I currently live in a very hot climate, at least in the summer months. This can make it very difficult to exercise. My main form of exercise has always been walking. I love getting outside to enjoy the fresh air and take in my surroundings while I walk. Over the years, I have gone back and forth on how much I walk and how often, but ideally I would like to be able to walk at least 2 miles a day. However, it is so hot this summer, usually in the 80's or 90's, that I have really had to cut back on my walks. Even when the temperature is in the mid 70's, it can still be too humid to be comfortable. I tried getting up early, but here in KY we have had nights where it didn't even get below 75 overnight. I would really rather not pay for a gym or to take a class. That's not really where I want to direct my extra income at the moment. Does anyone have suggestions for free exercise, particularly if I can do it indoors?
We live in Alabama, so our air is also very hot and muggy. When I lived in Idaho, I could walk in the evenings because the air cooled off at night, and it was not anywhere near so humid there. Here, even if you go outide at the break of dawn, which is usually the coolest time, it is still way too humid for outside exercise in the summer months. Here is what we do. We have an exercise glider called a Gazelle. We got it on Craigslist for about $20-$25 used and delivered to us. It is easy for me to walk on, even with my bad knees. If you buy a new one like @Ina I. Wonder has, then they are several hundred dollars, so it is worth checking CL if you want to keep the cost down. We also bought one of the backyard above ground swimming pools (like Intex) when Walmart had a clearance sale, and it is large enough that we can swim and do water exercises in there, and cool down , all at the same time. We both have Medicare Advantage, which includes a fitness membership through Silver and Fit, so we do also go to the gym every other day and exercise. Before we had that, we used the pool and the Gazelle, and that works pretty well during the summer heat, and the Gazelle is also perfect for when it is cold in the wintertime. Also, you can find all kinds of tutorials for workouts on any level if you look on Youtube, if you like that kind of thing better.
That's not hot, right now it's 6:18 PM here and it's 104! When I used to walk, I would do it very early...as soon as it got light out. At least we're not humid. I also belonged to a gym a few years ago and would walk the treadmill, sometimes do some other things. It really wasn't too expensive. At the most $29 a month and it was a huge gym. GB3 I think was what it was called. I'm guessing your younger than me, so I won't mention medicare having free programs for exercise. You can find a Mall that's air conditioned or even walk around a Costco a few times. I don't know what big stores are near you but that's an option, just figure out how many times you have to walk around. I also have an elliptical exercise machine and my ex bought me that but it's in the garage where it's too hot. I'm not that crazy about them though, is rather walk a treadmill. Seems I was typing the same time as Yvonne.
This is a tropical country which makes me familiar with the hot weather. When I was young, I would see some morning joggers wearing jogging pants and sweaters. And even it was morning, the weather was already warm because it was summer. When I grew up, that's when I realized that those morning joggers in sweaters wanted to sweat it out faster. Yeah, they are losing weight by taking advantage of the hot weather. There were summers that I joined that kind of activity but not much for losing weight (because I was not plump yet at that time) but more for the social activity. And if you have heard of the Fun Run, it's really fun when you are young and you have a new jogging pants and sweat shirt with new design. When I go to the nearby mini market located by the gate of our village, I would just walk my way. It's almost a kilometer away that I would be sweating when the 8am sun is already warming up the place. But I would take a ride in coming back home, there are tricycles and pedicabs plying the route.
@ Yvonne Smith Yes, it is the humidity that really does it! You get up at 5:00 and it may only be 75 degrees, but step outside and it feels like bath water. I can't walk in that for long before I am feeling faint. Thank you for the suggestions. I hadn't thought to look for exercise equipment on the likes of Craigslist. I bet there are probably some good deals to be had that way. Maybe I should look around February when people are giving up their new year's resolutions. @Chrissy Page I couldn't deal with 104. Where are you, Arizona? I am sorry if I missed your location. Walking around a mall is a very good idea. I have heard of people doing this a while back, but for some reason I didn't think of it after I moved to KY. Now, there is no mall right around here, however that would give me a perfect excuse to go shopping.
I live in Fresno, CA., central California and away from the coast. Our temps are similiar to Las Vegas and Arizona. These are normal temps for the whole summer....the rest of the week will be 108-109.
