Exercise and Ageing
Luv2eatSweets
Posts: 221 Member
I often wonder how our slightly ageing MFP members cope with exercise as we are getting older. As I get older, exercise for me is starting to get harder each day, and although I try my best, I can't help but think, will my body fight back and say enough already. I started my weight loss journey (168 lbs) in my early fifties and now I'm nearing 61 (now 121 lbs), am hoping I don't wake up one day and think I'm over it. I walk/run 5 miles a day, do hot yoga two/three times a week, and swim twice a week. So just wondering how everyone keeps going, and do they have lingering doubts if their bodies start sending mixed messages. What is your age and what does your daily exercise consist of.
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I started exercising for the first time in my early 50’s and am in my late 60’s now.
I have never had a great liking for exercise so have never done the amount that you do.
I’m happy with a 1hr of movement a day 5x a week as a minimum.
Usually that is weights x 3, I started with a barbell at your age. My progress is slower than a 30 yr old, but I progress.
My other things are swimming, Zumba, Pilates, yoga, aquafit, and whatever else takes my fancy.
I usually sign up for 2-3 classes a session.
I am not good at working out at home so my fitness level has slipped this past 18 month- thank heavens for garden taming, but I still keep to an hour.
Walking I do, but no longer race 10kms, lost interest, so that is no longer counted in my 1hr a day.
I do make sure I get enough rest. Whether that is a full day off, going for a walk around gardens/parks, or doing recovery yoga depends on how much rest I need. Sometimes it is a weekend in the back garden with a good book and a bottle of wine.
I can see down the road I will probably move to the over 50’s classes and trade in the barbell for dumbbells or machines, but my thought is as long as I keep moving I’m OK.
I do think nutrition is important and make sure I eat enough protein as I age. A few years ago someone posted some research on here that said as you age it is better to havevyour protein in ~30g ‘chuncks’ for better absorption. For some reason I took that to heart, found it reasonable advice, so have done that ever since. 30x 3 a day. I don’t know if it has helped, but it hasn’t hindered.
Once all my nutritional needs are met it is cake and wine time.
If you are finding it harder and not as fulfilling as it once was pull back for a while, and reassess your needs.
Much though I know exercise is good for me I also know socializing, quiet time, etc are also good for me and am happy when they are balanced.
Cheers, h.5 -
Thank you. You might be right about scaling back a little. Sleep has never been easy for me, so I know that can be a large problem.3
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I'm 61 and this year will cycle more miles than ever before (6,000+ probably) plus keeping up a strength training routine in the gym (mostly upper body and core to compliment the amount of work my legs do on the bike).
My volume varies a lot but on average 10 hours of riding a week and 2 or 3 gym sessions. I deliberately make my cycling varied and challenging (different places, distances, pace, different challenges of speed or hills or sprints....) to keep it fresh and interesting.
I keep going because I actually enjoy my exercise and the results of that exercise, simply feel much better in myself when I'm CV fit and physically strong. Plus, I'm generally able to be more active after retiring from a desk job and starting part time but manual work which is a nice contrast after 40 years keyboard bashing.
That being fit enables me to do cycle for hours or do a full day's manual work with my son or bear crawl around the garden with my granddaughter is great. Too many people think themselves old before their time IMHO.
My main worry is one of my old injuries worsens to the point I can't exercise how I want to. I'm like a bear with a sore head when I'm restricted. It bugs me there's things I can't do, I can't run without causing damage to a knee, have to put a weight cap on several lifts on the gym (knee, back, shoulder issues) but get huge satisfaction from what I can still do.11 -
I'm 65, had been active since my mid-40s after cancer treatment, lost from obese to healthy weight in 2015-16, now around 125 pounds at 5'5".
I've been moderating exercise recently after some outpatient eye surgery (not cataracts), have been starting to ramp up again.
Most of the summer, before that, my typical routine has been:
* M-W-F-Sa: About a 7k row on water (sculling), then (M-W-F only) about a 5 mile walk (moderate pace, usually 3-point-something MPH), weather permitting.
* Tu-Th: Usually a bike ride, 10-20 miles, but sometimes this falls off my agenda due to weather or schedule constraints.
If weather interferes with those things, I don't usually substitute indoor activity, unless we have a multi-day spell of prohibitive weather. (When that happens, I get moody/grumpy/physically tense, and need to do *something* to feel decent.)
