Granny is GOING to Live ...or Die Trying

[Granny]

I'm not a fatty but I do want to drop about 3-4 pounds I picked up while on vacation. Given my age (70) and the fact that I haven't done as much walking this year as I have in the past - mostly due to work schedule and about three months of RAIN - and no upper body strength I decided I would start easy.

When I complained about no upper body strength, I got absolutely no sympathy from my former MP/Drill Sgt. son: "Ma - I showed you how to do pushups!"

OK - so I started last week doing 5 whole pushups - every day - sometimes more than once a day. I really did not think I was going to live through that first 5 pushups session. But I also have taken advantage of the good weather to take a walk through my entire apartment complex every day which gives me about a mile of walking up and down hills of various degrees and steps going up and down since I use the sidewalk because of the steps. Takes about 20 minutes. This is preparing me to go across the road to the killer hills driveway going up to and around the cemetery/cow pasture - another good mile of walking.

So this is my 10 pushups week and I'm doing pretty good, plus the continued daily walking, plus a couple other exercises I've added to the mix. I initially sent a text to my former high school flame ex-Marine love of my life about the 5 pushups and he texted me saying, "Let me know when you get to 25."

Well, that was like waving a red cape in front of a bull - yesterday I sent a text telling him he was killing me - but I was GOING to get to the 25 or die trying. So my still buff, work out doing, bike riding, rock climbing love of my life texted me: "Outstanding!"

Smart ass.

 

[Gracie]

I need to lose about 20 lbs, myself but no pushups for me. I'll have to walk it off if I can make it up the hill.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Awesome, Granny!!! There is nothing like getting in shape and eating right to make a person feel better.

I like to use the Weight Watcher's program to keep my weight in check. The last month or so I've been losing control and going off the program, eating a lot of candy and other crap, and my weight was inching up a bit.

I've been solidly back on the program for five days now and I already feel like a different person.

I'm not doing any formal exercise right now, but I do walk five dogs at once, including two dobermans, and we do a couple of miles a day. Plus constantly running up and down the stairs at home, and doing tons of chores, quite a bit of lifting.

I'm 60, by the way, and I find it inspiring to hear of someone 10 years older than me working on doing MORE pushups! I'm not sure I can even do one...let me see...

Oh, no, can't really do one! I can only go half way down! Are you doing men's or women's pushups? Men's pushups have never been my strong suit, but still...!!

I'm going to have to work on this! : (

 

[Granny]

Don't know the difference in women's and men's pushups. What my son told me was to push up from the knees - which can certainly be felt in the arms. As I'm getting a little stronger in my arms I'm throwing in some of the pushups like they do in the military - full body from the toes up! I had some major neck surgery several years ago so I'm not going to press myself but so much at one time.

Damn I hate it when my registry cleaner thing starts - blows everything off the computer no matter whether I'm finished or not.

I don't do any of the diet plans. I know I would not stick to it and that's a lot of money to blow for me!! I just don't fry anything - I either grill, bake or broil. On the rare occasions that I fry something I don't coat the meat with anything and use only about a tablespoon or so of olive oil in the pan. I prefer steaming veggies, but don't always do that. I try to eat fish (preferable salmon) at least once a week. This week I spotted a package of teriyaki salmon in the grocery freezer section and decided to try it. The package has two big filets separately packaged - takes about 3 minutes to cook in microwave - and it is great! Surprised the hell out of me. Tuna from a can is also good - I can't stomach hot tuna at all - I don't care what is done to it. Also try to eat a lot of fruit, especially the summer fruits.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I've always known the pushups from the knees are women's pushups, and the full body ones from the toes are men's pushups.

No shame in doing women's pushups, they are an adjustment made for women because men naturally have so much more upper body strength than we do.

When I was taking karate as a younger woman, the sensei wouldn't let us do women's pushups, though.

I think you've got the right plan, do the "knee" ones and as you get stronger, throw in some of the full body pushups.

I should do that, too. Like I said, you're an inspiration! : )

 

[Gracie]

Wish I could do that. But...no can do with my wrists. Actually, any joint involved. Even walking up that big assed hill is gonna kill my hips. But I take it back..I don't need to lose 20 lbs. I lost 5 and didn't even know it!

Bet it was the colonoscopy. LOL

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

Good for you, G.

It looks like you're going to make it.

 

[Gracie]

Or it looks like I was really full of shit. Pun intended.

 

[Katzndogz]

74 year old Ernestine Shepard

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0MBTN4oFLg]Ernestine Shepard footage at Yohnnex 2011 Capital Tournament of Champions, Silver Spring, MD - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Gracie]

I have seen her vid before....that woman ROCKS!

 

[Granny]

Ernestine Shepard I will never be.

 

[Gracie]

lol. Me either. Heck, even her face looks young. That woman was blessed with some gnarly genes, that's for sure.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Ernestine Shepard I will never be.

There's no need to be Ernestine Shepard, Granny.

Bodybuilders aren't necessarily the healthiest people. I'm not saying they're not healthy, but you don't have to look like they do to be super healthy.

I have a niece who's quite the body builder. Let me see if I can find a picture of her.

 

[Noomi]

Doing the plank will strengthen your stomach muscles, but at the age of 70, it may be difficult. How physically fit are you?

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Ah, here's my niece who is a body builder. My oldest brother's daughter. Actually, I'm not sure if she's a body builder or a weight lifter. There are lots of pictures of her doing competitive weight lifting on her Facebook page.

 

[Granny]

Ernestine Shepard I will never be.

There's no need to be Ernestine Shepard, Granny.

Bodybuilders aren't necessarily the healthiest people. I'm not saying they're not healthy, but you don't have to look like they do to be super healthy.

I have a niece who's quite the body builder. Let me see if I can find a picture of her.

Yeah - I just want to be fit, not look like a man. Some of these women look really good, but then there are the ones who are SO muscle bound that they look hideous - at least to me.

Doing the plank will strengthen your stomach muscles, but at the age of 70, it may be difficult. How physically fit are you?

The plank? The plank!? You want me to walk the plank?! I thought they did away with that when the last pirate ship sank.




*Granny goes to website for further info*

 

[Granny]

Holy cow!!! I'm not THAT physically fit!! I would either fall on my head and knock myself out or fall over and break my hip (and a few ribs in the bargain).


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dz0oFaVGuh4]Working Your Core: How to Do the Plank - Health & Fitness - ModernMom - YouTube[/ame]


Prior to my neck surgery (at age 63) I kept falling without any warning - I'd just collapse like my whole skeleton had turned into mush. I was so numb in my arms and legs that it hurt like hell if that makes any sense. After six months of putzing around with neurologists who couldn't find a damned thing wrong with me, I went to an orthopedic doctor who ordered a new set of x-rays because the one sent by the neurologist was so fuzzy he couldn't read it. Turned out I had vertebrae that had crushed my spinal cord in half and I had to have four of them replaced. So once in awhile I have a little bit of a balance problem. I know I would kill myself if I tried that plank thing. But the ortho guy was great - I've got about 90%-95% full motion range in my neck and go on about my business like I never had a problem at all.

 

[Jos]

Gracie can tell you how to lose 3-5 pounds in one day by drinking a powder mixed with water

 

[jan]

Go Granny, go Granny, go Granny go!!!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRR_b5aDn6w]Beach Boys-(The little Old Lady From Pasadena) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[boedicca]

I need to lose about 20 lbs, myself but no pushups for me. I'll have to walk it off if I can make it up the hill.

Cut out carbs and sugar, and the fat will melt away.