YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Do you exercise ?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Do you exercise ? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:40:54 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Suz on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297708 Thu, 22 Dec 2022 00:36:40 +0000 Suz 2297708@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Uh, the thought of being thrown on the floor... UmmLila (Lisa) on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297691 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 22:09:31 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 2297691@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm active, though I'm frustrated because I'm seeing a weight gain despite all the work. My current system is at least 2 different activities per day across the following: <ul> <li>personal training, mostly pilates reformer 2x week</li> <li>pilates mat class 1x week (or more)</li> <li>free weight training 3x week</li> <li>peloton rides (I can't deal with it every day because it is boring and it hurts my hamstrings so bad)</li> <li>walks</li> <li>yoga</li> <li>swim (in the summer only I hate cold Y pools)</li> </ul> I'd like to go back to martial arts like Bijou, but I'm not quite ready to be thrown on the floor again on the reg, which is what Aikido requires. Laurie on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297666 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:05:15 +0000 Laurie 2297666@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ @Janet - I used to cycle your roads too, and all over the DC/MD/VA area when we were both into training for  those centuries a while back, but I've completely given it up due to danger. I've worked too hard to be in the shape I am in now (for durability!) to end it in an instant - injured or worse. I also find the trails SO BORING, but cycling does remain my favorite endurance sport. judy on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297660 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 18:39:38 +0000 judy 2297660@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ So much dedication here!  And so many varied experiences.  Yes, to doing what we love.  I totally forgot the ten speed biking phase in the 70's! I found a used Motebecane and rode that everywhere, especially long country roads. Felt very cool when I got toe clips :).  Then mountain bikes after...and riding kids on the back in a little seat.  I also was not athletic as a youth, but always moving when not with my nose in a book or watching tv.  To find things that were solitary pursuits from teen years on like yoga, running, biking, walking, where no one is picking you last for the team, was a happy healing experience.  Carla on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297587 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 03:46:46 +0000 Carla 2297587@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ FWIW, I’ve never been ‘competitive’.  My high school coach  commended my dedication, but counselled that I didn’t have the right body - too tall, too heavy - to be a top runner.  He explained the concept of ‘personal best’, and had me focus on being the best I could be instead of competing against others - and to make running a life long habit.   <div> </div><div>Even when in top form as an adult, I was back of the pack.  However, I loved the process - the training - and having a goal. The events with the music, the other athletes, the jazzy kit - was just a big party after all the hard work!<div> </div><div>I agree wholeheartedly with Sally - you have to find something you love…</div></div> Bijou on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297580 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:58:56 +0000 Bijou 2297580@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa I exercise with others. My karate is a school and so all I have to do is show up for classes. DH and I go to the gym together and my Sunday morning swim, walk and coffee is with my best friend, is as social as it is exercise. I do a Saturday walk with DH and about 3 hours of walking on my own. Having the routine and wanting to spend time with my friends and family helps with motivation. Is there something that you could do with your daughter? Janet on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297571 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:12:22 +0000 Janet 2297571@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sloper, that’s so true. I do not love running. I like the completion of running. Of having done it. Sloper on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297569 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:06:08 +0000 Sloper 2297569@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I’m learning so much from this thread, and it is helping me fire up the motivation.  <div> </div><div>And thanks so much for the kind words, my friends. I’m also remembering a quote from Carrie Fisher regarding working out - it resonated with me:  “It’s not doing it, it’s having done it.”  Having the fortitude to get over the first minutes of stiffness - that’s important.