Beginning exercise for 56 year old female

August_1958
August_1958 Posts: 110 Member
edited November 13 in Fitness and Exercise
I need to lose 55 pounds and want to incorporate exercise into my regimen. Last fall, I lost 16 pounds without any exercise (dieting alone), but hit a plateau for over 3 months.

I'm looking for suggestions/comments on how to start. At this time, I cannot join a gym (no gym located nearby) and the winter weather is keeping me indoors (at least for a few more weeks). I have a treadmill, resistance bands and a couple of exercise DVD's.

Should I begin with stretching exercises and move on to walking, floor exercises, hand weights? Or dive right in and not be able to finish a DVD program, etc.

I was extremely active when I was younger and have been in the "office" sit down mode for way too long. I know I need to get moving and don't want to injure myself getting started.

Because of my age, I'm not expecting to start off running or competing in karate tournaments (I am a previous brown belt holder as a teenager). I want to do this right, healthy and age appropriate.

I hope someday to be able to say I have not only lost the extra weight, but I might be able to run a 5k. That is my dream. Silly for my age? I think not. ;)

Suggestions or comments?

Replies

  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Welcome! I was 54 when I first started the C25K training program for running. You can do this.
    Start by walking in your treadmill to build up a good base for either further/longer walking in the spring, summer and fall or to start running. A good walking base will help.
    Start with a slow pace and build up from there. You should feel your heart beat quicken but should also still be able to speak short sentences without panting & gasping.
    You will be able to run 5K one day. I did it and I was never a runner. I'm still running 5K 3x a week. You can do this.
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
    Look at You Are Your Own Gym, a program for those who do not have access to weights/gym. Gets lots of great reviews on here. Resistance exercises would be highly beneficial as you eat in a deficit, in order to maintain as much muscle mass as you can. There are also a number of resistance-band exercises on YouTube as well.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    If you have a few DVDs start in on them. You may not be able to do all the moves, you may not be able to complete the DVD, but with persistence and commitment you will. That in itself is an excellent first goal, and a good judge of your fitness progression.

    I would also highly recommend including some progressive weight lifting, lift what is heavy for you. This will help maintain your LBM while you lose and help with bone density retention too.

    There are plenty of programmes on the Internet that you can follow. I started with a nerdfitness.com body weight routine at home. It took me ages to be able to complete the routine.
    You can then do strong lifts5x5 or another heavy lifting routine on the web. I am still using dumb bells instead of a bar for all the lifts but the dead lift. I will eventually get to the bar for all if them.

    With every thing safety and form should be a priority to avoid injury related set backs.

    Start slow and continually challenge yourself

    If you have access to a pool, aquafit and swimming will also give you a good work out.

    And of course, a calorie deficit is what is needed to lose weight. Get a scale, count those calories, and exercise for your health.

    Cheers , h
    By the way, I am 61, started at your age, and had never exercised in my life.
  • August_1958
    August_1958 Posts: 110 Member
    Fantastic replies, thanks ladies!!
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