In the magical era when my son went to daycare and I worked from home I was a regular lane swimmer and I loved it. Now that I’m on mat leave with a second baby I can’t figure out how to make swimming work — a real loss. But I’m a few weeks in with an app called MamaStrong which is 15 min video workouts that are specifically good for recent birth givers (pelvic floor stuff! Back stuff!) and not at all focused on weight or appearance which feels pretty miraculous. The instructor is so lovely and relatable and often has a dog or a child crawling in and out of frame. I promise this is not sponcon 😄
This really resonated with me! I have two daughters aged 8 & 11 who love sports, and I really want to keep them loving sports for as long as possible, so after working full time lots of my evenings are taken up with driving them to various clubs. After then cooking dinner and clearing up, I'm far too exhausted to do any exercise myself. My doctor recommended exercise alongside HRT for my Perimenopausal symptoms, and of course I know that it would make me feel better mentally as well as physically, but I just don't know when I could fit it in.
My preferred exercise is walking but in the summers it's insufferable to be outside when it's still 90 plus degrees at night. I want to do it and like you, it keeps me sane but I can't bring myself to sweat it out after working all day and immediately coming home to care for children, cook dinner, do a few chores, and maybe watch 30 minutes of a TV series. I'm looking forward to cooler days but by the time it's comfortable to walk it will be dark early. I feel like I can't win as a working mom.
I definitely can identify with the feeling of not being naturally gifted at sport. Plus its so hard to find time to exercise as a busy mum! I found some sports harder than others e.g netball and the aggression of hockey. I enjoyed running, athletics and swimming though. I just found the way sport is taught in school cringe worthy and off putting especially picking team members. I am always telling my kids to just enjoy sport. My daughter plays football after school for fun. I am in awe of her confidence. I don't think positive attitudes and confidence in sport was ever passed on in my school. Maybe its a generational thing that is hopefully changing for the better now.
I feel as though I don’t have the right to comment as I don’t have children, work part time and I DO have the luxury of time to exercise. But sometimes I think about it more than doing it or I just can’t be bothered and talk myself out if it. I try to do a spin class 2 or 3 times a week but need to expand this to other things like yoga or Pilates, more walking as I live in Yorkshire and have the countryside on my doorstep & I can be out of the door with my trainers on in 5 mins.
Exercise needs to become a habit and I have the time to feed this habit so I need to think hard before I press the ‘cancel’ button on my spin class just because I can’t be arsed! Exercise changes my mindset, I feel less lethargic, I’m buzzing afterwards, I eat more healthily, I feel more positive and happier in myself (important with your 55 and in the menopause), I have a better relationship with my husband & the list goes on. I have a love/hate relationship with exercise; hate doing it but love the feeling afterwards. Great post Libby. Have a good weekend all 🌞
Such a great piece! It felt like that headline was yet another criticism of women rather than addressing the barriers to exercise for women.
As a mum to a 6 year old and 4 month old the struggle to exercise is real but I am more motivated post children as I now know how precious my time is and how much calmer I am post run or swim. It’s also important to show your kids what can be achieved with some hard work.
I started the What Next Mum Podcast in lock down as I wanted to speak to inspiring mums who undertake adventures and those chats shown that so many women want to achieve things for themselves regardless of kids but need time and support to do it!
Hi Libby, I really enjoyed reading this, thank you. I don’t have children but I find that working long hours and looking after the house usually means exercise is the first thing to go. Sometimes I think the only way to do it is to get up at the crack of dawn but that’s hard too! I loved what you said about exercise not having to be competitive. I too thought exercise was just netball or hockey and winning but when I started just doing things I enjoyed like cycling, Pilates, running and swimming that I realised exercise could be fun and joyful!
I started serious walking during lockdown, with an audiobook on my ears. I prefer to walk alone, my husband once said why would you want to walk for so long and why are you walking so fast, thus I simply prefer to walk alone. I start my work from home day with an 1 hour walk and start my working day fresh at 9:30. On my office day I walk to the furthest bus stop in our village making it into at least a 20 minute walk. During weekends I tend to walk to the bakery on the other side of the village, making it at least a 45/50 minute walk in total.
The sports I did during my youth were gymnastics, I quit when I went to highschool, jazz-dance (it was the 80s) and hockey, I did like it but when I had to go from the juniors to the grownups at 18 I quit. The only exercise I did between 18 and recently was biking (grocery shopping, bringing kid to school, running errands) now and then a bike ride for fun. I tried jogging in my mid twenties but soon realized it was not it for me. When my child was small and still in a pram I actually started walking with her as well (not with an audiobook) and did some shopping or errands while walking, but when she outgrew pram/buggy I made only small walks with her on her short legs. When she started to learn to bike I walked/ran beside the bike.
Hi Libby, I have recently taken up playing golf and I believe that after 18 holes I have walked between 6 and 7 miles. As you can imagine, I would never willingly go out and walk that long, however, when I am hitting that small white ball out in the outstandingly beautiful countryside, surrounded by nature, I come home feeling relaxed and wonderfully tired. And the best thing is that I am getting some wonderful exercise without even trying!
