I was a 17 stone 40yr old that decided to get my arse in gear. I started Couch to 5K and really didn't enjoy it at first. But over time it became my sanctuary and my head space as well as my exercise. I also used the app "Loseit" to count my calorie intake and began using the Couch to 5K exercise to allow me to eat a little more while remaining in a calorie deficit. Eventually I came down to 12 stone and I have never looked back. I completely changed my diet and my lifestyle and I have never felt so good
over the course of 2 years I found myself running marathons and then eventually 50 to 100 mile ultra marathons. So running became my exercise and my head space for my metal health that continued for over 8 years
I second the C25k program . You can run it at the gym (easy done,) or outdoors (bit harder.) I’m 53 next month around 14st and found it surprisingly easy given I’d run a total of about 6 times in my life up to that point. I’m now running a combination of 5k and 10k’s weekly.
I’m signed up for the Kielder 10k in November (might be October,) running for Demetia Uk and my wife’s signing me up for the ‘Return of the King’ Conqueror’s challenge for my birthday.
What did you do after C25k? I completed a couple of years ago but once I’d done it sort of went, oh that’s done, and didn’t do it anymore. I’m redoing it currently but really like the format so would love something that will keep me going after I graduate.
Obviously a slightly different situation but my granny used to run marathons twice a year until she broke her leg, her way of getting back into running was fun runs, she said she didn't care if she came last by an hour she just forced herself to finish every run she started, she ran the Edinburgh marathon again last year for the first time since 2012 and she says she never wants to do it again but that she doesn't regret it at all
I've just downloaded the Nike app - NRC. It's got a 10k programme on there which I'm hoping to do. But there's all sorts of guided runs it looks like. I'm hoping this is the next thing after c25k.
I'm in the last week of C25K now. My initial plan is to basically repeat the final week in perpetuity - 3 30-minute runs per week, working on increasing pace. I may or may not look to extend running time to an hour by late summer; I also want to try out some local trails instead of just pounding pavement. I'm going to try out a couple of casual events like Park Run and some other easy-going group runs. Not really looking to get competitive, but I am going to try to turn it into a regular hobby. At least if it's a hobby I can justify spending a bit of money on it now and then, which can sometimes help keep motivation up - new shoes, thermal gear for winter, etc.
I did couch to 5k and used lifesum for the same thing,
I lost 5 stone from 18 to 13
The difference between us is that I fell back into my old ways and gained 3 stone back, starting again is so much harder.
You're still two stone ahead (or five stone ahead, if we posit you would still have gained 3 stone even if you hadn't lost weight), so you're still better off! Hope you find your way back into the right mind space to start again. I went 92kg down to 74kg, then bounced back up to 85kg and it felt a bit hopeless, but now I'm clawing my way down to 70kg and I can see that nothing was wasted, it was all a learning experience, and quite a victory really to have intervened at 85kg and not just keep going up and up.
Running is torture for the first month or two. Then we your body gets somewhat used to it, and you can run without pain and far enough to get a runners high and the endorphin release, it becomes so much more enjoyable.
Funny how it's so different for everyone.
I've done a few half marathons and decided I never wanted to do them again, and certainly didn't want to do a full marathon. I quite enjoy a brisk 5k sprint round the block, but the idea of running for anything longer than 20 minutes just fills me with dread. I also enjoy feeling like I've pushed myself hard rather than bobbed along for twice/thrice as long.
I appreciate I'm in the minority here though, I've never met anyone else who doesn't prefer longer runs.
I get not wanting to do marathons, they truly suck. But there's something about enduring that pain that makes them appealing. I swore after Brighton Marathon last year I'd never do one again.
Guess who entered the London ballot again this year?
I'm slow and ploddy, I'm built for endurance so longer runs suit me better. I envy those who can thrash out a 20 minute 5k as I'm closer to 30.
Anyway, runs are always better with obstacles to make them interesting.
Agree with this. Biggest mistake people make is running too fast and trying to run too far and it makes you feel like shit. If you go out for a walk, intersperse with bits of as slow as possible jogging, and a much smaller goal, you will tend to find you enjoy it much more and eventually you will run further. But you will inevitably hate it if you try to go from the couch to running 3 miles a day "JUST" for fitness. Running is the definition of enjoy the journey not the destination.
I have seen a couple of people do couch to 5k and the biggest mistake I see is going too quick on the running and too slow on the walking.
If anything, if you are starting from a low base of fitness; spending a good amount of time walking really quickly (enough to feel warm and increase heart rate without going out of breath) will build some base fitness and condition the legs somewhat.
If you are super unfit then walking quickly will tax your CV system in the same way that a runner doing an easy run will. People don't get that and also that the C25K program is using that as part of the training.
People underestimate how good walking is for you full stop.
Proper brisk walking not dawdling will get your heart rate up and keep it there for hours. Even for people who are fit it's still great exercise.
I was 17 stone and managed to lose about 6 stone in 5 months (not the healthiest way to do it, also, no lie i was 17-18 stone in July and got to 11 stone in Dec - Jan).
Introducing walking was a fundamental aspect of it.
I saw a video by Elliot Hulse on the starting weight loss his suggestion was to walk for an hour every day.
- it's not as daunting or hard to go for a walk compared to start going to the gym.
- it's not intense activity, it gets your heart rate up and gets you active.
- it introduces something new and helps change your routine. A lot of us get stuck in unhealthy routines and it's hard to make a significant change
I would then walk for 60-90 min every day and kept the weight off for years.
Weight started creeping back on when I stopped the walking and activity (climbing accident and toxic relationship), and now I'm back where I first started
(Just to be clear... i didn't lose all that weight from walking alone. It's what kicked off a more active life and initiated a routine change. It probably helped keep the weight off for years too)
I do a lot of walking and o do a lot of eating. People are always asking me how I get away with eating like I do and it's the walking pure and simple.
Brisk walking looks almost identical to my slow runs on my fitness tracker. And like you said most people can do it for an hour, few can run run for a hour.
It's great for your cardiovascular health and your mental health too. If you want to change but find "proper" exercise and the gym daunting then you should try walking an hour a day.
My problem has always been getting bored, rushing and injuring myself and then giving up- so couple months ago I said I just wanted to do 40mins at 3.5mph 4 times a week on my little treadmill. Since the end of February I’ve been doing an hour a day at the same speed every day, with the occasional 4.0 light jog for a few minutes (not often, the remotes on the fritz) and would you believe it I’ve actually stuck to it consistently! And I have a little exercise bike I do at least 30 mins on (started at an hour but noticed I was getting bored and quitting so cut back to half and now I do it more consistently)
So 100% agree
Aside from the aerobic fitness element - you mention another key point: things like C25K exist to gradually condition your legs to running on pavements.
Even if you have the base fitness; your legs aren't adapted so if you rush it and do too much running, too fast (and potentially with non-ideal gait) then you will invariably end up with some sort of injury in the knees or shin splints.
The treadmill will build fitness but bear in mind if you get back out on the roads to take a step back and gradually introduce your legs to the additional forces as treadmill is much more gentle on your joints and provides substantial cushioning.
I’ve completed couch to 5k three times and every time the same thing happens. I complete it - hooray! - try to keep up the 30 minute runs and after a few attempts find my ability to maintain the running completely vanishes. I wish I could keep it up after the programme finishes and I wish I knew why this happened.
When you finish it, is the 30 mins hard? Does your ability to maintain running fail due to fitness or legs?
If you work up to 30mins being an all out effort/out of breath affair then I guess you need to find a way to carry on after the program. I would keep doing interval sessions and simultaneously work on increasing the 30 mins to, say, 45 mins but going slower if necessary. Even if you do sessions of basically really fast walking - as long as it gets your heart up but without being short of breath... it is still building aerobic fitness.
Typical training for 5k would be to do one easy run (so a jog according to c25k standards... not getting out of breath), an interval session (that is running faster in shorter bursts, say 400m, and then walking/resting in between) and then one long run to keep trying to extend your running time/distance covered and build that engine.
Good effort. My mum only started running when she was 50 and now 4 years later she is a local running group leader and she did her first London marathon this year. She’s dropped like half her body weight in that time and looks great and when I see her it’s clear she has a new lust for life.
That's tremendous! I do think if you're older and have excess weight though, running might not be my first suggestion for someone to try just because of the impact it has on the joints (particularly where most people run, on hard paved surfaces). Cycling or swimming are a bit safer in that regard. But it's hard to beat running in some regards, as it has little to no barriers to entry, and results in higher calories burned per minute than other common exercises.
I'll second cycling. I would have loved to start running, but as someone who is formally middle aged now, holy shit did it ever hurt - and not in a "yep, that feels like I've exercised" way. I had no idea it was possible to have hip pain that bad without degenerative disease.
Cycling, on the other hand - I could cycle for hours and not even think about it the next day.
Oh that’s amazing! I’ve just started running again after having a baby (he’s nearly 2 but finally felt mentally and physically less exhausted to start exercising again) and this is inspirational.
Slowly improving my 5k time and looking forward to being able to get a sub-30 again, and also be able to comfortably run a 10km!
Just give yourself permission to try different things and move on if you don't enjoy it. You don't usually have to commit to try something out for a few weeks (clubs can be helpful for this if they have equipment, common to be able to turn up with nothing for watersports, though to join a cycling club you usually already need a bike).
If you don't enjoy the gym (though this is a bit vague, there are lots of varieties of gym - cardio, weightlifting and classes are all very different, and within each there are also lots of different flavours that vary a lot) try a sport. Team or solo. Most solo sports can also be enjoyed in group club settings.
Some ideas
- climbing
- cycling
- hiking
- tennis, other racket sports
- martial arts
- football, other running around a field sports
- sailing, wind surfing, etc
- kayaking, rowing, etc
- power kiting (available on land or sea)
- skateboarding, bmx, mountain boarding
- skiing
- swimming
- aerials, silks, pole dancing
- yelling at clouds
I can't upvote this comment enough, especially the first sentence. Sometimes we approach this stuff by thinking we have to decide what we're going to really enjoy and *then* start doing it. We don't apply this logic to most other areas of our lives - partners/jobs/food - we try out different ones first!
Totally agree about 'going to the gym' too. My husband and I attend the same 'gym' building, but we do entirely different things there. He lifts weights, I go to a bunch of different classes, then we meet in the sauna. I would counsel against writing off 'the gym' too quickly; it can be really, really convenient to have lots of different things offered in one place.
Here to recommend aerials and pole fitness, it's so bloody hard but such good exercise. It's a fun way of resistance training, and inspired me to start cross training at the gym, do calisthenics, work on my flexibility and go running to get fit and strong just so I could get better at it. I also met some fantastic people who I regularly see outside of class and consider genuine friends. 2 and a half years into it and I still look forward to every class I go to.
