What follows is me sittng on the pity pot having a pity party. Sorry it is so long.
I am feeling kind of low. I have been reading the book discussion of Thin for Life, especially the part about exercise. I am just not interested in exercise. Period. I have tried various things to trick myself into getting a little exercise, but have been totally unsucessful. I can see myself eating in a healthful way forever, but I cannot see myself exercising forever. Period. What most of you gals do sounds like pure torture to me. I was thinking that maybe I could possibly get myself to do something for thirty minutes three times a week, but according to the discussion, I would have to do 60 to 90 minutes a day for weight maintenance, and the ammount I was thinking about isn't even enough to be healty!
It is not like I have never exercised. For about a year, on a previous self-improvent attempt, I got into walking and I joined a little neighborhood gym. I spent quite a bit of time on all this and it had zero effect on my weight maintenance. I walked five miles a day and I went to the gym in the morning and evening for the aerobics classes (this was back in the day of the leg warmers and when dinosaurs roamed the earth). I liked the sociability of the exercise class and to some extent I liked to get good at it, but I just never really got turned on like some of you seem to. I feel good most of the time, and the exercise didn't seem to make me feel any different. I even went to an event in another city where they had a walking competition and I won the race for my age group! Ultimately, the gym closed, and my schedule changed so I couldn't spend so much time on exercise, although I managed to keep walking over a period of several years. I think I was in acceptable physical shape at that time, but the thought of trying to get back where I was, and at my age (65) is daunting and depressing.
Also, it is not like I don't know all about exercise and its benefits. Like the book or one of you said, "knowing isn't doing".. One of you also said something about maintenance being "A stick of celery and a 40 mile walk every day". That makes me grin, but I am afraid of the underlying truth.
I have a nice little mini-stair-stepper. It is something I can do inside (I live in the desert and it is much too hot to do anything outside). Since I have lost 23-24 lbs, my knees don't hurt so much, so I should just do it - starting with five minutes at a time. Right? Five minutes has to be better than no minutes. Right? Get a Richard Simmons old people's video and do it. Right?
Thanks for having the patience to listen to me carry on!
I agree with elmuyloco5 start will small things. Park farther back in the parking lot, when grocery shopping make one complete lap around the store (inside) before shopping, walk stairs when you can, etc. These little things add up at the end of the day. Also don't discount exercise tapes. Richard Simmons is a tape I do often (20min Blast Off & Sweatin to the Oldies) and it gives a great cardio workout. Also Walk Away the Pounds are great tapes for walking and toning.
All in all I think experiment and find something you don't mind doing. Do you like dancing even if you don't know how (thats me) turn a radio on and dance some dancing while cleaning the house. That burns calories and can be fun to do as well.
You are right, elmuyloco. One thing I thought about is that I can park under a tree (keeps the car cooler) if I am willing to walk a bit. I do park away from the store - mainly to park in the shade, but with the side benefit of making me walk a little.
Hee! My corner market is 10 miles away. That's what my DH suggested that I do.
I used to think I was too good for Richard Simmons. I need to get humble.
I used to laugh about his tapes. I never thought in a million years I would own and use his tapes. That was until someone gave me 2 of his tapes. Now I love his tapes. Great music, he is very encouraging, and in his tapes people are of all different weights, ages, genders. And the routines are simple to get after a few tries.
Well, something to think about is that exercise promotes good health. If you want to be healthy, you should do some form of exercise. 30 minutes 3 times per week would be better than 0 minutes 0 times per week.
Everyone is different though on how much exercise they need to lose weight and maintain that weight. I would say weight loss/weight maintenance is a minor reason to exercise, your overall health is the real reason I think you should exercise.
Not everyone is perfect, not everyone loves to exercise and I think everyone has set backs in their exercise once in a while, but you just do it because it will only benefit you. At least that is my opinion
Nelie, I agree with you. I think exercise is important for health. I am fearful about not being able to do enough to make a difference in my weight. I need to look at exercise of some sort as being good for its own sake and not worry about the rest of it.
I am going to see if my library has any Richard Simmons tapes, so I can see what I might like.
Every little bit of exercise helps even if it may not seem like a lot at the time. Every bit helps.
On finding some Richard Simmons tapes the library is good, also craigslist and freecycle are good places to look. Also if you wanna buy Amazon has some good prices.
While at the library look for some walk away the pounds tapes. They are low impact and only take up a little bit of space.
gail, I totally understand where you're coming from.
I've never liked to exercise, and when I heard those exercise recommendations, I couldn't believe it. No way, I thought.
But, I know I need to exercise. I set monthly minute goals and frequently fight with myself -- still -- to put on my shoes and just do it. I don't enjoy thinking about doing it. I would rather lie on the couch and read. But I started slowly -- maybe 20 min several times a week and built from there.