Sunday is typically a rest day, though I will do some casual walking or other mild activity, and/or yard work and that sort of thing.
I dislike strength training, even though I know it's good for me. Just before the surgery, I'd started using some outdoor resistance exercise machines in the park where my walk starts/ends, just because it was convenient. I expect to resume that when I'm cleared for higher exertion.
I live in a zone with real Winter, so as weather and other conditions limit my preferred outdoor exercise, I typically do:
* M-W-F rowing machine for something around 6k,
* Tu-Th-Sa stationary bike for about half an hour (10k + cooldown, per the bike's monitor).
In Winter, I'm more likely to do some weight lifting, though I'm inconsistent, honestly. I focus primarily on upper-body push exercises (because of imbalances that come from rowing as much as I do: it's all upper body pull, and legs), using mostly dumbbells. Occasionally I'll toss in some kettlebell routines for variety. Sometimes I do core workouts, mostly with the stability ball.
I'm also more likely in Winter to do around half an hour of yoga/stretching most days.
Among my rowing buddies are people in their 60s, 70s. The most robust physically is 75. She rows on water on the same schedule I follow, and typically walks her dog a few miles most days, lifts weights with her husband, does some Pilates regularly.
In my rowing club is a guy in his 80s, a longtime active person, who rows nearly every morning, and through I longer season than I do (he'll break ice around the dock to launch; I'm indoors by then). That guy also does long bike rides (recumbent 3-wheeler these days) though I can't tell you how often - but it's frequent. I don't know whether he still cross-country skis in Winter.
I don't really feel like my body is sending me mixed messages, yet, at least - though it does communicate things! I *love* doing most of the things I do (except the strength training), which is helpful psychologically, I suspect. My activity choices even now (and for some years) have been constrained in various ways by physical conditions that are more common with aging, but that are not aging itself. (I have upper left chest scar tissue from mastectomy/radiation that's required some PT, torn meniscus in at least one knee (I suspect both), some osteoarthritis in various places (knees, hips, back), osteopenia at least and maybe now osteoporosis, a tendency toward shoulder impingement, diagnosed but asymptomatic early COPD, occasional BPPV episodes, etc.. Overall, though, I think I'm in OK health & condition for my demographic.)
So far, I've been able to find things I enjoy doing that remain doable, and believe that the exercise has actually improved some problems (I used to have recurring elbow tendinitis, for example; it hasn't recurred in a long time). I make use of physical therapy when available, osteopathy, massage therapy (from someone with sports/functional orientation, not just relaxation massage). I feel like those interventions have helped me keep going, get around/past/over various obstacles in order to stay active. I strive to get good nutrition, as a bet hedge. I struggle with sleep, honestly.
What I've found with aging is that I need to be more canny about what I do, and when I do it. I can still pretty much do the things I've done, but I'm less resilient. I can't just overdo, sleep it off, and bounce back virtually immediately like I did even a decade or so ago.
That means I need to be more thoughtful about recovery and rest; ramp up volume somewhat gradually during seasonal transitions or if I add something new; alternate activities to avoid excess cumulative physical stress. If I have a longer exercise hiatus, like post-surgery, I do whatever my doctor allows as early as I can during recovery (even things I dislike, just to be moving).
I try really hard to avoid injury, so am maybe overcautious sometimes when ramping up or adding new activities. That's because I find that I de-train faster, and re-gain fitness slower, than I used to, when I need to take a break from some workout(s). Injury "costs" a lot, so avoiding it becomes more important.7 -
Hi,Luv2eatSweets,
I am Kathleen from Phoenix, Az..I am new to the message boards and although I am not a big talker, I am looking for support, information and of course new friends with similar goals.
I have been a Fitness Pal logger since 2013 which has helped me be accountable as far as what goes in my mouth (accountable not successful though) I am a volume eater and carb addict. I am 5"4" 188.5lb over 70, woman.( goal weight 165)
My problem is the increased pain in my joints and body that has been very inhibiting with following through with an exercise program. It is just arthritis but can be debilitating at times.I also have injuries, from a car accident 20 years ago, and am having difficulty keeping physically active.
I have been doing water aerobics to stay limber but I know I need to increase my muscle strength, and tone, I have an adversion to getting down on the floor but I need increased strength, increased calorie burn, and balance.
