Exercise Support

[thrasherpix]

For those of you who do manage to exercise at home, what do you do, and how often?

I no longer have a fixed schedule. I'm only replying on the off chance that my suggestion to try stretching before exercise is useful.

That's what I do, fairly regularly, sometimes when I have time, and other times when I've been sitting a little too long that I feel uncomfortable. I do various stretches which generally feel good, and then I follow up with exercise (just with myself, though I do have a pull up bar that I still use at times). Stretching (after a few minutes) will get me to want to exercise, even if I didn't feel like working out before.


I burn a lot of calories walking up a steep hill. It's so steep that I hate walking back down it because I struggle not to fall when I do. What I typically do is walk up to where there's a road and I walk down that road until I get to where there are stairs carved into the hill and I can get back down easily. I don't know the exact distance but I'd say it's about 2 miles.

(Rarely these days, used to be more common, I'd continue WAY UP the hill until I got to a nature trail that I'd also walk down, and then take a walk, miles long, back home. I almost got a heat stroke doing that once, however.)


Here's the thing...I used to belong to a fitness center. But then in the 2020 shutdown they still wanted to overcharge me for membership while not letting me go. Their attitude was pretty much "if you quit, don't come back." So I quit Glad I was able to get in touch with someone before months went by of my being charged.

Since I stopped using the gym aerobic machines, I replaced it with the steep hill mentioned above. And I lost weight, meaning it works better than the gym. (In contrast, I typically used aerobic machines for around an hour, which was in addition to using other exercise machines and working out. Despite this, I actually started losing weight after I quit the gym meaning the steep hill is more effective!)

That said, I do miss the sauna. I'd work out hard and then use the sauna for several minutes (like 40 minutes, though I wouldn't recommend that to a beginner). At some point when it was overwhelming I'd go to the shower and take a cold shower. This was bracing bordering on painful but I was so awake and alive that it became addictive. I'd go between sauna and shower several times, sometimes for over an hour. I know I'm not alone in thinking it feels good (so I'm sharing), and I've also heard from others that it helps with allergies (though doesn't cure them). That's the only thing tempting me to mend fences with the gym and returning, so I can have that again.

 

[DeepBlueJoy]

I no longer have a fixed schedule. I'm only replying on the off chance that my suggestion to try stretching before exercise is useful.

That's what I do, fairly regularly, sometimes when I have time, and other times when I've been sitting a little too long that I feel uncomfortable. I do various stretches which generally feel good, and then I follow up with exercise (just with myself, though I do have a pull up bar that I still use at times). Stretching (after a few minutes) will get me to want to exercise, even if I didn't feel like working out before.


I burn a lot of calories walking up a steep hill. It's so steep that I hate walking back down it because I struggle not to fall when I do. What I typically do is walk up to where there's a road and I walk down that road until I get to where there are stairs carved into the hill and I can get back down easily. I don't know the exact distance but I'd say it's about 2 miles.

(Rarely these days, used to be more common, I'd continue WAY UP the hill until I got to a nature trail that I'd also walk down, and then take a walk, miles long, back home. I almost got a heat stroke doing that once, however.)


Here's the thing...I used to belong to a fitness center. But then in the 2020 shutdown they still wanted to overcharge me for membership while not letting me go. Their attitude was pretty much "if you quit, don't come back." So I quit Glad I was able to get in touch with someone before months went by of my being charged.

Since I stopped using the gym aerobic machines, I replaced it with the steep hill mentioned above. And I lost weight, meaning it works better than the gym. (In contrast, I typically used aerobic machines for around an hour, which was in addition to using other exercise machines and working out. Despite this, I actually started losing weight after I quit the gym meaning the steep hill is more effective!)

That said, I do miss the sauna. I'd work out hard and then use the sauna for several minutes (like 40 minutes, though I wouldn't recommend that to a beginner). At some point when it was overwhelming I'd go to the shower and take a cold shower. This was bracing bordering on painful but I was so awake and alive that it became addictive. I'd go between sauna and shower several times, sometimes for over an hour. I know I'm not alone in thinking it feels good (so I'm sharing), and I've also heard from others that it helps with allergies (though doesn't cure them). That's the only thing tempting me to mend fences with the gym and returning, so I can have that again.

You tempt me to join a gym. Last one did not have sauna - but it has been a while. They get more fancy and thus means more features.

I have always been an exercise outdoors girl. Then hot shower ending with cold shower - which is a great way to start the day! Wish i had the water pressure of my old house. I could be cooked or frozen in moments.
😎
It really does feel good! Never used sauna. Have been to geothermal 'hot baths" and almost passed out - but it was really a good feeling.

