Francine scheduled her exercise sessions with an exercise peddler around her favorite half-hour daytime talk show, and blocked out the time in her daily planner. The peddler was very quiet, and she didn’t have to strain to hear her program over the sound of the device. Francine’s model of exercise peddler features a five-function display, which indicates exercise time, revolution count, revolutions per minute, and calories burned. This helped Francine keep track of her pace, and to notice her progress. She started with the adjustable resistance at the lowest setting, and was soon turning it up higher. The half-hours became hours, and Francine alternated sessions with her arms and her legs, improving her muscle tone, range of motion, and circulation.
Because she was committed to being, as she called it, “a young senior,” Francine didn’t miss a day of exercise. Her exercise peddler was light and portable, so she was able to bring it with her on visits to friends and family. Everyone supported her success and cheered her on as she became more stable and energetic.
Within a few months, her doctor gave her an excellent report, telling Francine she’d taken years off her gait and posture with the gentle, low impact exercise. As both a reward and a new challenge, Francine and her husband celebrated with a golf vacation. Francine played every day, and credits Drive’s exercise peddler with, “getting her blood moving again.”
Safety: Getting medical clearance from a doctor, physical therapist, or other health care professional, is always the first step in starting any exercise routine. They can advise you about appropriate activities for your mobility level or medical situation. Always stay hydrated, listen to your body, and stop exercising if you experience pain, discomfort, nausea, dizziness, lightheaded, chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or clammy hands. If, like Francine, your mobility has become somewhat limited, start slowly and gradually increase the activity level.