hellooo. do you have heart problems/asthma/diabetes/work full time if so what is your excercise schedule if any? i only ask as im worried about my mums health she has heart problems, is obese and has diabetes and asthma and for years she always uses excuses that she cant exercise because shes tired from f/t work but its idk what the word is, but if you exercise for a little while after a few weeks your energy levels will go up. and the weight loss if ever so gradual will help her immensely. im living in constant fear for her health/well being. i know she can ultimately only change when she wants to, but is there anything i can do? i run 3x a week and gym 3-5x a week and go to 2-3 exercise classes a week. so we are complete opposites. i always tell her what i was doing at x class or the gym, or who i saw out running. how do i go about exercising with her? what can i suggest? i was thinking kettlercise, as you can go at your own pace and it isnt too strenuous. is paying for a gym memebrship for her a good idea? obv ill go with her, and im willing to pay for excercise classes too if she wants? maybe buying a step and doing step aerobics with her at home? as i know years ago she used to go and love it. running out of options. sounds awful but shes 56 and id be lost without her. i just want her to take better care of her health. i feel like she should be more motivated as heart problems and obesity is what has caused most of the deaths in our family :icon_sad: any advice appreciated ty (*hug*)
Maybe you can ask your gym for a visitor pass (my gym does that... When my cousin came in town she worked out with me for $10 without a membership) and take your mom there just to kinda of introduce her and maybe talk to a trainer or someone else there. If you haven't already, try sitting down with her and telling her how you feel; how you're worried and couldn't imagine life without her. You could also find healthy recipes to make together. My grandma (similar situation) and I started doing "commercial workouts" where when we are watching TV, she stands up and does something as simple as high knees and lifts with 5 lb dumb bells. If she's really stuck in her ways and isn't open to any of these ideas, I don't know what to tell you. Good luck and best wishes to both of you!
Do you have any nice gardens or nature trails? Maybe tell her you'd like to check them out and have her come along. Walking can be very good for you and depending on how out of shape she is, it might be best to start with something like this. You could plot it out so it's a good long walk. Slow but long. Work it into your schedules as a regular outing? Does she have an iPod or do you have an old one she could have? I listen to humour podcasts when I run. Makes the time fly right past. I'm sure there must be one or two that she would be interested in.
thanks guys. you can do this thing were you can pay as you go at the gym. more expensive but if shes not regular then prob best option. shes pretty out of shape she picked up my 1.5kg dumbells to move them out the way and yelled that they were 'far too heavy' D: she did go walking a while ago, but never picked it up again because shes older lets say and certain things can happen i.e needing the toilet more. so she stopped. so im thinking gym is best option, as she has instant access to 'facilities'. theres tvs on the machines at the gym so its sort of an incentive cuz thats all she does is watch tv. but yeah the tv workout sounds good too. ill sit her down tomorrow and let her know, but ive told her a billion times. just hope one last try will help.
If your mum has a lot of health problems she should exercise gently under the guidance of a doctor. High intensity exercise could be more harmful to her. Exercise bikes are often used as a starting point for people with medical issues like obesity and diabetes, but advice should be sought. Hope your mum can get there with your support. Good on you for caring.
I second the exercise bike. It's fairly easy, and you can sit, which is a great "selling point" for somebody out of shape. One thing you need to keep in mind, not just with your mother, but anybody that is out of shape, is you have to "compromise" with them. Basically, you can't bring them to the work out, you have to bring the work out to them. To most people who don't have the drive to be active, they come up with excuses as to why they cannot work out. Most of the time it really isn't that they do this or that, it's because they know it isn't a quick fix, that it takes time, dedication, and requires a routine... ... of course, they're looking at it as they are now. Out of shape, questionable stamina, and in rivalry with what they currently do. In a few weeks, this might change, but it's getting them past those few weeks that is key here. Is there any possible way you could get an exercise bike into your home? If so, place it somewhere your mother frequents, maybe in front of the television. If need be, you use it, while watching television -- don't just tell her, show her. When she sees how relatively simple it is, you can hop off and ask her to try it. If she says yes, great, stick around and be gently encouraging. If she says no, keep at it, but maybe this time put on her favorite music or movie -- this way you're associating something she likes, with something she isn't looking forward to. One aspect that too many overlook is, those who are out of shape may have body or confidence issues. For some it's glaringly obvious, but for others it's deeply rooted, maybe hidden behind the pride they take in their home, their job, or their family. Working out in their home not only gives them a comforting familiarity, it also shields them from potential judgement, which is what most folks stress over when working out, especially if they are not a regular gym patron. Everybody knows the physical aspects of working out/getting fit, but there's more to it than that. Arguably, the psychological aspect. Just some things to think about. Good luck to you!
She could try swimming, its pretty fun. And sometimes they even have group exercises in the pool at my gym.
