If I don’t exercise first thing in the morning, it doesn’t get done. It’s really a roll out of bed/put on running/exercise clothes and get out the door thing for me. In winter, that means running in the dark (I started using knuckle lights to see and be seen - love them) or heading to the gym in the dark which I don’t love, but I’ve learned through experience that I don’t have the energy to work out after work. And mentally, it’s nice to start the day knowing I’ve accomplished my fitness goals for the day!
I like to exercise before I get ready For the day. I don’t like to exercise, so if I wait until the afternoon, I talk myself out of it. I don’t work, so I would say 8 am is my favorite time.
I’ve been exercising in the mornings for so long, it doesn’t feel right or good at any other time. I used to be able to wake up and hit the streets within 10 min. Now, it takes me 45 min to get out the door. I confess I spend the first 10-15 min in bed doing light stretches while petting one of my cats. And then another 30 trying to get the old bod moving enough to get going.
This morning was not a running day. But, even on non-running days, I warm up with a 1/2 mile walk and 1 mile slow jog/run before hitting the indoor equipment. Today was a 60 min bike session followed by the P90X legs and back video. I have blocks of wood for ankles and my hips aren’t any better => I struggle with mobility for legs. I’m a work in progress.
Oh yeah - I’m also weird that I HATE HATE HATE hot weather. My body does not tolerate it. Running in 20s and 30s is my ideal temp, and if I ever do see the sun at those temps, I’d be the one in shorts. I’ve also got bad seasonal allergies and have never scored above 81% on a lung capacity test. So Dec-Feb when everything is good and dead is my best time to run. I’ve also been running in the dark for so long (20+ years) that I prefer it now.
@sushiritto - you would have loved my old gym. It was privately owned and a big shell building that they added onto over the years. The owner collected weights from odd sources, so nothing matched and was very old school, but you never had to worry about there not being enough benches, power racks, etc. She had a whole line of Hammermill and Nautilus machines too. And a basketball gym (empty most times) with a 100m rectangular track that was good for the sprinting parts of the Xfit workouts. And, all for the bargain price of $100/year for life. I was there for 20 years before it closed. The downside is that it was not a well kept building, and the locker rooms were 1 step above a nasty gas station bathroom. The ladies room didn’t have heat. And the aerobic equipment was not good. She would buy repossessed equipment and let it go forever until they were all broken down completely. The last few years I was banned from running on the TMs because I “ran too hard” hence while I joined Planet Fitness as a second gym
If diets are allowed…does anyone have information on the new weight watchers diet? I’m a lifetime member who needs to get back on the wagon…but don’t want to join without knowledge of the program.
I could have written exactly the same thing! That’s why it’s a very good thing I moved from Texas to Maine. I would NOT be a runner in Texas. I’m currently running on a treadmill in our unheated basement - it’s about 50 down there, which is nice.
I’ve had an annoying tendonitis issue for about a year and a half. I did PT and rested my ankle as instructed. It’s very gradually gotten better. I can still feel it, but it’s not painful. I’ve gained a ridiculous amount of weight and feel like I’m starting over. I’m on week 2 of the Couch to 5K program that I first did in 2006. Oh, well, at least I’m doing it. I’ve also joined Weight Watchers online. I know not everybody likes it, but it works for me.
Another who hates the heat.
RULE NUMBER 1- No one should feel intimidated here. Everything is good! Those of you who recall the early days of the other thread will remember @interesteddad (RIP) who began by walking from his house to his mailbox huffing and puffing and as the thread progressed he became a huge motivator and source of knowledge and inspiration to all of us. We still use the phrase “panting like a dog”. I hope we can all help and inspire each other.
@MaineLonghorn As you know, Couch to 5K is a great program and it is perfectly fine to drop back or re-do some of the days if it increases too fast. Many people have great success with it and it provides a great framework.
I had to really cut back on my diet sodas due to the osteoporosis, but my doctor said having them in moderation is OK. I only had 1 or 2 a day at most, but now it’s probably 4 a week. I try to stick to hot tea or iced tea. I don’t like coffee, unfortunately. I also can’t have caffeine past 1 pm or I can’t sleep. I never found that the artificial sweeteners gave me sugar cravings, but I don’t think all those chemicals are good for me.
