I need a healthy habits pep talk! - YouLookFab Forum

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I need a healthy habits pep talk!

Peri

Veteran

Warning, whining ahead. Ultimately I'm aware of how privileged I am to be able to make choices...but these choices are hard!

I've been making changes over the summer, doing what I'm supposed to do...but half the time I resent it! Last year I lost 14 pounds my of covid/spouse with cancer stress induced weight gain, to the point that I'm back to my BC-19 weight although not quite my pre-menopause weight. This summer I hired a trainer for weights workouts because the 100th article I read about "you have to do weight training as you age or you are doomed" finally pushed me into doing it. So this is almost 3 months now and here is the struggle. I go twice a week and every time as I leave I am glad I did it. But then in between I'm feeling workout soreness (increasing as it gets harder), the week gets busy, the to-do list gets longer, I'm resenting the extra hours it takes and I'm thinking of how much I want those hours back as unscheduled time. So the day before, I start questioning everything and thinking that I don't want to do it. Then I go, feel glad, see small progress...on and on, same cycle.

Well, I haven't quit so that's a good thing, I'm just wondering at what point I'll stop resenting it and start seeing it as something I want to do vs just another chore I have to do.

Eating more protein also falls under the chore category. There is hardly any protein food that makes my love it/want to eat it list. I can't do dairy and I don't like big servings of meat...like, 3 oz is my toleration limit. On a day I try really hard, I might make 70 grams of protein, but that is not most days.

Has anyone else been through this? What keeps you motivated on your healthy habits if/when you'd rather do so many other things? I need a pep talk!

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36 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

MsMary

Veteran

Honestly? My experience is that I'm not gonna do exercise unless I love it or at least like it. Maybe you need to look around for a trainer that's a better fit for you? I LOVED my trainer (before the gym closed in COVID -- still sad about that) so even though I didn't love working out, it was fun to spend time with him. Another alternative might be looking into a group class -- I did those for years and made some of my best friends that way.

Oh, and you might want to check out Pure Protein bars, which they sell at a lot of places including Target and Costco and Amazon. Not saying they're delicious but they're small and fairly palatable and have 20g of protein each.

LJP

Veteran

Oh I hear ya . Loud and clear , and am nodding my head at every word . I have a stressful relationship with exercise and food and I swear it’s going to be the end of my sanity one day soon . Just this morning I talked for almost an hour with a potential new gym member about the importance of weight training for women all the while berating myself for not getting enough done myself . Same with f&ng protein . I cannot get enough into my day unless I’m making protein pwdr smoothies to supplement my diet . I’m so mentally exhausted by all of the information out there too . And I set myself up by filling my social media feeds with nutrition and fitness stuff . I’m really not smart , clearly .

Regarding the muscle soreness and building resentment - same here . The muscle soreness though ….youbshoukd share that with your trainer or your dr…could be something to do with lactic acid etc . But I have no words of wisdom or advice other than to suggest that what we feel is very very common among women over 50 ( don’t know how old you are so if I’m way off please disregard ) .

Laurie

Veteran

Nothing has motivated me more to exercise than keeping arthritis pain at bay. Not weight loss, not marathon training, nothing else. I wish I'd been proactive and so smart when I was much younger, but I'm glad I got smart 5 years ago! I often say I don't know if I'd really be able to walk if I didn't do these exercises religiously.

Re muscle soreness - having finally added weight training into my strength routine just last week, and being shocked at what pain 10 and 15# weights can cause to one's glute and hamstrings in this early phase, I am extra, extra, extra happy about myofascial release - it's saved me. I use RAD recovery balls, and cannot recommend this enough.

I don't belong to a gym, and don't intend to join one so my weight training will be pretty limited. I would not be consistent daily with this program if I had to go someplace else to do it.

My (amazing, wonderful, life changing) coach is remote. PM me if interested in looking into her program.

Sal

Veteran

We are all different -and will share my approach - but I don’t know that it is right.

