HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO YOU DO?

[helli]

Back near the start of this thread, I replied with my exercise including gym, walking, Spin classes and climbing.
And then things changed when I broke my elbow. Recovery has been long and frustrating but I am slowly getting there.
Much of my usual exercise went out of the window - I would have to completely relearn climbing one-handed, at the gym I could not do weights or rowing or anything which may "jog" my arm like running, I was afraid of the Spin class - how do I steady myself one handed when cycling? , even hiking was out of the question because I couldn't get over stiles.
What struck me most was not my lack of fitness but my lack of "me time". It was the mental impact on the inability to switch off from life, take out my frustrations and push myself.
I hope to get back to climbing (two handed) in the New Year. In the meantime, I am back at the gym albeit I am still unable to lift weights (unless I want my arms to become even more unbalanced than they are at the moment), I am Spinning whilst only resting my left hand on the handle bars and realising how important it is to have strong core muscles and I am walking a lot. Most importantly, I have "me time back" and feeling mentally healthier.

This is not a "woe is me" post (no "hug emojis" please) but a plea to others to make sure you do exercise while you can because you don't realise what you miss until you can't do it.
As others have said, this does not have to mean going to the gym - just keep moving and take time for yourself.

 

[Lucyr]

What struck me most was not my lack of fitness but my lack of "me time". It was the mental impact on the inability to switch off from life, take out my frustrations and push myself.

I know exactly what you mean here! I don’t even exercise much but the things I use to switch off were swimming and playing music (brass instrument not just listening). Suddenly since the onset of cubital & carpal tunnel in my right arm swimming is painful and difficult and not at all enjoyable. Band was out until I’ve recently managed to get to a point where I can hold the instrument right handed and play left handed, but even then, my left hand doesn’t know how to play so it’s like I’m a beginner!

I’ve had to find different activities, recently I tried a walk in the countryside, drove quite a bit to get there so that it was a quiet location. Didn’t need my right arm for walking and it was quite relaxing. I need to find some other exercise to do as it does help diabetes to be more active, though I have to take it super slowly due to the ME

 

[Ditto]

My Auntie Jean who had a bad heart, lots of attacks since being 40, was banned from knitting. Maybe something to do with having your arms in one position? Not sure, but interesting. 🙂

 

[Jodee]

Trust me for age that’s remarkable on more than enough. Crocheting is a great exercise. Allow me an anecdote. My Nuero- Physio was a Special Forces battle surgeon he eventually worked NP rehabbing injured military with brain damage . Now he’s a big fella,tough, quite posh, very very mellow. He’s semi retired now like I’ve become evangelical about health but not in a going to the gym way.
Dont vist now I’m fully brainwashed. Oh he’s 66. He told me recently he’s started knitting. Should know better by now. He then proceeded to explain the merits. It improves cognitive ability ( as he put it he’s not getting any younger ) , amazingly good for finger dexterity. It’s calms him putting him into a sort of meditative mode.
I do a lot of finger, hand exercises as well as when I’m sat down toe and feet exercises. Can be difficult and the concentration helps cognitive ability.

thanks manji good to know someone thinks I do ok good to hear of your achievements too and your Nuero Physio, that is remarkable 🙂 I signed up for the Protect Project om my 50s the idea was to monitor how congnitive function may deteriorate with age. Lord knows how I am doing with that, but I do wish they wouldn't make the tests or list of question mor than 30 mins at a time, as if I have nothing better to do with my time 😉

 

[Jodee]

Back near the start of this thread, I replied with my exercise including gym, walking, Spin classes and climbing.
And then things changed when I broke my elbow. Recovery has been long and frustrating but I am slowly getting there.
Much of my usual exercise went out of the window - I would have to completely relearn climbing one-handed, at the gym I could not do weights or rowing or anything which may "jog" my arm like running, I was afraid of the Spin class - how do I steady myself one handed when cycling? , even hiking was out of the question because I couldn't get over stiles.
What struck me most was not my lack of fitness but my lack of "me time". It was the mental impact on the inability to switch off from life, take out my frustrations and push myself.
I hope to get back to climbing (two handed) in the New Year. In the meantime, I am back at the gym albeit I am still unable to lift weights (unless I want my arms to become even more unbalanced than they are at the moment), I am Spinning whilst only resting my left hand on the handle bars and realising how important it is to have strong core muscles and I am walking a lot. Most importantly, I have "me time back" and feeling mentally healthier.

This is not a "woe is me" post (no "hug emojis" please) but a plea to others to make sure you do exercise while you can because you don't realise what you miss until you can't do it.
As others have said, this does not have to mean going to the gym - just keep moving and take time for yourself.

That's the one thing with aging if you don't keep the exercise going however little you certainly do loose it especially at those times we may get sick or through injury, it is so important, to do just as much as you can. Hope you make a good recovery.

 

[CliffH]

Inevitably age will affect running ability. Controversial but I work with a Nuero Physio, had a stroke a few years ago. He has quite a few mantras but one of them is if you are doing an activity and you start struggling, stop. He’s very much opposed to the “ pushing yourself to the limit “ theme.
That goes for anyone. I’ve come a long way . Thankfully ignored the advice of the NHS . Just for the sake of argument I can walk now a big part of it is walking properly. I will go for a walk , I’m very conscious of balance, foot placement but as soon as I start struggling I will stop, might even have a day off but next time I will try and walk a little further. It’s very incremental. The stroke is almost irrelevant it’s just about keeping fit. I don’t even set any major targets anymore.
I’m 65 and I’m a darn sight fitter and slimmer than most of my contemporaries in this area. The one thing I can’t do is jogging. Never enjoyed it pre stroke far too metronomic too much damage to joints, even heart valves.