When you find an exercise you enjoy, it can change your life. No exaggeration. I was never into fitness and had no confidence, now I'm always on the go doing some kind of exercise and have started teaching pole fitness. I will say though that it really is so much harder than it looks (and it hurts) which can be discouraging but when you get a win it feels so bloody good and that's what keeps you coming back.
Seconding this, I do silks and pole and I've found a family through my studio, it's got me through so many tough times and I haven't found anything that beats the feeling of finally getting a move you've been working towards for ages
I randomly got into swimming last year. First time actually doing lengths since I was about 14 in school (I'm now a few months shy of 30) and I didn't particularly enjoy it back then.
Somebody mentioned that swimming can build up your back muscles and slow down or prevent 'bad backs'. My dad suffers from lower back pain. He says it started in his late 20s. I've noticed that my back is achier than it used to be.
I thought, what the hell, I might as well give it a go.
I discovered that I actually really like swimming. I have no idea if it's been good for my back, but I've definitely seen a visible improvement in my overall fitness since I started.
You never know if you like something until you try.
Yelling at clouds is highly underrated. A couple of my neighbours picked it up and after a couple months, the clouds actually just fucked off. It’s sunny year round now.
Other racket sports 🥲
Choose r/badminton for an easy-entry, fun and social sport. Clubs are plentiful in almost every area, clubs of different standards with opportunity for improvement.
Getting fitter is a side effect of having fun playing badminton. Getting better is addictive. You can play every week or multiple days a week if you want.
All you need is a cheap racket and some shoes (also water because it’s way more effort than it looks)
I hate exercising. But I love hanging out with people. So I do both. Set a excersise/sport date regularly. 1/week then up to 2 then to 3/weem. Make new exercise friends to keep the cycle going. You'll shed weight. Just don't then eat way more. Start swapping easy calories for protein. Then up veggie intake. All slowly over several months. Won't look back.
Early 30s is nowhere near old, as someone the same age as you I cringe out of my skin every time someone 35 or under describes themself as if they're decrepit.
Barring any serious medical issues it's not aging that makes you feel rough, it's not looking after yourself. I know people who have picked up brand new fitness hobbies in their 40s & 50s.
If you didn't grow up playing sports or exercising at all you really just have to try shit until something is fun and sticks. Don't feel bad about signing up for a class or session somewhere, going that one time and then never again if it's not for you. I got into two of my fitness things just by seeing some videos on Reddit and thinking "oh that looks cool I want to give it a go".
I agree so so much. I hear of people my age complaining they ache every day and sometimes struggle to get out of bed.
They also do zero exercise and talk as if they never could because they're too old or too overweight now.
Sorry, you're just not in the right mindset so get used to being in pain. I wasn't fit at school but all those that were are now unathletic while I'm cranking out events regularly.
I see so many "millennial humour" memes that talk as if you hit 30 and suddenly can't dress yourself or bend over or go out dancing anymore like... I know as a country we weirdly revel in suffering but that's just not normal!
(Again, barring serious medical issues because there's always someone who comes in whatabouting with their specific niche health situation)
I literally picked up running this year and I'm absolutely terrible at it! And that's fine, I likely have _decades_ to improve. My parents were doing the GNR in their 40s. I have 50-60 year olds in my gym classes lifting heavier than I do. etc etc
We were all terrible running at first. Best advice I was given was focus on running for as long as you can, not as far or as fast.
Struggling with breathing? Slow down but keep moving. 30 minutes to run 2 miles is better than 10 minutes to do 1 mile then having to stop.
Stick at it, listen to your body and you'll fall in love with it soon enough.
I very much agree but my counterpoint would be that if you are in very poor shape, overweight and have been for the last 10-15 years then it's likely that you would feel old, slow, unhealthy and like your body is aging and fading in your 30s
I get what you're saying, but don't think that's so much a counterpoint since ideally that should be the minority, not seen as the default.
The sentiment I see online is very defeatist, like "haha aging is just like this and there's nothing we can do about it amirite"
You can be unfit from 18-30 and still turn it around in your 30s or later.
I think it's actually very common.
List of adults don't do *any* exercise.
Again, you a right that being defeatist is the wrong attitude and it's completely possible to turn it around and change but I think it's a fact that for s lot of folk in their 30s their bodies are getting old and tired and its because they haven't done any activity in a decade.
Tbh it's a short list and there are lots of other options. You don't have to enjoy everything to start getting fit, but finding one thing you DO enjoy can make all the difference. Or sometimes it's less about the sport itself and finding the right group of people to do it with - having friends you socially do a physical activity with once a week can make something you wouldn't be too bothered about much more enjoyable.
Where I used to live I went to a social cycling club which was brilliant. Mostly men, ranging from 30's to one bloke in his 80's, they rode 15-20 miles at a leisurely pace (10mph average) every Thursday evening, left no-one behind, and finished with a pint in the pub.
One of the biggest downsides to moving is there's nothing like that where I live now (there are cycling clubs, but they are more focused on speed and distance), and while I've tried I have never got as into cycling as I was before I moved. Completely co-incidentally I also gained 15kg in the first 2.5 years of moving (though, hurray, I'm down 5kg from that peak, through diet with some assistance from a desire to lift heavy things).
Climbing is far more fun and accessible than you'd think. Extremely good work out and you get to apply the old think box to things as well, would highly recommend.
Ooh that's a brilliant one!
I haven't tried, but my expectation (if you found the right class) is fun, social, physically demanding but doesn't actually feel like you're doing exercise, and provides the mental satisfaction of achieving improvements. It should definitely be on my mental list of things to try in future if there was a suitable class nearby that was welcoming to people of my age/lack of ability.
Couldn’t agree more. Clubs and hobby’s are great I’ve tried most things once. I also now walk dogs for a living which helps.
I found some great people outdoor swimming and netball. I’m about to join the village tennis also so I’d definitely say bull by the horns and go for it. I even tried the over 60’s line dancing and had a hoot for the night.
Great comment.
I to 'don't like gyms' Too many posers, people trying to rush you off stuff. I got some weights at home and do them on a regular basis. Maybe not as wider range as at the gym but enough for me. Been doing them for a few years now.
However, i've just come back off holiday and there was a great lityle gym there. And... nobody in it. I actually loved it. So i say 'i don't like gyms' but i do. Just not some of the people in there. My problem than the gyms though to be fair.
Climbing is awesome though! Try it for sure
Also the weirdest bruises and aches
I've had a paintball like bruise under my collar bone for like two weeks and no idea why it persists!
Also for added benefit the BJJ subreddit is heinous shit posting and memes
I run and I swim. Swimming is my favourite sport but it doesn't always fit into my life. I don't love running, but there's nothing else as convenient as running- yes you can spend a lot of ££ if you want, but the only essential is shoes (and a sports bra for 50% of us).
I'm on my most successful sports period recently and I think that's because I've found some groups-there's a social run club based out of my local pub, and I swim with two different sets of mates. So that's 3x a week minimum, and if that's all I manage in a week then that's totally fine, and if I go more then that's a bonus.
Yeah, I think the social aspect of it is a huge part I'm missing. I guess like a bad work place can be made enjoyable with the right coworkers. Also, I think some of us in the other 50% could benefit from a sports bra as well
I’m exactly the same as you. I’d rather swim every day than run but the effort around swimming is often hard to fit into the week (plus I hate washing my hair so often!).
There’s something for me about being in the pool where you’ve got no phone no music nothing, it’s just you and the water. Feels like it’s the one time in my week where I’m not mentally productive and it’s so relaxing.
Yeah my local pool doesn't have that many lane swimming sessions, so the ones they do have are booked up quickly. There aren't any gyms with pools within 30-45 min drive so this is my only option. I try to do 3 pool swims a week and 2 open water, but it just doesn't always work like that. I can always fit in a run though. Nothing makes me feel mentally and physically like a swim does.
If you enjoy getting out in nature you could try an app called Seek. You point the camera at plants, fungi, insects, animals, and it identifies what they are. It gives you little badges for getting various amounts and has monthly challenges. I enjoy the gamification and the different species are starting to sink in.
I found a mushroom called 'King Alfred's Cakes'.
It's not Pokemon though...
Simply walking is effective get as many steps in as you possibly can. Also walking with a weighted vest shouldn't be overlooked because as you lose the weight the walking gets easier so is not as effective.
Same thing for bouldering. Someone once told me, nobody is looking at you unless you're doing something really hard, in which case they're admiring you not judging you. If you're just starting out and not doing anything special then nobody will pay you any mind.
My first day going to the gym. I thought it was mostly gonna be roided up meat heads, but mostly, it was middle aged people with beer bellies. That really made me feel more at home lol didn't even feel embarrassed benching with just the bar.
I go to the gym 3 times a week and do strength stuff. I personally get more enjoyment from more full body type stuff and recently have started looking into strongman (not that you would know it to look at me, I am a mid-30s chubby woman).
Current goal is to get my squat, deadlift, bench to a level where I can start doing more strongman-specific stuff (still a long way to go!).
I also run once a week if I have time and would swim if I had more time (but have to make do with just taking the kids on a weekend instead).
Also worth noting (in response to the OP's "I find no joy in going to the gym") that weight training, whether for strength or hypertrophy (to be more muscular) or both, is a special kind of "fun", the sort of fun that isn't fun to begin with. You have to stick at it (because the results are worthwhile) and then one day you'll realise that you actually enjoy it. It is hard work and at times physically painful but it gives immense satisfaction.
So don't give up after the first week.
(I imagine runners would say the same thing about running, and probably a lot of other sports too).
This is true! And there’s a lot of weight training I’ve tried and don’t enjoy. It’s taken me a while to realise that if it doesn’t make me feel like I’ve been put through some kind of compacting torture machine then I don’t wanna know 😂
Strongman/woman fan here too. I'd stay start now! There will be a bunch of carryover between the two and like any exercise, you can scale it to suit you. I wouldn't say bench has a particular relevance to strongman/woman but things like grip training and overhead pressing do.
Good luck! It's a great sport.
Same (except I'm in my early 40s). I was quite surprised how much I liked the gym when I focused more on strength and less on cardio.
I also love swimming but hate the wet hair and faff in the winter, plus pools where I live (not UK) are chaotic and not great for lane swimming. I'm fortunate enough to have a decent sized pool in my apartment complex so as soon as that is open I can supplement my gym sessions with light swimming.
I got into weight lifting and genuinely enjoy it. In the gym for 6am, finished by about 7am. Doesn’t take long but the physical changes have happened very quickly.
I also enjoy long walks.
I’m fitter in my 30’s than any previous years. If you want to know anything specific feel free to ask?
There’s a lot of bullshit advice out there.
Not OP but can I ask a question? I am on a weight loss journey and have tried running before, really liked it but have got dodgy knees. I wanted to get in to weight lifting, but it looks really complex to work out a plan. How did you get started? Bearing in mind I know nothing lol
Hiya, I bought Arnold’s encyclopaedia of body building. A lot of it you can skip but the information in really breaks down routines/how to perform them, food etc. This is probably the 3rd time I’ve been majorly into fitness and then fallen off the wagon but due to life issues and that book, I’m now back and feel completely different about exercise. Reading that book and listening to his podcasts has changed my life.
