The Fitness Thread

[PoeticPassions]

Jack, you’re an animal… an ANIMAL.

I’m shooting for a sub-six hour century in the North Georgia Mountains this September – 6 Gap Century in Dahlonega. (it’s a bike ride)

Probably try for a sub-four hour marathon after that. Maybe California International in December (it’s downhill), maybe Austin in February (good music), maybe Avenue of the Giants in May (big trees). I’ll see how the bones are holding up.

I may try to get my sorry butt to the top of Mount Rainier this summer. Donno. I’ll see.

Good luck. Sounds pretty hard core. And Mr. Rainier is amazing. I'd encourage you. It might be worth it just for the scenery. I miss living in the Northwest...

[YesNo]

I'm 6'0" and 191 lbs. I got the weight from a bathroom scale that I haven't used in a year or more. From what I can see from the data provided by some, I might be a tad overweight, but I don't feel overweight. My diet is mainly vegetarian. I drink coffee daily.

I walk every day for an hour or two mainly because I enjoy the activity. There is no physical goal involved to reduce weight or some other measurement. I don't know how to easily measure anything else that is likely to change besides weight. However, I try to see how long I can pay attention to the environment without my mind drifting. That's more of a mental training. The mind drifting is not really a problem. I just want to have more control of this process and enjoy what I am experiencing while on the walks.

[Sancho]

Good luck. Sounds pretty hard core. And Mr. Rainier is amazing. I'd encourage you. It might be worth it just for the scenery. I miss living in the Northwest...

So do I. Peak bagging Rainier is just an abstract thought right now, and it violates Ed Abbey’s 1st rule of the wilderness: If you can’t walk there, you probably shouldn’t be there. (Rainier requires ropes and ice axes and stuff) If I could put enough days together, I’d probably have more fun backpacking Wonderland Trail – it circles Mount Rainier and runs for 93 miles or thereabouts.

[Jack of Hearts]

Anyway, yep I do always feel great afterward. That is, if I don't overdo it.

Yeah, nothing like moving some weight, taking a shower and feeling refreshed all day. Ahhh...

My goal is to get my BE hunter up to lvl 85. It'll be a challenge, a lot of hard work and diligence, but I think I'm up to it.

Nerd alert.

I do a lot of swimming, in a morning before work I do 2.5 K, my goal is to get my time back below 55 minutes. I used to be able to do it in just under 55, but it has gone up to around 58 at the moment.

I planning on no alcohol, lots of coffee & water, warming up before starting (I found on Friday after walking to my sisters house to let her cat out before going that I swam more quickly) and a bit of extra protein.

If you're saying you can continuously swim for an hour straight, this reader is impressed. Swimming is hard. But this reader always feels amazing after 30 - 60 mins of messing around in a pool (not continuous exercise, obviously, but a little bit).

Running has been my primary mode of exercise. Lately, my rotuine has been Saturday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening. Depending on temperature and how much ale was consumed the previous night, I aim for 4 miles each run. Sometimes I will opt for a brisk hike in lieu of a run, particularly in fall and winter.
I couldn't tell you what my bodyfat percent is or even my weight at this point, I'm just trying to keep the spare tire from pushing me into the next size up in my britches.

Yay for hiking/wandering aimlessly through fall (this reader's favorite season). Good for you for running. This reader prefers bike riding, but it's all equally uncomfortable one supposes. Good luck managing the spare tire, that's a worthy enough goal.

20-some years ago, in my very early twenties, I joined a health club to try to gain weight (6'3" and 155). A year of weights and protein drinks later, I'd gained a whopping five pounds, and as my discouragement grew, my working out became more sporadic and then ended altogether.

Time passed, and I turned 30, then 40, and now I'm about 230 pounds and need to get back to the gym. But, being middle-aged and without insurance, I need to make sure I do it safely and gradually. The hard part, as with most people I'm sure, is motivating myself to actually do it.

When this reader was in high school, he weight lifted for 3-6 days a week. Never gained any mass. It was so disheartening- so much effort was put in, this stuff wasn't done halfassed. In hindsight, it really seems like a nutritional problem, maybe even overtraining (through probably not enough food, though this reader ate like a horse!). Point is, it's easy to relate to your story.

This reader would encourage you to look at your diet first and foremost, and do the gym when you're ready. But he's no professional, so grain of salt. It just feels good to weigh less (in this reader's opinion). You never know how bad you feel as a baseline until you get a little weight off.

6’3”, 6’4”! What’re they feeding you guys? I’m a little guy by comparison, and yet I’m a giant within the Sancho clan. You see, I come from short people. When I was growing up, they thought I was freak of nature. The whole family started getting excited thinking I was going to be the first of us to top six foot, but then I came up an inch short (story of my life): 5’11” 165lbs, and not of particularly athletic build. Here’s my simple-minded fitness theory:

Keep moving. And when in doubt, pretend like you know what you’re doing.

