How do you keep fit?!

[Mustgetfit]

I am very very unfit, get exhausted running for a bus; take the bus when I should walk... My family are unfit and I want to break the cycle!

Please tell me how you do it - and how you fit it in with looking after your children?

My friend receommended I use a pedometer, but I've heard that some of them are rubbish... do you use a good one??

Hello, walking is a good way to keep fit, you start with little walk and then go further and further, once you get to a certain time level move over to swimming, thats a great way to keep fit..... you would be best to get a buddy with you, it does help having a help along......

MAke sure you dont have enough money on you to catch the bus so therfore you have to walk. You will soon become used to it and not even think of the bus.

I walk (up to 4 hours some days) i know that i am obbsessive. I completeed a marathon 4 weeks ago and i have a duathalon to do in 3 months.

I find enrolling into something gives me a goal. I know i have to keep up fitness to compete in sept IYKWIM.

My ds is 7 and will walk up to 15 miles in a day. He hhas to walk with me and dogs at weekend etc. Ypou will have to get used to other parents telling you you are cruel for making them do it but i dont fore my son to walk he likes it.
If your children are young enough i used to take pasta out with me and every 5 mins of good walking he 'earnt' a bit of pasta, when we got home we added up his pasta pieces and exchanged each piece for 5p, you gradually increase the time between pieces and increase money value.

Also someone once said to me about running ' if you can run for 5 mins you can certainly run for 10 etc' and i have to say this is something i use for all my fitness stuff, it certainly works for walking and gym. apply it and see what happens.

Also another little thing is if you have several items to take upstairs take them seperatly over the course of a day, it is amazing how many times you climb the stairs.

Just dont start of by pushing yourself too much, you have to push yourself to some degree but dont over so it, listen to your body and take it from there.

Most of all enjoy yourself and keep going.

I hope that long winded post helps!

have a look here for a short charity walks and for inspiration.

If i was you just starting out i would look for 5k (3 miles) in about 12 weeks or 10k (7 miles) in 4 months.

The omron pedometer is meant to be good
I am no good at exercising unless I go to the gym which I now do 3 times a week it seems to work for me
Wii fit is quite good too

I have recently discovered cycling which is really good exercise. I always used to think I hated it after years of being made to cycle to school (we lived too far to walk in a sensible time, no bus and parents wouldn't drive me - they thought making me cycle against my will would be 'good for me'). Anyway. On a whim I borrowed a friends bike that she wasn't using and started with short journeys (round the park, to the pub etc) and ended up buying my own and now I'm never apart from it.
A half decent (second hand would be cheaper) bike could probably cost the same as 20 day tickets on the bus so as long as you use it a couple of times a week you'll eventually end up saving money. Loads of people have bikes in their sheds that they don't use so check with family and friends and look at the small ads. It is also sooo much quicker and enjoyable than the bus. You can nip in and out of traffic and get exactly where you want rather than where the bus stops. I have a basket so I can get some shopping done as well or I cycle to the swimming pool for a double whammy of exercise! Family cycle rides are fun as well and you can go so much further and quicker therefore seeing more things (or going to more country pubs) than walking. Some places have cycling events (Bristol where I live has good cycle paths, family fun days and cycle rides of varying lengths, cycling safety training, maintanence workshops).
Although I sometimes I lack the motivation to get up the big hills when I push myself to do it the feeling of achievement is much greater than an extra few minutes in the gym and I do it without thinking these days as I have got fitter and more used to it.

Walk everywhere very fast as I do not have a car. Lots of digging, mowing and general work in the garden. Continuous steady excercise is better than short sweaty bursts.

I Get bored in gyms which I have tried.

I walk very fast. I am lucky to live in the countryside but my DCs are adults and I work from home mostly. I try very hard to schedule an hour's walk- I do a circuit of 3 miles- every day which includes hill climbing. I don't manage very day, but 4-5 x a week is fine.

I have been keeping this up for 2 years and have defintely got much fitter at 50+

If the weather is bad and I don't go out, I have some free weights at home which I use for arm toning, and do some other floor exercises for 20 minutes. I also put some loud music on a nd do a bit of dancing & running on spot kind of stuff for 30 mins.

I think the trick is to fit activity intoyour day and make time for it. Think of it as a priority otherwise it won't happen.

I use pedometers and they are a good incentive.

I have a rebounder (mini trampoline) and I have a routine of 30-second flat-out sprints: four of them in a 20-minutes run or bounce. Apparently the short bursts of very intense exercise is good news.

I also walk the dog for 30-40 minutes and do some kettle bell work.

A pedometer is a good place to start. They vary in accuracy so I actually sometimes wear two at a time and use the average.