I still don't have the cardio endurance I had before Covid. And when I say "cardio," I mean brisk walking. I'm at maybe 2/3 the capacity I was before.

I came down with Covid a year ago and hills both up and down are still brutal. Long Covid blows. Covid antagonizing other issues into serious issues that I might be facing for the rest of my life (hyponatremia for as yet unknown exact causes) blows most of all for me.

My sciatica experience was the same wake up call. And now I run the steps five days a week regularly. Or until my knees give out.

Easier on joints overall is best but knee surgery would scare me less than (more) back surgery. And faster recovery.

Staying as active as possible is important with aging. My Dad died at 80 and he had pain/poor mobility for so long before that he seemed much older to me. Mom died when she was 80 and we walked every weekday morning for a few miles with elevation changes. She was a very young 80, apart from her heart stopping. They both lived to exactly 80 but had such different experiences. My stepmom might outlive me potentially. Because she had knee surgery.

(I can already forsee our own retirement years, and they're going to involve a camper. But that's cool by me.)

I so want to do more camping. Any camping.

My own train wreck of a father, who is probably in medical textbooks with the caption of We Don't Know Why This Man Is Alive -- seriously, he has so goddamn many things wrong with him it blows my mind, if you read his chart you would not expect to see the 79-year-old man who works 30-40 hours a week at Kroger every week. And, quite honestly, I think if he weren't working that job, he would have died already. It's not like a gym workout, but he's on his feet the whole time, stocking shelves and getting carts outside and bagging groceries. That's a hell of a lot more active than 40 hours a week editing. So I think it's been really good for him to have that job. Plus he gets a lot of social interaction, which is also beneficial.

Oh yes, elder parent care. All my love to everyone dealing with it. Also, +100 to the rec to get active now. My dad was never active, and he can barely move around and has no muscle tone. He's an old soon-to-be 79. My mom is much more active and MUCH healthier and younger soon-to-be 77.

And, quite honestly, I think if he weren't working that job, he would have died already. It's not like a gym workout, but he's on his feet the whole time, stocking shelves and getting carts outside and bagging groceries. T

Also important social interaction.

Teppy there is a youtube channel I really like called HAS fit. They get a little on the perky side but there are all kinds of exercises for all kinds of ability and experience levels. They have exercises that are more PT style for plantar fasciitis and back pain, seated exercises, low impact, workouts with and without equipment-- videos that are 7 mins long or an hour. I like them because it's a variety of things and I don't have to go around looking for different things.

When my feet hurt so bad I could barely stand I was doing the seated exercises...occasionally ...just so I could move around some.

I don't really exercise outside of work that much because I'm usually tired from all the walking but I've been trying to do some more muscle building type things.

Although I haven't done any exercise since I came home from the ER on Friday. Which I don't need to be moving around I need to be resting but it's just hard not to move around when Im used to it.

I'm worried about my Mom, her diet sucks, she's stressed about my whole Aunt/Cousin/Cousin's son situation, she has bad knees, she smokes, but I can't get her to change anything. She keeps texting asking if she can do anything for me but I've been mostly sleeping/dozing the past several days so there hasn't been anythign for her to do. Plus I don't really feel up to talking to anyone or dealing with talking. Typing things is ok but talking and listening haven't been something I want to do.

Although my brain is working a little better than it has been.

Do you see the PCP prior to going back to work, askye?

Keeping the mind functional may be higher on my list than the body. I've been working on that for years now. I do the usual puzzle stuff, sudoku, word puzzles, and that kind of thing. Also, I have been working on Spanish daily for the last 6 months. I'm thinking after the holiday I'll give learning to play my piano a try. (Poor DH) The brain people say learning things you have never done is very helpful. I Need My Brain!

I'm grateful Mom was mentally sharp all the way to 95.

Endurance-wise, I'm just trying to add walking time in increments of literally 1 minute

I will emphasize that I'm at the point where I never push. I don't try to do more. I don't try to go faster. I just want to show up five days out of seven and move my body. End stop.

My easy (yet shocking!) rubric for getting in my 10,000 steps: Leave the house three times.

You'd be surprised how much of a difference that makes. And by "leave the house" I don't mean walk to the mailbox, do an errand.

Keep it simple, folks. Leave the house three times a day.

Thinking about exploring Pilates now, which seems easier on joints.

I LOVE pilates—but sessions can be expensive.

I should just go back to the Y’s gentle yoga. My skating session proved my lost endurance.

I definitely need to get back on some kind of wagon with exercise and diet because between some shoulder issues (pain and frozen shoulder, which has mostly but not completely resolved), my usual migraines, and now six months of low back pain (which I think is partly due to gaining 20 pounds all around my middle) I feel like I’m falling apart!!

I LOVE pilates—but sessions can be expensive.

I have an Ana Caban DVD that I follow along with. There's no one to correct my form, but I could afford it in my freelance days.