Activity Challenge for Sedentary/Beginners That Wants To Get Moving

Annie_01
Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
edited 7:05AM in Challenges
I have struggled in the last few years to get back on track with exercising. I used to be one of those people that walk 10,000, 15,000 and sometimes even 20,000 steps a day. I did light weight resistance training 3 or 4 times a week. Then...I let life get in my way...used that for an excuse to not keep up my activity level.

First thing...shattered my right arm...took a year to recoup. Then I had a series of smaller surgeries and let that interfere. Actually...I think that they were all just excuses to be lazy! I took advantage and became quite good at sitting on my behind.

It is time to change all of that...I don’t want to be that person anymore that struggles just to walk to the mailbox and back. I am ready to once again become that strong woman(at least for me) that I once was. I am looking for other people that would like to join me and improve our lives.

Many of the other challenges are people that are already where I want to get back to. I find it a little intimidating to join those. I thought maybe there were some others that like me are not moving and could use some encouragement. So if anyone would like to join please do.

Your activity can be whatever you like. You can walk, run, bike, dance, resistance training, play with your kids or just anything that gets you moving. If you scrub your bathrooms...garden...paint your walls...etc...etc that is being active. If you have joint issues which I sometimes do try chair exercises.

Don’t worry about how how long you move...just move and hopefully over time you will be moving more. If you have an activity tracker you can use those numbers but if you don’t just log your time. Post your days activity in any form that you would like. There aren’t any rules! If you skip a day...no problem. This is all about your journey to being an active person. You can post daily...twice a day...weekly...whatever suits you.

If you have any websites that you really like feel free to share them. There are a few that I have used in the past and will post them later.

Set your own goals. I am not going to use deadlines for myself but if you want to that is fine. I only have one deadline in my head. In about a year I want to take a solo trip to some unknown place for a few weeks. By the time that I go I want to have all my weight off and be able to spend a day out walking and exploring without having to stop and ask for an ambulance to take me back to the hotel! So I have a little over a year to get myself to that point. I am 67 y/o so I want to make sure that I am still around to take this trip. Right now however I will just be happy to get from sedentary to lightly active.

Sorry this intro was so long but I wanted to make sure that people are not intimidated to join. Probably most of us will be around the same level. All are welcome...young or old, men or women, and all types of activities. It is all about moving and becoming more active.
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Replies

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Today on my list of things to do is first get my house clean before the weekend. Later today I am going to pull out what exercise equipment that I have and experiment with putting together a plan. I don't have a lot of equipment but I do have some resistance bands, an aerobic stepper and a few small free weights. That should be enough to do me for a while. Walking has always been my go to exercise so I might try to take a short walk this evening after it cools down. We are still in the upper 90's here and I don't do well in heat.
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited September 2019
    Hello Annie, I'm on the wrong side of 55 and I have noticed that my physical capacity has reduced over the decades. I've been going to the gym for the last 6 days. I'll post my daily challenge and whether I achieved it or not.

    Tomorrow (Saturday) I would like to run for 10 minutes, at least 5.1 km/hr spread over the hour long session on the treadmill. The rest will be walking, typically at 4.8 km/hr or 4.7. I'll stop when I have done 1305 kJ.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    @threewins I used to think I was old...now I think that I am getting more experienced!

    I have managed so far today to get my house cleaning (almost) done and to used some resistance bands. Hopefully I will get in some walking. I tried doing some running once...my knees and ankles said no. I think that I would enjoy it but not at the expense of not being able to get out of bed.

    Good luck tomorrow and let me know how you did.
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    Thanks Annie. I did a endurance test at the start of my gym session, I achieved 3 minutes 20 seconds at 6 km/hr. I'll do another test next week.

    I achieved 10 minutes at 5.3 km/hr spread out over about 65 minutes on the treadmill, the rest being walking.

    Tomorrow I want to run for 12 minutes at 5.1 or higher, and walking the rest of the time, up to 1305 KJ energy used.
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    I just did 12 minutes at 5.3 km/hr, and the rest walking at 4.8 to reach 1305 kJ.

    Tomorrow, depending on where I'm staying or the weather either:

    14 minutes running and the rest walking at a park to total 70 minutes

    or

    14 minutes running at 5.1 or higher, and the rest walking at 4.7, 4.8 to total 1500 kJ.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Great job @threewins!

    Sorry I haven't been around but this weekend has gone crazy on me so I have been up and moving but not so much on the exercise. I am heading out in a few minutes to begin a 10 mile walking program. It runs for about 4 months...starts slow and builds up to the 10 miles. I want to be able to walk a long distance before I take my trip in about a year.

