I do Insanity Pure Cardio followed by P90X Ab Ripper X 3 times a week. 

what about post-menopausal women like myself

I don't have a pouch but I do have flab all around the waistline

currently I am actively working out at a gym and have always power-walked and now power-walk to and from work 30 min ea way

• the workouts I do at the gym are:

• the gravity machine

• low impact aerobics

• abs class

• yoga

I am short waisted so I tend to wear lower waist pants which do not give me a muffin top

but the regular pants do

I know that the best way to lose fat is to do interval type training like coachtod does.  But Insanity might actually "too insane" for some people!  I've done it and it's great, but it is hard to do and hard on the joints.  There's an exercise that gives you a GREAT cardio workout AND adds lean muscle to your body, which is what you want.  They're called H.I.I.T. workouts!  

Here's a video of one I put together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdpr_WoyB0s.  Plus, here I explain how to work out to lose fat. 

For Toroneh, you simply need to adjust that above workout to fit with your abilities.  It's about the 30 to 50 seconds of pushing YOURSELF as hard as you can muster, then resting for the remaining seconds of that minute.  Do that 12 to 15 times, and I'm sure you'll start to see better results.

Jim

doesn't swimming also help reduce visceral fat?

Doc tells me to lose weight, but he never tells me how to lose weight. Telling me to cut calorie intake and increase calorie burn isn't helpful. The routines above are generally geared for limber 20-somethings with supple joint tissue. I have bad knees and a bad back and if I even attempted Insanity I'd be in traction for a month.

Any suggestions for 50+ old guys like me?

I'm going to be 70 next month.  A year ago, I had an L4-L5 anterior/posterior spinal fusion, with a plate and 4 screws in the front, and two posts and 4 screws in the back.  My days of "exercising" are over.  BUT...walking is one of the best ways to start a routine of activity.  It's taken me a year and 3 months, but I'm up to 2 miles a day now.  You just have to "move".  As far as the "how" to lose weight...you have to reduce the number of calories you comsume...period.  It's not easy, it's not fast, but it does work. 

All this exercise talk makes me TIRED.  Think I'll take a nap.

Original Post by: goodspeak

Doc tells me to lose weight, but he never tells me how to lose weight. Telling me to cut calorie intake and increase calorie burn isn't helpful. The routines above are generally geared for limber 20-somethings with supple joint tissue. I have bad knees and a bad back and if I even attempted Insanity I'd be in traction for a month.

Any suggestions for 50+ old guys like me?

I am a 50+ woman with several health issues. 

Core building exercises will help your bad back by strengthening the muscles that support your spine.  I started these after my back surgery over a year ago.  Now they are part of my rehab after knee surgery ... only much easier because I have been doing them for a year.  :)

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/a/ NewCore.htm (scroll down for a list of core exercises)  Do what you can and push yourself to do better next time.

For cardio, swimming, riding a bike, walking (outside or on a treadmill) and row machines are both useful and doable. I use a recumbent bike because it takes the weight of my spine.  At rehab, they have us sit in a chair behind their stationary bike. Walking is super.  You can start at any pace and distance and build from there.  Immediately following back surgery, I could only make it 2 houses down the block.  My goal was to go just a little further each day.  Within a week I was making it all the way around the block (with several rest periods). I built from there.  

You could also pick up an exercise video.  Do what you can with the video.  Make your goal to do one more rep or one more minute next time.  Modify exercises so you can do them.  I do jumping jacks without jumping to keep impact off my knee.  Just pulling your arms up over your head repeatedly will get the heart pumping.  Add in a side step when you're ready.

Best wishes

Try hula hooping! It works on the core and cardio all at the same time! Almost anyone can do it! I use a 5 lb weighted hula hoop but they come in all different weights usually around 2.5-5pounds is mostly used. Rule of thumb the heavier the hula hoop the easier it is to keep up longer. You can burn around 600 calories an hour. I've been doing it for two weeks already and can see a difference in my abs and the muscles in my lower back already!

Original Post by: Nhcouponmom

Try hula hooping! It works on the core and cardio all at the same time! Almost anyone can do it! I use a 5 lb weighted hula hoop but they come in all different weights usually around 2.5-5pounds is mostly used. Rule of thumb the heavier the hula hoop the easier it is to keep up longer. You can burn around 600 calories an hour. I've been doing it for two weeks already and can see a difference in my abs and the muscles in my lower back already!

Okay, CalorieCount, you've GOT to get a "like" button on here because I'd be pressing that thing all over this comment!  Thanks Nhcouponmom!

Jim

http://halfmealhabit.com

3 simple rules that will change your life.

Original Post by: sundownlinda

Original Post by: goodspeak

Doc tells me to lose weight, but he never tells me how to lose weight. Telling me to cut calorie intake and increase calorie burn isn't helpful. The routines above are generally geared for limber 20-somethings with supple joint tissue. I have bad knees and a bad back and if I even attempted Insanity I'd be in traction for a month.

Any suggestions for 50+ old guys like me?

I am a 50+ woman with several health issues. 

Core building exercises will help your bad back by strengthening the muscles that support your spine.  I started these after my back surgery over a year ago.  Now they are part of my rehab after knee surgery ... only much easier because I have been doing them for a year.  :)

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/abdominalcorestrength1/a/ NewCore.htm (scroll down for a list of core exercises)  Do what you can and push yourself to do better next time.

For cardio, swimming, riding a bike, walking (outside or on a treadmill) and row machines are both useful and doable. I use a recumbent bike because it takes the weight of my spine.  At rehab, they have us sit in a chair behind their stationary bike. Walking is super.  You can start at any pace and distance and build from there.  Immediately following back surgery, I could only make it 2 houses down the block.  My goal was to go just a little further each day.  Within a week I was making it all the way around the block (with several rest periods). I built from there.  

You could also pick up an exercise video.  Do what you can with the video.  Make your goal to do one more rep or one more minute next time.  Modify exercises so you can do them.  I do jumping jacks without jumping to keep impact off my knee.  Just pulling your arms up over your head repeatedly will get the heart pumping.  Add in a side step when you're ready.

Best wishes

Linda,

Thank you for the excellent suggestions! Sadly, I ruined my knees from 35 years of club play and tournament racquetball. A great cardio, but I have paid the price. Skiing, basketball and golf did the rest of the damage. So, your suggestions will add some variety to my workout, for sure.

Back surgery for a degenerative disc is next on my list of "proceedures" [after I had foot and knee surgery] so it is also nice to know there are things I can be doing to stregthen the core, exercise-wise. I do sit-ups and the recumbent bike [and for the same reason you do] but it seems like I'm not making any headway. CalorieCount really helps me stay focused on the food intake [Though I REALLY wish they would stop dumping my saved foods when my job responsibilities and time crunch prevents me from logging on; That's a big hint CalorieCount. Seriously, Guys.] but the link you provided is very helpful.

Thanks again! :-)

Tim

Um...sorry for the typos and spelling errors. I just ripped this message off on my way out the door.

You are quite welcome.  Situps don't burn many calories.  They do help tone the muscle under the fat, but they won't burn the fat.

I am also trying to build some lean muscle (to burn calories) with dumbbell exercises.  I have to limit the weight to 25 lbs total or less.  So, I do more sets of reps.

I'm currently on (two) 5 lb weights, ready to move up to 7 or 10.

I use the following site and do 2 exercises from each grouping (abs, chest, biceps, etc) on my weight days.  I started at 1 set of 8 reps each, then 2 sets of 8 reps, now at 3 sets.

Lean muscle burns more calories. :)