When do you train and for how long?

[AndChaosStartsAgain]

I know I need to start... but the whole idea of going to a gym scares me. I have been trying to do some stuff at home but I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly. DH has raised the idea of a gym but as I said, just the thought intimidates me!
Also honestly not sure how I would fit it in between work, teenage taxi and general homework/ job application support plus all the housework etc
I've recently started running but can do that from home on a WFH day.

How much time would you say you spend as a minimum at the gym?
How often do you have to go to make a difference?
How do you fit it into your day?

Usually between 45 mins and an hour 4 x a week is my target.
Sometimes it slips so 3 so I make sure I have a full body work out.

I usually go on my way home from work as that's when the gym is quiet or if I miss that slot after 8.30pm when it goes quiet again.
Dont be intimidated. Remember everybody in the gym stepped for the first time once. People will have their own goals and routines to concentrate on. I mean this in a good way, they wont care about you!

If you dont know about weights have a look for beginners programmes and techniques on instagram so you have an idea. The gym should be able yo give you an instructor to show you round and help with weights and machines.
Dont miss out, give it a go!

Honestly, in this forum you'll mostly find people who train a lot and have made it part of their lifestyle, but if you haven't strength trained before then one session a week for 45-60mins would make a difference if you do it consistently. You won't look ripped, but you'll certainly feel better and it'll make a difference to your health.

One of the benefits of going to a gym is the range of equipment means you can do exercises that are far more efficient/effective than what you'll be able to do at home. See if you can find a gym that is on your way to/from somewhere you regularly go and don't over commit, as I say once a week can make a difference, anything more than that is a bonus. Ideally pick a gym that's not a super budget one, so it's a bit less busy and with trainers who can give you a decent induction. PureGym, gym group etc are ok but in my experience they oversell their memberships so can be annoyingly busy unless you're available to go off peak.

and with trainers who can give you a decent induction
How does it usually work? You get an induction and then you're left to it? Do they check up on you to make sure you're doing the exercises correctly? Or do you have to book lessons? I had a look at a couple of websites for ones close by but I'm none the wiser!

All gyms will give you a basic induction, but it can be very basic, ie to cover health and safety - showing you how a couple of machines work and where the toilets and lockers are sort of thing. Otherwise you're left to it.
If you are nervous, and also just to help you make progress quicker, it would be good to book in with a PT for say, 4-6 sessions who could help you learn some exercises and set a routine. But you have to be a little bit canny with that as it's in their interests to have you working with them long term and that's expensive! Some will agree to set you a programme and then allow say, a once a month follow up appointment, others will have minimum sessions you need to book with them a month - PTs in gyms are usually self employed so you have to see what they offer, it'll vary according to how busy or short of clients they are. Most gyms have some info about PTs on their website.

Unless you've got any reason not to (eg disability) I'd strongly suggest if you do book any sessions with a PT that you ask for someone to show you barbell movements, like squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, rows etc. They're the biggest 'bang for your buck' if you're not training frequently (because they work the whole body, rather than focusing on one area like a lot of the machines do) and because once you know how to do them, you can carry on doing them on your own, without a trainer. There's cheaper alternatives too, like apps that are inexpensive and have plans in them aimed at beginners (Stronger by the Day, megsquats does an 8 week programme to help women learn weights, Mind pump have 'MAPS starter', there's a lot out there now!)

Also this may sound counter intuitive, but whilst the best gym is likely to be the most convenient one you can get to, eg location, opening hours etc, the friendliest are smaller and more specialist. Big, cheap high street gyms (like aforementioned pure gym) aren't terrible, but naturally they attract a lot of teenagers because they're so cheap, and they run on minimum staff so there can be annoyances with people hogging equipment or not putting equipment away. Scary looking bodybuilding gyms or strongman gyms are super friendly and supportive because they tend to be full of people who are a) very passionate about what they do, so love sharing it with anyone new, and b) confident enough about what they're doing that there's no ego!

45 mins. No one is looking at anyone else - welk maybe young people are, but I don’t feel it. I aim for twice a week plus jogging

You do have time - stop making excuses! I only do group classes (on top of a team sport which I do twice a week) and go 2-3 times a week. Mostly evenings, sometimes before work or on my day off. I’m the kind of person who needs to book onto a class otherwise I just won’t go. And then you can put it in the family calendar and others have to work around it.
Can you try to find something instructor led? It doesn’t have to be a gym. I go to an outdoor training place (a bit like CrossFit but not).

I’d suggest booking a personal trainer. Doesn’t have to be one at a main gym (where you’d be paying gym membership plus PT fees on top). Look on local FB pages for recommendations. I had a PT for about 18 months, before I went out on my own. He was fab, but I couldn’t afford it anymore and wanted more flexibility.
You can then book sessions in with them, get your confidence up and learn how to do the exercises and which exercises work which body part etc.

I now go to a large chain gym and love the flexibility, plus the addition of classes. I go three times a week. My average gym session is between an hour and an hour and 15 minutes.

I also want to add you have to make the time. I book my sessions into my diary, and it’s non-negotiable!

I'd agree about booking classes too. I go to things like kettlebells, circuits and dumbell classes 3 times a week. Its easier to follow what an instructor is doing and booking on gives a motivation to go.