Exercise - what makes you do it? (Plus our survey results and some things to try)

Meant to say that the outdoor class is a group class, with a wonderful bunch of all ages, all sizes women. It is such a motivated group, it is impossible not to be enthusiastic. I am the oldest person in the group and sometimes when I can't quite cope with the exercise (push-ups anyone?) the trainer will give me a substitute e.g. shoulder press with a band.

A lot of the success of exercise has to do with liking the trainer (for me anyway). I went to a class where the trainer would brow-beat us shouting out what she thought was encouragement. I bailed on that one.

Walking and the allotment for me. I love being outdoors and it's free!

I walk everywhere, I carry a basket for shopping and never buy more than I can comfortably carry (but I'm happy if it's a bit heavy, I'm one of those women that you see resting and swopping hands before walking on again )

Once a week I do an outdoor class in a local park that alternates cardio and core, with a qualified trainer and I love it, especially the fact that it is outdoors. The looks we get sometimes - especially in winter.

And I sing in a choir - to me that also counts as exercise. All that deep breathing plus stretching in the warm up.

I walk, cycle and play table tennis all fairly regularly.

In addition to weekly yoga sessions, I joined a gym about four years ago on a family membership.
I started off in the gym and then tried some classes. I now go four times a week for spin, cardio dance and body attack workouts. I am lucky that my local authority has invested in a super sports centre which is attended by people of all ages and conditions. It is very inclusive.
My original motivation was to get fit and improve my circulation. This has been achieved but an unexpected bonus has been the social spinoff. I have made new friends and we get together for coffee and chat after our classes.

Walking dogs for an hour every morning on the beach.

I walk and love Zumba and I do it to help keep weight down and release seratonin ...
no more hormones and it’s essential for that ... I feel fortunate I don’t smoke or drink .. my vice is chocolate but o try hard to keep it down as Cholesterol is elevated recently
All the time I’m able I will move move move and I hate jogging ? pounding the pavements no matter what a serotonin hit it gives you is not for me ... I’d walk 10 miles further and love that and take all the scenery in ... and dance dance dance ;0) bliss

I have never liked sports or keep fit but when I retired I was very stiff and sore with arthritis and RSI so joined a seniors exercise class to gain a bit of flexibility. This helped enormously and I went for two to three years. I also did pilates for a while, swum regularly and walked 10000 steps daily. I was also trying to lose weight so this all helped. I'm afraid most of this stopped when I was very busy decorating and decluttering ready to move house and haven't got back into doing much since moving. I now have plantar fascitis so can't walk too far.

Walk everywhere, gym twice a week, dancing once a week, training session once a week, all accompanied by stretching exercises. I'm trying to stay as fit as I can for as long as I can.

I run approx 3 times per week, between 3-5 miles each run. Always alone and first thing in the morning so it's done and dusted. I also enjoy walking and aim to walk about 4-5 miles 3 times per week. Will start cycling again within next couple of weeks, when the weather improves. I always feel more energised after exercise, it helps to keep my weight in check and I feel fortunate that I don't have any health conditions that prevent me from exercising.

Tennis 3 plus times a week, just because I love it. Try to walk about 10,000 per day and am so grateful that I can still do these things and I need to as I have a tendency towards chubbiness....and am greedy.

I do a weekly U3A pilates class. To motivate me I look on it as a weekly physio session as it seems to keep my joints and core healthy. Not very good at doing it at home though, but once a week seems OK. I also try to do a brisk 30 minute walk as many days as possible. The motivation comes from really noticing how much better I feel after persevering.

I go to the gym 3 times a week, not because I enjoy it, I don't, but I feel I have to take on board all the advice we are given about the benefits of exercise and the harmful effects of not moving about. Once I'm there I spend half an hour or so walking very briskly on the treadmill, sometimes with an incline, but not always, and then I go on various load bearing weight apparatus. I was advised by an endocrinologist that using such machines is the best way to ward off osteoporosis which my mother suffered from in the last 10 years or so of her life and I take a fairly high does of thyroxine which can deplete bone density. Other than that we go for walks in the Royal Parks on our doorstep, Bushy and Richmond, or along tow paths by the nearby Thames, far more uplifting that the gym. I also try to walk to the shops if I'm not carrying too much, today I've had to drive to Sainsburys because I was buying quite a lot. I swim occasionally and I do yoga at home from tutorials on line although I have done classes in the past. My husband who is 10 years or so older than me is in very good shape from lots of walking round golf courses, he also goes to the gym, maybe a couple of times a week. We are both aware that we spend a lot of time slumped in chairs reading, or on line or watching tv.

I exercise at home almost every morning. Music is vital, so I just put a CD on in the kitchen and away I go.
I use a combination of things learned at my old keep fit class and some exercises for my back which the physio taught me.
It's really uplifing to the spirits as well as good for the body.
Some days I can manage half an hour, other days (like today for instance) only five minutes.

I walk a lot because I don't drive and buses are expensive, unreliable and germ ridden. A walk into town and back uses the same amount of calories as a buttered scone....any excuse.
I also play Walking Netball which is a fun, sociable time with other ladies of a similar age. We don't really notice that we are exercising.

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I love Pilates, yoga and do Zumba and a Swiss ball class. Just feel so energised after a class.

I'm average to thin. You ask what makes me exercise? The dog - she needs 3 or 4 miles a day - plus plenty of playtime! Gardening is another good one. A few hours out there and I can feel the muscles complaining!

Oh definitely - it’s certainly possible in many cases. If you use public transport then get off the bus a couple of stops earlier, or park and walk part of the way if you can.

Yes, you are stuck aren't you. But even if sliding it in during the working day is not possible for you, many other people could do it.

Oh - and lunch is only 30 minutes in the NHS and no tea breaks.

Unfortunately not possible M0nica - I work in the middle of nowhere beside a dual carriageway. Our office is surrounded by a security fence and the car park isn’t big enough to walk round. I’ve worked in other places where I could work exercise into my day very easily, usually via my commute, but not in my current place.

SirChengin*, when I worked I always cranked some walking into my day, I always walked to and from the station, a mile eachway. When I worked in London, I got a tube that was a bit of hike from the mainline station but saved me having to change and when I drove to work I would go for a walk in my lunch hour. If like me you verge on the hyperactive and need to get out and stetch my legs every day, it is surprising how easy it is to crank the exercise in.

Walking walking just walking as long as I'll be able to. I do it on a daily basis because I enjoy it. No gym, no swimming, no jogging, just plain old fashioned walking, I don't even have targets, what I feel like doing on the day. And I do miss it if unable to!

I exercise in an attempt to keep fit & healthy for as long as possible, and help keep my weight in check.

I'm another walker - can't stand the gym! I do a brisk park/streets/river walk most days for at least an hour, but often two hours. Mostly with my friend but if she's not around or I'm walking to work then I do it by myself. Always early morning, sometimes in the dark. It costs nothing.

I also do a one-hour dance class once a week but that's mainly for fun, although it's quite an aerobic workout.

I probably should do something more challenging as well e.g. some hills!