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How to keep moving when you can't go out to walk or get to the gym
As Covid and closures continue, and winter confines many of us (mostly) to the house, how can you keep moving? Walking round and round the house is certainly boring. But think about this - before all our labor-saving devices, our parents and grandparents got plenty of exercise by just managing life day to day - remember kneading bread dough, washing walls, windows & floors, or using a wringer washer & ironing? Is there a way to do some of this in your home?
My Mom lived in several apartments before she passed away. The laundry room was down the hall, and if it was to hot-cold-slippery to walk outside with her friend, she made laundry an exercise. One trip to start the load, another to move it to the dryer, a third to take it out, then she would fold half and carry it home, then the other half, so 5 round trips. Once piled on the bed, she would walk back and forth to put things away in the closet and drawers. When I offered to do it for her, she said "this is my walk for today."
I try to do the same, going up and down stairs repeatedly to do laundry, never carrying too much, so I can use the rail. Also, when folding, I toss everything on the far side of the bed, so I have to reach and stretch to get all the pieces.
I turn cooking into better exercise by chopping fresh veggies by hand, instead of using frozen ones or putting them in a processor. Then I wash the dishes by hand, dry & stow - all of this keeps me on my feet and moving.
Last week, I even moved my sewing machine to a stand-up table, and keep the ironing board as far away as possible - that may change as it is hard on my feet!
Light amounts of snow can be swept or shoveled away...
Many days I manage almost 5000 steps with out even leaving my 1000 square foot house.
What can you change in your daily routine to get moving when you're stuck inside?
Sue
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Sue: I was stuck for a long time when the Covid scare was bad and they didn’t know what they were doing (as if they do now!). The gym membership was still being charged but the gym was closed.
I got a bit creative by walking before/after store hours so I was by myself. This way I could plan depending on the weather. I can’t walk very far (falling risk), so I would go into a parking lot outside of a grocery store that left carts outside, wipe the handle with a wet one, and walk around the lot with a cart. It’s open and very visible from the road so the police would always see me, which made me secure to know they were watching out for me. With a shopping cart I could go for miles, but with a cane only a small fraction of that. (The store managers don’t mind as long as I return them clean.)
I would also make use of my time by using dumbbells. When watching tv I would walk carrying dumbbells around the house during commercials (most shows are about 40 minutes show, 20 minutes commercials) so at least I would get activity. It’s good for a huge list of benefits!
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3 Reactions@howardm, What a great and creative way to find a solution to outside walks that would keep you moving while keeping you safe from others and under the watch of police if needed for help from a fall! Using the carts for stability as you walked was an added benefit.
Congrats to you for your creativity!
@ess77, Thank you so much for this information and for your good wishes, Elizabeth!
@ess, Laughing at your response to Sue and hoping that your doc visit goes well tomorrow! How kind of you to share gifts of lemons from your "cocktail tree" with your docs. Hope you'll let us know the results of visit and that it is just a "well-baby" follow-up?
I live in Palm Coast, since 1998. It has grown so much, but I still love living here. We have such beauty here with many natural trails and parks. I’m not able to walk them any more, but once Mayo schedules my back fusion I am hopeful I can get back to more activity.
We have UHC supplement and many places participate, so I can look forward to exercise in their heated pools, or classes.
This is as far south in Florida I want to be. It’s been in the thirties the last few mornings, and warms up today to the seventies I think!
There is a housing shortage here, both in rentals and sales! So plan ahead if moving, I think all of the north is moving to Florida!
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2 ReactionsI do wear a FitBit Charge3, but it isn't waterproof. I bet we could start a thread here to get suggestions from people for one that is less expensive and waterproof.
Would you like to do that, or if you're not sure how, I can do it. I'll be in and out today so it might take a while.
Sue
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2 ReactionsFitbit charge 3 is water resistant up to 50 meters. I only have a fitbit charge 2 and I forgot to take it off in the shower once, and it was ok. Just lucky. I think there's water "resistant" and "waterproof". Unless you plan on swimming with it, I think it would be a good idea to take it off before submerging it in water.
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1 ReactionThank you for posting the above.
Thanks, that's great to know! I looked it up and I can swim in it.
Sue