If you need to try something new you might want to pick up a copy of the Body Flex video with Greer Childers. THIS will get your heart pumping. You don't even have to leave your house to do this.

Of course I dance for exercise, but besides that, I have my hobbies to get out my energy and stay in shape. I do walk, a lot, and run steps.
I do this because the only muscles not damaged by dance are my running mucsles! I have to just dance, no warm up, no stretching because my muscles have taken such a beating they no longer need to warm up and a warm up is just hurting them needlessly.

If you did aerobics for any length of time you may be facing the same problem. You may do the hips, knees and ankles damage but doing too much walking or with certain exercises.

This is why yoga is so popular. It uses muscles not destroyed by jogging or aerobics and still works to get you in shape. It is healthy for you and does not damage any muscles sheerly by the practice of doing it right.

Everyone should try a beginning yoga class before they shrug it off. It might be different than you expect and it may be the answer to your exercise problems. It builds strength, it helps with stretching, it is a complete body workout without banging on knees or feet or any other part of your body and it is done in a calm and relaxing atmosphere!

Just another vote for Yoga!

dancer

Yes, great idea dancer9, I have been thinking of taking yoga. Stretching is really good for you and I don't do it enough. I believe there is also core work with yoga.

I've also been advised that mixing things up tricks your body. Doing the same exercise all the time (treadmill) will not do the trick. Your body just gets used to that. Why is our body this way so we have to out smart it?

I am going to walk a trail close to my house with up and down hills, go on the eliptical trainer at the gym, strength train and try yoga changing it up on different days.

I am also going to stop eating chocolate bon bons. For some reason they seem to put on weight :-)
Kate

I understand about the knees hurting. A year ago I started walking by a lake with my daughter. It is so peaceful, has a sidewalk to walk on and has a playground and benches for picnics. It was wonderful.

I had not walked or done any exercise much for years because of all the problems associated with menopause and such. After my surgery I decided to walk to get the weight off and feel better. It was great for a while. Then I guess I did too much to soon and my knees were injured. I had to stop.

With this new year I want to try again and know I will have to take it much slower and pace myself. My left knee has a problem from when I fell and it is the real pain. So as one goal this year I want to try again. I noticed when I went to the mall a couple of days ago with her to return some Christmas items I about didn't make it. I went from one end to the other and she had to get the car and pick me up cause I couldn't make it back. So, after being irritated with myself I have decided to give it a try again. I am too young to not be able to walk that much.

Here's to new goals and a new year.
Sandpiper

Take your time Sandpiper.
Important to have good running shoes. I'm not sure it orthotics would help here. But to at least walk on softer ground.

Perhaps some form of swimming, if you do swim.

As other forumites know here, I cycle. Many men and women take up cycling in their mid-years and onward. On a properly fitted bike on you, cycling is actually easier on the knees. Many injured joggers, take cycling to save their knees because the sport places less bodyweight on the knees...and you go even farther..

above all, do the type of exercise that makes your heart sing...that's a guarantee you'll keep doing it more often.

Sandpiper, have you visited a doctor to see what might be wrong? It could be something as simple as putting orthotics in your shoes. Let's hope. But if they keep hurting, you should have them checked.

The week is over and I walked all but one day for about an hour each time. The weather is cooperating. Only one day we had to walk at the mall. But I haven't lost one lousy pound.

Orchid, I don't know much about cycling. Is it beneficial to the body, all the body? Why is it beneficial, if it is?

Sandpaper, in the summer I walk the pool, by that I mean I use a flotation foam stick to hold onto (can't swim) and just walk from one end of the pool to the other in the middle, and it is soooo easy on the feet, ankles, knees and hips and you real get a workout too. I can't wait for the warmer weather, even thought the pools here are heated the air is not and its too cold for me to be out and wet too...

Some articles.

http://www.cobr.co.uk/e-cobr_information/n_and_l_cyclists_section/sections/benefits_of_cycling.shtml

http://www.co.sheboygan.wi.us/county_dep...ticle_Aug07.pdf

Cycling is primarily an exercise that works your cardiovascular system. It is true that muscular strength is gained primarily in lower body. If you understand how to use multiple gears on a 18 speed or 24 speed bike, etc., you can choose to make it easier (in terms of effort) or more challenging on your body. However no experienced cyclist would recommend gearing that pushes your knees.

Cycling does need at least 1 complementary, secondary exercise at times for all-over body fitness --it could be stretching, weighlifting. Many regular cyclists during cold seasons when (or if) they choose not to cycle, may xcountry ski, hike, snowshoe or snowboard.

I cannot but stress the cycling for myself, is never boring since I do all of it outdoors and hence, scenery changes and weather conditions forces one's body to adapt over time. On a day where I'm feeling lousy, I don't push as hard vs. other days I do ramp up the speed.

