How do you do it?

[Grish]

Here's a simple tip that may or may not have been mentioned (and maybe you already use it, to no help) - Work out with an ipod. I LOVE hitting the gym when i can blast my motivating music. It is nearly impossible to push through a workout without that there, though.

Also, if you're doing cardio, straight cardio is mindless and dull. I prefer high intensity interval training for several reasons. 1) it's better at burning fat than straight cardio and will also burn less muscle that steady rate cardio, and 2) because you are constantly having to remain aware of your time, changing pace, and so on, it's less monotonous and dull.

HIIT is something like this - I have bad knees, so I can't do it on the treadmill anymore...I use those machines (I can't think of the name now) that run on a track but you can adjust incline and resistance. So I warm up for ten minutes. The I do 8 cycles like this - 30 seconds at 10 incline and 10 resistance going as hard as I can, 1 minute at 6 incline 4 resistance. Repeat 8 times, cool down, and you're done. The idea is to have short bursts of MAX intensity followed by a slightly longer stretch of moderate intensity (1:2 or 1:3 ratio). It will kick your butt so hard that you won't have time to get bored.

 

[--tom--]

I always hate it when a OP drops off of the planet, and you have to wonder, whatever happened too??????? I’m still here.

You all have given me some things to think about. Some of the glaring weaknesses have been definitional, as in the difference between a program and a workout, obvious to many, just not to me. I have some attitude adjustments to make and some goals to establish; that will help me choose activities wisely. I have drawn some conclusions, some may be wrong so I will ask for details on another post.

Since I asked for help, it would be rude not to answer specific questions and since scubafit asked the questions I am happy to answer them:
1. What do I do now? Nothing regular, swim and walk, but nothing scheduled.
2. How often do I beach dive? I average 5 weekend days a month with 2 to 5 dives per day. Most of the beach dives I do, require a minimum surface swim of 200 yards, and 400 yard swims aren’t unusual. If you want me to brag about Sunday’s dive with dolphins and sharks, I will, but that is a bit off target. I occasionally boat dive, but it is mostly on vacation, I think I actually prefer beach diving. BTW, cold water, 52° at depth.
3. Profession: Buyer/Planner/Contract negotiator is my primary (full time position). I sit on the board of a non-profit corporation. I volunteer at the local university as a teacher’s aid (but it is summer break right now). I am a divemaster that does the usual divemaster stuff with my LDS as well as doing refreshers & being a guide. In other words, time is not the issue, I have plenty of time to fit in a work out; I just don’t feel driven to do so.
4. Do I eat well? Uhmmm, I like what I eat; my wife wants to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables I consume. The way I look at it, if God didn’t want us to eat animals he wouldn’t have made them out of meat. As a side note, if I have a drinking problem it is a passion for 1% milk. I probably drink too much of that.
5. Workout at the gym, or elsewhere? Doesn’t matter. I have no connection to either. The longest period of time (almost a year) did involve a trainer (I believe by about month 3 was the trainer was just going through the motions, so we parted company) and a gym. I have done bicycle commuting for several years ~ 5K miles a year, that was a decade ago. I always work out alone, just the way it is, no preference one way or another, just never found a partner with the same schedule or wanted to do the same thing.
Anything else that might help?

Thank you for all of the responses. I have taken notes on every response, so it isn’t wasted.

 

[BradMM]

Sounds to me that you get a considerable amount of exercise but perhaps you just don't like the confines of a gym or the usual places that people go...? I have been migrating AWAY from the gym and have things in my backyard that I work out with as well as just everyday stuff like walking the dogs. In fact, there's a lot of the fitness gurus who have been adding non-gym exercise not only as a way of combating boredom but also to add variety. Variety is beneficial not only to the mind but also the body. I try to vary what I do all the time. Yes, a "jogger" will get exercise but they also acclimate to the same form of exercise over and over so other parts of the body aren't getting the benefits. I wouldn't feel that you're not getting exercise just because you don't want to spend 30 minutes on an elliptical machine!

