How can I start exercising?

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Answers

  • nikilisette38
    nikilisette38 Posts: 3 Member

    Reading all the comments here has really helped me. I was fit and thin for my first 45 years. I was always hiking, swimming, gardening, chopping wood and other ranch chores plus raising 3 boys ,including twins and working as a teacher. Then I got Lymes disease, spent a week in the hospital and a year on antibiotics. I was forced to only do chores for that year . Gradually, I got better but could never get beyond a 3 mile hike or a 10 minute swim. Added to my duties was taking on the care of my disabled, elderly mother in addition to the now teenagers, which was followed by menopause and a weight gain of 50 pounds in addition to the 50 gained while on antibiotics. I have always eaten organic and healthy.I have healthy blood pressure even at 72 years of age. At 60 my 90 year old mother passed, at 61 I fell and broke my foot, at 62 I went through and survived a major wildfire, then months later I fell and broke my shoulder. I reluctantly retired from teaching at 65. I was now on medicare with new doctors who tested me for genetic factors. Bingo! I had hemocromatosis, an inherited blood disorder so now I worked with a dietician…to eliminate high iron foods. I started a walking program with a friend and we went 5 days a week for six months rain or shine. I felt great even though I hadn't lost a pound, even through the beginning of the pandemic. Then he had heart trouble and surgery and dropped the walking. I stopped walking but still did lots of activity around home and volunteer work. when the pandemic ended. I had grandchildren, taught summer school. At 70 I stepped in an old gopher hole I didn't see and broke my ankle. It has taken 2 years to fully recover and walk again . At 72 I am discouraged, still fat, but all my blood work is normal and I have healthy blood pressure. I have balance issues and I get tired but I have returned to doing all my chores and taking care of my home. I still work with the dietician and she is thrilled with my blood work. She says a consistent exercise program will help shed some pounds and give me more energy. I can't seem to get started.But after reading all your comments I think I will have to try some new strategies.

  • vgpeterson1403
    vgpeterson1403 Posts: 8 Member

    I'm not a fan of walking - outside or on a dreadmill. I've been doing free YouTube workouts since July of 2022, and I love it. You can try any form of exercise you're interested in from the comfort of your own home. I like aerobics style workouts for my cardio - just search for walking workouts. And I love kettlebells (who knew) and Pilates. And always some stretching after every workout session. I pick out what videos I'm going to do while I drink my coffee, and then I'm ready to go. I started out with just 10-15 minutes a day, and now I do about an hour 7 days a week. I did switch to the $9 a month YouTube plan this year to get rid of 99% of ads - worth it for me since I use it every day.

  • mattbell007
    mattbell007 Posts: 46 Member
    edited August 8

    A common theme here reminds me of Tiny Habits…. A guy was told by his dentist he needed to start flossing his teeth, but he hated it, so he started out by flossing just one tooth. Seems silly, but starting that small isn't stupid. The point is doing one tooth is better than no teeth… and eventually, he was flossing them all. Anything you can do that is more than you are currently doing in the direction you want to go is progress, and keeping whatever you do going is more important than how big a start you make.

    I can ride my bicycle 250+ miles in a day now, but my weight-loss fitness journey started with one lap around my block on foot twice a week.

  • nakita_07
    nakita_07 Posts: 2 Member

    Pain is a motivator. We don't wish to change because we love where we are at that point in time. When we are in enough pain from where we are at that moment, it motivates us to start doing.

    The flip-side of that coin is the sweet reqard and just dessert!!! Set a REALISTIC goal. Make it hard , but achievable. Nothing worth having is easy!! Don't listen to those who tell you it doesn't have to be hard to benefit. It doesn't have to HURT. In fact,it shouldn't hurt, but it SHOULD be hard. The body is designed to be pushed a little further each time. Accomplish that goal, then set the next goal slightly higher. I PROMISE from experience that the adrenaline and satisfaction will be your next motivator!! The days when I wanted to work out the least, but did it anyway, have returned the greatest reward, results, and motivation.

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