Exercise matters

[Aggie93]

Just had my annual physical today. I have not been exercising for just over a year. I strained my back last May, then injured my shoulder in August that resulted in surgery in January. I used that as an excuse longer than I should have. Now, I'm just lazy and "cannot find the time." The previous 18 months, I was exercising regularly (2013 and 2014 weight loss thread).

Before started exercising in 2013:

Total Cholesterol: 192
HDL 46
LDL 128
Triglycerides 91

Blood Pressure 116/92

After exercising:
Total Cholesterol: 182
HDL 52
LDL 119
Triglycerides 55

Blood Pressure 100/60


Not exercising for a year:
Total Cholesterol: 206
HDL 44
LDL 139
Triglycerides 113

Blood Pressure 120/80

My diet did get a little worse, but not significantly. Mostly just more snacking at night. Only gained 2 lbs. But the composition changed significantly after shoulder injury and couldn't lift.

Just posting this to give me the motivation to get off my a$$.

[widebody911]

I'm so tired and out of shape I can't even dodge responsibility or jump to conclusions

[jyl]

Very very true.

If I don't ride my bike for a month, my BP and HR both rise noticeably. I haven't checked lipids but I've no doubt they react too.

Get off your fat a*s!

[GH85Carrera]

Question, did you injure yourself while exercising?

[craigster59]

[dan88911]

Exercise is the price you pay for good health.
Health is the number one wealth.

[kach22i]

Four years ago had a 38 inch waist, this weekend bought 32 inch jeans.

Been 20-years since I wore that size, feel almost 20-years younger too.

Exercise is awesome stuff.

30 pounds gone, more muscle than ever.

I have a ways to go aerobically, but I'm getting there.

Would like to lose another 20 pounds, will take another year or two I estimate.

Just do it.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Four years ago had a 38 inch waist, this weekend bought 32 inch jeans.

Been 20-years since I wore that size, feel almost 20-years younger too.

Exercise is awesome stuff.

30 pounds gone, more muscle than ever.

I have a ways to go aerobically, but I'm getting there.

Would like to lose another 20 pounds, will take another year or two I estimate.

Just do it.

Wow!. That's impressive!

[Aggie93]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Question, did you injure yourself while exercising?

Whitewater kayaking. I got pinned up on a rock and while trying to work myself free, extended my arm too much in the wrong angle and torn my labram.


Strained my back squatting a few months before that.

[wdfifteen]

Just don't overdo it. Keeping active is good, don't get me wrong, but listen to your body. I didn't. At 55 I was running 8-12 miles a day and doing marathons. At 65 I have a wrecked knee and arthritis in both feet. It hurts to walk to the refrigerator.

When my knee was giving out in marathons my doc said, "You're 62 years old and you're telling me you want help because your knee won't hold you up after you run 18 miles. Do you really need a doctor to tell you to stop trying to run 18 miles?"

[Racerbvd]

I still get out on my bikes, and I my tire faster and not be as strong as in the past, but I still feel much better after a spirited ride
Be it on a vintage BMX, a MTB, road or rally cross bike, course an girlfriend raises hell with me about going on rides, saying it can kill me, which I reply

at least I died doing something I love.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Aggie93

Just had my annual physical today. I have not been exercising for just over a year. I strained my back last May, then injured my shoulder in August that resulted in surgery in January. I used that as an excuse longer than I should have. Now, I'm just lazy and "cannot find the time." The previous 18 months, I was exercising regularly (2013 and 2014 weight loss thread).

Before started exercising in 2013:

Total Cholesterol: 192
HDL 46
LDL 128
Triglycerides 91

Blood Pressure 116/92

After exercising:
Total Cholesterol: 182
HDL 52
LDL 119
Triglycerides 55

Blood Pressure 100/60


Not exercising for a year:
Total Cholesterol: 206
HDL 44
LDL 139
Triglycerides 113

Blood Pressure 120/80

My diet did get a little worse, but not significantly. Mostly just more snacking at night. Only gained 2 lbs. But the composition changed significantly after shoulder injury and couldn't lift.

Just posting this to give me the motivation to get off my a$$.

I think those numbers are terribly close to one another! There is a very small trend which might be in the noise!

I exercise and believe in it but those numbers are pretty good. Many people exercising don't have those slack off values you post!

[Cajundaddy]

Just do it!
My job is pretty active but I still usually walk 2 miles a day. My dog insists so if I start slacking he gives me the major guilt trip and cannot be ignored. Walk, ride a bike, find something you enjoy and do it every day. It doesn't have to be super strenuous just get the butt off the couch and wring it out. Couches kill.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by widebody911

I'm so tired and out of shape I can't even dodge responsibility or jump to conclusions

Thank goodness you can rest on your laurels.

I walk the dog every day, eat healthy and that is about it.

[slodave]

I inadvertently Lost 20lbs over some period in the last year. Was 165, down to 145. Dropped a waist size as well. 30 down to 29. I don't really eat junk food, eat fairly healthy - I make the shift knobs out of my parents house and eat dinner with them most nights of the week, once a month, I do eat a couple of Big Mac's or Taco Bell. I do love my beer...
Lost that weight in a brief hiatus from excersing. I've actually been trying to put on a few pounds. Weighed myself before dinner tonight - I usually don't eat much during the day. Dinner is the main meal. Looks like I may have put on 5lbs, which is fine by me. The 29 waist jeans fit much better, though I still need to wear a belt.

