Getting fit from a standing start

[MyLadyTheKingsMother]

I find exercise so very, very mind numbingly dull.

I have sciatica in my right hip that hurts if I do little and hurts if I do to much. Plantar facitis in my left heel.

Oh and health anxiety centered around my heart.

I need to start exercising. I am seriously unhealthy and only 37

Any ideas on how to start gently and keep it up?

Oh forgot to add I'm aiming to lose 4 stone by October! I have my first holiday in 15 years and I want to feel healthy and enjoy it!

Hello! You sound similar to me, I have plantar in my right foot, though it's not bad just now and hip pain in the same side, maybe from walking funny due to the plantar? I also worry about my heart, get bouts of palpitations which I have had checked so I know I'm ok but still sometimes results in a panic attack, not helped by the death of a young friend and colleague last year of heart failure at our Christmas party last year.
So anyway, I'm sure someone with more exercise expertise will answer, but I am concentrating on walking ( don't like the thumping heart I get from more intense exercise) and I have started weight training, just at home. I have read that building muscle helps improve body shape without cardio.
I also hate exercise, it's so boring 😂 but I love music and don't mind a dance around the kitchen, so trying to do more of that. I am also trying to make housework and gardening part of my exercise, it needs to be done anyway so I just put more into it to try and make it more physical 😂
Sorry for rambling, I think, for a gentle start I would do start with walking and build up speed/time and incorporate a bit of toning/ weights at home. Good luck and hopefully you are feeling good about yourself for your holiday!

Can I suggest Team Body Project? They have an app with hundreds of workouts but they also have a lot of free workouts on YouTube.

All of their workouts are low impact and some are seated. They are also not dicks about exercise and you'll end each workout feeling fab!

I had some serious surgery/recovery a few years ago and these guys were my rehab afterwards as it was covid and I couldn't leave the house.

Does it hurt too much to walk? I'd start with walking 15 minutes a day if you can. Comfy trainers and some £8 pf insoles from Amazon may help. I started on a treadmill, bought a cheap fold away one. You could put music on or listen to an audio book or podcast.

Swimming would be a good exercise as your body is supported by the water.

Regular gentle yoga may improve the sciatica and pf. Adriene Mishler is lovely. Here is one session especially for sciatica. She has lots of free videos on YouTube.

Can I suggest starting with some exercises to help with the pf? If you ease that, walking etc would be easier and you might feel more flexible?
for me it was all about stretching the ligament that runs down the back of the calf. I bought a foot rocker from Amazon which helped and also every day did a deep squat (one foot either side of a door, holding hard on to both doorhandles, squat down til your bum is nearly touching your ankles), but the exercise that worked best was stretching into my toes by standing against a step (bottom of staircase good) with the big toe bent back against the riser and bending the leg forward at the knee and ankle over the step and gently stretching the ligament.

i am pretty sure a physio would advise some kind of Pilates type exercise? I know mine did when I had sciatica and I went to an NHS class. Don’t do anything without advice from a professional as you could hurt yourself?

I was going to echo this! Do you exercises for your sciatica? I have some that would take 45 mins a time. Then I would get a playlist together or audiobook and just start walking. I would look to work on time and distance. I loved C25K but wouldn't dare restart until speaking to my physio, or swimming. I think you have to get your heart above 133 for 30 mins a day??? Might be wrong. Any hills?

I also had sciatica and found doing Kassandra yoga on YouTube for a few months really sorted it out. I'd been in pain for years.

I don't rate adrienne she's a bit wooly for me. Kassandra is less about the woo and more about the exercise.

Re the plantar, there are a million exercises on YouTube and tiktok. I saw a great one the other day, you put marbles on the floor and pick them up with your toes and put them in a tub.

My mum solved her plantar by going back to wearing heels all the time 😁

Regarding fitness it's about finding what you love.

So I love active workouts on YouTube. I do Bodyfit by Amy, PMA fitness and kassandra yoga. Plus I do the free 20 min caroline girvans but those are pretty advanced.

There are dance ones like Pamela Reif or pilates like Lottie Murphy.

I have sciatica and will be starting reformer Pilates at my physio once my current flare-up is under control. I agree with talking to a professional before starting any exercise so you don't make things worse for yourself and have to stop the exercise to recover (I've made that mistake before!)

Hey everyone thanks for the replies 😊

I need to make time for myself to maybe start a workout at home first I think.

Will look at the videos recommended.

I like to swim but I can't bring myself to do lane swimming. It's always too busy and theres always some knobhead doing olympic style laps in the medium lane.

I'd also recommend Team Body Project. I just do their free workouts on Youtube. Just search 'Team Body Project beginner'. Good luck.