non weight bearing exercise - help

[storminateacupagain]

I need to lose weight and tone up especially around my middle
Due to recent knee surgery and then a fall on that knee- physical exercise is proving impossible- even swimming is too painful.
Any suggestions on non boring repetitive activity for me
I have about a stone to lose in 2 months if possible

You're not going to lose a stone without attending to your diet.

As for exercise - well, the limitations you set don't offer much. Can you walk ? Could you do around 15,000 steps a day in short bursts? Maybe 15 minutes at a time?

You could plank, I suppose, and do press ups.

Maybe Pilates would help you maintain muscle tone.

But it's only through a healthy diet that keeps you in a calorie deficit that you're going to lose a stone. Even then, doing that in 2 months is a push, if you're basically sedentary.

I’m assuming if the OP can’t swim 15k steps is out of the question?
Yhere are some seated cardio workouts on YouTube that might be worth a try

Static bike? Can you get into the water? Aquarobics or swimming (front crawl legs may be more comfortable than breast stroke legs).

thanks for the replies
I had a menisectomy done to (L) knee as well as removal of bakers cyst 8 weeks ago hence the weight gain. I was recovering well until l had a fall and l am back on crutches.
I was back doing 10K+ steps daily and swimming but although l can do some swimming walking /weight bearing for now is a no go and as l can't get my leg to 90 degrees the bike is a bit too difficult.
I am following the slimming world diet with a bit of Fasting and the weight is slowly reducing but not quickly enough.
I will have a look at you tube.
😀

Can you walk in the pool? Otherwise there's a machine where you just pull down on ropes, meant to replicate skiing with poles.

If you're on crutches though you should ask your doctor, knee problems are no joke.

I do seated yoga and seated Pilates using YouTube videos, there are some standing exercises when you hold on to the back of the chair but I can only manage a few of them. There are some seated exercise classes near me but I cannot walk far enough to get to them!

aqua jogging? You need a waist belt float and a deep pool. But ultimately, I agree with PP about diet being key here.

There's a lady at my pool who swims using only her arms - fast! She then gets out and walks normally, so I don't know why.

You can improve your heart health / circulation by taking a bath for 20 mins that's hot enough to make your face sweat. Raising your core body temperature makes your heart work harder and can make returning to physical exercise easier. (It may also be why countries where saunas are popular have healthier hearts.)

It's diet you need not exercise to lose weight. Exercise is great but you won't lose a stone doing it.

I too have dodgy knees and found swimming possible using a pull bouy float. Really tones your upper body!

Yes, front crawl with a pull float will do the job if you can get to/ from the pool

Attend to your diet now and worry about the exercise when you are fully recovered - no point in doing too much too soon and worsening things.

Swimming should be perfect.. just using arms maybe

Chair yoga

... tone up especially around my middle

Pilates can help with core strength, some instructors are physio trained so should be able to tailor exercises to be suitable for you.

as l can't get my leg to 90 degrees the bike is a bit too difficult.

Might a recumbent bike be ok? I've seen some that you 'pedal' with your hands,

If it was me i would carry on with your diet (Maybe increase the efforts) AND start going for sauna's to try to sweat it out a bit.

On top of this i would invest in one of those floats which can be held between your thighs so you dont have to kick when you swim. That way you can still get your heartrate up and exercise.

The biggest one is your diet though.

Watching with interest as I am having a partial meniscectomy in a few weeks.

Everyone keep recommending swimming to me, but it's an absolute no go for me at the moment.

I'm thinking of a little under desk bike that can be used with just arms too at the moment but

Swimming with minimal use of legs either freestyle or back stroke.
Aqua aerobics
Upper body exercises using weights - seated if necessary.
Low/no impact workouts, lots of videos on YouTube, look at growingananas and Heather Robertson.

@Mongrelsrbeautiful long distance swimmers only use their legs for rhythm and balance. The large leg muscles also use more oxygen so using arms only means more efficient and better use of oxygen.

A personal trainer would help put a programme together for seated/lying down strength exercises, but a few:

Seated - presses: shoulder press, arnold press, hammer press
Raises - lateral, forward, arc etc
Can you lean forward? If so you could do rear delt flies and rows

Lying down - chest press, tricep press, flies, pullovers and a load of others

There's also many, many variations on a crunch!

Sorry, forgot to say - if you can stand, punches are a good way to get some cardio in (and can vent some frustration...)

Couldn't you do them seated?

Yes, you probably could