I've recently returned from a very energizing yet relaxing vacation in Indiana. Went to the race, did all kinds of other cool stuff, and ate loads of fabulous food. I'm happy to report the scales were kind to me when I got home. Notta pound in either direction.
I did get one 7 mile run in during the trip, and I also got snagged into participating in a 4 mile bike ride with the kids, and a Tai Kwon Do Class too, ... of all things! I went to see my friends take their classes and got talked into trying it out. Kinda fun!
Just gotta say that if any of you are on the fence about getting into some form of regular exercise regime. JUST DO IT! The energy you reap from it flows into all other aspects of your life, and the benefits to revving up your metabolism can't be beat. It's good for your head too.
How's it going with all you other health nuts out there?
Be good to yourself! Nettie
Posted by Mark Casey (Member # 650) on :
Tried running, swimming and weightlifting. All too boring (for me).
Discovered racquetball 30 years ago, and discovered handball 2 years ago. Works every muscle in the body, good cardio, makes you think on your feet, its social, and its great fun! I am hopelessly addicted and need a "fix" at least twice a week. I get to eat basically whatever I want, but I want to eat healthy because I can tell when I've eaten crappy - it affects my game.
Good luck to anyone making the attempt at better health. All work and no play...makes you fat.
Posted by Suelynn Sedor (Member # 442) on :
Good for you Nettie!
I'm not so much ON the fence, as laying on the grass leaning against it! I've been telling myself to exercize for years now, but I'm just not listening! Any good tips on how to get started? The older I get, the more I think about getting healthy. It just seems like each day flys by and that's just one more day...
Suelynn
Posted by Tyler Malinky (Member # 4693) on :
I lift weights 3 days a week, sometimes 4, and usually run the days I don't lift weights. I started running a couple years ago, and it made a big difference in my energy levels. Now that I am lifting weights and running, I too eat whenever I want and don't worry about gaining weight, because of the raised metabolism. I am also a longtime vegan, meaning I don't eat any animal products, including dairy.
I feel a bit sluggish today, and have tons of vinyl to prepare as I am going to letter two 26' moving trucks up in Detroit this weekend (I live in Cleveland, they pay me to travel up there). So I will probably go to the gym soon, I always feel energized when I get back.
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
I'm like Mark. I'm not going to exercise if I'm not acomplishing something. Lifting weights or just going for a walk doesn't cut it for me. I would rather cut wood, mow the lawn or play a sport. I tried to quit smoking, but I'm back to where I started. I know it's bad for me, however it's worse for the people who I associate with when I cut back. I'm currently living with a lot of stress that I haven't come to accept as being out of my control yet. As soon as I get over that, I'll be ready to choose to be a non-smoker. Mark, as for hand ball, I wouldn't do it, stick with racquetball. My step father used to play handball a lot when he was younger. He regrets playing now because of all the problems he's now having with his hands, arthritis and stiff joints, etc.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
I forgot to add that I'm doing much better in other ways, eating healthier, staying out of the sun when possible, etc. I planted a garden this spring and if all goes well, I should be reaping the benefits within the next week or 2. There's nothing better that fresh veggies that you grow
[ June 11, 2004, 12:58 PM: Message edited by: Checkers ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
You beat me to it Nettie, I was gonna start a new thread today. You must have read my mind as I got the idea during my walk this morning.
57lbs down, only 27 more to go.
**Edit** I weighed in today (Saturday) and I'm now down 60lbs! WOO!
I've been on a plateau the last few weeks (3 weeks, 3lbs) so I've gotten back to following meal plans by the book. I think I've been missing some carbs and a serving of dairy every day. I haven't been eating salads either, just steamed veggies so I think getting some food variety will spark a change.
I'm doing my walks in the mornings and skating at night, when it starts getting real hot though I'll probably switch to swimming and kayaking. My upper body needs a workout anyway and my legs are like rocks now 'cept for the loose skin from losing weight.
I won't go into a gym. I live in too beautiful of a place and spend the working day inside in front of a computer to spend my exercise time inside too.
Who knows, maybe one day I will stop in one of the local sporting good shops and pick up some mountain climbing gear. There's no shortage of rock faces to climb around here and that could be a fun activity in the winter.
One of the reasons I skate is because it's no-impact - it's very easy on your joints. It's fun for me too, but I've been inline skating for probably 18 years and before that I was on ice skates at age 5 so skating is the one passion of mine that's never faded away.
Exercise is habitual so just find something you can enjoy doing, do it, and after a little while you'll want to keep doing it because you know you'll feel like crap if you don't. Start off easy and increase the difficulty as you get stronger.
[ June 12, 2004, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
quote:Originally posted by Checkers: I'm like Mark. I'm not going to exercise if I'm not acomplishing something. Lifting weights or just going for a walk doesn't cut it for me.
Since when is lifting weights or walking not accomplishing anything? Weightlifting is building muscle and walking is making the heart stronger and burning fat too - which in turn makes you stronger and gives you the endurance needed for sports. I don't lift weights but I do do intense exercise that accomplishes the same thing.
Posted by W. R. Pickett (Member # 3842) on :
...For those who need to accomplish something as they exercise, consider bicycle riding. Unless you live in a desert or on a mountain, it's easy and fun to use a bike for everyday transportation. Of course, there are skills to be learned (like how to negotiate around cars), but biking is considerably better than driving...in many cases, and for many reasons. One of which is that you don't need to buy gas.