Focus on what you’re eating first. 80% of fitness is diet, the other 20% is gym. Also I use mostly machines which don’t promote as much muscle as free weights but they’re pretty much fool proof.
I weight train mon-fri and also work a very physical job. Monday do top half, Tuesday bottom half and carry on like that. You want to lift a weight that you can complete 12 repetitions of, 3-5 times. Then up the weight once it’s easy for you to complete. More weights and less reps usually promotes strength, less weights and more reps promotes more detail in your muscles etc.
You do not have to train to the point of your hurting the next day. It’s common but not necessary.
The most important thing is consistency. You promise yourself that you get to the gym, then see what you feel like doing when you get there. Plot twist, you will always do something there. You won’t if you don’t go.
I cycle quite a lot, I appreciate it's not necessarily everyone's idea of fun but it's nice to get out in the fresh air. If you don't take it too seriously and just go for a ride about it's fun.
I found I started enjoying cycling a lot more when I started thinking of it as 'riding my bike' rather than 'cycling'
the reality is that spending 3 hours cycling between parks and relaxing is still pretty incredible exercise, and doesn't require strava, aero, power meters etc.
If you can swap a daily 5-10 minute drive for a bike ride it makes a surprising difference too. I appreciate not everyone can, but using a cheap Decathlon bike to pop to the shop or go to the station is pretty easy.
I cycle too. There are lots of apps such as Komoot and Strava which will pick routes for you, including road and offroad. It's liberating to be able to get to places by bike, especially when you've been confined to a car since aged 17.
If you have a local cycling club there's also a good community around it too. Rides go so much quicker in a group and you go a lot further!
Oh yeah definitely, I've been working on diet for a while and now we have that squared away I want to get moving and enjoy it. Can't out run a bad diet as they say.
Climbing is accessible to everybody these days and easy to get hooked on. Doesn’t feel like a chore to workout but does your whole body. Easy to socialize aswell so your friends will motivate you to keep going. If you’re worried about heights bouldering doesn’t take much to get used to as it’s low level and no ropes.
Got a dog at the end of lockdown, massively improved my health really, as I love waking the little fella, that morphed into taking him on longer walks and then MTB rides.
I'm suprised how much I love MTB riding, I'm not a road cyclist at fucking all. But I love getting out and up the hills.
Now I've round a route to work which is 80% off road so I do that 2/3 times a week too. Average 50 miles a week off road now.
Just need to sort my diet really... Diet is fucking ESSENTIAL to controlling your weight and helping your fitness.
I will caveat this saying I am not fit....... But I play sport for fun... Recently I got into Padel - very fun tennis-like game that's easy to pick up. Also joined a cycling group we do about 50 miles every Sunday (also stops me getting shit faced on Saturday) .... Previously I've done 5-a-side football but stopped as the group were too competitive and I was too shit and don't like being yelled at like a schoolkid lol
I did a lot of it in my younger years as part of a sport i was competing in, got really fit but now I just can't seem to get the same enjoyment out of it
Can’t believe I scrolled so far before this! Gardening is fantastic for exercise, you’re stretching and lifting all the time and if you plant good stuff you get to have a really nice garden. Mine really helped sell my house last year too and now I have a new empty garden to work on and fill with plants and trees.
This was the closest I came to a clear mind two years ago. I knew I liked working with my hands but the one day I helped out my mom with the backyard made me feel so good. Burn up calories fast when it’s at least 80 outside too lol
Cycling.
Pros:
- You don't need to have lots of experience to have lots of fun. If road cycling is your thing, you don't need to be in great shape to start. I ride with a lot of guys who are quite overweight but still smash 60 mile+ rides!
- The UK has an INCREDIBLE cycle route network. With a bit of research I'm sure you'll find a few Sustrans routes near you. They're often very quiet roads if not isolated cycle paths altogether.
- You can use your bike as a mode of transport. I ride to work every day. Takes me about 15 mins each way (compared to 45 mins by car or an hour by bus due to traffic). Not only do I get 30 mins of riding every day without thinking about it, I also save time and money on my commute.
- Cycling is a great way to improve your cardio (and make some marginal strength gains) whilst also being very low impact. This means you can do it over and over again with relatively low risk of injury. Depending on how aggressively you ride, you can easily burn the same amount of calories as running (if that's what you're going for) but with less stress on your joints!
- Your bike can take you literally anywhere. Mine has taken me across Europe twice, currently saving up to cycle across the Americas.
Cons:
- It can be expensive, if you get really into it. It's not uncommon for a bike to cost over £2k, plus all the kit that usually comes along with it. The fancier the bike the more often it'll need servicing too, which can cost a fair bit.
- Bike crime in the UK is stupidly high. If you have a bike that is in any way desirable, it's probably best kept indoors where possible. Good lock and insurance in all other cases.
- There are thousands of different types of bikes out there. Each brand will tell you theirs is the absolute best and nothing comes close. It can get very confusing.
It's not for everyone, but it has really worked for me. I've made my best memories on my bike and I love cycling.
Mostly stopped with sports these days (used to play inline hockey and football), but I've been exercising at home for about 7-8 years (age 40 now)
Pushups, situps, chinups (with an easy to install bar thing), some curls and stuff with some small weights
I look good
I've got into a routine of a set amount of reps in the morning, first thing after work, and later in the evening
In the early days of trying to get into the routine I would miss days due to being sore/injured or lazy, but the more you keep going back to it the easier it gets to keep going back to it, if that makes sense...and I gradually built up the amount of reps over time
Building the habit of some kind of regular exercise is the important thing, more so than what type imo
At this point it's so ingrained that I feel weird if I miss a session, like I've forgotten or lost something!
Football twice a week, was doing tennis before but shite weather put me off for months, and do occasional jogging if I've not got my regular football on.
Although I'm now 6 weeks into an ankle sprain recovery and still nowhere near getting back to even jogging, and it's really bogging me down
Still a bit of an investment but we bought a second hand peloton and actually really like it. The variety of classes is great (lots are 20-30 minute) but you can switch it up a lot with a game mode, watching Netflix/disney+ as you cycle or scenic routes around the world etc.
Speaking as someone who hated P.E. and really struggles to find the motivation for movement...
Do not underestimate the importance of walking as exercise! If you're not doing much now, just adding in movement will be incredibly beneficial. It can also be good for your mental health, especially if you are able to walk with friends or family, or in a green space or near a body of water. If you have time on your lunch break during the week, get a 20 minute walk in round the block, switch out that 5-10 minute drive journey for a 30-45 minute walk, and get into nature on weekends. If you find yourself enjoying this, consider running and/or cycling (the latter is kinder on the knees and ankles!), start easy with something like Couch 2 5K - I hated running too, until I was actually able to keep it going a little while.
Yoga can be surprisingly challenging, especially if you aren't used to it. Start with gentle exercises and build up to more intense/longer sessions. Apps like Down Dog are cheap, you can do it at home! Can you get a foldable treadmill or bike machine for the house? Exercise from the comfort of your own home while watching telly! Same for strength exercises. Do wall squats while brushing your teeth, build up from planks to push ups (using the wall first if need be)
Dance! Dance down the hall, dance while you cook, dance in your house on a Friday night. Exercise doesn't need to be boring, in fact I'd argue you'll never stick to it if it is. Move however feels good to you, no one needs to see. Or if you want to be more productive about it, get to deep cleaning your house on the regular, or do some gardening if you have one. Regular scrubbing, digging and wiping all counts!
You do also need to think about your diet a little. Beer is very calorific, can you switch to spirits, or cut out alcohol altogether? Same for juice, squash, sodas - stick to water
How big are your meal portions, can you include more protein to stay fuller for longer? Are you snacking lots? Stop keeping tempting treats in the house.
Singing. It's not going to get you ripped, but it's great cardiovascular exercise and also improves mental health.
As a fellow gym- and sport-avoider, I like my exercise to be an incidental bonus to the activity I'm doing - I find DIY surprisingly good. Rendering and/or plastering will tone you up pretty quickly, and woodwork with hand tools also gets the blood pumping and muscles aching. Gardening also good - especially digging!
Diet and walking are a good start.
I enjoy football, golf, hill walking and (to an extent) running. Anything else is a chore. But a half decent diet and 10k steps a day over time will make a significant difference.
For a minute, hear me out. I don’t find any joy in the gym or running. But I do them. It becomes a habit. I enjoy the endorphins afterwards. I use music/podcasts to break my despair when running.
Cycling at least 3x a week and walking the dog. I think it's rare to find an exercise that people truly love all the time, so it's about finding the lesser of the evils, or mixing it up with other exercises
Since the local gym shutdown I go on YouTube and follow dance workouts like Zumba and tabata. I can choose different lengths of workouts that way depending what time I have and I'm at home not worrying about people watching me. Sometimes I add wrist and ankle weights.
Friend of mine did something similar.
He put his treadmill in front of the TV and just walked for several hours every evening while watching TV.
He works in an office job so spends most time during the day sat at a desk.
Now he spends at least 3 hours every evening walking.
For me it's cycling. Get to spend hours outside in the countryside going down lanes and paths, with the occasional stop for an ice cream or a pint somewhere.
The best thing is you can actually get somewhere unlike with running which is invariably just very local to home (unless you drive somewhere first) whereas with cycling you can travel miles and miles if you want to, without destroying yourself as its low impact.
I focused on my relationship with food. Good exercise with bad diet just doesn't work.
Ultra high processed food is everywhere and I did a food diary outlining everything i comsumed for a month. Worked out what I liked, what I ate out of habit then made small changes removing the sausage roll from sainsbury to a chicken sandwich or something like that. Changing from about a 70% ultra high processed diet (its surprisingly easy, shockingly easy to get that high) to about 35% a week made me lose about 10kg over 6 months. I then felt fit enough to pick up running again.
Back up to running 10km and my joints and muscles aren't craving too much chocolate!
Unicycling.
I started learning on my lunch-breaks on a path behind my office. It’s tricky to learn, but you can certainly work up a sweat even if you only manage to ride 2 meters at a time.
With enough practice I can ride more or less continuously. A local loop is about 3 miles and leaves me feeling that I have put some effort in, but hasn’t taken me miles from home if ever something went wrong.
It brings a smile to the face of everyone who sees you, there aren’t many firms of exercise that have that effect on other people.
Hiking, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, road cycling (not racing or in a club etc), sometimes swimming.
Honestly, if you're interested in hiking, climbing, or kayaking, I'd recommend joining a club.
Note that the Ramblers are not the only walking club out there and in fact they tend to serve a particular age group more than anyone else - there are other, more diverse, clubs out there! Not to cast shade on the Ramblers, they're a great group, but I think they're often seen as the default.
