[sylvan]

I know there are a few exercise threads on here already, but they are pretty old so I thought I would start a new one. I am always looking for new things to try so what do you ladies do for exercise?
this year on my birthday I decided to make exercise a life long habit. It's been going really well I have been at it for almost three months and just reached my goal to be able to do 40 push-ups.
I do have two pet peeve though, all the information out there targeting women seems to focus on being skinny instead healthy and how I am the only one in my house interested in fitness. I am not becoming the people I sepend time with as they say, but that does make it harder.

 

[DuneElliot]

I spend a lot of time hiking (day or multi-day) or just walking around town on my lunch break. I'm completely unmotivated by exercise unless it is fun. I also love dancing so those are my two ways of staying fit and healthy.

I also spend time doing a lot of work around the house and property which is always a good workout.

 

[Jojo]

I am 55 and my whole life I have hated gyms, that went double for PE in HS.
I like to hike, swim and dance. There are some great trials around Tulsa and once a year or so, we take a trip to NM and I get to hike where I really love it - the high dessert.
Swimming these days is confined to the YWCA pool.
I dance daily. It clears the mind and makes it sharper. Its my therapy as well as my exercise and I am never bored doing it. I used to have to pay for classes and some were intimidating due to my age. Thank goodness for youtube. You can find classes in any style.
This lady is my inspiration and my current teacher - I am working on learning that choreography. Dance begins at the 2min mark if you want to skip the interview.

 

[Southernskye]

The answer to my lack of exercise was to get a dog. I'm not into going to the gym, I don't dance, and am not confident in the water, so swimming is out for me (although that is something I would like to work on, as it is a great form of exercise). Many times I tried to stick to an exercise plan, walking, sit-ups etc, but I got too busy, or it was too cold or wet to go walking..... any excuse really and that was the end of my plan. A few months ago we got a rescue dog, a beautiful golden retriever and now I am the fittest I have ever been in my life! Because we have a bit of land with a multitude of different animals, hens, ducks, sheep and cats all roaming around, the dog must stay in his kennel and run. This means he needs regular exercise with me on the end of his lead. So five times a day I get him out for 20-30 minute walks/runs/sniffing everything sniffable. It dosnt matter how bad the weather is, I can't get out of this one, no excuses.
I can't believe how much better I feel being fitter. It has also helped greatly with some medical issues I had, exercise has really helped. I am lucky we have the room for a big dog, and that I have the time to give to him, so this may not be for everyone, but it was.certainly the answer for me.

 

[ToBe]

I'm horrible about exercising in the cold months. I need to be better and I'm sure once we move I'll be back on a walking, carrying, lifting, schedule like I was when I ran the ranch. Until then, I keep fit in the summer by umpiring baseball. It's lots of running, under hot gear in hot weather, plus 12-1500 squats a day. By the end of summer my rear, thighs, stomach, and back are like rocks plus my endurance is really high.

 

[Purdy Bear]

I've been doing hospital assigned physio exercises 3 times a day for the last 4 months, with a few Callanetics routines. Once signed off the hospital, I want to carry on with the later, and introduce hula hooping. I've found a video that does my physio exercises with a weighted hoop, so want to build up to using that.

I've done a lot of sports in the past from rock scrambling, canoeing, badminton and swimming. Swimming was my first love but as the chlorine in the water will effect my skin I can no longer do that.

At 50 I'm leaving the fitness bug a little late, but I do need to do something regularly throughout the day, rather then an intense one hour a couple time a week. Luckily for me, due to good genes and moisturiser I apparently don't look my age.

 

[ksmama10]

I've been doing hospital assigned physio exercises 3 times a day for the last 4 months, with a few Callanetics routines. Once signed off the hospital, I want to carry on with the later, and introduce hula hooping. I've found a video that does my physio exercises with a weighted hoop, so want to build up to using that.

I've done a lot of sports in the past from rock scrambling, canoeing, badminton and swimming. Swimming was my first love but as the chlorine in the water will effect my skin I can no longer do that.

At 50 I'm leaving the fitness bug a little late, but I do need to do something regularly throughout the day, rather then an intense one hour a couple time a week. Luckily for me, due to good genes and moisturiser I apparently don't look my age.

Have you found the hula hoop videos on You Tube? I'm thinking about trying those now that I don't have my grandson living here. Toddlers want to play too.. I use a Fitbit that's synced with Myfitnesspal pal, and get most of my active minutes and steps marching in place..while washing dishes, waiting for dh to wake up before breakfast, cooking dinner, or watching Netflix in the afternoons. And since I'm dealing with hormonal changes, I might be standing in front if a box fan most of the time.

 

[bigdogmom]

I am don't do typical gyms either. I would rather do nothing than go run on a treadmill for 30 minutes.

I have dogs and they "force" me on a walk every day. I had gotten in to martial arts and loved it...very interactive and I was learning something. Since we moved I have struggled finding a new place to work out (I do so much better with people pushing me). I have been using daily burn (Internet based exercise experience). It costs $8 a month and has everything from Yoga to Extreme. I do a few a week....at least until I find a new martial arts gym to play in.