I’m bad about cruising the candy bowls and donuts at work.
Even those of us who were part of the early days of the original thread are now 10 years older with a different perspective and more trouble with health and weight issues, in many cases. So- here we are~
Is the percentage given higher than that of other estimates (e.g. circumference measures, skin pinch measures, electrical resistance scales, etc.)?
For weekly/monthly tracking, it may be simple to track waist circumference as well as weight. Weight gain without waist gain says something different from waist gain without weight gain.
I really miss InterestedDad, he was truly inspiring and his routines were things I could manage. I wish he had known how valued he was.
I eat what I consider a healthy diet, most of the time. We just spent a weekend in Mystic eating way too much, though I stuck to fish the whole time at least!
I spend two hours at the gym every weekend doing a mix of free weights, a couple of machines and either the treadmill or elliptical. During the week there are occasional short walks or trips to our basement gym which has a bike. a bench, dumbells and TRX. I find it hard to be consistent. I tend to squeeze it in in the early evening if I’m not cooking. I am not a morning person and by the time I finish breakfast my clients are calling me.
Whether or not there is a difference in the actual scan, there is a difference in that anything that is for an official medical purpose carries a much higher embedded cost burden, including the “need” for everyone involved to make as much money as possible to pay off educational debt.
I do not like running in heat , 25 to 40 degrees is my sweet spot. I dislike running in the dark because of my balance issues I like to see where my feet are going. So I am on the treadmill quite a bit. Definitely a morning runner. I also enjoy sunrise yoga at 6:30 AM ( lots of people think we are nuts!) but a core ( no pun intended) group of us love it.
I prefer heat to cold, but performance is better NOT in the heat, of course. I also don’t like running in the dark due to balance and vision issues. Even with a headlamp I don’t trust my depth perception. About 5 years ago I got my own treadmill- and invested in a really good one so I wouldn’t hate it. I NEVER thought I would embrace the treadmill. As a runner in Dallas (now in TN) I simply didn’t ever use one. I really like my treadmill setup and it is a good option for me. I do try to get outside whenever possible. I have also made peace with terrible and good hotel gyms, since I business travel a lot.
At home I have some TRX-type straps, a few dumbbells and a couple of kettlebells. We have a gym at work, so there’s no excuse for me to not do SOME strength work. (Yet I find those excuses)
I am in SW Florida right now visiting family, and the running has been great. Flat, not too humid and about 60 in the morning when I run. Tomorrow I’ll try 8 plus miles for the first time since November (half marathon) since somehow I’ve signed up for a late February half marathon, despite planning a break from racing.
Glad to see this new thread, I did lurk some on the old thread but never posted.
@GTalum I am also a swimmer. I try to swim 3 times a week, about 1500 each day. I also take an aqua kickboxing class on Saturday for something different.
I had gotten away from exercise, but started back up last March. I also cut out my one soda a day and one glass of juice. I have tried to pay more attention to portions as well. Since March I have lost 30 pounds and am feeling much better.
I am not a morning person and swim after work, I go straight from work to the pool those days. It helps me decompress from my day. I have a waterproof MP3 player I use while I swim, it really helps.
On non-swim weekdays my younger son and I go to an archery range. I’m not sure how much that actually counts as exercise, but we spend about an hour there and have a good time.
If I have something scheduled after work, I will (begrudgingly) get up and ride the stationary bike in the morning.
I am inspired by everything on here. Keep it up!
I’m definitely a “first thing in the morning” exerciser. I’ll probably never be one of those people who says, “I love exercising/working out;” my mantra is more of “I do it because I know it’s good for me.” The hardest part for me is putting on the workout clothes and getting out the door. Most days I’d really rather be sitting with my coffee …
This morning I decided to run, (see my previous post about only running when I feel like it) so 2 miles done. Then 20 minutes on the ARC machine, which I prefer to an elliptical. It’s a gorgeous day here (Boston area) so will take our pup for a walk later.
