How Many of You Over Forty Stay in Shape??

[Gary H]

So you carry whatever and practice regularly, but what protects you from being taken out by your extra fifty pounds?

I've seen you guys at the range. I'm talking about you, the over forty in plaid shirts, unable to see your feet. Your chances of being taken out by coronary disease, or diabetes far outstrips some bad guy's actions in a dark alley. How many of you have gym memberships that have gone unused? I bet far more than have satellite TV contracts that go unused.

I'm pushing 51 and my grandmother was dead of a massive heart attack at 50. My parents both have heart problems. I was forty pounds overweight, so took out a three year prepaid membership at the gym. I went twice. That is in contrast to before my automobile accident in 89. I used to go twice a day and rode my bike six-hundred miles a month. Ya, the muscle turned to fat. Damn that woman in the other car who went through a red light at 45 mph while putting on her makeup.

Now, I watch my diet every day. Nothing drastic, just eat light with lunch the largest meal. I removed the furniture from my livingroom and installed a rubber floor, free weights, weight machine, bench, heavy punching bag, elliptical trainer, treadmill, bike and rower. I put my TV/satellite Tivo in the room with surround sound and voila, I now workout regularly. My gym cost a fraction of what I've put into my guns. In fact, I probably have more invested in just my reloading equipment, but in terms of protecting myself and my family, it has been the best investment that I could have made. Oh ya, now I'm 6'3", 196 pounds and have a great deal more energy.

So, can you see your feet? If not, be warned that while your shotgun is pointed at the front door, the bad guy is coming in the window behind you.

What do you old guys do to stay in shape?

 

[hd1.]

Age 52. During the summer months, I swim laps daily. In cooler weather, I walk several miles along the river, twice a week (armed). All year long, I'm trying to keep up with three grandsons. (Best I can do is to keep them within sight and voice range...)

 

[BamBam]

Gary,

I turned 40 last week. Some relatives sent me pictures of me from my younger days. Boy, did that give me a wake-up call: I am fat.

Right now my pistol is my ONLY viable means of defense. Fighting back or even running away aint going to cut it.

I'm not a guy that you'd think of as being a "fatty" if you saw me walking down the street. But my extra weight combined with lack of exersise has turned me into a slug.

 

[foghornl]

Well, I'm 50+, and carrying a few more pounds than I should (about 25). I have the treadmill, stationary bike & workout-wieght bench kind of thing, although not used nearly enough.

A second factor just came into play recently, too...Adult onset diabetes, AKA Type II.

So, i'll be hitting all that stuff harder this winter. And if CCW fianlly passes here in Ohio, I don't wanna have to buy a new wardrobe for IWB handgun carry....

 

[Big_R]

Gary brings up an extremely valuable point which has been discussed here before. I'm 32, but had some difficulty breathing last winter. So, I quit smoking and started exercising. Big difference. Being prepared is much more than having a CCW. It means being capable under every circuimstance, including running away. If nothing else, you'll be more confident.

Height: 6'8"
January 2003: Weight: 275 Body Fat % 26
November 03: Weight 280 Body Fat % 18

Quite a ways to go.

Ryan

 

[GM7RQK]

I'm in shape, rounds a shape.

Seriously I am starting to feel a bit sluggish these days and the things I took for granted now get me winded, I blame these computer things, spend far too much time in front of them.

Now where's that beer .....

 

[ACP]

I'll be 42 in April. I'm 5'9.5", about 178 lbs. I lift weights on Mondays and Thursdays, run 2.5-3 miles on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (wearing a Camelback backpack with a medical kit, some small gauge rope, and a small amount of water in the bladder -- probably less than 5 lbs. total). I do 50 sit-ups each of those five days. All at 5 a.m., which is all my schedule allows. I have a treadmill, an Olympic bench and weights, a professional sit-up board, and an 80 lb. Everlast heavy bag in the basement.

