That is my question
Any remarks are welcome

However, I have a specific need for some suggestions for in-house gym stuff. It's a long story, but the juice of it is I don't want to go to a fitness club or walk outside. Never mind the reasons.

Are there any items or equipment that can help me exercise within my smallish man-cave ??? I need to do aerobic and other exercises in a limited space with small or no equipment. I do have a few small weights ..etc. And need suggestions for more equipment that is not electric (maintenance free , almost ) and can fold away in drawers or cabinets.

Suggestions are appreciated.
Oh, and any pdf materials online are welcome too.
Thanks

I am over 60 and obese. Daibetic too.
But otherwise no major health issues.

I have seen these kinds of fitness kits

Are they any good. I like them

So you get the idea.

However, I don't know if any of these can simulate walking.

A treadmill is good if you have the room. There are folding aerobic stepper-type machines. Resistance bands by themselves really don't work well for aerobic exercise.

This isn't exactly addressing your specific questions, but ...

I'm in my upper 50's and have been overweight my whole life, but in the last 10+ years it got very out of control. I'm 6' 5" (maybe shrinking in height a little), and I was approaching 400 lbs!!! I started into pre-diabetes and my hips and knees started complaining about the weight, so I decided I had to really do something about it.

Since August, 2016 I have lost almost 110 pounds by changing how I eat AND tracking what I eat. I tried to exercise by walking at the beginning, but the hips, knees, and feet simply hurt too much. The walking for exercise just wasn't working.

I used an Android app called "Value Diary", which uses a version of Weight Watchers (WW). It assigns you a daily number of allowed points based upon your height and weight. The reason I like WW is that it cuts carbohydrates and allows free (relatively unlimited) fruits & vegetables. It recognizes that low fat proteins are good for you. I stopped eating bread (mostly), pasta, rice (mostly), cereal, ... and I track EVERY bit of foot that I eat. If I can't find it in the database or can't enter the nutrition information, then I just find something close - I figured a worst case guess was better than not recording it. You just have to DO IT and be honest - DON'T CHEAT, YOU ONLY HURT YOURSELF!!

Oh, and my wife did the same thing. I just couldn't do this on my own. She wasn't nearly as heavy as me - smaller of course, but she lost 30+ pounds and is very happy about it - except for having to give up her beloved high calorie coffee creamer - the WW points didn't let her get by with that.

At first I ate some rice each day, but my doctor said it provided no real nutrition and was only empty carbs, so I stopped (mostly).

I also weigh myself every morning - keeping in mind that the weight will go up and down a bit on a daily basis - so I try to not let short-term increases upset me. Sometimes it still does, but hey.

I try to only eat eggs, lean meats - chicken, lean ham, lean pork chops, lean red meat, fish (I'm not a big fish eater), chicken or turkey sausage, ...

I found commercial reduced calorie frozen dinners to be too little food and not satisfying.

Breakfast used to be toast (2 slices) with peanut butter, or a big bowl of cereal. Now I scramble two eggs in a bowl (using Pam), cook it in a microwave, toast one slice of whole-wheat bread, put a slice of low-fat cheese on top of the toast, and lay the cooked egg on top. That and a glass of skim milk.

Lunch is typically a salad (at work) with some hard boiled egg and chicken slices (veggies unlimited), and non or low fat dressing. I find some parmesan cheese sprinkled on add a lot of flavor - and lots of fresh ground pepper, when available. When eating out I try to go to Subway for a turkey sandwich with no sauces, or Taco Bell for tacos with Fresco sauce (no cheese). I haven't eaten a burger or pasta since I started.

Dinner is usually a salad, fruit, a hot veggie, and a lean meat, with skim milk. I found that veggie pizza is tolerable if I am careful the rest of the day. No fried foods (except meat in a little oil - but not deep fried or breaded, if you know what I mean).

I eat a snack - usually a granola bar (watch the points!!) at 10am & 2-3am, trying to avoid getting too hungry. I tried eating nuts, but they were high in points and my gut doesn't seem to like them much. Oh, and I have a WW fudge bar at night - it's about the same points as a granola bar.

Now, a smaller person may need to avoid some of my foods - they are allowed fewer daily points. It could be done by skipping the breakfast cheese and bread, skipping the egg or chicken with lunch, and looking for lower point snacks - maybe veggies.

I would strongly strongly recommend changing how you eat. It can make ALL the difference.

These days I can walk a lot farther and do a lot more without the pain. So now I am walking more - parking far away from wherever, walking up and down parking ramps, taking dogs for walks, etc. I still have more to lose, but getting there.

