I am trying to begin an exercise regiment. The problem is I have bad knees. I’m confused if I should stick to cardio or strength training.
stationary bikes hurt my knees.
I can’t go overboard as I am prone to chronic fatigue.
I am also trying to balance it out with online dance classes. And I just don’t know how to balance it out with all my other chores (stay at home mom and now is spring break).
Would love some advice.
I say walking 30 mins a day a few times a week and then adding some light weight training. Then maybe rowing on days you don’t want to walk or swimming.
Youtube! There are tons of videos for every exercise need you could think of. I’m one that can’t do a gym membership. I hate having to go out in the cold and after work I just want to go home. Much easier when I have less time to talk myself out of things.
I go to the gym “in my living room” every day and started (70 pounds, 1.5 yrs ago) with very modest stretching, caveat being every day. It’s grown into a successful and satisfying exercise habit beyond my wildest dreams…
Good luck, you can do it! I would focus less on the “what” being as important doing something, but doing it consistently.
The key to exercise is to find something that you enjoy enough to keep doing it again and again and again. Doing something for a month and then stopping because you are not enjoying it is not going to help.
Are you a team sport person or does an individual sport sound more like you? Do you have enough motivation to keep going on your own or do you need others to be relying on you?
Find something that you can make a habit.
Once you find something, go gently. Don’t try to go hard and fast, ease into it. Most important thing: you must end feeling good. Never end your exercise feeling bad. You need both your brain and body to look forward to the next time or else it will not last. Make the last 10 minutes of each session nice and easy.
I decided that doing something consistently and frequently was far more important than long workouts or lots of it. I wanted to build a habit of it. I hate working out and I hate sports, but I can do anything for 15 minutes. My goals were increasing my strength and flexibility.
With that in mind, I started doing a bodyweight strength training workout every morning. It doesn’t require any equipment, doesn’t require me to have a gym, and takes less than 15 minutes, so I can easily do it every day in my living room. You can find lots of these online and plenty of books that start at a raw beginner stage and build up.
I can’t swim because of no access. I don’t go to gyms. I can do online walking, like Jessica Smith and Leslie Sansone. That I can do.
I will try maybe the 15 min workouts and maybe continue with my online dance classes. I always love my online dance classes. They are fun and always harder than they look.
But … I think I might just try to go slower than that still. I think I’ll aim for daily stretching first and at least 2 online dance classes a week.
Try jumping rope. Just how bad are your knees? Are you heavy? need surgery? If I put heating pads on my knees for an hour they feel better for quite a few days. It’s hard to make suggestions when we dont know what your true situation is. The point is to get your heart rate up and jumping rope will do that in a hurry and you dont bend your knees. Burpees are great as well. I just started those a month ago.
Push ups and exercise bands are good as well.
There are also a LOT of YouTube channels that specialize in body-weight exercises (gymless)
You should do some strength training so you are toned at goal weight.
As well, just about any weight loss will have accompanying muscle loss - strength training just to keep what you have is a good idea also.
Since you don’t go to gyms…Google “body weight exercises” and/or make a small investment in a few dumbbells or resistance bands (both take up very little space - I think resistance bands are better but they initially take practice to get benefits).
Here is what I mean by resistance bands:
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Resistance-Stackable-Exercise-Portable/dp/B078T3PL13/ref=sr_1_17?crid=3BLIUU05L7HUF&keywords=resistance+bands&qid=1552707014&s=gateway&sprefix=re%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-17
Contrary to what others are saying, I would skip dancing, walking etc. anything knee related until the weight was near goal - that is what your knee has to handle. The “move more” part is not Keto and not worth risk of injury. For example, if my knees hurt, I would not pick that time to wear a 50 pound weight vest.
@RobC, I’m not at goal weight. did you mean do weight training until I’m at goal weight?
those stretch bands do look good, I have to admit. I just lost my first 10 pounds, and probably have another 90 to lose. I can’t imagine life without dancing but I might take it easy on the dance classes, and focus on the bands.
@Littlerose84 - Yes, I meant start now so that you retain muscle while losing fat but also, when you get to goal weight, you have more tone and less (typical after large weight loss) flab.
Right now that extra 90 pounds could seriously cause a knee problem that necessitates stopping the dancing, walking etc. for a while. Then you are set up for a weight rebound due to becoming depressed about it.
Also, endurance type exercises (other than maybe just walking) will drive hunger - any calories you burn may get consumed (and more) on an “eat to satiety” diet like Keto. A 90 pound weight loss is much more likely to be successful focusing on Keto and fasting - and doing strength training - not to burn calories but just to develop a nice frame for your goal weight (and to add flexibility while avoiding injury).
This for me is key, expectations that can be met. Being set up for success. Even on my worst days I can do 15 minutes of anything (lift or yoga or cardio or stretching).
On my best days I will do each, plus.
That and consistency and having a regular “routine” of anything allows you to grow into it! 
I have a temperamental lower back so I stick with walking, standing and lifting hand weights, modified yoga. I also remember this thread, might be useful to ask him:
I agree with Rob. You should be doing both and the resistance bands are a great tool (just use them carefully with proper anchor and grip).
The knee pain on the bike could be one of two things: 1) an injury or 2) you don’t have the seat set right. If it is an injury, you should go see an orthopedic doctor and potentially a physical therapist. The pain you feel now while on the bike could eventually affect you during other activities (walking, dancing). If it isn’t an injury, I could talk you through how to set the seat height.
With any fatigue issue, it is important to know whether it is physical, nutritional, or hormonal. If you have some idea about the cause, we can dive deeper into strategies to address. In the meantime, just push to the line but not over it. I’m pretty sure you’ve found that line while dancing. Flirt with that line during your cardio sessions, just stay on the south side of it.
I do Darcy Bussell’s Pilates for Life 3 x a week and 10 - 20 minutes Dance that Walk dvd 2 - 3 x a week. I dont like going to the gym and prefer to do my excercise in my pjs before I get ready for the day.
Quite often, in the evening I will put on some music and dance like a drunken mum ( no Im not), just to use up any excess energy!
Once or twice a week I will walk with a friend, not too taxing 3 - 5 miles.
All seems to work for me. The Pilates doubles as mindfulness keeping me chilled!
Whatever you do, enjoy it.
My resistance band “Gym” and how I attach them to the two rails on the wall but you dont NEED the rail
You could just about tow a car with that carabiner rated at 4k lbs
