The exercise dilemma

Exercise may be good for you but for me it boils down to finding something I'm comfortable with, ie not too physically complex.

That leaves walking and swimming. With walking I have a limited area I'll walk in . Longest distance is just under 1000 steps there and back. It's the walk to the cafe where I'll have something to eat and drink so I'm probably piling on more from food than I'm taking off via exercise.

I've tried doing the active 10 x3 (1000 steps in 10 minutes) by pacing indoors and it's as mind numbingly boring as can be.

That leaves swimming. I'd need someone to take me to the swimming baths . It's not something I can just up and do.

I used to have an exercise bike but got disillusioned with that when I was putting on weight using it rather than losing.
Have considered a simple step machine but am clueless as to what to buy.

  • That is an impressive number of shops. Shame you did not get to have a KFC - I love their Zinger! 

  • I actually shop.

    Today in one area I visited, Boots, superdrug, Wilco's, Sainsbury's, KFC had long queues.

    Then a twenty minutes walk to second area, went in Waitrose, Asda, Fulton's, Q&M, poundstrechter, tried another KFC, too full again.

  • Sensible decision. I don't enjoy walking when it is freezing cold and windy. 

    1.5 hours is a good length of time to spend walking.

    Do you go into shops and look round, or do you just walk around outside? 

  • No.  I decided to give this 8 mile walk a miss.

    This morning it was wet, freezing cold  & windy and I care about my health.

    I did however go round a couple of local shopping areas.  Total walking time 1.5 hours.

  • This sounds very helpful - I injured my ankle doing too much walking and now I have to gradually increase activity levels.

    If I had done warm ups and taken things more steadily in the first place my ankle would probably be OK. 

  • Did you go walking today as planned? If so did you take any photos?

    We woke up to heavy snowfall which settled for a while before melting. Not sure how widespread this was. 

    I am looking forward to going walking again soon. I injured my ankle by increasing activity levels too quickly. Taking a while to recover. Lesson learnt! 

  • If it is a pay as you go phone the a new SIM card can easily be bought, and cost about £1 , they vary enormously in what they offer, different “ packages” depending how each user wants to use the phone, so data can be one thing to focus on as this if the phone is a smart phone allows you to connect to the internet, and use apps, maps if you like, 

    As the SIM card can vary for use, the cost to top it up can be a mindfueld, way to many different offers, say for instance you buy £10 top up, it will allow you to use to call out, receive calls, text and use mobile date/ internet, but dependent on which package you choose will effect cost and time limit before it needs topping up again, some carry whatever credit is left onto the following time but you have to top up before it expires to do that.

     Yes a minefield, but should be simple once someone has asked you what you need it for and tells you the best one, you just top up every week or month after that, 

  • I live in a flat with people above me, below me and along side me.

    My neighbours already consider me strange and they shun me.

    If I did a lot of walking indoors and other exercises.  Then their low opinion of me would probably be confirmed.  So I prefer to get out and explore.

  • I agree Robert, walking outdoors in the countryside is much better for many reasons and my preferred option too when I’m able but unfortunately not always possible. Plus walking outdoors  doesn’t suit everyone especially if lacking in either health or confidence so good to have adaptable alternatives. 

  • I'm prepared for tomorrow's walk.

    It's nice to walk with a group.  And safer.

    A few photos from my latest walks

    As long as the weather is ok.  I want it to be dry.  The legs get a lot of exercise. And the lungs some fresh air.

    I don't understand indoor exercise/walking or gyms.

  • While it's great if you can enjoy it, it's better to be active and not enjoy it, than not to do it at all. If navigation is the issue, then try taking a map, or have someone walk with you on a new, longer route, for the first few times, and then you can do it yourself once you've learned the route :)

  • Walking indoors doesn’t have to be boring. Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home is good. She builds in stretches and aerobic type exercise but keeps it simple and you just do what you can. There are warm ups and cool downs. If you subscribe you get emails too. Similar with YogaJp and am sure lots of other YouTube, podcasts or websites. Chair yoga or Pilates, tai chi, a range of all sorts. Maybe an actual bike/trike depending on stability if you haven’t got one , it’s amazing what’s of the local freecycle etc Also some local authorities are very good and offer disability sports to tap into; some are outdoors if you don’t like sports centres but I find it’s a postcode lottery thing again where one authority has a good range and the next door authority has barely anything.  Worth checking out to see if anything appeals to you. 

  • Exercise by pacing indoors!!!  That must be boring.

    My main form of exercise is walking to the local shops every day.  This is the minimum.  The problem is... I end up spending money that I can't afford.

    I also enjoy walking through the woods and taking photographs.  Walking uphill is where the body uses up energy and I loses weight.

    For really challenging walks I join a walking group.  I'm thinking of this walk tomorrow, if it's not too cold or windy.

    https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/find-a-walk-or-route/walk-detail.aspx?walkID=3980158

  • Have got a phone but without sim card. It's one one of my granddaughters had lent me. The other granddaughter used it and took out the sim card(which she lost) to put in her own.  As it is I didn't have an instruction booklet and only knew how to make calls.  

  • I suppose you have a smart phone? What I used to do in a new neighbourhood was start small and extend the walk little by little. Before leaving study the maps. Google maps works just fine, but there are others that are specifically aimed at walking (and registering) your distance. Before the age of phones with internet, I used to study the map in advance and take it with me.

    Extend the walks little by little and you'll find it less scary.

  • It's my poor sense of direction and fear of getting lost and trapped that holds me back.    Am very limited as to where I'll feel safe walking.

  • Can't you find a route that is longer? I set myself a time limit on a fixed route. Max 75 minutes. Shorter is not satisfying and longer I get too tired.