Ken

P.S. I think walking is really the best exercise you can do if weight is an issue. You just can't get enough exercise inside - except maybe using a treadmill, but if you're obese it will be very tough going. My solution was to loose weight first, and then start walking more.

My home office (man cave) is rather small

I was thinking to attach resistance bands between hands and feet and "walk" in place.
Maybe you are right though.
I just saved a few You tube videos for senior workouts.
Maybe I can grab a few ideas for my situation.

Thanks

Do you have stairs in your house? Repeating a couple of trips up and down those is free, and takes up zero space. No fair hauling yourself up by the handrails (as I do!)

Strength training is very important at any age but especially as we get older. Maybe a set of kettlebells and a small selection of free weights? KenK makes great suggestions too.

I use a set of standard dumbbells for home workouts. I still need to go to the gym for squats. Depending on how you train, weights can get your heart rate way up.

Hi,
Its the same as fitness under 60,
that means stop shopping
and start moving your butt
Dance for a song or two , one or two times a day


advanced fitness


step 1) Stretch and Flex learn to stretch without hurting yourself no matter your fitness level,
stretch after waking up,
stretch before working out




Step 2) Wiggle and dance for 7minutes (1-2songs) non stop
, and throw in some "lunges" and "squats" and "pushups"

skip the situps/crunches ... anything exercise thats too ouchy

its basically the HICT HIGH-INTENSITY CIRCUIT TRAINING USING BODY WEIGHT: Maximum Results With Minimal Investment




super advanced
great, now you can dance non stop for 2-3 songs, and do 30 pushups ... jumping jacks, squats, dips...

the advanced part,
work you way up to 100 pushup, 100 squats, 100 dips ...



super duper advanced

now you're very fit athlete,
maybe now its shopping time?


break-dancing or gymnastics lessons?
Pull up bar for your doorframe?
Weight belt/vest/sandbag for more difficult pushups?
Rock climbing wall?
Body building equipment?




Most people don't stretch every morning,
don't dance every day,
and they suffer back/neck/arm pain,
foul mood,
sleep drunk, depend on coffee to wake ...
a little stretch and dance goes a long way to getting you going

Just don't post any videos of it!

Thanks everyone

Kenk ; My staying home preference is not related to my weight. I do go out but I want to exercise in my own cave for other reasons. OK OK I will give a hint. Please don't laugh. Someone insists to go walking with me and I just want to walk alone. Well, this is one reason. There are others. But my weight doesn't stop me from being on the move most of the day. Mostly driving but some gardening and some manual labor around the house.

Since you have kindly shared your dietary path to reducing weight, maybe you could also shed some light on a potential problem I a worried about : LOOSE SKIN.

When you lost weight did you have loose skin ?? and how did you deal with it ???

Thanks

Yeah, I don't have the thin model-type body that, well, I never had as a fat kid, and I do have the front belt-line sag that many women who have the glory of having children seem to have, but I don't see it as a flaw, but just what is.

I don't really have loose skin in any other areas - maybe a bit under my upper arm, but not too bad.

My doctor says it will get better, but, again, like many mothers, I'm keeping my expectations low.

The wife & I have a place in northern Wisconsin where we'll retire to. For years there has been a man who has walked past our house, and much of the time he has his shirt off while keeping cool. He's clearly lost a lot of weight, and seems to show loose skin along his side (like vertical wings - go figure), but he does seem to be looking "better" over the years, and I glad it doesn't stop him. I think walking has been his thing. Power to him!!!

Ken K.

The resistance bands are a good purchase. They will provide a good workout if you follow the directions for their use. There may be a 'group' in your area that offers initial 'direction' on their use to get you going in the right direction.

If you do not have sports background; check with a docter first or atleast build up slowly! Your body needs to adapter to any form of sport and at a later age, it will take a lot longer to adapter. So start slowly, otherwise you can overstress things.

Dieting alone can result in loose skin.

Combine reasonable dieting (not extreme weight loss binges) with very good hydration and strengthening/toning/muscle building exercises to help alleviate the problem. You can't get rid of the problem totally, but you can mitigate it somewhat. We need aerobic exercise as well, but that doesn't really help with loose skin. There is also skin reduction surgery for those that lose a ton of weight. But that is so extreme, and dangerous, I'd stay far clear of it.