I weight train two times most weeks,, plus yoga and pickleball once a week, and walk or cycle about three times a week. I go to the gym with a friend which motivates me to get up early and go. We work out separately there. I used to do HIT classes which I liked but arthritis in my foot was telling me that the classes were no longer right - a change of trainer who didn’t accommodate people in their 50s as well put me off. I did enjoy the group sessions though - more endorphins afterwards!

Re protein I do try and eat healthy balanced meals but I don’t measure the protein content. I am more intuitive about what feels right and what sustains me and what is seasonal and what I enjoy. I am quite a foodie and eat a wide variety of foods. I can over eat cakes and cheese and be too kind to myself which is my main watching point and annoyance with myself.

During the week I have to work out super early or it does not happen. I do play pickleball at night but that’s fun and I can motivate myself to head along.

There can be a cusp with exercise - I used to run and it took me a few months to enjoy it - once I did I really looked forward to those times and the feeling afterwards - maybe you are almost there! Or maybe a new trainer or a group would be more enjoyable for you - or even a different time of the day.

Runcarla

Veteran

I’m a fitness junkie and gym rat. Probably addicted to it the way some folks have other obsessions to be frank. What kept things fun for me was having a goal (a race event) and the diversity of changing up the program of exercise depending where in the training cycle I was. My last event was a ‘virtual 5k’ October 2020, just before my 60th.

Covid knocked everything askew for me. I don’t mind doing a run or a bike from home, but I was dependant on the gym for access to a pool, weight training, cycle fit and yoga classes. Then some age related/injury type things forced more changes.

I let my membership at the Y lapse last November due to bilateral lower arm issues. I can’t ride my bike due to pressure on my wrists and hands. I’ve had one surgery but have a consultation with a specialist in October regarding the second - and who knows when the issue will be resolved!

However, I’ve managed to pivot and swim at the lovely community pool that’s a 20 min walk (5 min drive) from my home 3 days a week. This week is week 8 since I’ve been okayed to swim post (the first) surgery and after gradually getting my distance up, today I did a structured drill routine for the first time! Good for cardio. DH loved the last session of Tai Chi (Sept-May) and wants to go again this year (once a week). Good for flexibility. I usually feel wonderful after a good swim, but I miss the gym and my body tells me I need the weight training.

My only advice is normalize making exercise a routine (like paying yourself first) it’s an investment in your short and long term health, and can be a concession to vanity for weight management and muscular contouring. (There. I’ve addressed the elephant in the room!)

I hear you (and so many others) on the protein issue. At the start of the year I had a couple of great sessions with a nutritionist and got some excellent advice and loads of information. It’s still really hard to meet those protein goals if you’re not a big lover of ‘hard’ meat! I keep talapia in the freezer for it’s whopping 20g of protein per 2.5 oz, use high protein yogurt or skyr in smoothies, and have developed a passion for poached eggs on Avacado toast (though I can only eat one, and I’m full!). Regardless, I’ve never met my 55-60g daily protein goal - ever

A exercise buddy can help, but isn’t always possible , so any time you need support or motivation to keep going, reach out via off topic.

Peri

Veteran

Thanks for the encouragement and wise words! Plus sometimes it is good to just feel understood. Given the choice, I'd pick quiet time and reading over anything else, but I know I need to do this. My real motivation is like Laurie's...keeping chronic pain under control and being able to keep doing the things I actually want to do.

MsMary, my main exercise is 4 hours a week of Ballroom, either practice or getting coaching...DH and I compete in the upper levels. Note: I didn't say we win, but that's where we are. And that's what I love, plus I always thought that was enough exercise, but I can tell that this weight training is more targeted. I can also tell it is helping my turns, which I have always had a bit of trouble with but now feel more centered and in control. So that helps with long term motivation, it's just the short term time grab that I'm trying not to resent. Thanks for the recommendation of the Pure Protein bars but I looked and they all have milk. I stood in the Whole Foods isle for 20 minutes the other day reading all the boxes, and I bought 6 different dairy-free bars...hideous, every one!! I'd settle for fairly palatable but these were not choke down-able!

