Hi All, I have a question about vigorous vs moderate exercise. I am in my fifties and have what I think of is a good regime I walk 2 hours with hills five days a week and a second 30 minute walk at night 7 days a night averaging over 20,000 steps. I wear a bodybogg which logs my walking as moderate when I was heavy I'd hit vigorous on the hills. Do I need to get in the vigorous zone or is two hours in the moderate zone okay?

I think it depends on what your exercise goals are. Your current program is making you cardiovascularly fit. Making it more vigorous would burn more calories in a shorter time and would make you faster.

After suffering a really BAD knee injury...I'm really limited now on what exercises I can do. I try to walk as much as I can but hafta stop after a while, like 20-30 mins b/c my knee starts hurting so bad. I was just wondering, is walking good enough to help w/my weight loss goals w/the sleeve or do I need to do something 'more' to help w/the weight loss? Thanks, in advance, to anyone who replies.

--Sk.

Oh yes walking is great especially if you can do hills. With your knee though maybe you should try water aerobics

Oh yes walking is great especially if you can do hills. With your knee though maybe you should try Water aerobics

Ya know I forgot about water aerobics! Thanx! I can go up hills fairly okay...it's the coming back DOWN the hills that gives me problems in that case but water aerobics sounds good. I can also swim laps too! Thanks!!

--SK.

Do you have access to a treadmill? Hills might not be the best for your injury but walking backwards on a treadmill may help you. It strengthens some different muscles in your quads that in turn help support your knees. I always get a good sweat going when I do this. Also, maybe eliminate hills for a while and just do some interval training such as walking at a moderate pace for a minute and then faster walk/jog for 2min. and keep alternating this. It will get your heart rate up and change what you are currently doing. Push yourself out of your comfort zone without putting yourself at risk for injury.

aqua jogging... buy a float belt and you can do it on your own in any pool.. no classes needed like with water aerobics and the workout is much better (i'm a former lifeguard and water aerobics instructor)... aqua jogging is what most uni & pro athletes do for rehab... i've done it too... it is an amazing workout and there is no impact on your knees and ankle, whereas there is some impact with water aerobics.... ( i did it for 1 year after i tore my right anterior talofibular ligament in my ankle) .... it really helped and let me exercise when i could hardly even walk

According to my doctor, it really doesn't matter what exercise you do, as long as you get your heartrate to it's target zone. For me that is between 135-160. I'm not sure how he calculated this. When I first started exercising, walking on hill was enough. Now I have to jog a few minutes & then walk a minute. The doctor also really promotes interval training with different speeds of walking/jogging to maximize the calorie burning.

Hi All, I have a question about vigorous vs moderate exercise. I am in my fifties and have what I think of is a good regime I walk 2 hours with hills five days a week and a second 30 minute walk at night 7 days a night averaging over 20,000 steps. I wear a bodybogg which logs my walking as moderate when I was heavy I'd hit vigorous on the hills. Do I need to get in the vigorous zone or is two hours in the moderate zone okay?

I am 57 and walking is GREAT. I have communicated with alot of folks who did no exercise and they lost their weight. I am about 10 weeks out, I have been walking and doing Water aerobics. I have lost 10 inches off my waist [LOVE THAT] and over all 45 inches off my body. I have lost about 40 lbs.

It is so HOT out right now, exercising beyond what I am doing is not smart for me. I will move beyond walking twice a day and swimming 3 times per week in Sept.

Best Wishes!

According to my doctor, it really doesn't matter what exercise you do, as long as you get your heartrate to it's target zone. For me that is between 135-160. I'm not sure how he calculated this. When I first started exercising, walking on hill was enough. Now I have to jog a few minutes & then walk a minute. The doctor also really promotes interval training with different speeds of walking/jogging to maximize the calorie burning.

I agree with the others. As long as you are in your target zone you will strengthen your heart and get fit as well.

To calculate target heart rate:

Maximum heart rate:

220 - age = ____ beats/min

Target-zone heart rate:

Upper limit = Maximum heart rate X 0.85 = ____ beats/min

Lower limit = Maximum heart rate X 0.7 = _____ beats/min

Target-zone heart rate _____ to _____ beats/min

Do you have access to a treadmill? Hills might not be the best for your injury but walking backwards on a treadmill may help you. It strengthens some different muscles in your quads that in turn help support your knees. I always get a good sweat going when I do this. Also, maybe eliminate hills for a while and just do some interval training such as walking at a moderate pace for a minute and then faster walk/jog for 2min. and keep alternating this. It will get your heart rate up and change what you are currently doing. Push yourself out of your comfort zone without putting yourself at risk for injury.

I did have a treadmill but sold it b/c it was just too hard on my knees. I have a recumbant (sp?) bicycle now that I like & is much easier on the knees as my legs go 'round & 'round rather than a 'jolting' kind of movement w/the treadmill. I do like the elliptical machine though, much easier on me for my particular knee issues...it's more like a bicycle movement as opposed to just 'walking' which seems to be a more 'jolting' type movement for me. Thanks though for the suggestion, I appreciate it!!

aqua jogging... buy a float belt and you can do it on your own in any pool.. no classes needed like with water aerobics and the workout is much better (i'm a former lifeguard and water aerobics instructor)... aqua jogging is what most uni & pro athletes do for rehab... i've done it too... it is an amazing workout and there is no impact on your knees and ankle, whereas there is some impact with water aerobics.... ( i did it for 1 year after i tore my right anterior talofibular ligament in my ankle) .... it really helped and let me exercise when i could hardly even walk

Huh, I've never heard of aqua jogging...I should try it! Thanks!!