What are your fitness goals and how have they changed?

In My Humble Opinion
21

I’ll be 62 this August and my latest fitness goals are along the lines of “do no further harm, correct what you can and improve flexibility”. To this goal, I have cut drinking down to a bare minimum (only on truely special occsions, not becasue its the weekend and I’m bored) and no more smoking and eating junk snacks when I do drink (only time I do). I am also following an intense water aerobics routine 4 times a week (90 minute sessions) that has greatly improved my flexibility and stamina, while also significantly lowering my blood sugar levels and reduced my insulin needs. I plan to start light weight training soon.

I described this to my doctor as physical therapy before I actually need physical therapy and he likes the plan.

22

I actually do get pretty good sleep. If I don’t, I get very dysregulated and it opens the door for mental health problems. Going to bed a half hour earlier to get up a half hour earlier wouldn’t kill me. But your advice to start with every other day is well-taken. I have a tendency to do too much too soon.

Sometimes I think my ridiculously comfortable bed is an obstacle to progress, though. I never want to get out of it first thing in the morning.

23

The funny thing being that those trainers who want the goal expressed probably have the hardest time with an answer like that, especially one that is focused just on a long healthspan.

So what’s your prime goal nowadays and has it changed over time?

All illustrating the difficulties we can have with not really valuing recovery!

FWIW @InternetLegend, for gamification you might be one who would do well with a good heart monitor with the app that monitors zones. Hitting the goal of most time in green and every other day, by whatever means, sprints, HIIT, whatever, small fraction in orange and red, the “polarized zone training” approach:

Aiming for the fractions right may hit the game aspect?

24

My fantasy would be being Bumi from Avatar (the cartoon) …
Bumi | Avatar Wiki | Fandom.

25

Lack of specificity is one important reason people do not exercise or complete other goals. But I have many goals with regard to exercise, and would not prioritize one over another since I believe they are all achievable. They have changed over time, when I started exercising I did not know how many things it could improve.

26

I think I could use having that response fleshed out some.

First the bit about lack of specificity. In this thread and with many people I know I see more issue with too much specificity getting in the way of sticking with exercise longer term and getting the best results from it, than lack of it. Strength to the exclusion of endurance, or the opposite, so much of one activity that harms result from overuse and/or overtraining, so on.

That said I do admit that I have made my goal very specific to motivate me (that dancing and doing the chair thing at a future wedding that I have no idea when or even if will occur, but knowing that hitting that requires investing now to have both strength and CRF needed for that when, if it does happen, I am likely 70 to 80). And that I have also over the years created a series of specific goals to meet or fail at after a while and then to move on to another (marathon, tris, better time in a tri, half Ironman, nope full not in my future, improving my strength metrics, trying and failing for a muscle up and planche and now trying for the single arm push up and pistol squat …) OTOH I’ve never been rigid to any of them; always did some of multiple things even marathon year. Only non-negotiable is that I am having fun. And that it helps with my stress relief needs.

And your goals? That’s a bit of a coy answer. Sure “many” but some (cough strength cough) are more important than others, aren’t they?

And how have they changed over time?

27

Strength is not more important than longevity or cardiovascular fitness. I enjoy lifting heavy weights, but am realistic about my limitations and would not sacrifice health to do this. As a concession to age and to avoid problems, I generally do multiple reps at 60-90% of my ability and do not test my limits all that often, happy as long as making some form of progress. I also sprint, do plyometric work, incorporate many CrossFit things and machines, enjoy playing sports and do considerable amounts of aerobic and lighter exercise, which I sometimes enjoy less but think important. I am happy with my physique as it currently is. Compared to the past, I know much more about lifting and longevity, eat better, do more variations and take more rest time between strenuous sessions. I have researched nutrition in some detail, and attach more importance to quality sleep than previously.

28

Fair answer!

And re the specificity thought? What is your experience that has you come to that conclusion?

