Low impact exercise?

[philnotfil]

I need to eat less or exercise more. I like food, so I would prefer to exercise more. I used to be able to run like a deer and play basketball all day long. My achilles tendons have given up. I can still run and jump, but then it hurts to walk for several days after, so that is out as a regular exercise. I tried swimming, but the chlorine bothers my skin and eyes (and it is mind-numbingly boring), so that is out.

What else should I try?

[Dreamliner]

How does "I like food" automatically preclude "eat less" of it ? The "exercise more to eat more" strategy typically leads to overuse injury. It may indeed be at the root of your injuries.

That said, at 6-0 145, I get about 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day. That's a level of calories that would have most men thirty pounds heavier accumulating bodyfat steadily.

The key for me is certainly not my brief strength training sessions performed 2-3 times a week, but rather walking - lots of it.

Over time, I've incorporated more and more walking into my daily life. Conservatively, I probably get 6-7 miles a day on average. Walking is certainly comparatively low-impact, certainly less so than running and basketball. But even there I'd caution you to increase walking gradually.

I'd certainly throw in a little strength training too, however basic, nothing painful.

[Vetmed84gator]

Spin classes. Fun, low impact and burn lots of calories (with the right instructors)

[JaxLizard]

Would highly recommend biking or using an elliptical machine for exercise. I tore my ACL and had to give up basketball. Both are low impact but high aerobic forms of exercise.

[Dreamliner]

If I could just interject: the most highly aerobic activity is ... sleeping.

I'm totally serious.

[philnotfil]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

How does "I like food" automatically preclude "eat less" of it ? The "exercise more to eat more" strategy typically leads to overuse injury. It may indeed be at the root of your injuries.

It may indeed be the cause of the injuries, but it was fun while it lasted

I just like eating food. Not so much the flavor, but the texture. Which is unfortunate because if it was the flavor I sought, I could just eat more flavorful food instead of more food.

[philnotfil]

I don't have to wear those shorts if I start riding a bike again, do I?

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by philnotfil

It may indeed be the cause of the injuries, but it was fun while it lasted

I just like eating food. Not so much the flavor, but the texture. Which is unfortunate because if it was the flavor I sought, I could just eat more flavorful food instead of more food.

Everybody SAYS they like food. But to people who need to eat less food (and I believe this is the altogether more sensible, long-term strategy for controlling weight, better than just adding more and more exercise), my surmise is that people could stand to like food EVEN MORE THAN THEY DO. That is to say that savoring smaller amounts of the foods they enjoy would evidence an enhanced enjoyment of food.

[malscott]

SWIM! I was doing martial arts for many years. Then my hips and knees starting becoming problematic. Seeing I love to ski, (didn't want to risk injury)I decided to go into another sport. I was working on my third degree Black Belt, so it wasn't like I was a quitter. Segued into swimming. I just recently joined a Masters program. They have them everywhere in the US. There are the slow lanes and the fast lanes. I'm in the slow lane and fine with it. There are Olympians swimming and geezers swimming-the gamut! I'm now up to around 7,000 yards a week. Not too shabby. Ton of the folks do it every day. I'm only going 2-3 times a week. Can't beat it for overall low impact cardio. The only thing I noticed is you have to do something for your legs. Like squats or lunges. I went skiing up in Mammoth and my legs got worked real quick 'cuz I wasn't doing the martial arts any more which builds up your thighs from all the deep stances and jumping around. Swimming a masters program is like doing interval training in the water. After an hour you're worked! Nice endorphin buzz too. Good luck!

[exiledgator]

Another vote for cycling.

[Dreamliner]

The Divide and Conquer approach to weight loss:

(1) Just pretend that exercise doesn't burn any calories, none, nada. Now proceed to engage in the mode of exercise you enjoy ... for it's documented health benefits.

(2) Lose weight by finding ways of savoring smaller amounts of the foods you enjoy.

(3) #2 is all you really have to do to lose weight. You don't have to do #1 to lose weight. You only have to do one thing to lose weight. Now exercise to your heart's content.

[Dreamliner]

Remember: exercise doesn't burn a single calorie. And just to keep yourself honest, so as to avoid compulsive exercising, pretend that if you exercise beyond a certain threshold, say, 30 minutes five days a week (just an example), that it makes you gain weight!

Relentlessly focus on the ONLY thing you have to do to lose weight.

