Thoughts (on doing all the things) Please share yours as well

[JENILU]

this started in another thread, and i saw I ws snowballing off the subject, so needed another place to post it without hurting anyone's theme, lol. If you have similar or different thoughts on why we need so much different movement for health- or thoughts that we don't and why, I would love to know. Lets pretend this is a research project since my mind is always working that way as well, but in a scattered notes kinda way.
Here is snowball I was starting, and am now going on with it:
I want so bad to turn health around (and would love the other perks in the process) and with the movement part, I still move daily while trying to plan it, but I am getting soooo overwhelmed. Makes me wonder why we need to be able to do so many different types of movement to get it all in for good health as we get older.
Is it because we aren't all living on farms and ranches, and thus, moving all day in all directions - eating seasonally, going to bed early (my big downfall) <I know getting up with the sun and getting off electronics by 9 seems to be a big deal and I haven't been able to get there yet. I have been trying to lay down before 1 am for years, and will have a few good days and then it goes backwards and am up almost all night, even do my workouts during that time because I am most awake> I dream of morning walks. But back to what they did, There probably had to be a lot of squatting and bending over, throwing hay bales (they used to show that a lot in the getting in shape part of ninja warrior, lol). I am probably missing something. I am sure there has always been more to farm and ranch life and I know its very hard work.
So that gets me to: What do we need: cardio movement, functional movement, mobility, weight training, happy movement if its not in whats above, stress relief, (i guess I am including yoga, pilates, essentrics etc.. in either functional or mobility, but they can cross catagories which I like. I do a lot of fusion these days, altho I sometimes have to wear shoes. I need the weight training badly, to fight my family genes, but if I do that a lot and instead of cardio, I over swell up with inflammation (out of control). So i have to lift lighter as in cardio weights till I learn different.
A chiropractor told me it was good to do short HIIT workouts for Addison's, but it just doesn't do right for me because i am more worn out than I am with the longer, gentler ones. My body sees the short intense ones as stress. I do LOVE kettlebells and want to get back to that. i wish I could find programs where they move like, oh goodness, the bald guy that reminds me of my hubby and he went slow and meticulous. Loved him but name escapes me- anyway, I felt good after his workouts. wondr if that and fusion and walking is enough. i wanted to get back into yoga but find it so painful. (Another question, are KBs considered functional fitness?). I have even thought of martial arts because of the calm but also stress relief involved- and I want to be a ninja when I grow up, even if I do feel 80 right now (Am 47, but aging rapidly with all the health stuff that has just taken a toll)

I know there is way further to go in these thoughts, and its not just about farm life. If anyone can point me to articles on what we need or you have your own advice or just thoughts that you want to put down out loud so bad, like I did, please please share!!

*sorry for typos!!

I probably have more to say (surprised?), but in a hurry. i had to post it before my head blew up.
Many blessings to y'all!

[Jane P.]

I have a lot I could say because I have the same issues with staying up too late, but I don't have the time right now. I will say that you're being way too hard on yourself. Give yourself a break and remember that any movement is good even if you can't fit in everything you would like to do. Also remember that those who did lots of farm work often ended up with injuries.

[Izzy]

I have said, and I still say, that if you do not enjoy what you are doing, no matter what anyone else says it's good, better or best for you, you will not do it.

I understand this could be argued because science, experiments, experience etc etc will always tell you that there is always a good, better or best way in terms of exercise.

And maybe so. But if you do not enjoy it no matter anything else, you will not do it.

What I have enjoyed doing has changed over the years. Maybe due to time, aging, smaller workout space, whatever, and it's ok because consistency has been my constant for a long time. Some methods worked, some didn't. And, when I stopped enjoying it, I walked away and tried something else.

I terms of your schedule, discipline etc. my best suggestion is to tackle one thing at a time. Asking yourself to make too many changes at once just sets you up for disappointment and the cycle starts all over again.

Good luck.

[prettyinpink]

I think that for personal best health, we need
1) activities that make us stronger and maintain as much as possible as we age
2) activities that get our heart rate up regularly
3) some means of relaxing/hobbies/enjoyment
4) some means of social interaction and support
5) adequate sleep
6) adequate amounts of nutritious whole foods

not necessarily in that order

And some of those categories could overlap quite a bit.
Someone could have a job that involves elements of#1-4
Something like year-round, intensive gardening could do a good bit of #1–3, maybe 4 too, around clubs and extension classes or volunteering.
There are many people who are on this forum because whatever we do for fitness is also #3. Sometimes 4, too. A forum isn’t the same as real life interaction, but an online place like this can help with this need a little bit.

Having a list doesn’t mean we should compartmentalize things in this way. Maybe that’s really the part that can lead to overwhelm, trying to check boxes, or think we have to do yoga or Pilates or foam rolling because some other people think it’s beneficial. But I think some of these different modalities are just different ways of meeting those same needs depending on our individual preferences and lifestyles.

About the farm life, surely more physical activity was better for waistlines and for having real life ways to stay active into old age. But people on average didn’t necessarily live longer. There weren’t as many medical treatments. And there weren’t as many people in nursing homes, because those places didn’t exist on the scale they do now. People (mostly women) took care of the elderly in their homes.