What you say resonates with me. When I was young I did a lot of cycle racing and my body could handle being pushed "to the limit". However, now that I'm past 60 it can't . So, I've had to get used to cycling within my (low) limits - and not see it as a personal insult when 'leisure' cyclists (as opposed to 'racing' cyclists) whizz past me in Richmond Park 🙄.

 

[helli]

That's the one thing with aging if you don't keep the exercise going however little you certainly do loose it especially at those times we may get sick or through injury, it is so important, to do just as much as you can. Hope you make a good recovery.

I saw the physio today and was complaining about the difference between my left and right biceps.
I always use the same weights with both arms to keep them even. For the last three months I have used no weights with even arm but my right arm has been doing everything else while my left arm has been a passenger.
Sorry, I am getting to the point …
The physio explained it take three times as long to rebuild fitness as it takes to lose it.
Thankfully, I was given to go ahead to start using (low) weights. I guess that means I will be back to my “usual” weights in 9 months. 😱

 

[Jodee]

I saw the physio today and was complaining about the difference between my left and right biceps.
I always use the same weights with both arms to keep them even. For the last three months I have used no weights with even arm but my right arm has been doing everything else while my left arm has been a passenger.
Sorry, I am getting to the point …
The physio explained it take three times as long to rebuild fitness as it takes to lose it.
Thankfully, I was given to go ahead to start using (low) weights. I guess that means I will be back to my “usual” weights in 9 months. 😱

I can believe that helli. At a time I was going to the gym regularly, I got a lung infection and my fitness levels went right down the pan, it took me 3 months to get close to where I was previously. It is such a slow process. I hope you will find things improving for you very soon. I would settle for a couple of lighter weight to what your usual was. But I am sure slowly but surely you will get there 🙂

 

[gail2]

not enough am currantly walking from my room to dinning room with a staff member behind me with the wheelchair and i go swimming once a week

 

[LieB]

Exercise has been a game changer for me in getting to remission. I weighed in at around 20.5 stones 8 months ago, couldnt run etc as i’m in my mid 40’s and at that weight i was worried about doing harm to my joints etc.

Began with some 30 min walks 3 times a day, puffing like a blowfish after 10 mins but kept at it - a little bit more each time. Eventually as the weight came off (also managed my diet well, not the nonsense of ‘NHS 800 calorie diets i mean seriously…) i began to use the gym - swimming so no impact and cross trainer.

As more weight fell and my muscles grew stronger, cardio every day and one muscle group - to up my resting as well as active calorie consumption baseline as that gives me more leeway with carbs.

Now, i average around 270 mins of moderate to intense cardio, 315 mins of light to moderate walking, and 140 mins of resistance/weight training. All per week, so around 725 mins of exercise per week.

Result - lost over 8 stones in as many months with no surgery or meds, hba1c from 84 to mid 30’s (no meds), waistline from 48 to 30/32 inches etc. IBS - gone. High blood pressure - gone. Reflux symptoms - gone.

Highlight for me was when i went to collect my kids from school and the other parents were not sure who i was, convinced i was my younger brother.

Hell of a slog but worth it. Can I sustain always? No, I will get older but its a damn sight easier to ‘downsize’ when you have lost that kind of weight.

 

[Snowwy]

Hi all, new to this thread but not to this website. I go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week. I used to be a runner but medical issues have scuppered that for some years. The good news is I have been fixed and so I am starting the long journey back to at least doing a 10k.

 

[Alan44]

Exercise has been a game changer for me in getting to remission. I weighed in at around 20.5 stones 8 months ago, couldnt run etc as i’m in my mid 40’s and at that weight i was worried about doing harm to my joints etc.

Began with some 30 min walks 3 times a day, puffing like a blowfish after 10 mins but kept at it - a little bit more each time. Eventually as the weight came off (also managed my diet well, not the nonsense of ‘NHS 800 calorie diets i mean seriously…) i began to use the gym - swimming so no impact and cross trainer.

As more weight fell and my muscles grew stronger, cardio every day and one muscle group - to up my resting as well as active calorie consumption baseline as that gives me more leeway with carbs.

Now, i average around 270 mins of moderate to intense cardio, 315 mins of light to moderate walking, and 140 mins of resistance/weight training. All per week, so around 725 mins of exercise per week.

Result - lost over 8 stones in as many months with no surgery or meds, hba1c from 84 to mid 30’s (no meds), waistline from 48 to 30/32 inches etc. IBS - gone. High blood pressure - gone. Reflux symptoms - gone.

Highlight for me was when i went to collect my kids from school and the other parents were not sure who i was, convinced i was my younger brother.

Hell of a slog but worth it. Can I sustain always? No, I will get older but its a damn sight easier to ‘downsize’ when you have lost that kind of weight.

Words cannot express my thoughts on how well you have done, sheer determination, comes to mind, but I guess it took even more than that.
All credit to you

 

[LieB]

Words cannot express my thoughts on how well you have done, sheer determination, comes to mind, but I guess it took even more than that.
All credit to you

There are, i am sure, many others that have done more - but regardless, thank you.

 

[GSARider]

Usually 5 x 30 min rowing sessions + 1 x 60 min rowing session and 5 x 45 minutes weights sessions per week and a few walks with the dogs.

 

[Felinia]

I do 2 x 60 minutes Aquafit sessions a week, plus daily stretching exercises. I'd like to do more but my severe mobility issues, osteoarthritis and various joint injuries require me to rest between and pace myself. Gone are the days when I did 5 miles power walking 5 times a week, plus competitive sports, until my mid-60's.