It works okay for me. If I have to stay in one place for too long, I get cranky, like a baby.

That seems like great advice Sancho. You seem like a really good height/weight, but people differ so much, there doesn't seem to be a standard. Read in some thread that you can't eat red meat. (Look at that sentence, it's like a poem!). That is such a bummer. Red meat is delicious.

I've got to the ideal weight for my size. I'm 5'11", now 79kg, but at one point I got up to 86 kg, and was really unfit. I lost the weight in the last few months through daily Shaolin forms training (well, daily when I could), prefaced by a little run. I find the shaolin forms a really good workout.
The next plan is to build up my flexibility so I can drop down quickly into low stances, and to work on my speed and balance doing the forms I am learning. I figure in a few months I'll have some time to do some Sanshou (kung fu sparring) which will increase my reflexes and timing against a real opponent, although of course there are a number of techniques that I am learning which I can't really apply in sparring, due to my own limited time training in them, and due to the fact that some of the techniques are not designed for sparring with gloves.

Good for you for being active and choosing a sport that considers both body and mind. How exactly does one increase flexibility, anyways? Just gradual stretching maybe?

I don't consciously work out, but I stay healthy by just doing what I do. In the winter, it's walking to school through three feet of snow or building snowmen or walking up sled hills. In summer, I wander around through the woods fairly often (it's really hilly obviously, being mountains and all), and I like to play tennis. And stuff.

It's been raining all week, so yesterday on my way home from work I noticed that there were a lot of earthworms drowning in puddles or crawling out on the road and getting run over. "Poor worms," thought I, so I spent a couple hours playing worm rescue. I put 109 of them in my lunch tupperware, then I brought them to my mom's garden because it's covered and the soil isn't mud (worms don't like mud). Now my legs are really sore, so I can tell I "exercised."

You know, stuff like that.

Yeah, that's good stuff. That's what Sanch said. Just do your thing and keep moving. That's exercise and fun all at once. This reader will factor this more into his own daily life, he hopes (through he's prone to reading and writing. Writing he can do while walking/moving, maybe even hiking, but reading not so much).

My goal is to trim some fat as well... I am pretty fit right now, but I would like to lose about 8-10 lbs more (or about 4kg). Also, I am striving to get to the gym about 5 times a week. Last week I made it 4 times, and the week before 5... so around that range is good. But I am generally also active on the weekends. I like to go hiking, ride my bicycle, roller blade, etc. And now that the weather is finally nice, I can actually do this more... and will not then need to go to an indoor gym as often.

I commend your goals, Jack! Good luck. Living healthy has to be a lifestyle choice, and that's what I am striving for more, rather than some kind of diet plan and workout regime that I can stick to for a month or two and then generally abandon...

PP, you seem to get it. We've got to change our minds, change our lifestyles. This reader would say though, for him, the exercise was done mostly for happiness/feeling good- the main thing he's done to keep losing weight is change diet. Is it the same for you?

I'm 6'0" and 191 lbs. I got the weight from a bathroom scale that I haven't used in a year or more. From what I can see from the data provided by some, I might be a tad overweight, but I don't feel overweight. My diet is mainly vegetarian. I drink coffee daily.

I walk every day for an hour or two mainly because I enjoy the activity. There is no physical goal involved to reduce weight or some other measurement. I don't know how to easily measure anything else that is likely to change besides weight. However, I try to see how long I can pay attention to the environment without my mind drifting. That's more of a mental training. The mind drifting is not really a problem. I just want to have more control of this process and enjoy what I am experiencing while on the walks.

You seem like you're doing great YesNo. Again, it's hard to say whether someone is overweight or not just based on reading a scale. In this reader's opinion, only body composition percentages can tell you that (not 'weight' or BMI). Your walks sound excellent. This reader enjoys a good walk, especially at evening or at night. And your mental presence exercises seem important as well- this reader does them too, sometimes. It's very zen, baby.








J

[The Comedian]

Me? I run four miles, four times a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday. And then I do some minor lifting: arm curls, two types of sit ups (with a Swiss ball) and two types of push ups, three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. This lifting I do when I'm watchin' The Food Network or reading. This is going to sound totally too much, but I often mute the TV and read during the ads, then unmute the TV and do my exercises during the programming.

And when school is in session, in addition to my runs, which I always do. Always, I do 100 push ups every morning.

That morning push up routine is funny. I do it when I get ready for work: brush teeth, 25 push ups. Wash face; 25 push ups; get dressed, 25 push ups; bathroom, 25 push ups.

In the summer I can the daily push ups, however, because I work/play outside a lot: I go canoeing, biking, DIY projects, swimming in the lake. . . .

Did I mention that I smoke cheap cigars? That's got to count for something too, right?

[qimissung]

Yikes, you all are fit. I'm impressed.