These days I am back on the MTB riding around 7 miles in the mountains a day. Once back in the rythem, it's hard not to ride every day and hard to force myself to take a day off to let the muscles rest.

[sc_rufctr]

Of course Exercise matters.

It always has but so many people seem to think that somehow they can get fit without it... lol

Ex GF of mine. She was never happy with her weight. (She was plump and pretty certainly not what I would label as fat) We dated for about 6 months.
Nice enough lady but in that time she never exercised and yet she constantly moaned about her weight!

[KevinTodd]

Good stuff and congrats for the effort it takes to do this.

It truly becomes a lifestyle--at least it did for me. I don't want to go back to my former self.......at least physically.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Just don't overdo it. Keeping active is good, don't get me wrong, but listen to your body.

I'm 55 years old now, and figured I better get in shape now, not going to be any easier at 65, right?

You are right, don't over do it.

The main thing is just to keep active, don't try to set any distance or weight records.

Be nice to yourself.

My goal was one pound off a month, not a week, that way I could not be disappointed if I stagnated which always happens.

My other goal was also modest and simple; to look good in clothes. To me this means the chest sticks out further than the stomach so that clothes lay nicely.

This goal will be achieved as well, some amount of immediate gratification keeps me going.

RE: how did you do it?....................link below has more information.

The Exercise Thread

Here is the list, if you need such things.

1. Mind

2. Diet

3. Exercise (doing more than just walking - break a sweat).

RE-1 Mind: Early morning exercise starts with going to bed early, eating very lightly in the morning, waiting 45-60 minutes before starting. Keeping your head free of stress and distraction is you first job of the day, no work e-mails, no stress, don't even turn your cell phone on.

Think of this like sex, the best sex is vacation sex because you have nothing else on your mind (no stress or other distractions) and can "be in the moment".

RE-2 Diet: Moderation, no bingeing. More green on your plate than anything else. Learn to like salmon, in your morning eggs, on your salads and so forth often. This is the one food which works on my brain and keeping your head sharp is as important an keeping your body sharp.

RE-3 Exercise: Pace yourself, let your body know what you will be asking it to do, and give it an opportunity to respond. If all you can do is walk a couple of blocks and climb up and down a few flights of stairs then that is okay. If it takes you an hour to do what others can do in 1/2 hour, that is okay too, listen to your heart.

Fit body Boot Camp (I tried five weeks recently) and Title Boxing (one session last week) are good if you need that "group experience" for motivation. However I feel you surrender control of your routine, but they do push you up to that next level.

Following an upper body one day, lower body the next is going to be difficult to integrate into someone else's program (which is why I like doing it on my own). Six days of exercise, rest on Sunday is my schedule, once in a while the body says take another day off, and I listen.

In the over 30 year old Arnold S. book I have, it says something like; Exercise is for the muscles you already have, Bodybuilding is for forming new muscle.

If you just want to return to where you used to be way back in your prime, be aware that in as little as two weeks of non-exercise, muscles start to lose mass and strength.

Also keep in mind that as we age maintaining muscle strength becomes more important. One article I read recommended strength training over aerobic exercise for the elderly.

My biggest foe is my bench set, I know from past experience that it can do all types of harm. It seems like I do close to an hour of warm up before touching it, and then I'm only using it for 5-10 minutes.

So far I have not hurt myself, and that is the key to maintaining my activity level.

Do not over do it.

If you do use weights, I recommend swimming right after, or at least the next day to stretch your muscles back out. This too is in that old Arnold S. book.

[Avolyn Ave.]

I don't lift weights...they're heavy. Need to start exercising though. Thanks for the motivation.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Avolyn Ave.

I don't lift weights...they're heavy. Need to start exercising though. Thanks for the motivation.

Good news, you don't need weights, especially if you are heavy.

Your body is all the weight you need for resistance (ie push ups), and typically you are less prone to hurting yourself than with machines or free weights.

You will hear and read a lot about "the core" or "core exercises" if you look into this topic more. You don't need weights for most "core" exercises affecting the torso.

Easiest thing to do is walking, then add in climbing stairs.

Then graduate up to running up the stairs, walking down the stairs and keep walking until you get your breath back. Then add in short distance sprinting (+ keep doing the stairs). Getting your heart rate up takes maximum advantage of walking afterward.

If you just do the walking, you only burn calories while walking. If you break a sweat first by going up stairs and or sprinting and then use the walking as a cool down, you will burn calories all day long, and even in your sleep.

Do not do any sits ups, sure way to strain yourself if you are not in prime shape. Crunches, leg lifts and stretches affect the mid-section for us beginners.

I've been told that "Dips" are a "Core" exercise and not just for arms and chest, and you can do them everyday. I am more cautious and only do dips on my weigh days, and often will swim on weigh days.

Many exercises you know about are now labeled "core" exercises, it just may be a fad, not sure.........................just keep moving.