Older and fitter

littlegreenparrot

I've got a while to go before retirement, so am still in the struggle to get my backside to the gym regularly.

What I have discovered though is that obstacle races are tremendous fun. I'm a trail runner, (a slow one!) and started with an inflatable 5 k a couple of years ago. I look for family friendly ones, if the 10 year olds can do it I probably can!

I find having the goal really helps, and a lot more interesting than just the gym.

Gloomendoom

OP, your gym sounds like the one my wife attends in that they all wear heart rate monitors with scores posted up on a screen and also on a phone app for all to see. She's a bit younger than you but also freed form tha pink girlie weights. The other members do seem to be predominantly male though and the atmosphere is quite competitive. Currently dead lifting 80kg. One and a half times her body weight and aiming for a 100.

Before joining she had a succession of personal trainers but, apart from the first one, didn't find them particularly effective or sympathetic to her needs. The gym also provide a degree of social interaction outside the workplace that is good for her.

trailingspouse

Gloomendoom - that's an amazing achievement. I've just made it to 6kg for some lifts...
Yes, that sounds very similar to the gym I go to. I think the time of day makes a difference - I tend to go at 9.30am and it's mostly young Mums. We're still very competitive though! I went once to the 6.30am slot, and there were more men. And there are also more men in the evening.

Littlegreenparrot - I've never heard of these! It sounds like school sports day for grown ups - great fun! I'm not retired myself yet (9 years to go), but OH and I run our own business and I work from home so I have some flexibility in how I organise my day. Inflatable 5k?? I'm trying to work out if that's a thing, or a typo...

Aching today after trainer Gary put us through our paces on 'lower body day' yesterday. If I never do another squat it'll be too soon...

angela110660

Another Les Mills RPM under my belt after work yesterday. Didn't think I would be able to do much but really surprised myself and felt great later. Although I looked like a lobster when I popped into the sm on way home!! Aiming to do at least 2 more before next week plus an aqua. Go me ! Thinking of getting a PT session in New Year to mix things up a bit more. Re the heart monitor thingy. The gym machines have hand grips to check ours but how accurate they are I don't know.

Gloomendoom

trailingspouse wrote: »

Gloomendoom - that's an amazing achievement. I've just made it to 6kg for some lifts...
Yes, that sounds very similar to the gym I go to. I think the time of day makes a difference - I tend to go at 9.30am and it's mostly young Mums. We're still very competitive though! I went once to the 6.30am slot, and there were more men. And there are also more men in the evening.

I was going to say that the time of day probably makes a difference as a lot of men go before or after work. Mrs G goes early. Seven or occasionally six in the morning and she can be the only female. Once or twice, she has had to ask them to moderate their language or change the potty mouthed music being played but they are used to her now and joke about it. She goes later on Saturday and Sunday and has said that there are more women there then.

Ilona

trailingspouse wrote: »

Ilona - wow, that's a lot of walking!! Do you do it with an organised group, or do you just wander wild and free?

Hi. I walk alone most of the time, very very occasionally with a friend. I don't want to have to adjust my pace to fit in with others, and it's a bit rude if I go striding off and leave someone behind.

I have two routes around my village, 2 miles and 3 miles, checked on bikehike.co.uk I aim to do 3 miles a day, but sometimes have to cut it short if I am busy with other things. I do the walk at any time of day or night, whenever I can fit it in. Street lights help.

I also do 1/2/3 day walks, drive out to somewhere, prebook B&B or hostel. I use ordnance survey maps and make up the routes out and back from base.

I have been doing two long walks a year since I retired nine years ago, get a train out and walk back home. No beds booked, walk all day then find somewhere to stay. Again use maps and make it up. Can be anything between 100 and 150 miles. Morecambe to the Humber Bridge 162 miles in nine days. I average 18 - 20 miles a day.

I count all this in my 1000 miles, checking on bikehike after a walk to give me a total for that walk.

I don't wander when I am walking for exercise, I stride along pretty fast. Yes, I am free to go where I like, put a rucksack on my back with the bare minimum, and enjoy the freedom of the road, footpath, bridleway, lanes, across fields, through industrial estates and city centres. I love the outdoors, that's why this suits me. Each to their own, but I would find going to a gym a slog.

ilona

silverwhistle

trailingspouse wrote: »

silverwhistle - that's amazing. It's interesting that you think you could do to lose weight - I'm beginning to think weight is irrelevant but being healthy (through eating the right food and keeping physically fit) is essential. We can all get a bit hung up on the numbers - after all, weight is a lot easier to measure than 'healthiness'!

On a day to day basis I'm fine, and generally I'd agree with you. No spare weight on my legs or arms/shoulders (I own a wood burner!!) but the little bit extra around my middle is extra weight to carry around the pitch, and with age I'm more aware of that!



Now it's December thoughts turn to pre-season ski exercises. The common theme for us all is motivation. I need that external assistance of training _for_ something, not for its own sake.

littlegreenparrot

trailingspouse wrote: »

Littlegreenparrot - I've never heard of these! It sounds like school sports day for grown ups - great fun! I'm not retired myself yet (9 years to go), but OH and I run our own business and I work from home so I have some flexibility in how I organise my day. Inflatable 5k?? I'm trying to work out if that's a thing, or a typo...

I promise it's a thing and not a typo 😆
A 5 k course, with lots of inflatable obstacles to climb on/over. Basically big, interesting bouncy castles. I loved it so much that 6 months later I another one with my friend and her children.
It's all about the participation, the atmosphere is great, the time is irrelevant, the children had a wonderful time.

Have a few different ones that look good lined up for next year.

Gloomendoom

trailingspouse wrote: »

Gloomendoom - that's an amazing achievement. I've just made it to 6kg for some lifts...

85Kg this morning. Looks like 100kg might be possible.

MallyGirl

I am a few years from retirement but probably only 18 months from DD going to uni and I expect that to free up a huge amount of time to exercise (and so much more). I walk the dogs every day but don't do much else - I did the walk 1000 miles last year but am way short this year for a variety of reasons.
The local spa has a nice choice of pools and some exercise equipment/ classes. The sister gym next door has all the equipment and classes you could ever want. The master plan is to join (annual gets you both) once I am no longer Mum's taxi- for now I just get a number of visits per year membership.
At 51 I am much fitter, stronger and lighter than I was 20 years ago but I am still carrying an extra stone I don't want.