PE Fitness Thread

**Lou** · 02-20-2019

Inspired by a brief cutaway in the geezer thread, I wanted to to see if anyone was interested in discussing physical fitness.
Especially, what those of us in our rapidly aging demographic are doing to try and stay fit and healthy. The trend is for one's body
and fitness to diminish as one ages.However, this isn't inevitable. You can fight the aging process as much as possible by working
out on a regular basis. Weight training is probably the best thing you can do for yourself in an older demographic. Keeping, and
building muscle is key to longevity and health. It has worked for me so far. At age 57, I am in the best shape of my life. How about
you? Anyone else turn to working out as they got older? Or, what are you currently doing to try and stay, or get, in shape?

**Crawford Glissadevil** · 02-20-2019

Right on Lou. Muscle is key. I also believe in intermittent fasting.

**notallwhowander** · 02-20-2019

I'm in. I've taken big steps in diet (dropped 60 lbs.), and am starting small steps in exercise.

**mozo-pg** · 02-20-2019

Originally Posted by notallwhowander

I'm in. I've taken big steps in diet (dropped 60 lbs.), and am starting small steps in exercise.

I don't quite have your accomplishment but I lost 50. I was running three times a week when I was full weight but dropped off. Have to get back to running. Good idea for a thread Lou.

**Garyhead** · 02-20-2019

I walk 5 miles per day / six days per week....three at the local mall early AM. (watching all the young girls heading to work in the clothing shops

The other two are a forced-March on a treadmill with ever-increasing elevation. No jogging.....just set at around 3mph. Three of those days a week I also do toning weight training alternating between upper and lower body. Looking for a Yoga class to add on the Off days from the weights. Yoga is Great for balance and fighting off wobbling like an old geezer. So, 2 hours / day devoted to my health....that leaves 22 hours to do everything else.

Think of it this way......I told my doctor I used to work out every Saturday ( hiking / rock climbing, etc)
He said.....do you only Eat one day a week? Then why would you only exercise one day a week........elevate your heart rate at least 20 minutes a day.....it an easy commitment. Weights and yoga to maintain muscle density and balance.
Sex is good too if you can get it........

**Vic2012** · 02-21-2019

Since I hit the age of 60 I've had more aches and pains, and find myself less interested in hitting the health club. Not sure what happened last year but I must've really overworked a rotator cuff and really can't do any upper body training. The only lifting I do now is dead lifting (light). I mostly use the stair stepper and treadmill now. At 61 the era of 5-6 day a week workouts are over. Plus, I've just grown bored with it. I think walking is the best excersize at this age.

I've maintained a healthy weight by eliminating certain foods. Just cutting out bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and corn out of my regular diet have resulted in losing about 30 lbs. over 2 years, and controlling type 2 diabetes. OTOH, I still have some bad habits. I still like my cheap, pisswater, light beer on weekends and a little

.

**Sputnik** · 02-21-2019

After knowing that I needed to do some kind of physical activaity for ages, about 10 years ago I bit the bullet and started doing some weight training. My fear was that it would be boring, but I've found anything but. 10 years on, I now belong to a gym that's short walk from my house, and since I'm semi-retired I'm there 5-6 days per week. I do a mix of weights and cardio. Nothing too heavy, but enough to push my muscles. At 55, I'm truly in the best shape of my life.

Kudos to those who are just getting into it. There are lots of people like that at the gym and the trainers start them slowly and emphasize consistency above all else. You don't need to kill yourself, just try to have some regularity in doing something at whatever lever you are comfortable. They also emphasize diet, and feel that for weight loss this is probably 80% of the issue versus 20% exercise. But exercise has it's own benefits in terms of strength, balance, cardio conditioning, etc. Weight training is also great for women to battle osteoporosis, and I'm happy my wife is just as into the gym as I am.

My wife and I have also reduced or eliminated carbohydrates at most meals, but will indulge on occasion. We eat little to no food we don't make from scratch using mostly single ingredient products. This was a transition, and it's not an easy one to make, but once you get to the other side you may find cravings for carbs and fatty or sugar-laden foods largely disappears. Again, I indulge on occasion, but no longer have the urges to eat foods I grew up with that were on the unhealthy side.

