Study Finds Exercise Increases Life Expectancy, Regardless of Weight

I think it was serendipitous that I read this article from Yahoo Health News today.  I was able to do a circuit training workout this morning and then this afternoon was able to take a (short) walk with my Nordic walking poles.  The problem in my hip (detailed in post below this one) has really messed up my exercise routines........I've had to go slower, modify some of the exercises, and work out more gently for almost a month now, and it's making me (and my back because I am losing core strength) crazy!  This week I have definitely seen an increase in the amount of time I can work out before the pain gets too intense, and my recovery time after a workout is quicker than it has been. 

I do work out at a moderate intensity for about 2 1/2 hours per week, so I was happy to see that, even though I am still overweight (working on it, but slow going) that I am helping to increase my life expectancy.  I joke that I need those extra years to finish up all my knitting projects, read all the books on my Kindle, and catch up on my email.  My workouts usually consist of two circuit training classes per week, one other weight workout (very light weights because of my orthopedic limitations)  either at the gym or at home, at least two days of water aerobics (really helps keep my joints moving), and I try to do at least some stretching every day.  The last few weeks, some days the stretching is about all I have been able to do.  I was fitness walking a lot about two years ago, but last year had a bad case of Achilles tendonosis and so had to stop for quite a while.  I am very, very slowly starting to walk around the neighborhood using Nordic walking poles.  I just put an app on my iPhone that works as a pedometer, tried it for the first time today but stopped to take pictures with my iPhone camera (fall colours are just past peak here)-------I think either the pedometer resets itself when you use another app (camera).  I need to play around with it a bit more to learn how it works. 

Hope everyone is having a good week, we had a sunny and very mild day here today. The colours are still pretty but fading fast, and it makes me sad the days are so short now. I always am happy to see the winter solstice arrive and the subsequent lengthening of the days.  When I lived in NY the darkeness and lack of sunlight was truly depressing, I sure wish I had know more about Vitamin D supplementation back then......here in NC, the days are more often sunny than not even in the winter, but the sun isn't strong enough for the body to produce much Vitamin D.  A sunny day, however, is an emotional boost, and I like to get out and take even a short walk just to enjoy the light and fresh air. 

Get out there and exercise, and have a great weekend!