So How Do You Stay in Shape?

[skateboy]

I go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week where I lift weights and work on abs as well.

 

[Allskate]

I was given some resistance bands awhile back, but didn't use them much. Maybe I'll dig those out and give them another try.

I've seen those. I'm kind of afraid I'd hurt myself with them and lose an eye.

Overcast and intermittently rainy, some random knock-you-down windy days, decent temps in the 40s then plunges to the teens. I cannot be arsed to deal!

Yeah. Jumping rope is supposed to be good cardio exercise. I'd like to think that, if I didn't have neighbors living below me that I would jump rope at home in the winter. But that's probably not true. I don't exercise as much in the winter. Part of it is that it's more of a challenge to go out or go to the gym. But part of it is that I'm less in the mood and would rather curl up on the couch and read or watch tv. I do force myself to exercise in the winter, but I don't end up exercising as much.

 

[Wiery]

Siyo!

I do barre in a studio. At home I stretch to work on flexibility, but nothing hardcore. I've tried adding some mild cardio (e.g. speed walking), but like @vesperholly, I'm not fond of going out in the cold, so the weather is a damper for me.

There's a studio here that does hot yoga and Pilates, but I haven't tried it. Do you recommend it? What are they like? Is it so hot it's hard to breathe?

I was given some resistance bands awhile back, but didn't use them much. Maybe I'll dig those out and give them another try.

Tap seems incredibly exhausting--my hat's off to all those who do it!

And congrats on the weight loss @Lucy25 --that's amazing and a real accomplishment!

I think any exercise done in a hot room is one of those things that you either love or you hate. You won't know how your body will respond or if you will be able to breathe without strain until you try it. Hot yoga is generally done in a 95F room; Bikram yoga is done in a 105F room with 40% humidity. Don't do Bikram as your first hot yoga experience!

Hot vinyasa yoga is just like any other yoga class, just sweatier. You will need a yoga mat and a thin yoga towel so that you don't slip as the yoga mat gets wet.

I agree with my little pony that exercising in the heat isn't necessarily any more or less beneficial than any other type of exercise. The heat does make me feel fantastic afterwards though.

 

[Spun Silver]

I'd like to think that, if I didn't have neighbors living below me that I would jump rope at home in the winter. But that's probably not true. I don't exercise as much in the winter. Part of it is that it's more of a challenge to go out or go to the gym. But part of it is that I'm less in the mood and would rather curl up on the couch and read or watch tv. I do force myself to exercise in the winter, but I don't end up exercising as much.

I identify. Winter weight gain is real. Fortunately, where I live there are some nice days mixed in with the bad ones, and I am now forcing myself to take longer walks on those days. Thank heavens for the dogs. If they didnt love it more than life itself I'm not sure how or if I would be getting my exercise.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

If you have the resistance bands, put them around your ankles and then kick one leg forward, backward and to the side, then repeat on the other side. An AWESOME workout.

I don't know why I don't do that more often.

 

[Spun Silver]

If you have the resistance bands, put them around your ankles and then kick one leg forward, backward and to the side, then repeat on the other side. An AWESOME workout.

I don't know why I don't do that more often.

Thanks. Somewhere there is a short article on Gracie Gold demonstrating the use of exercise bands (nothing too tricky IIRC) but I have no idea where I saw it and couldnt find it again when I looked a while ago.

 

[viennese]

Jumping rope is hard! The Crossfit trainers love to include it in workouts. I was terrible - most of us are - but everyone gets better. All the women remember jump rope crazes sweeping our schools for a while, and doing it at recess, but nobody has done it for years.

I've gone from maybe three skips in a row to about 35 before I bonk myself with the rope.

 

[MacMadame]

I cycle: I do one trainer workout/spin class a week and one outdoor bike ride of at least 20 miles.

I run: I run 3x a week -- a track workout, a hill/tempo run of 4-7 miles and a long run of at least 8 miles up to 12. But I'm training for a marathon so my longer long run will be 20 miles in the next couple of months.

I swim: I attend a Masters Swim session twice a week where we do various strokes and drills but mostly freestyle. Then, Spring - Fall, I swim 1-2 miles in "open water" such as a lagoon, lake, river or ocean.

I used to do strength training but that fell by the wayside when I added in an extra day of swimming and running. In order to work it back in, I joined a team at work that is participating in a Crossfit type of competition at the end of Feb. I'll do crossfit 2x a week for 2 weeks and attend 4 competition specific training sessions as well. I'm hoping, once the competition is over, I'll be motivated to go back to my old studio 2x a week.

Or at least take up BodyPUMP once a week again. I love BodyPump!

I agree with my little pony that exercising in the heat isn't necessarily any more or less beneficial than any other type of exercise. The heat does make me feel fantastic afterwards though.

