Do you exercise?
 

I find I'm doing a lot of hobbies that involve sitting in one spot mostly (quilting/sewing/hand quilting), and I've been trying to add exercise into my day because I don't think it's good to sit all day. Do you exercise and if so, what do you do to stay active? I'm also having low back pain, and was wondering if anyone else has that and if so, what if any exercises or stretches do you do for your back pain?

I don’t exercise specifically but I do try to stay active. I get up frequently when sewing, and if I plan on doing a marathon session, I make a point to stop every hour, stretch and walk for 10-15 minutes before starting again. I have lots of stairs to go up and down throughout the day, I spend time playing musical cats (long story), when the weather is nice I get out and walk the trails near my house. I do yard work, house work and since it’s just me, I often have to find creative ways to do things that require 2 people and when the task is complete I feel it.

I also go to a chiropractor 2x a month and a massage therapist 1-2 x a month. I think it’s important to keep as active as possible even if it’s just walking around the block. I think self care is also extremely important.

I walk a mile in the morning, which sounds like a lot but it's only 15-20 minutes. I also try to walk another mile in the evenings and get to the gym 3-5 times a week. 6 times if I'm being good.
One of the best things I've discovered recently is walking backwards. It is SO good for the knees! There's a section on my daily walk that has a low fence, I put the fence on one side of me and have my husband on the other side of me and I walk backwards. It works and strengthens knee muscles. Sometimes I'll use the treadmill at the gym.
I don't often have back pain, but when I do I find that walking helps a lot.

Two doggy walks a day, walking is a great exercise, which I admit I would never do if it wasn't for the dogs.
Did Yoga once a week before the pandemic, now down to few stretches every morning, just as a reminder of all the other parts of my body that don't get any outing. Since I am pushing four score, every bit helps ;)

I like to walk but can only walk in neighborhood streets which have no sidewalks. So not really fun but I like fresh air and sun.
now exercises are more difficult. i get down on a pad on the floor and try hard but don't get much done I'm afraid. I do stretch holding onto my Island in the kitchen. also have weights in my sewing room which I use when i remember.
So walking is the one I do the most.
There is a neighbor who walks sideways and backways. She skips sideways. I would break my neck!

My sewing room is upstairs. I am going up and down the stairs many times. i average a little over 7 thousand steps a day and that's good enough for me.

Yes, I make a conscious effort because of wanting to ward off as much of the elderly as possible. I try and walk in the subdivision every nice day - it is 3.5 miles with some gentle hills. It takes 1.5 hours. I listen to fun stuff on my iPhone. I am not always motivated, but, I am not interested in losing mobility either. I am now trying to get into the routine of a short YouTube video for arms and upper body. Who doesn't have 10 minutes? Apparently me some days, but, have been better. I used to belong to a gym and went regularly, but then, Sweet Son got sick, and then pandemic and just haven't settled back to that routine. I only quilt for my own pleasure and that is not the only thing I do. I am right now in the lack of mojo phase and don't worry about it. It will return. I know some women my age who are hunched over, breathless, etc. and I don't want that to be me.

I walk 3 miles every day in the Spring, Summer and Fall but in the winter, I ride an incumbent bike. Iowa winters are not pleasant for me to walk in with the snow and ice and cold. My arthritis hurts in the cold.

This is my exercise also. We live in a split, and I sew in the dining room. My ironing station is in the basement, so I go up and down constantly.

Here is a link to gentle exercises for the lower back: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...n/sls-20076265 The only other one that I try to do regularly (because my sports doctor GP recommended it) is the bird dog. He says it will help strengthen my core enough to support the lower back, too. https://www.self.com/story/bird-dog-exercise