 

[CrypticMystic]

I joined an actual gym - it has childcare! It's HUGE. I got to do this kickoff thing where I met with a trainer and got my weight, height, muscle mass taken and we talked about my goals. It was awesome! I've actually lost more weight than I thought!

For me the hardest part is GETTING into the gym. Once I'm there, I'm good to go, but I need accountability and right now a personal trainer is not in the budget.

 

[hoponlilmama]

Jeez, I've totally fallen off the exercise wagon. It's unbearably hot during the day, so I don't want to walk. And once it gets dark it cools down, but I don't feel safe walking alone at night. I let my YMCA membership lapse because I wasn't using it enough to make it worthwhile. I have also been depressed, so that kills my motivation as well (which is ironic because exercise can help depression).

I try to motivate myself to exercise at home, maybe do yoga or aerobics videos, but for some reason I never manage to do it. I'm so disappointed with myself, because I know I'd feel so much better if I was exercising regularly again.

For those of you who do manage to exercise at home, what do you do, and how often?

I too have fallen off the exercise wagon - life, weather puts up a roadblock from getting outside and going for a nice walk. Sometimes I'll pull up one of those short 15 minute exercise clips on YT if I'm motivated.

The one thing I am pretty consistent with is weights. Nothing too heavy, and I do about 10 - 15 minutes with some small dumbbells. Sometimes combined with some squats, so I at least feel like I'm doing something.

I did consider purchasing a walking pad, but I can't find them in-store to look at/test it. Maybe later in the year I'll look into them again.

 

[hoponlilmama]

@Joan the Vampire Slayer - That's awesome, Joan!🙂 Even if it's for a few minutes a day, it's helpful.

 

[nightshade]

I'm trying to walk more on days when its not a heatwave!

 

[CrypticMystic]

Been able to get to the gym almost every day this week.

Why am I so hungry on my strength training days? I am RAVENOUS after! LOL.

I'm doing fairly good with my weight training.. I just HATE cardio. So. Much.

 

[NotASlayer]

For those of you who do manage to exercise at home, what do you do, and how often?

I have some dumbbells and as well as that there are the stairs (who needs a Stairmaster when you have actual stairs! 😀), plus situps, pushups and planks, and I generally try and do various several minute exercise breaks throughout the day, plus a half an hour walk outside.

Oh, and I forgot. Wrist tensioners, ankle weights around the house a lot though not all the time - I started using them to tone up my legs but it turns out they don't half work on your bum too! - wrist weights when doing other exercises and sometimes a weight vest when walking.

 

[November]

I broke my scales again. Says Im down 15 kilos, but my clothes still fit, so that cant be right.

I have been doing a lot more dancing lately but still not enough to be considered a work out. I get up to Smooth Criminal from the HIStory tour before the dogs are begging for walkies in the morning. And then at night I put Jam on so that I dont fall asleep too early.

 

[CrypticMystic]

today was a great day at the gym. I managed 4/5 days this week which is pretty good! I like strength training days more than cardio days though lol, so it was a good day at the gym by default.

 

[machinewolfhear]

im a big guy, to big in my opinion but with the medication i get, i grewed hard, my family and friends are very concerned.Saturday after the pancake party a friend called me and confronted me like this is not the way my friend, so im going to excersise more and start with my diet, hopefully i get some results this time. When i was younger round 18 years i was slim but (not making excuses) due to problems i get to eat all kind of bad food, but im a bad person now? i dont think so, i do things and say more yes but i must start losing weight, i dont like to be in wheelchair in a couple of years or worse...sorry for ventilating my thoughts but im thinking about this a long time now..please be kind

 

[Nix]

I'm thinking of joining RockFit! Rookie Rocker level lol... they do classes about 25 min away from me but they also do online classes and chair groups which will be better for me due to mobility issues now, just to get me moving more. I have my treadmill at home and a friend and I are going to start an exercise routine when she's back off holiday once a week at mine using the exercise equipment we both have. If I lose weight great but it's more about mobility and fitness levels.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

I am struggling so hard to find motivation to exercise...send help.

 

[November]

I am struggling so hard to find motivation to exercise...send help.

It will be easier when summer is over! Its really hard to exercise in the heat, winter will be wonderful 🙂

I got new scales and I am down over 10 kilos. Must be the Michael magic. My balance has been tonnes better over the winter as well, far less migraines to contend with. I ate a huge lunch today and now I feel too full to dance and I hate it, so I hope I learn from that! Its far more fun to dance than be bloated on the couch. I have to make the dogs walkies earlier now days too. I hope it wont be too much longer before the pool opens again as its really heating up again and the sun is biting during the day.