Trying to stay on the exercise kick

[Oh Yeah]

Okay, I fell off the exercise wagon a few weeks ago. Now I'm back on and I'm looking for ways to stay motivated.

The topic of exercise has come up here before, and I know some of you are into it. So, what type of exercise do you do and how do you stay motivated?

My latest angle is to try to have goals that are not related to weight loss or physique. For example, I want to exercise to increase my health, decrease risk of disease, improve the quality of my life as I age, etc.

[Oh Yeah]

Did I say 'increase' my health? I meant 'improve' my health.

[Pub Guy]

I do 1 hour aerobic-type 3 times a week (1/2 on glider, 1/2 on bike). I hate these because they go by so slow and are boring, so to make things a little better, I read while on these machines (I used to actually bring my SOA exam study stuff back when I was taking exams).

I also have a weekly standing hoops game and am starting to get back into racquetball. I find it much easier to spend time in these competitive, somewhat-aerobic sports versus the above machines. In fact, if I could find enough folks for these games, I would play a number of times a week and totally get rid of my machine routine.

Good luck.

[Hagbard Celine]

I agree with Pub Guy about playing aerobic sports over using machines. You get a good workout and it's actually fun.

Unfortunately, it has gotten harder and harder to find people with which to play these sports since graduating college.

[WQN]

I try to exercise on my lunch break. I walk, run, lift weights. We're lucky enough to have an exercise room in our company, showers and all. We can also easily walk or run outside. I also exercise for general health. I assume I will exercise at lunch and only don't if I have errands to run, etc. I eat at my desk when I'm done.

[Shrek]

Find other walkers/runners/lifters and keep each other going. It's easy to stop going when nobody's waiting for you. Used to work for me.

[Patience]

hit the gym 7:00 every morning to beat the traffic. (its attached to the office)

30-40 minutes 5 days a week. some reps on one or two machines then some abdominals.

Can get the TV through the walkman, helps move it along, plenty of conversation if you want I switch machines to keep it from getting too routine. No true goals, except to kee upping the level I can do easily.

[Agtuary]

Training for a marathon. I got involved with a group called Team-In-Training.

Each season (spring/summer or fall/winter) they go to x number of marathons/half-marathons or century rides (100 mile bike). In order to participate as a member of the group you must raise a minimum $ amount based on which race you choose. The money is donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma society.

The minimum is 4x the cost of sending you to the race, so they pay airfare, lodging & entry fee. They also provide training coaches, fundraising mentors, training schedules, and a whole bunch of motivation.

The motivation includes:
1. You are matched with an "honor patient", someone who has Leukemia or Lymphoma, who provides incredible motivation.
2. Lots of group support, weekly (or more often) group runs with other members
3. Once you start telling people and raising money it is pretty difficult to back out. (umm, sorry I took your money, but I decided I'm too unmotivated/lazy/busy/etc. to do what I said I was going to do, but thanks for giving me money!)

I have also seen another group that looks similar but raises money for Diabetes.

It has provided more motivation than I could ever imagine, and I will be running my first marathon in less than six weeks!

[Minerva]

My general philosophy on exercise is "No pain - good."

To elaborate -

Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it, don't use them up on exercise. Everything wears out eventually.
Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

[Mr. Grim]

Is it longevity or quality that is most important?

Of course, I can sleep 20 hours a day, and may live along time but how much fun would that be (unless of course I have alot of Pamela Anderson dreams in those 20 hours)

[Minerva]

Depends on how much you hate every single minute of physcical exercise, no matter how much fun the people you are doing it with are.

IMO, it is significantly more painful than studying for 8I. (And, no, it is not just because I'm out of shape, which I am. Several years ago I forced myself to do it, and was in pretty good shape - not marathon quality, but....... And every moment was still pure emotional torture, even if not physically as difficult.)

[Guerilla poster]

Exercise does not have to be painful, it can be a leisurely 30 minute stroll to the local donut shop. Simply walking more will improve your help - i hope you do not view walking as painful.