Lisa, thanks for the commiseration! And the humor. I do have a daily protein smoothie, so that is counted in the "still don't make it close to 70 most days" calculation! I do think, and have seen mentioned in a few sources, that this current over 100 grams push is not really science based. Nutrition info drives me crazy, the way it keeps changing. I'm the opposite though...I can't stand to read about it. And I'm 65 so you are actually way under in your conclusion!

Laurie, I'm actually the opposite. If I didn't have an appointment I had to get to, the training would be the last thing I did. Without that commitment I would always postpone for something more pleasant...reading, hanging out here, organizing. Just too much to do at home, I need to force myself to go out to something already scheduled.

Sal, thanks. I do like your attitude about the nutrition. I feel like this protein forcing is making me feel like a toddler forced to eat their veggies, only I love vegetables and find them far easier to eat than anything protein. And I hope I will get to the point...soon...where the training is something I look forward to. I do like my person, and I don't mind it while I'm doing it and after, it's just the time before when I think of other things I'd rather do!

Peri

Veteran

Runcarla, I know you'd be a real voice of support! It's right there in your name.

I think this is my history...I've never been into anything fitness related, it's just not me. My life was spent seated on the piano bench, and when not doing that, reading for school or for fun. Ballroom was a whole new world for me and in the past 10 years has been the main physical activity that I really wanted to do. Covid years knocked that out, and longer due to my DH's cancer experience, but we got back into it last year and are getting ready for our third competition since we resumed. So I always thought our 4 hours a week was plenty to devote to activity. It's like the weight training 2 hours a week has sort of kicked me into feeling a time crunch. But, as above, I'm doing it and I thank you for your support and encouragement. I do feel the "investment" idea...I have a dear friend who is 86 and struggling and if I don't want that to me be I need to do something about it now. And a dear MIL who is 89 and active and is my inspiration. I just need to ignore my innate attitude that being quiet and reading is more fun!

LJP

Veteran

The medical fitness facility where I work has a slogan : Exercise is Medicine. It's a proven fact. But I know we're not here to debate that. One thing I will say is that ever since I switched from self-employment (do whatever you want whenever you want etc) to having to be at a workplace every day all day.......my commitment to fitness has faltered. I now understand the lament of all of my friends who worked full time out of the home about how hard it was to fit a regular fitness routine into their day with the obligations of kids, a home, and , well, a life. I am utterly exhausted most days by the time I get home , have something to eat and clean up the kitchen. The lsat thing I feel like doing is throwing on a video and going at it for 30 or 40 mins even though I have all of the equipment at home . Working out before work is not practical at home and I can't wrap my head around heading into work an hour early to exercise, shower and then dress for the day . The one thing I look forward to in retirement - and that's a few years away still - is the ability to get a LOT more exercise and have the time and energy to do it.

And re the protein recommendations ? If you want a muscular physique with low body fat, its more than say 70g you'll need in a day. Current recommendations are more like 100-120 a day. At the very least 30g per meal. That requires planning and a fridge full of the right stuff on hand at any time. As I sit here stress-eating crackers and drinking diet coke. Dinner of champions over here

Helena

Veteran

Hi Peri, no expert over here, but like you weight training is the broccoli of exercise I've been trying to work it into my routine, but I aim for twice a week and it's short ... I bribe myself by finding a podcast to pass the time. And tbh I don't always get the two workouts done ... But I try and that's about the best I can do. As to protein, yeah ... I struggle to get enough. Again, I just do what I can. I figure a little extra is better than no extra ... Progress not perfection! Another thing I've started is throwing a weighted vest on when I walk ... It's supposed to be good for body density and core strength, and isn't more time ... Just an add on when I would be walking anyways. All that to say, no magic solution here, but no one gets it perfect unless it's their full time job (and even then probably not totally perfect). So give yourself grace and remember you are probably doing better than you think and every little bit is still better than if you didn't try at all! X

LJP

Veteran

Helena - that is very good advice and really compassionate support. I meet people every single day who have never exercised and have no idea even how to start. It blows my mind but it’s more common than we think. You’re right - some and then a little more is better than none . And better than what the average person does .