    For my cross training days I will probably just use my resistance bands. I like using them and they are easy to pack up and take with me. When it gets a little cooler I want to set up an area outside for working out.

    I am in awe that you can go for 70 minutes...I can only dream at this point!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Okay...doesn't seem like much but after being sedentary for a couple of years I will give myself credit for making that first step to getting back fit again. If my math is correct it works out to be a 30 minute mile. When I was walking regularly I was at about a 15 minute mile so I have a long way to go to get back where I was. I am about 30lbs heavier now and a little older so it might take me awhile but I will get there.

    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/
    9/24 10 min. walk/
    9/25 10 min. walk/
    9/26 10 min. walk/
    9/27 15 min. walk/
    9/28 15 min. walk/
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile/A few more steps and a little further this morning...I will look at that as improvement!
    9/24 10 min. walk/
    9/25 10 min. walk/
    9/26 10 min. walk/
    9/27 15 min. walk/
    9/28 15 min. walk/

    I also managed to get in about 15 minutes of resistance band training while I was setting up a routine for me to follow for the next few weeks.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile
    9/24 10 min. walk/1253 steps/..54 mile
    9/25 10 min. walk/
    9/26 10 min. walk/
    9/27 15 min. walk/
    9/28 15 min. walk/

    Working on lowering my walking speed to a 20 minute mile...consistently! I know it is not a lot of steps to most people but it is more than I would have taken otherwise.

    54pt4647bc8l.png
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    edited September 2019
    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile
    9/24 10 min. walk/1253 steps/..54 mile
    9/25 10 min. walk/1282 steps/..54 mile - A few more steps today but the same distance - good/bad IDK but I did it!
    9/26 10 min. walk/
    9/27 15 min. walk/
    9/28 15 min. walk/

    These are my steps only for my intentional walks. I don't include just my normal daily steps. Right now I am just applying my walks to my daily NEAT. Right now I am in between sedentary and lightly active. I want to move up to lightly active and moderately active. I hope to end up being an active person at the end.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Even though I am the only one posting here I want to keep it going just in case someone else shows up and needs some encouragement to just start moving even if it is only for a few minutes.

    This it the program that I am using for now...

    https://mywalkingcoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DL-new-walkers2015.pdf

    I might change to something different later but I wanted to just start somewhere.

    This is my motto for this week...


    "Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination." Joseph B. Wirthlin
  • LeeH31
    LeeH31 Posts: 312 Member
    Hi Annie! I started on a self-devised diet/exercise program the end of August. I have a long way to go to my goal weight, 84 lbs. Pretty much a sedentary lump until that point. I began having angina pain and decided to try not to die. Right now I am walking 1.5-2 miles a day, averaging 21 minutes/mile. 20 years ago I could do a 15 minute mile and walked 4 miles every night. Some days I also ride my bike 2.3 miles @ 8 mph. It has been exciting for me to see how quickly my muscles responded to exercise. I thought it would take me months to get to this point, not weeks. I am almost 61 years old, dealing with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis on top of a dickey heart (it's got deformities). Like you, I just want to be active and enjoy life again.

    For strength training I am doing a program called "Launchpad". It's on YouTube or you can buy and download it. It starts with chair exercises and builds up to regular training.

    Anyway, I will try to post as often as I can. Don't give up!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    @LeeH31 Welcome!!!

    I will checkout "Launchpad". Right now I am using resistance bands and some small hand weights. I have enjoyed getting back to my walks after so long of just sitting. I just wish the weather would cool down some. I live in Texas and we are still having some 100 degree days. They say we might cool down next week. I can only hope.

    I have already lost over 35lbs not doing any exercising. So now it is time to get moving. I still have between 35 - 50 lbs to lose. I am just not sure where I want to end up.
  • LeeH31
    LeeH31 Posts: 312 Member
    I've lost 15 pounds thus far. I didn't walk very far in August, about a 1/2 mile every other day. That was tough the first week! After that it got easier, I think it was "muscle memory" that enabled me to progress so quickly. I don't know if I can do a 15 minute mile any time soon, if at all, but I am very pleased with the progress I have made thus far.

    The Launchpad exercises start out with soup cans for weights, or resistance bands if you have them. They are very easy at first, but progress quickly. I have gotten to the level 1, session 5 workout, but I have to do each session for a week instead of one day! I just cannot build my strength that fast. The program is 3 workouts/week, each day increasing all exercises by 1 repetition! Instead I am doing each workout for a week 3 x/week.
  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    Annie, I'll be posting again on Monday. Good luck with your exercise.
  • carolejaye1217
    carolejaye1217 Posts: 15 Member
    Annie - I’d love to join! I like seeing your progression. I keep thinking if I just start and then add a little bit each day it would add up. I’m terrible at saying “I’ll start tomorrow” tho, and it doesn’t happen. So happy to see this group! Thank you for starting it! I’m currently almost 5’1” and 167 lbs. we are having this family get-together in June at the lake with family that has been out of the country. Would love not to huff & puff with every dat-gum walk with my grandkids. My birthday (56 yrs) is Friday. I know it’s never gonna get easier than right now. I will check out your mywalkingcoach link in an earlier post. Thank you for taking the time to do this!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Good morning everyone!