Studies show that if you do endurance workouts in the heat, you'll perform better when you workout in regular temperatures. They've done studies with running and cycling that I've read.

 

[agalisgv]

So do you workout everyday, @MacMadame ?

 

[lise]

Due to my medical condition I can't exercise so I watch what I eat. I recently made the switch to vegan and love it. However it does make it tough as my husband loves meat and is not vegan.

 

[Allskate]

Has anyone here ever tried using a Bodyblade? Did you like it?

If you have the resistance bands, put them around your ankles and then kick one leg forward, backward and to the side, then repeat on the other side. An AWESOME workout.

I'm thinking of trying this. Do you use this kind of resistance band:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A58FHQ8?psc=1

Or this kind:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UWNVQI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NZZH18/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1YZDCIU2FBCZ1

 

[Lil Sarah]

Right now I am doing 21 day fix. I like that it's a different workout each day (Mon-Sun) so it takes longer to become 'boring.'

I've also done P90 in the past (basically a 3 month lead-up program to P90x). It worked awesome for me, lost quite a bit of weight and gained a good amount of muscle. However, the plan is cardio one day, weights another day, with a different workout for Saturday. The 1st month is easier cardio/strength, then increases in 2nd month, and another increase for the 3rd month... but still the workout got boring by the end of each month.

I also figure skate 3 days a week

I used to do a lot of swimming but it's harder to force myself to the pool now that I don't have to go there for work.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I am a super beginner with exercise. I set my steps a day to 6000 and uh...would hit about half my goal.

This year I got serious and decided to make my goal every day. I did it for just over a week and a friend said her goal is 10000. So being a little competitive I decided if she can do it, I can do it. So for 2 weeks I did it all but 1-2 days a week. Now I am doing between 12,000 and 15,000 steps a day all but 1-2 days a week. I figure in the time I have allotted to exercise, that eventually I'll have to jog to do more steps.

I just downloaded sworkit I am going to have to come up with a beginner plan (I am not ready to pay for their preset package).

 

[Twilight1]

The hospital I work in is huge so that is how I get my exercise. I need to do more weightbearing exercise though. If my appendages on my front weren't such a deterent, I would do burbies...

 

[DimaToe]

I wouldn't say I'm exactly in shape these days but I still like staying active to keep myself balanced. I get most of my exercise through dance, the least I'll do is 4 hours a week , usually it's about 10 hours. I do yoga just twice a week and whatever random off times I have, probably totaling to 5 hours. I'm not much into gyms but I've been lifting weights for about an hour at school On tuesdays and Thursdays lately, I absolutely loathe it but my body needs it The rest of my exercise I guess comes from basketball and frisbee and whatever other dancing I do.

 

[Ania]

I hate any and all forms of exercise except for skating. When I was in grad school I skated between 6 to 11 hours/week because there was an ice rink across from my office (so nearly every lunch break + early morning classes twice a week + weekends). Now I live in a city that does not have an indoor ice rink within city limits and I have 2 kids and a demanding job. So I have not skated regularly for over 10 years :-( I heard you have to commit to a routine for a long time and then your body starts to crave it. The longest I committed to a gym routine (cardio, weights) was 9 months but my body did not start craving exercise. When my kids were little I did no exercise at all, my body was mostly craving sleep . Lucky for me, weight is not an issue. But I'm almost 40 so I crave the benefits of exercise to cognitive performance and physical health, I just detest the exercise itself! My solution was to move close to my office (0.8 miles) so that I at least walk 1.6 miles even if I do nothing else. So far I mostly get half of that walk on a daily basis due to driving my younger kid to preschool. But she's starting kindergarten next year, so she'll be off to the bus and I'll be off to walk to work!

 

[Integrity]

Mountain hiking 3-4 times per month (long drive), resistance/weight training 2-3 times per week and cardio of some sort mixed in a few times a week. In non-winter months, I like to cycle a few times a week before work.

I love the exercise, the diet is the hardest part!

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I dropped sworkit - it was hard on my back. I added stretching routines and kept the walking up and now I walk about 40 minutes a day and jog for 20. I'd like to get that ratio to change with more jogging. I am using the fitstar app (combined with a fitbit) and it is really, really, hard for me but I do like using muscles and if the first workout is too hard, there is only one direction to go! With this exercise and eating right, I've lost 27lbs since Jan 10. I feel healthier and happier now than I did for the last five years in total.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I put on weight all too easily, and mindlessly snack at my desk when working.

Substituting food for healthy options and walking 45 minutes a day is helping so far.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I've been using my fitness pal for the about 16 days and I've lost 4 pounds. I have it set for a pund a week, but I've also been working out a lot, mainly running.