Echo

Veteran

I realize this is entirely different, but I am doing harder exercises for physical therapy for my knee than I've ever done for "Working out." I still do the exercises on the other side because I can't stand the asymmetry if I don't, but it is HARD. I know that PT is easier to quit than many other things, but I am striving toward having the same range of motion on my right side vs my left since surgery (I never, ever would have had the surgery had I known that it would lead to a higher risk of osteoarthritis, but at this point, it is what it is).

I also stay true to my protein intake goals because I am low-carb. I have been low-carb for about four years, and it is the ONLY way I have been able to maintain a reasonable weight. I don't use shakes to accomplish my goal; I just avoid carbs as much as possible. Again, it isn't alwyas fun, but nothing else has worked, so I persevere.

I wish I had a great way of encouraging you to stick to your healthy habits, but I don't. All I can say is that in retrospect, it is worth it, so carry on!

Joyce B

Veteran

In addition to all the excellent advice that everyone shared, I would like to add that a big part of exercise can be a mental battle and one has to figure out the best way to overcome it. For me, in order to stop my thoughts of “are we done yet”, I have had to measure the distance of my paths around the neighborhood so that there is no self battle during exercise. All this goes without overdoing it, as it is better to not be the fastest while keeping on going without injuries, I listen to my body in that respect. The good thing is that cardiovascular strength seems to develop sooner, then one must be patient with muscle strength.
A big motivator for me is my mantra “run for your bones”. I want to add weight training at the gym, but I don’t love to exercise indoors. I also need to figure out how to counter the next battle of finding excuses to avoid going to the gym.
Peri, I am glad that your husband is doing better, I hear you about stress weight gain. The best exercise is the one that you will do and that makes you feel good afterward. Keep on going and please continue sharing what is helpful to you.

Sal

Veteran

It sounds like you are doing lots of things right Peri - four hours of ballroom dancing is really good!

We aim for progress not perfection!

Aging well is inspiring to me - and I see those who do and those who don’t or can’t. My Dad at 85 has had the luck out of our parents - my Mum, MIL all missed that privilege through health issues that developed young, that were hard if not impossible to avoid.

I have a degree of cynicism about the protein recommendations. There are plenty of healthy long lived people all around the world not achieving that. But I don’t read about diets nor follow social media in that field so take that into account as I have an uninformed opinion.

Dee

Veteran

Crap, aging is hard and I’m impressed that you’re continuing to do what I’ve been thinking about doing for a long time. Don’t stop now that you’ve come this far, I think you’ll regret it. You may never feel that “runner’s high” but your body will appreciate all your efforts in the long run.
I am currently struggling through some balance issues, hope to some day get them sorted but for now I’m a bit limited to the sort of activities I can do.

Minaminu

Veteran

It sounds like you're putting a lot of efforts and it's also showing with your improve balance when turning! 4 hours ballroom training must be not only fun but also great for cardio.

I am vegetarian and dairy food can be difficult, I make sure I get my protein intake with daily beans, pulses and lentils in my soups and stews. Couscous has been replaced with buckwheat ( higher protein) and white basmati rice has been replaced with brown rice for the same reasons.

As for my health routine, I am still trying to navigate a healthy fitness routine and in my case it's easier to keep up if I do group exercises as I enjoy catching up with fellow classmates.

Jules

Veteran

As the weather gets cooler maybe you will find warm baths are soothing for the muscle pain. And now for some counterintuitive advice… go to the gym more Seriously though, it might help to reinforce the positive aspects if you do it more often in your week so you’re getting the endorphins and results more regularly, in a positive feedback loop. More time doing less time thinking. If you work out on your own you can listen to an audiobook or podcast. And sometimes (again counterintuitively) more exercise is what’s needed to flush the lactic acid causing pain.
As for protein it sounds like you’ve lost weight so whatever you’re doing is working. There’s no need to aim for some specific physique rather than overall health and wellness - which to me would include not obsessing about diet or feeling guilty about natural inclinations.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am finding this thread very inspiring. I am just going to throw another option out - working out from home. That is what I do, and have done so fairly consistently for 40 or so years! Of course I am lucky enough to have a space where I can keep my weights and lay out my mat. I work out to various online trainers on youtube and do subscribe to a barre workout streaming service too. (I do a combination of weight training, yoga and barre.) It is a very ingrained habit by now, and, along with the health and vanity aspects, the immediate mental health benefits keep me going.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Peri, I'm so glad your husband is doing better and I am inspired by your ballroom dancing prowess! How fabulous to have an activity you enjoy together in that way.

