Always consult with your family doctor before trying any exercise or changing your eating habits.

TOTAL SEATED BODY WORKOUT - for people with limited mobility

ANKLES
Circle the ankle by drawing an imaginary circle with the toes.

SHINS
Tap the toes by lifting the toes of both feet (with heelss on the floor) and dropping the toes.

CALVES
Extend leg from knee and flex the ankle.  Point the toes toward the knee and feel the calf muscle stretching.

QUADS
Extend leg forward.  Tighten knee cap as though pushing on a gas peddle, then release.

HIPS AND REAR
Squeeze the buttocks muscles together and release.

BACK AND HAMS
Bring one knee to the chest (circle the ankle at the same time to lubricate the ankle joint.)

BACK
Pretend you are holding a tray in front of you at waist level with palms up.  Elbows should be lightly touching the sides of your body.  Now pull right elbows back, then left elbow, squeeze both shoulder blades together and then release.

UPPER BODY
Look straight ahead and lift both arms from side of body up toward ceiling and then back down toward floor.  Reach up with one arm at a time as though you're picking apples from a tall tree.

SPINE
Reach up with right arm, reach down with left arm and stretch as you reach with your fingertips.

ARM RAISE FROM SIDES
Lift both arms from sides of body toward ceiling and then back down.  Place relaxed hands, palms up, in lap.

CHIN TUCK
Bow head until your chin touches your chest.

CHIN UPS
Tilt head back and push your chin out stretching the throat.

OVERALL FACE STRETCH
Open your mouth as wide as you can (like you just had the life scared out of you).

DOUBLE CHIN MAKER
Draw your head backward creating a "double-chin" look.

ABDOMEN TUCK
Tighten/contract your abdomen muscles, count to 5 and release.

HEEL RAISES
Raise your heels off the floor, keeping your feet together and then lower them again.

SINGLE KNEE RAISE
Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor.  Raise one knee 3-4 inches off of the floor.  Hold for 5-10 seconds.  Return to the floor.

OUTWARD KNEE PRESS
With witht he palms of your hands on the outside of your knees.  Press knees outward into your hands.

TOE RAISES
With your heels on hte ground, lift your toes upward, hold, and lower.

LEG EXTENSION
Simply extend your legs forward and hold.

INNER THIGH PRESS
Place a plillow or something small between your feet.  Try to li ft the item off the ground and squeeze your legs together at the same time.

BENDING DOWN CRUNCH
Contract your abs and bend forward.

BICYCLE
Sitting up straight, pretend you are riding a bicycle in front of you.

JACKKNIFE
Sitting up straight, pretend you are doing jumping jacks, separating your legs to opposite sides at the same time and then back to centre.

HAND FIST/GRIPS
Squeeze hands in a gripping motion and release.

ARM CIRCLES
Make sure there is nothing on either side of you and make circles with your arms, both forward and backwards.

BOXING PUNCHES
Sitting straight, alternating arms punch out in front of you.

UPPER BACK ROW
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your arms back toward your chest slowly, all in the same motion.

BICEP CURLS
Start with arms straight down.  Curl your palm up toward your chest, bending at the elbow, then lower your hand back down until it is once again hanging.

REVERSE FLIES
Seated on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor, bend over to rest your stomach onto your thighs.  With arms hanging toward the floor and your pams facing each other.  Your arms are rounded slightly, lift your arms until they are extended at shoulder level and lamost parallel to the flooro.  Lower your arms again to finish a reverse fly.

SHOULDER PRESSES
Sit on the chair with arms above your shoulders, palms facing forward and elbows bent.  Steadily raise the arms above your head until your arms are just short of locking out.  Slowly lower and repeat.

ARM CURLS
Palms should be facing foward, keep your upper arats tight against your sides, lift up toward your shoulders and squeeze your biceps forcefully.  Slowly lower and repeat.

HAND CIRCLES
Sit up straight while extending your arms to the sides.  With straightend, make big circles with both hands.  Make the circles as large as possible.

SHOULDER ROLLS
Roll your shoulders forwards and then backwards to keep loose.