I still need to improve my diet, esp. around Halloween and the fall holidays.

I also need to STRETCH more, which is my weakpoint. If I had to add something besides stretching, it would be more contact-distance drills with a handgun or a knife, and hand-to-hand grappling. My wife and baby daughter aren't up for that, though!

MAKE THE TIME and stick to it. If all else fails, get a jump rope, skip for 10-15 minutes, followed by 2-3 rotating sets of push ups, dips, and sit-ups.

 

[El Tejon]

Flowing waters never turn putrid.

 

[durango]

Excellent post Gary. Gun owners seem to be very in tune to survival preparedness, yet it's all to easy to ignore some of the biggest threats to your life and health. I'm over 40, but being in the military I find it easier to stay in shape because it's part of the lifestyle (for most anyways). I must say I was absolutely astounded a few years back, after returning from a 3 year tour in Okinawa, to look around at my fellow Americans once again and see how epidemic the obesity problem is here at home. Processed foods, sedentary lifestyle, and the "super-size it" mentality are conspiring against us. Some may be offended by your post, Gary, but you are providing a public service in my opinion.

 

[444]

I try to keep myself in some kind of shape. However I am overweight. I have a gym membership, but I dont' use it nearly as much as I need to (every day). I do a serious hard weight work out about 14 days a month. I pretty much follow the weight work out routine outlined in the book: Body for Life. I am lucky that I get to work out while at work. I work 10 days a month and every day at 1500 hrs my partner and I have an appointment with the weight pile. We are supposed to be doing our cardio on our days off at the gym, but my partner doesn't do it at all, and I might make it once or twice a week. We have been talking about doing the whole 12 week Body for Life program. We decided to first get into the habit of doing the workouts and then we would start on the diet. It is about time for us to get on the diet and get serious about the cardio.

Wake up call:
I work as a firefighter and like everyone else, I was able to eat badly and not exercise until I hit the age of about 35. One day we get a high rise fire. It is on the 13th floor, I believe. Our department SOPs don't allow us to use elevators due to the risk of the elevator opening right in the middle of the fire or the elevator getting stuck. So, up the stairs we go. I have on my turn-out gear and airpack (approx. 50 pounds). I have a chain saw strapped across my back, a spare air bottle in my left hand and am carrying a PPV (a big fan run by a gasoline engine) in my right hand-shared with another guy. I was out of gas half way up and upon reaching the fire floor I had to stand there for a few minutes to get my breath before I could do anything. I spent the next three years on the treadmill, about 15 days a month increasing the intensity of the work out with each session. Then, due to a change in work assignment I let myself go for about two years (didn't have time to work out-for real, not an excuse). I put on a lot of weight and my fitness level plumeted. I am now back on the road to recovery; in fact I am getting ready to go to the gym right now and do cardio. I did weights yesterday-I had the VCR tape the football game so I wouldn't have an excuse not to work out. My team lost so I didnt' even watch the tape.

 

[Nando Aqui]

I'm one month shy of 58. Work out with weights (at home - mostly free weights, 45-minute routine) three days a week, and walk/run the days in between. The seventh day is a free day, and I may do one, or the other, or neither.

By the way, I think the weights really help for free-hand rifle and pistol shooting. << Which makes this reply firearms-related. >>

Have been doing this for over 40 years. (Used to do olympic lifting in college, but I never won any contests.) My wife (about two years older than I am, and we have been married for almost 40 years) follows close to the same routine. We also used to play tennis competitively (won many club and city-level tournaments) but my knees gave out about 10 years ago, so we now play sporadically.

I'm just shy of 6' and weigh 175 lb. I my 34" pants waist is the same as when I was in high school. << BUT >> when I was in my mid 20's, I 'grew' to 230 lb and 38" waist. So I studied diets, etc. and managed to get down to where I am now in about a five-year span. I haven't had much weight variation (low of 170 to a high of 180) over the past 30 years.