</div> Janet on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297568 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 02:05:54 +0000 Janet 2297568@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am so unathletic it’s not even funny. Grew up as a bookworm. I went outside and was active but HATED anything competitive, especially if it required speed. I could play Horse (basketball based game) because I could take my time and aim. When I was a kid, I went to a day sports camp for a couple of summers and it was fun because I could choose things like archery, bowling, and swimming. I played a little tennis too. I rode my bike and played kickball with the neighborhood kids. But, I was not good at any of this stuff: I was the kind of kid who got picked in the final 3 or so for any team in which a captain picks teams. I hope for an eternity of mild torture for whoever came up with that whole idea, which always resulted in bullies making those of us who were not athletic feel like shit. As an adult, I have ridden my bike in varying degrees of frequency, done yoga (again, varying degrees of frequency), hiked a lot, and done some swimming. About 12 years ago I got a wild hair and signed up for a half marathon, even though I’d never run at all as an adult. I wanted a challenge. I signed on with a training team, brought home running shoes, and my husband was like, “who are you and what have you done with my wife?” LOL I ran several half marathons and assorted shorter events, and stopped when I had abdominal surgery nine years ago. I was never fast but I finished in a fairly respectable time for a woman who started running at age 45. I then got more into bicycling and did some long events (a couple of centuries, rode across Iowa, and a few other events like the 5 Borough Bike Tour in NY). In the last few years I’ve gotten more hesitant to ride the roads near my home. It’s gotten more dangerous. People have been killed on routes I used to ride all the time. It pisses me off, but I get a little bored on the rail trails, so I don’t ride as much as I was doing five years ago. I should get back into it more. Fast forward to Covid. I started hiking more. And just a few months ago I started 2x a week Pilates sessions, which I’m really enjoying. I’m now interested in trying pickle ball. My yoga instructor has started back up with in person classes, so I’ll step that back up again. So all this to say, I’m active even if I’m not a good athlete. I would walk everywhere, given the chance. My husband groans when we’re in NYC and I’m like, “it’s only a mile away, let’s walk.” It takes 15-20 min, and a cab ride can easily take that long. judy on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297561 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 01:45:24 +0000 judy 2297561@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I was into yoga and running as those came into fashion in the 60's and 70's, and weight training at home too.  Then came kids in the 80's and walking became my happy place because I could just push them with me in a stroller and/or have them on my back.  And kids and outside equalled happy moods for both of us. These days I have to do so much less due to painful feet but I still get out and do a short one, feel the sun, (or the gloom) and the wind and smell the air.  It is always refreshing.  For me over the years, walking has been more about the change of scene, the exploring urban or rural areas (maybe even with a camera and now a phone), and the solitude or the company,  then about the "workout".  Those days are gone and happily so.   April on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297556 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:48:49 +0000 April 2297556@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Gail, my words exactly - come sit by me!  Team Slug, perpetually benched.  Sally on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297537 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:02:36 +0000 Sally 2297537@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I’m not sporty at all. Hated sports as a kid and teenager. I got a large dog when I was 13 so that prompted me to walk him about 5 kms a day. Got weight conscious in my late teens and took up running. For most of my adult life I just walked a lot with a bit of running here and there. I did ashtanga yoga for a year in my 30s but gave it up. I took ashtanga yoga up again mid 40s and have been doing it regularly for about 5 years between 3 to 6 times a week. I have a couple of regular teachers who push me to extend myself in my practice and practice at home. One of them in particular has taught me how to modify my practice so I can do it to suit my mood and injuries if I have any. I’ve also got stronger than I was when I was younger. I think you have to find something you love. DonnaF on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297523 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 23:28:59 +0000 DonnaF 2297523@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Not sporty or athletic at all but did modern dance as a kid and added Afro-Haitian dance in college. As a young adult I ran/jogged, and in my late 30s I did free weights which I really love. I think I mostly stopped exercising in my 40s. In my 50s I started walking a track, but then it closed during the pandemic. Then I started walking one of the steepest hills in town. Now, including walking to and from my home I walk about 105 minutes five days per week and 85 or 90 minutes on Sundays because I run out of time. I don’t walk on the seventh day because I work so don’t have time in the morning, and if I were to exercise in the late afternoon my body would not have 24 hours to recover before the next time I ago out. Walking is my happy place. I love the solitude and it gives me a chance to plan outfits and ponder possibilities. I spread Diclofinac/Voltaren on my knees ahead of time so that helps with the arthritis. Nonetheless, I hope a medication will be approved by the FDA in the next year or two that will restore feeling and functionality to my fingers so I can use kettleballs and/or free weights. I need to build up my upper body. All that walking has caused me to lose eight or ten pounds and size in my shoulders in favor of more sculpted calves. Much as I like walking and at various times have tried to tell myself that it was as ingrained as brushing my teeth, stopping for a