When Do You Exercise?

I know many of you have chores that you do throughout the day, but some of us swim, walk, or use exercise machines. I have been useing a gazelle glider for my daily exercise for the last year. Generally in the middle of the day. But if I'm to get into a routine with my volunteer work I was wondering if I should do my exercising before I go in or afterward in the evening. If I did it in the morning, it would be at about 5:30am, and if later it would be after 5:30pm. What do you think would be the healthiest?

 

I rarely do any set exercise these days Ina...I always used to do a Rosemary Conley low impact aerobic exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week and swam every single day in the summer in my own pool when I lived permanently in Spain, but I don't have a pool here in the UK and I just don't get much time these days for regular ..however I am on my feet for up to 11 hours a day at work, so I still get moving around a lot and I'm a fast mover, so I burn calories quickly . In the summer I do still swim either in Spain or at the Public leisure centre here in the uk... always in the mornings around 6am before work .

However opinions are much divided about what time you exercise, and the conclusion is that as long as you DO some exercise it really doesn't matter what time you do it, as long as you stick to a routine...

(btw how do you get on with the Gazelle Glider in relation to your back problems, I found it made mine much worse.. )

Have a look at this link specifically aimed at women...

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/best-time-to-work-out

 

@Holly Saunders , I only use the gazelle for 15 minutes a day, because more than that produces pain. Since there is no impact only stretching, my joints and spine get no hard pressure. I'm just swinging my legs and arms back and forth. Generally I will use the gazelle after I stop an activity that lasts more than a couple of hours and my spine wants to swell. The streching seem to help my spine from locking up.

 

I just walk and I also have a machine similar to yours, Ina gathering dust in my garage.

I used to belong to a gym but for whatever reason I quit going.

I don't think it matters when you exercise, there are people at the gym at all hours of the day and night.

 

Exercise? Uh... Ummm... Hmmmm.... How's the weather this morning, @Ina I. Wonder ? Pretty obvious, huh? Okay, I'll answer. I had good intentions and did great in 2015, especially toward the middle of the year but then I started having problems with my ankle from an old injury and every treadmill session turned into a pain session... so gradually I just stopped.

I also at the time went overboard and bought nine aerobic videos but even though most were low impact, it caused the same issue... pain. So those are basically unused, too.

Now there *is* still hope... one or two of those videos are done sitting down and that probably would technically "work" but I've not been able to convince myself that it would do much good sitting down like that. Not sure that would be considered a real workout...

 

If working... work involves significant climbing, etc. that gives the old body a workout.
When not working... if weather permits, I play at least 18 holes of golf/day. Last June, of the 30 days in the month we got in 27 days of golf.
This past week... our new family member takes me for a walk every afternoon. The walks have gotten longer as she has learned to behave herself on the leash. Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in my recliner when she brought me her leash. "Okay! I guess you're my new exercise enforcer!" We had rec'd 6" snow. But, we trudged a good while... wearing out both of us.

 

As I read this, @Will Lawrence , I found myself thinking "I sure hope that new family member is a doggie and not a grandchild." Do I have a strange sense of humor or what?!

As for me, walking a dog would be something I'd enjoy but I've never had one. And although we recently bought a harness and leash for traveling with the kitty, I really don't think she'd cooperate with going for a walk with it. It's for safety, not walking in this case. I've actually seen a neighbor walking by with a cat on a leash... but I just shake my head knowing it would be senseless to try!

 

@Mari North , reading your post reminded me of something that happened almost 30 years ago. We were still living in a townhouse in the city, so I wouldn't allow us to have a dog. I think it is horrible to leave a dog all alone for five days a week locked up inside. So we had a cat that just loved my husband, and he it.

Well one Christmas our son bought his father a canary yellow sweatsuit. It was my husband's favorite color. His cat, Fidget, was a huge yellow to orange Maincoon Tabby of 23 pounds. Someone else had also given him a collar and lead for his cat, So my husband, 6'2" at 200 pounds, put on his new outfit and he got fidget all decked out in his new gear for their first trip outside. Fidget was doing real good on his lead all around the apartment, so Michael thought all was well.

Well they got about 30' outside, Michael was all grins, and Fidget looked interested in the new sights. All of the sudden the wind blew hard across the yard, and the next thing we all saw was Fidget climb up my husband body to the top of his bald head and he sat there with his claws dug in with a look of total horror on his face.

Poor fidget had never "seen" wind before, and that was the last time they went for a walk. In a way it was best, they looked like big bird and cat.

 

This dog has learned in days what it took years to teach kids and grandkids!!! Today, we were scheduled for a trip to the vet. Needed to get sutures removed from last week's spaying. Other dogs in the waiting area. This dog acted as if this was nothing but a routine trip. She wanted to meet all the other dogs... and did meet some of them. Her tail never stopped wagging. We've never see her vocal in the past week we've had her. She talked to the other dogs the entire time we were there. Not a bark.... not a wail... just a low pitched "talk". Quite a conversationalist, this one.

 

Aw, she sounds like a gem, @Will Lawrence ! Our cat never wanted to meet the other critters when at the vet... she was more interested in terrorizing the dogs. Made one nervous little dog go potty all over the floor once with a well-timed stare and hiss when the dog got right up into her face.

 

Oh my goodness, @Ina I. Wonder , what a wonderful story... and precious memory, I'm sure! Poor kitty... well, poor Michael, too, come to think of it! Our babies sure do trust us when they're scared, don't they? Our skin may not appreciate those claw marks, though!

 

I exercise when I have time in front of the television. I try to get in 30 min. a day at least 6 days. I'll admit sometimes it's 5x a wk. I got to do more I know, but I get so busy. Hope husband and fur baby is okay after the windy incident.

 

Wonderful story, @Yvonne Smith ! Yes, it's the exercise thread, but I have to say that if I *could* walk the kitty like that, it would *be* my main, and favorite source of exercise. And yes, I know I could walk without a pet attached to a leash, but my neighborhood just doesn't give off the sense of comfort to be out walking. Of course if the predators would give someone a problem, I guess the Bloods and Crips downtown could take care of it. Shivers. (I know what you're thinking, Yvonne... that a kitty wouldn't be much protection anyhow... good point!)

But back to exercise... I would *prefer* walking, and did so much of it years ago, but at this point, I'm better off with the treadmill.

 

@Ina I. Wonder , I use these ones in the park or on the beach sometimes, but I can only manage a few minutes before my back really hurts..(this photo was taken last summer...) so they're not an option for me sadly..