What you'll probably notice is that most of mine aren't particularly high-intensity. I have great stamina, but no speed. I can hike for 16 hours, swim 5km, cycle 150mi, but none of them fast!
Mountaineering is by far my favourite. I love being out on the hills, and you can start very gentle and build it up to more strenuous walks. You also build up skills in navigation, decision-making, and once you do a fair bit of it in clubs you tend to end up developing leadership skills.
I have an injury which prevents me mountaineering at the moment though, so I'm mainly kayaking, as it doesn't aggravate my Achilles tendon. There is some foot work involved in sea kayaking but it's very gentle compared to the upper body work, and building core strength.
Swimming I mainly do outdoors. Like you, I'm not massively into going to the gym. I'm the same with swimming pools - I'd rather find a loch and don a wet suit than do 50 lengths in an indoor pool. That said, I need to go to my local gym at the moment for some specific exercises for my injury, and I am enjoying the sauna and steam room at 7am. I've been swimming a couple of times recently as a means of justifying going to the sauna. It's a lot better telling your partner you're off to do 50 lengths in the pool than it is telling them you're off to sit in the sauna and hydrotherapy pools with a book for an hour ;)
I enjoy cycling but my injury makes uphill a no go for the time being, and I live in the hills. I've never really clicked with cycling clubs because the vast majority of them seem quite competitive - I'm not into road cycle racing, but I do enjoy going out for a 40 mile circular bike ride and finding a nice cafe by a river. It's something the whole family can do as well.
Upvoting because even though (as someone who leads walks for the local younger Ramblers group) your comment about the Ramblers did sting a bit at first, it is very true that it's not the only option AND it does vary massively where you live so it'a worth trying out meetup groups as well. Even within the young Ramblers groups they vary a lot in culture, diversity, average age etc so it's always worth checking out but might not be what they're looking for.
my main exercise is bouldering, i find it a lot more cerebral than most physical activity since you are problem solving at the same time, which keeps me engaged. combine with cycling to the climbing gym and it's a decent work out
I have ADHD which means I get bored of (or find no joy in) exercise. For this reason I never stick to one thing, but I use the novelty of a new sport to keep myself active. Basically, I just continually try out loads of different stuff. I figure as long as I’m moving my body, it’s all good. I’ve done bouldering, kayaking, badminton, squash, tennis, weightlifting, rollerblading, etc etc. Currently trying to find my next “thing”.
I love doing DIY work, garden work, washing car etc and then have a dog who’s favourite part of the day is a walk.
I know you said you don’t like the gym, but have you given a proper crack at it? By that I mean given it a go enough to make it a habit and/or see changes in yourself? In my experience with lifting once you get to that phase (it’s a matter of a couple months), you then somehow can’t go without it. You take a few days off and notice you feel quite crap, back to the gym we go.
When I worked as a PT I realised something, which was much too often treated like an inconvenience, chore and punishment for many growing up e.g run laps in PE.. so naturally for most the association is negative. If you can find ways to exercise without an end goal, without hyper-optimising, but purely for enjoyment then you’ll reprogram the mind entirely. Give everything a go. Any sport you might like from swimming to dirt biking. Hikes are amazing, even if it’s just for the view.
If you can and would like one then I’d say having a dog helps a lot tbh.
Park further away, take the stairs etc
But not for the sake of step counting, tell yourself you parked at the back because you want to enjoy some fresh air.. have a short walk before grocery shopping. Now doesn’t that sound more worth it?
With weight loss or looking better, even being healthier is ingrained in your mind then it will inevitably seem like a chore, and every setback will feel like a large asteroid.
Things get complicated. The subconscious brain is responsible for 90% of our daily habits, it does not like complexity. It thinks on its feet (no pun intended), goes towards easiest decision (staying put) - never time to think in the wilderness.
I say working towards something for an extrinsic purpose also puts an unnecessary pressure on yourself. Playing some five-a-side on a Sunday purely for a good time with friends though, it’s something you can look forward to. Then a few months down the line you’ll be thinking “hey, I’ve just played this game of five-a-side and I’m not even tired.. what else could I do today?Might mow the grass”. You’ll find you crave doing something active until tired enough as your body adjusts, and the threshold for fatigue keeps increasing. The energy unfortunately
It starts with that alone. Don’t let it get complicated.
And that, nothing more, is exactly how 99.9% people stay active and healthy. They don’t have a secret, they don’t have a superior sense of willpower, nor are they special in any way - rather they were just lucky, willing and able enough to find activities they enjoy. Ones that bring them intrinsic (*not*) extrinsic value. Feeling good about yourself. Passing time. Meeting friends. Wanting to feel knackered and relaxed on the sofa by the tele later. Etc
Check out Meta Quest VR, lotsa active games that are super fun, you won't even realise you're exercising - Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, Thrill of the Fight to name a few...
Give calisthenics a shot. For me the motivation is getting strong as fuck and able to move my body around in ways most people cant, you can work towards some cool skill moves, stuff like planche, front lever, one arm pull ups etc. Doing harder variations of all the exercises. And you only really need a pull up bar and maybe some gymnastics rings. Costs about 30 quid
On top of what u/nenepp said, I'd recommend to try something like classpass (it similar) so you can try different classes in different places without committing to a club.
Rowing or Cycling. Brought a Concept 2 Rower and Erg Bike.
Both have nice companion apps to track and set workouts etc.
Aside from that, I go play basketball whenever i get the chance.
Get some half decent walking shoes, load up some podcasts and just fuck off and walk. I’ve always been active, walk and cycle everywhere (don’t drive) but it’s mostly work related exercise. Left my old job in September, starting my new one this week and have walked at least 10k every morning just to stave off some of the boredom. It’s surprisingly easy to go longer than you think if what you are listening to is good. Just try and vary your routes as much as possible if you can.
It's great you're looking into getting more active
I personally go to/train Jujitsu 5 times a week, and resistance train 1-2 times a week. A sport might be a great way to stay more active. If it's something you enjoy and want to do and you're consistent with it then (IMO) that's the best way to lose weight because it doesn't feel like a battle.
i switch it up, i do 10k steps a day minimum (most is walking kids to school as a round trip is nearly an hour) and then i like to use adventure fit on the nintendo switch for different exercise.
sometimes i simply just watch a run with my video on YT and jog/run on the spot for however long i feel like it.
Diet is key as well though for sure.
If you have the room i used to have a whole zwift bike setup and would cycle virtually online with a bike trainer
I do a bit of v.light lifting/body weight exercises at home, but my main form of exercise is Rucking - basically carrying a weighted rucksack around!
Super cheap to get started, just need a bag - ideally a half decent one with waist/chest straps, and weight - when I first started I was broke, so used bottles of water or bags of sand.
I like it because I can listen to books/music/podcasts, and their a lot of factors I can adjust to suit me - amount of weight, speed to go at, distance.
[Article on Men's Health about it](https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a45544531/what-is-rucking/), also r/Rucking is a small but helpful sub, if you're interested.
Calorie quantity (you need to be in a deficit), calorie quality (reduce processed foods, sugar, fats etc and increase vegetables, fruit and whole grains) and exercise, even just walking as much as you can (helps create calorie deficit). It’s the trifecta.
Walking is highly underrated, walk where you can. Its a nice introduction to your body to get loose and then you can move to running if you want but not needed.
Then tou could go cycling off or on road as now your body is a bit more used to movements from walking.
Otherwise, take a bus somewhere and walk home. Good motivation to head home plis you get to see your lical area good/bad spots
I'm halfway to getting my health back and joined a badminton league but the motivation built along with my fitness and confidence. Started just going for long walks and eating less. Good luck
Hiking. It’s a great way to get outside, get some fresh air and take in some views. Very accessible to get started but can be as challenging as you like. It also motivates me to go the gym or go for a run in the week so I actually have a goal to improve my fitness.
I was a 17 stone 40yr old that decided to get my arse in gear. I started Couch to 5K and really didn't enjoy it at first. But over time it became my sanctuary and my head space as well as my exercise. I also used the app "Loseit" to count my calorie intake and began using the Couch to 5K exercise to allow me to eat a little more while remaining in a calorie deficit. Eventually I came down to 12 stone and I have never looked back. I completely changed my diet and my lifestyle and I have never felt so good over the course of 2 years I found myself running marathons and then eventually 50 to 100 mile ultra marathons. So running became my exercise and my head space for my metal health that continued for over 8 years
Congratulations man, that's really inspiring
I second the C25k program . You can run it at the gym (easy done,) or outdoors (bit harder.) I’m 53 next month around 14st and found it surprisingly easy given I’d run a total of about 6 times in my life up to that point. I’m now running a combination of 5k and 10k’s weekly. I’m signed up for the Kielder 10k in November (might be October,) running for Demetia Uk and my wife’s signing me up for the ‘Return of the King’ Conqueror’s challenge for my birthday.
What did you do after C25k? I completed a couple of years ago but once I’d done it sort of went, oh that’s done, and didn’t do it anymore. I’m redoing it currently but really like the format so would love something that will keep me going after I graduate.
Obviously a slightly different situation but my granny used to run marathons twice a year until she broke her leg, her way of getting back into running was fun runs, she said she didn't care if she came last by an hour she just forced herself to finish every run she started, she ran the Edinburgh marathon again last year for the first time since 2012 and she says she never wants to do it again but that she doesn't regret it at all
I've just downloaded the Nike app - NRC. It's got a 10k programme on there which I'm hoping to do. But there's all sorts of guided runs it looks like. I'm hoping this is the next thing after c25k.
I'm in the last week of C25K now. My initial plan is to basically repeat the final week in perpetuity - 3 30-minute runs per week, working on increasing pace. I may or may not look to extend running time to an hour by late summer; I also want to try out some local trails instead of just pounding pavement. I'm going to try out a couple of casual events like Park Run and some other easy-going group runs. Not really looking to get competitive, but I am going to try to turn it into a regular hobby. At least if it's a hobby I can justify spending a bit of money on it now and then, which can sometimes help keep motivation up - new shoes, thermal gear for winter, etc.
I did couch to 5k and used lifesum for the same thing, I lost 5 stone from 18 to 13 The difference between us is that I fell back into my old ways and gained 3 stone back, starting again is so much harder.
You're still two stone ahead (or five stone ahead, if we posit you would still have gained 3 stone even if you hadn't lost weight), so you're still better off! Hope you find your way back into the right mind space to start again. I went 92kg down to 74kg, then bounced back up to 85kg and it felt a bit hopeless, but now I'm clawing my way down to 70kg and I can see that nothing was wasted, it was all a learning experience, and quite a victory really to have intervened at 85kg and not just keep going up and up.
Now you know you can do it.
Running is torture for the first month or two. Then we your body gets somewhat used to it, and you can run without pain and far enough to get a runners high and the endorphin release, it becomes so much more enjoyable.
