I don't think there is a person alive who doesn't know that exercise lowers the risk of a heart attack and developing congestive heart failure. Exercise can lower the risk of developing diabetes and for those already afflicted, it helps glycemic control. But some of us look at joggers with horror (sorry exerciseangel) and can't conscieve an hour on a treadmill and wouldn't think of doing arobics. Some of us use our medical problems as excuses and some use our age. (Personally, I have used both excuses. )
But I have found the perfect exercise for us procrastinators. Water Arobics. I have been doing it for 6 weeks now and I've noticed my blood pressure is down about 15 points (116/64 last week) My stress level has dropped and I feel great.
I'm a big lady but not the biggest in my class, and its a great exercise as the buoyancy of the water makes me feel young and weighless, 70% less to be exact. Its less intimidating than land arobics because you work at your own pace and if you don't get the steps right, who cares, no one can see you under the water.
Can't swim, Doesn't matter, some of my fellow students wear flotation belts and they stay in the shallow end. We even have a man who admits to a fear of water, but he just hugs the side. We also use noodles (5' lenghts of colored styrafoam) kick boards and bleach bottles.
We streach, we do interval cardio training and the resistance of the water causes us to work opposing muscles at the same time, without having to change to a different piece of equipment or change positions. We also do weightlifting, using the bleach bottles with water in them as weights for our upper body and the noodles on our feet and the resistance of the water for our lower body. We even use the bleach bottles to do abd work.
Anyway, if your like me and hate to exercise or like me and use my medical problems as excuses, try water arobics for just a couple weeks. Call your local Y, health clubs, local park, or just ask your doctor where classes are being held. You won't be sorry.

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That sounds like an excellent form of exercise, Lynne. I'm glad that you found something that you enjoy. I tried jogging last year after hearing someone talk about how they started jogging at the age of 47 and if they could ...... then anyone could! Well, they had only been 40 pounds overweight and it didn't start happening until they hit their 30's. Someone like me, who has been almost 100 pounds overweight for most of their lives shouldn't start jogging at 48 years old, imo! I ended up injuring my lower back and it sidelined me for months. But, I think that I could have done the water exercises even with my back injury had I thought of it back then.

Anyway, thanks for telling us about a more gentle form of exercise that anyone could do and benefit from. No more excuses.

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