Need ideas for being smarter

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. This may seem like a stupid question, but I need some perspective on doing exercise at this age (75). Between medication effects and age itself, I find that I have only a certain amount of energy to spend each day. More and more often, I choose to spend that energy on things that don't require a lot of activity--flight simming, writing, reading, and the like.  But exercise is important as we age--I know that. So I'm asking my elders for tips on how to motivate and get to it. 

[teecee]

Get a dog! it will expect a walk at least four time a day, and these are at predictable times so you can plan your "simming" between walks.. This is what I do, and it works.. I was practically a write off a couple of years ago, and now I am "back to normal". Teecee.

 

[olderndirt]

Recently installed a new effluent pump and float switch in our septic tank - between me and my 52 year old daughter, it seemed like good exercise.  Liberal breaks.  Still go up ladders, run a chainsaw and can carry a case of beer in each hand (from the car to the house). 

[ramonb]

As Teecee wrote: Get a Dog (I got 2) or add another hobby (something manual or outside the house) or
tell Your wife to assign new chores to You . (Mine makes me go to the store all day long)

 

BTW: There are no stupid questions.

[Matthew Kane]

Agree, dogs are great daily routines and they have unconditional love, always there for you. Also forces you outside on cold winter days

[Rodger Pettichord]

4 hours ago, teecee said:

Get a dog! it will expect a walk at least four time a day, and these are at predictable times so you can plan your "simming" between walks.. This is what I do, and it works.. I was practically a write off a couple of years ago, and now I am "back to normal". Teecee.

 

 

1 hour ago, Matthew Kane said:

Agree, dogs are great daily routines and they have unconditional love, always there for you. Also forces you outside on cold winter days

 

 

That's a really great idea.Our hesitation is that it will cost us an additional $1,100 USD per year for apartment permission plus the normal pet costs. Fixed budget starts to groan?

[Rodger Pettichord]

3 hours ago, olderndirt said:

Recently installed a new effluent pump and float switch in our septic tank - between me and my 52 year old daughter, it seemed like good exercise.  Liberal breaks.  Still go up ladders, run a chainsaw and can carry a case of beer in each hand (from the car to the house). 

 Hey OND.....*+@**...exuse me. I just fainted from the effort you described. I feel much better now, thanks.

[Rodger Pettichord]

3 hours ago, ramonb said:

As Teecee wrote: Get a Dog (I got 2) or add another hobby (something manual or outside the house) or
tell Your wife to assign new chores to You . (Mine makes me go to the store all day long)

 

BTW: There are no stupid questions.

 Thanks ramonb. It's getting a routine set that is hindering me. I like your idea of having set-schedule demands. I may have to buy a stiff leash and take an imaginary dog on a walk four times a day. 

[TerribleT]

Gentle gardening (mowing, trimming, bushing, planting etc) in the cooler parts of the day combined with a good musical workout on the bass or six string counteract the laxities of PCism for me - they also provide a great excuse for another form of exercise: elbow bending!

[wblackret]

Dogs are fine, but for restricted budgets and apartment restrictions it can become a problem. Had several dogs over the years, was also a police canine handler (definitely a work out). Walking isn’t bad, provided you have no restrictions, legs etc. My wife and I walk local church parking lots or at schools and if the weather isn’t cooperating we head to the local shopping mall. Just my two cents worth.

[BradB]

When I used to live in Spokane , Northtown Mall walking was great to do in the winter time .

 

Cheers

 

John

[Wakashi]

Hey Rodger, so you are in the same boat as bunch of us old coots huh!  Have you considered Tai Chi or Yoga?  Slow, fairly easy to do, easy on the joints, doesn’t get your heart rate up much but makes you feel better after a good workout between your other hobbies.  You could probably even set up a flight apply the A/P and do a routine while you just keep an eye on the flight.  Lots of discs available in stores like Walmart, Kmart etc, or online (cheaper than a doggie deposit + keep).  As you know, at our age we don’t want get to rambunctious! 

[Rodger Pettichord]

3 hours ago, TerribleT said:

Gentle gardening (mowing, trimming, bushing, planting etc) in the cooler parts of the day combined with a good musical workout on the bass or six string counteract the laxities of PCism for me - they also provide a great excuse for another form of exercise: elbow bending!

