I go through workout “stages”. In an “on” stage (like now), I run on the elliptical for 20 minutes 4 times a week first thing in the morning. I train with weights 4 nights a week (Sunday = Upper Body, Monday = Legs, Wednesday = Chest/Shoulders/Triceps, Thursday = Back/Biceps).
I’m going to start golfing on Saturdays, too (I love the game, but haven’t put in any significant amount of time in to be any good).
I’m also real strict about my nutrition, eating 6 small meals throughout the day (basically the same thing each day; Meal Replacement Powder, with Hemp Seed Oil, in the mornig; Then, Chicken, Quinoa, and a piece of fruit about 10:30; then, Chicken, Quinoa, and another piece of fruit about 2:30; then, Chicken, fruit salad, almonds and a V8 about 5; a MRP after my workout, and cottage cheese and some more fruit about 9 pm) - Yes, I’m pretty OCD, how could you tell?
On my “off” stages, I’m an utter couch potato, and learn to loathe my softening middle as skip meals and end up gorging on junk food at night. (This is not a good time to be me).
I was really obsessive about working out in my late teens, early twenties. I’m 30 now, but (obviously) have never learned to manage a healthy balance between fitness and rest. I truly envy those of you who can turn daily chores into a bout of exercise; my rigidity doesn’t serve me well for a long term lifestyle.
This is one of the reasons I started doing so much gardening. Lifting 50 pounds of mulch and carrying it around will provide some good resistance training (at least on my biceps, quads and butt), plus I get stuff done and can play outside with my son. Everyone wins.
Plus, my “weight training” is more strength training and usually involves activities I can do at home, like pushups, lunges and other moves that really use my own weight as resistance. I’ll probably need to switch to a more structured workout as I become stronger, but so far this works for me.
I miss longer-distance running so much - I’m thinking about training for another marathon or a half marathon, but so far, it’s hard to find the time to train, especially for those long runs on the weekends. And I just don’t have the energy to wake up and get running by 4:30 a.m. anymore. Toddlers will do that to you. Knowing him, he’s probably run longer than I could.
3-4 times a week, 30-45 minutes each, mostly cardio. I get bored with strength training. I split it up between the elliptical machine, the stationery bike, and the treadmill, depending on what I’m inthe mood for.
I’ll add a question What do you do while exercising? I generally either read a book or watch the TVs in the gym. They have headphone thingies you can plug into.
Razorette and I just started working with a personal trainer. We see him once a week, then work out three other times a week. Once in a great while my favorite raquetball opponent and I can score a court at the local city rec center, but with conflicting schedules, that’s becoming more and more rare.
As little as possible. I hate exercising for the sake of exercising, but will work like a dog to get things done. I do most of the housework. In the spring I garden, and this year I started raising pigs and chickens, so I’ve lost about 20 pounds. I cut, split and stack 4 or 5 cord of firewood throughout the spring, summer, + fall. I also usually end up doing at least one big project a year. Last year I built a shed, the year before I re-roofed my MIL’s house. It keeps me relativly fit. The only exercise I get in the winter is hauling wood into the house, and I tend to gain 5 or 10 lb, but that goes away quickly once the snow clears. Once the kids are a little older, I’ll probably start skiing again.
I, too, have 2 small kids and a full-time job. On the days when I run, I get up at 4:45AM, so that I can go and run and get back in time for both my husband and I to shower before going to work. On the weekends, I do get to leave a little later and run a little longer, which is good.
Yes, I am tired at night, and go to bed early, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Six days a week, length depends on the day, and I do triathlons so my workouts are always a swim, bike, or run.
My typical week looks like this:
Monday - Off.
Tuesday - Long run (usually around 10 miles with lots of hills).
Wednesday - One hour on the bike trainer.
Thursday - 30 minute swim and 30 minute run.
Friday - “Brick” workout of 45 minutes on bike trainer followed immediately by a 45 minute run.
Saturday - Long bike (usually 2 to 3 hours with lots of hills).
Sunday - Long swim (1 hour).
This will vary somewhat if I have a race coming up. I also have a two kids, a wife, and work. The schedule only works for me if it minimizes the impact to family time. With that in mind, I get to watch lots of sunrises as I am out the door, in the pool, or on the bike by 4:45 am so I can be done no later than 6:15 or so. the one exception is Saturday when I do the long bike.
