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| I have never been on a diet, am at least 50 lbs overweight and now I'm looking for some type of exercise program. I can't do a lot of things, i.e. running, walking fast. I have had several surgeries on my feet. This was either I get surgery or be in a wheel chair. I have started walking, but not power walking. I bought a treadmill.
I've always been very active until I got older (60), now I also have arteritis. I'm not sure if this is the correct excerise. I need help in losing weight and getting heathly.
Thank, Olivia |
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| Hi Olivia,
There is a lot of debate on this forum about the effectiveness of Yoga for weight loss. The types of Yoga usually associated with weight loss are also quite strenuous and I don't personally believe that they would be appropriate for you considering the medical conditions that you have mentioned.
Adult onset diabetes is usually a consequence of poor eating habits (too much sugar and stimulants), often preceded by hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Diabetic symptoms are usually managed by ensuring that the adrenal hormones, insulin and glucose intolerance-factor are properly produced by the liver, and diet and exercise play a major role in achieving this.
The key to an effective diabetic diet is to keep your blood sugar level even and this is achieved by eating little and often, choosing foods that contain slow releasing carbohydrates plus some protein and avoiding all sugars and forms of concentrated sweetness. Particularly important are the vitamins C, B3, B5 and B6, zinc and chromium which should be supplemented.
With regards to exercise, the treadmill that you have purchased is an effective way to reduce body fat and a gentle Hatha Yoga class would also help with your general well being. I recommend speaking to a couple of local teachers and asking their advice. If you are able to financially, invest in a couple of private lessons.
Most importantly, never act on any medical advice recommended to you on the internet, without first checking with your doctor.
Jonathon
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| I would recommend yoga and believe it or not a total gym. You need to lift some weights. Between the 2 it should aid greatly to your weight loss. |
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| I respect Brian's opinion as it is one shared by my dear friend Tim, a licensed Personal Trainer with a sound degree in biology. I don't hold the opinion in kind. If you want to lift weights and can do so in integrity with the rest of you, then it's okay.
It's odd how man survived centuries without home gyms, 24-Hour Fitness, and weight lifting.
It would be good for your body to have locomotion.
Muscle, bone, and connective tissue do rely on certain sorts of locomotion activities for their stability.
In my opinion an outward action, like diet for example, must have an internal component supporting it in order for it to have LASTING effect. Otherwise you diet for six weks and the inner pattern takes over and reflects outwardly, the diet gets dropped and one is back to square one.
One does not need a diet, per se, but rather a complete change in eating habits as a lifestyle modification. You simply can't do what you've done before (anymore) without doing harm.
You may find something like Viniyoga to be both soothing and an opportunity to move your body while examining some of your thought patterns, mindfulness, and presence. I do not teach this style but I have taken some classes here and there and attended a workshop with Gray Kraftsow who I believe "invented" Viniyoga.
I hope this helps steer you in a direction that puts a smile in your heart, and on your face.
Edited by purnayoga 2007-01-13 7:11 PM
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Expert Yogi
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| The good news is that I have met many folk who have "cured" their adult onset diabetes with moderate exercise and complete overhaul of eating habits. Walk every day on your treadmill but be sure you have good shoes. Even a treadmill can cause problems if you have poor shoes. Do things you enjoy - if you find a yoga class you think you would enjoy - try it!  |
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| ViniYoga would be an excellent choice.
While Gary is probably the most well known of the North American ViniYoga teachers he did not actually invent the style. ViniYoga is (or was) the name of Desikachar's approach to Yoga, based on his understanding of his studies with his father/teacher Krishnamacharya.
A couple of years ago, Desikachar formally asked all his teachers to cease using the ViniYoga name and simply refer to his teachings as Yoga to avoid what he saw as the unnecessary creation of another style.
Jonathon |
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| Hi Olivia,
My best advice is to walk as fast as you comforably can, for as long as you comfortably can, with a big emphasis on the comfortably. Pain is just going to make you not want to do it again tomorrow. From what I've been taught in Yoga (many, many years ago, 36 in fact!) the point was to stretch or try a pose until just before it got painful. It really fit into my "gentle is good" philosophy on life. I've never been a fan of "no pain-no gain". For me, it just hasn't been true. Since you are a bit overweight and have arthritis (me too), I think the gentle path might be right for you too : )
As far as diet, oh my! So much easier said than done for some of us. I hope you have great success on a diet overhaul, but if you stumble, don't give up! Small yet significant changes add up, too. Try eating whole wheat bread and brown rice instead of white, cut back as much as you can on sugar, stuff the doctor is probably telling you anyway. Give yourself lots of credit for every healthy change you make. Even if you sometimes eat foods that don't make you feel well, that doesn't make the times you do eat well any less healthy. The bowl of brown rice was still good for you, and will be again when you eat it again.
Please forgive me if you don't need this gentle approach, and can just jump in with both feet. I am encouraging myself as much as you here : )
BTW guys, will you explain ViniYoga to me? Thanks
ps Olivia, I've been investigating using trekking poles, or nordic walking sticks, for my walks. The idea is by using the poles you take stress off of your hips, knees and ankles. They look like cross country ski poles, and you can use them on a treadmill, I believe. It also helps you burn more calories while you walk without making the workout feel any more difficult, and builds some upper body strength. Maybe someone here has experience using the poles?
