How Many of You Over Forty Stay in Shape??

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I'm 46 and carrying about 30 extra pounds. I'm an airline pilot, which means I have a very sedentary work-life, with a steady diet of airport food and unpredictable exercise opportunities. Of course, these are rationilzations...I could focus on fitness more than I do. But its never been in my nature.

I've tried Atkins and dropped 15 pounds in a flash. Last year I lost 25 through steady exercise and sensible diet. I've put back 15, which I consider to be my small victory, in that I haven't yo-yo'd all of it and more back on. Blood pressure and cholesterol have always been low, but my concern now is that I'll drift toward diabetes. I've decided that sweets, breads, and pasta are my heroin. Now each day I have to find a way to keep that monkey off my back.

I have a serious family history with prostate cancer...Dad and each of his three brothers. Dad's treatment has gone relatively easily, which he credits to two things: 1) Early diagnosis and 2) He's always been fit. Today, even during his treatments, he's on at least two senior softball teams. As you might be able to tell--he's my hero.

During those moments in my life when I've been fit and trim, I've found that everything is better. Sleep, Sex, Mental Activities, You Name It. And as someone already mentioned...its much easier to conceal that gun without the gut.

OK--New Project: Find a way to get this internet thingi hooked up to the threadmill, and I can incorporate my THR habit into something productive.:D
 
I've got one of those metabolisms which won't gain weight. I was always of the opinion an extra 50 would come in handy if say for instance you had to jump on someone's head. It would certainly come in handy to minimize bullet penetration if you ever get shot. And what if a famine strikes? You'd outlast everyone else by a couple months. :D

This is just one of those glass half full or half empty questions.

I get plenty of excercise through normal everyday acitivities. I see no benefit to wearing parts out prematurely.
 
Stareing 57 in the eyes, and look like the "Pillsbury Dough-Boy".:D
Besides normal, daily activities I don't get much else done.
And too top it off, I've lost a great deal of my hair!:(

I really need to start an excercise program; gradually
increasing the incredement's.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
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Gary H,

I assume you mean there will be a new THR member in the near future? If so make sure you direct the youngun into character building activities like shooting, raising animals, etc. Steer away from activities that instill violent tendencies like soccer, etc.

Okay, so maybe grist for a new thread (haven't checked the archives to see if it's already been done) about shooting during pregnancy. Stick to marksmanship or okay to IPSC/ICORE? Hearing protection?

Guy
 
Climbing is a pretty radical crash diet. Backpacking will do the same but more gently. And it doesn't even feel like it's exercise, just an extended commune with nature.
 
Age 60, 6'1", 235 lb. Bowflex: great machine as it is not boring exercise due to wide variety of exercises for all parts of the body. You have the option of using heavy weights or lighter weights. I use the lighter weight bows as I am after flexibility and muscle tone at my age, not bulk. I work out for about 40 minutes, every other day (skip one once in awhile) and then finish up with 15 minutes on an air glide thingy (the one seen on infomercial tv with the muscular pony tail guy who must gobble uppers as he is way to perky). No impact with this strider machine, but you get a good cardio and upper and lower body work out. Nice sweaty finish to the bow flex.

grampster
 
48, 6'2", 190lbs. Since I hit 40 I've been watching my diet, stretching every morning, warmup exercises and a strength workout. Power walks on weekends w/handweights & a daypack loaded w/books. I can sure tell the difference if I stop exercising for a few days!
Tomac
 
At 41, after a hip/back injury and a trip to the doctor's, I realized that I was around 25 pounds heavier than I wanted to be. Sure creeps up on you! :scrutiny: So I gave up a few "vice" foods and went into moderation mode on the rest of the food. Then got back on the bike and started running again too. Slowly, I dropped over 20 pounds but I feel so much better and my general overall health has been great too. Even dropped the BP a fair number of points.
 
Well, I am 59. In fairly good shape I workout at a health club 3 days a week
and I have an airdyne at home that both my wife and I use.

We have a fruit shake every morning with bannana's strawberry's, whey, heat germ, ucooked oatmeal and skim milk.