... There are varying levels of skill and performance involved, but biking is still great fun even for beginners and people who have "bad" bikes.
... I'm into it. Tomorrow I will be doing the EXTERRA (exterraplanet.com) race for the first time. It's on trails that I ride all of the time, my bike is in good shape and so am I... so I have no excuses NOT to do it. ...Boy am I going to suffer though, racing is SO hard...My race goal is top ten. (!) ...We'll see how it goes.
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Cool topic.
For the next week, I'll be at a C.O.P.E. Director certification course, climbing, rappelling, zip lines, etc.
The day after I get back, I'll head to Maine with the Venture Crew for three days to go whitewater rafting on the Dead River.
Then, the end of the month finishes out the six day Powderhorn course (shooting sports, scuba, land navigation, wilderness first aid, stuff like that).
Wish that I could take my dog with me on all this stuff Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
You want a great workout?
Find a local martial art with a "lessons in mindfulness" type adult program. It's a tempered workout for middle aged adults. But you get a real workout. Cardio, muscle bulding and regain the flexibility you once had. You rebuild your balance and body senses. If you find a good one it will be guaranteed to work well.
Don't do the regular programs where they try to teach you to be a world class kickboxer. Thats for the young 20's testoserone poisoned group.
I teach a class like this and there are 39 middle aged adults comming twice a week. Some are loosing weight. Some are regaining a stronger body. And some are regaining flexibility. The oldest is 63. All of them are feeling great. Their all saying they are gettin a productive workout. That means they are learning self defence, and studying martial art technique, self defence, lifestyle, and philosophy via books and other goodies.
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
I agree, my martial arts background has benifited me greatly in these last years of aging, as those my age around me stiffen up, I'm still loose and free of pain.(somewhat) Alot of martial arts is how to use the mind to endure many challenges, including pain management and positive thought processes. I don't run as it incurrs way too much impact to the joints, especially to artifical knees. But I bike, hike, climb, rappell, english-walk, swim,as often as I can. It's about exercise and good eating habits, I eat as green and diverse as possible, including meat, the secret I've found that works for me is to eat moderately 4-5 times a day and maintain a good spread of food, carbs, protein,and the such. I also cook into my food, herbs such as garlic, ginger root, saw-palmetto, and others depending on how I feel. If I have bad allergies one morning, I throw some cinnamon into my oatmeal. I've enjoyed good natural health all my life, most of my medical problems were aserbated by war-related injuries, I'm healthy, it's the world that's not, heh-heh..
Good thread.......stay healthy
Posted by Jeremy Vecoli (Member # 2278) on :
Martial arts are my main deal right now, but I have also re-discovered badminton, started playing in an adult league at the high school last year, lots of fun, good workout. I will do it again this fall once my black belt test is wrapped up. My buddies at Ju-Jitsu view it as perhaps slightly more manly than butterfly catching, but it is nice to participate in a sport that does not involve being squished, choked, bent or hit.
[ June 12, 2004, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: Jeremy Vecoli ]
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
congrats, Mike on your endeavors!
Posted by Janette Balogh (Member # 192) on :
Hi Suelynn, You appear to be pretty darn healthy girl. I know that all that working on the house is keeping you active!
One thing to consider is that with age, it gets harder to stay fit, and then if you haven't been active, it's harder to get started. Personally, I wanted to keep ahead of that game.
As far as how to start. My quick answer would be "take a hike" hahahaha
Seriously tho, it's important to have fun with whatever you decide to start with, and set it up so that it fits in your schedule as hassle free for you as possible.
Make it fun. Many here make it a social event, and I'm all for that. That's what my pilates and kick/step classes are for me. I meet with friends weekly, and the exercise is just a bonus.
I've suggested to those who claim to "have no time" to treat it as they would any other important business or social appointment they'd make. This one being with their wellbeing.
Challenge yourself a bit. I had no intentions of actually running ... I was just walking fast when I got started. I started requiring abit more of myself, and each time I did abit better, I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment it gave me. I realize that running isn't the best on the joints, (knees) so whether I continue with this as a long term form of fitness is yet to be seen. For now, I'm not experiencing any joint pains, and I'm enjoying the "highs".
Most importantly, ... break a sweat! I make it my goal to get my heartrate up for at least 30 minutes.
Ultimately, it depends on what your goals are too.
Mine were to tone my legs, which is where gravity was hitting me the hardest. I wasn't overweight, so that was secondary.
I also knew that I was hitting, ehem, uh, middle age. (sigh) It may sound silly, but I was determined to make it look good, not tired and "frumpy" hahahaaaa
Lastly, I made a lifestyle change type decision, setting it up as something I could keep up with easily, and have it become as natural a habit in my life as brushing my teeth.
I'll close in saying that it's really not as difficult as your head may make it. Your health is the most important thing you've got, you depend on it for all else. It's actually good news that you can "exercise" some control over it.
Well, that's how I see it anyway. Nettie
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Nettie...You are an inspiration. I know I will never be a hardbody, and if I tried to jog, my boobs would give me a black eye. But I am slowly yet surely trying to make a difference. Love...Jill
Posted by Suelynn Sedor (Member # 442) on :
Thanks for the motivation, Nettie. I know that you are absolutely right, no one can do it but me. It is time to re-evalute priorities and start getting organized. I think I'll make a list of things I enjoy, call a friend and set certain nights to do that activity. Then I can't back out when I get busy like I do to myself. Suelynn
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