4 Chair Workout Success Stories That Prove You Can Lose Weight Without Joint Pain
Discover how these women toned and slimmed without getting on their feet
No matter your fitness level, you can build muscle and lose weight from the comfort of your living room by doing chair exercises. Sound too good to be true? We have proof this simple exercise routine really works. Meet Ruth, who lost 116 pounds, despite her limited mobility. Plus three more women share how chair workouts played a role in their weight-loss success. (They lost a combined 246 pounds!) So grab a chair, take a seat and get inspired!
Ruth, 49, lost 116 Pounds with chair dancing
For years, Ruth Morgan, 49, watched her weight go up and down. It was on the way up again when the Maine homemaker discovered she’d reached 373 pounds. To jumpstart change, a friend challenged her to eat a plant-based diet for 30 days. It helped. But Ruth knew she still needed to figure out how to get more physical activity in.
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The challenge: Ruth had multiple health conditions that made exercise difficult. On a daily basis, she grappled with painful arthritis, low energy from fibromyalgia, plus hypermobility in her joints from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).
Then, during the pandemic lockdown, Ruth learned about Jodi Stolove’s Chair Dancing Fitness classes on Facebook. Ruth gave it a try. In her guest bedroom, seated on a dining room chair, she watched the class on her laptop and moved along with the gentle exercises. Always seated, she stomped her feet to the music beat while resting small weights on her thighs. Next, she tried combinations like three-step “cha cha cha” dance moves or kicked her legs to the sides. She also pumped and waved her arms to help build strength in her upper body.
“My favorites were the faster songs and the dancier things,” she says. It was called “no-excuse exercise.” The instructor encouraged: “On your seat or on your feet.” Ruth says, “I took her live classes on Monday and Friday. If I missed, I could do the replay.”
Why chair workouts work for arthritis, fibromyalgia and more
That easy exercise routine paid off. Ruth lost 13 pounds in one month. “Adding the chair dancing definitely helped boost my weight loss.” She also felt stronger and regained muscle tone in an arm that had been previously broken. “I get very stiff with the arthritis, so the chair dancing kept me going.” She adds, “Physically, my pain eased.”
Today, Ruth is down 116 pounds and counting. Her clothing size fell from a 30 to a medium/large. Now she manages her once-high blood pressure without any medication. And her mobility improved so much that she has added more movement: She now hikes and bikes with her family. In all, she says, “Chair dancing was a big component to feeling good. It was great for mental health and gave me a big serotonin boost!”
Ruth says, “I recommend chair exercises wholeheartedly to anyone with arthritis or fibromyalgia because you can go at your own pace.” Her advice to other women starting out: “Start small. Do one small thing a day. Plan your food or workout and make that the most healthful that you can!”
Real women, real results: Meet Cheri, Rosemary and Staci
These three women transformed their lives with the simple magic of seated workouts, which can work no matter your size, budget or situation. Women’s health and fitness expert Jill Carnahan, MD, advises, “Start with the chair and move on from there!”
Cheri Lindsey, 51, lost 176 pounds with chair toning
“After COVID and pneumonia brought me to death’s door, I could barely walk. I had to find a way to build back strength with limited mobility, while on oxygen. I started doing chair exercises with Cheri Schultz on YouTube—30 minutes in the morning and evening. Her workouts (chair yoga, stretching and toning) were ideal for beginners and seniors. It was tough but got easier. As I activated my muscles, I got stronger. I lost 88 pounds in the first eight months. Now I can walk without my cane. Life is so much better after losing weight. I never thought I’d come this far. Mind over matter because you matter!”
Rosemary Obey, 77, lost 41 pounds with chair yoga
“After I retired, I noticed the weight gain. There was also a history of osteoporosis in my family. So I signed up for chair yoga and “Sit & Tone” classes at my local senior center. I was able to activate my major muscle groups with seated marches, torso twists, calf raises and boxing moves with my hands. I’m not the most athletically inclined person. But through this experience, I gained more range of motion and agility. I gained confidence and a willingness to try new things. Now at age 77, I’m feeling great. I think these types of seated classes would be helpful to all women. The physical benefits are innumerable!”
Staci Hearnshaw, 29, lost 29 pounds with chair exercises
“I suffered from hip and knee pain, especially in cold months. My trainer, Michael Baah, suggested using the equipment I had handy by doing moves at my work desk. At first, I thought, ‘How can I possibly get fit with just a chair?’ But those little sessions changed everything. I felt stronger each week doing chair dips, single-leg squats and bicep curls. The weight started coming off and my confidence grew. My clothing size fell from a 16 to a 10!”
Additional reporting by Beth Weissman
This story originally appeared in the November 17, 2025, issue of Woman’s World
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