Exercise advise for my mam

rawn

She's trying to shift some weight, mainly around her belly. She has her diet under control but she's looking for some good exercises to help, but this is complicated by a few problems:

She is 51, and her doctor told her recently that she has osteopenia (http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/tc/osteopenia-overview) and she also has a hernia above her stomach so her doctor has advised her not to do sit ups. She also sprained her ankle several months ago, but due to the osteopenia it is still quite sore.

Long shot but if anybody has any advise for exercises she could do that would be great!

conzy

If shes not losing weight her diet is not "in check"

The only sustainable way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. She can continue to lose weight in a healthy manner without any exercise at all.

There is no exercise that will target her stomach.

If she wants to exercise for general cardiovascular health a brisk walk every day or a spin class a few times a week etc would be ideal

Alf Veedersane

rawn wrote: »

She's trying to shift some weight, mainly around her belly. She has her diet under control but she's looking for some good exercises to help, but this is complicated by a few problems:

She is 51, and her doctor told her recently that she has osteopenia (http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/tc/osteopenia-overview) and she also has a hernia above her stomach so her doctor has advised her not to do sit ups. She also sprained her ankle several months ago, but due to the osteopenia it is still quite sore.

Long shot but if anybody has any advise for exercises she could do that would be great!

Sit ups wpuldn't have been much use anyway. There aren't exerices you can do to specifically target the fat that has settled around the belly area. It doesn't work like that. To shift belly fat, she has to either reduce or improve what she eats.

rawn

She walks to/from work every day and works on her feet for 8 hours.

She keeps a meticulous food diary and all that is ever on it is home made soup, ryvita, salad, pork chops/chicken. No sweets except the occasional bag of crisps (they're her only vice)

By "in-check" I mean she is doing a weight loss class and adhering to their recipes and guidelines. I just wanted to try up her exercise a bit as she is getting depressed that the weight wont shift. Thanks for tips, spin class is a good idea

rawn

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Sit ups wpuldn't have been much use anyway. There aren't exerices you can do to specifically target the fat that has settled around the belly area. It doesn't work like that. To shift belly fat, she has to either reduce or improve what she eats.

She's unlucky in that after all of the weight she has already lost over the years, her arms and legs are quite slender and toned, it's just her belly, she looks pregnant

Alf Veedersane

The older you get, the harder it is to shift the weight.

Can she swim?

rawn

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

The older you get, the harder it is to shift the weight.

Can she swim?

She can't swim, but she can learn! She also can't ride a bike but again, she can learn

Alf Veedersane

rawn wrote: »

She can't swim, but she can learn! She also can't ride a bike but again, she can learn

Swimming and spinning might be something different to do that might appeal. Walking is grand but if she walks to and from work and spends the day on her feet, there's not much appeal in going for a walk.

She could consider yoga and pilates as well.

jlm29

From an osteopenia point of view, your mam would be better off doing weight bearing exercises for bone loading. Though to be fair, if she's walking every day, that's probably going to help that anyhow. She could start doing some resistance exercise with Theraband. Resistance exercise will help both the osteopenia, and the weight loss! She should see someone qualified (I.e. A Physio) to instruct her properly!