SHIN/TOE RAISES
Sit upright in your chiar, with your feet firmly planted on the ground.  Lift the toes on both of your feet while keeping your heels on the floor.  Gently lower your toes back to the floor.

LEG PULL-INS(together)
Sit on the edge of your seat with your legs extended in front of you, hands grasping the edges of the chair for steadiness.  Pull your knees into your chest, squeezing your abs, extend your legs and repeat.

KNEE EXTENSIONS
Sit with both feet flat on the floor, working one leg at a time, extend your leg out straight and then back to sitting position.

HAMSTRING STRETCH
Sit with your legs extended and your heels resting on a chair, keeping your heels off the ground, bend forward at your hips until youo feel a good stretch in the back of your thigh.  Try touching your toes with your fingers, hold the stretch and relax.

AX CHOP
Hold your hands over your head and with hands together bring arms straight down out in front of your chest at chest level.  Raise arms back up and repeat.

BALL CHEST PRESS
(You don't need a ball - just pretend you have one)  Seated on the edge of a chair, hold ball between your hands with your palms on the sides of the ball.  Press your arms straight forward until they are parallel to the floor, pull ball back toward you and repeat.

SHOULDER SHRUGS
Lift your shoulder to your ear, lower.

My family doctor liked this workout so much he actually kept a copy and asked if he could distribute it to other patients who, like me, have limited mobility.  I was more than happy to oblige.  ALWAYS SEEK YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVICE FIRST.

OTHER HEALTHY TIPS
There are other things you can do to make progress in making your life healthier.  Managing your stress level, eating properly, surrounding yourself with positive friends, etc.

When it comes to food, is where I've noticed people have the most problem.  Whether you are an emotional eater, you crave sweets, you crave salt, etc., food is an issue almost everybody has trouble with.  I did too.  My weakness was ice-cream.  I could eat a 2L container of Ice Cream without a problem.  However, I already had a problem - I have hypoglycemia and 34 other medical conditions.  Knowing my medications actually are part of the reason for my being overweight, I didn't think there was much I could do about it.  I was SO WRONG!

I started first with the 'temptations' faced in the grocery store.  I'd see something I wanted and I would literally say OUT LOUD, "Yes, I'd like it but no, I don't need it!" and I'd keep walking.  For the first two weeks it was really difficult to not stop and buy something, but it soon got to the point I'd be able to walk right past the aisle the ice-cream was in and I didn't even crave it or notice it!

To replace unhealthy items with healthy items was a cinch for me.  If I wanted something sweet I replaced cookies, cake, ice-creams with yogurt, fresh fruit and dried fruit.  To indulge in a salt craving, I'd eat a salad with tuna on it with a Light Italian dressing or baby carrots and low calorie salad dressing as a dip.  To get a bit of both sweet and salt, I eat an apple with 2 small pieces of marble cheese.  It is so easy to eat healthy if you really want to!

For those who say "I just have to have my cookies" or your potato chips, there are solutions for you too.  With all the 100 Calorie snack items from cookies, to potato chips and even frozen items like 100 calorie fudge bars.  They are already measured to not add pounds to your body but you still get the flavor you are craving but without putting your health at risk.  I personally do not buy these because I find it too easy to go back for a 2nd or 3rd package.

For me, if I REALLY want a treat, I must go out for a walk to the local Variety Store to purchase it.  It takes me 15 minutes using my walker to get to the store and 15 minutes to return.  I have then earned the treat I buy, which is usually a chocolate bar.  But even this ritual is something I do a maximum of twice/month.

When it comes right down to it, either you will be your best friend and do what you need to make your life healthier and give it more quality or you will be your worst enemy and keep on with the excuses and not try any ideas and continue gaining weight, being miserable and putting your health more and more at risk.  The choice is yours.  I've made my decision - I may never be a size 14 again due to medications and the medical conditions I have, but that does not give me an excuse to be lazy and let my health go.  I choose to be as pro-active in my health as I possibly can be.  Whether you do or not is completely up to you.  Nobody controls you but you and your willingness or lack thereof.

You have the power to break the bondage food has over you, but you must take the first steps and want to change for the right reasons.