Good thoughts, T. Back before we moved into the apartment, I'd spend quite a bit of time working on house and yard. 

 

3 hours ago, wblackret said:

Dogs are fine, but for restricted budgets and apartment restrictions it can become a problem. Had several dogs over the years, was also a police canine handler (definitely a work out). Walking isn’t bad, provided you have no restrictions, legs etc. My wife and I walk local church parking lots or at schools and if the weather isn’t cooperating we head to the local shopping mall. Just my two cents worth.

I hate to make excuses, because I thoroughly agree with you. But my artificial hip and my soon-to-be artificial hip make walking a bit painful. But I do think that I just have to figure out how to do it. Your suggestions provide some good options.

 

3 hours ago, BradB said:

When I used to live in Spokane , Northtown Mall walking was great to do in the winter time .

 

Cheers

 

John

Bit far in winter, but boy those Cinnabons make for a motivating goal. 

 

2 hours ago, Wakashi said:

Hey Rodger, so you are in the same boat as bunch of us old coots huh!  Have you considered Tai Chi or Yoga?  Slow, fairly easy to do, easy on the joints, doesn’t get your heart rate up much but makes you feel better after a good workout between your other hobbies.  You could probably even set up a flight apply the A/P and do a routine while you just keep an eye on the flight.  Lots of discs available in stores like Walmart, Kmart etc, or online (cheaper than a doggie deposit + keep).  As you know, at our age we don’t want get to rambunctious! 

I think you have a good one there, Wakashi. I've bought the DVD for it, but I never thought of the AP as an enabler. I do like the gentle movements of Tai Chi.

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. I think I may have gotten some potentially workable ideas from your suggestions. My wife and I decided against a dog because of expense, but I do have a delightful stuffed pup that I could substitute. "Pup" could need walking at regular hours. And the Tai Chi and/or stretching sessions are not demanding but pay good dividends. Maybe I could figure a short time for that each day. Mall walking would provide some variety, and Christmas shopping time is fast approaching, so there's a motive. 

 

Thanks so much for the ideas, friends. I may get my butt in gear yet!

 

[olderndirt]

12 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

Thanks so much for the ideas, friends. I may get my butt in gear yet!

 

Be sure to select one that gives you the correct number of revs .

[Rodger Pettichord]

3 hours ago, olderndirt said:

Be sure to select one that gives you the correct number of revs .

 

Started this morning. My stuffed pup and I have made the circuit twice so far. Expect to do another two by bedtime. Also hope to do one bit of stretching per day and, eventually, a spot of Tai Chi. Thanks to you good folks, I have progressed from motionless to sedentary.    But seriously--thanks! 

[Guest]

No-one mentioned the love dogs generate.   Problem is they're heart-breakers.  They get old or ill and die on you.  We still miss our little Candy, a 'chuck out' miniature poodle who was going to be put down but like all dogs he got ill and died some thirty years ago.

 

Be careful Rodger, too much excercise at our age can be worse than none.  I'm firmly in the 'none' camp now.

 

I suppose though tapping on the keyboard could be counted as excercise?

 

John

[lawrence aldrich]

Sex works well for me.

I'm not going to go into detail, though, for fear of overexciting the moderators.

[teecee]

" No-one mentioned the love dogs generate.   Problem is they're heart-breakers.  They get old or ill and die on you."

I honestly cannot remember a time in my life without a dog, but some are special..I had a huge Rottie back in the late eighties, he died aged eleven, but I still have a photo of Zeus in my room.. he will never be forgotten. Terry.

[Rodger Pettichord]

Saw a great advertisement for an exercise DVD for men over seventy. The first tip was to remember that one is no longer young--don't try the intensive stuff that will tear muscles and wear joints. The second tip was to avoid exercise machines, for they put too much stress on individual muscle groups. The third tip was to emphasize gentle motion and stretching as sufficient exercise. The fourth tip was to walk your dog daily--even if you don't have a dog. Thought my fellow Forum Coots would appreciate what seemed to me to be good advice.

[FalconAF]

Rodger,

 

You are spot on about avoiding exercise machines.  And it's not just an age related issue, but also an avoidance to make if you have been injured in some cases/ways.