It's also brilliant that you have started weight training and are keeping it up, especially in the face of not enjoying it a whole lot. That takes determination!

I can empathize! When I started exercising (about 14 years ago) the only exercise I enjoyed, really, was walking. And maybe ice skating, and bicycling, but I had not done those in decades.

But I started a weights program for all the reasons you mention. And I hated it.

(I was also the type who much preferred reading).

Still, as others have said, it can take a while to build up the positive associations. And I knew that. Which didn't make it any easier in the gym, for the first months. However, just when I was convinced that would never, ever enjoy any kind of exercise at all, and I'd be doomed to a lifetime of boring and gruelling have-to-do-it movement, something shifted.

Now I can't bear not to move! Typically, I do two kettlebells workouts per week (resistance plus cardio) and daily biking and walking, occasional swimming or skating, regular hiking. I feel I probably should do more traditional weights workouts as well and might try to build one in per week this fall and I'd also like to try something new for fun, just to shake things up. But we'll see.

Having said that -- not all exercise is equal and some forms are less fun than others. As you can see from the answers here -- everyone is different! Some love to work out in a group setting. Some need to be alone. Some love to be outside. Some love to be at the gym. Some like to be at home.

I think it's true we will persist for longer with activities we genuinely enjoy. And sometimes that means trying out a whole lot of different things. Or sometimes it means making adaptations to a program.

Have you tried talking to your trainer about how you might make it more enjoyable for yourself? If you miss reading, maybe listening to audiobooks while workout out would help (I do this while walking, sometimes). Or maybe doing it with a friend, as others have suggested.

I'm also of the Jules school of thought. More can be better than less. My original weights program was 4 days a week with active rest (meaning yoga or walking or even a gentle jog) on the in between days. I'm not that devoted now, but following that program for 6 months actually did help me get over the hump of exercise hatred by making it a very ordinary part of my daily routine. Like brushing my teeth.

On the subject of protein. You don't need 100 gr per day for health. You might need it if you want a specific body composition and you might find that more protein in your diet allows you to lift weights without feeling as tired and sore.

This is something I paid a lot of attention to when I was lifting 4 or 5 times a week and doing crossfit. I don't bother with it now. I do aim to get protein at every meal, but sometimes it doesn't quite work out. I don't really care -- I try, like Sal, to take an intuitive approach, eat what I enjoy and what gives me the energy I need to get through a day. If I don't get enough protein, I get really hungry really fast, so that's my signal. That's just my own metabolism -- some people do fine with less.

April

Veteran

Chiming in because we're in the midst of the same habits analysis here.

Mr. A has purchased a cutting edge CGM, Continuous Glucose Monitor, and now wants to begin every conversation with commentary on what effect this food or that activity had on his blood sugar. Luckily I find this topic interesting.

I also note - but do not say aloud because I'm not that maritally naive - that 90% of what he's learned is stuff I've been advocating for years. But that's just "April talking" as opposed to a gadget with a lithium ion battery that charts things on a smart phone.

So, we are re-examining food habits. He already exercises obsessively (are you sensing a pattern here) so that's not really part of it. It's mostly about how things like popping chocolate and indulging in sweets is wreaking havoc on his blood sugar. It's kind of a no-brainer that eating dessert after all three meals and snacking on popsicles is not great for sugar levels, but we're focusing on the more subtle things.