I’m trying to do at least 1 meatless meal/week. I’d be fine with more, but there’s only so much I can slip past H. 
Last night I made “Skinny Eggplant Parm” from this recipe: http://www.wrytoasteats.com/skinny-eggplant-parmigiana/ Tasted great and H was happy.
So many good posts!
@FallGirl I’m quite introverted and I was surprised to be asked to lead some hikes for the club and also surprised by how much I enjoy it. It’s not a big commitment though; maybe 1-2x a quarter.
Count me in with those who do not embrace the heat. And with hiking? Heat in the Midwest means MOSQUITOES (& maybe black flies!). Yuck. So gross.
Schedules? My job change opened up some time and gave me some flexibility so I was finally able to get past the inertia and stick with hiking & strength training. It’s easy to imagine I’d still be stuck not doing much if I was still in my old job – even if I can acknowledge a lot of it was a mindset hurdle instead of “free time” issue.
Vitamin K? I take this one, on MWF, along with a low dose of Vitamin D and A.
I’m not 100% sure, but I think I got the brand recommendation and dosage from Chris Masterjohn, who used to (still does?) write for the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Speaking of Westminster Strength and Conditioning, another East Coast gym, Fivex3, posted on IG a 77 year old woman doing a PR bench press of 85 lbs. for two sets of 3.
Well, you better believe I’ll be thinking of this when I try to bench 94# later today! 77! O.O
Thanks for the Vit K info.
I should add that I DO drink alcohol. I enjoy it (mainly beer and wine with occasional margarita) and it is part of the socializing on my business trips and with my running and church groups. I don’t over-indulge, but I am careful that the topping off of the wine glass doesn’t get to be too much. I can’t handle a lot of alcohol, so I sort of self-regulate. I’ve done dry Lents and January before, but not lately. I’m not a huge meat eater, but I’m not good enough at getting protein from other sources, so I do eat meat. I like food pretty much, to be honest.
My current running streak started January 1, 2019 and I haven’t missed a day and have averaged 5.3 miles. My goal for this year is to NOT run as many miles- that was simply too much with work and getting older. I still want to run every day. It’s my psych med, I guess. My longest streak was 1065 days, and I doubt I’ll hit that again. The main thing for me is that the streak means I haven’t been too sick or injured to run (I’ve come close a few times with viruses etc.).
Yes, a Dexa scan will give you your bone density T-score.
@FallGirl Alcohol was never all that desirable to me, so eliminating it was easy for me. Not that I drank that many Diet Cokes or sodas in general, but one day, boom, they were gone from my diet. Now, a real test would be if there was conclusive evidence that a cup of coffee was bad for you, THEN, would I be able to quit drinking coffee. That’ll be a real test! 
Yes, the DXA scan will yield the most accurate results in terms of body composition. In fact, the results will pinpoint the exact areas of the body where the fat and muscle losses and gains are located. But you also get information on metobolic rate, bone density and other health risks, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances, etc. That’s the info that I’m really curious about at this point in my life.
@GTalum @my2sonsfromca I also swim, mostly with a masters group.
It started because it was too hot to run as much as I wanted here in Texas. I watched people swim for about a year as I ran on the tm, decided they were having too much fun, and screwed up the courage to join them. I had no swimming background and was more of a non drowner than a swimmer. My group is very welcoming of people from all backgrounds, from former Olympians (seriously!) to old folks who can barely make it across the pool (like I was). I am not a great swimmer, but I like it and am improving all the time. My coach has talked me into doing all kinds of cool things, including open water swims in exotic locales and long pool swims and even swim meets. I enjoy the activity and appreciate the new swim friends I have made. That is part of why I encourage people to try something new when they get stuck in their current workouts.
@sushiritto - Oh no they had better never find a study showing coffee is bad! Don’t think I could let it go. Actually (you probably know this) coffee has been shown to have health benefits.
I was never a big soda drinker. We were rarely allowed to drink it growing up. I did enjoy it when I was younger, but just gave it up a few decades ago and don’t miss it. I drink a soda about 3X/year.