I watch what I eat, but I still eat pizza (any kind, as much as I like) once a week, and have a piece of chocolate cake every day. After all, there is more to life than just sex and firearms, right?

What don't I eat or eat very little of? Butter, margarine, fried foods, eggs yolks, potatoes, bread, pasta, fatty meats...

What do I eat most? Turkey, chicken, lean red meat and pork, lots of vegetables and some fruit.

What do I drink? Each day: 1/2 to 3/4 gallons of water, 8-oz orange juice for breakfast, 12-oz to 24-oz diet coke. (Fortunately, I don't care for alcoholic beverages, but I'll have a drink or two at a party, but that's it. And much as I have tried to develop a taste for it, I just can't stand the taste of beer!)

During the holidays, we just add a mile or two to our walking/running routine, and that takes care of the extra goodies.

Alex

 

[treeprof]

Turned 40 this past summer. Altered my eating habits and upped my aerobic workouts a few yrs ago to shed abt 40 lbs. I'm 200 lbs now @ 6"3". At the gym 3 days/wk for wts and aerobic activity, and the wife and I try to do strenous hiking on the weekends. Adult-onset asthma makes me stay aerobically fit if I wanna breathe well during the bad summer months down here, and I find I'm in better shape than 90% of my undergrad students when we're hiking in the mtns on field trips, etc. On my last lung function test I was at 115% of normal, which is pretty good for a guy with asthma. Weaknesses are in flexibility and training in unarmed combatives.

 

[Captain Scarlet]

Im 40 and exersize regularly, I run about 40 miles a week, do 250 situps
non stop and 300-400 push ups in sets of 100 and eat a healthy asian
diet. Im very health concious, I dont drink any kind of sodas and avoid fast
food restaurants. I try to eat a good serving of vegetables everyday.

 

[Sunray]

Eat right. Exercise regularly. Not too much booze, coffee, etc. Die anyway.
My brother who plays hockey regularly(doesn't shoot at all) and doesn't drink or smoke much, has a calcium build up at one of the artery/vein junctions in his heart. And there's nothing that can be done. Mind you, he doesn't eat onions, garlic or any of the other foods that keep this from happening either. He owes me a pile of money too.

 

[444]

It isn't about dying, at least for me. It is about being active and healthy so you can do the things you want to do while you are alive.
Ever tried going on an elk hunt while you are fat and out of shape ?
I haven't, but I know I couldn't do it. I have been on two elk hunts and was in good shape and it taxed me; no way I could have done it in my present condition. Being fat and out of shape limits your enjoyment of life. I'm out on that.

 

[Silver Bullet]

I lift weights three days a week. Recently I bought Atkins diet book http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/102-1259303-3876939?v=glance&s=books and it is an eye-opener. Three people I know lost 25 pounds in just a few months "doing Atkins". I've lost ten pounds in a month and I'm not officially on the diet yet (still reading the book). The key to this is counting carbohydrates instead of calories. You can have all the calories you want, as long as you keep the carbs down. All I've done is cut way down on sugar and white flour and potatoes and most grains, which translates into sodas, candy, breads, cereal, pastries, and potatoes. Ten pounds ! You don't go hungry on this diet.

This diet is also great for hypoglycemic folks because of the way it controls blood sugar.

 

[BamBam-31]

I'm 31, but I feel 45. I play on four hockey teams, sometimes sub in for a couple more. I'm not as quick as I used to be, nor do I bounce back from dings and dents as well. But it does keep me in some kind of shape. And I can flip a switch and go from lethargy to battle alert when I need to.

Wouldn't hurt if I lost 5-10 lbs., I'd prolly gain a little quickness to boot. But I'm defense, so the extra weight keeps me from getting pushed around more than I already am.

Find a fun, athletic hobby. Beats solo workouts anyday. Just like shooting with a buddy is more fun than shooting by yourself.

 

[Smoke]

I'm only 38. But let me chime in.

