Beginner workout

[Mindless]

Since a few months after I got my dx (2.5 years ago) I slowly started exercise again after decades of complete lack of movement.
I started swimming 1 or 2 times a week, slowly increasing the duration from just 5 min at a time up to 30’.
I found this is also good for my mood, at least temporarily, and that’s good since I’ve been living with depression most of my life.

Then, after ages, I thought to start walking instead of swimming when the weather is bad (swimming pool I can access is outdoor).
From there I started to mix walk and run, a few minutes at a time. So now I can run 10 minutes and walk 2 and repeat for 3/4 times.

I’m 50 yo and I know that’s not much but from the complete passivity place I came from that’s a huge achievement for me. I also discovered that the more I do, the more I feel drawn to do.

Since I travel abroad once/twice a month for work, it’s not always easy to keep the routine. Someone suggested these “7 minutes workout”, a series of exercise you can do using only your body weight. You don’t need any tool, so you can easily do it in you hotel room if there’s no gym around.

I just started to give it a try and despite being very hard, I find that it’s easier to find the time (it’s short) and space (almost anywhere), so I was thinking to start doing it regularly.

I used to be an athlete in my early youth (till about 16yo) but then depression and family issue drove me on a path of alienation and avoidance.

When I tried the first 2/3 times I found these workouts to be quite demanding/hard, so I increased the time between an exercise and the next. I also stop if I feel I reached my limit. I have practiced swimming for almost 1.5 years now, despite doing it 1/2 times a week for 20 to 30 minutes.

Since I hate going to the gym, I find these forms of DIY exercise attracting and it’s harder for me to find excuses for not doing it: there’s a swimming pool just downstairs  and to run I just need to walk out the condo.

My question to someone more experienced is: is it safe to do this on my own? I’m planning to start with a “beginner” level and very slowly moving up: there are phone apps that show you the routines/exercises and you can tailor that to your level.

I also wonder if this is a good way to exercise or there are better alternatives or more recommended for PLHIV. This is basically a mixed cardio with strength exercises (push-ups, crunches, jumping jacks etc.

Thanks

[daveR]

I am 56, I use a telephone app called Freeletics bodyweight. There are two versions, free which gives access to fixed routines which I thought were not very good. Then the paid version which has an AI coach which uses your feed back to progress your routine. It is not perfect as I have had to reset it 4 times as it advanced me too fast but I like it. You pick your training journey, build muscle, loose weight, get fit or running and it should develops a plan for you based on your current fitness level, be honest with yourself on that. You can check out options on their web site.

For me, I lost weight, have increased my cardio abilities as it is all HIIT and internally my glucose levels are normal now. Down from pre diabetic levels and my cholesterol is much better. My Dr is very happy about it all.

I have to say it is not for everybody though, takes mental effort as well as physical effort some times to push through the routines.

Dave

[Mindless]

Thanks for the feedback Dave,

the one I’m trying now is free (7M workout by Johnson&Johnson). It’s about the “7 minutes workout”. I will definitely check out the one you suggest. I don’t like the idea to have to go to a gym and also prefer to have “easier” options so that I can’t make excuses with myself for not doing it.

For starters I’d need to loose some weight and then I’ll see but I don’t want to make this too much of a target. Don’t want to become obsessed. I didn’t lose a single kg since I started swimming and walking, so I don’t want lose motivation linking exercise only to weight loss.

Since I’m starting exercise after so many years of inactivity, I was just wondering if this is a safe way. But I’m probably overthinking it. I’ll just go one little step at the time.

Thanks again your input is always valuable!

[Loa111]

Very good you are exercising. It will really help you combat depression for sure.

Some suggestions...

Can you do push ups (press ups)? Get up to a set of 10 push ups. rest a minute do another set of 10, and try to build up to 10 sets of 10 push ups. You might need longer rest periods as you get up through the sets. I often do this. The goal keeps you motivated.

So a simple body weight routine 10 push ups (Hindu push ups are good for variety to change it up see youtube) , 10 squats or Hindu Squats, 10 sit ups, crunches or leg raises. Repeat 10 times until you've 100 total of each.

Get dumbells for home and find a dumbell work out.
My ID doc told me weight training is important to combat weakened bones from our condition, and obviously cardio for the heart...said very important if we want to max out chances of living long.

You could set a goal of getting up to a 5k jog without stopping. There's a web site called Run Walk Run which has a simple program to get up to 5K. You will feel great when you do this. I run a few times a week 5ks and maybe 10k on the weekend.

Keep up the swimming... I'm a really slow swimmer however I keep it up for 30 minutes or longer without stopping, and it's a great for a bit of variety.

Keep it up!

[Mindless]

Very good you are exercising. It will really help you combat depression for sure.

Some suggestions...

Can you do push ups (press ups)? Get up to a set of 10 push ups. rest a minute do another set of 10, and try to build up to 10 sets of 10 push ups. You might need longer rest periods as you get up through the sets. I often do this. The goal keeps you motivated.

So a simple body weight routine 10 push ups (Hindu push ups are good for variety to change it up see youtube) , 10 squats or Hindu Squats, 10 sit ups, crunches or leg raises. Repeat 10 times until you've 100 total of each.

Get dumbells for home and find a dumbell work out.
My ID doc told me weight training is important to combat weakened bones from our condition, and obviously cardio for the heart...said very important if we want to max out chances of living long.

You could set a goal of getting up to a 5k jog without stopping. There's a web site called Run Walk Run which has a simple program to get up to 5K. You will feel great when you do this. I run a few times a week 5ks and maybe 10k on the weekend.

Keep up the swimming... I'm a really slow swimmer however I keep it up for 30 minutes or longer without stopping, and it's a great for a bit of variety.

Keep it up!

Thanks for the suggestions and sorry for the late reply. I’ve been dealing with some other issues. Had a back accident that kept me from exercising for 1 month. In the meantime discovered I have hypogonadism (means testosterone level in the blood is too low). I restarted to exercise just this week, I run a couple of times, the air is too dirty nowadays in Bkk area for me to swim (swimming pool is outdoor). I run with a mask which is supposed to filter pm2.5. I look a little like Hannibal the cannibal but it’s better than breathing that shit. I could use a treadmill in the gymn but I enjoy the outdoor, it helps me “get out of my mind” so to speak.

Dr who found out about the Testosterone advised exercise 3/4 times a week in heart zone II/III. I wrote about it in another thread. My goal now is to stick to this suggestion as much as possible and recheck my T level again in 2 months.
I read that some kind of weight training is supposed to help T levels. I have not much experience with weight lifting etc. Besides, I usually travel for work so I was looking at exercises using body weight instead of tools, so I may be able to do it in the hotel room.

I also got scared checking my average pulse (wrist tracker): during not intense running my pulse went on the highest range for most of the time. I was running quite slowly so I’m not sure if it’s lack of training or some heart issue. Also noticed I get short breath just making a couple of stairs flights. If it doesn’t set with regular training I will check with the dr.

Hugs