Is anyone else having any success with floor exercising? ((the volume eating is another problem)I know I can do this but I feel so alone. I still haven't felt safe enough to go to LA Fitness because of the" VIRUS".I may have to risk it sooner than later if I can't motivate myself to do my strength training at home.5 -
Water aerobics sounds like fun, I might look into that. Arthritis in my knees...grrrrr2
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I'm 65. I've taken the summer off, but am back now and went back to the pool. My problem is that I like to exercise and want to try new things but it's hard to find the time. I'm busy with my family everyday.
My routine is acquagym twice a week, swimming twice a week, yogaflex once a week, and strength training at the gym once a week. I also do stretching and yoga 3 times a week at home, plus walking around the city (Rome).
Yes, I'd love to find the time to do even more. I want to start Tai Chi this year.
I'd say that you might want to try new things. I have to work around injuries and health problems, and that's just normal as we age. However, there's always SOMETHING you can do, if you look around. MFP has lots of ideas. Good luck and enjoy yourself.2 -
skinnycathy2018 wrote: »Hi,Luv2eatSweets,
I am Kathleen from Phoenix, Az..I am new to the message boards and although I am not a big talker, I am looking for support, information and of course new friends with similar goals.
I have been a Fitness Pal logger since 2013 which has helped me be accountable as far as what goes in my mouth (accountable not successful though) I am a volume eater and carb addict. I am 5"4" 188.5lb over 70, woman.( goal weight 165)
My problem is the increased pain in my joints and body that has been very inhibiting with following through with an exercise program. It is just arthritis but can be debilitating at times.I also have injuries, from a car accident 20 years ago, and am having difficulty keeping physically active.
I have been doing water aerobics to stay limber but I know I need to increase my muscle strength, and tone, I have an adversion to getting down on the floor but I need increased strength, increased calorie burn, and balance.
Is anyone else having any success with floor exercising? ((the volume eating is another problem)I know I can do this but I feel so alone. I still haven't felt safe enough to go to LA Fitness because of the" VIRUS".I may have to risk it sooner than later if I can't motivate myself to do my strength training at home.
Are you in the US, and an AARP or Silver Sneakers member? They have some online videos of exercise routines for seniors for developing strength and working on balance, using things like exercise bands, and adaptations for limited ability to get down on the floor. I'm sure there are free YouTube videos that are similar things, but the AARP or Silver Sneakers ones are quite carefully vetted, and we have to do our own checking of YouTubers credentials and such. (Silver Sneakers is covered by some Medicare supplement insurances. The AARP videos, as far as I can tell, are public & free - not sure if limited by national location.)
The AARP exercise link is: https://videos.aarp.org/category/videos/fitness
I'm not personally a happy video exerciser, but have tried out some of the these videos (found them well done), and some of my same-age friends are big fans of Silver Sneakers or AARP as more suitable for our demographic.3 -
Yes I am, but like you not too fond of videos. I find them a bit tedious. Not a Silver Sneakers or AARP member .1
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I'm 64 and still working as a full time RN. No retirement date planned yet. I work 4 days/week. 10-12 hour days, sometimes occasionally a 15 hour day if I'm needed. I have metal in my L leg from 2 different fractures in 1992 and 2015(really bad one and had to learn to walk again . I was off work for 7 months), from just below my knee to my ankle. Started up approximately 2 weeks ago using my Elliptical again, here at home, on my off days. Doing 99 minutes, (as high as the timer goes) 3 x/week. It amounts to 8 miles each time. Ellipticals are good because there is no pounding pressure like jogging on the joints. I recommend it! I run around at work like the 30-50 year olds. They say they hope they are able to move like me when they are my age. I started at 255 lbs last September. I'm down to 198 with only dieting since 5/3 and MFP since 5/14.8
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@Luv2eatSweets - I'll be 64 in November and no, I don't think my body is "over it" yet. And it certainly sounds as if you are maintaining a fairly high volume of exercise. As several others have mentioned, being smart about rest and recovery is the key to avoiding injury. I'd say the "mixed messages" you refer to are more likely clues that you may need additional recovery, or a change in programming to keep things fresh and your body moving in different ways.