6'5", 205lbs. (currently)
Family history of heart disease



Used to do lots of manual labor for a living, then got a desk job. Weight jumped 30 lbs in 3 years. Lost all muscle tone. I didn't get fat by lots of peoples standards but was out of shape.

Now, I lift weights 3 days per week. Run or Bicycle 2 days. Weekends are off days, but usually spent doing labor around the house or at the ranch.

Spend a little time on the heavy bag practicing defensive moves and punches.

Don't do diets. If I exercise, I can eat anything I want and keep the weight off and the cholesterol down. (as long as I take the drugs too...)

Hope to make it longer than my dad did. (55)

Smoke

(and no, I don't smoke...never have)

 

[444]

Silver Bullet, I have done that Atkins diet. In fact I did it after that incident I related in my first post.
Works like a charm. You feel better, have more energy, and sleep is terrific. You feel better about yourself to boot.
I was eating meat until it came out my ears. I was eating about three pounds of bacon a week easily. Yet, my colesterol fell by 20 points.
There is a lot of commonly accepted wisdom that we all believed for generations. Only recently are we finding out that we didn't know nearly as much as we thought we did about anything including diet and exercise.

 

[2dogs]

50.

Gym (oh, "fitness club") 3 times a week for cardio and weights. Mostly due to vanity and I'm not (quite) ready to die yet, and my Dr. thinks this is better than smoking and drinking which, up until a few years ago, I much preferred.


6' about 150lbs. No gut. Makes concealed carry more difficult.

Also some biking- I used to ride centuries but now mostly just for pleasure around town.

Diet- no fried (miss it), try to stay away from saturated fats.

Every Friday though I eat an 18" pizza (no toppings, light on the cheese)- I won't give it up.

 

[BenW]

I'll be 44 next month. I'm lucky in that my work lets employees who have field assignments take 3 hours a week for PT as an injury prevention and safety program. So I do a MWF thing. I generally circuit train -- 15min on the oscillator or bike, 20 min lifting/nautilus, 15 min on the rowing machine.I don't give myself a rest break of more than 1 minute between any exercise to keep my heart rate up. When I'm home on weekends I spend two hours at the gym on one day or the other, same routine just more of it. I don't really diet. I try to eat a balanced diet, but the above regime lets me get a donut or two and a cheeseburger or two in every week with no weight gain.

 

[pistolwhipped]

I ride at least a hundred miles a week on the bicycle.
I've heard of marathoners dropping dead of heart attack.(not while running)
When it's time to go.....

 

[feedthehogs]

Its a state of mind.

It doesn't matter if your 10 or 100 lbs over weight, out of shape and sluggish.

If you don't have the mental attitude to correct the problem, then it won't get done.

From the minute your born, your dying. Do the best to make it happen as far down the road as possible.

Besides do you really want your old lady hooking up with a young stud and using one of your most precious firearms as a tire stop while he rebuilds his transmission in your driveway after you kick off?

Its all between the ears.

 

[mountainclmbr]

I am 44 and my father died at age 59 from a heart attack. I try not only to work out, but also to live life to the fullest. I climb mountains and cut firewood (6 chords per year) during the summer and I snowshoe, telemark ski and ice climb during the winter. I have been on adventures in more countries than I can recall. I have stood on the rim of more than one erupting volcano, I have seen the evil of communism in Tibet, I was in Indonesia when the president was overthrown, I have been trecking with horses, mules, elephants and camels, I have been humbled by seeing the variety of cultures on this small planet. I have lived such a full life and I protect that unknown amount I have left, whenever possible, with a concealed weapon.

 

[SnWnMe]

I'm getting there at 37. I'm 5'10" 175#. I eat everything in moderation. No drink no smoke (ask me if I'm happy). I exercise 5 times a week. The military is good for letting you get your workout time. I will definitely miss 2 hour lunch breaks when I retire.