Fitness 2011

[Brazen]

My weight loss has slowed down at 22lbs down, 19lbs to go, so more than half way. I'm now in a smaller dress size, but bizarrely my bra's gone down a back size and up a cup size (E cup, in case Caliga was getting worried that the world has less boobage). But my fitness levels have improved enormously. I'm actually sticking to a half-marathon training programme which is kicking my butt. An average week goes:

Tue - Short steady run
Wed - Interval training
Fri - Tempo run
Sun - Long slow distance (currently up to 1 hour)

On the other days I'll do a workout video, resistance training, power walking or swimming. I've even been known to get up at 6 for a run if I have something else on in the evening. So unlike me!

Five weeks until my next race a 10K. It's the one I didn't finish last year as I fell over a dog and got myself some serious road rash!

[Cecil]

My weight loss has slowed down at 22lbs down, 19lbs to go, so more than half way. I'm now in a smaller dress size, but bizarrely my bra's gone down a back size and up a cup size (E cup, in case Caliga was getting worried that the world has less boobage). But my fitness levels have improved enormously. I'm actually sticking to a half-marathon training programme which is kicking my butt. An average week goes:

Tue - Short steady run
Wed - Interval training
Fri - Tempo run
Sun - Long slow distance (currently up to 1 hour)

On the other days I'll do a workout video, resistance training, power walking or swimming. I've even been known to get up at 6 for a run if I have something else on in the evening. So unlike me!

Five weeks until my next race a 10K. It's the one I didn't finish last year as I fell over a dog and got myself some serious road rash!

Running in the morning is nice. You feel like you have so much energy all day.

Oh and new record on the halfmarathon. 1.35.06.

[mongers]

Went for a quick spin around the New Forest last night, did 30+ miles, but blew a gasket half-way round. 

[mongers]

Went out on an evening spin around the Dorset countyside on a rather windy day, also was rather hilly, though that was to be expected; did a little over 48 miles on the bike, got home before dark.

Approximate route:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Riverside&daddr=Unknown+road+to:Unknown+road+to:Bushes+Rd+to:Unknown+road+to:Milldown+Rd/B3082+to:Unknown+road+to:Unknown+road+to:Cowgrove+Rd+to:Leigh+Rd/B3073+to:Riverside&geocode=FSDOBwMdraLk_w%3BFZoKCAMdGqni_w%3BFSt0CAMd20Hh_w%3BFTx3CAMd8Ore_w%3BFR6vCAMdiDve_w%3BFXoWCAMdPO_e_w%3BFQL3BwMdszHf_w%3BFdyWBwMdJq_f_w%3BFYMjBwMdNbrg_w%3BFdgdBwMdvvHh_w%3BFRzPBwMdyaLk_w&gl=uk&hl=en&mra=ltm&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9&dirflg=w&vps=12&sll=50.903466,-1.949387&sspn=0.241624,0.617294&ie=UTF8

The hardest bit was walking up the steep 300 ft climb to the Hill fort of Hod Hill:


note the remains of the roman fort, inside the larger iron age one.

[Drakken]

My weight loss has slowed down at 22lbs down, 19lbs to go, so more than half way. I'm now in a smaller dress size, but bizarrely my bra's gone down a back size and up a cup size (E cup, in case Caliga was getting worried that the world has less boobage). But my fitness levels have improved enormously. I'm actually sticking to a half-marathon training programme which is kicking my butt. An average week goes:

Nothing wrong, as fat get stored inside the muscles as well, including breasts for women and pecs for men, so they change in form and become more toned up as you lose fat and water.

[alfred russel]

I'm having a hell of a time getting my 1 mile time (1600 m) down under 7 minutes. It is basically easy to get to 7:15 or so, but that last 15 seconds is tough. Is there a limit to how fast someone in their late 40s can go so that I just may not be able to hit that time?

[Octavian]

When I was in my early to mid twenties I was in great shape doing weightlifting and martial arts. Then about 5-6 years ago as I got a job it all stopped and I became slightly overweight.

The past six months I've started working out again at age 32. Having lost 20+ pounds I'm now down to my old weight and are starting to build muscle again.

I'm not yet at my old mid twenties shape in regards to muscle mass but i'm definately getting there. I've also become interested in martial arts again (having trained since my late teens). This time I'm focussing on Krav Maga which I really like.

I'm currently lifting weights 3-5 times a week plus doing martial arts some 3 hours+ a week.

Since september 2010 i've also done fencing ca. 3 hours a week. I'm probarbly taking a break from that as I want to focus on Krav Maga and it's starting to bore my a bit.

The reason I started getting in shape was partly because of fencing and the young 20 year old girls there (motivation  don't tell the wife  ) and especially because I, while on paternity leave for a couple of months, had the time to get started (opportunity). But also because that's really the image I have of myself.

Once again as was the case in my youth I'm becomming a Roman God!

[Barrister]

The reason I started getting in shape was partly because of fencing and the young 20 year old girls there (motivation  don't tell the wife  ) and especially because I, while on paternity leave for a couple of months, had the time to get started (opportunity). But also because that's really the image I have of myself.

I started running again when I took a couple of months pat leave.

Of course when that ended a year ago...

[Octavian]

That sucks 

[crazy canuck]

We have bought a rowing machine - mainly for my oldest who now rows.  Lungs allowing I will try it out.

[Barrister]

That sucks 

It's just that it was easy to find the time when you're not working, and the baby is small and doesn't move very fast.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I've got to start moving around more. spending too much time at computer, indulging in gaming, snacking, beer. put on 10 lbs this summer somehow. but seem to have stabilized there. Planning to step up the run/jog to proper 3 times a week again. will get back to natural 10 lbs less than now in a month or two. need some sort of "chips warding" spell ("Magic circle vs. Doritos"?)  around my house!

[mongers]

I've got to start moving around more. spending too much time at computer, indulging in gaming, snacking, beer. put on 10 lbs this summer somehow. but seem to have stabilized there. Planning to step up the run/jog to proper 3 times a week again. will get back to natural 10 lbs less than now in a month or two. need some sort of "chips warding" spell ("Magic circle vs. Doritos"?)  around my house!

Get yourself a bicycle and integrate its use into part of your daily activities, it's active rather than the passive stuff you've been talking about; everyone I know who regularly uses a bike have no issues with weight, most probably don't even think about it, whereas most people I know who jog seemed to have cyclical problems with weight, motivation and to some extent self-image.

[Eddie Teach]

Jogging uphill burns 900 calories an hour while biking burns 300, or so the machines at the gym tell me.

[mongers]

Jogging uphill burns 900 calories an hour while biking burns 300, or so the machines at the gym tell me.

That's rubbish, in the real world you can burn as many calories as you want on a bike, up to the point when you kill yourself.   

Seriously, calories burned is one of the stupidest metrics related to fitness.