I am in my mid 50s, not over 60, but have suffered from some major injuries and broken bones (including back and neck). Just getting moving every day can be a major victory. Discipline in your diet, focusing on portion control, snacking and quality, can also be very significant to your progress. Small victories, and then turn them into large victories. Build good habits, and break bad ones. Lean muscle mass burns more calories, so working the entire body helps. An kind of resistance will work the muscles, find something that works for you. The solutions that other people have found may work for them, but may not work so well for you. Try them, but don't build a wellness program around other peoples' solutions.

That is the other key, you need an entire wellness program, that includes all aspects of your life. But it needs to work for you and your unique situation. Experiment, seek information (there is a lot out there, but there is a lot of bad as well). The people around you need to understand what you are trying to do, and be supportive of it. It will help tremendously.

Regardless of religion or belief system, do not neglect the spiritual/moral/emotional aspects. Even if you are an avowed atheist, understanding what you are feeling and why is important. Mindfulness may sound all touchy feely, but meditation works for everyone. It does take practice though. It can aid in managing stress and help you maintain the discipline necessary for such a major lifestyle change.

Good luck and never give up!

One of our clients ran into that problem. She lost weight and dealt with loose skin. Though not 100%, Vitamin E cream helped a lot.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/genes-vitamin-e-creme-16oz/157674.ip?xid=plp1120107-phar:product:1:6

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Genes or Sam's Club.

Jeanette Isabelle

Do you have book or link recommendations about how to put together such a wellness program?

There are so many out there. But good nutrition, physical fitness, and psychological fitness is not hard to accomplish; it is mostly what you already know. I can recommend some references to use, but I do not subscribe to any particular program.

Mindset

This is a good beginning. Your mindset is critical.

Flourish

Pretty much anything by Martin Seligman is useful.

You have to start with the head. There are so many sources for mindfulness training out there, and it has been so long since I have used any outside resources. Many years ago, I was taught by someone very good, but years before it was even called mindfulness. Use some critical thinking when selecting a resource.

As for physical fitness and nutrition, I don't even know where to begin. There is too much out there. Common sense (which may not be so common) is a good guide. And as I said, you have to experiment and find what works. Just think "whole person", which is life in general. Eat well, get exercise, and have a good, growth mindset. Resilience is important in all aspects of life. I am sorry, but I don't have any particular program to point you to. I did it for myself from what I have learned through life.

This really is a great topic! In the context of wilderness survival- but really, just living from day to day- physical fitness is so important. I have kind of neglected it a bit lately. Right now I'm about three months into a new Executive Chef job in a new town so I'm working 70 hours a week and haven't found a new gym. So I need to get back in the saddle and return to lifting weights.

There are probably a lot of couch potato preppers with piles of guns, food, etc which which to survive a calamity while ignoring the thing that's even more important to survival- fitness. What good is a year's suppply of food if you drop dead of a heart attack? Or a well stocked 75 pound bugout bag when you can't walk two miles without getting winded?

When it comes to working out, I like to keep it simple. I’ve reverted to routines I used decades back when I started power-lifting. Learn the form and do those basic lifts correctly so you don’t hurt yourself; you will increase your strength, but don’t cheat on form. I’ve decreased the weights I train with considerably and mostly just do squats when I’m at the gym. Still, I broke form about a year ago and my back took a major hit. That was my last gym work-out for 2 months. It’s all good now, but coming back was slow.

A good place to start is at: Weight Training

I mentioned the dumbbells I have at home; those are good for some isolation exercises but its not a lot of weight for the compound exercises I prefer. For squats as an example, I go to the gym where they have a squat rack and Olympic style bars. I can go as light or heavy as I choose, lots of reps or just one depending...

As for aerobics, I walk. Lifting brings my heart-rate up but not for long and recovery is quick. OTOH my walk to the ATM this morning had my heart-rate way above my theoretical training zone. This is a good thing to watch if you are just starting an exercise regimen. It’s kinda important to not over-rev your heart or your exercise routine may get cut short.

That calculation says something about 220-(age in years)=Max heart-rate? — only if you’re in bad shape. I won’t give a specific number, suffice to say I exceeded my theoretical max heart-rate walking today — it may have been the hills When I was 43 my heart-rate on a run was 200+ bpm and it would stay there most of the run, (I wore a heart-rate monitor so that’s not an exaggeration). Watch your heart-rate and if it starts to climb into a red zone, back off on your intensity.

Killing yourself working out is only cool if you’re an elite athlete attempting to break a record or a personal best, but even then, no points on the board. For us old guys, killing ourselves working out is just bad form ‘cause we shoulda known better (as much as I hate to admit it, I’m not 20 anymore). If you start feeling dizzy, take a knee, it’s a shorter distance to the ground if you do pass out.