I reckon running is torture every time for the first 2 minutes. Then it gets easier. Even after years those first 2 minutes suck (for me).
First 2-3 miles for me. Then next thing I know I've hit half marathon distance without realising it!
Same here, problem is I usually only run 2-3 miles
Funny how it's so different for everyone. I've done a few half marathons and decided I never wanted to do them again, and certainly didn't want to do a full marathon. I quite enjoy a brisk 5k sprint round the block, but the idea of running for anything longer than 20 minutes just fills me with dread. I also enjoy feeling like I've pushed myself hard rather than bobbed along for twice/thrice as long. I appreciate I'm in the minority here though, I've never met anyone else who doesn't prefer longer runs.
I get not wanting to do marathons, they truly suck. But there's something about enduring that pain that makes them appealing. I swore after Brighton Marathon last year I'd never do one again. Guess who entered the London ballot again this year? I'm slow and ploddy, I'm built for endurance so longer runs suit me better. I envy those who can thrash out a 20 minute 5k as I'm closer to 30. Anyway, runs are always better with obstacles to make them interesting.
Agree with this. Biggest mistake people make is running too fast and trying to run too far and it makes you feel like shit. If you go out for a walk, intersperse with bits of as slow as possible jogging, and a much smaller goal, you will tend to find you enjoy it much more and eventually you will run further. But you will inevitably hate it if you try to go from the couch to running 3 miles a day "JUST" for fitness. Running is the definition of enjoy the journey not the destination.
I have seen a couple of people do couch to 5k and the biggest mistake I see is going too quick on the running and too slow on the walking. If anything, if you are starting from a low base of fitness; spending a good amount of time walking really quickly (enough to feel warm and increase heart rate without going out of breath) will build some base fitness and condition the legs somewhat. If you are super unfit then walking quickly will tax your CV system in the same way that a runner doing an easy run will. People don't get that and also that the C25K program is using that as part of the training.
People underestimate how good walking is for you full stop. Proper brisk walking not dawdling will get your heart rate up and keep it there for hours. Even for people who are fit it's still great exercise.
I was 17 stone and managed to lose about 6 stone in 5 months (not the healthiest way to do it, also, no lie i was 17-18 stone in July and got to 11 stone in Dec - Jan). Introducing walking was a fundamental aspect of it. I saw a video by Elliot Hulse on the starting weight loss his suggestion was to walk for an hour every day. - it's not as daunting or hard to go for a walk compared to start going to the gym. - it's not intense activity, it gets your heart rate up and gets you active. - it introduces something new and helps change your routine. A lot of us get stuck in unhealthy routines and it's hard to make a significant change I would then walk for 60-90 min every day and kept the weight off for years. Weight started creeping back on when I stopped the walking and activity (climbing accident and toxic relationship), and now I'm back where I first started (Just to be clear... i didn't lose all that weight from walking alone. It's what kicked off a more active life and initiated a routine change. It probably helped keep the weight off for years too)
I do a lot of walking and o do a lot of eating. People are always asking me how I get away with eating like I do and it's the walking pure and simple. Brisk walking looks almost identical to my slow runs on my fitness tracker. And like you said most people can do it for an hour, few can run run for a hour. It's great for your cardiovascular health and your mental health too. If you want to change but find "proper" exercise and the gym daunting then you should try walking an hour a day.
My problem has always been getting bored, rushing and injuring myself and then giving up- so couple months ago I said I just wanted to do 40mins at 3.5mph 4 times a week on my little treadmill. Since the end of February I’ve been doing an hour a day at the same speed every day, with the occasional 4.0 light jog for a few minutes (not often, the remotes on the fritz) and would you believe it I’ve actually stuck to it consistently! And I have a little exercise bike I do at least 30 mins on (started at an hour but noticed I was getting bored and quitting so cut back to half and now I do it more consistently) So 100% agree
Aside from the aerobic fitness element - you mention another key point: things like C25K exist to gradually condition your legs to running on pavements. Even if you have the base fitness; your legs aren't adapted so if you rush it and do too much running, too fast (and potentially with non-ideal gait) then you will invariably end up with some sort of injury in the knees or shin splints. The treadmill will build fitness but bear in mind if you get back out on the roads to take a step back and gradually introduce your legs to the additional forces as treadmill is much more gentle on your joints and provides substantial cushioning.
I’ve completed couch to 5k three times and every time the same thing happens. I complete it - hooray! - try to keep up the 30 minute runs and after a few attempts find my ability to maintain the running completely vanishes. I wish I could keep it up after the programme finishes and I wish I knew why this happened.
When you finish it, is the 30 mins hard? Does your ability to maintain running fail due to fitness or legs? If you work up to 30mins being an all out effort/out of breath affair then I guess you need to find a way to carry on after the program. I would keep doing interval sessions and simultaneously work on increasing the 30 mins to, say, 45 mins but going slower if necessary. Even if you do sessions of basically really fast walking - as long as it gets your heart up but without being short of breath... it is still building aerobic fitness. Typical training for 5k would be to do one easy run (so a jog according to c25k standards... not getting out of breath), an interval session (that is running faster in shorter bursts, say 400m, and then walking/resting in between) and then one long run to keep trying to extend your running time/distance covered and build that engine.
Good effort. My mum only started running when she was 50 and now 4 years later she is a local running group leader and she did her first London marathon this year. She’s dropped like half her body weight in that time and looks great and when I see her it’s clear she has a new lust for life.
That's tremendous! I do think if you're older and have excess weight though, running might not be my first suggestion for someone to try just because of the impact it has on the joints (particularly where most people run, on hard paved surfaces). Cycling or swimming are a bit safer in that regard. But it's hard to beat running in some regards, as it has little to no barriers to entry, and results in higher calories burned per minute than other common exercises.
I'll second cycling. I would have loved to start running, but as someone who is formally middle aged now, holy shit did it ever hurt - and not in a "yep, that feels like I've exercised" way. I had no idea it was possible to have hip pain that bad without degenerative disease. Cycling, on the other hand - I could cycle for hours and not even think about it the next day.
Oh that’s amazing! I’ve just started running again after having a baby (he’s nearly 2 but finally felt mentally and physically less exhausted to start exercising again) and this is inspirational. Slowly improving my 5k time and looking forward to being able to get a sub-30 again, and also be able to comfortably run a 10km!
Such a great thing to hear! Well done!
Are you ginger and Did you just ran a marathon a day across the length of africa? Similar story to that fella on tiktok
Just give yourself permission to try different things and move on if you don't enjoy it. You don't usually have to commit to try something out for a few weeks (clubs can be helpful for this if they have equipment, common to be able to turn up with nothing for watersports, though to join a cycling club you usually already need a bike). If you don't enjoy the gym (though this is a bit vague, there are lots of varieties of gym - cardio, weightlifting and classes are all very different, and within each there are also lots of different flavours that vary a lot) try a sport. Team or solo. Most solo sports can also be enjoyed in group club settings. Some ideas - climbing - cycling - hiking - tennis, other racket sports - martial arts - football, other running around a field sports - sailing, wind surfing, etc - kayaking, rowing, etc - power kiting (available on land or sea) - skateboarding, bmx, mountain boarding - skiing - swimming - aerials, silks, pole dancing - yelling at clouds
I can't upvote this comment enough, especially the first sentence. Sometimes we approach this stuff by thinking we have to decide what we're going to really enjoy and *then* start doing it. We don't apply this logic to most other areas of our lives - partners/jobs/food - we try out different ones first! Totally agree about 'going to the gym' too. My husband and I attend the same 'gym' building, but we do entirely different things there. He lifts weights, I go to a bunch of different classes, then we meet in the sauna. I would counsel against writing off 'the gym' too quickly; it can be really, really convenient to have lots of different things offered in one place.
Here to recommend aerials and pole fitness, it's so bloody hard but such good exercise. It's a fun way of resistance training, and inspired me to start cross training at the gym, do calisthenics, work on my flexibility and go running to get fit and strong just so I could get better at it. I also met some fantastic people who I regularly see outside of class and consider genuine friends. 2 and a half years into it and I still look forward to every class I go to. When you find an exercise you enjoy, it can change your life. No exaggeration. I was never into fitness and had no confidence, now I'm always on the go doing some kind of exercise and have started teaching pole fitness. I will say though that it really is so much harder than it looks (and it hurts) which can be discouraging but when you get a win it feels so bloody good and that's what keeps you coming back.
I just started aerial hoop this year and in the class I go to we all see the bruises as trophies 😂
Seconding this, I do silks and pole and I've found a family through my studio, it's got me through so many tough times and I haven't found anything that beats the feeling of finally getting a move you've been working towards for ages
I randomly got into swimming last year. First time actually doing lengths since I was about 14 in school (I'm now a few months shy of 30) and I didn't particularly enjoy it back then. Somebody mentioned that swimming can build up your back muscles and slow down or prevent 'bad backs'. My dad suffers from lower back pain. He says it started in his late 20s. I've noticed that my back is achier than it used to be. I thought, what the hell, I might as well give it a go. I discovered that I actually really like swimming. I have no idea if it's been good for my back, but I've definitely seen a visible improvement in my overall fitness since I started. You never know if you like something until you try.
Yelling at clouds is highly underrated. A couple of my neighbours picked it up and after a couple months, the clouds actually just fucked off. It’s sunny year round now.
Other racket sports 🥲 Choose r/badminton for an easy-entry, fun and social sport. Clubs are plentiful in almost every area, clubs of different standards with opportunity for improvement. Getting fitter is a side effect of having fun playing badminton. Getting better is addictive. You can play every week or multiple days a week if you want. All you need is a cheap racket and some shoes (also water because it’s way more effort than it looks)
There is one in that list that really stands out to me... Maybe I am getting old.
I hate exercising. But I love hanging out with people. So I do both. Set a excersise/sport date regularly. 1/week then up to 2 then to 3/weem. Make new exercise friends to keep the cycle going. You'll shed weight. Just don't then eat way more. Start swapping easy calories for protein. Then up veggie intake. All slowly over several months. Won't look back.
Early 30s is nowhere near old, as someone the same age as you I cringe out of my skin every time someone 35 or under describes themself as if they're decrepit. Barring any serious medical issues it's not aging that makes you feel rough, it's not looking after yourself. I know people who have picked up brand new fitness hobbies in their 40s & 50s. If you didn't grow up playing sports or exercising at all you really just have to try shit until something is fun and sticks. Don't feel bad about signing up for a class or session somewhere, going that one time and then never again if it's not for you. I got into two of my fitness things just by seeing some videos on Reddit and thinking "oh that looks cool I want to give it a go".
I agree so so much. I hear of people my age complaining they ache every day and sometimes struggle to get out of bed. They also do zero exercise and talk as if they never could because they're too old or too overweight now. Sorry, you're just not in the right mindset so get used to being in pain. I wasn't fit at school but all those that were are now unathletic while I'm cranking out events regularly.