It's a journey, and everyone's is different. For me the real benefit of diet and exercise are that I feel great, have tons more energy than I used to, much more stamina, and few gastrointestinal issues. Plus, to my surprise, I discovered I really like the gym!

Bill

**thedunno** · 02-21-2019

I dislike gyms. I find them depressing. The great thing about exercise is that it gets me outdoors. I love running and cycling and it keeps me fit enough to hike up a mountain when on vacation.

**Klonk** · 02-21-2019

Not a gym rat, but I do exercise regularly. I have a lawn care biz that keeps me in decent shape as I fly solo. No employees other than occasional help from friends. Not sure how long I can keep that up though as the aches from all the wear n tear are starting to creep in. I'm also in the woods hiking with the dog any chance I get...very passionate about the outdoors. To cap it all off I drink daily and mostly eat like shit

**Plasmatopia** · 02-21-2019

I started going to the gym a couple of years ago and it made a huge difference in my stamina. I tried using the treadmill, but that just wasn't working for me. It's fine if I'm just walking, but I've never been a runner (not since I was one of the fastest runners at my little school....back in the 6th grade, lol) and these days I seem to have exercise induced asthma. After running for about 10 minutes I have to slow down to a walk. Also, when I tried to push it I started getting shin splints.

So my gym sessions changed to begin with 30 minutes on an exercise bike. And then I'd use the weight machines to alternate between upper body and leg workouts. I didn't go nuts with the weight lifting, just enough to help with muscle tone.

Due to lower back issues I've avoided dealing with free weights. When summer came around last year we were getting outside walking and riding bikes so trips to the gym dropped off. My lower back issues also were becoming worse and worse of the last year or two. Last September I finally started swimming about 3 times a week and that has made a huge difference for my back issues. It's an old injury and it's not something that's really going to get any better with time (unless some sort of surgery showed promise), so this is a commitment I need to get used to.

I really need to get back to my old workouts as well, but living 10 miles from the gym makes it rather inconvenient (but since it's at the college of which my wife and I are both alumni, it's hard to beat the price...about $290 for six months for a family membership).

The latest wrinkle is that I've started a gluten free and dairy free diet that I've been on for the last two weeks (no more beer!

). This is to try to sort out some phlegm/post-nasal drip issues I've had for years. So far I can't say it seems promising in resolving that issue, but I have lost a few pounds. The transition has been relatively easy, but I have my lovely supportive wife to thank for that as she has sought out all manner of sanctioned food and snacks for me. I did watch the South Park episode on gluten last night and I'm happy to say that so far my dick hasn't flown off.

Edit: I did do a series of yoga classes last year (free classes on Fridays here at work) and I would have loved to continue but it actually aggravated my back issues. I didn't always know what to avoid to protect my lower back.

**nosebone** · 02-21-2019

No gym for me, but about 10 years ago I bought Tony Horton's P90X fitness DVDs.

I learned a lot from those routines, and to this day do yoga, core work and dumbell training just about everyday.

I also have been running/jogging/ walking fairly consistently for about 30 years.

**Shadow** · 02-21-2019

As an Asian doctor said once: "Walk, no run. Heart only have so many beats". I'll get back to you on this exercise thing after I finish digesting my breakfast pizza.

**nosebone** · 02-21-2019

Nike has a good free fitness app that I've been using also, back, arms, legs, yoga, everything.

**Sturgeon's Lawyer** · 02-21-2019

My beloved spousal overunit and I went to a gym (24-hour) for several years, then she observed that, by buying a single piece of "equipment," we could save a bunch of $$. So we bought this guy, which has worked a charm, and paid for itself in a few months. I've recently worked my way up to 45 minute stints, every other day (well, mostly every other day...).

My main concern is weight. When I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had 105 pounds to lose. It's down to 65, but it's going slowly.

**Plasmatopia** · 02-21-2019

Originally Posted by Bartellb

Plasmatopia does that phlegm/Post nasal drip issue involve chronic throat clearing after you eat? I had that for about 3 years and had all kinds of tests but but no cause was found. For some reason about a year ago it stopped. I'm not sure why but sure am glad. Every once in a while I still get it but it's not nearly as bad.

