Do you have an exercise Plan?

At age 47 I did a treadmill test for a cardiologist. The result was that I was as fit as a 37 year old.
2013, at age 59 I did the test again... I am now 20% below average for my age!
I'm also 18 lbs. heavier and a total of 60 lbs. overweight.

Last year I bought an indoor trainer for my bike but that only held my interest for a month. It has sat gathering dust for the rest of the year.

Now, to my topic. Do you have an exercise plan?
Today I rode my bike for 50 minutes on the indoor trainer. It was brutal. But I must keep it up.
I have plans for a couple camping holidays this summer that require the 47 - 37 year old body.

Now, Can I turn this exercise into a routine? If the weather improves I can train outside on my bike or do a very steep walk up a hill that takes me 30 minutes.
I want to exercise 6 days a week, alternating between Endurance training and Strength training.

If you have an exercise plan, tell me about it.
If you are stuck, tell me that too and we can talk strategies to get unstuck.

Take care,

I do usually. I usually do one day of weights and full body exercises, next day cardio. I did order something called a Gazelle from Amazon, which is basically an elliptical if I don't use the treadmill. The Gazelle is a great way to get into shape.

Skilsaw, good on you for trying hard to stay fit!

I hate exercise. I really mean that, I hate it with a passion! Always have. I have tried going to the gym, but I really hate it. So, I figured instead of trying to torture myself with something I so truly hate, I should stick with things I don't mind doing. I've always loved walking, so that's what I do. I walk everywhere and I walk a lot. I try to incorporate it into my daily routine. It makes it easier to keep at it. I don't own a car, so that's an added incentive to walk everywhere. Doctors appointment? 40min total. Football match? 45min total. Going for coffee with friends? 1h total. Going to work? 30min total.

Now I'm so used to it that I don't even consider taking the subway. I just walk! I don't mind walking in the rain (kinda like it actually!), so that's not a problem. I find that the fact that it serves a purpose helps. I walk because I need to get to some place, there's an objective. Also, even if I don't do anything else, I have to get to work, so I have no choice but to walk. It's not like going to the gym, where I can choose not to go and there aren't any consequences.

I don't have much advice for you, but I'd say it's important to do something you like. Otherwise, you'll just hate it and will quit very fast. At least for me that's how it is! And start slow, don't overdo it. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast!"

Good luck on your exercise plan, I hope you can stick to it.

I absolutely love running. I used to do it everyday, and now I'm looking to get back into it to lose some of the extra weight that the meds gave me However, I recommend swimming. I was a competitive swimmer in highschool and you wouldn't believe the muscles I had! It's great cardio, easy on the joints, and it works every muscle in your body. Good luck!

I used to do boxing so that was a lot, but I am no longer going to the gym am ~20kg overweight, of course also thanks to the medication. I know I should also start something but boxing is too heavy for me now and I hate all the rest...

I go to the gym three times a week for about 1 hour and a half, I do spinning and I also have an exercise routine on the exrecise machines. I wanna do aerobox or something similar to release my anger. I've been able to mantain a healthy weight so far.

Not really. But I don't have a car so I have to frequently walk/bike to shop and carry backpack of stuff back with me. Not to mention walking to school with backpack full of paper, drawing equipment - and sometimes protective gear. So daily 5~10 mins up hill fast pace walking with usually stairs up to third floor. With once/twice a week packrat trip to shopping. At summer I may ride bike daily to city center to pick up fresh vegetables/cherries.

Can't leave the drawing stuff at home because I'll need them at class, can't leave them at school because then I can't continue my sketching at home. And you'd think they'd be light - nope, 1~2 A3 pads, A4 sketchbook, roll of sketching paper (that's like 2~3 kg on its own), two cases of pencils, pens&markers. I've got a 30ish liter backpack, and I can barely fit all in.. And if I want to go shop after school, I'll first have to walk home, drop all the equipment off and then walk to shop. So exercise plan, no - daily torture, yes. :p

At least it haven't made my health worse. Part of that may be because I still don't eat much, and the little I do, I try to eat healthy. I know I should also start going to gym because my computer related hobbies and drawing aren't exacly great for shoulders/back in long run, and it wouldn't hurt to lose weight, improve overall strenght and endurance.

invicta wrote:--I don't mind walking in the rain (kinda like it actually!), so that's not a problem. I find that the fact that it serves a purpose helps. I walk because I need to get to some place, there's an objective. Also, even if I don't do anything else, I have to get to work, so I have no choice but to walk. It's not like going to the gym, where I can choose not to go and there aren't any consequences.-

That's about only reason I go for a walk. If I'm visiting my parents' at end of summer/fall I can walk hours in forest up and down hills looking for mushrooms. Walking up&down steep hills is great for getting better balance as well - if you don't, you'll stumbly down the hill. :p

Also. Walking in rain. <3 That'd be the other reason I go for a walk. Grab a rainproof jacket&pants and go let the rain wash your worries away. It's funny really that walking makes thinking&dreaming easier. Sort of flow/meditative state, long as I don't need to look out for cars etc.

I run for 60 minutes and then do strength training, kind of like circuit training, for about half an hour. I go Monday, Tuesday, take off Wednesday, then go on Thursday and Friday. Every week I try to run faster on the treadmill and do 10 more lbs. of weights. Slowly I'm building up endurance. It makes me feel good.

The one reason I wish I still lived in Poland is walks in the rain on a very hot day. I used to love walking in torrential rains, 30+ Celsius, everybody running home with a plastic bag on their head and me walking slowly in sandals and shorts, with music in my headphones until they drown and stop working. Here where I live now temperature never really exceeds 20-25 and rain immediately becomes cold.

I work physically 2 days a week + lift weights 2-3 days also. It's one of my favourite things to do. I don't have too much endurance and don't enjoy cardio much, but I love being strong and fighting against my body's limitations to lift more.

I give you all credit for having the motivation to be so active! Lately I have let my exercise slide to just about zero. I have to get back on track...