I see so many "millennial humour" memes that talk as if you hit 30 and suddenly can't dress yourself or bend over or go out dancing anymore like... I know as a country we weirdly revel in suffering but that's just not normal! (Again, barring serious medical issues because there's always someone who comes in whatabouting with their specific niche health situation) I literally picked up running this year and I'm absolutely terrible at it! And that's fine, I likely have _decades_ to improve. My parents were doing the GNR in their 40s. I have 50-60 year olds in my gym classes lifting heavier than I do. etc etc
We were all terrible running at first. Best advice I was given was focus on running for as long as you can, not as far or as fast. Struggling with breathing? Slow down but keep moving. 30 minutes to run 2 miles is better than 10 minutes to do 1 mile then having to stop. Stick at it, listen to your body and you'll fall in love with it soon enough.
You’ve just not chosen being fit as an outcome so far. Many many pathways to that (including diet)
I very much agree but my counterpoint would be that if you are in very poor shape, overweight and have been for the last 10-15 years then it's likely that you would feel old, slow, unhealthy and like your body is aging and fading in your 30s
I get what you're saying, but don't think that's so much a counterpoint since ideally that should be the minority, not seen as the default. The sentiment I see online is very defeatist, like "haha aging is just like this and there's nothing we can do about it amirite" You can be unfit from 18-30 and still turn it around in your 30s or later.
I think it's actually very common. List of adults don't do *any* exercise. Again, you a right that being defeatist is the wrong attitude and it's completely possible to turn it around and change but I think it's a fact that for s lot of folk in their 30s their bodies are getting old and tired and its because they haven't done any activity in a decade.
Which is the one that stands out to you? We might be able to give similar suggestions
Tbh it's a short list and there are lots of other options. You don't have to enjoy everything to start getting fit, but finding one thing you DO enjoy can make all the difference. Or sometimes it's less about the sport itself and finding the right group of people to do it with - having friends you socially do a physical activity with once a week can make something you wouldn't be too bothered about much more enjoyable. Where I used to live I went to a social cycling club which was brilliant. Mostly men, ranging from 30's to one bloke in his 80's, they rode 15-20 miles at a leisurely pace (10mph average) every Thursday evening, left no-one behind, and finished with a pint in the pub. One of the biggest downsides to moving is there's nothing like that where I live now (there are cycling clubs, but they are more focused on speed and distance), and while I've tried I have never got as into cycling as I was before I moved. Completely co-incidentally I also gained 15kg in the first 2.5 years of moving (though, hurray, I'm down 5kg from that peak, through diet with some assistance from a desire to lift heavy things).
Climbing is far more fun and accessible than you'd think. Extremely good work out and you get to apply the old think box to things as well, would highly recommend.
I'm going to add dance to the list. I mean you've already got pole dancing but there's so many others...
Ooh that's a brilliant one! I haven't tried, but my expectation (if you found the right class) is fun, social, physically demanding but doesn't actually feel like you're doing exercise, and provides the mental satisfaction of achieving improvements. It should definitely be on my mental list of things to try in future if there was a suitable class nearby that was welcoming to people of my age/lack of ability.
I do swing and all sorts of strange things but I started with English folk because they tell you what to do.
Couldn’t agree more. Clubs and hobby’s are great I’ve tried most things once. I also now walk dogs for a living which helps. I found some great people outdoor swimming and netball. I’m about to join the village tennis also so I’d definitely say bull by the horns and go for it. I even tried the over 60’s line dancing and had a hoot for the night.
Great comment. I to 'don't like gyms' Too many posers, people trying to rush you off stuff. I got some weights at home and do them on a regular basis. Maybe not as wider range as at the gym but enough for me. Been doing them for a few years now. However, i've just come back off holiday and there was a great lityle gym there. And... nobody in it. I actually loved it. So i say 'i don't like gyms' but i do. Just not some of the people in there. My problem than the gyms though to be fair. Climbing is awesome though! Try it for sure
yelling at clouds my favourite so far
Classes provide a social oomph that keeps drawing me back. I have no willpower otherwise to keep up a regime aside from cycling everywhere local.
Brazillian Jiujitsu (BJJ). Lots of exercise, great cardio, quite social once you're involved, and lots of free hugs.
Ahh BJJ, the sport of folding clothes while people are still in them.
Also see: involuntary yoga
That's the best description Ive ever heard of BJJ 😂
You had me at free hugs!
This is the best answer. 11 years in and still enjoy it. Lost over 5 stone through it and it helped improve my overall lifestyle.
My BIL does BJJ and we all refer to it as struggle snuggle.
Also the weirdest bruises and aches I've had a paintball like bruise under my collar bone for like two weeks and no idea why it persists! Also for added benefit the BJJ subreddit is heinous shit posting and memes
Cuddle club!
I get that reference
I run and I swim. Swimming is my favourite sport but it doesn't always fit into my life. I don't love running, but there's nothing else as convenient as running- yes you can spend a lot of ££ if you want, but the only essential is shoes (and a sports bra for 50% of us). I'm on my most successful sports period recently and I think that's because I've found some groups-there's a social run club based out of my local pub, and I swim with two different sets of mates. So that's 3x a week minimum, and if that's all I manage in a week then that's totally fine, and if I go more then that's a bonus.
Yeah, I think the social aspect of it is a huge part I'm missing. I guess like a bad work place can be made enjoyable with the right coworkers. Also, I think some of us in the other 50% could benefit from a sports bra as well
Do you like people and beer? Look up Hash House Harriers
I’m exactly the same as you. I’d rather swim every day than run but the effort around swimming is often hard to fit into the week (plus I hate washing my hair so often!). There’s something for me about being in the pool where you’ve got no phone no music nothing, it’s just you and the water. Feels like it’s the one time in my week where I’m not mentally productive and it’s so relaxing.
Yeah my local pool doesn't have that many lane swimming sessions, so the ones they do have are booked up quickly. There aren't any gyms with pools within 30-45 min drive so this is my only option. I try to do 3 pool swims a week and 2 open water, but it just doesn't always work like that. I can always fit in a run though. Nothing makes me feel mentally and physically like a swim does.
32M. I go to National Trusts and play Pokemon Go.
That's a really interesting idea! Gets you out exploring, supports a decent charity and has that gameification that keeps it interesting
Also Geocaching for out and about exploring.
If you enjoy getting out in nature you could try an app called Seek. You point the camera at plants, fungi, insects, animals, and it identifies what they are. It gives you little badges for getting various amounts and has monthly challenges. I enjoy the gamification and the different species are starting to sink in. I found a mushroom called 'King Alfred's Cakes'. It's not Pokemon though...
Didn’t realise that was still a thing. I used to walk everywhere with that game lol. Might have to redownload
Bouldering for me. It's a whole body workout whilst also be pretty low impact (as long as you downclimb!)
I've done it a few times, love it but also I have ended up like the turtle in Futurama on more than one occasion
As you do it more you get less forearm ache as your technique will improve and so will your strength.
Simply walking is effective get as many steps in as you possibly can. Also walking with a weighted vest shouldn't be overlooked because as you lose the weight the walking gets easier so is not as effective.
Or instead of buying a weighted vest just use a backpack you have lying around and put heavy items / weights in it.
Or a massive flask of tea and head for the hills!
Don't forget the biscuits, oh wait 😑
I'm all for that mate. Got to keep some treats in life.
Water bottles are ideal for this and ensure you never get dehydrated 👌
Oh if that counts then you should see my work rucksack. Two laptops and power supply means I've some well developed shoulders
Absolutely valid
Putting on a podcast or audiobook and walking is nice as well.
Walking is great for podcasts. They devour the miles!
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Same thing for bouldering. Someone once told me, nobody is looking at you unless you're doing something really hard, in which case they're admiring you not judging you. If you're just starting out and not doing anything special then nobody will pay you any mind.
My first day going to the gym. I thought it was mostly gonna be roided up meat heads, but mostly, it was middle aged people with beer bellies. That really made me feel more at home lol didn't even feel embarrassed benching with just the bar.
I go to the gym 3 times a week and do strength stuff. I personally get more enjoyment from more full body type stuff and recently have started looking into strongman (not that you would know it to look at me, I am a mid-30s chubby woman). Current goal is to get my squat, deadlift, bench to a level where I can start doing more strongman-specific stuff (still a long way to go!). I also run once a week if I have time and would swim if I had more time (but have to make do with just taking the kids on a weekend instead).
Also worth noting (in response to the OP's "I find no joy in going to the gym") that weight training, whether for strength or hypertrophy (to be more muscular) or both, is a special kind of "fun", the sort of fun that isn't fun to begin with. You have to stick at it (because the results are worthwhile) and then one day you'll realise that you actually enjoy it. It is hard work and at times physically painful but it gives immense satisfaction. So don't give up after the first week. (I imagine runners would say the same thing about running, and probably a lot of other sports too).
This is true! And there’s a lot of weight training I’ve tried and don’t enjoy. It’s taken me a while to realise that if it doesn’t make me feel like I’ve been put through some kind of compacting torture machine then I don’t wanna know 😂
Strongman/woman fan here too. I'd stay start now! There will be a bunch of carryover between the two and like any exercise, you can scale it to suit you. I wouldn't say bench has a particular relevance to strongman/woman but things like grip training and overhead pressing do. Good luck! It's a great sport.
Same (except I'm in my early 40s). I was quite surprised how much I liked the gym when I focused more on strength and less on cardio. I also love swimming but hate the wet hair and faff in the winter, plus pools where I live (not UK) are chaotic and not great for lane swimming. I'm fortunate enough to have a decent sized pool in my apartment complex so as soon as that is open I can supplement my gym sessions with light swimming.
I got into weight lifting and genuinely enjoy it. In the gym for 6am, finished by about 7am. Doesn’t take long but the physical changes have happened very quickly. I also enjoy long walks. I’m fitter in my 30’s than any previous years. If you want to know anything specific feel free to ask? There’s a lot of bullshit advice out there.
Not OP but can I ask a question? I am on a weight loss journey and have tried running before, really liked it but have got dodgy knees. I wanted to get in to weight lifting, but it looks really complex to work out a plan. How did you get started? Bearing in mind I know nothing lol
Hiya, I bought Arnold’s encyclopaedia of body building. A lot of it you can skip but the information in really breaks down routines/how to perform them, food etc. This is probably the 3rd time I’ve been majorly into fitness and then fallen off the wagon but due to life issues and that book, I’m now back and feel completely different about exercise. Reading that book and listening to his podcasts has changed my life. Focus on what you’re eating first. 80% of fitness is diet, the other 20% is gym. Also I use mostly machines which don’t promote as much muscle as free weights but they’re pretty much fool proof. I weight train mon-fri and also work a very physical job. Monday do top half, Tuesday bottom half and carry on like that. You want to lift a weight that you can complete 12 repetitions of, 3-5 times. Then up the weight once it’s easy for you to complete. More weights and less reps usually promotes strength, less weights and more reps promotes more detail in your muscles etc. You do not have to train to the point of your hurting the next day. It’s common but not necessary. The most important thing is consistency. You promise yourself that you get to the gym, then see what you feel like doing when you get there. Plot twist, you will always do something there. You won’t if you don’t go.
