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Getting back into shape.... gently!

J

Julie A

Messages
7
A question for those are are able to exercise to the level of doing a few stretches and a small walk a day, but aren't a big fan of stairs or any more walking than is necessary to get from home to car, car to desk and back.
I did at first carry on my less healthy diet and so my clothes mysteriously shrank (what a surprise huh - no gym, no swimming, fencing, long countryside walks etc....). I have reduced my calories for 1 year (not easy - no pastry, crisps, chocolate, pizza, garlic bread, cake, ice cream etc...) and shifted 4kg off my bum and thighs, and am much happier as the top half and bottom half are in proportion again.
😃
However I now have a bit of a tummy that hasn't gone back flat. I'm female in my 40's.
Does anyone have any recommendations for gentle flat tummy exercises? Thank you.
🙂
 
Hufsamor

Hufsamor

Senior Member
Messages
2,787
Location
Norway
Im in a place now where I can do a little bit of exercise every day.
10-15 min included rest between each exercise.
I now have a subscription with this guy, and I love it.
He has a set of exercises for each week, one different for each day.
And every month he changes the exercises, so it doesn’t get boring.

I started off with 3 repetitions of each exercise, doing only half of the different exercises for each day.
I’m now up to 8 repetitions and very happy about it. I’ve figured out those I better stay away from.
He’s also on instagram, that was where I first found him. I followed him over a couple of months before I went for the subscription.

He also have exercises you can do from bed, so whenever I have a bad day but want do do a little something, I do one of those.

I’m really pleased. My back and stomach muscles are stronger and the muscles in my legs are slowly growing back.

IMG_3835.png
 
L

lenora

Senior Member
Messages
4,926
Yes, we do get out of shape and, at times, it can be scary. I've had scoliosis since childhood (about age 4, braces & casts began), and I now find after being bedbound for a fractured pelvis and vertebrae, that it's getting harder and harder for me to sit...whether in bed (mechanical king that has twin mattresses) or a chair that is generally comfortable for me.

It's helpful to have a few exercise that may help. Oh, that tummy "thing"......the worst seems to be as you enter old age. Everything hangs and losing weight just adds to it. So do what you can, while you can. if you can. Plus I've gone to over 5'6" to 5'3".....not great. Osteoporosis can begin in your 40's, so please be careful and have a bone density test done so you'll know if you have osteopenia. (Forerunner of osteoporosis. If you break a bone with the former, then you naturally fall into the latter.) Believe me, I'm trying...but it's tough. Good luck and good health. Yours, Lenora
 
Hufsamor

Hufsamor

Senior Member
Messages
2,787
Location
Norway
@lenora
Im struggling more end more with sitting as well. Im sorry for your osteoporosis. I really want to avoid that. ❤️ Taking my supplements with d vit and magnesium and hoping it will help.
I read a suggestion,( I don’t know if it’s true or not or helpful or not. It was just a suggestion and it wasn’t a study or something) that you could rise up you heels when standing and drop them down. That way you get an imitation of running and it was supposed to help with bone density. So I do that once or twice a day as well.

(Not sure whether it’s a good idea when the damage is done and the osteoporosis is a fact, at least I would be very careful. )
 
L

lenora

Senior Member
Messages
4,926
Hello @Hufsamor.....How are you? Always wondering...just in case you think you've been forgotten.

Oh, this osteoporosis is bad business. I'll definitely keep in mind what you said about the running exercise. I did make special note of the one you showed yesterday (across the bed)...thank-you.

Since my sleep isn't great (to put it mildly) I'm up a lot. Thus it really does become hard to sit and I know it will only get worse. I can't climb stairs now....one day I could and the next day I simply couldn't. I think the brain is making it impossible to follow basic steps. I have a profound interest in babies just learning steps, etc. So, no,...osteo is nothing to be taken for granted. I climb stairs in my mind, but just can't translate the same to our own stairs. Thus, I can't visit my daughter in CA., everything involves stairs.

Fortunately, everything I need is on the downstairs floor, bedroom, bathrooms, kitchen, sitting rooms....too much space, really. I can also access our back porch without a wheelchair...don't even use a cane, just very careful. Please have a bone density done (simple test, takes about 10 min. and doesn't hurt). I eat nutritiously and yes, take my vitamins. I'm now off the likes of Fosamax and Prolia (my Dr. wanted me to go on the latter), but I figure that I can break my femur on my own. It's one of the biggest side effects of most of the drugs for bone regrowth. I was on Fosamax for years and still managed to break plenty.

So....on for the next battle. You take care of yourself and no snow shoveling at your beautiful cottage. Feel better. Yours Lenora

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B

Byles

Messages
28
When I still was mild I took Tai Chi classes and we always started with shaking, hands, arms, leg, tailbone. The instructor always said if you don't have time or anything else just do that so the 'chi' keeps going there. He wasn't very spiritual about it and just said to feel the effect and you can feel it loosen up very easily come alive. Still doing and it feels nice plus you can do a little shaking even sitting and lying in bed. Wiggling your tailbone definitely strengthens your core.
 
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