What do you do to stay physically active? Just curious, I know this will be different for everyone.

I tried to walk outside for a bit early in the morning. But with it being cold, I find myself oversleeping lately. Once I start late, then everything starts to snowball for the day. I find it more likely that I will doing it during the night. I try to take some to stretch myself out. I wouldn't call it yoga, but it helps me take mental breaks and get away from electronics. As much I would like to incorporate some additional activity like weight training, I'm already exhausted lately from everyday stuff.

Create a system and stick to it. If you switch it up, stick to that.

I workout every other day, so one week 4 times, another 3 times. I choose a body part for that day and determine how much time I have for that day and stick to it. If I have errands and they're in a walkable distance where my presence isn't determined by my looks? I jog/walk. At home but have to clean? I work out after or do some body or kettle bell lifts. Don't feel like lifting? Jump rope. Still want to move my body but not with what I listed? Exercise ball.

It's all current lifestyle, creativity and effort.

Gosh darn it, you're right! Maybe I'll only pick two weekdays plus a weekend day and start from there. Hm, I like the medicine ball, foam roller, and yoga blocks. Not very strenuous, but I'll start there and stick with it. I'll keep the daily walking routine at night too. Thanks!

I try to run 3 miles a few times a week and strength train with dumbbells at home the other days. I use the Peloton app for guided workouts, but there are a bunch of YouTube channels that offer good coaching too. I feel like 30 minutes a day is a good sweet spot for me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2024 04:25AM by Mellifluy.

My HDL cholesterol runs lower than it should be. That was discovered when I turned 30. I'm 44 today. In addition to taking Mega Red and a Niacin supplement, my doctor advised me to walk 30-minutes 3 to 5 days a week. Ever the overachiever, I implemented a daily constitutional as a part of my routine. For years I was very good at it. Life took a wild left turn, but I was able to keep up several days a week, normally 45–60 minutes at a time. When I hit my late 30s and realized I had gone from 170 to 200 pounds, I started working out doing push-ups, lifting dumbbells, and doing jumping jacks. When I hit 40, I would doing about 1200 jumping jacks in an hour. Covid hit, and my circumstances changed, out went the work-out. I still kept up with the walking though and had gotten my weight down to 180. Another life change happened a few years ago when I moved home to care for mom. My walking went from 3 to 5 days to 1 to 3 days a week. When my sister got sick two years ago, before we knew what was going on with her, she started walking with me. Her health quickly went down further though and once she was in the hospital last year, I never got back into walking. Mom's dementia has worsened during the same time. So, now taking care of both of them and running my business, I just don't have the time. It is funny you posted this thread. I was thinking today that when I go back for a check-up in the Spring, my doctor is not going to be happy because I've gained 10 pounds since March. I had gone from 180 to 230 to 220 to 210 and now back to 220. A lot of that is my diet. I enjoy Starbucks almost daily, and I cannot seem to shake Coke. It is what it is. I don't stress myself out about it. I garden during the summer and that gets me some exercise. I enjoy my life and view it that if the Lord tarries and calls me Home, then so be it. I will have done everything meant for me to do here. I'll be Mr. Hercules in Heaven.

I used to walk all the time but now i have osteoarthritis and my joints can only take so much. I bought myself a metaquest last January and there are some great fitness games on there that get my heart rate into that fat burning zone. I have never been more consistent with any exercise in my entire life. Some nights i can do an hour if i am feeling good. So many different options to stay active with it.

walk, walk, walk

I love skiing and hiking. So, everything else is to help me enjoy that. Well, I also love kayaking and cycling. So everything else is to help me enjoy those too.

I try to do something everyday. Outside for a walk,cycling, ice skating, snow shoeing, x-country skiing. These are the things I can step outside my door and do.

Or Various yoga/exercise shows I've recorded. When all else fails, the dreadmill.

You all put me to shame. I have no excuses!

I used to love walking, I would walk or ride my bike anywhere and everywhere. My ex-husband stole my racing bike, he had already made it so I couldn't ride it anymore, he sold it for drugs. I had to stop walking so much when I started having trouble with my hips, but me and Boofus da Woofus still walked 2 miles every day, and I walked all evening at work getting vehicles to work on from the lot, and all evening inside the shop working of the vehicles.

