What exercise should I be doing?

[doistayordoigo]

Looking for some advice...I'll be 50 next year and need to sort myself out before then! Partly because I don't want to start my 50s feeling like I do now, and partly because we've got a trip to Jordan booked and I want to be able to do the climb to the viewpoint at Petra, preferably without killing myself!

I'm currently nearly 2 stone heavier than I'd like to be (5ft 4" and weigh 10st 8lb) and have a fitness level of just about zero. Menopausal, lots of aches and pains, a dodgy knee and a totally sedentary lifestyle.

What kind of exercise should I be looking at doing to improve my overall fitness, and specifically to make climbing and descending a steep incline easier? Currently, walking up even a few flights of stairs leaves me completely breathless, and I also have slightly high blood pressure.

I'd start by walking every day. Can you get a fitbit and increase your steps? When you can manage some short walks you can add in other exercising and little hills to practise. Who are you going with? Would they come for some walks with you?

I’d start with walking too. Start as gently as you need and work up.

I’d also think about general strength, maybe some Pilates, or really gentle body weight/dumbbell exercises. These make a difference really quickly for me in the way I hold myself and my energy levels.

Think about what you enjoy as well as something you can be consistent with is obviously going to be your best bet! Swimming, Zumba, rock climbing, ballroom dancing classes, any sort of movement is going to help you really.

I quite like walking but get bored easily if it's not a proper hike...we went to the Lake District last year and after a week of walking every day I felt much better, but normal life makes it hard to fit that kind of walking in. DH needs to get fit too. DS2 who is 19 is keen to "help" me, but he doesn't really do walking, he's more into weights, and I suspect would enjoy punishing me 😁

Yea it is hard to squeeze things in, hikes on weekends are doable and I’d let DS show you round the weights - would be good fun!

Hello! I have the same sprt of goal hence my user name! (Sadly not going to Petra though). I started about a year ago as I felt so unfit and stiff. I started off with C25K and then added in some yoga for flexibility. I currently do 5km run 3 times a week and a couple of youtube yoga sessions. I can definitely feel a difference but I think I need more strength so I'm thinking of starting with weights after the summer. If you start with walking but find it boring, why not listen to a podcast or audiobook?

It doesn't gain me anything but if you want a 60 day trial of the peloton app, I can post the link (cancel on day 59 and no charges!)

There's body weight strength, stretches, Pilates, and outdoor which is audio so walking with music and it tells you when to turn round and head back as well

@Fitterbyfifty Great name! I tried c25k a couple of years ago and didn't make it past week 3 😁but I guess I could try again.

@MsOllie How does that work, do you need a Peloton machine?

Get an Apple Watch

Start walking and monitoring your fitness levels. It will measure your VO2 max which is your cardio health and you’ll soon start to see it go up if you are regular and committed. The ‘Health’ app on your phone will show all your progress and it just makes it more intetesting and motivating.

exercise won’t make you lose weight but you’ll feel so much better. And your watch will tell you why with all its measures….it feels really good to be connected to your health.

Once you’ve got your walking regular, do harder walks, uphill, get your heart rate to max at least 3 times a week, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Walk even if it's boring

Nhs have a load of advice about knee trouble - start doing strength exercises daily if possible. Nhs knee exercise brings page up

Weight /strength training is also fantastic for menopausal women

Swimming ( not breaststroke ) and cycling are aerobic and kind on knees

Build the knees up allows you to do more energetic stuff and will help you get down any hills

Once that's going well

yes, you need a mix of exercises.

cardio & strength

walking is a good start (take an audiobook if you get bored).
with your squeaky knees a cross trainer or cycling might be good as well.

for strength look up core strength exercises on youtube. plenty about that don't require any equiment.

Walk every day, at a swift pace rather than leisurely. I would also add some swimming in a few times a week

@doistayordoigo yes only for the cycling but ignoring that bit it gives you access to
Strength classes (stuff like squats/lunges)
Walks (with music playlists that tell you when to turn around)
Pilates and yoga
Couch to 5k
Core exercises

I really recommend Peloton! You don't need a peloton machine.

The app is 12.99 a month but, as PP has said, you can do a free trial and if you cancel before it ends you won't get charged.

There are so many classes to choose from - yoga, Pilates, barre, hit. You can run/walk outdoors just listening to the trainer. They have playlists of music to listen to and the trainer will give you an indication of speeds to walk etc. Makes walking more interesting sometimes, although I do enjoy a good Podcast on my walks.

For Peloton classes having dumbbells is beneficial but you don't have to.

I started working out properly 5 years ago. I started with doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (20 minutes everyday). I didn't have any weights so I used to use tins of beans or water bottles. The kids used to absolutely rip the piss out of me. 😂

Also, with Peloton you can use just an ordinary tread or spin bike (if you have one or access to one) if you wanted to do the tread and spin classes.

We have a peloton bike that only DH uses at the moment because I don't have shoes. I have a treadmill that I use for tread classes and boot camps but it is just a basic reebok one.

You tube is great for fitness channels and it’s free! I do my spinning, kettle bell, resistance band and yoga all on you tube.

There are walking workouts which may interest you, some are a bit like old style aerobics in someways. But walking in general is under rated and a great start. Walking outside is great for us.

Also start to add in some form of strength. I’m not talking heavy heavy weights but there are body weight exercises, dumbbells, bands, Pilates,yoga etc

Depending on what kind of knee trouble you have, you should possibly start with swimming or cycling for cardio rather than running.

If you DO do c25k, I always tell people that there’s no harm in repeating weeks! I got very sick around Week 3 and ended up repeating it over and over for about four weeks until I felt able to progress to Week 4. I’d much rather gently push myself to do an easy-to-moderate workout than be totally intimidated by a hard workout and just give up exercising altogether!

@MsOllie if you have plenty of invites, I’d love to try the Peloton trial!

It's unlimited so feel free! There's some great programmes on there which are 6-8 weeks too

https://www.onepeloton.co.uk/digital/checkout/digital-gp-60d?utmsource=iosapp&utmmedium=inapp&code=47448c95853849e7817d56c2d7153edc&locale=en-GB

Swimming & walking in a social way, find groups, so you don't get bored.
You're the right age for Ramblers or Aquarobics, but a bit skinnier than average for our local Aquarobics.

@MsOllie thank you! Look forward to giving it a go!

I second the Apple Watch as a motivator to exercise

Also a gym membership - I'm naturally lazy but also a little bit mean cautious about spending money on myself so the desire to get value for money from the gym propels me there a couple of times a week to swim/pilates/gym floor

If you do any of the barre classes they burn your bum like crazy (you can filter by type, length, instructor etc so just have a play around with it)

I just did a cycling one then a stretch and an arms and light weights class

I tried swimming a few years ago but found my very basic breaststroke, not putting my head under the water, gave me really sore shoulders and neck. Unfortunately I never learnt to swim technically so can't put my head under and can't do front crawl.

Thanks for the peloton link and information...I'll definitely take a look. I've already got some weights, and DS2 has heavier ones if I ever need them (unlikely 😂)

@UpToMyElbowsInDiapers I always seem to get sick, or injure myself, or something happens as soon as I start trying to exercise. It's a bit weird...

Swimming like that does more harm than good! You might find it worthwhile to invest in a few swimming lessons to get a proper technique sorted as swimming is a really good form of exercise as your joints get older!

Have a look and see if there is a parkrun near you. Don’t be put off by the name;- you can run, jog or walk. They are held at 9 o’clock on Saturday mornings and are very friendly and inclusive (and also completely free!) They always have a volunteer Tail Walker so you would never be on your own at the back.