My Exercise Routine

I have been trying to get back into an exercise routine, but if I have videos they are much easier to understand. I start out my day with a 2 mile walk with Lucy; half way through I do 35 pushups on a picnic table seat. Oh, and also while walking I do my face exercises (shared below). Then back to the trailer to finish.

Along with walking and weights, I do face exercises, which I found from a newspaper article by Judith Paige. She wrote the book "Choice Years: Health, Happiness, and Beauty Through Menopause and Beyond." It was written in 1991, but I put a link here anyway. Face exercises increase blood circulation to the face, enhance collagen and elastin production. The following exercises are from her book. They are meant to be done mildly, at least two times a day.

Scalp Tightener: It prevents the face from falling in the brow area. Raise eyebrows without frowning. Your forehead muscle will raise and there should be no change in your expression. Doing this helps you find the scalp muscles. As you raise your brows, you will feel the forehead and top of the scalp tighten. Finding them takes practice but once you have found them, you can move those muscles independently by contracting and releasing repeatedly. If you are doing this exercise correctly, the fact still has the feeling of being startled while your hair moves up and down. Release and repeat 20 times.

Upper Cheek Lift: Tones the muscles of the upper cheek and gives that high-cheekbone look. Using a mirror initially, make a crooked grin with the right side of your mouth. Place a finger on your cheek, below the outer corner of your right eye. Your finger is now resting on the muscle to be exercised. Identifying the muscle with your finger, use this muscle to slowly push the lower lid of your right eye closed. Hold. Slowly return to normal position. Repeat 8 times. Repeat on left side.

Chin Tightener: Exercises are area under the chin. Open your mouth, stick out your tongue and point the tope of your tongue as far toward the top of your nose as possible. Release, withdrawing it back to between the lips. Repeat 25 times.

Face Stretch: This stretches the cheek muscles. By including stretching with contraction, the work is balanced and the face is left relaxed. Close your mouth and push it as far to the right as possible while using the facial muscles on the left to pull the flesh of your cheek as far to the right as you can. Relax your left cheek but not entirely and stretch again, repeating eight times. Repeat on other side.

I found this today. They call it the only Face Yoga poses you need to learn ~~ I'm going to try them.

I just found Will Harlow who has these exercises specifically for people over 65 ~~ I'll list them after the video. Do 3 sets of 10-20 reps.

(1) Goblet (Dumbbell) Squat ~~ legs shoulder distance apart; hold weights next to your chest keeping your body straight, squat down slowly, squeeze your glutes and pulsing slowly, and then come back up. 

(2) Romanian Deadlift ~~ Begin by standing with a weight in each hand; keep your back straight; bend over with arms hand perpendicular to the floor and elbows pointed to your side. 

Flex your hips and slowly push your butt as far back as you can. Knees are partially bent with weight on the heels. Drive your butt back as far as you can, maintain an arch in your back throughout the exercise. When your hips cannot go back any farther, pause and then slowly return to standing up.

(3) Step Up ~~ Step up on a stool and bring the other leg up toward your chest and then back down onto the ground. Do this with both legs. (No picture)

(4) Bent Over Row ~~ Two versions: 

(1) Stand with one hand on the back of a chair, legs spread out front to back, pick up your weight and bring it up to your back and then down again. 

(2) Bend at waist with weights in each hand; bring hands up to boobs then back down -- slow to feel the muscle in the flab area of your arm. 

(5) Squat & Press ~~ Feet shoulder length apart, weights in each hand on shoulders. Squat down then come back up and push weights over your head.

Say goodbye to "bat wings" ~~

I found another exercise to add to my routine. This gets rid of the fat around your belly and waist:

These are other exercises you can do if you want:

Upright Row -- While standing, with weights in each hand, hang your arms and then bring them up to the boobs, then back down again

Bicep Curl -- arms straight down at sides, curl up to shoulders -- do as many as you can

Bent-Over Reverse Fly -- bend at waist; arms hang down with weights in hands; then bring them up to shoulders and then back down

Plank -- hold for 60 seconds. Make sure your core is tight. Try to get more.

These are some chair exercises that can be done:

I just signed up for a Walk Fit class, which encompasses "Chinese Walking" meaning more Tai Chi than actual walking. I'm going to start doing those exercises for one month and then cancel my subscription. I'll keep you posted.