Then I got hurt at work and my boss told me I couldn't walk in the yard, or a block down the street to catch a ride back to the shop. And after the surgeries that were supposed to "fix" my knee I've been in too much pain to do more than the minimum. If I do a LOT of gas station shops my knees and hips loosen up a bit and I feel better and can do a bit more, but every year that gets less and less.

It's possible, if I could do a certain amount of work on a regular basis, like 3 or 4 days per week, I could gradually get back to being able to do all but the largest gas stations that require pics of each pump. But the bonuses don't come so quickly anymore, and the work just isn't consistent enough. I'm to the point now where if I have to do a big gas station I need help, or I need to have my walker. I choose help more often than not, even though the walker is in the car.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

walk, walk, walk

And walk barefoot.

I walk the dog, sometimes do youtube workouts, use exercises I learned during physical therapy (with weights/resistance bands), but I don't really have a great routine. I sort of do things on the fly as I feel that day, but I'm working on establishing more of a routine.

Yoga, bicycling and water aerobics.

Nobody, including me in my earlier post, said sex. I'd like to change my answer to sex. Us guys can burn over 100 calories per "event." Do that a few times a night, say goodbye to the gym!

Service, I have one word for you. I'm not going to lie. The subject of your post was also one factor why I love this activity. It can do wonders across multiple disciplines. Yoga!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2024 03:01AM by Okie.

I have 5 acres of land. On the days I am not working, I am mowing. I have a self-propelled walk behind mower. This is a year round job. I use my chainsaw every week to cut down trees and fallen branches. I rebuilt the porch on my house. I have tons of painting to do both inside and out plus maintaining my fences. I ride horses twice a week. Plus weedeating, general housework and maintenance. No need for a gym.

I am 72, 114 lbs, 5'4" and female. I take no medications except vitamins. I have no physical problems. This is because I stay active. My sisters are retired. They like to watch TV and eat chips. All of them have back and knee problems and take tons of meds. One of my sisters takes cruises almost every 6 weeks. Most of the time, she doesn't even get off the ship. She enjoys the food, the shows and gambling on the ship. She has tried numerous diets and is now taking injections to control her weight. I have offered for her to visit me for a few weeks to change her lifestyle but she is not interested.

My advice, stay active! It keeps you mentally and physically fit. The physical activity that I do each week would put most people in the hospital. If you live in an apartment like I did when I was younger, there are still meet-up groups that go hiking, kayaking, etc. I have also volunteered at a big cat sanctuary, a wildlife rehab and at the local library. Volunteer to walk dogs or any volunteer activity. You will get plenty of exercise doing this and meet some wonderful people.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2025 11:59AM by Texans.

I walk up and down my driveway twice a day until I get to a mile or more.
Now that it is cold and snow and ice on ground, I have a" Cubi " exercise machine that I use. I sit and work on my laptop and before I know it, I've put 4 miles on it.

@Texans - I loved your post. I have several acres and several animals. I have fences that I repair like clockwork, besides the other chores on the land and home. I agree with your statements about it keeping you healthy, fit and not needing medication. Same here. And I sleep well because of all that activity. I do wear an Apple Watch, so I have no problem closing my rings daily!

Texans, you sound like my mom! But ugh, I live a spoiled life with HOA doing the lawn maintenance and all that other stuff. Maybe I'll look into some volunteering and maximize my volunteering time off through work.

Kaito's advice did help though. December felt long, but I feel like I made progress. I been trying different times and things, but I think I figured out a consistent and sustainable routine now. I'm more likely to be active when in the office at work. I'm just too comfortable and lazy at home.

For being tired though, I think changing my diet to incorporate more protein and some carbs has helped some, along with an additional meal, to get some more fuel/energy and recover better. Maybe it's the cold weather and being lighter now, but I'm out for exactly eight hours, no matter how hard I try to wake up earlier.

I realized that I'm not a morning person now when it comes to exercise, no matter how much I tried. But I like getting into work early. First thing in the morning, I prioritize the work that requires checking in with people who work different time zones or tasks that completed overnight. Once I'm at a good stopping point for the day, I shut it down. It's easier to feel good about completing work and then putting it aside. For me, it's more convenient to then change clothes, exercise nearby, and then shower back at home. My work reimburses the gym membership, and I enjoy the variety it offers versus other gyms.

I'm not a fan of strength training, but I'm starting to at least do it on Friday/Saturday and then sleep in the morning after. I've taken a liking to boxing/kickboxing and yoga. I feel it's therapeutic. I'm getting more interested in workouts that seem to be geared towards MMA/UFC.