I would like to get some workout advice.  I'm 58 years old.  I have some limitations due to a multiple trauma accident in 2004: The left cunniform bones are partially fused; there's permanent damage to the tendon and a ligament.  I wear a "level 3" support on my left ankle and a build up on the left shoe - these help me with balance. My knees have scar tissue from hematomas; my pelvis is rotated and I have arthritis in my neck.  These are the things that limit my activity.  I also have 5 surgerical plates in my arms; I had 4 severed tendons (3 of them are successfully re-attached) in my left wrist.  The plates and the tendon situations in my arms don't cause a lot of problems in my exercising.  My lower spine has osteopenia.  Formerly, my hips had osteopenia but the results of a recent Dexa scan put the bone density in my hips in the "low normal" range. 

I put on 40 lbs. following this accident.  I gradually lost about 10 lbs. and then since last November I've lost another 18 lbs. but recently my rate of weight loss has slowed (a lot; sometimes a month goes by without losing a pound).

While I was still walking with a cane, I resumed exercising by riding a recumbent bike.  I usually did this for 20 to 60 minutes per day (depending upon my work schedule).  For approximately the last year, I've been:

• doing cardio workouts (usually elliptical machine, sometimes recumbent bike, occassional treadmill) about 30 to 50 minutes, usually 4 times per week. 
• attending a "Fit and Secure" class.  It's offered twice a week, I probably average getting to it 5 times per month. (This is an exercise class intended for retirees.  It includes some weight training, balance exercises, cardio workout and stretching). 
• doing strength training workouts - 1 or 2 per week, usually about 40 minutes - mostly using weight machines in a gym (I try to do the lifts slowly - a trainer at the gym told me this is good to combat the osteopenia). I try to emphasize the large muscle groups.
• I do stretching exercises so my rotated pelvis hopefully doesn't get worse and I do general stretching after workouts.
• When the weather isn't too hot, I've done some walking for variety but it's a slow go because of the left ankle (it takes me about 18 minutes to walk a mile).

Do you have any suggestions for how I can improve my workouts or make more efficient use of the time that I have available for workouts?  Thank you.

Jane

Hi Jane, 

Thanks for writing and welcome to the alli fitness forum! Although you've faced many physical challenges, it sounds like you've achieved so much by losing nearly 30 pounds!  You should be very proud of yourself and realize the strength and courage that you have! 

By what you've told me about your workout schedule, it looks really well-rounded and very effective.  By including a variety of workouts, including cardio on most days of the week, strength training, stretching, etc., you are maximizing your fat-burning/calorie-burning potential! It isn't unusual for weight-loss to slow down once you've lost a significant amount.  This is because when you weight less, your body requires less energy (calories) to function, as well as you've reached a higher fitness level and you're body has adapted to it.  When this occurs, it is time to change up your exercise routine and/or tweek your diet.  

I would encourage you to continue to incorporate different types of exercises into your weekly routine.  Try pilates/yoga and/or swimming!  Add 2-3 minutes of higher intensity exercises while working out when it is physically doable for you.  For example, increase the resistance while riding your recumbent bike and really challenge yourself for a few minutes, then return to the lower level. 

For more advice with your diet, post a message to the on-line dietician.  With the help of alli, a healthy diet and regular, structured exercise program, you should see positive results!

Best in fitness and health, 

Kelli

KelliCalabrese:

Hi Jane, 

Thanks for writing and welcome to the alli fitness forum! Although you've faced many physical challenges, it sounds like you've achieved so much by losing nearly 30 pounds!  You should be very proud of yourself and realize the strength and courage that you have! 

By what you've told me about your workout schedule, it looks really well-rounded and very effective.  By including a variety of workouts, including cardio on most days of the week, strength training, stretching, etc., you are maximizing your fat-burning/calorie-burning potential! It isn't unusual for weight-loss to slow down once you've lost a significant amount.  This is because when you weight less, your body requires less energy (calories) to function, as well as you've reached a higher fitness level and you're body has adapted to it.  When this occurs, it is time to change up your exercise routine and/or tweek your diet.  

I would encourage you to continue to incorporate different types of exercises into your weekly routine.  Try pilates/yoga and/or swimming!  Add 2-3 minutes of higher intensity exercises while working out when it is physically doable for you.  For example, increase the resistance while riding your recumbent bike and really challenge yourself for a few minutes, then return to the lower level. 

For more advice with your diet, post a message to the on-line dietician.  With the help of alli, a healthy diet and regular, structured exercise program, you should see positive results!

Best in fitness and health, 

Kelli

 Kelli - Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I really do feel good about the progress I've made.  Even a year ago, I wasn't confident that anything I did would improve my health as much as my workouts have.  I'm grateful for the progress that I've made.

Could you be more specific in your advice?  On the elliptical workout, I usually use the "weight loss" program.  It automatically varies 4 min of resistance level 1 with 4 min of resistance level 8.  I usually get my heart rate @ 108 at resistance level 1.  At resistance level 8, my heart rate usually goes up to @ 112.  Usually midway through the workout, I try to increase my intensity at resistance level 8 and thus spend a few minutes at a heart rate @ 125; it may even briefly go to @ 130.  So, in a 30 to 45 min workout, I probably have 8 to 10 minutes with a heart rate between 120 and 130.  Later in the workout (just like at the beginning), I don't push myself as much.  Should I try to do more of the higher intensity or is what I'm doing about the right amount?

Also, on the weight training workouts, I sometimes get a little muscle soreness the next day from the chest press and the lat pull downs (so I feel I'm building some muscle).  I've heard that working the large muscle groups is the key to building strength.  Is this correct?  I never get any muscle soreness from working the glutes or the quads.  Do you have any suggestion about what I could do to more effectively work the glutes and the quads?

Thanks for your help.

Jane

Hi Jane, 

You are very welcome!  Alli tries to provide their customers with all the necessary tools to be successful with their health and fitness goals.  The alli circles and forums are there to help you share your concerns, questions, suggestions and ideas. I encourage you to visit all of the sites to stay plugged into the community and to even better your chances of long-term success. 

At your age, you should be working out at a heart rate right in the lower 120's to 130's for heart-healthy benefits.  Ideally, when you are at a fitness level that allows it, try to sustain your heart rate there for the majority of time that you are performing cardiovascular exercise.  I would encourage you to perform short bursts of higher intensity exercise (1-2 minutes each) by increasing the resistance on the elliptical manually allowing your heart rate to get up to 135-140.  This heart rate would be considered about 85% of your maximum oxygen uptake, burning lots of calories and really challenging (thus increasing) your cardiovascular fitness.  If you are unable to perform this high of intensity, work your way up to it by increasing the resistance or speed a little at a time and performing the exercise for only as long as it is sustainable...then return to a lower intensity and recover. 

In regards to weight training, working the major muscle groups for improving strength is very important, but it is also important to work the stabilizing/supporting muscles, as well. I would advise you to begin to include additional exercises for upper and lower body exercises. For example, instead of just performing chest press and lat pull-downs, you'll include reverse flies and/or tricep dips! Begin to perform a full-body workout.  The alli website provides helpful animated demos for a very effective workout. Go to "my activity" and click on "strength training log" to view them.  

Best of luck and keep working hard! 

Kelli