 

My friend and I were almost killed two years ago when we got run over on our motorcycles.  Part of both of our recoveries and (now) routine "maintenance" requires "exercise" to maintain our mobility, etc.  BOTH of our doctors/surgeons said NO exercise machines (at least powered ones we would have to try to keep up with).  We both have hardware holding parts of our bodies together now, and it isn't a good idea to let a machine dictate how much stress is applied to them.  The doctors recommended Water Aerobics instead.  I was hesitant at first about the credibility of that, but after signing up for it, I'm a total believer now.  It allows non-stressful conditioning and muscle mobility "exercise" to happen.  You can/will use light weight foam or plastic "dumbbells" (or similar) in the water to provide resistance exercises (like pushing the "dumbbell" down and/or around in the water while it "resists" you doing that because it always wants to float back up to the surface).  But you will never risk over-exerting anything while doing it...it is never like you are fighting a dead weight or having a machine keep running while you try to keep up with it.  You will simply end up using the amount of resistance that is comfortable for you.  And that's all it really takes to exercise your body in the manner you require at our ages.  Maintaining "tone" is more important than building massive strength or long distance endurance for us at our ages/conditions.

 

If there is anyplace near you that offers a SUPERVISED water aerobics class, I would highly recommend you check it out and see how it works for you.  It's cheaper than a dog, but the downside is it won't lick your face when you least expect it. Or curl up with you next to a fireplace.    

[Guest]

Sorry fellers. Perhaps I'm sedentery as I've just had my excercise for today.  I did the return journey of walking across the golf club car park and then reading my Kindle while waiting for my wife to do the weekly shop.  Does helping her put the shopping in the boot, driving home and walking to our front door count?

 

What on earth are you saying now Lawrence?   You'll get us all excited to no avail and it won't do us any good!

 

John

[lawrence aldrich]

19 minutes ago, JohnY said:

Sorry fellers. Perhaps I'm sedentery as I've just had my excercise for today.  I did the return journey of walking across the golf club car park and then reading my Kindle while waiting for my wife to do the weekly shop.  Does helping her put the shopping in the boot, driving home and walking to our front door count?

 

What on earth are you saying now Lawrence?   You'll get us all excited to no avail and it won't do us any good!

 

John

I don't want to be responsible for any fatalities among my disintegrating friends here in cootsville.

I don't worry much about exercise anyway, since I learned that every person born over 120 years ago is now dead.

I'm sure many of them exercised  like mad and died anyway.

So....any of you that haven't tried sex for the last 50 years or so, give it a whirl.

Can't hurt.

There's that entropy thing again, John......sorry.

 

 

[Guest]

Trouble is Lawrence I have an idea if I tried it now with my wife she'd kill me and if I tried it with anyone else I'd get arrested and when I came out my wife would kill me anyway!  So no way man!

[lawrence aldrich]

Exactly.

Women are another species entirely.

Always remember that without them our species would have been extinct thousands of years ago.

Unlike old coots like us, they are actually necessary.

[olderndirt]

2 hours ago, lawrence aldrich said:

 

Unlike old coots like us, they are actually necessary.

My bubble is burst.

[lawrence aldrich]

2 hours ago, olderndirt said:

My bubble is burst.

You'll just have to deal with it and keep on going.

[Rodger Pettichord]

14 hours ago, FalconAF said:

Rodger,

 

You are spot on about avoiding exercise machines.  And it's not just an age related issue, but also an avoidance to make if you have been injured in some cases/ways.

 

My friend and I were almost killed two years ago when we got run over on our motorcycles.  Part of both of our recoveries and (now) routine "maintenance" requires "exercise" to maintain our mobility, etc.  BOTH of our doctors/surgeons said NO exercise machines (at least powered ones we would have to try to keep up with).  We both have hardware holding parts of our bodies together now, and it isn't a good idea to let a machine dictate how much stress is applied to them.  The doctors recommended Water Aerobics instead.  I was hesitant at first about the credibility of that, but after signing up for it, I'm a total believer now.  It allows non-stressful conditioning and muscle mobility "exercise" to happen.  You can/will use light weight foam or plastic "dumbbells" (or similar) in the water to provide resistance exercises (like pushing the "dumbbell" down and/or around in the water while it "resists" you doing that because it always wants to float back up to the surface).  But you will never risk over-exerting anything while doing it...it is never like you are fighting a dead weight or having a machine keep running while you try to keep up with it.  You will simply end up using the amount of resistance that is comfortable for you.  And that's all it really takes to exercise your body in the manner you require at our ages.  Maintaining "tone" is more important than building massive strength or long distance endurance for us at our ages/conditions.

