Moving to Lose; Losing to Live

Exercising for us older ladies is always a learning experience and almost always requires an adjustment period.  When I had WLS, I made it a point to walk because I couldn’t do anything else but walk.   Over those first months of walking, adjusting to my pouch, and losing weight, I learned some valuable lessons that I’d like to share with those who want to start an exercise program.

1.    Easy does it—nothing messes up your exercise plan more than setting unrealistic goals or over doing it.

·      Short-term goals should be very achievable and safe such as I will park my car a few yards further from the entrance of the store; I will walk X the first two weeks, increase by X over the next two weeks, etc.  

·      Long-term goals should reflect consistency and constancy such as I will increase my actual walking from X to X; I will maintain a consistent walking schedule; I will increase my stamina; I will etc. 

Always start safely and never, ever over do it.  You never ever want to over do it so that you inflame your joints or tear your muscles.   Slow and easy

Choose your exercise activity, place to exercise, clothes to exercise in, and the time so that your choices will help with your success.

·      If you are a night person, don’t attempt to do your exercise in the early morning

·      If you are going to walk or ride bikes, invest in some good running shoes, thick socks, light weight cotton sweats, shorts, and Ts. 

·      If you are going to be walking outside, get sunglasses, a visor, or cap so you keep the sun off of your head and blocked from your eyes; likewise, if you are going to be walking in the evening, wear bright-reflective colors.

·      Do not partner with someone because your success is bound to his or her success and if he or she should miss a day, so will you—and on that note, since you will be alone, be safe; take a cellphone, keep a whistle handy, and if you have pepper spray, carry it.

There are many pieces of advice that various exercise gurus can give you that will increase the odds of your exercise program becoming a lifestyle program

 Not every one is a walker, or biker, or runner.  Find an exercise you can live with and consider your job not to just do the exercise but to master the exercise. 

I love yoga.  I don’t know if you guys remember when my yoga friend bought me the yoga mat and got me the book and the cd and I was like no, I am not really a yoga person.   Well, she was right; I grew to love it. 

Yoga is one of those exercise programs that you can do in a wheel chair, in a bed, at your desk at work, on the pot…well you get it.  I don’t do the complicated standing on the head thing; for me, yoga is about improving my range of motion, strengthening my endurance and strength, and to help me think.  In the beginning, think of yoga only a stretching event.   I always start at the top and work down.  If you follow the order from top to bottom, it doesn’t seem so strange.

Sitting or standing:

1.    face, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands.  

2.    Lungs—deep breaths, holding, forcing out…more deep breaths, etc.

3.    Waist and belly, hips, and knees, and ankles.

Standing

1.    Back—this one is more about bending and stretching

2.    Hips and thighs

Mat, which means sitting, lying, on all fours,

1.    Sitting—work the buttocks and more on the waist and breathing

2.    Lying—hips, thighs, back

3.    All fours—back, knees, hips, chest, arms.

The entire workout takes less than twenty minutes and I do it every day.  This is the only program that I don’t listen to music.

Walking is walking but I suggest going at it slowly.

Running is one of those things that you should really go slowly.  I am very careful when I run.

Dancing or aerobics

I only dance one day a week and that is because it is a little more time consuming. If I were doing the dancing at home too, I would make it every other day; however, I dance once a week for about two hours at a time.

It is not my intention to post and skip a day or two but my DH has had some medical situations and over the last week, I have been tied up with him more than I normally am.  But I do read everyone's comments and will make every effort to offer new material for all of those of you who want to makes some changes.   

Hope your husband is ok...will keep him in my prayers.

Thanks for the posts...very good!!!

HUGSSSSSSS

Thanks Judy; he is doing some better.  

When I was writing this post, I thought about your shoulder and how difficult it is to even think about moving when your are in so much pain and fearing that you will make it worse.   In times like this, when you are, as my nanny would say, stowed up, just concentrate on breathing.  Take a deep breath--hold it---blow out and keep blowing past where you begin filling the lungs.   My yoga friend explained that exercising the muscles of the chest can help to tone up the belly muscles and who among us doesn't need that.   

Because I have this crazy knee, when I do anything, I am constantly thinking about the knee and what if I make it worse, so I do all exercises related to my legs and knees last. LOL.   

Hopefully, the doctors will give you a shoulder injection and once they start those, the inflammation will go far away.  

I hope you are right...just sitting doing NOTHING this pain is awful when it hits my arm!!! I try holding my breath and exhaling SLOW helps a lot but still that PAIN...OMG!!!!!!!!!!! I got a shoulder pulley that goes over the door and I can use that here to make my arms go up and down and side to side where my right arm can really help that left one...just wish I could see the light at the end of the tunnel for it!!!

HUGSSSS

Jeannie....thanks for the refresher....so many good helpful things to do and so easily forgotten.

I am glad your hubby is doing better. I know if you miss a day it is usually because it is important. No need to worry!!

Judy....hope the breathing helps!!

More hugs and love......connie d

Thanks Connie.  

This is why I love our PA and NP and dislike the NUT.  The first two believe EVERY thing we include extra counts.  The Nut only thinks putting on shoes and walking counts.  The first believe if you make a point of going up and down the stairs more than before it counts.  Parking at the back of the lot instead of close to the doors when safe counts.  I added working out side with the DH for 1-4 hours a day doing outside work last year and was able to start losing again.

This year I wasn't diligent make excuse after excuse and haven't lost like I should have with a brand new WLS.  Every little bite helps.  Also part of the reason I am not posting as much  Back out weeding and transplanting and mowing.

I read somewhere that movement is always relative to the lifestyle of the person moving.  For instance, a sedentary person does benefit from walking a little further to the store; however, I am very active and walking from the farther most point in the parking lot won't even raise my heart rate.   So, if you live a sedentary life, you probably benefit from any activity;however, I strongly recommend starting a program.  Start slowly...maybe walking to the edge of your drive and back.  Also, you can start yoga...text me and I will do some head rolls with you and shoulder rolls.   If you are interested, message me your number and I will text you and we can start getting you up on your groove.  

j