Painless Workouts for Lightweights

(courtesy of Healthy Living)

Are you overweight, getting up in years, or have health issues that make it difficult to do more strenuous forms of exercise?  Do you get frustrated because you can't do even two reps of traditional workouts that others breeze through?  Do you get winded trying to run on the treadmill, or feel uncoordinated on the elliptical?   Don't let it get you down!  Find modified versions of activities that work for you, and just do what you can for as long as you can.  Any time spent in movement of any kind is better than parking your butt on the couch in front of TV with a bowl of popcorn.

Use your hands

Hand weights can help you tone up when used alone, or burn more calories if you hold them while walking.  There are various types and sizes available, but before buying a set that is too heavy for you, rummage in your pantry for a can of soup or jar of peanut butter!  They're very lightweight and won't make a big difference right away, but it's a good place to start before moving up to traditional equipment that weighs more.  While watching TV, get off the couch during commercials and punch out a few different exercises while stepping in place.  It might seem silly, but it's better than starting with a higher weight than you can easily manage, and getting discouraged or hurting yourself.

If these walls could talk

Pushups are great to work your core, arms, chest, abs (basically everything above the waist) and don't require any special equipment, but I can't do them at my weight, and I can't even manage bent-knee pushups because of a knee injury.  What can a fat old lady do instead?  Wall pushups!  While you won't get the full benefit of lifting your body weight from the floor as with the traditional exercise, you also aren't likely to hurt yourself by trying.  You'll still be working the same areas of the body, just to a lesser degree.  You can always add more reps, or more sets to your workout to increase the benefit.  Still find it too easy?  Graduate like I did and rest your hands on a counter top instead of the wall.  You might surprise yourself and eventually work up to regular floor pushups.

Dance fever
I've tried a number of difference aerobic exercise videos, and even at times when I thought I was in decent shape, I found them difficult to keep up with.  I also don't always have the time (or desire) to devote 30 minutes or more to following along with an instructor in a regimented fashion.  What works for me?  Dancing. While watching TV, I'll get up when a commercial is on and either step in place, side to side, or throw some kicks in (with my can of kidney beans in hand), or, if music is playing, start shaking my booty (there are benefits to living alone with my dogs).  One local television station broadcasts music and dancing from shagging clubs and my feet will start moving before I even realize it.  I don't really shag, but the music gets me doing my own thing in a more exaggerated fashion that just a walk.  I find that I can keep moving just about the whole show with just a few seconds break here and there, and I can't imagine just walking in place or doing an aerobics video for that long without being bored to tears.  Crank up your favorite radio station, or better yet, one of the television stations that features music so you have the visual stimulation as well.  Music (without the interruption and distraction of someone telling you what to do ) makes everything more fun!  Want to get the kids involved?  Do The Locomotion or Bunny Hop around the house.

Exaggeration isn't always a bad thing
Since I don't work outside the home and am not busy keeping up with a family, my life is pretty sedentary unless I make a real effort to move.  I try to exaggerate my movements whenever I do get up, to add more steps and activity to my day.  If I get up to go to the bathroom, I'll add a few laps around the interior of the house before sitting back down. I'm still displaced from Hurricane Florence and living in a hotel, so if I have to go down to the laundry, I'll take the stairs instead of the elevator, then walk the halls or jump on the recumbent bike in the fitness area while waiting on clothes to wash or dry.  If I'm not pressed for time while out shopping, I'll walk every aisle instead of just those that I need to shop from.  When tidying up a room, I'll carry one or two things at a time to put it away instead of trying to do it all in one trip.  Most everyone can walk, and you're already doing it while going about your regular daily routine, so find little ways to expand on it.  Every extra step counts!

What're you doing today to increase your activity?

~ Marie Anne

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