[Itssaul]

Swim the way I run. I hate constant jogging. Bores me to death, especially once I start jogging 6-7 miles after weeks of building up resistance. I got too bored, started doing sprints. Now my friend wanted to join me so basically we ended up running a no huddle offense with just him as the qb. We start at the 0 he yells out a route, I run it. Catch it, drop it run out wide he picks USF up while he jogs to the ball he yells out the other route. We don't cheat and don't use yac. Switch it up after 100 yards and the breather is being the QB. If we get a third there's nothing better or harder than 1v1 man coverage. Sure you can't do this but try to incorporate something similar with swimming. Intervals always feels like more fun to me.

[rpmGator]

Men can lose a lot of weight pretty fast, just by walking alone.

Two miles a day, five days a week, without any diet changes will see things start changing pretty soon after.


Changes in diet, fewer simple carbs for example, will speed that up. So do that as well.

Walking is low impact but start out with short walks and build up to the two miles per, and you will see the difference in short order.

[wesstump]

It's hard to lose weight and you get older it becomes even more hard to do. First you need to make up your mind you're going to stick with your plan. Then you need to form a plan. So, here are my suggestions. Reduce the size of your plate and don't go for refills. One plate and stop. Next, go on the net and look the glycemix idex and print out as much as you can for ready reference. Select the foods that you like and try to stay with the food plan as much as possible. You need to do plenty of carido. I prefer the tread mill but any low impact activity will do. Also, it would help to do some weight training to help firm you up as you lose weight. Now, one of the most important things is find someone you can do these things with...(the exercise). This help keep it from becoming boreing. The plan is to make your own plan and stick with it. Taking one day a week for a break is ok....if you wish but then back to the plan. try this...

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newswe..._100_foods.htm

I hope this will you and maybe some others in the same boat.

[kkg8r]

I'm with Dream on this - reducing the amount of food is the best way to lose weight.
Figure out how many calories you burn each day (use a BMR calculator), then simply eat less than that (500cals/day to lose 1 lb per week). My husband still eats filet mignon and drinks scotch several times/week, but instead of the entire steak, he will eat half, then have the other half for lunch the next day.

Count your calories. Reduce what you eat. Exercise for fun or health.

It takes 3,500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. That is 7 hours on the elliptical going all out. No fun.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by rpmGator

Men can lose a lot of weight pretty fast, just by walking alone.

Two miles a day, five days a week, without any diet changes will see things start changing pretty soon after.


Changes in diet, fewer simple carbs for example, will speed that up. So do that as well.

Walking is low impact but start out with short walks and build up to the two miles per, and you will see the difference in short order.

I quite agree that walking is a vastly underrated exercise.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by kkg8r

I'm with Dream on this - reducing the amount of food is the best way to lose weight.
Figure out how many calories you burn each day (use a BMR calculator), then simply eat less than that (500cals/day to lose 1 lb per week). My husband still eats filet mignon and drinks scotch several times/week, but instead of the entire steak, he will eat half, then have the other half for lunch the next day.

Count your calories. Reduce what you eat. Exercise for fun or health.

It takes 3,500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. That is 7 hours on the elliptical going all out. No fun.

My soon-to-be ex-wife has always been a master at portion control. When we got married, nearly 25 years ago, she was about 5-7 120. Today, nearly 25 years later, she's about 5-7 120.

Basically, she populates a small plate with foods she enjoys ... then savors it ... and then she's done. Many times I've seen her physically push away other options.

And dessert for her might be *a* chocolate. Or, she might share dessert with someone else. And by sharing I mean three bites and she's done.

BTW, she NEVER exercises and she's slimmer, often much slimmer than female peers of hers who are half her age.

[ovillegator]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

If I could just interject: the most highly aerobic activity is ... sleeping.

I'm totally serious.

I get this -- I weigh myself before bed and I'm 189 -- I wake up in the morning, weigh myself before the bathroom, shower, anything -- and I'm 185 -- 4 pounds lighter.

What I don't know is -- why?

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by ovillegator

I get this -- I weigh myself before bed and I'm 189 -- I wake up in the morning, weigh myself before the bathroom, shower, anything -- and I'm 185 -- 4 pounds lighter.

What I don't know is -- why?

Dehydration ? It's certainly not because you've burned over 14,000 calories, roughly the amount needed to lose four pounds of fat.