few days and getting out of my routine has shown me that it isn’t. Gail on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297507 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:50:23 +0000 Gail 2297507@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ After reading this thread I am feeling like a complete slug! Never been particularly into exercise. My brother was the exercise fiend and excelled at it his entire life up until 3 years ago when he got sick. I've dabbled at running and years ago step class . I've managed to drag myself to Pilates (Bodi, Reformer, MOTR and Jump Board) for the past 2 years about 1-3 times a week. I certainly wouldn't say I love it but I can say I don't mind it. Unfortunately I've fallen off the wagon in the past month as a few classes were cancelled and then I was busy. Now its Christmas and I'm leaving to visit my brother January 5 for 2 weeks so it's probably going to be February how bad is that ?? I should be doing  weight bearing as I have osteoporosis argh. Sal on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297504 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:24:30 +0000 Sal 2297504@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Very interesting thread. It’s not always a straight forward path with illness and injuries as April and Sloper have shared. And also with money and time- if you face long commutes and long hours at work exercising is very hard to fit in. I have finally worked out what suits me- I have a very sporty competitive husband who is driven by that. He’s naturally very good too. But what drives me is feeling strong, seeing my friends, and being outdoors. If I like it I will do it regularly - I don’t need a race to train for or a time to beat. My routine is a mix of walking - city parks, rivers, streets and in nature when I can. Sometimes alone, more often with friends. I do weights twice a week, once in a circuit format. I do a flow yoga class once a week, and try to bike to work once a week. It’s 30km round trip so not a short commute. I toy with running but find it challenging. I prefer HIT or biking. I like the rower at the gym. For me walking with friends means I can go in the dark of winter - and knowing they are waiting for me is motivation on the mornings where I struggle. Christina F. on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297497 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:02:57 +0000 Christina F. 2297497@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <div>I have gone to Pilates 3x week since about February or so (2x reformer, 1x mat). This was my therapist's rec to get me out of the house earlier in my grieving period, and it stuck. It's been good for my bum hip.</div><div> </div><div>I have since added on jogging, but I am less good about it. I also do strength training at home with free weights, and occasionally yoga.</div><div> </div><div>I am thinking of trying barre--my Pilates studio does classes, but they sound intimidating from the description. I was also thought not be athletic when I was young, and am reevaluating that. So I may try tennis next year if I can get my cardio fitness to a better place with the jogging. </div> Minaminu on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297481 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 18:42:27 +0000 Minaminu 2297481@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ So many interesting journeys and activities! I was quite accident-prone until mid late 20s and often had to stop due to injuries, I used to do swimming, volleyball and tennis.I loved  snowboarding but that had a hard stop as  I was "run over" by skiers twice (not my fault!). Pre-Pandemic, I used to do zumba and other aerobics activities but nowadays I like a gentler routine and currently do twice a week Reformer Pilates, twice a week Yoga, once a week swimming and I alternate a weekend with nice long hikes with friends with another for gardening with Mr Minu. I hope to do more swimming when the weather improves! kkards on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297469 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:55:12 +0000 kkards 2297469@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ oh my goodness, I'm exhausted just from reading this thread  i am not, nor have a ever been athletic. i did take dance lessons one year in elementary school, tennis lessons from grade 5-7, swimming from 1st grade thru high school. I was good at none of it, and enjoyed it even less.  in college i swim for exercise, and found when no one was pushing me, i did like it. and as probably every other college women in the early 80s did the Jane Fonda workout video. and I walked, usually 4-5 miles a day, and then after i graduated, i walked but was lucky to get in 2 miles/3x a week in my late 30s/early 40s i took up yoga, which i liked. but then the teacher that i really liked moved, and i could not find another one who made me feel like i was getting any better, plus i had a life set back. i tried again in my late 40s, but was not feeling it. in 2019 i started Pilates. and i loved it. but then, well, we all know what happened next. i have not felt comfortable yet going back, but i have plans to start again in the spring. i know myself well enough to know that i need a class to hold myself accountable to showing up and doing the work the one good thing about the last 2.5 years, i started walking seriously again. now that i'm back in the office 3 days a week, its not as much as it was, but still i'm averaging 10-12 miles a week Anonymous on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise/page/2#post-2297461 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:20:03 +0000 Anonymous 2297461@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My exercise routine has fluctuated during my life from youth sports to athletic hobbies to gyms to an individual regimen. Currently I exercise everyday at home alternating arms, core and legs. I am always tweaking the workouts and have recently added jaw and toes/ feet stretches and exercises due to recent injuries. I like to do my fitness first thing in the morning LJP on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297445 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:18:45 +0000 LJP 2297445@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm pleased , and amazed, to see such dedication and adherence to routine here.  