Exercising - how do you keep up?

I've had a love-hate with exercise. FWIW I stand 172cm and weigh 65kgs. It's not pure weight issues that I have rather exercise was to control my waistline which for some odd reason just seems to pile all the fat there and no elsewhere. It is also used to partially control my blood sugars (I'm what they label high risk of developing diabetes). I'm turning 40 this year and started exercising 7 years ago before I had my first son when funnily enough on a random GP checkup for my son/wife, I did a blood finger prick test, it was way too high and snowballed into a series of tests. Results pretty much stated if I didn't do something about my eating habits and started to exercise I was looking at diabetes within 3 years. I got scared and I started to change. I guess they call me skinny fat.

I'd love to hear out from all here.

1) Do you exercise at all? If so, what is your regime/schedule?
2) How do you keep it up?

I never exercised in my youth or even up till my early 30s. I was pretty skinny until my first year of uni - with a Hungry Jacks opposite the uni, I just got addicted and it became a 4-5 days a week lunch.

Anyway, my exercise routine is:

- 30 mins of running around the block - I usually can complete about 3kms. About 3-5 days a week.
- 15 mins in the morning of 2kg weights.

The problem I encounter is when I'm in a lull (diet goes out the door and exercise becomes non existent) usually happens either 1) During Xmas and Jan 21 when there is just too much good food and 2) When work gets too busy I just don't have the mental strength to force myself to exercise.

 

Ring Fit. I've used a lot of gimmicky things before but this is the real deal. Amazing bit of tech.

 

Looking back now on my working life I have realised that a good portion of it was fairly labour intensive, i.e. bending, stretching, lifting, and often in hot, humid conditions. At times it seemed quite arduous; but now in hindsight I can see the advantages.
During my down time I always tried to get a surf in or venture out in the boat for a fish. Now being retired it is way more fishing, the odd surf and plenty of solid paced walking.
Have never been a runner or gym junkie.

 

5 times/w . Used to do a mix of cardio and weight. Now into calisthenics so mostly weight at the gym near by.

it is very hard to start with but the first step is to set the alarm and do it first thing in the morning, so there is no excuse

 

I've been on and off my whole life, 45 now.
When I was younger it was all about the looks, trying to build muscle, but in the end it's not a strong enough why to keep it up and I had many lapses.
In more recent years I've been training for track & field/sprinting and do a few competitions.
These last 5 years have been the most consistent of my life as I train specifically for improved performance and I'm in the best shape/health of my life and the fastest I've ever been.

I really think having a target Performance goal of some sort is extremely important to keep on track.
The physical and health changes are simply a side effect of preparing your body to perform.
It can be something as simple as doing a 5km Park Run, entering an obstacle course race, running a 10kg/1/2 or full marathon, etc.

 

I have two working dogs that, once we moved off farm, need to be taken for two walks a day - 40 minutes in the morning and a run on the golf course at night. I get the morning shift - no excuses

 

I brought a rowing machine and a kettle bell to do workouts at home because trying to fit them in around child minding, weather etc is crazy. Get up at 5:30 and do something before my daughter wakes up.

 

I find that the mental/boredom element of exercising is the most difficult part to overcome.

When I've been 'good' it's due to fun activites such as walking/hiking or social sports. I've also found a couple of good group fitness classes similar to the F45 concept where there is a trainer of sorts that keeps the workouts varied and provides motivation.

The greatest failures I've had are those that require me to motivate myself to do something unexciting on my own.... ironically that's running around the block for me.

Eating well can go along way to making up for exercise short comings too.

 

Exercising in the morning before any interruptions/excuses can interfere, even if that means waking up earlier. Your health is the most important thing after all. Also group training can be really good to get you there which is often the hardest part. Somewhere, where the trainer knows your name and also the other people say hello. Make it a social outing rather than a chore. F45, Fitstop, Crossfit, 12 Rounds are some examples of that type of group training.

In saying all that though, diet should be a bigger focus than exercise. Exercise is only a small part of controlling your weight or body shape. Think about all the research and analysis of figures that you would put into buying a property and put even more into what you eat. Measuring and weighing your food, counting calories, not forever but you need to know how many calories are in the things you eat.