Since I do lots of cardio work each week, I track not only my fitness, but also my fatigue. Understanding how and when to give yourself recovery and rehab work (yoga, foam rolling, stretching, massage, etc.) is one of the most important skills in remaining healthy and active.
Finally, if you want an idea of how long some people keep going at a very high level of performance, just look at any participant list in the large endurance races, whether running, triathlon, cycling and the like. You will see participants in their 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond among the race finishers. These folks are participating in multi hour events and often placing in the top 50% of all athletes. My favorite was the gentlemen I saw several years ago lined up at an Olympic distance triathlon swim start. He was 88 years old at the time.
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Age 60, failing hips & shoulders. . . an ankle and knee surgery behind me. . . . Swimming is my savior.6
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I'm 64, a runner who does 35-40 mpw and walks a bit as well. I usually get some moderate to vigorous exercise at least 6 days a week. My body complains, especially lately, but I need to stay active for my mental health so I do. When I don't exercise I get into a depressive spiral and it isn't good. I'd rather deal with physical than mental/emotional pain. This year I've cut back by not doing any race training. I would like to run races again but I don't think my body can handle 50-60 mile weeks right now.7
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Over the last 9 years, I've gone from an intense exerciser (for me anyways) to a more moderate over the last few years. Things hurt more and I don't rebound as fast now.
Also, the energy level isn't what it was 9 years ago and in some cases nor is the desire.4 -
skinnycathy2018 wrote: »Hi,Luv2eatSweets,
I am Kathleen from Phoenix, Az..I am new to the message boards and although I am not a big talker, I am looking for support, information and of course new friends with similar goals.
I have been a Fitness Pal logger since 2013 which has helped me be accountable as far as what goes in my mouth (accountable not successful though) I am a volume eater and carb addict. I am 5"4" 188.5lb over 70, woman.( goal weight 165)
My problem is the increased pain in my joints and body that has been very inhibiting with following through with an exercise program. It is just arthritis but can be debilitating at times.I also have injuries, from a car accident 20 years ago, and am having difficulty keeping physically active.
I have been doing water aerobics to stay limber but I know I need to increase my muscle strength, and tone, I have an adversion to getting down on the floor but I need increased strength, increased calorie burn, and balance.
Is anyone else having any success with floor exercising? ((the volume eating is another problem)I know I can do this but I feel so alone. I still haven't felt safe enough to go to LA Fitness because of the" VIRUS".I may have to risk it sooner than later if I can't motivate myself to do my strength training at home.
Hi, Kathleen.
I do mat yoga and Pilates classes once or twice a day, at a local yoga studio. It’s much much smaller and more personal than a big box Fitness place. I know most the other students, class sizes are limited and remain socially distances, most studios will permit you to register online to reserve a space, and my studio is a stickler about cleaning floors between every class. Masks are optional. I only take hot classes, and masks are not practical for those. They reopened July a year ago, and I’ve never felt uncomfortable or worried.
Most studios will offer various levels of classes, and we get everything from a delightful middle school young lady to older people. One of our instructors is in her late 60’s or so.
My husband is a member of a gym that is affiliated with a large local hospital, but open to the public. They offer a ton of mat (and other) classes, including chair yoga and other classes (aerobics, chair weights, tai chi, “Fit Generation”)specifically geared towards older or recovering populations. They require vaccination certification, and are also sticklers about masking inside the building.
If you’re bringing your own mat, it’s your own little personal piece of real estate that you are responsible for sanitizing. I have mats that can be machine washed and hung to dry, and I rotate them regularly.
Most studios/instructors no longer do “hands on assist” for obvious reasons, or if they do, will ask before class if anyone would like to opt out.
I’ve had several instructors say over the years that ability to get on and up from the floor is an excellent predictor of future mobility, and this, health. I don’t know if it’s clinically proven or not, but it certainly makes sense to me, and is something I try to keep in mind.2 -
A comment on getting up from the floor:
I'm not talking about cases where there is fully a disability in the picture, but about those who, like me, may have some more manageable things going on bodily. (Me: Torn meniscus, OA.)
I feel like I've gotten improvements in this capability from . . . surprise! . . . practicing. Lately, I've been making it a point to get down on the floor for chores and such where it's reasonable, then think carefully about how to get up with a minimum of arms-assist.
There has been progress.