Part of  my work in the medical fitness facility is making "new people" - often non-exercisers , feel comfortable and motivated AND proud of doing something for themselves.  Quite often there are major health concerns or a completely sedentary lifestyle to consider.  I'm the classic case of knowing everything and able to work with people on their health journeys , but don't do enough myself . Until I left my sales job 3 (?) years ago , I was a dedicated gym goer, doing Body Pump (Goodlife) 3 times a week and spin class at least once a week. I was in great shape.  Then ,it all fell apart.  Suz, to your point about being on a flexible work schedule, that was me for 30 years too.  I also disrespected weekends (lol) but loved the ability to do what I wanted when I wanted.  So I had all the time I wanted to maintain a fitness routine that worked for me. Being chained to a 4 -5 day 8 hour workday now, I have turned into that person who can't find a way to make fitness a priority . Work saps my mental and physical energy, and I need to rest and sleep to get back at it again the next day .   In summer it's not a problem, but in our cold, icy winters make walking outside a risky proposition.  I have never recovered from breaking my Goodlife routine, and it really shows.  Again, I'm in awe of all of you who make this work - you are committed and that's so important. Laurie on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297428 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:28:18 +0000 Laurie 2297428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi Lisa - first, i hope you will give yourself a break. You are in pain, so your lack of motivation is likely is some part because your brain is getting signals to not push that body part. There is almost nothing worse than chronic, abiding, and increasing joint pain. I speak from experience! The fact you are doing as much as you describe is admirable. I'm sure there are other gentle, non-impact things you could add, but you ARE exercising. Good luck with the knee replacement journey. I was a 5x/week runner from age 20-52. Then the joint pain stopped me. Now, my motivation to exercise every day comes first, and strongly, from my desire to reduce pain from back surgery and hip replacements since 2014. April raises a hugely important point about maintaining strength and flexibility as we age. My 84 year old mother, who suffers tremendously from osteoarthritis in every part of her body now, is falling regularly and cannot get herself up. There have been numerous discussions of the "sit-rise" test related to longevity.( <a rel="nofollow" href="http://https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/this-anxiety-inducing-fitness-test-purports-to-tell-you-how-long-youll-live-we-investigated/2019/03/18/0a1d06fe-4035-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html">This article might be behind a paywall</a>, but I saw other, similar articles when I did a quick Google. ) She is going through a systemic flare up and her entire body is so tensed and rigid that it's adding to her pain.  My point is that I am acutely aware of exercising for lifelong durability as I watch someone suffer who did nothing toward this goal in her own life.  (92 yr old Dad, no arthritis, still walks and stretches almost every day. Amazing). I continue the routine I've done for the last 4 years since my L4-5 discectomy - early morning at-home (or transportable to hotels while traveling) strength workouts with straps, bands, and body weight, affiliated with a trainer. "Hard" workout 3x a week. daily set of exercises for sciatic/tailbone pain relief, stretching/myofascial release videos on the off-days. Walking 3-7 miles, but this has waned with the dark and cold, and I need to force myself outside. I tried to start jogging again but it's been fits and starts, mainly struggling with the cardio but pleased to not have joint-related pain (or I would not even be trying to do it). Exercise is essential for my mental and physical well-being. We need to be firm with ourselves to obtain and maintain an appropriate routine but gentle, too, and listen to our bodies.    nuancedream on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297425 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:09:30 +0000 nuancedream 2297425@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ After working at a computer all day, physical activity is the only thing keeping me from completely losing what's left of my mind. I do yoga and Pilates twice weekly. I do kettlebells and free weights at home twice a week plus I do gym workouts. If I can't do any of the above, an urban hike will suffice. I miss tennis, kayaking and biking during the winter. I don't do winter sports at all. Irina on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297423 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 14:50:41 +0000 Irina 2297423@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, I’m very fortunate that I work from home 3 days a week still and the fitness facilities are minutes away from my house. I swim early in the mornings and go to gym on my launch break or after work. <div>I have never had a motivation to do sports. I tried gym about a decade ago but found it