29

I have heard many fitness trainers interview clients, who mostly say very similar things. Having more specific goals is supposed to lead to higher success rates (meaning I have often heard this claimed without much evidence), though that probably depends on whether they are SMART to begin with. Frankly, what matters most is often consistency, even when many things could be improved.

30

Of course the issue is defining what “success” is.

The, to me and you, most meaningful “success” is living a long time fully functional, able to do things that matter to us now and then and all points in between. Hard to have a success rate measured for that by a trainer working with someone for several months. I have to wait who knows how long to never to report back on my success for that chair carry at the wedding, and of course that is a proxy for my more nebulous goal.

Only specific short term goals can be measured, and only that which can be measured can report success. Ergo specific short term goals are required for success! Seriously I could have a reported success or failure for completing the half Ironman with a smile on my face (the goal that year after “do not die”), for the muscle up, so on. But the real, nebulous goal? I’ve not yet succeeded or failed. I’ve just not failed … so far.

ETA failed at both those goals. Finished the half but it was 103 degrees that day and I did not smile at the end. Never got the muscle up. But the REAL goal was I think served well.

31

A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a Heaven for?

32

So I’ll jump in here. TL/DR: I’m trying to get in the best shape of my life.

At 45 years old, I feel like my window of opportunity is closing, but my stupid little silly dream is to be in good enough shape to be featured in Men’s Health magazine.

I’m only about 5 weeks in, and I’d probably need a year of consistency, but I’m trying to put together all the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gleaned in my 25 years of being in and out of gyms to get in top physical shape.

I’m a bodybuilder; not in the sense of putting on a Speedo and standing on a stage, but in the sense of training for aesthetics, as opposed to strength (like a weightlifter or a powerlifter would). You can call it vain, but I think the fully developed male form is quite pleasing to look at (fwiw, I’m a heterosexual male, and the appeal is not sexual to me), and it’s incredibly cool to sculpt your own body (seeing muscles emerge is so uplifting).

I would also join the poster upthread who noted that it’s appealing how people react to you when you get in great shape. Not just people of the opposite gender, either (although women touch you more when you’re buff - just casually going about the day): lots of men will be deferential, too.

And I enjoy the process. I like going to the gym and listening to my favorite music on my earbuds, blocking out the world. I like chewing gum, which I do when I work out. Forgive me, but I like seeing scantily clad women who are in great shape. I like getting so sweaty the perspiration drips off my face. I like grunting for 40 minutes, after trying to be a wordsmith the rest of my waking hours. I love getting muscles pumped up; my skin gets taut and flushed and there’s this rush of energy and good feelings. And I relish sitting and relaxing- as I’m doing now - after a nice shower following an exhaustive workout (today was legs and abs!)

And, since nutrition is so key to any success, I’m also keyed in on an excellent diet. It’s high protein and high fiber, and I stay well hydrated, along with eating lots of fruits and vegetables. Although I pretty much eat the same thing every day, I eat a variety of foods throughout the day, so I don’t get bored. And I understand enough about nutrition to have “cheat” foods that aren’t actually unhealthy.

Which leads me to another reason- new for me - that I’m exercising and eating right these days. I’m sure that I have the early stages of heart disease- although I’ve been a gym rat for decades, I’ve struggled with consistency, and my “off” times (which have sometimes stretched for years at a time) has been way off: lots of junk food, chronically high cholesterol, occasional hard drug use, and way too much smoking of god knows what.

I believe, however, that it is possible to reverse heart disease if you are highly aggressive and go all in on a healthy lifestyle.

So that’s another fitness goal: not to drop dead in my early 50s. I want to make it to the 100th anniversary of Woodstock (2069; I’ll be 91).

33

I had to look up the source of that quote. What a wonderful poem! Never was a Browning fan but that is so bittersweet.

More the classic Arnold style than the newer “fitness model” sort I assume?

What is your frequency and routine?