 

If there is anyplace near you that offers a SUPERVISED water aerobics class, I would highly recommend you check it out and see how it works for you.  It's cheaper than a dog, but the downside is it won't lick your face when you least expect it. Or curl up with you next to a fireplace.    

 

Your experience echoes what I've heard here locally. Most of our Senior Living complexes include a pool and water-classes. Friends in their eighties and nineties swear by them.

[wblackret]

Hi Rodger, 

Since my retirement (June 2011), both of my knees have been replaced. I understand what you’re talking about. Until you build up muscle again, walking with implants can be a bit painful. Also, unfortunately, I had picked up a few pounds in the process. The mindset I had to develope was that I needed to change eating habits, walks were a little shorter. Sometimes my wife would be much further ahead of me, but eventually, as my weight decreased and muscle redevelopment progressed, I was keeping pace with her again. Don’t misunderstand, I am in no way a golden physical specimen by any means. I could still stand to lose more weight and become even more active and if I over due it I still pay for it.

 

Do what you can, when you can that leaves you feeling somewhat comfortable. In time you’ll find where you want to be. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. Good luck with your hips! Don’t sweat it! Getting older SUCKS on all levels, it’s mind over matter, “You don’t mind and it don’t matter.”

[wblackret]

Hey teecee,

 

I’m pretty selfish with my past canine companions. They do break your heart eventually. I couldn’t bare to part with them, so they were cremated and are now in their individual urns (photos, working collars and retirement badges etc) atop the entertainment center. Four in all, two working K-9’s and two Great Danes. My wife tells everyone that when I go she’s going to do the same with me and put me right in the middle! How nice!

 

 

 

[wblackret]

Sorry for being on a roll, but wanted to share this with you guys.

 

( TRUE STORY)

An older city of Pittsburgh K-9 officer walked a beat for years somewhere on the North Side area. He would encounter homeless people along the way. On one day, he stopped to talk with one of the many he would encounter. As he engaged in conversation with the homeless man, his K-9 partner ( a big Rottie) was sitting and began doing what dogs do, obviously licking himself. The homeless man commented to the officer that he wished he could do that! The officers reply was right on point, “ You better ask him nice....first!”

[Rodger Pettichord]

4 hours ago, wblackret said:

Sorry for being on a roll, but wanted to share this with you guys.

 

( TRUE STORY)

An older city of Pittsburgh K-9 officer walked a beat for years somewhere on the North Side area. He would encounter homeless people along the way. On one day, he stopped to talk with one of the many he would encounter. As he engaged in conversation with the homeless man, his K-9 partner ( a big Rottie) was sitting and began doing what dogs do, obviously licking himself. The homeless man commented to the officer that he wished he could do that! The officers reply was right on point, “ You better ask him nice....first!”

 

LOL . 

 

I'm pleased to say that I have been able to establish a small routine of "walking" my stuffed animal several times a day, plus stopping for a bit of stretching every once in a while. As my Doctor says, you don't have to be in good shape, you just don;t want to be in bad shape. I did get a bit too cocky,and formed a race event with prizes and everything. Entrants were limited to stuffed animals and me. I came in third. 

[wblackret]

Win, Place and Show! At the track, Show ( coming in third ) may still net you some money. Your doctors  advice, not being in good shape, yet not being in bad shape sounds like a happy medium. Also, glad you appreciated my true story.

[Guest]

Just taken my car in for repair.  Some wacko damaged the fender while it was parked unnattended and of course didn't even leave a not to apologise!

 

Anyway, back to the subject, walking home has given me enough excercise for the month!  Oh damn, that means I'll have to do some more in November!