 

[JasperBoy]

Staying in shape? My shape is round So candy, ice cream, bread.
I do attend an easy fitness class once a week and Scottish Country Dancing once a week too.

 

[clairecloutier]

I hate any and all forms of exercise except for skating.

I feel the same way!

 

[Areski]

I used to attend gym but I stopped last year. I need to come back I wanted to bulk up little bit but it didn't work out But I at least got stronger, no problem with press-ups.

The truth is that both my parents are sorta skinny by nature .. maybe I need some protein shakes to help myself.

Otherwise I like skating, roller-skating & playing tennis Cross-country skiing is also fun for me.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I do a lot of youtube workouts but just found The Fitness Marshall this week. He makes exercise so much fun and his costars are always very varied. I guess he also does fitness concerts? Anyway, if you are in a workout rut or stuck inside, check him out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgogOGT5FSo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6wm2g682JM

My girlfriend watches just because he makes you happy with his enthusiasm. He is above my level, but I just do my best.

 

[iamawake2]

My dog forces me to get out everyday and we walk an hour in the morning and an hour every evening, every day of the year. Even in the winter. Without her I might be a couch potato in the winter. I had a knee replacement last year so walking her has been good rehab.

 

[Vash01]

I put on weight all too easily, and mindlessly snack at my desk when working.

Substituting food for healthy options and walking 45 minutes a day is helping so far.

I too put on weight easily. I have a sweet tooth and that has always been a problem for me. About a month ago I joined Weight Watchers. I am not horribly overweight but my clothes didn't feel comfortable. Now I am motivated to lose weight by eating right. I have been working out on the treadmill for many years but unless I control my diet, the exercise won't help me lose weight or even feel light. I have lost 3 pounds so far, which is not much but they tell me that I didn't have much to lose. My clothes do fit me better now, and I have not increased the exercise time. I need to lose 1 more pound in the next 2 weeks to get reimbursed by my employer. I would prefer losing 3 more, but that could happen with time.

 

[mariolemieux]

I started with CrossFit several months ago. I've already lost 6kilos, it really works!

 

[AxelAnnie]

I recently started barre workouts, and I'm somewhat enjoying it (enjoy the muscle toning but not the pain of the actual workout ). I've been wondering if I'm getting enough cardio, though, from it.

What do y'all do to exercise and keep in shape? How well is it working for you?

And if anyone has experience with barre workouts, I'd love to hear your feedback.

Former dancer. Barre exercises are best thing ever! For me it is calming and challenging. I am not sure that it qualifies as the kind of cardio that keeps your bones strong. I have a Pilates Reformer.
Not cheap. But worth it. You can get a board for it (it is called a board) and it goes at the bottom.
It allows you to (while prone) mimic jogging. Definitely cardio.

Footnote: I have had a nasty divorce, emergency abdominal surgery and a broken ankle in the last 18 months. As soon as I get the go ahead from my Ortho guy, I will be able to get back to working out. I have a stationary bike, the Reformer, and a think that you stand on, and swing your arms and legs back and forth. I think I shall add a ballet bar back in.

I also ride......that is theoretically not aerobic. However, it causes me to sweat a lot! And then there is the sheer terror as you approach the jumps (hence the broken ankle) LOL

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I recently started barre workouts, and I'm somewhat enjoying it (enjoy the muscle toning but not the pain of the actual workout ). I've been wondering if I'm getting enough cardio, though, from it.

What do y'all do to exercise and keep in shape? How well is it working for you?

And if anyone has experience with barre workouts, I'd love to hear your feedback.

I just want to thank you for starting this post back in January. Reading responses made me realize my doing nothing was really not normal. A few days later I started following the DASH diet and started walking from not being able to walk a mile in 30 minutes. Now I am nearing a 40lbs weight loss and I average 16000 steps a day. I started running a couple miles a day a few weeks ago. I had lab work done and was great on glucose, A1c was normal and cholesterol was great. I haven't felt this healthy in close to 10 years. Thanks again! I still have over 40 to lose, and I know I can do it. You gave me a great push.

 

[agalisgv]

I just want to thank you for starting this post back in January. Reading responses made me realize my doing nothing was really not normal. A few days later I started following the DASH diet and started walking from not being able to walk a mile in 30 minutes. Now I am nearing a 40lbs weight loss and I average 16000 steps a day. I started running a couple miles a day a few weeks ago. I had lab work done and was great on glucose, A1c was normal and cholesterol was great. I haven't felt this healthy in close to 10 years. Thanks again! I still have over 40 to lose, and I know I can do it. You gave me a great push.

Wow! You are beyond awesome!!!

Congratulations, and may the next 40 come off quickly and easily