Fitness

[EntAllat]

If I remember right, Honeybee is into yoga - anybody else here pursuing regular exercise or a fitness program of some sort?

I've been trying to work a regular program back into my daily routine for a while now. I'd been working out with a personal trainer about two years ago but I just couldn't afford to keep that up. I'm not in bad shape, but I'm a helluva way from where I'd rather be, especially when I'd like to up my game from river-and-bay kayaking to sea kayaking as well as agility training with a dog.

I used to be an athlete before the dot com boom and my techie skills put me in front of a computer most of the day. I didn't even realize how much I missed it all until I changed careers and finally started moving again. (Or just how destructive my previous job had been to my health and well being.) I grew up with a lot of activity since Dad was into everything sports-and-outdoors, from soccer to football to cricket, tennis to golf, track and field, fishing and hiking. You name it, we did it. Even now, well into his 70's, he's pretty damn fit. A decade ago he won a half dozen medals at the senior Olympics. I want to make damn sure that I'm that mobile, healthy and agile when I'm his age.

Right now I'm working on getting my cardio back to where it was two years ago, dropping a few more pounds and some weight training.

[Honeybee]

Yes, I'm working on yoga teacher training, mostly just for myself. I've practiced all sorts of styles, from Kundalini, to Hatha, to Ingevar, Kirpala and Vinyasa. All different styles have their strengths, and I think I've landed at Vinyasa Flow being my favorite for pure fitness with a dash of the headspace stuff thrown in.

I still belong to a regular gym as well, and I try and hit the cardio machines a few times a week. It's really important to keep up with that as you age. And then the yoga, which has its share of cardio, gives you the balance and stretching.

I've started going to a Kirpala class recently that is matless on wood floors, which is intense. I'm not, however, a big fan of hot yoga. Doing intense postures in a 100 plus degree room to me feels like an accident waiting to happen.

[Destinye]

Yupp, kickboxing is rather tough on the Fitness. 'spically Sparring. You have to take a lot of knocks from that, and you have to keep going. And, as part of our grading we have to do loads of fitness. So yeah, I do fitness.

[Aquarius]

In a word, no. And I know that needs to change.

I was into yoga for a while. Mostly Hatha, taught by a woman through Community Ed when I lived in the 'burbs. But the economy tanked and I couldn't afford to go any more after a while.

A couple of years ago I was doing well with weight loss and I had been walking quite a bit. Funny how being in a relationship when it crashes and burns can suck away your motivation to do such thing. After that I took yoga because I needed a PE credit for school, but even that was ruined when I killed my knee slipping on some ice on the way into a bar for my birthday meal. I hurt it in February the year before last, and it was something like August or September before it stopped hurting me every day. So that and an insane-assed commute just stripped away what good intentions I had.

I was talking to Honeybee about this very subject last night, as a matter of fact. Once I get this convention out of the way, I am going to add walking back into my routine. It's free, and it's only as strenuous as I let it be. The earliest I have to be anywhere during the week is 1 or 2 pm, so there's no reason why I can't get up in the morning, have a light breakfast, and get my ass out of the house. Also, I'm only 2 miles from school, and I have free use of the machines, track, and pool in the Rec IM building, so it might be about time I start taking advantage of that. No reason why I can't bring a change of clothes and go get sweaty after class.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Misplaced]

Man, I'm kicking myself every day. I used to be pretty darn fit and on the cusp of getting my personal trainer certification. I loved it. Then I had two tough pregnancies (manage to nearly bounce back from the first of the two), then hubs was out of work, then we became a military family... The list of excuses could go on.

But I miss it. I miss being fit. I haven't lost any weight since my caboose baby and she's turning 2 in July. (And I always gain 60 lbs when I'm pregnant -- when I was pregant... This body is no longer a baby-maker!)

Anyway, I'm thinking about running in a half-marathon this October. I've never been a runner. I'm one of those "gym rat" fitness junkies. I love pumping iron and kick-boxing. But I hate not being able to run more than I hate running. Yeah, I realize how nuts that is.