I can’t get over how much I relate to this. I was very ill as a kid, coupled with a lack of coordination, I was the last pick. Now, I’m a full time working Mum of two young boys, and I don’t know where I’d fit it in. Except maybe at night, but even if I happen to not be totally exhausted, the gym is expensive, and running on your own at night just seems…unwise. The confidence just isn’t there for me to join a group.
I was seriously ill as a child. Making up academic work was never difficult but, with reduced lung capacity, I was never anyone’s pick for a team. In the sixth form I discovered badminton and carried on with that for a while. Running still doesn’t seem like something I could do. However, over the years I’ve hiked and hillwalked, dry wall climbed, surfed and bodyboarded. I’m never sure how walking rates as exercise but I walk or cycle everywhere.
I try and get out for a walk at 8pm at night once my son is in bed and husband home but it’s a struggle sometimes. I took my 11 week old baby with me last night because she cries when she’s not with me (totally normal) and I have in the past few weeks had to run home, holding on to my heavy boobs to get to her for a feed. Love being with her, but also love time to myself and the process of clearing my mind that comes with exercising alone.
Love this post! I've always hated the word exercise, and it's probably to do with school as well. I feel the same way about finding it hard to discover what works for me.. At the moment it's doing a quick 20 minute walk around the lanes near home, with some fast music on my phone to help me keep the beat. Or sometimes I'll put some music on to bop around the house until I'm out of breath, or just run up and down the stairs a few times.. I definitely agree it should be fun and not about body shaming.
Like you I hated exercise at school, I am short and uncoordinated which is a terrible combination for most sports. I think the only joy of high school PE was the one time of year they would roll out the huge trampoline.
About ten years ago I started a blog where I wanted to try new things and encouraged by a friend for July I did exercise. She helped me get some gear (I didn't even own trainers) and took me to her CrossFit gym and I absolutely fell in love with lifting weights (and burpees). I didn't end up joining the gym but it led me to explore other exercise like completing couch to 5K. I've never been hugely consistent with exercise but always felt great after a run or weights session. When I fell pregnant I continued with the gym for a little while but a combination of tiredness and fear that I would somehow hurt the baby I stopped and just did walking instead. I really wish I'd had someone who could guide me on how to keep exercising in a safe way. My daughter is nearly 3 and I still haven't found my way back to exercise but I hope one day I can.
In the magical era when my son went to daycare and I worked from home I was a regular lane swimmer and I loved it. Now that I’m on mat leave with a second baby I can’t figure out how to make swimming work — a real loss. But I’m a few weeks in with an app called MamaStrong which is 15 min video workouts that are specifically good for recent birth givers (pelvic floor stuff! Back stuff!) and not at all focused on weight or appearance which feels pretty miraculous. The instructor is so lovely and relatable and often has a dog or a child crawling in and out of frame. I promise this is not sponcon 😄
This really resonated with me! I have two daughters aged 8 & 11 who love sports, and I really want to keep them loving sports for as long as possible, so after working full time lots of my evenings are taken up with driving them to various clubs. After then cooking dinner and clearing up, I'm far too exhausted to do any exercise myself. My doctor recommended exercise alongside HRT for my Perimenopausal symptoms, and of course I know that it would make me feel better mentally as well as physically, but I just don't know when I could fit it in.
My preferred exercise is walking but in the summers it's insufferable to be outside when it's still 90 plus degrees at night. I want to do it and like you, it keeps me sane but I can't bring myself to sweat it out after working all day and immediately coming home to care for children, cook dinner, do a few chores, and maybe watch 30 minutes of a TV series. I'm looking forward to cooler days but by the time it's comfortable to walk it will be dark early. I feel like I can't win as a working mom.
I definitely can identify with the feeling of not being naturally gifted at sport. Plus its so hard to find time to exercise as a busy mum! I found some sports harder than others e.g netball and the aggression of hockey. I enjoyed running, athletics and swimming though. I just found the way sport is taught in school cringe worthy and off putting especially picking team members. I am always telling my kids to just enjoy sport. My daughter plays football after school for fun. I am in awe of her confidence. I don't think positive attitudes and confidence in sport was ever passed on in my school. Maybe its a generational thing that is hopefully changing for the better now.
I’ve enjoyed reading all your comments.
I feel as though I don’t have the right to comment as I don’t have children, work part time and I DO have the luxury of time to exercise. But sometimes I think about it more than doing it or I just can’t be bothered and talk myself out if it. I try to do a spin class 2 or 3 times a week but need to expand this to other things like yoga or Pilates, more walking as I live in Yorkshire and have the countryside on my doorstep & I can be out of the door with my trainers on in 5 mins.