I can't really find any rhyme or reason to it. To confuse the issue (or maybe this is actually the root cause) I have environmental allergies. Everything seems to trigger it. Moving from a heated space into the cold outdoors or vice versa, going in and out of air conditioning, seasonal allergies, rainy days (mold, I suspect), etc. I was doing a lot of throat clearing today and I really can't think of anything that would have triggered it. My father told me the other day (rather dismissively I thought) that he'd had the issue since he was 12 years old. Maybe it's genetic, but that isn't exactly comforting, lol.

**Lou** · 02-21-2019

This is very encouraging, reading the success stories that some of you have had. Just goes to show you, you are NEVER too old to start a fitness regimen and get in shape!
Thank you all for sharing.

**Dave (in MA)** · 02-21-2019

Originally Posted by Lou

At age 57, I am in the best shape of my life.

Me, too!

Round is a shape.

**notallwhowander** · 02-21-2019

So my diet changes are based off of one clear principle: no added or refined sugar. This rules out almost everything processed or packaged, and most jarred sauces and dressings. I moved away from "quick carbs," rice, potatoes, pasta, and most bread. I still eat fresh fruit, though, and enjoy it a lot more. This has moved me from pre-diabetic obesity to overweight with great blood panel numbers. Basically, I eat like a diabetic so I won't become one.

I am disciplined, but not doctrinaire, and I gained six pounds over the holidays because of it. It's finally coming off, but I'll have to make another tweak if I want to move from overweight to the target BMI range.

I think as a person gets closer to target BMI, exercise plays a larger role in weight control because the margins get slimmer. Diet is the big lever, to be sure.

**Lou** · 02-22-2019

Originally Posted by notallwhowander

I think as a person gets closer to target BMI, exercise plays a larger role in weight control because the margins get slimmer. Diet is the big lever, to be sure.

Resistance training would be your friend. For every pound of muscle you build, you burn an additional 50 calories everyday.

**Plasmatopia** · 02-22-2019

Originally Posted by Dave (in MA)

Me, too!

Round is a shape.

Whether round is the best shape or not is simply a matter of taste. Or perhaps of having tasted too much.

**Garyhead** · 02-22-2019

Originally Posted by Lou

This is very encouraging, reading the success stories that some of you have had. Just goes to show you, you are NEVER too old to start a fitness regimen and get in shape!
Thank you all for sharing.

Here's one observation I've had..... About the age of 50, you reach a crossroads......go sit on the couch, or make a committed effort to "keep moving". Your metabolism starts to slow down so you gotta keep moving. Pretty soon, folks start to split into active groups, and passive groups.

My motorcycling friends......I ride with very few now while most of them have moved in front of the TV to watch sports....as an excuse to eat and drink.....

My parents chose "the couch" path......one is dead and the other is on dialysis...and the other end-stages of diabetes. My Aunt & Uncle (Uncle and my mom are related) kept moving....they are approaching 90....still active.

There are exceptions of course.......but look around your situation.....are you seeing it? I've got friends on canes already and others still out hiking, camping, boating....

I had a Doc tell me... "No recliners before 6:00PM"

IMHO, YMMV

PS... I was pushing 400lbs, on a cane.....and I was coming up on 50.....59 now.....150lbs lost...on no meds .....and even today I still have to tell myself to "keep moving". My avatar photo shows this....from 2012......the tour pack had a 1 month supply of insulin wrapped in ice packs and a zip loc bag full of 8 perscription drugs. I started the weight loss in 2015.

**notallwhowander** · 02-22-2019

Originally Posted by Lou

Resistance training would be your friend. For every pound of muscle you build, you burn an additional 50 calories everyday.

This is exactly what my doctor said. I'm in to process of building a consistent habit. I figure if I can slice out time consistently to do some resistance training three times a week between January and June, I can then actually look at optimizing my routine. Right now the goal is to create capacity: simple steps/reps, consistently applied.

For me, 50 is a year and a half away.