 

Get the myFittnessPal app. It's a good way of tracking food/calories in an easy manner.
You will be surprised where all the hidden calories come from and what actually is/isint healthy eating.

 

How flexible is your work?

I go to the gym 4 days a week mixing cardio/crossfit & weights.

I'm lucky to have a gym in our complex, so I usually sneak in a session around mid-day most days unless I'm snowed under in the office.

 

I work out 4 times a week, with light weights and some cardio. Not too much cos I know I won't be consistent. Probably 3 to 4 hours a week. The rest is a healthy diet.

I got a photo on my exercise board of someone in shorts, similar height to me and 10kg heavier than myself. That's motivation enough for me to keep up my routine.

 

I currently unicycle for local transport, play unicycle hockey (I’m not great at it, but that’s ok) and I do aerial tissue twice a week. (Look up Linda Gock on YouTube). I do the odd canyon too. And every weekday morning 9am the finance team at work do a gentle 4 minute YouTube stretch exercise, and I mix it up with strength exercises.
The majority of Aerial tissue performers are female, and it’s really good for a core strength and upper body workout. I want to also do pole, but I don’t think I should take on any more commitments atm. I would love killer abs but I need to lose some more tummy fat, and the best way to do that would be to do some running. There is a great forest track right near home.... I just have to go out and run it.

I was playing volleyball up to this time last year, decided to give it up. It’s hard on the knees, but at the end of Feb last year I stuffed an ankle after a giraffe Unicycling accident then Covid hit!

 

Joined a gym 7 years ago just for the pool when I moved in Barcelona. Since it was included I tried weightlifting for the first time about 4 years ago and it has become my main activity, I no longer swim. I enjoy it so much it is not an effort to go, about 4-5 times a week, 18-24 sets each time. Lifting heavy is the main thing but it has evolved also into nutrition tracking and an element of bodybuilding. Unfortunately it has been closed about 2/3 of the last year but opened again this week.

 

Weirdly running around the block is by far the easiest for me and most consistent at it. I've tried swimming, way too much work getting to the pool and back and just showering etc. Even worse in winter and this was pre-kids.

To be honest when things are good i.e. work isn't too stressful, I'm pretty consistent at it...5-7 days a week.

My body isn't very adaptable to weights....and I just can't handle it.

Colleague of mine whose partner is a personal trainer said something like 70 to 80% diet and 20-30% exercise. He says its impossible to run off a bad meal.

 

6 days a week in the gym. Just look at my avatar.

 

i have always done kickboxing etc and all though not fighting competitively anymore i still find the training/sparring to be the best thing for fitness and keeping weight off. Your basically forced to train hard as opposed to by yourself in a gym its easier to slack off or not push it that extra bit. Same for running, hence why sprints are good because you have a target and its easier to push to the line. IMO

Just 5hrs boxing in a week burns a ton of calories.

 

Worst advice. Do this if you want to be a paranoid freak and quit in a month.

 

Myself and friends use it a lot. Very helpful for learning where calories are hidden.

How would this make you a paranoid freak? I’d say not understanding why you could be putting on weight despite you feel like your eating healthy would be worse.

Take a piece of salmon & a salad with avocado for example, you think it’s “healthy” yet you can quite easily get close to 1000cals or the same as a Sml Big Mac meal. Knowledge is power

 

I lift weights 3 days a week at the gym. Steady state cycling for 20 mins the other 4 days.
I ensure that I get my gym gear on as soon as I get home from work. This way I don't have the opportunity to get lazy and skip gym.

Here's the basic jist:

• If you want to lose weight, eat less calories than you burn. you know what you normally eat, just eat less than that to lose weight. Counting calories will drive you crazy.
• If you find it hard to reduce calories, increase your exercise instead. However don't over do either.
• If you want to preserve muscle or gain muscle while losing weight, ensure that you consume 1gram protein per pound of body weight AND do some form of resistance training.
• Drink lots and lots of water and get 8 hours of sleep.

Do not go on a crazy starvation diet, just cut out 15% of what you normally eat (preferably fats or carbs).

This is the SIMPLEST no BS formula to get lean.