I don't think I can get up from a fully cross-legged posture (might try later if I keep improving). I find I can get up without hands now by putting both lower legs out to one side (looks like 2 L-shapes from above), then rocking a bit until I can combine enough rock and enough muscle to get onto my knees, then up from there. It's taken progressively less rocking, with patience and time. (And it started with more need for help from hands.)
I'm not saying this is possible for everyone**, but saying not to write yourself off as unable because of it being really hard.
I feel like it can be easy at our age to accommodate to societal low expectations of aging folks . . . or to our own reduced expectations. Sometimes self-accommodation is absolutely necessary, but IME not always. Sometimes pushing back a bit on those assumptions/expectations it is a good thing, IMO.
** BTW: Even though getting up from the floor is statistically a correlate with longevity, I'm not suggesting this as a longevity strategy. It's kind of eyebrow-raising to me when there are these studies of things that correlate with longer/healthier lifespan, then I see people around me literally working on those things to increase their lifespan. I've seen studies like that for grip strength, being able to do chair squats (maybe some specific count within a time limit), as well as the getting up from the floor one. I think the causality is that fit, healthy people have longer, healthier lives on average, and also can do those things. I've literally seen people say they're working on their grip strength (and only that) to improve their longevity. That seems misplaced, to me. 🤷♀️8 -
Someone once linked a video called "Get up!!". It was an older coach having a young man get up from the floor in various scenerios--one arm behind your back, using only one leg, both arms behind your back, etc...... I found it fascinating. It wasn't easy, and the young man had to find the right technique with each one. Being older, learning to get up from the floor could save your life, especially after a fall.4
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I advice you resistance train. It is important for everyone but especially for advanced age people. Studies have showed quite transparently that we lose 10% of our muscle mass every 10 years past age 50 if we are not resistance training. Not only does it help your body be more efficient at every day tasks and improves the quality of lift it extends it.
I don't know your schedule for cardio and swimming but I certainly would look into your load management for those as well. This "could" be part of your sensation of things feeling harder. It's a good idea to challenge oneself as long as we are recovering from said stressor.8 -
My comment on getting down on the floor and up again is that it's really life enhancing when you have grandchildren.
Spent a happy morning chasing my 1 YO granddaughter around a soft play facility and then at home posting soft toys through the cat flap to each other.
Don't give up your abilities unless you have to.12 -
OP- I’m 60 but I only started to workout regularly 3 1/2 years ago. So it’s still kind of exciting for me.
I do CrossFit-type workouts about 5 times a week and started running about 5 months ago averaging about 10-15 miles/week. Now I’m preparing for a marathon end of November so running mileage/time is ramping up.
My brother- 63 - has been a runner for over 25 years. But he noticed it was getting harder and harder to run- mainly to get out the front door! He joined a gym like mine and is super excited to go workout now. He’s even excited to run again. Our deal was that if I signed up for a marathon he would join a gym! It’s keeping us both motivated.
So, maybe just try something different for a while- eg bicycling, resistance training, kayaking etc.6 -
I was thinking about this thread when I was with my personal trainer this afternoon. She’s 73.
I was watching her zip around and thinking, being super active as an older person kind of has its pluses and minuses.
She’s so active, she’s prone to injury, like popping a rib when moving waterlogged (gym flooded) mats by herself because she’s too damn pigheaded to ask for help. She’s always running into equipment because she moves so fast, and constantly sports a collection of bruises and bumps on her head when she stands up too quick under a bar or rack.
During my session this afternoon she climbed up without a second thought and stood tiptoe on top of the dumbbells on the rack to fix the clock. She had a really bad accident while alone in the gym a couple years ago and was lucky someone found her before she bled out.
I’m not kidding when I say someone I know yells encouragement (or orders others to clean up after themselves) so loud they may or may not get hemorrhoids. She regularly lifts with the women’s team just to show them she’s still got it, and flips big *kitten* tires just to put on Instagram.
She’s unstoppable. It’s absolutely exhausting just watching.
Remember Tron, the movie? The little carts that screamed around at breakneck speed? That’s her.
A good part of me wants to be her at that age, because she’s so freaking awesome and inspiring, but sometimes I think, holy cow…… would you ever get to rest?
Where’s the line? I don’t ever want to be in my dotage. I want to think and act young, be mobile, flexible, relatively strong, and in great health, but otoh, whew!
