What exercises help to increase muscle tone as we age?

I'm sorry. How do you mean this?

I intended it as a comment on the energy of the power house cleaner.

I fear that it was somehow misinterpreted as perhaps thoughtless or even hostile. That was not my intent. Please clarify for me.

When I wrote it, I longed to have a less painful body that would enable me to clean a 2 br home in 30 minutes, incorporating exercise into the routine as the writer had.

I didn't take it badly - my husband knows to get out of my way when I start cleaning like that - he usually goes into the bathroom and cleans it while I blast through the house.

I learned this method from being a hotel maid on weekends in high school - we got paid for 8 hours, but if we were done before that, we got to go home. There had to be someone on duty though, so the last one to finish had to stay for the whole shift. (To make sure we did a thorough job, the head housekeeper would randomly check a room before we could leave!)

I also taught my kids - and now my grandkids - to do this - they get a snack when all the toys are put away.
Sue

When I read "When I wrote it, I longed to have a less painful body that would enable me to clean a 2 br home in 30 minutes, incorporating exercise into the routine as the writer had" it reminded me of when I was recovering from a bad infection + medication (over 2 years of illness.) I had terrible fatigue and was in a lot of pain.
At first, I would do 5 minutes of this, rest for 20-30 minutes, another 5... I could finish in half a day. Two days later, I would take the same approach to laundry - sort, sit, put in a load, sit, put load in dryer & another in washer, sit... Two days later fold & put away using the same routine. Gradually, over 6 months, I became able to do 10 minutes work, 10 minutes rest, etc

Reading some of my early posts on Connect, and comparing it with what I do now - and I find it hard to believe how far I have come. Progress is possible, but it ain't easy.
Sue

Thank you Mary for the offer of guidance. I somehow think I should have joined this group 10 years ago before my unexplained 35 lb weight loss and multiple spinal compression fractures caused loss of muscle strength and pain that slowed me down even more. My reply to your offer may be entirely tmi but it might modify the suggestions you give.
I'm now almost 80. Kyphosis and scoliosis have contributed to a height loss from 5' 9" to 5' 4" and compression on my lungs. I have a very bloated belly, obstipation, urge incontinence, peripheral neuropathy that affects my balance, and recent new unstable lumbar compression fractures. I suspect there are spinal cord issues that recently caused edema in both my legs from the knee down to my feet that also affects my balance. I joined the Mayo support groups that address some of these issues, and recently joined this aging group also.
I get some pain relief from 500 mg of acetaminophen 3/day to enable me to continue to maintain my small 1 br apartment, purchase and prepare my own largely plant based food, and use the laundry room 2 flights down from me. I spend a lot of time relieving my back back in my recliner.
A Kaiser PT suggested very minimal exercises and cautioned me against bending or twisting and lifting more than 5 lbs. I recently incorporated my Peripheral Neuropathy support group's suggestion we try Online PT Bob and Brad's exercises to reduce foot drop and more.
I have no family, and my few friends have died or become demented. My social contacts have been focused on participating in my largely dysfunctional homeowner's association with no friendships resulting. Most of my neighbors are young, non English speaking (my only language) and fully employed in silicon valley jobs. The friends I had moved out because of the dysfunction, not uncommon with condominiums.
I sometimes wonder what keeps me struggling, but I somehow do. Any exercise guidance welcome but most of my time is spent simply existing.

By modify do you mean alter to you specifically? I apologize and didn't look up your history. I might not have replied to your question had I.

I'm 75 and in October will celebrate 25 years of surviving lung cancer. My suggestions to you might have seemed excessive. However, you did ask a direct question which I answered directly.

I wish you well in the future and hope that you continue to move and exercise in the healthiest way for you.
It's a pleasure to speak with you.

I too am 83 and use https://qualitylivingusa.com for education and endorsements on CBDs which alleviate my arthritis in my left shoulder. It taught me to start at the dosage recommended on the bottle of tincture and "titrate up" to the dosage that alleviates my pain. That means, "start low and increase slow." Once the pain is gone, stay on that dosage.

I also have found nothing from Mayo to help me tone my muscles but just ordered two books from Harvard Health Publishing on workouts and core strengthening. "Workout Workbook" is at http://www.health.harvard.edu/wowb and "Gentle Core Exercises" is at http://www.health.harvard.edu/litecore. Hope these three are helpful.

I'm about to begin with a personal trainer at our local gym. I also walk regularly and use CBDs to alleviate arthritis pain. Now I'm attacking muscle tone.

In reply to @sueinmn … thank you for this info. I am wondering what type of trekking poles your mother uses? I have severe arthritis in my left foot and can walk adequately on even surfaces, but would like to have poles to resume hiking in the woods, etc….also, given my foot limitations, making sure I find ways to exercise for muscle mass is difficult as my foot gets very uncomfortable when putting too much pressure on it. I do (women’s) push-ups 3-4 times a week and resistant band PT exercises at home. What do you think of the low impact HIIT program? I’m guessing I could find some on YouTube to try, but do you have any opinion about the capacity of a seriously arthritic foot ,an aging that type of exercise? Thanks for listening and all your care, kindness and invaluable help all the time❤️

Your pacing is how I do my food prep and cleanup. It is often in 10 minute increments with time on the floor, somewhat decreasing the back pain, then up, try to stabilize myself, remember where I left off and continue until the meal is complete and then repeat to hand wash dishes. I stopped for awhile when I didn't have the energy to vacuum, but I'm on the plan again now .
Life keeps changing.