Exercise advice

GailLee4

I've hit my goal (would like to lose five more for a better cushion, however), and I'm curious about reducing exercise. I'm looking at turning 60 in August, and currently exercise M-F doing seven miles of 4.5-6 mph walking videos with Jessica Smith and Leslie Sansone who each incorporate a variety of additional muscle groups beyond leg work. (I cannot do weight training because of shoulder and wrist issues.) I weigh 134 pounds and continue to eat a 500 calorie deficit to keep the weight off. I have a long, long history of weight creeping back up, so I will have to treat maintenance like dieting, unfortunately. Is it better to work out five days a week with two off, or go with exercise every-other-day? I formerly did eight miles, but I now have 16 stairs I climb at least 20 times a day, so I had to back off or limp my way through life. I don't mind exercise, but I do think it would be prudent to keep fit without risking injury to older bones and tissue or eventually growing too weary from all the energy being spent. In short, I want to keep the weight off (65-pound loss) this time for good, yet cut down on the exercise allowing more energy for other fun activities. Thanks for your thoughts!

kgirlhart

I would stop eating at a deficit. If you continue to eat at a 500 calorie deficit, you will continue to lose weight. I would discuss your concerns about injury and how often you should exercise with your doctor, but I would think that the stronger you are the better. If you are exercising and eating at maintenance then you should maintain your weight. The weight creep happens when you stop exercising and keep eating the same. As you move into maintenance you need to eat roughly the same amount of calories you are burning. You might cut your exercise back some instead of eating more, but if you are healthy enough to exercise then I wouldn't cut it out completely. If you are eating enough then you should have enough energy to exercise and do fun stuff or find exercise that you consider fun activities.

fiddletime

I'm 62. I bike 10 miles in the am on my stationary bike at moderate resistance, and then row 10 min. I listen to my body. The rower is new so I'm taking it slow and steady. Injuries occur more easily as we age, so cut back if you think you need to. You're doing great!

spiriteagle99

You might want to mix up your exercise a bit. Do something every day, but make it a mixture of walking, biking, swimming, dancing, yoga, pilates, etc. If you do the same exercise all the time, you become very efficient at it, and it may be less effective. Can you get outside to exercise at all? Walking or hiking in the real world has benefits that videos don't.

GailLee4

I physically worked too hard for too long, so I've got some joint issues, though I do agree that mixing things up is good mentally, and I've done a lot of that until I hit my weight loss goal. However, there are always these darned shoulders that create pain I would rather do without, so I guess I just began to do what I know won't lead to a migraine down the line. Thanks for your thoughts. I'll have a fresh look at exercise. Maintenance isn't fun because the scale ceases that downward movement opening the door to absolute elation in seeing results. Exercise remains necessary, but doesn't have the impetus that moving toward a goal provided.

TimothyFish

It is good to take an occasional break from exercise but it isn't good to quit. As we age it is exercise that does more to keep our minds sharp than anything else. So often people quit physical activity and are soon residents of a nursing home.

dmkoenig

Congrats on achieving your goals! Walking is a great form of exercise so keep on doing it. There are a lot of other things out there you might want to consider. Heated yoga class is great for keeping flexible, maintaining good balance and developing strength. There are always variations on poses and Yoga instructors tend to be very supportive and encouraging (no drill sergeants).

GailLee4

Timothy, I would never quit exercise! I agree with you that it's of paramount importance. I have abounding energy just a bad set of shoulders.

dmkoenig, thanks for the encouragement! I'm headed to the library to pick up (I hope they still have it) an old Richard Hittleman publication, "28 Day Yoga" I found in my 20's (wow, that was forever ago) and enjoyed. I believe I can select poses that will work for me. I've never heard of heated yoga. I'll look that up. I live in a very small, rural town, so there isn't anything available as far as groups or instruction. I've lost and regained so much weight through the years that I'm very motivated to make this time the last time. I have to admit I'm a little nervous about finding that calorie-exercise combo that will work for me over the long haul.

Thanks, guys, for your responses!

spiriteagle99

I have that book. I also first did it several years ago and have gone back a few times, though I have a hard time being consistent enough to actually finish the 28 days. Instead, I use a video when I'm in the mood for yoga called Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss. https://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Conditioning-Weight-Suzanne-Deason/dp/B00004TKIC

GailLee4

There are definitely some positions I can't achieve. I'll look into this video by Deason. Thanks! All the suggestions have really bolstered my determination. I appreciate everyone's input.

Nony_Mouse

If you want to try yoga, check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. She has a ton of videos, in varying degrees of difficulty, and generally suggests modifications for poses some people may still be working towards being able to do.

jenilla1

fiddletime wrote: »

I'm 62. I bike 10 miles in the am on my stationary bike at moderate resistance, and then row 10 min. I listen to my body. The rower is new so I'm taking it slow and steady. Injuries occur more easily as we age, so cut back if you think you need to. You're doing great!

Wow! @fiddletime You're 62? I never would have guessed that. You look great!

kgirlhart

jenilla1 wrote: »

fiddletime wrote: »

I'm 62. I bike 10 miles in the am on my stationary bike at moderate resistance, and then row 10 min. I listen to my body. The rower is new so I'm taking it slow and steady. Injuries occur more easily as we age, so cut back if you think you need to. You're doing great!

Wow! @fiddletime You're 62? I never would have guessed that. You look great!

I agree. I would have put you around 45.

kgirlhart

I also live in a rural area with no yoga studios any where near me. I use Elements yoga dvd's. I have some from Elena Brower and Tamal Dodge. I just always watch the dvd at least once before I use it so I can really see what they are doing and make sure I am doing it right. I prefer the dvd's to you tube because my internet isn't always good and I don't like it when I am trying to practice yoga and it starts buffering.

GailLee4

Thanks everyone!

LivingtheLeanDream

Maintaining weight is the same as when 'dieting' except you just get extra calories. The habits that got you to goal will help you stay at goal.

As much as exercise is great for us, its good to find our happy medium so we have time for the other fun things in life too.

AnnPT77

GailLee4 wrote: »

Timothy, I would never quit exercise! I agree with you that it's of paramount importance. I have abounding energy just a bad set of shoulders.

dmkoenig, thanks for the encouragement! I'm headed to the library to pick up (I hope they still have it) an old Richard Hittleman publication, "28 Day Yoga" I found in my 20's (wow, that was forever ago) and enjoyed. I believe I can select poses that will work for me. I've never heard of heated yoga. I'll look that up. I live in a very small, rural town, so there isn't anything available as far as groups or instruction. I've lost and regained so much weight through the years that I'm very motivated to make this time the last time. I have to admit I'm a little nervous about finding that calorie-exercise combo that will work for me over the long haul.

Thanks, guys, for your responses!

I liked that book a lot, too. Back around age 18-19, mid-1970s, I did it daily (truly), actually finished the 28 days, then did the maintenance routines for months. So much flexibility improvement, and even helped my young self lose weight . . . not through magic or calorie burn, but indirectly via better body awareness.

I found a used copy a couple years back, on Amazon, but haven't repeated the formal practice sequence.

Nowadays I do a personalized set of yoga postures I've learned via classes, plus stretches I've found beneficial. Pretty flexible again, compared to most people, let alone compared to people my age (61), if I do say so myself.

Good luck with your goals - you can work out maintenance. If you make gradual changes, there's no way you'll take a dramatic or uncorrectable turn in an undesired direction!