Just idle musings as I was watching her crazy self careening around like a lit-up cartoon rocket this afternoon. I bet she put a couple miles on just in the hour she was training with me.
I do a lot of exercise. I enjoy it, it’s recreation, it’s still fun right now. But I’ve only been this way for less than three years. I do wonder sometimes, in ten or fifteen years, where will I be? Can I keep it up at this pace? Would I want to?
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I'm 70.
Use to lift 5 days a wk but after a few injuries and some age related deterioration in my rt elbow, now I only row 5 days a wk instead.
Also walk & hike a bit, still do some lifting -squats/deadlifts - and do some crossfit exercises but none of these things w/any regularlity.4 -
@springlering62
In Oct 2015 I decided to quickly do something in the early AM before work instead of waking my son. I had a workman coming that day and needed the outside water turned on. The Valve was behind a panel in the ceiling of my basement. So instead of waking my son or getting a step ladder out of the garage and taking it to the basement, I put 1 foot on the dumbell rack and 1 foot on the weight bench rack. Heavy York barbell professional equipment. I knew it wouldn't move. 2 areas about 5 inches by 3 inches. Slightly different heights. Then I had a reach up and open the access panel in the ceiling. Needless to say, I lost my balance and landed on my L foot and my Left tibia shattered at the top, the Tibial plateau area, by the knee, and my Fibula broke. Dr said basically my femur hit my tibia like a Jackhammer. 2 hospitalizations, 3 plates, 20 screws and 7 months off work and having to learn to walk again, all because I didn't want to wake my son or get a step ladder. I have big regrets and now am super cautious. Very hard for me to get up off the floor if I end up there.8 -
I started counting calories, walking and lifting weights 3/4x a week. Have been completely off my feet since April so no exercise whatsoever. I will be 58 next month and have lost approximately 8 lbs since April. Fitness is for cardiovascular and muscular health plus range of movement. Calorie counting is for weight control. Just do what you enjoy that keeps you injury free and not so exhausted that you cannot perform daily activities.1
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Thank you for all of your feed backs. Maybe trying new things is a good idea. I'm thinking boredom is kicking in somewhat. I live in a rural area with no gyms. however there is a swimming pool which is part of an HOA, so water aerobics could be my next go to exercise6
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My mom is 83 and like the Energizer Bunny. Just a few summers back she scraped and painted all of the painted part of her house (some is shingled.) Those days are surely over, as are, hopefully, her days of cleaning the gutters >.<, but she walks, swims seasonally, practices yoga, does extensive gardening, and takes care of a 250+ year old house. (My brother and I help, but she can outwork us, lol. My excuse is decades of desk jobs.)4
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kshama2001 wrote: »My mom is 83 and like the Energizer Bunny. Just a few summers back she scraped and painted all of the painted part of her house (some is shingled.) Those days are surely over, as are, hopefully, her days of cleaning the gutters >.<, but she walks, swims seasonally, practices yoga, does extensive gardening, and takes care of a 250+ year old house. (My brother and I help, but she can outwork us, lol. My excuse is decades of desk jobs.)
That hug was for your mom!!!!1 -
After I posted, I see that I wrote a novel. Guess I got carried away. But I hope you find this helpful.
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I retired slightly early end of 2017. I had had a good career, but the last 10 yrs or so were extensive travel (nearly 100%), and I was worn out. Worse, it was a sedentary IT career, and I had put on weight, including gradual buildup of weight from the travel. Plus, I was at the WTC South Tower on 9-11, and afterwards, put on a ton of anxiety weight. Needless to say, I was a physical mess.
I had been active when younger. HS sports (football, shot put, discus), and in my adulthood, a scuba instructor as a side gig, and some years doing recreational bicycle touring and riding, beach swimming, and more.