[bzar]

Jenilu, i would just pick one thing on your list and focus on it for 2 weeks.

therefore, if you're already working out 30 min/day, no matter what that activity might be, and if you want to do balance work, just add 10 min of balance work 3 days/week.

after the 2 weeks are over, work on the "staying up too late" effort. commit to turning off your computer and electronic devices 1 hour before the time you want to be in bed. meanwhile, keep working out for 30 min/day (if that's your current routine).

stealing a phrase a VFer recently said (JackieB?) don't over-think it. keep it simple.

keep us posted!

[Pam61]

I have also tried "all the things" at one time or another. I certainly have the workout library to prove it, LOL! But, each month has to have a focus because I can't possibly fit it all in.

I'm another one who doesn't sleep well and that has a lot to do with what I choose to do on any given day. I might have a rotation I follow, but that doesn't always go as planned. My DH is very much a night owl and I am up early no matter what time I go to bed.

My dad's side of the family were all farmers and they ate well, but he passed away very young. My mom never exercised a day in her life and her health declined rapidly because of lifestyle, poor habits, etc. As much as I tried to help introduce her to fitness, she wouldn't do it. For me, it is a big motivator to be consistent with exercise no matter what that exercise is and I do the best I can.

One of the very best things I did this year was to join a senior women's hiking group and we meet regularly. The social interaction has been terrific, as well as getting outside in nature. I also take community classes each year with other seniors and enjoy the collaborative learning experience for the eight or ten week session that I've committed to. I'm doing actual homework again!

Not sure what I'm saying exactly. Maybe that not one of us can do it all, nor should we. That would cause way more stress in my life than I need. We're not all at the same age, fitness level, health, life stage or have the same goals. Maybe there is too much comparing ourselves to what other people are doing or we have a fear of missing out?

[JackieB]

I have tried a lot of things and always come back to wanting to do Essentrics, walking, and Ellen. If I do weight training, I prefer to do Ellen or short stuff on YouTube.

I agree 100% that if you don't like something you won't do it. So I just try to move daily and sometimes I challenge myself to move differently.

I have lots of thoughts on how we move now compared to how we moved say 100 years ago. I always go back to Michael Mosely's "The Truth About Exercise". We just all move less throughout the day. So that is something that I am working on, too.

My goals now that I am mid fifty (gasp) are a lot different than my younger years. I'm really into Miranda's mantra of "Aging Backwards" or at least aging gracefully. I want to move with ease and feel comfortable in my body.

[Karla25]

I would just do what makes me happy Our mental health influences our physical health. Do what you enjoy and try some gentle yoga or other workouts on occasion to see if your body responds differently. Be gentle with yourself.

[donnamp]

Hi Jenilu!

I think you have already received some great advice and I will echo much of it!

Do what works for you and what you enjoy. If short HIIT makes you feel worn out even though the "experts" say it shouldn't - then don't do it. You are the expert on you! If yoga is painful there is no reason for you to do it - there are other ways to work on mindfulness, flexibility, mobility and body weight strength.

It is nearly impossible to do "everything" every day - So I suggest making a weekly or monthly plan - like maybe plan to get a certain amount of strength, cardio, fusion, whatever, in each week or each month. Maybe set a "minimum" daily goal of movement that is reasonable and attainable every day and then if you can add to it.

You may also just be a night owl - not everyone is an "early to bed, early to rise" person. For instance, with my work - I am far more productive if I work from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m rather than what some of my co-workers do who start their work days at 7. Some of us just have different internal clocks. So, I would say that unless you needed to be up at a certain time, maybe there is no harm in going to bed later and getting up later - as long as you are getting good quality sleep and feel good. There is no one size fits all.

As for things you want to change, I agree on focusing on one thing at a time. If you try to do too much at once it is overwhelming. I'd say pick something you want to work on each month and focus on that one thing for the month, then the following month, add something else.

And, I also agree with - if you don't like it, don't enjoy it, and if it causes pain you won't be consistent. And if it causes pain you definitely shouldn't do it as your body is telling you it isn't right for you.

Hang in there!!

Donna

[alisoncooks]

Trying to “check all the boxes” is exhausting. Not to mention, sometimes those recommendations contradict, leaving us to muddle through what’s the best for our bodies at any given stage.

For me, I prioritize strength and flexibility. I don’t use exercise to find inner peace or anything; I have other spiritual outlets. I know I need to be stronger as I age (not body builder strong, but self-sufficient in the bathroom strong). Flexibility, not because I want to do a split, but because I want to reach down and put my own socks on.

I’ve recently added more consistent cardio because I was neglecting that part of my fitness. Turns out, it also helped me lose some extra weight (I had plateaued). I know it’s important; I just never enjoyed it. I still don’t *enjoy* cardio…but I tolerate it.

The one area that I’d like to improve: movement out of doors. I think it’s important (even just walking outdoors) and I tend to not do it enough. (Oh my gosh, but it’s sooooo hot, lol, whine whine.) I generally get more time in during the fall-spring months.

I think as long as you’re moving, with consistency and variety, you’re probably doing alright.