Exercise

I am very bad at exercising.

There was a time when I did all sorts of random exercise classes with my best friend. That was in the days when I had time, money and inclination to try stuff out. We used to do pilates regularly, swam and once even went to boxercise (never to be repeated that one though - it was a bit energetic).

For a while we went to speed yoga. Which is exactly what it sounds like, yoga done at great speed. Which is pretty much entirely not the point of yoga.

We also did Tai Chi for a bit which we greatly enjoyed. Although I wouldn't put it in the exercise category. It seemed to be more about learning a very slow dance routine to no music whilst imagining you were holding props.

Come to think of it we rarely chose aerobic exercise classes which probably tells you something about my lack of coordination and general dislike of being out of breath.

We did used to go the gym though. I'll say twice a week, although to be fair it was usually more like once. And sometimes that was really a trip to the sauna followed by coffee and cake in the cafe. But we did pretty regular exercise anyway. I didn't used to be quite as bad as I am now.

I have been a member of almost every gym in Sheffield I think. Esporta (nice but I didn't know anyone else who went), Greens (good although I hated the regular traffic jam to get there), and Virgin (we were enticed by the shiny new facilities and climbing wall, which I then never went up). I'm quite good at joining things, it's the keeping it up where I am spectacularly lacking.

The only thing I have ever done regularly was yoga (not the speedy kind). I continued with it all through my first pregnancy, including shoulder stands (my teacher assured me the baby liked it). Then I had a baby and it was difficult to leave the house. Well that was my excuse.

I started yoga again,and went throughout my pregnancy with Phoebe. Then I had a period at Ladyzone (a gym I had managed to miss first time round). This did work pretty well but in the end I got a bit bored of it.

Last year I had a brief enthusiasm for running and went with my friend. She continued and got pretty good at it, as I gave up and got more and more unfit. Don't ask me why. Laziness I expect. Following that I joined Fitness First which reminded me again why I am awful at cardio in gyms. And why I don't wear lycra.

I have even lost my focus for yoga which I am determined to get back as I would say it's about the only exercise I have ever actually enjoyed.

Anyway the sight of my husband walking up hills, cycling and running in the evenings has finally made me feel guilty. We can't afford for me to join another gym (and anyway surely I'd be recognised) so I put my trainers back on this morning and went for a run. Seven and a half whole minutes of running interspersed with minutes of walking. I was knackered. The running was bad enough but I'd chosen to do it at Graves Park which is far too hilly and full of dogs.

But at least I did something. The internet tells me I should publicly log what I do to spur me on by providing encouragement from my friends and family. Or so I am too embarrassed not to keep going. Either way I'm blogging about it. Whether I actually do anymore exercise this week remains to be seen. But Paul's gone for a jog so I might be guilted into ten minutes on the wii fit.