Exercise to strengthen bones (for osteoporosis)

The thing about formal exercise classes (apart from the cost) is that regular attendance requires discipline and, for many women, finding the mental and physical energy after a day juggling career and children to opt for sweating in a gym over watching TV/reading a good book with a tub of ice cream. I'm retired so I have fewer excuses than most people not to go to some sort of exercise classes. But I look out the window and it is windy and raining/hot and stiffling/cold and icy and I look at the comfort of the couch. Standing on one leg while waiting for the elevator requires fat less willpower. A cartoon comes to mind. The doctor says to his fat elderly and unfit patient："There is no reason you can't live a long and productive life if you give up all the things that make life worth living."

@bobbi2014

Very honest post and I love the humor. But (and a big but) is that anyone can find an excuse not to do something and yes it does take a little willpower and discipline. I have been going to the gym 3 days a week for classes since I retired 9 years ago. I can tell you, once you start, it gets to be such a habit that you structure your days around that time and you miss it if you don’t go. I have made and still have great friends I met there. The social time alone is worth the effort.
We are a chatty group in the same age bracket so we all have the same interests and problems. Before the pandemic we had monthly lunches. A lot of people never returned when things started to reopen but new people come all the time.
This is a senior class and believe me, they don’t get sweaty. They do what they can. The instructors out on the floor don’t really know about osteoporosis and I would suggest a senior class vs the floor. I do sometimes use the machines but not as much as I did now that I am up there in years (81).
My instructor is a year older than me and also teaches balance classes and core. He is amazing and is always teaching us how to prevent falling. He will tell someone not to do something because he gets to know them and often gives special time to them after class. Lucky to have him.
I am so much stronger and feel so much better after exercise….even my walking and some floor exercises I do at home.
Please try to find a class and get moving…yoga or exercise…contracts are not required at most gyms….just a monthly fee or your insurance may pay for silver sneakers….more are doing so.
You can trial a class also..it’s not just for the young crowd anymore. Get yourself some good sneakers and inexpensive gym outfits (may as well look cute) and you will find yourself literally living in the gym or yoga clothes.

FL Mary

Your post is very inspiring. I'm going to make a real effort starting tomorrow. How long did it take for the exercise "habit" to become, well, habitual for you?

Good morning ... I've been researching weight bearing exercises and have no clue how to do them correctly without hurting myself. I joined the gym, told the instructor I was there for osteoporosis and weight bearing exercises. He pointed to a few machines, never explaining the proper way to use them. Though I try, I am so afraid I will do more harm than good with these machines. I have an upcoming appointment with an Endocrinologist I've not seen before and plan to ask him for a referral in Physical Therapy. I'm hoping they will teach me the proper way without adding hurtful pressure and possible fracture on my body. I'd like any information you can offer on weight bearing. Thanks!

@bobbi2014

Very honest post and I love the humor. But (and a big but) is that anyone can find an excuse not to do something and yes it does take a little willpower and discipline. I have been going to the gym 3 days a week for classes since I retired 9 years ago. I can tell you, once you start, it gets to be such a habit that you structure your days around that time and you miss it if you don’t go. I have made and still have great friends I met there. The social time alone is worth the effort.
We are a chatty group in the same age bracket so we all have the same interests and problems. Before the pandemic we had monthly lunches. A lot of people never returned when things started to reopen but new people come all the time.
This is a senior class and believe me, they don’t get sweaty. They do what they can. The instructors out on the floor don’t really know about osteoporosis and I would suggest a senior class vs the floor. I do sometimes use the machines but not as much as I did now that I am up there in years (81).
My instructor is a year older than me and also teaches balance classes and core. He is amazing and is always teaching us how to prevent falling. He will tell someone not to do something because he gets to know them and often gives special time to them after class. Lucky to have him.
I am so much stronger and feel so much better after exercise….even my walking and some floor exercises I do at home.
Please try to find a class and get moving…yoga or exercise…contracts are not required at most gyms….just a monthly fee or your insurance may pay for silver sneakers….more are doing so.
You can trial a class also..it’s not just for the young crowd anymore. Get yourself some good sneakers and inexpensive gym outfits (may as well look cute) and you will find yourself literally living in the gym or yoga clothes.

FL Mary

Good morning ... I've been researching weight bearing exercises and have no clue how to do them correctly without hurting myself. I joined the gym, told the instructor I was there for osteoporosis and weight bearing exercises. He pointed to a few machines, never explaining the proper way to use them. Though I try, I am so afraid I will do more harm than good with these machines. I have an upcoming appointment with an Endocrinologist I've not seen before and plan to ask him for a referral in Physical Therapy. I'm hoping they will teach me the proper way without adding hurtful pressure and possible fracture on my body. I'd like any information you can offer on weight bearing. Thanks!

I once took yoga because I saw a yoga student, from the back, walking into the studio and she had the posture of a ballerina and that gait of a healthy young cold. Neither of which I had and thought worthy aspirational goals. I went into to the studio and found out she was the teacher so signed up for classes. I found at the first class that she was in her 90s when she referred to a recent birthday.

All of us in her classes revered her great example of how a body can work and look in any age. She was the best teacher as she paid very close attention to the tiniest details. I've had yoga teachers who spent most of the time staring at themselves in the mirror, making class a free session for themselves but of no help to students.

Eunice Wellington, RIP, once had me move two fingers on my hand, while doing, I think, the downward dog, and I was surprised that I could feel difference in my shoulder. She had that attentive to all her students! It made a big difference and helped me start being vaguely able to 'listen' to my body at other times. When I look back on it, she had a lot of students dealing with cancer and they seemed to respond deeply to her healing perspective.

Hi @toni7, For your information, there is an exercise routine including weight bearing exercise I setup to strengthen my bones in osteoporosis. Please mouse click the Shared Files link below titled “Exercise in Post-Fosamax” (in blue color) to open the attached file.

Good morning ... I've been researching weight bearing exercises and have no clue how to do them correctly without hurting myself. I joined the gym, told the instructor I was there for osteoporosis and weight bearing exercises. He pointed to a few machines, never explaining the proper way to use them. Though I try, I am so afraid I will do more harm than good with these machines. I have an upcoming appointment with an Endocrinologist I've not seen before and plan to ask him for a referral in Physical Therapy. I'm hoping they will teach me the proper way without adding hurtful pressure and possible fracture on my body. I'd like any information you can offer on weight bearing. Thanks!