We have a couple of treadmills in our apt. complex fitness center, but we just use them during the so-called "winter" months here in northeastern Florida. We are just too lazy to use them during the summer months, even though the place has A/C and a small color tv above each one. The one time we did use them, it was really cool walking while watching The Rifleman on tv. We have read that it's not advisable at all for people in our age group to take a walk outside when the temps get as hot as they get here June thru Sept. We get some walking exercise when we go to the Mall or Walmart and we go to Walmart every week. Weekend afternoons, when it's just to darn hot outside or too smoky (wildfires) or raining, we will watch tv, take a nap and/or play our Wii Game. Can't even take our boat out. We have just never been the "physical fitness" type of couple.
Actually, I have never thought of myself as a "physical fitness" type of person either; but physical activity has always been a large part of my life. I just was not doing something solely for the purpose of getting exercise like we do now. I grew up being an outside person, had horses from the time I was 10, and physical activity was just a part of being alive. As an adult, we usually lived out in the country, and there was always lots of chores and other work to do every day, plus caring for the kids and whatever lifestock we had. Now, we live in town, the only animals are the two little dogs, and even they can get their exercise running around in the fenced yard (although they sleep most of the time, anyway); so working in the yard and garden is about the main physical activity we have nowdays. Hence the need to do something just for the purpose of exercise and not because it is part of accomplishing some work that needs done. Since I have always loved swimming, that and doing water exercises seems to be the best thing for me. I also love to walk; but with the heart failure, shortness of breath, and tricky knees, walking very far is just not much of an option at this point. The gazelle is good because it is right here in the house, and I can stop when I want to, and not have to walk back home from somewhere else.
Is a gazelle like an elliptical @Yvonne Smith? I have one or the other out in the garage but don't use it because It's too hot in there. Maybe I should bring it inside. I've got 2 bedrooms that aren't in use and could put it in there. My ex bought it for me then I never used it.
Well, @Yvonne Smith, from 14 years old to 19, I was raised on a small hog farm. From taking care hogs, to doing crops, I sure seen my share of exercise. But, I told myself that I'd never farm for a living. Being in the Navy gave me plenty of exercise as well, but didn't want to make that my career either. For some 20 years, owned and rode Quarter horses in rodeo as a Team Roper. If I wasn't swinging a loop, I was working in the arena at many pro-rodeos in Southern and Central California. Got plenty of exercise during those years. My body showed it to! Could eat whatever without gaining a pound. Those rodeo days are long since gone, but with the Wii Game, our boat and the Range, we get at least some exercise.
Here is the webpage for the Gazelle, @Chrissy Page . It was designed by a bodybuilder; so in the little video, he is showing vey fit people using it; but it is adaptable for any level of ability and degree of health. I like to put on music and exercise that way; but a person could also watch television if they enjoyed doing that , and you can walk slowly or really get moving, whichever works best for you. The Gazelle will fold almost flat, so it can be moved at least hallfway easily. I can't lift it; but if it is folded up, then I can just "walk it" if it needs to be moved. Here is a picture of our Gazelle, and also one of Bobby's muscle machine where he does his exercises. http://gazelleglider.com/?key=msn#prettyPhoto
No, mines not a gazelle then, it's kind of like that and think it folds so can be stored easily, also can be moved easily. I'll take a pic of it later, it's really dusty so ignore that.
Ok @Yvonne Smith , here it is... It counts steps or glides or something...I forget. I'm sure it needs a new battery.
It looks a lot like a gazelle, only more heavy duty. They make several sizes of the Gazelle, and the one that @Ina I. Wonder has is a lot heavier than mine is. I bet that it probably does about the same thing when it is opened, because the gazelle looks almost like yours when it is closed up to move it. If you open it up and try using it, then you should know whether you like it well enough to bring it inside where it is cooler. Mine has a little step-counter thing, too; but i never bother with that,so even if the battery is dead it will still work fine for exercising on. And If you want to count steps, then just put a fresh battery in it. If there is a name on it somewhere, you can probably find a Youtube video about using it.
I've used it before, think I even had it in the house when my ex first bought it but I tired of it. Seemed more effort to do 3 miles on that than a treadmill at the gym. Do you see my fat "Curves" hula hoop on the wall? Another thing I don't use. I think my back would spasm now. It was supposed to take inches off your waist. I'm going to my sons soon for a month and they have a treadmill and I'll start walking on that and then maybe when I get home I'll continue with the gazelle.