boring and thought that walking for 90 minutes daily is enough cardio. I have no upper body strength and it was very difficult to use crutches for more than 3 months especially on the stairs. </div><div>After the injury I was afraid I would never regain the strength in my leg and will not be able to walk long distances which is a big part of my lifestyle. So, it took an injury to make me exercise and quit smoking, I should have exercised to prevent getting injured. </div><div>It is hard for me to make a decision and start with something. But once I find my routine, I follow it easily. I think that all you need is to find yours. </div> catherine on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297420 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 14:37:10 +0000 catherine 2297420@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, yes. Competitive swimmer for many years, ballet en pointe, first degree black belt, and ski instructor. Frustrated and determined golfer (started age 50). Now yoga 6x weekly, treadmill daily, and hiking, golf, and biking. I’m with Carla. Movement is the only thing keeping me sane. April on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297411 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 13:30:01 +0000 April 2297411@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Goodness, I am feeling like a slug. None of my family was sporty.  Younger cousins from a distant state are very tall (one is 7 feet) and yes, there are a few stellar basketball players among them but they were far from us in age and geography. I did ballet as a little girl and later gymnastics - both my mother's attempts to get me to lose a few pounds while not doing anything that could be considered tomboyish. I have a very sturdy railing in an upstairs hallway where I do barre stretches.  I am still in PT to rehab my shoulder after a broken bone last summer and to work on my balance, which is terrible due to a degenerative neurological illness. We visited our elders this weekend (90 and 89).  I saw yet again that two things are essential as we age: flexibility and strength.  Balance and cardio fitness would be good too but the ones that are crippling the elders are really that they are "tight" and have little muscle strength. Anonymous on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297403 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 13:04:43 +0000 Anonymous 2297403@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Fitness has always been a big part of my life- but nothing competitive at all. My attitude to life is "that looks like fun I should try that" so this will be long I'll start with the things I haven't done much of- cold weather sports and ball related sports. Only a little ice skating as a kid, and tennis off and on. I did team sports in gym class cause they made us, but otherwise not. Walking and running: I take short hikes in the woods by my house, but never anything major like the Appalachian Trail. The area where I live is pretty flat, so it's not strenuous. I tried to pick up running, but am off it RN. I *should* do it to strengthen my lungs, but I'm focusing on other things. Water sports: I swim a few miles a week, all backstroke, and love it! It's meditation to me. Been doing it about 20 years, on and off based on pool access. Paddleboarding I do weekly May-October, started in 2018. I want to try surfing and waterskiing! Rolling sports- a little rollerskating as a kid, and biking. I bought my bike in 2019 and was going daily when I WFH. I've just done about 26 miles max, but want to train for a Century. Martial arts- I have an orange belt in Shoryn Ryu karate, that I got in my 20s I think, but haven't leveled up cause I can't remember katas. I did a little Tai Chi about 20 years ago, and of couse I do archery now- started in 2020. I want to try Capoeria and Akido. Horseback riding- I did all the time as a kid, some lessons, lots of trail riding and just taking the horses and running. Not much jumping, no dressage. Doing the horse archery last month made me remember how much I liked it. Yoga- been doing about 25 years, mostly Yin and Vinyasa. A little Arial and Buti. I like it most on the paddleboard though I'd love to try arial silks! Dance- a little Salsa and Merengue and a lot of cabaret style belly dance. But my memory is S for combinations, unless I write it myself, so I don't perform. I want to learn Samba too. I also do poi spinning, I guess about 15 years, but am definitely still a beginner. And I've done lots of aerobic dance, Jazzercize as a teen and Zumba more recently. I can remember those combinations easier cause they're done to pop songs! General gym- Barre, Pilates (not Reformer, just balls and rings), Pound, Body Combat, Body Pump, Spin. Basically I took all the classes at the gym that were available near the time I got off work. Not doing them formally now, but I lead DH in exercize with Barre, Pilates, weights (he likes kettlebells), kickboxing, and yoga. So I've never been inactive. I've always had several fitness things going on each year. It just changes based on season, availability, and my schedule. I'm Really hoping to be able to stop working while I still have the health to do all the things I want to do! Bijou on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297387 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:38:50 +0000 Bijou 2297387@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love doing karate (took it up in my 40's and am now a 2nd Dan black belt - with a view to progressing to 3rd Dan in 2024). I like the formality of karate and the community spirit of my club. Karate is high intensity, so I walk and go to the gym to support my cardio fitness. My weekly schedule is: - karate training formal classes - 3 hours a week - gym cardio sessions (elliptical, rower