How to stay young when we getting older

Health & Diet Health & Diet: Chat / Discussions
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Lately, I feel like I can’t catch my breath.
Even walking a short distance makes me tired.
Is anyone else experiencing this?
My back is starting to hunch, and my movements aren’t as smooth or agile as they used to be.

If any of you have suggestions or would like to share your thoughts, I’d really appreciate it.
I know exercise is important to get stronger, but the truth is… I really don’t enjoy exercising at all.
Even the slightest bit of physical activity makes me feel exhausted, like my heart can’t take it.

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Have you given any thought to joining an exercise to music class? They are always run by a trained and certified instructor who understands the limitations of the class members in front of them.

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I’d say to join some sort of group. Exercising with others is often more tolerable than exercising alone …and there is the social aspect to it as well. Could get a health check-up too.

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To be honest, I’ve never really enjoyed exercising, it’s always felt more like a chore than something fun. Even just the thought of moving to music makes me feel tired already! But it’s a great suggestion, and I’d like to give it some thought. Exercising with music and a group of friendly faces might actually be fun. I think I’ll call the gym near my house and see what they offer. :blush:

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That’s a really good suggestion, Mart. You might be right that joining a group could help make it feel more fun and engaging. I think that these issues I’m experiencing come from the fact that I’ve never enjoyed exercising throughout my life. Because of that, my body may be aging or weakening faster than it should.

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Yeah…I know the feeling!

We all know that sooner or later there will come a day when we can no longer do what we did when we were 20
Here are some things I do –

A few years ago I became quite short of breath, leading to real trouble in breathing
To cut a long story short, it was Adult Onset Asthma
This is different to the more common, so called Childhood Asthma
It is incurable but can be well controlled
First port of call is your GP then plough through the system to see a respiratory specialist or consultant
Now my Asthma is well controlled and I don’t have any problems day to day, but I do get a tight chest if I walk uphill - my Respiratory Nurse is tweaking the treatment & doses

I took a statin for several years, but then I started to ache, especially in my legs, and feel tired, weak, and ‘distant’
That was Statin Ache, a common side effect
I stopped taking it; it’s supposed to be reversible, but I’m not convinced
Current thinking is that all the fuss & bother & demonisation of fats & cholesterol was all based on faulty & selective research, and pressure form the American food & pharmaceutical industry, and the determination of Ancel Keys, the American scientist who was determined to be accepted
Search t’Net & YouTube for Statin Side Effects; Cholesterol Level; Ancel Keys, etc, and follow the links & prompts
Some of the videos are a bit long & technical, but watch a few of the shorter & simpler ones
Yes, you have to take t’Net with a bit of caution, but I’m convinced that statins were not needed

I have very much reduced my consumption of seed oils, carbohydrates, sugar, ultra processed food, and so on
Now the only fats I eat are olive oil, butter, and naturally occurring in meat, fish, dairy
My Diabetic Specialist Nurse gives me a general review about twice a year and she is, quote ‘surprised and impressed’ that my cholesterol & blood pressure results are normal without any medication

I used to do a lot of hill waking & backpacking, in summer & winter, but as I can no longer do the serious stuff I walk around & explore my local town & countryside, along the streets, back lanes & paths that all places have
Find out about a bit of local history, admire old buildings, and dredge up a bit of that ancient hippy zen, and enjoy what you can manage to do!

I’ve taken up Tai Chi, which is a martial art, but not as aggressive as things like karate or judo, it is more to do with balance, stretching, and co ordination
Nevertheless, at the end of a session I definitely feel that I’ve done some exercise
There is also a mental/motivation/meditation aspect, which you can either ignore and just treat Tai Chi as an exercise, or adopt it as far as you want to

I also try to do some other simple exercise - Search YT for indoor exercise, exercise for seniors, and so on

The combination of all this is that my weight has gone down from about 95kg to about 82kg - my target for this summer is to get just below 80kg

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I had an older brother who was keen on keeping fit through cycling. He wanted me to go with him and so I did. Three times a week (weather permitting) at distances ranging between 12 and 20 miles, mostly off-road on rugged ground.

I don’t think I’d have done that if I was on my own. He always acted as a prompt for me, even though sometimes I really didn’t want to go. Just shows that exercising with others is sometimes the prod needed to get out and do it. This went on for about 23 years and it kept me fit over that time whether I wanted it or not. :slight_smile:

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Swimming is the only exercise for me these days, followed by a sprawl in one of the jacuzzis. I swim some of my lengths, walk some of them and do some leg exercises at the end of the pool. All supported by the water so not hard at all. A good workout though. I go several times a week and at the same time, most people there are regulars and they soon start talking to you. Often go for a coffee with a couple of them afterwards.

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All (or mostly) good advice but have you considered a visit to your Doctor? Seems the right thing to do before embarking on any form of exercise especially if you are feeling generally unwell which has come upon you suddenly.

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@EZ_Rider
I went to see the doctor, and he did an EKG. Thankfully, everything came out normal. He advised me to exercise regularly. I guess there’s no way around it anymore, even if I don’t like it, I’ll have to do it if I want to live a better and healthier life. Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.

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@Rox You’re absolutely right. I just realized that swimming is actually the one form of exercise I can do and even enjoy a little. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pack my swimsuit and head to the pool before work. At the very least, kicking my legs in the water is better than doing nothing at all. Thank you for the reminder!:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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@mart Thank you for taking the time to reply again, Mart. Cycling is actually a really interesting option! It’s funny, when I’m alone, I can’t seem to think of anything, but once friends like you start sharing ideas, suddenly so many possibilities appear. I do have a bicycle, and I’ll go ride it at the local health park. I’m truly grateful to all of you for the inspiration. I think swimming and cycling might just be the easiest and most enjoyable ways for me to get started.

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Not at the same time though :icon_wink:

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@zuludog
Thank you so much for sharing your story and all the helpful tips. I truly appreciate it.

I think I might be dealing with a similar issue. I’ve had problems with allergies for quite some time, and I suspect they might be contributing to my shortness of breath too. Just like you, I eat a lot of carbohydrates and sugar, simply following my cravings without much thought.

Your experience and dietary changes really inspire me. I will be starting to pay more attention to what I eat and how it affects my body. And thank you especially for understanding how it feels when your body starts to change, it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in this. Your words really gave me encouragement and hope that I can make positive changes too.

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You’ve got to walk before considering anything more strenuous. And before that you’ve got to learn to breath! Sit and do breathing exercises before setting out on a walk; try to continue those exercises on your walk. Listening to your body clock, and you’ll find some days you are going at twice the speed of other days. That’s fine, enjoy it.

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Alright Spitty, I’ll try my best to remind myself absolutely no multitasking allowed :joy: :laughing:

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Thank you so much for the wise advice! This is honestly another really great answer. You’re absolutely right, I probably need to master the art of breathing before I even think about walking anywhere. Who knew breathing could be such a workout?

I’ll start with the breathing exercises and try to listen to my body, even if some days it feels like my body is still sleeping while I’m already out walking! I’ll remind myself that every small step (or slow shuffle!) counts. Thanks again for the gentle reminder to take it slow and enjoy the process.

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HaHa, yes :grin:

But there’s no counting involved in my regime, no competition.

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Do you own a simple peak flow meter? It is a device for monitoring your lungs and their capabilities at various times of your choice, and therefore can compare abilities from day to day and how breathing exercises can help increase your capacity.

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My mom got one, i will buy one for myself too. Thanks!

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