Exercise needs to become a habit and I have the time to feed this habit so I need to think hard before I press the ‘cancel’ button on my spin class just because I can’t be arsed! Exercise changes my mindset, I feel less lethargic, I’m buzzing afterwards, I eat more healthily, I feel more positive and happier in myself (important with your 55 and in the menopause), I have a better relationship with my husband & the list goes on. I have a love/hate relationship with exercise; hate doing it but love the feeling afterwards. Great post Libby. Have a good weekend all 🌞
Such a great piece! It felt like that headline was yet another criticism of women rather than addressing the barriers to exercise for women.
As a mum to a 6 year old and 4 month old the struggle to exercise is real but I am more motivated post children as I now know how precious my time is and how much calmer I am post run or swim. It’s also important to show your kids what can be achieved with some hard work.
I started the What Next Mum Podcast in lock down as I wanted to speak to inspiring mums who undertake adventures and those chats shown that so many women want to achieve things for themselves regardless of kids but need time and support to do it!
Hi Libby, I really enjoyed reading this, thank you. I don’t have children but I find that working long hours and looking after the house usually means exercise is the first thing to go. Sometimes I think the only way to do it is to get up at the crack of dawn but that’s hard too! I loved what you said about exercise not having to be competitive. I too thought exercise was just netball or hockey and winning but when I started just doing things I enjoyed like cycling, Pilates, running and swimming that I realised exercise could be fun and joyful!
I started serious walking during lockdown, with an audiobook on my ears. I prefer to walk alone, my husband once said why would you want to walk for so long and why are you walking so fast, thus I simply prefer to walk alone. I start my work from home day with an 1 hour walk and start my working day fresh at 9:30. On my office day I walk to the furthest bus stop in our village making it into at least a 20 minute walk. During weekends I tend to walk to the bakery on the other side of the village, making it at least a 45/50 minute walk in total.
The sports I did during my youth were gymnastics, I quit when I went to highschool, jazz-dance (it was the 80s) and hockey, I did like it but when I had to go from the juniors to the grownups at 18 I quit. The only exercise I did between 18 and recently was biking (grocery shopping, bringing kid to school, running errands) now and then a bike ride for fun. I tried jogging in my mid twenties but soon realized it was not it for me. When my child was small and still in a pram I actually started walking with her as well (not with an audiobook) and did some shopping or errands while walking, but when she outgrew pram/buggy I made only small walks with her on her short legs. When she started to learn to bike I walked/ran beside the bike.
Hi Libby, I have recently taken up playing golf and I believe that after 18 holes I have walked between 6 and 7 miles. As you can imagine, I would never willingly go out and walk that long, however, when I am hitting that small white ball out in the outstandingly beautiful countryside, surrounded by nature, I come home feeling relaxed and wonderfully tired. And the best thing is that I am getting some wonderful exercise without even trying!
I can’t get over how much I relate to this. I was very ill as a kid, coupled with a lack of coordination, I was the last pick. Now, I’m a full time working Mum of two young boys, and I don’t know where I’d fit it in. Except maybe at night, but even if I happen to not be totally exhausted, the gym is expensive, and running on your own at night just seems…unwise. The confidence just isn’t there for me to join a group.
I was seriously ill as a child. Making up academic work was never difficult but, with reduced lung capacity, I was never anyone’s pick for a team. In the sixth form I discovered badminton and carried on with that for a while. Running still doesn’t seem like something I could do. However, over the years I’ve hiked and hillwalked, dry wall climbed, surfed and bodyboarded. I’m never sure how walking rates as exercise but I walk or cycle everywhere.
I try and get out for a walk at 8pm at night once my son is in bed and husband home but it’s a struggle sometimes. I took my 11 week old baby with me last night because she cries when she’s not with me (totally normal) and I have in the past few weeks had to run home, holding on to my heavy boobs to get to her for a feed. Love being with her, but also love time to myself and the process of clearing my mind that comes with exercising alone.
Thanks tor this post Libby x
Love this post! I've always hated the word exercise, and it's probably to do with school as well. I feel the same way about finding it hard to discover what works for me.. At the moment it's doing a quick 20 minute walk around the lanes near home, with some fast music on my phone to help me keep the beat. Or sometimes I'll put some music on to bop around the house until I'm out of breath, or just run up and down the stairs a few times.. I definitely agree it should be fun and not about body shaming.
Like you I hated exercise at school, I am short and uncoordinated which is a terrible combination for most sports. I think the only joy of high school PE was the one time of year they would roll out the huge trampoline.
About ten years ago I started a blog where I wanted to try new things and encouraged by a friend for July I did exercise. She helped me get some gear (I didn't even own trainers) and took me to her CrossFit gym and I absolutely fell in love with lifting weights (and burpees). I didn't end up joining the gym but it led me to explore other exercise like completing couch to 5K. I've never been hugely consistent with exercise but always felt great after a run or weights session. When I fell pregnant I continued with the gym for a little while but a combination of tiredness and fear that I would somehow hurt the baby I stopped and just did walking instead. I really wish I'd had someone who could guide me on how to keep exercising in a safe way. My daughter is nearly 3 and I still haven't found my way back to exercise but I hope one day I can.