Just came back from a vacation on St Simon's Island in GA. where we worked out for an hour and then walked the beach for an hour before breakfast and an hour after dinner.

Hopefully I am in pretty good shape..
:D
 
Soon to be 54 and have no set workouts. I have run a contracting business for 27 years.6"-4" 210 and wear a 34" waist Wrangler since I hit about 50. Before that 33" since High School. After hunting season I'm usually a 33" again for a couple months. I used to run 15+ miles a week but haven't for years. I just returned from hunting and am still pleased with my ability to get around at 10,000-12,000 ft. It takes a little longer to steady the shot after a tough climb,but thats age and I'm glad to be around to feel the aches,and pains...Smoke Rizen
 
I have run a contracting business for 27 years.6"-4" 210 and wear a 34" waist Wrangler since I hit about 50. Before that 33" since High School.
Click to expand...
The Atkins Diet may be of interest to you, my porky friend. Ballooning up to a 34' waistline just because you turn fifty? C'mon man, how about a little self control?!! :neener: geegee
 
WHat is the point or preparedness if you are a fat blob? It really limits your options in any scenario unless you happen to land your bulk on the target. Push away from the table, stop eating fast food, walk/run every chance you get. Do isometrics (push-ups/situps/fluuter-kicks, etc.) You do not need a gym membership, but it may help to motivate. If you are a fat blob, then start slow. Go for walks and use the low-impact equipment (treadmill, elliptical) until you get near your running weight. I know that it sounds cliche, but you will have more energy and more drive. Don't fall asleep on the couch after work, get moving!
 
A small addition, to what I posted earlier.

Whilst I do not ''work out'' in accepted sense ... I do find that keeping sufficiently ''trim'' does make for an ability to react and move .. fast!! Body mass for me is about right for height ... and tho my stamina is sorely lacking really .... the ability to move fast in the short term is I think invaluable. Whether to better and faster ''hit the dirt'' .... or to leg it away from trouble .... or simply to react fast with a draw and shoot.

Too much weight at my age would I am sure slow me .. and that ain't good.
 
48, 6' , 170#.
I'm the one whom inherited being lanky , low B/P, low resting pulse rate..., heal quick,, cholesterol, umm I make the cholesterol poster child look bad. Just now beginning to get a bit of gray- in my moustache. I got the good genes, people hate me.
 
Gary:

good post. So many just ignore the basics. Eat right. Sleep. Drink water. Exercise. I am going back to gym myself to drop that body fat that kills me on things like aikido tests & running more than a mile. My challenge came about two years ago when someone said they doubted I'd be able to make a forced march w/ 60 lbs gear. and guess what? I could'nt. I did start sneaking out on hikes w/ the BOB. and gradually building up endurance.
I may make a challenge myself next summer...
 
re1973,

I have the same "problem". At least they rationalize and blame it on the genes while they grumble.

Until my early 40s I maintained at 149, could eat anyone under the table and go back for a couple of French or German pastries. Used to tease my sister that I could calibrate her scale. Blood pressure is slightly above that of a cadaver.

Not far from that now, though would like to go back two belt holes.

It ticks my wife off that I can go from the normally sedentary to active with no aches or pains and bend, twist and flex like that Yogi character on TV. (A couple of months heavy labor in doing our landscaping did result in enough aches to let me know I'm alive, though.) Avid bicyclists in their 30s have been annoyed that I can get on the bike after weeks or months of inactivity and keep up.

What really ticks them off is that I am not athletic or competitive in attitude or physical state and absolutely refuse to maintain an exercise regime while they are constantly doing the exercise blitz.

The downside is lack of burst speed that would be useful in IPSC/ICORE matches. Just endurance for the long haul. Might be challenging to face off against a speed freak in a self defense situation. Deliberate vs manic rate of motion.

Maybe the A type personality attitude does it to them. If they could relax they would be less rigid and their muscles would be dedicated to efficiently doing something other than maintaining tension and pumping up their BP. Then there is the compulsive eating for comfort and probably easily distractable due to being too tense to concentrate and maintain attention.

Maybe it's not the genes, just the world view.

Hmmmm..... Might be material for a book in that line of thought.
 