FWIW the “intensive lifestyle …” article you cited specifies moderate aerobic exercise as the exercise intervention (along with a vegetarian diet, stress management training, and group psychosocial support). It is not clear that very large doses of strength training will do the same thing, in fact there are good reasons to think not. In point of fact bodybuilders tend towards dying younger than average. Of course the frequent use of performance enhancing drugs in the population may have something to do with that.

And Jack Lalanne is a wonderful counterpoint proving that it is possible to be both an impressively built bodybuilder and highly aerobically fit. He lived to 96, working out to the end, and if he had been willing to see a doctor may have had a few more vibrant years left.

34

Well, I’m no behemoth (I run about 6 feet, 195 pounds), and I’m not looking (nor capable) of getting ‘freaky’, but I do think the 1970’s era bodybuilders had the most classic, and appealing, physique.

I’m getting ready to change it up, but right now my training split is:

Monday - off
Tuesday - Back and biceps
Wednesday - Chest, shoulders, and triceps
Thursday - Legs and Abs
Friday - off
Saturday - Back, Chest, Triceps, and Biceps
Sunday - Legs and Abs

Yeah, I get that, and I do need to add a cardio component next.

But, as long as I can do things like squats, I feel like my lungs and heart are going to have to be strong enough to keep me going. When I began this regimen, I wouldn’t be able to stand up after my workout (after one of the first ones, I threw up, which has never happened betore). My endurance is already noticeably improving.

I think the performance enhancing drugs absolutely contribute to the shorter lifespans. At its most extreme level, bodybuilding is a risky proposition where people turn themselves into science experiments. I’m not ever going to seek out insulin or human growth hormones (even as I think testosterone replacement therapy has its place).

And competitions aren’t healthy either. Getting your body that dehydrated isn’t good. That’s part of the reason that I have no interest in competing.

Lalane is a great role model, especially since he maintained his development for so long. I realize that at some point I’ll need to consider my workouts more in terms of health than looks, but Lalane leads me to believe that I can do both for many more years.

35

Glad to read this. My weekly goal is two one-hour visits to the gym and one long walk.

I’ve met this goal at least 80% of the time since the beginning of December. I plan to keep this, probably for the rest of my life. I have so much more energy than before, which is great.

My grandmother was in poor shape even in her 40s. She was obese the last 30 years of her life. She had both knees replaced and needed a walker starting in her 60s, and quickly became dependent on a wheelchair. She lived until her early 80s, but didn’t get around much the last 15 years.

My mother (her daughter), also overweight, started going to the gym in her 60s. Got one knee replaced last year, and is moving pretty good. Still overweight, but much more active than other people her age.

I want to do better than my mother. I am establishing the movement habit, because I want to be able to keep moving.

I have to work on my eating habits. I am an emotional eater, just like my maternal line. I met with a health coach (Dec-Feb) who gave me some coping techniques. Progress is slow, but it’s there. I’m very much in the “slow and steady will win the race” mindset.

36

Studies show sedentary men in their seventies, doing strength training twice a week, on average could increase their strength by over fifty percent, putting on significant muscle, which would help keep them mobile and independent. Seeing their progress many of them found they came to enjoy The list of the benefits of exercise is long.

37

I don’t have any fitness goals any more.

I used to live by them, though, for a good 10 years. Mostly trail running goals, but also overall fitness, cycling, I was training for a Spartan race until I hurt myself (again.)

The last actual fitness goal I had was training for a trip to Colorado. Wanted to do the Manitou Incline and at least one epic hike. Worked up to more than 100 floors on the stair climber (not the Stairmaster, the real one) and could go nonstop for an hour at a decent pace. That waaaassss…4-5 years ago?

Not sure exactly what happened…surely COVID for one.

Anyway, I left my office job and started working construction again, so for the last 3 years work has been my workout. I don’t get much cardio, but I’m strong and can lift heavy things. I doubt I ever “work out” again and if I do it’ll be after I need to to compensate for losing muscle as I age. That’s several years off, though.

38

Getting out of bed in the morning seems like victory.

39

The secret to happiness:

  1. Low expectations
  2. Your own bag of chips.