<DIV>Hi Quama, </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for your comments. I agree one hundred per cent. I had taken a PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) as part of a clinical study at the local university. The instructor was terrific, the class members were a lot of fun, and I lost 10 pounds in 4 months just by cutting back on portion size and going to the 45 minute class 3 times a week. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I enjoyed it so much I asked the instructor if she would continue to teach a class for us outside the study. She agreed, and I spent about 20 hours making the arrangements. Today we had our first class, and it was terrific to be back with the gang and welcome three new members. I really had fun again with exercising. None of us had been doing much at home...it seems we all need the motivation of the group. We're hoping to increase the class to three times a week. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So, for those of you who hate exercise, Quama is absolutely right. Find something you like. Try a balance ball (and follow the instructions very carefully), find a class you like that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (our local recreation center membership is $17 a month and has about 30 classes I can take, including water aerobics), find an instructor (preferably certified), find a room at a senior center or a parks and recreation center, or a church and gather a group of friends to exercise with. Find out if you like tai chi or Pilates or moving meditation. Maybe you'll like a treadmill or stationary bike at home so you can watch tv while exercising. Go work an hour a day on a farm. Take care of two-year-olds a few hours a week! There are lots of different things to do. It just has to be enjoyable to you and nobody else. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Good luck in finding something that works for you. I've lost 40 pounds in two years, and I have another 40 to go. And this time it'll stay off because I'm not dieting. I'm just cutting back on portion size and exercising. I have ice cream when I want it, chocolate when I want it (and I'm so surprised at how infrequently I want it now!), I pretty much eat anything at any time except for the three hours before bedtime to prevent reflux. It's pretty slow, but I'm getting there. One of my sisters has kept her weight down to 135 for six years now, after years of yo-yo-ing (a family trait). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Have a good new year and I'm sending you all good thoughts about finding an exercise routine you like. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kay</DIV>
<DIV>kateinmo<BR><BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">I heard you guys talking about the "boredom of exercising". That's a <BR>problem. Exercise shouldn't be boring. If you don't like it, do something <BR>else. I walk everywhere. It's peaceful to me. Also, a bunch of my friends <BR>joined a dance class together (eight people; four dance pairs). It worked <BR>out wonderfully. We even get extra practice. We can go to dance clubs and <BR>dance the chacha and other ballroom/latin dances. When our class is <BR>cancelled, we still have enough people to get together, get some music and <BR>dance. For us, it's not the music or the special moves; it's hanging out <BR>with friends. It's the social aspect that makes that time special. If you <BR>really don't like exercising, do it with a friend. Go for a jog with your <BR>dog, go skating/swimming/for an outing at the beach with your <BR>kids/grandkids/godkids/neighbour's kids, call up an old friend
and try a new <BR>aerobics class together, get people together and relive your childhood by <BR>going sledding and making snowmen. Whatever. But exercise should, and easily <BR>can, be fun.<BR><BR>~Quama<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><p>
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