upper body strength

Hi Char Char:

You can find lots of good books on following an eating plan in second hand book stores and follow their ideas and recipes, as long as it is balanced. Some people on here eat 6 small meals a day instead of 3 and that works for them. My eating plan is basically making sure my protein is the size of my palm for meals (all the fat cut off), having a carb portion - usually 1/2 cup., 1/2 cup each of a 2 veggies and a salad (that's dinner), for lunch I might skip the extra veggies, just have a salad and have a tomato or V8 juice and still have a protein and carb. I watch my fats and try to eat only healthy ones like flax seed oil, olive oil, and I use cooking spray for cooking my meats or grill them. You probably know all this.

Upper body strength to start can be built up with 2 lb. and 5 lb. dumbbells. There are lots of exercises under dumbbell exercises that show you how to perform them on the internet. If you don't have weights, you can use water bottles or large cans. Do arm, shoulder, back and chest exercises, -(making sure to have a rest day for upper body the next day) and you'll see a change. Do only what feels comfortable for you.

Have you tried any band exercises?