The different phases of life bring us different physical challenges and the need to adjust our physical exercises accordingly. On the personal side of things, I used to be a runner and avid singles tennis player in my 30’s, 40’s and early 50’s. Then came back issues and several surgeries prompting me to opt for the elliptical machine.
Now, in my late 60’s and having a dog, my exercise has morphed into walking, albeit over 6 miles a day. No more running, no more singles tennis and no more 90 minutes elliptical workouts. The “sweat” factor of my exercising has gone from a high level of schvitzing (laughing…as I was typing this old Yiddish phrase for “sweating” I was expecting the obligatory corrective red underlining by the “Word Document” system, but it did not happen, so I guess that “schvitzing” is an embraced term in the English vernacular) to no sweating at all, unless the walking occurs in very warm/humid days.
My fear was that by NOT doing the “Sweaty” exercisers and instead, performing the “Non-Sweaty” exercisers, that unless my eating patterns changed, I was gonna gain lots of weight. Nope, this did not happen. Actually, my weight has dropped a few pounds from my old running/sweaty exercise days.
There may be several reasons for this including:
- Exercise, in any form, is “healthy” and walking is as good as running for overall health, and maybe even weight control benefits.
- Sense of “Entitlement” as this relates to eating: I do remember in my Sweaty Exercise” days, I felt that after sweating through my shorts and shirts, I “deserved” lots of “treats” the rest of the day. This probably brought me to the bad habit of snacking on high-caloric foods. Currently, I do not feel this sense of “eating Entitlement” when I do my non-sweaty walking.
- The “Sweaty Exercisers” produce higher levels of hunger and sugar cravings producing ingestion of more sugars and more food in general
The bottom line: One does not need to do aggressive exercise (i.e. running, biking fast, rigorous singles tennis, basketball, soccer, aerobics classes) to have great health benefits and weight control. Simple walking, swimming and more gentile exercises can be quite impactful. We all need to adjust exercise based on age and health conditions. Do not abandon exercise completely because you cannot sweat anymore during the exercise.
A simple walk (in the rain or sun) works great…enjoy the Ronettes “Walking In The Rain”.
