Rebuilding a modest exercise habit just for health

[Glenda]

I've enjoyed excellent health for decades and give all the credit to exercising every day on my treadmill for 40 minutes, walking at 2.7 mph while reading.  But finally my habit fell apart after I got shingles and fell when I was walking fast in a store &  I stepped on a wet sanitizing  wipe and my feet slipped right out from under me.   ( Very short legs going 2,7 mph is faster walking than a tall person going more mph).  Anyway,  for the last  3 days,  I have walked for 15 minutes @ 2.3 mph, which is faster than a stroll.  

         A plan is to at least step on the treadmill every day.  Maybe you could join in and we could report weekly or something?   I tell myself I will walk at least 15 minutes.   By the way, I'm 79 now.  I also have a recumbent bike and a rowing machine.  I can't read and row though.  I think everyone should have a treadmill and if you are only going to walk on it, not run, it doesn't need to be expensive.  Pre-owned is fine.   I don't ever exercise outdoors because it is too hot, humid,  and buggy in the "greater Houston" area.    

[Glenda · Accepted solution]

Google said if you slow down a bit toward the end of an exercise session you will be more willing to do it again the next day.  So I did my 15 minutes today starting at 2.4 mph so I could slow down, but didn't slow down.  I'm a success today.  ...........and I didn't even gain weight yesterday!!

[Glenda]

The 5th day I was walking my 15 minutes, I was surprised to notice it seemed EASIER !!!!   That is what is supposed to happen.  I'm so happy.  I'm also amazed that my weight is staying exactly the same at 2 pounds lower than my average weight for the last couple of months.  I swear I think it is the magic of MEATLOAF.  Some lean meat and lots of vegetables with a couple of eggs & some quick or ground up old-fashioned oatmeal, is satisfying and low calorie and make snacking unnecessary.  I confess I did get out of the habit of munching all day because of a bout of food poison.   I was not tempted to eat anything for a while.   A big portion of the calories you eat may be the snacks rather than meals.  I've been eating meatloaf 3 times a day.   ...........Don't eat old food.  Throw it out.   

[Glenda]

Thursday walking was easier and I accidentally walked 2 minutes extra because I was reading something in the newspaper & didn't notice.  Maybe I could do 20 minutes today.  I'm not going to go faster again yet though.   I forgot to mention.  I always am walking uphill on a grade of 5.  Long ago I figured out you could burn more calories that way more pleasantly than in going faster, at least for me with my short legs.  You could experiment to see if it seems the same for you.  On my treadmill if you enter your weight before you start, it tells you the number of calories you use.   It may not be reliable???    I am puzzled that my weight is so steady.  I have never had that before.  Weird really.  Doesn't your weight bounce up and down a couple of pounds all the time?   I weigh exactly 116 today and the extra 6 pounds is all right on my stomach. ugh  When I was young it was on my rear which was worse.   Easier to cover up on the stomach.  ( I have to weigh 110 to donate blood.  That is the cut off point.  If you donate weighing less it is too big of a % of the amount of blood you have.  I didn't know, & did that once.    I have a less common kind of blood).  My daughter weighs twice as much as I do and told me to let bigger people donate blood.   Do you think?  My brother is AB- which is rare.  They have him on a list for emergencies.  He is near 200 pounds though.

[Glenda]

Today, Friday I was comfortable  walking 25 minutes.  It was more enjoyable when I turned on my music box playing the B52s singing the Love Shack.

[Glenda]

Saturday:  I walked 25 minutes again today & quit.  Maybe I should have put on the music but I just read my book

[Glenda]

Sunday I walked 26 minutes and today 27.  LOL  And the last 5 min I went only 2.2 mph.   It will  take 2 weeks to get back to 40 minutes at this rate.   Is anyone else trying to exercise some each day?  I forgot to put on the fast music.     I have to shop a little today which will add steps.  I have a prescription at Walmart and I need to do HEB over again today because they didn't have the wine I wanted yesterday.  It is $3 cheaper at HEB than at Walmart or Kroger !!!  They get deliveries every day.  

[Glenda]

I've been adding a minute every day.  Today I walked 31 minutes.  Not faster.    But today I forgot to do it until after noon.  I have less energy and motivation in the afternoon,  

[dorisKu]

Hello Glenda,

Just found your posts and interested in this group you mentioned 65 AND FIT. I'm 67 and have been using fitbit for awhile, not really communicating on it though. Just learning the ropes here, but a bit confused in how to reply.