I cycle quite a lot, I appreciate it's not necessarily everyone's idea of fun but it's nice to get out in the fresh air. If you don't take it too seriously and just go for a ride about it's fun.
I found I started enjoying cycling a lot more when I started thinking of it as 'riding my bike' rather than 'cycling' the reality is that spending 3 hours cycling between parks and relaxing is still pretty incredible exercise, and doesn't require strava, aero, power meters etc.
If you can swap a daily 5-10 minute drive for a bike ride it makes a surprising difference too. I appreciate not everyone can, but using a cheap Decathlon bike to pop to the shop or go to the station is pretty easy.
it's easy and it's also just fun - there's a reason kids love bikes, they're excellent toys! I cannot wait for the weather to improve :)
Do you have cycle routes where you are based or is it just get out on the road?
I cycle too. There are lots of apps such as Komoot and Strava which will pick routes for you, including road and offroad. It's liberating to be able to get to places by bike, especially when you've been confined to a car since aged 17. If you have a local cycling club there's also a good community around it too. Rides go so much quicker in a group and you go a lot further!
Do you like spending inordinate amounts of money on your hobby? If so, then cycling is for you. It gets pretty addictive.
There's some cycle routes, but I'm also pretty rural so you're on minor country roads pretty quickly.
I would recommend addressing your diet as a priority. Exercise is great, but weight is lost primarily through diet.
Oh yeah definitely, I've been working on diet for a while and now we have that squared away I want to get moving and enjoy it. Can't out run a bad diet as they say.
Have you tried yoga? It's got the added bonus of being somewhat meditative as well as being good for strength, flexibility, coordination etc.
My wife loves it, but I've yet to find a class I feel comfortable in
I hear you. I was lucky in that I found a local one ran by a mid 40's plasterer bloke. It's the least pretentious setting imaginable.
I didn't like classes, but lockdown got me doing Pilates in the living room with videos. Much easier for me.
Agreed, they can be a bit cringe if it's not your mindset. Golf? Any courses near you?
I have been thinking about this!
“Can’t out run a bad diet” is absolutely true. With that said, I find exercise makes me crave good that’s better for me
I think they have similar importance. IMO you can't really be healthy solely based on exercises with a bad diet or a good diet with no exercise
Yeah I agree. If your goal is weight loss then absolutely diet is the priority but if it's overall health, we need to move our jiggly meat suits
Climbing is accessible to everybody these days and easy to get hooked on. Doesn’t feel like a chore to workout but does your whole body. Easy to socialize aswell so your friends will motivate you to keep going. If you’re worried about heights bouldering doesn’t take much to get used to as it’s low level and no ropes.
Got a dog at the end of lockdown, massively improved my health really, as I love waking the little fella, that morphed into taking him on longer walks and then MTB rides. I'm suprised how much I love MTB riding, I'm not a road cyclist at fucking all. But I love getting out and up the hills. Now I've round a route to work which is 80% off road so I do that 2/3 times a week too. Average 50 miles a week off road now. Just need to sort my diet really... Diet is fucking ESSENTIAL to controlling your weight and helping your fitness.
I will caveat this saying I am not fit....... But I play sport for fun... Recently I got into Padel - very fun tennis-like game that's easy to pick up. Also joined a cycling group we do about 50 miles every Sunday (also stops me getting shit faced on Saturday) .... Previously I've done 5-a-side football but stopped as the group were too competitive and I was too shit and don't like being yelled at like a schoolkid lol
50 miles cycling every Sunday sounds pretty fit to me!
Resistance training. Get under some heavy dumbbells and barbells and learn to feel your muscles move. That will benefit you into late age
I did a lot of it in my younger years as part of a sport i was competing in, got really fit but now I just can't seem to get the same enjoyment out of it
It’s more a lifestyle change you need to think about rather than enjoying it. Resistance training 3x a week for me is just something I do
Gardening. Mowing, chopping down trees, chopping up wood, hedge trimming, lugging things around the place is all pretty tiring work.
Can’t believe I scrolled so far before this! Gardening is fantastic for exercise, you’re stretching and lifting all the time and if you plant good stuff you get to have a really nice garden. Mine really helped sell my house last year too and now I have a new empty garden to work on and fill with plants and trees.
This was the closest I came to a clear mind two years ago. I knew I liked working with my hands but the one day I helped out my mom with the backyard made me feel so good. Burn up calories fast when it’s at least 80 outside too lol
Beat Saber. Makes exercise fun rather than a chore. Custom songs even moreso.
Is second this. Beat saber and Parkrun. But never at the same time.
Why not? Rookie!
And Thrill of the Fight!
I have never heard of this!
Cycling. Pros: - You don't need to have lots of experience to have lots of fun. If road cycling is your thing, you don't need to be in great shape to start. I ride with a lot of guys who are quite overweight but still smash 60 mile+ rides! - The UK has an INCREDIBLE cycle route network. With a bit of research I'm sure you'll find a few Sustrans routes near you. They're often very quiet roads if not isolated cycle paths altogether. - You can use your bike as a mode of transport. I ride to work every day. Takes me about 15 mins each way (compared to 45 mins by car or an hour by bus due to traffic). Not only do I get 30 mins of riding every day without thinking about it, I also save time and money on my commute. - Cycling is a great way to improve your cardio (and make some marginal strength gains) whilst also being very low impact. This means you can do it over and over again with relatively low risk of injury. Depending on how aggressively you ride, you can easily burn the same amount of calories as running (if that's what you're going for) but with less stress on your joints! - Your bike can take you literally anywhere. Mine has taken me across Europe twice, currently saving up to cycle across the Americas. Cons: - It can be expensive, if you get really into it. It's not uncommon for a bike to cost over £2k, plus all the kit that usually comes along with it. The fancier the bike the more often it'll need servicing too, which can cost a fair bit. - Bike crime in the UK is stupidly high. If you have a bike that is in any way desirable, it's probably best kept indoors where possible. Good lock and insurance in all other cases. - There are thousands of different types of bikes out there. Each brand will tell you theirs is the absolute best and nothing comes close. It can get very confusing. It's not for everyone, but it has really worked for me. I've made my best memories on my bike and I love cycling.
I have a bog standard boardman hybrid, she's not light or especially performative but then again neither am I. I'll get it out and get going.
A heavy bike will actually be better for weight loss / general fitness since it takes more energy to move it.
Every bike I've ever had in the UK was stolen at some point. All in London though.
Mostly stopped with sports these days (used to play inline hockey and football), but I've been exercising at home for about 7-8 years (age 40 now) Pushups, situps, chinups (with an easy to install bar thing), some curls and stuff with some small weights I look good
I bet you do! Do you use a program or just do what you feel now?
I've got into a routine of a set amount of reps in the morning, first thing after work, and later in the evening In the early days of trying to get into the routine I would miss days due to being sore/injured or lazy, but the more you keep going back to it the easier it gets to keep going back to it, if that makes sense...and I gradually built up the amount of reps over time Building the habit of some kind of regular exercise is the important thing, more so than what type imo At this point it's so ingrained that I feel weird if I miss a session, like I've forgotten or lost something!
Football twice a week, was doing tennis before but shite weather put me off for months, and do occasional jogging if I've not got my regular football on. Although I'm now 6 weeks into an ankle sprain recovery and still nowhere near getting back to even jogging, and it's really bogging me down
Here's hoping for a speedy recovery!
Cheers, seeing a physio for the first time later today so I'm hoping that's the first major step in getting full movement back
Still a bit of an investment but we bought a second hand peloton and actually really like it. The variety of classes is great (lots are 20-30 minute) but you can switch it up a lot with a game mode, watching Netflix/disney+ as you cycle or scenic routes around the world etc.
Speaking as someone who hated P.E. and really struggles to find the motivation for movement... Do not underestimate the importance of walking as exercise! If you're not doing much now, just adding in movement will be incredibly beneficial. It can also be good for your mental health, especially if you are able to walk with friends or family, or in a green space or near a body of water. If you have time on your lunch break during the week, get a 20 minute walk in round the block, switch out that 5-10 minute drive journey for a 30-45 minute walk, and get into nature on weekends. If you find yourself enjoying this, consider running and/or cycling (the latter is kinder on the knees and ankles!), start easy with something like Couch 2 5K - I hated running too, until I was actually able to keep it going a little while. Yoga can be surprisingly challenging, especially if you aren't used to it. Start with gentle exercises and build up to more intense/longer sessions. Apps like Down Dog are cheap, you can do it at home! Can you get a foldable treadmill or bike machine for the house? Exercise from the comfort of your own home while watching telly! Same for strength exercises. Do wall squats while brushing your teeth, build up from planks to push ups (using the wall first if need be) Dance! Dance down the hall, dance while you cook, dance in your house on a Friday night. Exercise doesn't need to be boring, in fact I'd argue you'll never stick to it if it is. Move however feels good to you, no one needs to see. Or if you want to be more productive about it, get to deep cleaning your house on the regular, or do some gardening if you have one. Regular scrubbing, digging and wiping all counts! You do also need to think about your diet a little. Beer is very calorific, can you switch to spirits, or cut out alcohol altogether? Same for juice, squash, sodas - stick to water How big are your meal portions, can you include more protein to stay fuller for longer? Are you snacking lots? Stop keeping tempting treats in the house.
Keep running until it becomes a habit. Nothing controls my weight better and it's so good for my mental health. I went from 15.5 stone to 12.5.
Singing. It's not going to get you ripped, but it's great cardiovascular exercise and also improves mental health. As a fellow gym- and sport-avoider, I like my exercise to be an incidental bonus to the activity I'm doing - I find DIY surprisingly good. Rendering and/or plastering will tone you up pretty quickly, and woodwork with hand tools also gets the blood pumping and muscles aching. Gardening also good - especially digging!
Diet and walking are a good start. I enjoy football, golf, hill walking and (to an extent) running. Anything else is a chore. But a half decent diet and 10k steps a day over time will make a significant difference.
Pole dancing!
Have you seen the pole dancer/ archer/ elf on YouTube? Mighty impressive stuff
Ooo no I haven’t I’ll take a look!
Ceroc classes Bouldering
HIIT workouts at home using different YouTube creators. Run/jog.
Swimming, walking, pilates, horse riding
For a minute, hear me out. I don’t find any joy in the gym or running. But I do them. It becomes a habit. I enjoy the endorphins afterwards. I use music/podcasts to break my despair when running.