I used to walk about three times a week, but somewhere in the last year or two I quit. So this summer I'm trying to start walking again. Maybe I'll try running a bit. I used to get shin splints, so I'm afraid of it, but I'm a little older now and the weight doesn't fall off like it used to. I also might try swimming, I just have to get up the nerve to put on a suit. I'm 5'3" and I weigh about 116. I used to weigh 110, that's my optimal weight, so I'd really, really like to lose a few pounds. I have quit eating a Hershey's chocolate almond bar every day, but I haven't noticed any difference. Since I'm at home now I'm trying to eat about two meals a day. My caloric intake usually hovers at about 1200-1400, even when eating three meals, and even if the food I ate wasn't that great. When I do one of those BMI things it says I can eat up to 2000, which I can't even imagine.

So I'm gonna try to add some more fruits and vegetables. Good luck, everybody! Let the games begin (for some of us anyway )!

[PoeticPassions]

PP, you seem to get it. We've got to change our minds, change our lifestyles. This reader would say though, for him, the exercise was done mostly for happiness/feeling good- the main thing he's done to keep losing weight is change diet. Is it the same for you?


J

Exercise won't do much in the weight department unless you change your eating habits (unless of course you are exercising hard core for three hours a day). Though I have noticed that if I do exercise regularly, I won't gain weight and can even lose a bit without really changing what I eat. But for big results, nutrition is key.

But I also exercise for the way it makes me feel... generally more energized, happier and less stressed.

And when school is in session, in addition to my runs, which I always do. Always, I do 100 push ups every morning.

That morning push up routine is funny. I do it when I get ready for work: brush teeth, 25 push ups. Wash face; 25 push ups; get dressed, 25 push ups; bathroom, 25 push ups.

You must have some great pecs

And running is one of the best ways to exercise. My problem is that lately I cannot run consistently, as I get really bad pain in my tendons around my ankles... so bad I have to usually stop running. Or take a break from running for a couple weeks and then I can go at it for a week straight before the pain returns

[TheFifthElement]

Lately I have been more interested in doing cardiovascular activities, such as jump rope, but have begun doing high intensity interval training again because I have noticed some great results in the past with this.

Hi BookBeauty - what sort of HIIT do you do? I am looking to start a routine (as I need to lose weight and have heard this routine is good) but can't do it via running/walking as I have flat feet amongst other foot problems and running is pretty bad for me.

Do you have any programmes you could share?

[TurquoiseSunset]

I'm not over weight but I would like to lose at least 5 to 7 kilos. I'm 1.7m tall and currently weigh 68kg. So I have a couple of wobbly bits I want to get rid of. My goal is not to be a bikini model, I just want to be toned and healthy.

My problem: a habit of snacking and a lack of motivation to do exercise.

How I'm going to fix it:
- Eat less sweets, cakes, puddings. Lately I find myself eating them more out of habit than anything else.
- Doing at least 15 minutes worth of exercise a day. I'm going to aim for more anyway, but I think doing something is better than nothing, so on the days I don't have time or really don't feel like it I will at least have done something.

[Sancho]

I absolutely HATE going to the gym. I’d rather just go outside, rain or shine. And for some strange reason, my GPS doesn’t seem to work on the treadmill.

That said, though, Shaun T’s Insanity workout series is intense interval training and a lot of fun, and he doesn’t give you enough time to preen in front of all those mirrors at the health club.

[Buckthorn]

If you're saying you can continuously swim for an hour straight, this reader is impressed. Swimming is hard. But this reader always feels amazing after 30 - 60 mins of messing around in a pool (not continuous exercise, obviously, but a little bit).

Yeah I continuously swim for an hour, I used to do 2 miles (about 130 lengths) but that was when I only started work at 10, now I have to start at 9 and have had to cut it down to 100 lengths

[Jack of Hearts]

Yeah I continuously swim for an hour, I used to do 2 miles (about 130 lengths) but that was when I only started work at 10, now I have to start at 9 and have had to cut it down to 100 lengths

Great, man. You must be doing pretty good healthwise.






J

[JuniperWoolf]

I absolutely HATE going to the gym. I’d rather just go outside, rain or shine.

Yeah, me too. "The Gym" is a weird environment. I actually don't think I could conciously keep up with doing something just for the purpose of "exercise," that doesn't sound fun at all.

[qimissung]

I agree about the gym. Having said that I might, might join one this winter. I really need to um, strengthen my core; I don't think just walking will do that. My son has some knowledge of how to do this so he can help me. Otherwise, gym=boredom to me.

Anywho, I did walke three days this week, for about a mile each time. Yippee for me!

[YesNo]

Years ago, my wife and I would drive a few miles to a YMCA to use their pool and sauna. It was nice, I guess, but then we figured walking or bicycle riding was more enjoyable and didn't use any gas nor require a membership fee and it was outside activity. Since the Chicago Botanical Garden and Forest Preserve is a short bike ride away, that's one of the things we do now. It isn't so much for physical fitness as the enjoyment of doing it.