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Exercise - how much is enough?

(40 Posts)
Norah Mon 19-May-25 14:54:30

I'm near your age, healthy and active.

I walk dog(s) 4 times daily. Terriers are quite active. I think hoovering dog hair, daily, is exercise. The stretching sort one gets from pets.

I use exercise equipment when the mood strikes.

It seems to me you exercise enough. Perhaps add a bit on your bike if you believe you must exercise more? Balance pose while tidying?

crazyH Mon 19-May-25 14:47:53

I hate these posts (joke) - makes me feel like such a slob 😫

AGAA4 Mon 19-May-25 14:43:53

I used to walk for about 2 hours a day but I have hip arthritis now and have had to cut it down to one hour. I do some yoga and hip exercises most days. I feel I should do more but gets painful. I will be 78 soon.

Cossy Mon 19-May-25 14:26:41

M0nica

I am 81, nearly 82, I regularly walk several miles. On a day out in London recently I walked over 4 miles in total. I also do Tai Chi, a regular class and short daily sessions at home, plus gardening around one hour a day. At the moment I am preparing to move house so spend several hours a day bending and stretching as I sort out packing, lug stuff for tip and charity shops in and out of the car.

I have ADHD, which means I am not good at sitting down for any length of time.

OP, I would say, you and I, are doing far more exercise than most people our age.

I certainly would agree with your last paragraph, and would add you are more active than many people far younger than you! Well done! smileflowers

Cossy Mon 19-May-25 14:25:03

keepingquiet

You are an inspiration! I hope I'm still out walking at your age.

I agree thanks

silverlining48 Mon 19-May-25 14:20:01

Good luck with the move Monica.

silverlining48 Mon 19-May-25 14:19:44

I will be 77 in a few weeks and do a lot of walking, sometimes up to 10 plus miles. I only started walking at 50 but so glad I did.

M0nica Mon 19-May-25 13:38:44

I am 81, nearly 82, I regularly walk several miles. On a day out in London recently I walked over 4 miles in total. I also do Tai Chi, a regular class and short daily sessions at home, plus gardening around one hour a day. At the moment I am preparing to move house so spend several hours a day bending and stretching as I sort out packing, lug stuff for tip and charity shops in and out of the car.

I have ADHD, which means I am not good at sitting down for any length of time.

OP, I would say, you and I, are doing far more exercise than most people our age.

David49 Mon 19-May-25 13:19:52

At 81 you do as much as you are comfortable with, try a few more minutes on the exercise bike, but dont overdo it.

Lathyrus3 Mon 19-May-25 13:15:12

Personally I think it’s not really about the spurts of exercise but more about what happens in between.

On your feet more than on the couch😬

dogsmother Mon 19-May-25 13:14:10

Sounds as though you are doing plenty and I am inspired by you.

keepingquiet Mon 19-May-25 13:10:51

You are an inspiration! I hope I'm still out walking at your age.

silverlining48 Mon 19-May-25 13:05:40

Balance too, stand on one leg as long as you can. When you are cleaning your teeth perhaos or while the kettle boils. Try closing your eyes. Very hard.
I can’t do this and it’s reminded me that I shoukd be doing this too.

silverlining48 Mon 19-May-25 13:03:08

Why not go for more but short walks, you seem to be fairly fit if you play badminton. You coukd increase another 5 minutes on the bike. If you like.
Don’t forget resistance weight training is really important at our age. You can get those wrist or leg weights or else carry (carefully ) a tin of beans in each hand as you walk round the house.
Not that I am an expert, but you seem to be doing fine.

NotTooOld Mon 19-May-25 11:35:39

I am a reasonably healthy and active 81 year old woman. I find I can't walk too far these days so long walks are out but I still play a few games of badminton once a week. I also do 10 minutes of stretching type exercises first thing every morning plus 5 minutes on my exercise bike. My question is, is this enough? Should I be doing more? What do others of my age do?