HealthUnlocked will undergo site maintenance on 8th April 2025 from 11:30AM (BST) / 6:30AM (EDT) for a few hours. We aim to restore the full service as soon as possible. Learn more
Happy New Year to you all
Over the Christmas period I feel my joints have become more and more stiff. I want to be become more active which I hope will help this and also improve my mood.
Please could anyone suggest where to start and how much to do? I am 64yrs young and approx. 2 stones overweight (which I am also trying to address- the weight not the age I am 16yrs in my mind)
Best wishes to you all JC
I’m sure most of us feel that the age next to our names is a mistake 😀. I feel like I did when I was 19. We will help you reach your goals. Start off steady and build up. Do you walk much already, or do you need advice getting out the door, we can do either.
Yes I think I need advice about getting out. I am interested in a fitbit but not sure if I would use it properly ie I am a technophobe and also would I get fed up of it. Being a Gemini is a real nuisance sometimes.
Do you have a smart phone. If you do I would think about getting one of the free walking apps that will count steps easily to see if it is for you. The other way of starting off is to challenge yourself to walk so many minutes a day and the try that for a week and see how that feels. Always pick an amount of time that is easy to do to start off with. It is more important to complete you goals to start off with.
Hi, I'm 63 years old and have recently acquired a Fitbit and I love it. I find it very motivating. The one I have tracks steps, heart rate and sleep, also tracking longer amounts of exercise. I didn't find it too hard to set up but I do have a smart phone. It's a good way of knowing how many steps you take and helps you push yourself a little more. Hope this helps
Welcome. I find walking really benefits not only my fitness, but my mood. A quick little toodle when I'm stressed or worried can really help clear things up in my head.
As for a place to start, it depends how much you already do. The best was is to add a little walking to your existing routine. You don't want to go great guns one day and feel it aching in your joints the next day. If you feel good after day 1, try adding a little more the next time.
I very much agree with your post - both about walking lifting your mood & with the goal of increasing the distance walked each time. Walking is the exercise that suits me best - my days of aerobics & such like are well in the past! I honestly don't know where I'd be without the therapy of a long walk!
Hi JC53, welcome to our forum! Realfoodieclub is right - slow and steady is the way to go. I also suffer from arthritic joints as well as a dodgy spine and I tend to fall, so I walk pushing a shopping trolley! When I joined the group 7 months ago I could only manage 200 steps, but I can do 3000 now - and I've lost 22 lb to date! So you are not alone! Just recognising that you need to get healthier and fitter is a big step. We are all different and you need goals that are manageable for you! Even a 10 minute walk is an achievement when you don't get out. Good luck with your journey - we'll be with you every step of the way.
What an inspiration! Thank you for sharing!
Hi everyone thanks for all your support and advice. Unfortunately I haven't been very good this week but I am still trying to save a bit of me time so that I can get started. Onwards and upwards. Have a great weekend everyone and good luck in all your endeavors x.
Oh JC53-sunshineband, sometimes the best laid plans of mice and men just go awry! Life happens and we just have to make new plans! I've been pretty lax myself this week - my right foot is giving me real trouble so I've been hobbling around. However, I went out today for just half an hour - even 10 minutes gives a sense of satisfaction and lifts the mood! Hopefully you'll be able to get out sometime over the weekend - even for a short time. Good luck!
2 months of Active 10!
New active 10 challenge to strech
About Active 10 PHE