Doris

[Glenda]

@dorisKu Doris, We had a good group on 65 & fit but one very obnoxious man caused us to abandon it just to get rid of him.   We could start a new group but it was bad to have a name beginning with a number because it is lots more difficult for anyone to find in the Fitbit groups.  You could start something like "Fitness over 65"   which would be better.   F is near the front of the alphabet.  You wouldn't have to have any number and instead say Seniors??   What do you think?  To reply just click reply to any comment.  If you want to reply to someone in particular click the shift key and @ and names will appear for you to select from.  Don't hesitate to make comments.  Every one will be interested in reading what you say.  

[Glenda]

@dorisKu  Doris,  I'm not sure if the Fitbit community still has groups.  we could just start a new "thread" in this "Manage weight" spot and chat here.  There is a close knit group in here that has been posting each other for years already.  I can't think of the whole name but Chatting and laughing & second home, or something.    That would be easy.   How about new thread   "Fitness and weight control for seniors" group??

[Glenda]

I honestly forgot to walk on Friday but I walked 36 minutes today.  I'm putting the walk on my to do list.  I'm still walking slow though.  CJ is walking 3 mph !!  Good job.  I'm walking 2.3mph.  ....even to fast music like "The Love Shack", a song I enjoy.

[Glenda]

I've been forgetting to post but I've been walking 30 minutes every day without fail .........but not very fast.  Only 2.3 mph.   I'm OK with that for now.  It gets  easier if you want to try this with me.

[Glenda]

I was terrible today.  I can't even think up an excuse.  I don't know where the day went and I didn't walk.   I did lots of laundry....a lady on TV said it was gross if we didn't wash our sheets at least every 2 weeks.  I washed everything on my bed and all my perm pressed clothes .  I was going to iron but my ironing board is full of paint by number stuff.  Ironing boards are so cheap and I use them for so many things.  Ithink I'll just go buy another tomorrow.    I had 2 before.  One is probably hiding around here somewhere.  (lost)

[Nimuae]

Outstanding!😊

[Glenda]

Thank you @Nimuae  I walked today 31 minutes, not fast.  But Bailey, my cat & I have been sharing a trauma today.  He has a clean but raw spot on his back that has lost hair around it, which shows more since I gave him a shower bath yesterday on the patio.  Today I bought flea medicine, and got rid of all the beef food which is a common allergy cause. and bought some spray on itch relief like cortizone.  One was Benadryl and the other HEB .  Both have a little inactive ingredient of alcohol but are supposed to be "cooling"  They are for people but should be soothing for my cat too.  I hope.

             I've been reading that all of us eat the same weight of food each day regardless of the calorie count.  So if you eat food with more water in it or bulky stuff like lettuce you should lose weight happily.  There are 2 books on the subject of Volumetrics by Barbara Rolls & R. A. Barnett, one in 20000 and one in 2012.

[Glenda]

I did my 31 minute walk this morning early.  It is so much easier for me in the early morning than in the afternoon.  I can hardly do it in the afternoons.  

[Glenda]

I couldn't do my 30 minute walk this morning because Bailey was on my treadmill.  Now, is that the best excuse you ever heard?   LOL  But true. And poor Bailey has been so traumatized.  Yesterday I did the flea treatment and it is REALLY working.  I'm finding fleas off him & on counter tops and other white places.     And I ran him off and upstairs to the treadmill by squirting him with the "SOOTHING" stuff.  He doesn't seem soothed.  

[Glenda]

Every Sunday I have lunch out with my daughter Crystal.  Unless I manage a walk before lunch it gets skipped.  So now I've missed 2 days and my  weight is UP to 8 pounds more than necessary to donate blood.  I have to do better.  (You must weigh 110 to donate blood, otherwise it is too big of a % of the amount of blood you have.  It might surprise you to know our lunch yesterday was SUPER DELICIOUS from BURGER KING.  They have a great spicy chicken sandwich and chocolate pie and little jalapeño poppers.  We split the pie and poppers but I still ate a whole days calories for lunch.  So good though.

[Glenda]

Monday:  I did my 30 minute walk this morning and didn't exactly enjoy it.  It will probably be easier again tomorrow.  Is everyone taking Omega 3 supplement every day or eating Salmon 2 times a week to increase your life expectancy  5 years?   I take the supplement every day.  The gummies are a treat.    By the way, anyone reading this is almost surely much younger than  my 79 years.  You could be doing this exercise thing with me and probably walk faster.  I'm only going 2.3  miles per hour and toward the end of the 30 minutes I slow down to 2.2.  LOL

                   Last year I walked 2.7 mph for 40 minutes.  I may never get back to that.