Keeping the mind and the body moving

Hi, @dorisena - you may have noticed I moved your discussion on keeping the mind and body moving to the Connect Healthy Living group, where I think you will find some like-minded members interested in discussing this. I'd like to invite @ihatediabetes @grandmar @debbraw @bulgebattler @gardeningjunkie into this discussion to talk about keeping moving - even remembering to get out of our chairs after thirty minutes - eating better and improving our health to stave off decline with aging.

@dorisena - have you found any tricks to help you remember to get out of a chair after 30 minutes and go move around?

Yes, but this is embarrassingly personal, but I will say it anyway. I am incontinent despite surgery and therapy, pills and all that, and I have to get to the bathroom often, so I don't sit for long periods. I get up three times in the night. I lost my cleaning lady/helper, so I have work to do. That keeps me from sitting for very long when I feel the crumbs on the kitchen floor in my bare feet. My mother believed you should never go anywhere unless your work at home was done. She is still guiding me from the grave, I believe. I must go sweep my floor now. Dorisena

In kitichin- stretch/ little bending while waiting for water to boil etc, in bed- mini sit-ups , near walll- stretch- mini pushups against wall, fetch ball for dogs and kids- move. Move

Thanks for being here to remind me. I live alone and even sent the cat to my daughter's because he was always underfoot and I thought I might fall. I talk to myself and think it is very therapeutic. You are the only one I admit it to, though. Ha Ha. The dog is outside but I speak to her every day. She only complains because I go back into the house. She announces visitors but I can't hear her in the house. I should get a job and talk to people. But I like communicating with friends on this site. Together we will do great things before we are finished here. And hopefully someone will remember our contributions to life.
Dorisena

Just a suggestion. Visiting others, especially if they live alone, and learning about them and their lives is very interesting I have found. I meet a bunch of elderly gentlemen every Thursday for coffee at a seniors residence where they have started having staff visiting.
each of their residents once a week. Even people living in these residents often don't get to know others or get involved in any of the activities they have. Obviously some do appreciate this and some don't and some just need a little urging to break the ice initially. I am pursuing this further looking for ways to enhance peoples lives.
As well, I wear a Blaze Fitbit for tracking primarily my steps but it also tracks my sleep, heart rate, blood pressure, and several other items which come in very handy for records as to how I am doing as I work on changing from a long time, very sedentary lifestyle to a healthy one including physical activity, nutrition, mental state and my green environment efforts. I also has a timer on it to remind me to stand up and move around at least once every hour. This watch was fairly expensive but they have a number of other styles with more limited options that do not cost as much.

I thought of getting once of those watches because my granddaughter is motivated by hers, but I still am not up to speed enough to make it useful for me. If I only saw low numbers it would discourage me. My progress from my back surgery is slow, but I planted 40 strawberries today, and enjoyed digging the holes. The soil was perfect. I also cleaned a flower bed. It is a start and I am temporarily inspired to plant onions tomorrow. It feels wonderful to be able to touch the ground, leaning on a walking stick. I should send a photo to my surgeon because I don't think he expected that to ever happen. He didn't recommend any therapy. Dorisena

Great job. You are obviously active doing stuff inside and out. Keep up the good work

Does the Blaze Fitbit do the blood pressure well when you use it? I read reviews on the web that said the blood pressure does not work half the time, and I need to report mine to the doctor as he is insisting I take more medicine which drugs me too much to stay alert and drive. I only take one of the three required pills at bedtime. This week my blood pressure is 127/60 on the first check so something is working better, especially my attitude. I think it may be because I changed churches to avoid a couple of issues from toxic people that weren't being addressed. Presto! Good blood pressure. I have retired from dealing with toxic people, especially in the church. If I have more problems in the future, I will become a recluse. I found that shut-ins are treated well in some cases. It's a plan. Dorisena

I was reading this thread because I have been using an app on my smartphone to track my steps. It seems to be working! Here's what google says about steps

An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile; and 10,000 steps would be almost 5 miles. A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day. For these people adding steps has many health benefits.

I was a software engineer out of college, so I was curious one time as to how a smart phone calculates movement. It's possible that these devices can calculate 'a step' . Isn't that neat! I read through the software development kits one time on the code that is used. Wish I was back at work, that stuff is fun.

I do feel guilty at the end of a day when the step count is low, I find it boring to just go out and walk by myself. I have to have a purpose in my walk, like going to a convenient store and purchasing a drink along the way. I think the calories in the drink maybe cancelling out my walking! Something I'm working on. The heat is torture for me, in this weather, I've been staying inside in the air conditioning.

Walk a Muggle/ with friends- get a walking group together- birdwatching, Hike trail, dog walking ( spca and other rescues loves volunteers walking their dogs, walk the mall , etc
Stretch/ walk steps in home - leaning against walls , pushups, weights, etc
I tried to 6000. Used to 8000 or more. Mostly retired now