I mostly stick to squats, bench press, military press and curls. Lunges when I'm in decent condition but they're a little risky if you're out of shape. As Russ says, proper form is key.

Fitness, health and a good diet are very important for survival and for managing stress. If you are in good shape and healthy, your chances of surviving just about anything go up, a lot. These things also significantly aid in management of stress in general. It does get more difficult to stay in shape as we get older (but we have the advantage of wisdom, I hope, to help offset) and when you are very busy.

single best recommendation for you is walking.

walking in fresh air is very healthy, and I encourage you to do this - if at all possible. But i understand that you said ... there is a limitation.

Next best thing is an in-home treadmill. I suggest that you get one that can incline up to angles of 10-degrees, and preferably 12-15 degrees. That way you can easily adjust the "rate of exercise" from ...easy workout ... to real calorie burner. It is WORTH spending the money to get a good-quality machine delivered and installed to your home. One extra nice thing - you can watch TV or movies while walking.

Other machines, including "elliptical machines" and stair climbers ... are also effective. But if you are over 60, the basic treadmill is the best, I think.

by the way ... interesting fact.

scientists did a study over the last couple of years to find the "people group" in the world with the best overall health and cardiovascular health. The winner was a tribe living in eastern Bolivia, and they 'won' the competition by a significant margin. Their cardiovascular systems are way ahead of everyone else, even to a ripe old age.

So what are they doing right?
The answer was ... lots and lots of walking. every day.
The tribe has a daily average that is three times the distance walked by people in western countries. they do this largely through necessity - its how they gather food. but it has become an in-grained habit for them to walk big distances every day.

Stationary bikes are also good for small spaces. Back when I was running I had knee issues (tendinitis?) on a couple occasions, I could still ride my bike and I could run on some treadmills; not all treadsmills are the same from the perspective of cushion/give.

From a survival forum perspective though, I agree that walking is the best way to prepare oneself for walking.

Putting together an overall program seems like an interesting idea. If you're not just, say, doing a selection of random stuff, what are the guiding principles for finding mental activities, dietary plans, and physical exercises?

Off the top of my head, I can think of a comprehensive wellness program, though in its cultural context it is not regarded as such: yoga. Yoga is a traditional program that includes dietary rules, physical exercises (asanas), as well as mental stuff. The guiding principles are cultural and philosophical. Of course, people who practice all eight limbs of yoga are generally motivated by what they term spiritual reasons, rather than by the pursuit of wellness.

On the other hand, maybe we just don't know enough scientifically about wellness. At the end perhaps all we know is just meditate some, eat well, and exercise.

I wonder whether Andrew Weill has written on developing a program. This seems like it would be up his alley.

Hey, I am no expert.

First is to get a complete physical, know what you are dealing with. What are your limitations and constraints, what are you requirements? This impacts diet and exercise.

Eat well. I tend to stay away from processed foods as much as possible, as much because I like fresh more as anything else. The body needs nutrients, give your body what it needs. Just don't give it more than it needs. Diet will need to be tailored to the individual's needs and restrictions. As we get older, we need less food, but more nutrition.

Exercise. Again, your particular circumstances and health will drive how you exercise. I will venture to say that you should get as much intensity as you can, within your health limitations. I work for both strength and endurance, pushing hard for extended periods. I try to work my entire body. This has been difficult due to my somewhat numerous injuries, which place some significant limitations on what I can do. At one point, I lost the use of my legs, and was told I would end up in a wheelchair. That was 13 years ago, and I am still walking, but I do not run. Too much impact on the spine. I walk and use machines to try to increase my endurance through increased intensity of the exercise. Everyone has to understand themselves and their own unique circumstances, and adapt an exercise program accordingly. I will say that you should get as much intensity as you can.

Mental Health. The references I posted earlier are a good beginning. Making accurate causal attributions, developing a mindset that can grow, is important. The brain is an amazing thing, and it needs to be worked like a muscle. Injuries and problems can be fixed to a larger extent than we believed 10 or 20 years ago. Even problems with anxiety and depression can be helped. You need to want to do it though. You have to make the effort. Constant learning is a great way to exercise the brain, especially as we get older. Exposure to new experiences and new learning can help to stave off some or the problems we have as we get older. I do recommend meditation. I was actually taught as part of a military program a long time ago that he'd the intent to see how the mind can overcome physical limitations. It worked for that to some extent, but it is a great way to deal with stress and develop mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being more aware of everything, inside and out. And understanding what it is you are aware of. Emotions, like anxiety, can be wrongly attributed. An understanding of yourself and an awareness of what you are feeling and what is going on around you can avoid making such mistakes. If you are up to it, I recommend at least a basic level of understanding of how the brain functions. That alone can help you understand what is really going on when you feel something, especially something that feels bad. I know that it sounds kind of squishy, but there is a lot of good scientific research to support this, and they are learning more all the time.

