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.

Yes because a circuits gym opened literally across the road from me and my kids are old enough to leave on their own. I do a pre work 1hr class (6.30am), post work (5.30pm or 6.30pm) or a during work one when wfh, and take flexi time (9.30am or 12.30pm). I have to pre book and it’s frowned upon to cancel last minute or not turn up so it makes me go. All I have to do is turn up and I know I’ll get a good work out.

Yes I run 2-3 times a week and do yoga daily.

I don’t do a lot by MN standards but I walk my dogs everyday ( if not this hot summer )
and do two strength gym sessions weekly .

Joined my LA leisure centres and regularly do pilates and aqua aerobics several times a week. Having to attend because I've booked a session gives me more of a sense of responsibility to do it, rather than "it would be nice to do". I also can then schedule it around other things.

Get a VR helmet and the FitXR app. Lots of different disciples and levels and the instructors are great.

I’ll have a banana or a protein shake as I’m
getting dressed. So half an hour before the class. Then I usually have something to eat once I’m in the office.

Yes but only if you are really committed (don’t get side tracked by a better offer!) and have a solid childcare in place if your kids are young.
Appreciate I work 3 days a week but my exercise comes first, lunch invites, ad hoc things HAVE to fit around my gym. Without the gym I’m terribly moody and don’t function. Again on weekends, I have child care in place to allow me to go. I do feel a bit guilty about prioritising my needs over the weekend but I will either go Saturday or Sunday and give the whole day fully focused on the kids to make up for it. I genuinely enjoy exercise and need it to stay functioning.

I don't know anyone (female friends) who doesn't exercise regularly.

Probably self selecting as you tend to be friends with people who are similar.

I workout 5 mornings a week between 5&6am plus dog walks. I do weights in my garage or yoga in the house. Usually weights though as yoga doesn't feel like proper exercise even though I know it's good for me.

I started running early mornings before DH went to work when DC were tiny. They are now late teens so not relevant any more but the early morning thing stuck.

Its my fun relaxing time. I adore my time in my garage. There's no electricity and I the winter I do it wearing a headtorch and often a puffer jacket and gloves!

@Nihongo absolutely not, I'd be sick. I don't even drink before I workout.

That whole Stacy Sims thing about 30g protein before working out does not include me!

How anyone can exercise after eating is beyond me.

The trick I think is to put the exercise in the diary and build Everything else around that. Don’t try and squeeze exercise in around everything else, because you won’t.

Yes, but I schedule it into my diary! I go to the gym three times a week - a combination of weight training in the gym and Body Pump.
I commute 2.5 hours a day and only get one work from home day a week. One session will be on my WFH day after I’ve finished work. The other two will be at the weekend.

The trick is to find something you enjoy. That, and making it as convenient as possible. For me, that’s a gym that’s a 10 minute drive away, has lots of classes 7 days a week and that I can book online.

I’ve lost 4 stone so every time I feel my motivation waning, I remind myself I don’t want to go back to how I was. Plus, I sold all my clothes 😂

I joined a very expensive PT led gym solely for weightlifting in June and go 3-4 times a week. I have a severely disabled child and neglected my health for 8 years and then realised I need it (used to do so much exercise of all sorts before I had children).
As I can only work part-time and the sessions have to be booked in advance I plan it for morning as early as I can get to a session.
i live it! My legs are like steel if I’ve been lifting heavy and that makes everything so much easier and lighter and my balance and mobility is better too. It’s worth every penny and I have no intention of stopping ever.

Yes. I have teens and work PT.
Parkrun Saturday.
Swim or circuit on Sunday morning.
Run and curcuit on Monday.
Circuit on weds.
Circuit Friday
14k steps a day without fail as I can walk to several supermarkets. Some days I just do 30mins at the gym, today I mixed up battle ropes, kettle bells, punch bag etc. I don't enjoy exercise and have zero endorphins. It's just a good way of keeping heart attack, stroke etc at bay. I've been doing various combinations of this for almost 30yrs.

I work long f/t days over 9 so there's limited time. I walk the dog twice a day and go to the gym 3 times a week for weights. I don't stress if it's less some weeks - I also have a house to look after, hobbies, a family, friends etc. I fit in what exercise I can.

No I don't due to being too busy looking after DC.

Yes. I go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week. I do this by getting up at 5.30Am while everyone else is still sleeping. I also meal prep to the max.

Yes, I exercise every day and have for many years. I’m a single parent with 3 very busy teen DC & a busy job so my exercise has to be prioritised or it wouldn’t happen.