[Shrek]

Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it, don't use them up on exercise. Everything wears out eventually.
Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Yes, but I speed up my heart rate for only a few hours a week, my resting pulse is in the low 50's while yours is probably near 80, but just for fun let's say I'm at 60 and you're at 70 on average. If my math is right that's 604,800 beats/week for me and 705,600 for you. Even if spend 2 hours per day with a pulse of 160 that adds only 84,000 beats to my week. Nope, yours still gives out first. :razz:

[Han Solo]

I try and walk every day during my lunch hour. During the summer months some of us will go and play some doubles tennis as well. Doing something at lunch works much much better for me, since by the time I get home I don't want to do anything. Plus it helps wake you up for the afternoon.

[WQN]

Go BuzzLightyear. I am sorry for Minerva who hates physical exercise. Were you this way as a child? It was not uncommon for my family to take a 2 hour hike together on a weekend. Just being outdoors and moving around is a way of life for me. Call it exercise or whatever, its just healthy.

[Minerva]

I guess I needed to put a little emoticon on my first response - although it echoes my "I hate exercise" sentiments, it was supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek.

Seriously - walking is great - I grew up walking in the fields and woods and bicycling around the countryside. Unfortunately, in order to cycle here we have to load up the bikes and go somewhere else - the roads are too dangerous just to take a lengthy walk or cycle. And walking the same mile-long circle gets a bit boring.

And how do you guys find the time / make the time for routine exercise? Between working 50 hours a week (or more), studying and trying to keep up with the kids, I don't have time for much of anything else, let alone to carve out 2 hours at a stretch for exercise (including travel time).

[Shrek]

I don't sleep much :grin:

[WQN]

That's why I do it on a my lunch break or I get up really early and lose sleep. Between work, study, kids, sleep has no priority.

[Mr. Grim]

Suburban life is so exciting!

[WQN]

I don't live anywhere near "Suburbia".

[egg]

Minerva- It takes you 2 hours to stretch?:) I think we found the problem. No wonder you don't have time for exercise.

[Kimi]

I would hardly say that a few weeks is falling off the exercise wagon. A few years, yes. A few months, well, okay.

Tae Bo has been fun. I’ve been surprised how quickly time goes by even if I do the same tape over. There is also a goal of improving form (kicking/punching) which, I think, make consistency easier.

I like having a goal. Not a purpose or objective (like improve health) – please excuse the haggling of terms – but a tangible, measurable goal. (Having an objective is great, also. But I find that it is not enough for me.) I like to see clear progress. For me, just not getting as tired or even having the tread mill on 4 instead of 2 is not quite enough for me. With Tae Bo, especially in the beginning, with every workout I felt my form improving.

I like having a goal that I can get into. For example, I had a goal to make fifteen lay-ups in a row or seven jump shots (right in front of the free throw line) in a row by the end of the month. At a minimum I would make five lay-ups and three of these jump shots (in a row) at least once a week. I found my self excited about the progress which most times made me look forward to working out.

I find lifting weights a great exercise. You can make tangible, measurable goals. I’ve also read that with every ten pounds of lean body mass (muscle) you can consume around 700 more calories without gaining weight. I think there is something motivating about, for example, seeing your bench press increase 10 or 20 percent. It is neat to lift with ease what felt dreadfully heavy, a short time ago.

I’ve also included a kind of exercise-induced stress simulated dry firing exercise. I practice dry firing my firearm once a week.

(Dry firing is practicing proper shooting technique with an unloaded firearm. I know this sounds dangerous, but here is where you get to practice safe handling more regularly than with actual live ammunition. (Some instructors suggest that it may not be the best practice to handle your firearm only at the range when it is loaded with live ammunition or only in an emergency.) Most, if not all, firearm instructors highly recommend this practice.)

I first clear the room of all live ammunition and locked them up. Then I insert an additional clear-chamber indicator which “sticks out” and is bright orange. This clear-chamber indicator can not be inserted unless the firearm is completely unloaded (chamber and magazine well). Safe directions are also pre-defined and adhered to even when unloaded.) Anyway, I “holster up” and practice quick draw (with different angles) at the Tae Bo video while kind of marching along. I’ve been told by a few instructors that this state of exercising is similar (at least physically) to what one actually experiences in a lethal force confrontation. This is also a great exercise in being conscious of where your firearm is pointed at all times – keeping it pointed in the safe or safest direction. I also include a little bit of quasi house-traversing/quasi-house clearing, all indoors of course.

[MarsLasar]

Well, it's been a few years now. How are you guys doing? Staying with the exercise?