 

[Aussie123]

Hi Roger, We don't have a dog either. But I like them. You say it would be too expensive to own one in your apartment and I agree. Food and Vet costs are expensive.

 

A neighbour of mine got too busy, working on a project, to walk his dog so I volunteered to do it a couple of times a week. The dog didn't walk too fast, took regular stops, but we covered a bit of ground. People tend to say hello to a bloke walking a dog more than they do if you are walking alone.

I also started to walk the same path on other days even if the dog was not available. Great daily exercise.

It was of no cost to me as I could hand the dog back. They are good company while you are strolling along thinking. When you are retired, time during the day is not as valuable as it is to the young workers.

 

Maybe there is some one near you who would appreciate you taking their dog for a walk? Keep an eye out for non regulars?

Just a suggestion. Lot of benefits, minimal cost.

Aussie 

[Rodger Pettichord]

2 hours ago, Aussie123 said:

Hi Roger, We don't have a dog either. But I like them. You say it would be too expensive to own one in your apartment and I agree. Food and Vet costs are expensive.

 

A neighbour of mine got too busy, working on a project, to walk his dog so I volunteered to do it a couple of times a week. The dog didn't walk too fast, took regular stops, but we covered a bit of ground. People tend to say hello to a bloke walking a dog more than they do if you are walking alone.

I also started to walk the same path on other days even if the dog was not available. Great daily exercise.

It was of no cost to me as I could hand the dog back. They are good company while you are strolling along thinking. When you are retired, time during the day is not as valuable as it is to the young workers.

 

Maybe there is some one near you who would appreciate you taking their dog for a walk? Keep an eye out for non regulars?

Just a suggestion. Lot of benefits, minimal cost.

Aussie 

 

Good Idea, Aussie. We have two hundred units in our apartment complex, and many residents seem to have dogs. I'll keep my eyes out. Thanks!

[Guest]

Our old little dog who saw the children grow up died in the end as they all do and I swore I would never have another.  However, when we moved here, the next door neighbour had an enormous Alsation called Purdy.  What a dog!  He became too old and infirm to walk her so we took on the job.  Actually, she walked us!  If she turned left we knew we were headed for the beach where she would find a stick (driftwood) and we would have to throw it for her.  Trouble was she would drop it at our feet and when we went to pick it up she would put her head down and push our hands away.  When we finally managed to wrestle it from her, she would grab it tight beside our fingers.  She never bit but my goodness her teeth were hard.  When she'd had enough and were up level with the golf club, she would turn and trot back down the  beech, climb on to the pavement beside the beach and sit at the road side waiting for us to catch up and cross.

 

The problem would be if she decide to turn right the start of the walk.  That would mean a walk along the path beside the ditch.  We didn't mind but rabbits lived in the bank and if she spotted one she'd be after it.  Many's the time we had to walk her back stinking with mud and slime where she'd mistakenly jumped into the ditch and as usual failed to catch the rabbit.   When we arrived home, of course she wanted to go in, but one of us had to hold her while the other had to collect the bucket and doggy soap so we could wash her clean.  She would stand there quite docile enjoying the attention and finally when she was towelled as dry a possible, in she would go, nose the lift until the door opened walk in and walk to her front door which we knocked on and she would just trot past her owner and settle in her bed looking around as if she didn't know what all the fuss had been about.

 

Mind you, one night she had to get up for a pee but when the owner took her down there were three young fellers dossing in the hall.  The owner came out of the lift first and said; "Get out, you shoulddn't be in here'.  One of the fellers started to say; 'Wot's it to...'  then saw Purdy with her lip curled back and softly growling.  The owner told us he'd never in his life seen anyone move as fast as those three.

 

John

 

 

[olderndirt]

Yesterday my daughter had to put down her 151/2 year old Pug, 'Kermit'.  Long faces around this place but we still have 'Pixel', our little Shih Tzu so life goes on.

[Guest]

My condolences mate

[Rodger Pettichord]

8 hours ago, olderndirt said:

Yesterday my daughter had to put down her 151/2 year old Pug, 'Kermit'.  Long faces around this place but we still have 'Pixel', our little Shih Tzu so life goes on.

 

Yes, OND, condolences from here too. It's one of life's harder moments. Best wishes to your daughter and her family.