 

[Batty]

Most days, the only time I sit down is in the bathroom.... Does 8 hrs of walking whiling picking up, doing dishes & laundry and general house/yard upkeep count?

 

[Kansas Terri]

PE was the WORST! So boring! I do not work out during the winter: it bores me.

I started working out again last week with an hour of gardening and I am still stiff! Will continue gardening most mornings: never for very long but I do it most mornings because, unlike PE, gardening is NOT boring.

 

[DuneElliot]

I think the common thread here is to find an activity, not necessarily a specific type of "exercise", that you enjoy doing...be it gardening, hiking, swimming. If it's fun it's not a chore to do it and you're more likely to keep up with it.

 

[sylvan]

I agree with everyone here gyms and pe class are awful. the hula hoop thing is interesting. I used to have a weighted one but I could never figure out what it was for.

 

[Purdy Bear]

Have you found the hula hoop videos on You Tube? I'm thinking about trying those now that I don't have my grandson living here. Toddlers want to play too.. I use a Fitbit that's synced with Myfitnesspal pal, and get most of my active minutes and steps marching in place..while washing dishes, waiting for dh to wake up before breakfast, cooking dinner, or watching Netflix in the afternoons. And since I'm dealing with hormonal changes, I might be standing in front if a box fan most of the time.

I haven't started Hula Hooping as yet. My last session with the Physio was rather rushed and I didn't get a chance to speak to him about it. If I get a chance in the next session I hope to get the go ahead for it. In the mean time I've now got a normal air filled hoop as well as the weighted one, so I can learn to hoop with the either option first.

As for the videos they seem OK. I do remember from my young age that it's important the very young don't hula hoop too much before their bones have stopped growing as it can cause hip problems especially in girls. If I remember rightly they get something like hurdlers hip problems.

 

[catlady12]

Between 50-100lb sacks of feed, hay bales, and walking more than driving, I hike our mountain whenever I can, although it doesn't happen as often as I like. I do some yoga stretches for my RA and will spend big $ on a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots.

 

[emh1701]

I walk a lot and also do strength training. Up to 20 lb bar weight now.

 

[willow]

I am 55 and my whole life I have hated gyms, that went double for PE in HS.
I like to hike, swim and dance. There are some great trials around Tulsa and once a year or so, we take a trip to NM and I get to hike where I really love it - the high dessert.
Swimming these days is confined to the YWCA pool.
I dance daily. It clears the mind and makes it sharper. Its my therapy as well as my exercise and I am never bored doing it. I used to have to pay for classes and some were intimidating due to my age. Thank goodness for youtube. You can find classes in any style.
This lady is my inspiration and my current teacher - I am working on learning that choreography. Dance begins at the 2min mark if you want to skip the interview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SigxbieBh4

I used to have rhythm but haven't danced in years since hubby won't dance anymore. Can I get back my rhythm if I start dancing again or is it gone forever?

 

[DuneElliot]

I used to have rhythm but haven't danced in years since hubby won't dance anymore. Can I get back my rhythm if I start dancing again or is it gone forever?

All you need to do is find another dance partner...rhythm is not something you lose, just like riding a bike. Find some dance classes or see if you have any male friends that would like to go dancing.

 

[CJay]

I used to love the gym. But haven't had time to go in a couple years. Between work and everything else there simply aren't enough hours in the day. But thanks to a great metabolism and the work I do at work and everything that I'm putting into getting my land the way I want it I've stayed in fairly good shape.

I did manage to turn my evening walk into an evening run though.

 

[bigdogmom]

I am not a typical "gym" person either. Over the years I find that I bounce from different types of exercise every couple years, but am definitely one of those people who needs hard exercise a couple days a week, mostly for my mental health.

I do have three dogs, so I do walk every day, but that isn't enough. I have done indoor rock climbing, Zumba (until the music got ultra rappy and it didn't hold my interest any more), mixed martial arts (which included a ladies class focused on fitness) and now I am doing Crossfit.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[sonya1]

I guess I am the only one here that actually enjoys exercise, always have. PE was my favorite class in high school and my idea of fun is to take my dog for a run or hike up a mountain. I also love doing yoga and used to be practically addicted to step aerobics. My absolute favorite sport to do is snow skiing. I did some sort of martial arts most of my life. I hate sitting. If at work in the office, I walk around the building and up the stairs a lot. My problem now that I am getting older is to prevent injuries. Last year, for the first time ever in my life, I twisted my ankle on a hike down a mountain. It sucked , ruined a trip and made me cry for an hour.

Now I take my dog for a run or at least walk every day, I do yoga probably 3 hours a week, and I lift weights, plus walk up stairs a lot. But we've been doing a lot of physical labor on our house fixing it up so that probably counts too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDfKGowH4yY

if you want to get in really good shape, nothing like step, even if it is out of fashion now . I have 3 of her workout DVDs and had my own step until a few weeks ago when I sold it at a yard sale ( figured didn't need it being a farmer and doing a lot of physical labor)