Lets Post our Daily Exercise

It's really hard to find fitness activities that work with lower back pain - I've been there.  Walking wasn't even working for me because going down even a slight incline sent daggers of pain radiating out from my lower back. Couldn't do anything that required laying or kneeling on the floor or bending at the waist.  Even using the arms for dumb bell work caused pain. I truly hope you are able to find something that works for you.  Hopefully some of the more well-rounded gals will have some great suggestions.  I ended up really not doing anything but daily life for several months and then all of a sudden one day I didn't have back pain any more after a full year of suffering with it.  Then about three weeks later the BC diagnosis hit.......BAM!!! 

bethq - I sure hope you don't have that scary sounding impossible to spell condition!  My problem was really just a muscle strain from helping DH lift something WAY too heavy but man oh man, you don't appreciate your back health until you have pain!  As far as the drinking goes I've never learned to like beer or wine (I've tried!), can hardly even stand the smell of either one still!  I have to have girly fou-fou drinks that taste like kool-aid.....hahaha!  Seriously, I hope the x-ray can provide a diagnosis so you know which direction to go for a solution.  Good luck!

Yesterday was a challenge because my bp was so low. Today it is a bit better so I'm going to walk.

Ok Ruth I took your advice and held myself accountable....got off my butt, went to the gym and did 40 min of cardio and a little leg weights. I had been losing weight like crazy between Weight Watchers and nerves but found today I was up 2 lbs!! I blame it on the TEs!

Funny about inspiration and strange places we get it. I was watching that show where the guy sets up cameras in restaurants to find out which employees are bad apples. Well the owner of this place (a protein bar at a gym) was this gorgeous built lady. At the end of the show she said to the host, 'ok lets go do some cardio".....and that's all it took. 

I'm strange that way though.....Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife, Beth, was my inspiration to be a nicer person. Hmm

beth, just so she is not your inspiration for a physique!

S&S, vinyasa flow is a type of yoga that combines
postures and breathing with  a sequence
of postures done in succession, one flowing into the other.  Next week, we are off to try iyengar yoga that places focus on the subtleties of each posture.  Ruth, you are pretty close to working out daily and keeping decay quiet and I'd like to read your review.  Welcome Beth and getting up and doing is how it works.  Teacher, energy will build and for now, as you know - rest will help.   Mary & Cheryl, it's a quickie of my dear brother and his stepson who is the same age as our boy.  They arrive via train here on Sunday and staying in London at the moment.  Yes on lots of walking and  have a requested an emphasis of WWII and we can start with the pillbox in our back field and then over to the war time tunnels at Dover Castle and a small, local museum of aviation relics.

Gym classes were cancelled due to no cover so I'm going to try to run early tomorrow morning an used today as my down day.

Here is synopsis of Younger Next Year for Women (the book that Lilac recommended....so chime in Lilac, if I get things wrong). A doctor and his 70 something patient/friend alternate in writing chapters. The doctor (Henry Lodge) discusses the various issues from a scientific point of view. The layman (Chris Crowley) talks in very down to earth, no nonsense terms.

Some main points:

* 70 percent of aging after 50 is governed by our lifestyle. Half of all the sicknesses and serious accidents suffered by people who are 'aging' can be eliminated by lifestyle changes.

*Because of the high quality of medical care, most people will live to an old age.....your actions now will determine whether that will be an enjoyable time or if you'll end up in the nursing home being fed pablum (Chris tells it like it is!).

* 70% of the 'normal decay' (or as Chris calls it 'rot'); weakness, lousy balance, feeling crappy, does NOT have to happen to you. You can override the 'default to decay' signals and change decay back into growth. After 50, there is only growth or decay....you will choose by your actions which is going to happen to you.

Here's what we have to do to:

*Exercise. 'Exercise is the golden key to great health.....exercise is the great key to aging....you can be yourself for the rest of your life.' Exercise fights depression, anxiety, and insomnia, vigourous exercise is the most powerful way to cut down your risk of heart attack. And for us; "Exercise...increases survival for breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. And not by small numbers. The increased survival for breast cancer, for instance, has been as much as 50% in some studies. Here is the catch, according to them, you need to exercise 6 days a week for the rest of your life.....no negotiaions, no excuses. They say 4 days of aerobic activities, and at least 2 of strength training/weight lifting etc. Quote from Chris, " Do some damn thing every day, 6 days a week. And always for at least 45 minutes....never quit early. And never stay home. Ever." If you add strenth training, you will actually BUILD bones instead of just slow the loss (which is what aerobic exercise does). He also says all women need to take calcium plus vitamin D suppliments 1,500 mg a day (split up into 3 different times). When you exercise, you are telling your body to grow, build new tissue etc...which will cause it to run at a higher metabolic rate (ie burn more calories....even when you sleep!).

* Eat less crap (as he says). There a section on nutrition with the advice we all know.

*Connect with other people; family, friends, organizations you feel are worthwhile.

* Commit: find some causes bigger than yourself to champion. Say 'yes' to new adventures, or better yet, make them happen yourself.

Final quote: "Exercise hard and you will grow younger. Care about other people and you will grow happier. Build a life that you think means something and you will grow richer."

hi all
and welcome Lois and Beth.  Was posting Thurs night but then our internet service winked out grrr.  

I'm one of the mellower exercisers on this
thread - I walk and do yoga - and am in awe of the more vigorous ladies. However, I know my likes & limitations and figure it's better to do something than to do nothing. Once you're here for a while,
you may hear Voices (that's us) encouraging you to exercise.

We've
had wonderful weather this week and have walked nearly every day after work, except last night when I had supper with mom.  Also walked this morning and want to go walk some more after reading that book synopsis (thx Ruth & LB).  Logged 25.9 miles since last post. Great pix
everyone!! ♥ to all

When natsfan comes on, she can advise you in the bra department. She ran a half marathon awhile ago!

Loved the quotes from the book.  We should re-post those time and again to remind us.  It made me get up and do some weights even though I just sat down after my 1 hr 1 minute walk (counting every minute) around the lake.  I ran three sprints during that hour trying to work up to some running, even though I don't really like running.  I went a little farther today because we're planning on going to the state fair tomorrow and I'm sure I'll eat very healthy there.

Welp I only managed to walk a half hour today. We had a going away party for my son who is moving to Vietnam Wednesday so I spent my day cooking. Gym tomorrow!

Good evening everybody and welcome Beth and Lois.

Thanks for the book synopsis, Ruth. Such wonderful sound advice!

It rained yesterday so no walking for me other than everyday walking. Today was overcast and in the upper 70s with high humidity. I went to the park and power walked/jogged. My dd and her friend cooked stuffed peppers fresh from the garden for supper tonight. We also ate fresh okra from the garden. I baked a blueberry coffee cake using blueberries from our backyard. Yum!

Can't wait to start the 2015 trip planning!

Hi ladies. Golfed 18 holes yesterday and did over 10,000 steps between that and walking the dog. 

I no longer need voices at 7 pm to get me up and moving. My dog looks so hopeful and pitiful at the same time, that I get off my EWWA and take her out. She's gotten so used to it that if I don't she sighs loudly and does this moany thing in the back of her throat. Gets me moving every time. She has me well trained!

pilates and weeding