    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile
    9/24 10 min. walk/1253 steps/..54 mile
    9/25 10 min. walk/1282 steps/..54 mile
    9/26 10 min. walk/1371 steps/.56 mile
    9/27 15 min. walk/
    9/28 15 min. walk/

    Made it just a little(not so much that you could tell it though) further today. My steps increased but that is from me taking a bit to warm up and cool down. Tomorrow I get to add time to my walk so hopefully that will help to increase my distance...I am working toward getting back to walk a mile next week.

    I need to leave a little earlier though...it is still in the upper 90's and have even had a couple of 100 degree days in the past week here in Austin. I am so over the heat.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    LeeH31 wrote: »
    I've lost 15 pounds thus far. I didn't walk very far in August, about a 1/2 mile every other day. That was tough the first week! After that it got easier, I think it was "muscle memory" that enabled me to progress so quickly. I don't know if I can do a 15 minute mile any time soon, if at all, but I am very pleased with the progress I have made thus far.

    The Launchpad exercises start out with soup cans for weights, or resistance bands if you have them. They are very easy at first, but progress quickly. I have gotten to the level 1, session 5 workout, but I have to do each session for a week instead of one day! I just cannot build my strength that fast. The program is 3 workouts/week, each day increasing all exercises by 1 repetition! Instead I am doing each workout for a week 3 x/week.

    I gave the Launchpad a look and bookmarked it in case the program that I selected doesn't work for me. Thanks. This is what I am going to start with modified to use my resistance bands...

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-beginner-weight-training-workout-routine/

    Great work on the 15lbs...we just got to keep going even when it gets a little tough.

    I am not worried about the 15 minute mile either. I would like to get to a solid 18-20 minute mile. I am more after the endurance than speed.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    threewins wrote: »
    Annie, I'll be posting again on Monday. Good luck with your exercise.

    Have a great weekend threewins and will look forward to your update.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    carolejaye1217 wrote: »
    Annie - I’d love to join! I like seeing your progression. I keep thinking if I just start and then add a little bit each day it would add up. I’m terrible at saying “I’ll start tomorrow” tho, and it doesn’t happen. So happy to see this group! Thank you for starting it! I’m currently almost 5’1” and 167 lbs. we are having this family get-together in June at the lake with family that has been out of the country. Would love not to huff & puff with every dat-gum walk with my grandkids. My birthday (56 yrs) is Friday. I know it’s never gonna get easier than right now. I will check out your mywalkingcoach link in an earlier post. Thank you for taking the time to do this!

    @carolejaye1217 Please do and welcome. We can always use more of us that are working on just getting moving. I know about the..."I start tomorrow" except somehow tomorrow never comes. When I was walking before I decided to retire my walking shoes I was doing 3-5 miles. I regret having quit and I regret waiting so long to get started again. There was always just some excuse. I am tired of being that person that has an excuse for everything. So I decided to start focusing on the reasons "WHY".

    I picked that walking program because I needed something that was everyday. I know myself...one day off might turn in to a week off. I don't know if I will follow it all the way to the end but I needed to pick something and get started. I am also bad about researching things and never making a decision. When the distances for the long walk get past 5 miles I might start doing each week twice. At some point I also want to start walking some trails instead of pavement. I live right in the middle of some great hiking trails.

    A guy by the name of Hal Higdon also has some free programs that are 5k and 10k walking programs. I did those before so you might want to check those out. There are several programs out there that I looked at that seemed good.

    Girlfriend...get your shoes on and get moving! You won't regret it. Walk at your own pace and take time to enjoy your surroundings.

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Okay finished my first day of my official resistance training today. It went okay but my squats need a lot of work. I could only do five before my knees gave out. Everything else I managed to do.

    This is the routine that I used modified to use my bands. It is short and sweet which is what I need to get started.

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/the-beginner-weight-training-workout-routine/

    If anyone is interested in starting a resistance program this is a good discussion that lists several programs.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • LeeH31
    LeeH31 Posts: 312 Member
    Hi Annie, I am going to read up on that workout, it looks interesting and challenging to design your own workout!