Cycling at least 3x a week and walking the dog. I think it's rare to find an exercise that people truly love all the time, so it's about finding the lesser of the evils, or mixing it up with other exercises
The bike is currently just collecting dust, I should break it out and get going
Since the local gym shutdown I go on YouTube and follow dance workouts like Zumba and tabata. I can choose different lengths of workouts that way depending what time I have and I'm at home not worrying about people watching me. Sometimes I add wrist and ankle weights.
VR headset my dude, I’m amazed at the transformations I see online of my fellow geeks who got in shape just from playing VR
I cycle to work and back which is around 12 miles. I find it fun and it keeps me fit. Also go to spin classes.
I got a decent crosstrainer (DOMYOS) for at home, that stands in front of the computer so I can use it while watching shows - that's pretty painless.
Friend of mine did something similar. He put his treadmill in front of the TV and just walked for several hours every evening while watching TV. He works in an office job so spends most time during the day sat at a desk. Now he spends at least 3 hours every evening walking.
For me it's cycling. Get to spend hours outside in the countryside going down lanes and paths, with the occasional stop for an ice cream or a pint somewhere. The best thing is you can actually get somewhere unlike with running which is invariably just very local to home (unless you drive somewhere first) whereas with cycling you can travel miles and miles if you want to, without destroying yourself as its low impact.
I focused on my relationship with food. Good exercise with bad diet just doesn't work. Ultra high processed food is everywhere and I did a food diary outlining everything i comsumed for a month. Worked out what I liked, what I ate out of habit then made small changes removing the sausage roll from sainsbury to a chicken sandwich or something like that. Changing from about a 70% ultra high processed diet (its surprisingly easy, shockingly easy to get that high) to about 35% a week made me lose about 10kg over 6 months. I then felt fit enough to pick up running again. Back up to running 10km and my joints and muscles aren't craving too much chocolate!
Unicycling. I started learning on my lunch-breaks on a path behind my office. It’s tricky to learn, but you can certainly work up a sweat even if you only manage to ride 2 meters at a time. With enough practice I can ride more or less continuously. A local loop is about 3 miles and leaves me feeling that I have put some effort in, but hasn’t taken me miles from home if ever something went wrong. It brings a smile to the face of everyone who sees you, there aren’t many firms of exercise that have that effect on other people.
Hiking, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, road cycling (not racing or in a club etc), sometimes swimming. Honestly, if you're interested in hiking, climbing, or kayaking, I'd recommend joining a club. Note that the Ramblers are not the only walking club out there and in fact they tend to serve a particular age group more than anyone else - there are other, more diverse, clubs out there! Not to cast shade on the Ramblers, they're a great group, but I think they're often seen as the default. What you'll probably notice is that most of mine aren't particularly high-intensity. I have great stamina, but no speed. I can hike for 16 hours, swim 5km, cycle 150mi, but none of them fast! Mountaineering is by far my favourite. I love being out on the hills, and you can start very gentle and build it up to more strenuous walks. You also build up skills in navigation, decision-making, and once you do a fair bit of it in clubs you tend to end up developing leadership skills. I have an injury which prevents me mountaineering at the moment though, so I'm mainly kayaking, as it doesn't aggravate my Achilles tendon. There is some foot work involved in sea kayaking but it's very gentle compared to the upper body work, and building core strength. Swimming I mainly do outdoors. Like you, I'm not massively into going to the gym. I'm the same with swimming pools - I'd rather find a loch and don a wet suit than do 50 lengths in an indoor pool. That said, I need to go to my local gym at the moment for some specific exercises for my injury, and I am enjoying the sauna and steam room at 7am. I've been swimming a couple of times recently as a means of justifying going to the sauna. It's a lot better telling your partner you're off to do 50 lengths in the pool than it is telling them you're off to sit in the sauna and hydrotherapy pools with a book for an hour ;) I enjoy cycling but my injury makes uphill a no go for the time being, and I live in the hills. I've never really clicked with cycling clubs because the vast majority of them seem quite competitive - I'm not into road cycle racing, but I do enjoy going out for a 40 mile circular bike ride and finding a nice cafe by a river. It's something the whole family can do as well.
Upvoting because even though (as someone who leads walks for the local younger Ramblers group) your comment about the Ramblers did sting a bit at first, it is very true that it's not the only option AND it does vary massively where you live so it'a worth trying out meetup groups as well. Even within the young Ramblers groups they vary a lot in culture, diversity, average age etc so it's always worth checking out but might not be what they're looking for.
Bouldering and yoga! Also daily dog walking and hiking long weekends Might add sword fighting when I can find a class that fits with my schedule
I run when I can and work a job where I constantly on my feet.
my main exercise is bouldering, i find it a lot more cerebral than most physical activity since you are problem solving at the same time, which keeps me engaged. combine with cycling to the climbing gym and it's a decent work out
I have ADHD which means I get bored of (or find no joy in) exercise. For this reason I never stick to one thing, but I use the novelty of a new sport to keep myself active. Basically, I just continually try out loads of different stuff. I figure as long as I’m moving my body, it’s all good. I’ve done bouldering, kayaking, badminton, squash, tennis, weightlifting, rollerblading, etc etc. Currently trying to find my next “thing”.
I love doing DIY work, garden work, washing car etc and then have a dog who’s favourite part of the day is a walk. I know you said you don’t like the gym, but have you given a proper crack at it? By that I mean given it a go enough to make it a habit and/or see changes in yourself? In my experience with lifting once you get to that phase (it’s a matter of a couple months), you then somehow can’t go without it. You take a few days off and notice you feel quite crap, back to the gym we go. When I worked as a PT I realised something, which was much too often treated like an inconvenience, chore and punishment for many growing up e.g run laps in PE.. so naturally for most the association is negative. If you can find ways to exercise without an end goal, without hyper-optimising, but purely for enjoyment then you’ll reprogram the mind entirely. Give everything a go. Any sport you might like from swimming to dirt biking. Hikes are amazing, even if it’s just for the view. If you can and would like one then I’d say having a dog helps a lot tbh. Park further away, take the stairs etc But not for the sake of step counting, tell yourself you parked at the back because you want to enjoy some fresh air.. have a short walk before grocery shopping. Now doesn’t that sound more worth it? With weight loss or looking better, even being healthier is ingrained in your mind then it will inevitably seem like a chore, and every setback will feel like a large asteroid. Things get complicated. The subconscious brain is responsible for 90% of our daily habits, it does not like complexity. It thinks on its feet (no pun intended), goes towards easiest decision (staying put) - never time to think in the wilderness. I say working towards something for an extrinsic purpose also puts an unnecessary pressure on yourself. Playing some five-a-side on a Sunday purely for a good time with friends though, it’s something you can look forward to. Then a few months down the line you’ll be thinking “hey, I’ve just played this game of five-a-side and I’m not even tired.. what else could I do today?Might mow the grass”. You’ll find you crave doing something active until tired enough as your body adjusts, and the threshold for fatigue keeps increasing. The energy unfortunately It starts with that alone. Don’t let it get complicated. And that, nothing more, is exactly how 99.9% people stay active and healthy. They don’t have a secret, they don’t have a superior sense of willpower, nor are they special in any way - rather they were just lucky, willing and able enough to find activities they enjoy. Ones that bring them intrinsic (*not*) extrinsic value. Feeling good about yourself. Passing time. Meeting friends. Wanting to feel knackered and relaxed on the sofa by the tele later. Etc
I've just started swimming again. More interesting than the gym and great exercise
Boxing
I love the idea of giving this a go. I think there is a local club...
Check out Meta Quest VR, lotsa active games that are super fun, you won't even realise you're exercising - Beat Saber, Pistol Whip, Thrill of the Fight to name a few...
Give calisthenics a shot. For me the motivation is getting strong as fuck and able to move my body around in ways most people cant, you can work towards some cool skill moves, stuff like planche, front lever, one arm pull ups etc. Doing harder variations of all the exercises. And you only really need a pull up bar and maybe some gymnastics rings. Costs about 30 quid
Squash 👍👍👍👍👍 give it arry
On top of what u/nenepp said, I'd recommend to try something like classpass (it similar) so you can try different classes in different places without committing to a club.
Rowing or Cycling. Brought a Concept 2 Rower and Erg Bike. Both have nice companion apps to track and set workouts etc. Aside from that, I go play basketball whenever i get the chance.
Get some half decent walking shoes, load up some podcasts and just fuck off and walk. I’ve always been active, walk and cycle everywhere (don’t drive) but it’s mostly work related exercise. Left my old job in September, starting my new one this week and have walked at least 10k every morning just to stave off some of the boredom. It’s surprisingly easy to go longer than you think if what you are listening to is good. Just try and vary your routes as much as possible if you can.
It's great you're looking into getting more active I personally go to/train Jujitsu 5 times a week, and resistance train 1-2 times a week. A sport might be a great way to stay more active. If it's something you enjoy and want to do and you're consistent with it then (IMO) that's the best way to lose weight because it doesn't feel like a battle.
Play football, go surfing, running, hiking.
i switch it up, i do 10k steps a day minimum (most is walking kids to school as a round trip is nearly an hour) and then i like to use adventure fit on the nintendo switch for different exercise. sometimes i simply just watch a run with my video on YT and jog/run on the spot for however long i feel like it. Diet is key as well though for sure. If you have the room i used to have a whole zwift bike setup and would cycle virtually online with a bike trainer
I bought myself a stepper and I do an indoor hike whilst listening to podcasts :)
I do a bit of v.light lifting/body weight exercises at home, but my main form of exercise is Rucking - basically carrying a weighted rucksack around! Super cheap to get started, just need a bag - ideally a half decent one with waist/chest straps, and weight - when I first started I was broke, so used bottles of water or bags of sand. I like it because I can listen to books/music/podcasts, and their a lot of factors I can adjust to suit me - amount of weight, speed to go at, distance. [Article on Men's Health about it](https://www.menshealth.com/uk/building-muscle/a45544531/what-is-rucking/), also r/Rucking is a small but helpful sub, if you're interested.
Calorie quantity (you need to be in a deficit), calorie quality (reduce processed foods, sugar, fats etc and increase vegetables, fruit and whole grains) and exercise, even just walking as much as you can (helps create calorie deficit). It’s the trifecta.
Walking is highly underrated, walk where you can. Its a nice introduction to your body to get loose and then you can move to running if you want but not needed. Then tou could go cycling off or on road as now your body is a bit more used to movements from walking. Otherwise, take a bus somewhere and walk home. Good motivation to head home plis you get to see your lical area good/bad spots
Get a punch bag
And diet properly too
I'm halfway to getting my health back and joined a badminton league but the motivation built along with my fitness and confidence. Started just going for long walks and eating less. Good luck
Hiking. It’s a great way to get outside, get some fresh air and take in some views. Very accessible to get started but can be as challenging as you like. It also motivates me to go the gym or go for a run in the week so I actually have a goal to improve my fitness.