Now I average 40-50 min/day of exercise. No, it's not to that Thin for Life recommendation, but hey, I do what I can. Plus, I think it depends on what you call exercise... just moving more IS exercise!
And still, with all that exercise, I still don't like to THINK about doing it. Usually, not always, once I get started I like DOING it (especially weight lifting), but I try to give myself no excuses NOT to do it. And I DO like that my body is responding to the challenges of weight training and yoga and showing it can do more than it could before. There's something empowering there I never ever felt before.
Many people liken it to all the other things we have to do in our life, whether we like to or not. I don't want to pay my bills every month, but I know that not doing it will lead to negative outcomes down the road.
Another nice thing is that I've come to see how exercise can be a stress release for me, and how it signals I'm doing something FOR ME, not for anyone else. I'm important enough for that.
So... some thoughts. I am still overwhelmed by the notion of 60-90 min/day, but I just don't worry about it.
I think that going from absolutely no exercise, to 40-50 minutes a day or more is overwhelming for many.
You don't have to go from doing nothing, to working out like some of the advanced exercisers here.
Start slow. Make a goal for yourself to exercise for 10 minutes, 2 days this week. It is 20 minutes that you weren't doing before! Make it gentle-a nice walk around the neighborhood, or something that you will enjoy. It doesn't have to start out torturous!
When you have successfully done that for a couple of weeks, then either make that 10 minutes into 15, or add a third day of exercise in. Break yourself in slowly.
Also, exercise doesn't always have to be videos, weights, or equipment. Taking a class like martial arts, line dancing, going swimming, or walking around the neighborhood with a friend chatting counts as activity, too.
Some people here are 5K runners, and some are yoga lovers, others love Curves, Jazzercise, square dancing, or what have you. There are gads of ways to exercise. The best thing to do is start slowly, and find something active that YOU like to do. There is an enjoyable exercise for everyone.
You all are making me feel better! Here's my committment for now. I will park under the trees at work. I would guess that is a quarter mile round trip. And I will always park away from the store. That is probably another quarter mile round trip. This will be a fun little challenge. I am easily amused, I guess. Somehow, I don't have to force myself to do these things. Probably because I am so highly motivated to visit Mervyn's or Wal-Mart, I don't mind the slight detour.
i hate exercise too. i bought a cheap pair of rollerblades for myself and my daughter, so we have an activity to do together that gets us out and the blood-pumping. a bonus of time with her that she gets excited about.
All in all I think experiment and find something you don't mind doing. Do you like dancing even if you don't know how (thats me) turn a radio on and dance some dancing while cleaning the house. That burns calories and can be fun to do as well.
This is me, too. Well, not so much the cleaning, but definitely just playing the music and moving. I'll dance, kick, walk, jog, etc. It's fun and it's great for my mood. Sometimes I'll even "visualize" some fellow chicks dancing around me...sorta like we're doing this together in spirit!
gailr42:
Quote:
I used to think I was too good for Richard Simmons. I need to get humble.
I have 3 of his oldies tapes that I bought back in the 80s-90s. And I have a couple of other people's, too. Honestly, I don't really play them much, mainly because I don't like to stand watching a tv the whole time and doing an entire routine that way. I'm more, uh, freestyle (yeah, that's the word, lol). But I do learn things from the tapes and apply them.
As for Richard, I know people make jokes about him (heck, he makes a joke about himself), but I do have a great deal of respect for how he's been able to help people and how he was doing it before it was considered "cool"...I also like that his videos include people of different weights and ability levels. My mother said some people made fun of Jack Lalanne in his day, too...and the man looks amazing now in his 90s...his detractors are probably dead.
gailr42:
Quote:
I think exercise is important for health. I am fearful about not being able to do enough to make a difference in my weight.
Before this year I wasn't exercising. When I started in January, I was doing several 8-10 minutes bursts a day. It made a difference. Plus, as I continued, my stamina increased, I was able to go longer and exert more. I'm what I call a moderate exerciser. I don't go to a gym. I walk and I do various exercises at home, and I play music (either the stereo or I put on my mp3 player) and just have fun with it. Oh, and I recently got an inflatable punching bag, which is pretty fun, too.
Like others have said, there's so many ways to get exercise in without it being a regimented routine or block of time. I mean, when the Bee Gees come on and sing "You Should Be Dancing", I am!
Exercise
. One of you also said something about maintenance being "A stick of celery and a 40 mile walk every day". That makes me grin, but I am afraid of the underlying truth.
Well, not so much the cleaning, but definitely just playing the music and moving. 
I'll dance, kick, walk, jog, etc. It's fun and it's great for my mood. Sometimes I'll even "visualize" some fellow chicks dancing around me...sorta like we're doing this together in spirit! 