    That warm up, cool down periods are important; if I just stop without cooling down I get cramps, and if I don't warm up I am very stiff! It does mess up your average speed/mile though, I suppose one could start their tracker when actually at speed. Then one would have to walk a good bit further to get in their mile. If one so desired ;) !

    You are doing great, listen to your body, it will let you know when it's had enough. Could you try semi-squats until you get your legs a bit stronger? It's like sitting halfway down, then up before your butt hits the chair. Easier than a full squat, but effective.

    I found, too, that my posture is improving, and my core is getting stronger from walking. Great benefits from such a simple exercise.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Okay...I will be honest. I didn't want to go this morning. My head hurt, my legs hurt and it is already hot outside.......

    I went any way.

    My time increased today to 15 minutes. Since I wasn't at my best I did what I call my neighborhood walk...slowed my pace down slightly. I am glad that I pushed myself to just do it. I also changed my tracking mode. Instead of using my pedometer I used my phone so there probably is a bit of discretion between the two. I think my phone calculated the steps slightly less and the mileage a bit higher than MapMyWalk does.

    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile
    9/24 10 min. walk/1253 steps/..54 mile
    9/25 10 min. walk/1282 steps/..54 mile
    9/26 10 min. walk/1371 steps/.56 mile
    9/27 15 min. walk/1783 steps/.8 miles
    9/28 15 min. walk/
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    End of week 1

    Walking Program

    Week 1

    9/22 10 min. walk/1082 steps/.34 mile
    9/23 10 min. walk/1184 steps/.44 mile
    9/24 10 min. walk/1253 steps/..54 mile
    9/25 10 min. walk/1282 steps/..54 mile
    9/26 10 min. walk/1371 steps/.56 mile
    9/27 15 min. walk/1783 steps/.8 miles
    9/28 15 min. walk/1831 steps/.9 miles

    To end the week...

    I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that?

    Soledad O'Brien

    I have spent most of my life in fear...not even sure exactly what I feared...maybe just living. IDK I do know that I no longer want that fear.
  • LeeH31
    LeeH31 Posts: 312 Member
    Okay Annie, you have conquered the first week. Look at how much you progressed in just ONE week! You went from just over a quarter of a mile to almost a whole mile. That is great work. Now, this week keep your determination to do this. It isn't easy, and motivation alone won't keep you going. you have to be DETERMINED to do this on whatever schedule you set for yourself and be DISCIPLINED to do it for your own good. Then you will find such satisfaction in the doing of it that it becomes its own reward.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Walking Program

    Week 2

    9/29 15 min. walk/1865 steps/.9 miles
    9/30 15 min. walk/
    10/1 15 min. walk/
    10/2 15 min. walk/
    10/3 15 min. walk/
    10/4 20 min. walk/
    10/5 20 min. walk/
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    LeeH31 wrote: »
    Okay Annie, you have conquered the first week. Look at how much you progressed in just ONE week! You went from just over a quarter of a mile to almost a whole mile. That is great work. Now, this week keep your determination to do this. It isn't easy, and motivation alone won't keep you going. you have to be DETERMINED to do this on whatever schedule you set for yourself and be DISCIPLINED to do it for your own good. Then you will find such satisfaction in the doing of it that it becomes its own reward.

    Thanks Lee for the encouragement. So far I am pleased. It might not seem like much to some but it is further than I would have walked otherwise. I am hoping that when I hit the 20min walks at the end of the week I will be getting that 1 mile in. I live in a great area for walking. There is a lot of shopping and some wonderful trails that surround me that I haven't been taking advantage of.

    How is your launchpad going? I am looking forward to an update. I am hoping this week that I can get my resistance training on a schedule. I have to keep reminding myself to go slow and add things as I progress just as I have with my walking.

    Have a great rest of your weekend!
  • LeeH31
    LeeH31 Posts: 312 Member
    The Launchpad exercises are going pretty well. I am getting to the point where I think I may be able to start increasing the reps every other day according to their schedule. It looks like Stage Two they work on getting you up off the chair for some of the exercises. Stage 3 is no chair, just regular exercises using bodyweight, light hand weights or exercise bands. Since I am doing all the walking, I may just skip Stage 2 and jump to Stage 3.

    My area is very FLAT, which is great for walking, and there are some nice places to walk here, too. It is nice to walk in the woods, but deer season will soon be starting so won't be able to do that for a few months until it's over.


  • threewins
    threewins Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited September 2019
    So I'm back at the gym after a week of living far away.

    Today I did 53 minutes walking at 4.7 km/hr, 7 minutes running at 5.1.
    Tomorrow I want to do 1 minute at 5.3, 7 minutes at 5.1, and 53 minutes at 4.7.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Welcome back @threewins
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