I am not a fitness expert. Nor have I had any formal physical education training. So why am I writing a workout review? Because I am like many other busy women who want to be fit but have a really hard time committing time and energy to working out. If we share what works for us we will all be more apt to be healthier people. I want to be a healthy person. I don't want to gain more weight. In fact, I'd like to lose a few pounds. But at age 50, it becomes more difficult to not only lose weight but to remain toned. My muscles seem to be turning to jelly. Everything sags. My muscles jiggle. I can feel that I'm losing strength and stamina. And I don't like it.
I am very busy. By the time I end each day at my job it is often all I can do to get home, walk the dog, make something to eat, and wander off to bed. The lack of time and energy is my biggest excuse to avoid exercise.
My second biggest excuse is cost. My budget doesn't allow a gym membership. Besides that, I don't want to work out around people. I am not a social sweater. I want to sweat in private.
Those reasons to avoid exercise are excuses. I know it. You know it. We all know it. There are quick, easy and inexpensive ways to get some exercise, at my age and at home. I'm going to share three of my favorites with you.
Walking
I have always been good about parking a little farther from the front door of a store. Or walking the dog farther than I have to. The nearest bush for the dog to potty on is about 12 steps from my front stoop. Instead of walking those 12 measly steps, I always make sure I walk him to at least the end of my parking lot. I have no excuse for not walking a bit more each day. Walking is free. However, I should be walking around the entire block. At least. |
| New Balance Women's Walking Shoe |
Hula Hooping
I enjoy hula hooping and now that I have my own grown-up hoop, I have no excuse for not hooping. I'm not very good at it. But it is a great aerobic exercise and excellent for strengthening my core. It is also a lot of fun. It doesn't seem as though it would burn calories but it does."An average woman can burn about 165 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping, and an average man can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping" - an article by the Mayo Clinic
Hooping doesn't seem like work. It seems like fun. So it isn't very difficult to hoop for 15 to 30 minutes at a time.
Yoga
Yoga is great for both strengthening and for relaxing. The thing that triggered the writing of this article was getting back to my yoga DVD on a regular basis. I feel such a difference. I enjoy this workout immensely and wanted to share it with you. |
| YOGA BURN with Rodney Yee |
I ALWAYS feel better when I do this workout. I can feel my spine re-align (as I loosen up and work out, I actually feel it pop back into place) and I feel my muscles strengthening. I also feel more relaxed mentally when I am finished.
If you are looking for a way to become more physically healthy and relaxed, this workout may be a good choice for you too.
Photo Credit - photograph courtesy of Pixabay CC0
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Over the last few years, I have become less active and sadly, not only have I gained weight, but I don't feel as good overall. I need to get back into shape. I love to walk when there is somewhere to go or something to see, like hiking. I need to get that hula hoop. I am wondering if I could still move like that. The idea of Yoga also appeals. That is something I have never tried and know absolutely nothing about, so I appreciate that information and DVD recommendation. Just reading the article encourages me and makes me want to get started today.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean by not feeling as good overall. I feel a little better this year. But last year was rough. If you have never done Yoga at all, you might want to start with something easier than the Yoga Burn. I think you could follow along, but I think it helps to already know bit of Yoga. I do like Rodney Yee, he's very soothing. It might be good to look to see if he has beginning yoga DVDs. I'm sure he's on youtube as well.
DeleteI'm getting into my exercise routine for the New Year with both walking and following a programmed exercise routine 2X a week at my local Community Center. The weight gain and sedentary lifestyle certainly crept up on me the last few years and now am trying to get back to basics. Excellent suggestions here, Dawn Rae, for Home Fitness, although I 'don't' mind sweating in public as no one else is noticing; they are all too busy trying to complete the exercises for themselves...LOL.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Elf, for working out! And not being afraid to sweat in public.
DeleteI've never been able to keep a real hula hoop up, but I play the hula hoop game on our wii fit sometimes. It HURTS after 10 minutes. If it hurts its GOTTA be burning some calories right?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try Hula on the wii. It seems like it HAS to be burning calories if it hurts! At least I'll keep telling myself that.
DeleteExcellent article. Finding ways to keep fit is such a struggle as you age. As you point out when you work full time it is so hard to fit in the time there are always so many excuses. When I retired one of my goals was to get in shape. I still have a ways to go but I do find time to work out each day. With the Silver Sneakers program on my health insurance I enjoy free gym membership and classes with other seniors. I love taking water aerobics and weight circuit training are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteAwesome that you are getting exercise each day! You ladies are my heroes! I've wondered if I would like water aerobics. I'll have to find a way to give it a try some day. I love water. I don't necessarily like swimming, but I like being in the water.
DeleteGreat workout routines, Dawn! Anything that keeps the body moving is a good exercise. I do simple exercises while I'm cooking. A couple of stretches while stirring a pot of soup or a few lunges between cutting carrots. But, a good pair of shoes is necessary no matter what exercise I do. I have less pains when I wear sensible shoes.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for doing lunges, voluntarily, while you cook. I agree with you that sensible and well-fitting shoes are very important. A few years ago I was doing a four mile walk regularly. I found that the shoes made a HUGE difference.
DeleteYoga Burn sounds like a great workout plan for body and mind. I get plenty of walking in with my dog Valentino. We take two or three long walks daily, with several short ones too. He even has me slow jogging to keep up with him for a block or two on each walk. I know I'm already in better shape than I was just a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteRuth, I know that Valentino has been an awesome workout buddy for you. That's one of the best ways to exercise. Willy wants me to run with him. I just can't bring myself to a run. I do jog a few steps now and then.
DeleteGreat advice about staying fit! I love yoga and walking both!
ReplyDeleteYoga is amazing! I wish I had the time and money to go to a yoga instructor regularly.
DeleteI'm a walker, and a good pair of runners is key for me. I finally sprung for a pair about 2 months ago. I'm not an expert either but I noticed that the shock absorbing aspect of a shoe does make a difference (I only say this because when I wear runners that feel I'm walking barefoot, my knees hurt quite a bit at night, however with my new runners my knees rarely hurt like that at night). I was terrible for wearing my boys runners, but since I purchased a good pair of girl-runners it's been much better.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you figured out what you need to do to keep the knee pain away. I tend to wear any old shoes... the less support the better. And found that when I wear shoes with an arch when I'm exercising that I feel much better. New Balance seem to fit and support my foot much better than some runners.
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