I alternate swimming with weights and throw in a variety of other things too numerous to list here. I do think that diet is critical but I have no problem with meat although lean protein sources are preferred. I used to buy wild salmon and grill it for my lunches every week but lately I've been just eating chicken. Nutrition is a whole 'nother topic but I'll stick yours.

I don't recall what your concern with the exercise was (I COULD go back and read but...) but are you wanting to improve your diving ability or lose weight?

Gotta go for now. I'm EXTREMELY jealous of your access to shore diving... I'm in 100 degree Central Texas.

 

[fairybasslet]

I'm pretty lucky in that my gym is in my building where I work.On my lunch hour, I go down and do my strength training, and after work, I do my cardio.

I did have a specific goal for my strength training. I wanted to increase my upper body strength for my trip to Galapagos so I wouldn't look like too much of a fool trying to get into the panga. That was really good motivation.

Cardio is to, of course, increase my endurance, keep my heart healthy and lose weight. I really like the eliptical and have no problem getting on it almost every day. It is really the only cardio that I can do that gets my heart rate up without destroying my knees. I used to run and I just can't do it anymore. Well, I did go running the other day just for the fun of it but not for too far.

I also mix it up with a spin class or swimming laps, or doing invervals on the ellipitical. Sometimes I just change the settings to hill, random, personal trainer, anything to mix it up and keep my body guessing.

Sometimes I get in the zone and that is truly an enjoyable workout. I don't even look at the timer, I'm concentrating on form, breathing, etc. Most of the time I'm looking at the timer every 30 seconds thinking 5 minutes has gone by. But yesterday, I said to myself I had to listen to at least 2 songs on my ipod before looking at the clock. I also like the machines with tv's on them. I used to watch Animal Planet but now that is not available at my gym. When Wimbledon or the French Open was on, I watched that. Right now I've been watch Worlds Deadliest Catch. Can't wait until Shark Week. I don't listen to the TV, I just watch the pictures because I need music to keep me going.

And sometimes I just say f it and eat chocolate.

 

[lahalbo]

And sometimes I just say f it and each chocolate.

OK, that just made me :lol:

All these are great suggestions etc. After this past weekend's certification dives I see the need to get back to working out if only to strengthen my legs to carry myself and gear to the water for the beach entry. Man I thought I was going to die!! not literally.

I'm 5'1" and 105lbs and carrying all that equipment was an eye opener. I'm lazy and I admit it so I really need to get back to a strength training program.

My family also has a history of knee problems so I am very wary of doing anything that might aggravate them.

Thanks everyone for your posts, they helped me out greatly!! even though I wasn't the OP your responses were motivating.

 

[Cacia]

eliptical and have no problem getting on it almost every day. It is really the only cardio that I can do that gets my heart rate up without destroying my knees.

Why do I hear so much about the eliptical being really bad for knees? ...something about the joint not meant to work that way...certainly you would know if it doesn't bother you, I just have heard it said a lot that it destroys knees?

 

[JeffG]

Why do I hear so much about the eliptical being really bad for knees? ...something about the joint not meant to work that way...certainly you would know if it doesn't bother you, I just have heard it said a lot that it destroys knees?

I do know that I had a bit of a hamstring issue a week ago. I jumped on the elliptical and my hamstring started whining. Went and jumped onto another machine instead.

 

[fairybasslet]

Why do I hear so much about the eliptical being really bad for knees? ...something about the joint not meant to work that way...certainly you would know if it doesn't bother you, I just have heard it said a lot that it destroys knees?

Really? I never heard that at all.

 

[fairybasslet]

OK, that just made me :lol:

.

Oh my. I didn't notice my typo until you quoted me. That should have been "eat" not "each.":11:

 

[Cacia]

I think maybe Izzy told me? he can pipe up if he sees this and set me straight.

I have heard it from several trainers, I know. They say it is an unnatural movement that moves the knee joint in a way it was never designed. I could be wrong....

I have always stayed away from it because I have not had any trouble with knees and I like it that way. I really like cycling through traffic, it is so addictive. I love/hate it. I think I just like hearing JB say "great job, baby, I will make you a messenger girl yet" as we fly through some dubious intersections in LA. It is sick. I think he is trying to kill me.