I am no expert, either, but I have experience in the +60 area...

First of all, I agree with Montanero's comments, especially working with your doctor - very important.

It is critical to become,and remain, active. Almost anything will do, and will be better than inactivity. Gardening and housekeeping are two mundane activities that are often recommended.

Aerobic activity is critical, and walking is easy to undertake. Hopefully, there is somewhere 'outside" that will work for you. A treadmill in a small man cave sounds rather difficult.

Search around and find routines that work for you.Consistency is critical...You need aerobics, strength (weights/pushups, etc) and flexibility/stretching working together for the best benefits.

At 69, I have to also agree that you first talk to your doctor. Assuming an OK there, I am really a big advocate of simply walking, either treadmill or outside. I use both. The treadmill gives me consistency in angle, speed etc to measure progress. Outside walking (for me) seems to work the muscles slightly differently than the treadmill, which helps. Also, I find walking outside cheers me up.

Whatever you choose, IMO the most important thing is consistency and patience. Start slowly and as it becomes routine and easy, slowly increase the effort. Positive results will come slowly, but they will come.

Switching gears and remembering my work-outs for high school wrestling...

No weights, no machines but a lot of intense calisthenics. Push-ups, sit-ups, running in place et al in rapid order, then repeat over and over again. When we ran it was up and down stairs. Your body is a weight.

Your body weight and 2 or 3 chairs can accomplish a lot.

I’m 68 and I had a spinal fusion (4 screws, 2 bars) 11 months ago. I’m in very good shape for a man of 50. I eat relatively well and I do not smoke or drink. A good diet really helps. Get some guidance in this respect.
You can have pretty good arms/ chest/ & gut, with a 28”-30” blow-up exercise ball, a thin full length roll up floor mat, and 2 dumb bells to which you can add weight as you progress . Look-up the range of exercise with these items on Google or get a few lessons from a trainer. Then start slow, and do your exercises religiously 3 times a week. Work up a good sweat. But,do not exercise to exhaustion.

For aerobic exercise, power walking , outside, on mixed hill/ flat terrain, wearing wrist weights ( start with 1/2lb.), will get and keep you heart/lung strong. Get the book “ Power Walking” for details on walking style and progressive programs. Steady progress is the key. Again, walk sweaty, but not to exhaustion.

If you must walk inside , use an adjustable , powered treadmill, rowing machine or an elliptical with arms. The elliptical is the lowest impact. The rowing machine is the smallest, least expensive and best all around exercise. But rowers are BORING I/M/O. Upbeat music or TV helps with boredom and provides motivation.

I work in a high stress professional environment. When I gave up using liquor and tobacco as tranquilizers, going to the gym became my physical and mental lifesaver. Working up a good sweat is a great antidote for a day when, “...the bear eats you!”

Remember, you are not competing with or comparing yourself with anyone else. If you get past the first 3-4 weeks and start to feel and see the difference in your mind & body, you likely to get hooked ona healthy regime, which just keeps getting better and better.

Good luck.

Classic Nordic Track ski machine plus Powerblock dumbbells?[2]

That's what I have.

My main aerobic exercise is walking outdoors, but for high-intensity aerobics I've used a classic Nordic Track ski machine since the late 1990s. I don't fold mine up, but it is made to do so to slide under a bed, and I'm told it can be stored vertically folded up with some modification[1]

I like the ski machine because it is low impact, I get some arm exercise, and I can read on my iPhone while I exercise. It takes a little getting used to - I first tried it out in a gym where they had a trainer until I got the hang of it, then purchased one.

I pace indoors, too - we have a long enough straight space to make that practical while I read.

I bought the Powerblock dumbbells to have a lot of flexibility with a compact set, though since I bought the vertical stand, I don't know that I'm saving that much space.

[1] http://www.instructables.com/id/Closet-Storage-for-a-Ski-Machine-and-Other-Modific/

[2] http://www.powerblock.com/Classic%2050%20Set.php

Good old Nordic Track! I actually wore one out, but it took about fifteen years. It was a perfect wau to train for the West Butress Route on Denali....