and exercise bike) - 2 hours a week - walking - 4 hours a week - ocean dip - 1 session a week The ocean swim, is more a dip in the ocean, swimming only about 200m in the waves. The real point is for flotation and the cold which helps with muscular aches and pains. I don't enjoy plunging into the icy water, but it works brilliantly and once in, I love it! Stagiaire Fash on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297383 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:34:57 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2297383@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ In theory, I’m an exerciser, but in reality, it’s been weeks since I’ve worked out. My body hurts and I’m dreading the upcoming flight. Am going to hit the pool today, so hope it’ll be a little better. Growing up, I was considered smart, strong-willed, and fidgety. Someone suggested to my mom that I should try sports, thanks goodness! Softball didn’t really take—not enough movement. I took tennis lessons when it was popular in the 70s, but was never on a team. We skated on the pond when it froze. I loved soccer, played until it freaked my mom out that the boys in the league were hitting puberty. Joined swim team in 7th grade, swam through high school, sometimes wonder what would’ve happened if I’d joined the college team. The coach, who I’d known since my first year, asked me my final year why I’d never tried out, cause I would’ve been good. Rrrrgh. I learned to lift weights at swim camp, and the one year I played basketball. Movement & sports just feel good to me. At a picnic, I’m on the volleyball court, playing football or frisbee. At the beach, I’m in the waves. If I go out, I like to dance. With my son, I wrestled and toss things back & forth. At times I’ve done 20-25 mile bike rides regularly. I prefer walking/biking to driving a car, and am looking for a place to live where that will be a feasible way to commute. In more formal fitness pursuits as an adult, I’ve lifted and swum (not “laps”, more like an HIIT workout) on and off, and ever since a neighbor took me along to yoga in my early 30s, I’ve done that at times too. Iyengar is my favorite. I’m definitely the outlier in my family in this. My mom doesn’t enjoy feeling her body move and work. That had never occurred to me as a possibility until she said it about a decade ago. My sisters dutifully do what they consider necessary. One enjoys the outdoors; the other has been resigned to getting old ever since surgery 1.5 years ago. I’m trying to have a relationship with a guy I met in the gym 20+ years ago. He has made it clear that it’s important to him that the person he’s with be in shape, and I check that box. He stays in shape too, had surgery similar to my sister‘s and was back onstage dancing professionally half a year later. He’s a fitness instructor, so assesses accurately and gives advice when I ask. Some women might find that oppressive; I enjoy it, and I like it when he likes how I look (even in non-exercising ways; I might start waxing my upper lip, which he’s never mentioned, because I think he’d like that). If we stay together, it looks like I’ll be working out til death do us part. Sloper, I appreciate your comment! These conversations are for everyone. I’ll be rooting for you for that Feb appointment. Looking ahead, I want to try mobility training and I recently discovered Animal Flow, might get into it over the summer. I wouldn’t mind a regular tennis date, if it could be mixed. (The one adult team I tried was all women, and didn’t feel right to me). I just got a new lifeguard certificate and plan to take a Water Safety Instructor course as soon as I can find one. Drowning ranks much higher as a cause of death for Black children and adults than for others, because fewer know how to swim. I’m hoping that guy, with his connections in fitness and Black activist communities, will help me set up learn-to-swim programs for Black people. Another fitness-adjacent goal i have is doing a turn on <a href="https://sea-watch.org/en/" rel="nofollow">https://sea-watch.org/en/</a> Being involved with immigration and refugee issues and learning Arabic are most important there, but it requires a level of physical robustness too. anchie on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297382 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:33:24 +0000 anchie 2297382@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am really really terrible in this respect. I am very clumsy and not very coordinated and was never good at sports, hated PE in school. I used to bike a lot, but not last few years since I hurt my back. I don’t drive so I commute on foot and like long walks. That’s basically it. But just yesterday I squatted to check something on bottom shelf and was not able to get up easily. That really got me thinking that I should do something to get in shape. Not sure what yet, hope to get some ideas from this thread. rachylou on "Do you exercise ?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-exercise#post-2297377 Tue, 20 Dec 2022 07:33:06 +0000 rachylou 2297377@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My parents and brother are/were sporty. Myself… I remember the first day of kindergarten and they wanted us to play dodge ball. I remember thinking ‘You want me to stand in the center of a painted circle - and not leave - while someone throws a ball at my head. Yeah. Sure.’ Haha! So… as a kid, I did ballet and rode horses. Rode as an adult too. Got sick of my desk job, became a baker, which is very physical, and got a dog. I walk 4-5 miles a day with my dog. That’s my life now. I do like Miranda Esmonde as a supplement. I really think her thing about exercising all muscles will be really important for old old age, and too many programmes ignore the ‘little muscles.’