Guy,
I use "some" common sense.
Ididn't care for sweets as a kid, except for mom's homemade fried pies...I will still fight someone over these. Didn't have money for sweets as a kid, when I did have money I bought 22 shells, sometimes I'd get a pickel from the barrel, or fruit.
I don't eat that much fried food,instead I DO eat baked, broiled, on the grill. My doc says a big thing is I eat when hungry-NOT when the clock says it's time to eat. I have breakfast, but if I get busy/focused on something I forget to eat. My schedule is weird, so breakfast might be 2 am, at 7 am I may have lunch. Today I forgot to eat until 9pm. I drink lots of water. But I drink tea/coffee. I get in the mood for a coke, and I do. Surgar, rarely ( probably the only southern boy whom drinks tea unsweetned). I bought a 3# bag of surgar 3-4 yrs ago. Neighbors bummed most , I have a mason jar with some....good thing because I made a cheesecake the other day. I wanted it, I made it, it lasted 1.5 days. I don't feel bad about it.

Always been fairly quick, my best deal is stamina. I'm like the old bulls whom walk down... I did the cross country and distance races in track.

Now I felt it the other day ( I really wasn't supposed to be out) and I had serious fun, I still feel it some. The reality is from having taken Anat and Phys I know my body can't do what it did 20 yrs ago. My weak link is my sinus allergies, always has been, just worse as aged. But again I won't take meds . I'm allergic to aspirin ( anaphlatic shock is fun). So my sinuses flare up , I can only take tylenol for headaches. My metabolism is weird. Surgery I'm hard to get under, and I wake up before I'm supposed to. Pain meds...only time I took them with surgeries is when the DR hit the pain pump and readme the riot act.

I'm lucky, grateful, use common sense and when I get over ths dealie, I'll tone up again.
 
I run 5 miles a day. I lift weights at lunch. In the evenings, twice a week, I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. 100 situps every day. My basic eating plan is an Atkins approach. I am 41, 165lbs, 5'9".

I have never been in better shape in my life.

The secret is to find a way to enjoy exercising. Don't go so hard that you hate it. Do it every single day.
 
I'm also getting there at 36. I spent many years in the Army (ets in 2000) and I haven't lost the work out habit. But I have had to modify my routine thanks to a bad back - which the Army helped to aggravate. Anyway I watch my weight and work out three to four times a week. Depending on my mood I'll do 20 - 30 minutes cardio and then 20 - 30 minutes resistance training.

I'm a cop which helps to keep me motivated and my department has a gym.

I don't smoke and I buy a six pack of beer about every two months (usually a high carb German brand). I'll drink one beer a night and when they are gone I'll go for another couple of months. I do like ice cream and chocolate - it's a neverending vigil.

I'm 5'7" and weigh 190. My last body fat test (electric impedence) showed me at 15%. I'm not Olympic quality, but I'm not too bad either.
 
I turn 57 today. Saw the Doc yesterday, (I see him every three months to prove I have a heart. Many say I don't, or if I do it is small & hard). BP under control to normal limits, cholesteral is a bit too low (WOW), I have been at the same weight & belt size for about 30 years.

Things got just a bit slow 3 years ago, but now that we are out on the ranch, I split wood by hand, ride horses, shoot on my private range. We also run IPSC matches twice a month. No organized workouts, just a list of 'honeydoos' that goes on and on. Cut out chocolate, skip the real fatty foods, & stay active. After I retired as an LEO, I joined the local fire depratment (volle). No sitting on the porch for me. And yes, if I look, I can see my belt buckle!
 
I'm 56, 5'8", 160lbs, and I try.
Five yrs ago I was too fat and out of shape.
I took up running and lost twenty pounds and felt much better.
But now I seem to get sciatic pain from running, as well as from heavy lifting at work, so
I'm trying to cycle more on the stationary unit in front of the TV and
my rusty old bicycle through local streets and parks.
Can't carry my trusty handgun due to anti-self-defence laws in this jurisdiction, so rely on (small)dog, OCspray, martial arts, stick, pocket folder,
luck, etc.
Maybe I can talk the wife into snowbirding in a gun-friendly state by retirement time...
 
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