Edited by ellen 2007-01-14 7:22 AM
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Location: London, England | Hi there,
I have had juvenile onset diabetes for twenty years-it's one of the reasons I took up yoga-of course this can be a different kettle of fish to adult onset-I would have thougth with your feet problems, something like aquarobics would be good-every day, one rest day a week. That should take the weight off, and restrict your carbs. Simple, really
Nick |
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| Nick - 2007-01-14 4:15 AM
Hi there,
I would have thougth with your feet problems, something like aquarobics would be good-every day, one rest day a week. That should take the weight off, and restrict your carbs. Simple, really
Nick
Great advice, Nick, I forgot about swimming or aqua fitness. I've been able to comfortably do laps no matter what stage of life I've been in (pregnancy, fat, skinny), but if you aren't comfortable putting your face in water, you don't have to in aqua fitness. My YMCA also has a class specifically for arthritis, and some pools keep the water temp much higher than others. Kind of depends on what's available and affordable in your area. |
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Location: London, England | Hi Ellen,
Yep, aquatic exercise is a good one-trouble is, most classes are geared towards the elderly-this is fine, but it is possible to design a program for olympic athletes-and I think that the value of aqua training is underestimated because of the clientele and class format. I would hate to teach it, because I see the instructors jumping around madly with the students feebly folowing their orders-my heart goes out to aquarobic teachers. However, give me a keener bunch, and I could give them a workout to remember. You can even get special weighted vests which allow you to run in a reasonably shallow (chest height) pool-very good, a bit like running on sand.
Take care
Nick |
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| in the past, we didn't have home gyms or lift weights (it is a phenom that started in the 1800s), but in general, humans participated in much heavier labor than most do today, even those of us who are over 50. most of us have led more sedentary lives--our daily work is more sedentary.
spending a couple of days with the amish, you can see why people didn't need to lift weights in the past. they were lifting, pulling, dragging, pushing, and lugging things all day long. and thus, had muscle (but not necessarily muscle balance).
so it's not accurate to say that "humans didn't lift weights" per se--it's true they didn't lift york barbells, but they did lift a lot of weight in many aspects of everyday life. 
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to the topic--yes, i think yoga would be a great compliment for you to help with many things. |
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| Thank you Zbird.
I was going to say the exact same thing! As as this person is into home based exercise, Total gym is the way to go. BTW buy on off craigslist, it will be way cheaper and most are nearly brand new.
While I do agree that Yoga will greatly aid in just about any you are looking to do physical, mentally and spiritually. I am still an advocate of weight training or funtional weight bearing exercises as Zoebird mentioned.
It has been clinically proven to be the most second most effective form of exercise. The first being yoga. Believe or not even better for weight loss then cardio. |
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| Let's be very clear. I've been to the gym. I trained collegiate athlete in the weight room. I designed and implemented the Strength and Conditioning program at that level. So I'm not out camping in my Yurt downing "muscleheads" in the gym. On the contrary.
Smileys aside, if you were quoting me Zoe then I was misquoted.
"It's odd how man survived centuries without home gyms, 24-Hour Fitness, and weight lifting."
In the context of this sentence weight lifting elludes to barbells and dumbells.
It does not ellude to lifting a house frame in Pennsylvania. Lifestyles surely have changed.
The weight training in question is a cure for a societal resistence to a behavior modification.
It is quite possible to live a healthy life (including actuarial tables of life expectancy) without ever walking in a fitness center.
So for me, unlike for Brian, the woman "may" weight train.
And frankly she should have the choice. Which she now does.
And BLOVE, you know better than to say "clinically proven" around me without a citation, even if you did offer business plan help:-)
zoebird - 2007-01-14 6:10 AM
in the past, we didn't have home gyms or lift weights (it is a phenom that started in the 1800s ), but in general, humans participated in much heavier labor than most do today, even those of us who are over 50. most of us have led more sedentary lives--our daily work is more sedentary.
spending a couple of days with the amish, you can see why people didn't need to lift weights in the past. they were lifting, pulling, dragging, pushing, and lugging things all day long. and thus, had muscle (but not necessarily muscle balance ).
so it's not accurate to say that "humans didn't lift weights" per se--it's true they didn't lift york barbells, but they did lift a lot of weight in many aspects of everyday life.
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to the topic--yes, i think yoga would be a great compliment for you"Dhelp with many things.
Edited by purnayoga 2007-01-14 11:48 PM
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| Purnayoga,
Jeez, touchy, touchy. No one is ragging you man. I was not disagreeing with you, simply explaining my statement.
I think that my 15 years of teaching fitness and current credentials are enough to comment on the subject. I do after have studio that is successfull and provides for me quite well.
Since you are SOOO qualified, then you know what I am saying correct. Check out Dr Lenny Kraviz's work (not the singer) or even better Paul Chek's work. Both are a wealth of knowledge and have degrees in the body.
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| Yes, yes I agree you are qualified. No doubt.
As long as "comment" doesn't equal an absolute I'll keep my dander in my pocket
Anything that starts with "should" is picked up by my special Yogamojodojo Forum Post Crawler.
After that, no promises. It's all good though.
Edited by purnayoga 2007-01-15 10:48 PM
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Location: London, England | Hey Brian,
It's Kravitz, I think-writes brilliant articles, folks-way above what you get in yoga journal-they are actually true, for one thing (YJ seems to have invented a new life form and used that in their descriptions of the human body)
I'm trying to get 'supertraining' by mel siff at the moment-supposed to be one of the greatest books of all time on this subject-if any one sees it in a second-hand book shop, I'll kiss their feet-if they give it to me, not otherwise
Nick |
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| Doh! You are correct Nick! |
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Just been Diag with diabetics