Even though I have access to 6 gyms at the moment (perks of military life -- then again, the gyms are full of soldiers. ), I am going to do P90X at home for now. I'm also doing pilates (yoga and me do NOT get along sadly) and cardio kick-boxing (and running, obviously). Eventually I will get into the gym because I'm too cheap to buy more dumbbells, but for now, I'll work with what I've got at home until it's not challenging enough for me.

I'm also participating in an 8 week challenge on Transformation.com to kick start things for me.

[Kathy Rose]

If you want to stay in shape, don't get married and/or have kids.

Really, in my case, marriage and kids did me in, added to a sedentary job at an office. However, before I got married, I went out almost every weekend with friends and danced, danced, danced. Didn't have a problem with my weight then.

I am so out of shape it's not funny. I know I need to exercise more, and I'm hoping now that I'm feeling better (controlling my anemia and getting off some cholesterol meds that made me tired to boot), I'll up my physical activity level. I've already noticed improvement in how long it takes before my muscles start to complain, so I guess I'm on the right track.

[entkayjay]

I got motivated by the death of my LJ friend Aeteananke last fall, who passed away from a brain tumor at the age of 27. I realized that while she didn't have the chance to get healthy -- I did.

Hubby and I did the South Beach diet (low carb has been good for us in the past) and we each lost 40 pounds. I've been plateau-d since February, but I haven't gained more than a pound or two which I drop when I notice. I'm hoping to kick start myself again this summer, since I still have at least 30 more to go.

I joined a gym too, and haven't had the motivation to go since February either. Need to take advantage of that, since I do feel much better now than I have for the last few years. But I walk a mile or more every day, between my dog who won't let me forget now that the weather is nice, and the paper route we do: it costs way too much to fill the tank, and when it's my turn I walk at least half the route (carrying papers, no less) to save gas. I'd do more but this damn bunion *glares* acts up if I do too much, then I'm no good to anyone.

But I do feel more fit than I've been in a long, long time.

ETA: Plus got hooked on Biggest Loser for the last couple of years, which shows me that not only can it be done, but you don't have to get surgery to get toned.

[Aquarius]

Maybe we could do a Delphic Expanse edition of Biggest Loser? I know in recent years, I was at my most successful when we did that at work. Actually, I surprised myself by kicking everyone's butt.

It seems for me, it's when I'm accountable to a group and not just myself that I do better. There's the friendly competition factor, but there's also the encouragement and support because we're all in it together.

Now, I'm talking real weight issues here....not a matter of wanting to fit into a size 6 dress when you're already a size 8. I'm not gonna lie. I need to lose at least another 50 lbs, and I'd actually be happier if I lost 75. (These numbers will not put me at unrealistic expectations for my height and frame.) I thought I looked my best as a size 8, everyone else said I looked best as a size 10, and at my age, I'll call it good if I make it to size 12.

Anyone interested?

[entkayjay]

I'm in!

[paulinem]

Thing is for me is that I don't need to lose weight, I'm underweight as it is (a poor mans diet will do that), but what I do need is to get fitter. I used to be a walker, then when I HAD to walk everywhere (cos my car died and I couldn't afford to get it fixed), I lost my love for it so stopped walking when I got my car back on the road. Now that I'm living in the mountains (even if it is for a short while), I've started walking again, of course it helps that I have a puppy to walk and the scenery is just lovely. However, because I have a bad back walking pup puts quite a strain on it. The last time I took pup for a huge walk she pulled so much on her leash that I actually felt my back pull (not a good thing) so I stopped taking the long walks. Of course it also doesn't help that the cold totally unmotivates me. But, I did feel better, not just in body, but in mind and spirit as well, so I need to find my motivation!

In saying all of that, if you do go ahead with The Delphic Expanse Biggest Loser then I'm all for supporting you all!