. My knees are not what they were so I’m doing physio exercises and have started yoga which I love. Just need to drag myself out the house at lunch time between meetings but I don’t really enjoy walking in our local area. I love a walk in the countryside but that’s more difficult to fit in every day.

I exercise 7 times a week (3 gym classes of 30-35 mins and 4 runs). I have two kids and a crazy busy job. You’ve got it find what works for you, for me it’s mornings, so the exercise is done and you feel smug for the rest of the day. If I have to do it at lunchtime/evening too then that’s fine but mornings really work best for me. Why not try a few things and see what slots into your life best? Because I travel for work and also fitting around the kids etc, running is very flexible, just grab a pair of trainers and go, and the exercise classes run 7 days a week every hour from 5am to 10pm.

I do a CrossFit class 3 times a week at 6am on set days. Routine is key for consistency for me. I like to add a 4th ad hoc when I can.

Yes I have exercised every day for more than 500 days on the bounce. Some days it’s 5 minutes, some days it’s an hour. But it’s every day. I do a lot of different YouTube videos (Lucy Wyndham Read, yoga, pilates, dance videos), I have a weighted vest for walks or sometimes go jeffing. It’s different basically every day, I don’t count normal walking or cycling, and it’s surprisingly easy to keep going.

I started doing a week in a row. Then I tried a month. And then I just kept going. And going and going. I have been lucky with illness and injury (knocks on wood). For me it’s been easier to focus on consistency rather than intensity - plus choosing something I don’t mind doing and has very low barriers (I don’t need to get dressed or leave the house).

I have a big job and 2 teenagers, was advised to lose weight by cardiologist after some not great test results. With better eating and exercise now about 10kg down. I didn’t do any exercise for years when the kids were little, very haphazard about the gym (fundamentally don’t like it), tried c25k a couple of times but not much of a runner, but this has stuck and hasn’t relied on massive willpower - have been using Slimpod to help change my mindset and it really helped.

What if you tried a 7 minute Lucy Wyndham Read video every day for a week?

You just have to decide to do and then just do it. I exercise before work, and with 3 kids that sometimes means getting up at 5am. If you want to do it you’ll find the time.

I moved my office to closer to home so that I now work to/from work every day, and regularly do 10k steps just walking to/from work and a lunchtime walk. Best thing I ever did. I piled on the weight when I had a long car commute, down-graded to a job much closer to home with a shorter car commute, which at least stopped the weight gain, as I had more time to go to the gym etc., but couldn't get any of the weight off. It was only going self employed and then renting an office within walking distance of home that meant I could get regular exercise and the weight started to finally come off. 8 stones later and still coming off, but very slowly.

I do, and always have made time to exercise. It’s so incredibly important to me, running is sort of part of who I am, if that makes sense? 😊

Life has been pretty challenging the last 4 years as I’m now DH’s full time carer after a stroke and was until last October working full time too.

I just got up insanely early in truth. I was knackered but still a better person for running every morning and despite the bags under my eyes more able to cope!

I run at a pretty decent level so performance is important to me but as I get into my 50’s longevity and health are increasingly important too, so the resistance work is now non negotiable rather than sporadic. I’m having to add a bit of mobility too now - wish I’d appreciated chucking on some trainers and ‘just’ heading out the door in my 20’s and 30’s !!

I think you have to find what you really love and then it’ll stick more, maybe you just haven’t found it yet but you will do 😊

Those of you who workout at 5/6am - do you eat beforehand?

I do two pilates classes a week; one evening and once at the weekend, I would like to do more maybe in the mornings before work, but the class is 55 minutes and it can be intense.
At the moment I eat something one and a half to two hours beforehand, otherwise I feel like I’d have no energy for the class.

I can only speak for myself but I don’t eat before I head out for easy runs, for harder efforts I have an energy gel, I really can’t stomach much else. Maybe half a banana. Or I’ll have a milky drink before bedtime the night before.

Always a coffee!

Swimming 7am Sunday morning, Yoga 7.45pm Monday evening and 8am Saturday morning, Gym 6.45pm Tuesday evening and 6.30pm Thursday evening. Walk about an hour a day on work days on commute, lunch time and walking the dog.

I try to get out for a brisk walk every day. 30 minutes or 2 x 15 minutes. I also do yoga every evening for muscle tone and flexibility - it's usually 15 minutes (hence username!) in the evening before I go to bed (so not energetic yoga).

I've noticed my cardio-respiratory function has massively improved and I seem to be stronger (and more able to reach the top cupboards in the kitchen!) and it doesn't feel as if I've done anything extraordinary. Just fitted "exercise snacks" into my day.