Non-cyclists forget the level of cardio effort to go a long distance, up and down hills, etc. Dealing with headwind vs. the wonderful tailwind.

today I cycled for 42 kms. after not being on bike for past 8 days. During the lst 1/2 hr., I was feeling slightly crappy plus the fact the route requires mounting 2 7-10% grade hills at the beginning. But psychologically after mounting a hill, then the whole ride is alot easier physically and psychologically.

this ride is approx. 2 hrs. long and is one of my regular routes on weekends. At the end of the ride, I bike over to grocery stores to do shopping. It works really well, this lifestyle.

In terms of weight management, cycling has worked for me...without trying too hard. ie. I went to visit toronto and ate luscious rich meals (I allowed myself 1 calorie-indulgence per day) with family members and friends for 10 consecutive days. I cycled 8 of those days and just cycled, each day, a tame 26 kms. on reasonably flat route with 1 bunny hill. It was humid 80-85 degrees during that visit.

I only gained 1 lb. I had peameal bacon sandwiches, luscious desserts, and other gourmet entrees at restaurants. Included wedding banquet, later mega-family reunion barbecue dinner, etc.

I have been cycling regularily for almost past 17 yrs. now.

I do not know how to swim, so I don't do water sports. I do walk alot during rainy days since we don't have car.

I know alot of men and women in their 40's to 70's who are cycling nearly daily, approx. 25-40 miles days. part of cycling is mental endurance also...to finish the last 10 miles or whatever after a long ride. Something that perhaps children and some teenagers need tons of psychologically boosting.

but if a woman has given birth, raised children and survived major life events...she most certainly has the mental stamina to do a long ride. wouldn't you agree???

The women's cycling internet forum that I'm on, includes primarily women from their late 20's up to 60's. There are incredbibly several women in their 50's who are racing..after taking up racing in only the last 5-10 years.

These are women who have had children. I only mention this, since post-pregnancy weight for women seems to be a common problem (plus time scheduling).

the neat thing about cycling is that a person can take a very narrow utilitarian focus --limit interest in cycling just for one's health or for transportation. Or you can expand for vacation touring, environmental advocacy work ..or get into bike culture..where there's a whole world of wacky bike art, wacky bikes, cycling lingo, alternative lifestyles, etc.

I'm not sure if there is walking "culture" or "swimming" culture. I'm sure there must be....but it does add to the whole experience of partaking in a sport where you meet other equally enthusiastic people who express their passion-love for same sport in completely different ways.

In Tucson, where I live, cycling is a sub-culture! It is SO strong here, it is amazing. We have so many "biker,s" doing races, doing the mountain trails and the city streets. All our streets are bike friendly and we have SO many out on the weekends they invade restaurants after rides in fill them up!
These people are in great shape and have biked together for years, some of them.
The university here also has a program for bikers that attracts students from all over.
You can always ride her, the weather is always good, no rain and other than three months in the summer when it is hot, it's the ideal exercise. I'm not into cycling myself but I know plenty who are, we dance, go for a coffee and run into each other at all sorts of places!

It IS very good for those, as orchid says, that have burnt out other muscles from other sports or aerobics which was never very good for you!

Myself, exercise is hurting my body and has the opposite effect. I just launch into dancing with no warm up to save my muscles from over use. I am naturally flexable so I can do the splits whereever I am without a warm up. My doctor told me to stop warming up long ago to spare my muscles.

Cycling is rewarding, I know that. It is also a way to socialize in a healthy, rewarding manner.

dancer

Orchid is there any particular cycling tour that you would say was the nicest or unusually strenuous?

When our boys were 13 and 11 we went on a 500 kilometre tour in Muenster Land, Germany. It was recommended as the 100 castle tour, with camping sites along the way.

Well, it turned out to be the most horrid vacation I’ve ever been on. When we got off the train it was pouring. Our tents and sleeping bags were laden on top of our bikes. Our roundtrip train ticket was in 7 days, and till then it poured half the time. Not only that…the route was flat as pancake, which meant non stop pedalling…no hills to just race down and ride. Not good.

Most of the castles were closed. Camping sites were in planning and didn’t exist. The advertisement for the tour was one big lie. BUT we did it. Don’t ask me how; … between coughing cows at our tent’s entrance and my air mattress floating within our tent, it was a night-mare. My husband and the boys considered it adventurous.

On our return trip, the dark rings under my eyes, white lips, and soggy hair, plucked at my husband’s heart strings, or maybe he just got scared. He suggested I book and plan the next vacation, which I did;… warm climate with lots of deck chairs, without wheels!