So, at retirement, I took stock and got a bike that fit my needs and body type now (XMAS/retirement gift from the family), began riding regularly, 2-4x/wk, 50/50 on road/off road, 75/25 paved/unpaved. At first, a mile was a major accomplishment; now it's part of the warmup to the rest of the ride. Not just riding locally - I've hauled my bike from my base in NJ to the FL Keys, Maryland Eastern Shore, Ontario Canada and points between a number of times - variety is the spice of life (I just got back from about a month in Canada visiting my daughter as the border re-opened from covid). Modified my diet (*not* exactly a weight-loss regime, but a good eating-regime with calorie and macros targets - helped by MFP recording). Amped up my associated activities (walking or lite local hiking, more swimming [beach and outdoor pool], cold-season gym workouts 2-3x/wk). I fairly quickly lost about 85 lbs (varied somewhat), felt really good, much healthier and fit. My "fave days" consisted of summertime riding to the beach, swimming all day, riding home and prepping a healthy meal - everything in the program was clicking.
At 67yo, the things I've noticed are that some days, the program is extremely invigorating and stimulating. Other days, I welcome an afternoon nap. Recovery from extreme exercise takes longer than when younger and is essential. Aches and pains, especially in weight-bearing bones and joints, are more frequent companions than when younger, and not always predictable (the bike and swimming are great for lowering demands on the joints; when walking/hiking, I pretty much always use trekking poles for their benefits). Hydration and activity-related nutrition are critical. Pre- and post-workout routines help.
Then came covid. Lockdown and quarantine. Concerns about public venues, such as pools and gyms. Due to my health neglect over the preceding decades, I am square in the crosshairs for several of the co-morbidities and preconditions, so I have adopted a fairly strict exposure protocol. Vaccinated, sure. Gym - not since, but I'm maintaining hopeful membership. Beach/pool club membership - maintained and used it this year, not so much use in 2020. Riding, resumed after first wave of lockdowns. Senior hiking group - suspended. Diet has been harder; we have abandoned some items if we can't be sure of their exposure status or clean-ability (we are still subjecting some fresh produce to a mild "bleach bath" - if it can withstand it - upon returning from the grocery). I have plateaued at the weight loss I accomplished end of 2019 and can still go another 50 lbs (but I am glad of where I reached before covid, I think it has made a world of difference). Oh, and in the middle of this, 2020, we downsized our longtime home and moved, which took a chunk of effort and the whole latter half of the year, mostly derailing specific exercise by lifting, sorting, packing-type chores and generally making meals more of a catch-as-can approach.
So, my advice:
1. get medical clearance from your doctor.
2. pick things you will enjoy doing for the long haul.
3. start out slow and build up your capabilities.
4. the program becomes your lifestyle, not something added to your day (it's easy to find an excuse to abandon your program due to the competition from other things if it's not a priority). I volunteer with the Park Service to help keep the bike riding "my job in retirement" LOL.
5. some days will be better than others. some weeks and months, the same. progress isn't linear or continuous.
6. the support of your loved ones is essential. their involvement helps tremendously.
Good luck on your journey. Pic is for eye candy. My bike on a trail in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, a couple of weeks ago. Going places by bike is its own motivation.
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I'm 60 and do strength training, yoga, cycling, indoor spinning, and walking. Walking has been a challenge for me that past few months as I need to have foot surgery but am putting it off until after the holidays. We missed getting together as a family last year due to Covid, so it's especially important to me this year. I have to admit, having foot pain does make it tougher to be active. But I'm grateful for wonderful bike paths here and so far, I can still do yoga without any foot pain.
By the way, if you aren't lifting weights or doing resistance training, I highly recommend it. And the same for yoga. Yoga helps build and maintain strength and helps with balance and flexibility too! And it's a great de-stressor too!2 -
Luv2eatSweets wrote: »Thank you for all of your feed backs. Maybe trying new things is a good idea. I'm thinking boredom is kicking in somewhat. I live in a rural area with no gyms. however there is a swimming pool which is part of an HOA, so water aerobics could be my next go to exercise
A few people mentioned strength training. It's high on my list, although admittedly I'm just getting back to a somewhat proper progressive load routine, I was haphazard and lazy/cautious for quite a while after a sedentary period. I noticed it wasn't on your list. If it's because you think you need a gym for strength training, I'm here to say that you don't. A few hand weights will help, but you could even do body weight strength training. Or if you feel like springing for some equipment, I highly recommend adjustable or "dial-a-weight" dumbbells.
Maybe I should add that I didn't push it with weights for quite some time because I've been injured a fair bit. I've heard that your muscles can adjust faster than tendons/ligaments can. Maybe someone can correct if that's not quite right. Anyway, it feels to me like this is even more true now that I'm 60.
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