Typically I strength train 2 - 3 times a week but also do strength-based classes as well as HIIT / cardio / erg sessions & Hyrox-specific training, I also do at least two Pilates sessions a week & I run, including a long run on Sundays as I’m currently running half marathons.

It’s a lot of exercise - about 10 sessions a week, not including running - but I love it & I’m dealing with a lot of stress so it’s my outlet.

I get up at 4:50 usually, and I’m in the gym by 530 - 545, done & home before the kids are up / work.

The downside is I don’t get enough sleep. I don’t need masses of sleep but sleeping less than is ideal affects my anxiety a lot.

The key for me is routine, I am booked into sessions & just automatically get up, ready, all my stuff is sitting waiting. I’m a massive procrastinator otherwise so the mixture of auto-pilot & accountability works for me.

I think if you can find a ‘stackable’ habit it really helps eg kids have training & you stack that with running (or whatever), you know you have only x amount of time so you have to get it done.

Sorry if this upsets anyone but walking isn't exercise. It's good to walk to keep things moving e.g. joints, but if your heart rate isn't elevated: you won't be getting what you need from exercise.

You might need to get up earlier. I know.. I'm also not a morning person. Do you know what massively helped me?? Not having blackout curtains in the bedroom.

When I had no shades at all briefly after moving, I found I was waking naturally with the morning light. That helped loads.

Anyway, I can't be arsed with the gym because I need to be working towards achieving something. So I stretch most days now as I want to be able to do the splits. I follow a specific routine.

They say we shouldn't do 2 or 3 spurts of exercise a week as it does more damage. Better to do less, more often. So work in squats and lunges (jumping squats are brill for elevating your heart rate!).

Try a gentle jog instead of a walk or towards the end of it on your way home.

Find a group sport you love and join a team.

We go to the gym 3 times a week each. Have to plan work around - both work fulltime with some travel and a 3 DS and 6 DS.

If we don't plan our week around it, it doesn't happen. Sometimes it's together when WFH/hyrid same time, other time's it's swapping in/out around when kids are in swimming etc. Doable but it has to be a habit.

Also I don’t eat before. I do have coffee with collagen it in though And drink it as I drive to the gym. After the gym I come home get my toddler ready for nursery have a shower and my husband sits with me her while they have breakfast and I take my breakfast to work as I prep it the night before. I also walk 10-12k steps between walking my dog and walking at work. I work 40hrs with nights, long days ( both 12.5 hrs) and normal 9-5’s.

You just have to prioritise it. It’s hard! I’ve often sat in the car and though fuck this I’m going home, but cajoled myself somehow.

I eat something very small eg a bite or two of a banana or a few spoonfuls of custard yogurt. It just wakes my system up really. I couldn’t eat anything more.

I drink a big glass of water & usually bring pre-workout too.

If I’m doubling up on sessions I’ve again something light / snack to eat between sessions.

I do always eat before a run but I don’t ever run that early, it would be more like 630 am than 530/545 that my other sessions are at.

Yes, I have a young child and work ft out of the house (v short commute). Exercise is very important to me and I prioritise it about most other things.

I have Les Mills on demand at home. On Sunday I do 30 minutes Core before a run of 3-5 miles and 15 mins of stretching. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings when my daughter is in bed I do a 45 strength session, either Strength Development (weights) or Shapes (barre pilates).

I wouldn't naturally do exercise in the evening and I'm knackered, but I am also very stubborn so will make myself do it.

Joe Wick's on cbeebies with the kids can be fun lol

yes I recently started and I love it now and wish I’d started more seriously earlier. I always made excuses really, my son was young, I did my degree and work shift work as a nurse but I went along with my friend to his gym in June and haven’t looked back now. I’m 30, my son is now 10 and I do permanent night shifts but like other posters, wherever my shifts fall I plan gym around that and then any other things around that. I started couch to 5k although I’m suffering with a tight calf so running less at the moment and gym 2-3 times a week with a plan by an instructor. I’ve lost 7.3kg since June and have never felt better, especially amazing for mental health.

before I used to force myself to run and get out, now on days I can’t, I’m wishing I could go to the gym and run and strength training is so good to do as a woman to prevent weak bones and muscle loss and is meant to benefit you in older age

I am a lifelong exercise hater but this year I've finally got into doing weights - just 30min dumbbell routines 3 times a week - but already I feel stronger, and I think this will stick.

Now I need to find a way to do cardio that isn't running (which I hate) and can fit around a demanding ft job and a long commute.

Incidentally I once read that getting enough sleep is incredibly important for our long-term cognitive health, and that getting up unnaturally early to exercise is counterproductive - the extra hour or two of sleep is way more beneficial to you than the exercise.