Mostly Olympics. I’m doing my first half-iron in September (Big Kahuna in Santa Cruz) if I can get my nutrition program down. I’ve never used anything but Gatorade in a race (and that includes the half-marathon I did last fall) so I don’t have much experience with nutritional planning.
I have two playlists on the old iPod that I play through the stereo in the garage where the treadmill is. When I do outside runs, I used to listen to the iPod, but I actually find that distracting. So I’ll be back to just listening to the wheezing of my lungs.
And if I could, I’ll add another question. Why do you exercise?
For me it’s not about taking care of myself or any of that crap. I hate running. I hate every step I take and every move I make. I doubt I’d find any sort of exercise very enjoyable. But I want to be able to play with my kids. I want to be able to run up and down our yard kicking the ball with my little girl and not collapse. I also am trying to set an example. Let’s face it, lifestyles today really don’t require as much physical effort. So I hope to instill in them now that exercise is just a part of your daily routine that you have to do. Every morning I tell my daughter that I’m going out to exercise. I’m hoping that I can get them interested in establishing that routine themselves while they’re young.
I think this is awesome. How old are your kids? Last year, my daughter ran the kids’ 50-yd dash that was part of a 10K that I ran, and this year my son was old enough to run it as well. (They are 3-3/4 and 5-3/4).
I do the same thing with regards to telling them about exercise. When I come back from a run, they love to get down on the floor and stretch with me, and will even try to do crunches and push-ups.
I can’t really relate to the first part, though, because I love running (after 37 years of loathing it, though—I’ve only been running a little more than 3 years).
I exercise because it feels great. Nothing better than challenging myself. I’m even gaining a grudging acceptance of those horrible runs where it seems like my legs are made of lead and my breathing shallow…because every one of those sets me up for a day like today, when I round the corner and head down my street, knowing that I have completed 7-1/2 miles before 6:30am, that I did it on my own, and no matter what else happens that day, no one can take that away from me.
A two hour martial arts class twice a week, a 90-minute yoga session twice a week, and an hour of bellydance once a week. I usually take a couple of 30-60 minute walks per week, also, with a friend. I do all this because I don’t want to sit at home alone all evening, because I need to lose weight, because I like food, because the activities are fun, and because I like people.
Usually 3-4 times a week. At least one long walk (long = an hour or so), and weights three times a week. I lift for probably 60-75 minutes at a time. I always finish my weight sessions with 20-25 minutes on the StairMaster.
My wife and I are taking dance lessons, which is a better work out than I imagined it would be.
I’m male, 52. I find I can usually find time for my hobbies.
Six days a week, sometimes seven, if it’s a nice day and we decide to go hiking somewhere.
On Sunday, I walk for about an hour. During the week I alternate the elliptical cross-trainer for 40 minutes with Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home workouts, which run anywhere from 35 to 55 minutes (today I did the 55-minute one, which includes some resistance work with bands). I threw Leslie in to shake things up some; before I was doing just the elliptical and walking.
I work out 6 days a week. I run sprints either outside or on the treadmill 2x/week, once for 30 secs on 90 secs off, and then again at 1 min on 2 mins off. I play basketball for 2 hours towards the end of the week. I lift weights 3x/wk (but only really heavy once a week (like 6-8 reps), with a Saturday class focused on low weights high repetition for an hour. Immediately after that class, I go to spin for an hour, and sometimes I’ll play a little pick up for 30 mins or so (more like once a month). In the mornings, 2x/wk I train at a boxing gym b/c despite all this activity, I’m still at like 15% body fat. The boxing is starting to really pay off (I’m finally starting to see some definition), but it’s hard finding quality sparring opponents at 6 am).
I still enjoy exercising, but not as much as I used to. Other than that, I exercise for my health (otherwise I’d have dangerously high cholesterol) and, like you, because I need to energy to chase my toddler.
Mainly walking. Four to five nights a week I do a brisk walk aroud my local area from about 9.00 until about 10.00-10.30. I have two routes, depending on how much time I have. The longer is about 8km and the shorter is about 6km. I enjoy walking at night. I find it relaxing, particularly if I’ve had a busy day.