Of course, blood sugar is just one thing - it's merely the one thing he's monitoring now and thus has become front and center.

cat2

Veteran

Maybe you don’t have the right mix of training? I can’t stand going from machine to machine at the gym, but am perfectly happy doing body weight training and free weights at home. I worked with a trainer to put together exercises I can do despite my random limitations. I do them in the morning when I’m half asleep and don’t mind it at all. I love to swim and find Pilates really challenging in a good way, and so cheerily head the gym for those.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

April, LOL!!!!

judy

Veteran

Well, you're doing something hard...weight training!...it's bound to be dreaded and maybe even resented. I did it in my twenties and I think when it hurts, it means it's working. Remind yourself we can do hard things! We do them all the time. At the same time, see if you can't cultivate a love for it. (like when my son used to get tattoos and I'd say "doesn't it hurt?" and he'd say "yeah, but in a good way"). I hope that doesn't sound patronizing.

At the same time, I think it's also important to love and appreciate the bodies we have as instruments for all they allow us to do and be, rather them merely see them as objects we must whip or diet into a particular (and often culturally acceptable) shape. Above it was mentioned that "exercise is medicine", I would add to that: JOY is medicine. Joy of movement can be found however our bodies look or feel. There's always time to have a dance party in the kitchen!

Peri

Veteran

Wow! I am awed by the support from you all, and more than that, just the feeling of being all in it together. I see I'm not the only one going through this push to make smart choices, even if they are hard.

One thing I've realized while thinking this all through is that I'm just not a person who enjoys a packed schedule. I never have been. I was in a group a friends awhile back and two of them were saying they are "go go go" people who like to be busy, and I was thinking, Nope! I'm a "stay stay stay" person. It's the way our society rewards extroversion and acts like us quiet. contemplative types need to be fixed.

So, I was already at the limits of my busyness with work, daily life, house projects and 4 hours of weekly dance...it seems like the two hours of extra workouts have been the thing to push me over into the stress level of busyness. I feel like this has been the issue more than the actual workouts. Now that I'm enjoying a free weekend I can see that I need these times built in too.

Jules, Jaime, Cat2, Minaminu, As far as the actual workouts, I do like them while I'm doing them. The trainer is good, keeps things moving with lots of variety, and watches carefully for good form. She knows my limits at this point and we are going gradually. I've had an abundance of ortho injuries and I don't want to do anything to flare them up or add a new one so for now I want her eyes right on me...that lets out doing them alone at home or doing a group. Those things might be in my future, but not right now! And also, I know myself. Even on the days I would get to them, I know that urge to stop at 6-8 reps...that's the point where she says "5 more" and starts a countdown. I need that little push because alone, I would stop when I wanted to.

April...hilarious! I get the same thing. I can tell my DH something many times but it doesn't register as real until he reads it somewhere or someone else says it.

Helena...the broccoli of exercise! So good! I also love your some is better than none approach.

Joyce B...I like your mantra. I'm going to steal it. "weights for my bones".

Echo, Sal, Dee, Judy...my other and primary mantra. My goal is to set myself up for the healthiest aging I can manage. My lovely but cautionary tale friend and my lively MIL are always in my mind.

And also thanks for all the protein voices of reason. I'm the furthest thing from a nutrition expert but this 100+ grams of protein a day feels like mostly social media trendiness. I'll push what I can and tell that 100 to shove off!

LJP

Veteran

Sorry , to clarify , anything even near 100 g a day of protein is for those who are into heavy-weight training and looking for a certain physique . It’s not the norm .

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are doing great, Peri! Impressed you're going to a trainer twice a week despite your doubts and resentment. Your momentum is fabulous! You can give us the pep talk

And much relieved that hubs is doing better. Wishing you both good health and happiness.

FWIW, I'm nodding along with MsMary, Suz and Sal. It's important to workout to build some strength, fitness, and flexibility - for body, mind and spirit - and preferably making it something you enjoy so that you can manage it daily. The consistency is key, IMO.

As for protein, yes our diets need a lot of it. Eat what you can manage! The fact that you are aware of it, will keep you in check.

I am a morning person, so I wake up early and workout at home - like Jaime, I'm not a gym person, so that would never work. I do my strength building vinyasa yoga workout every day with the Down Dog app. It's challenging! I'm wobbling afterwards. Then I walk a lot during the day because I seldom drive - and doggies need their walkies. The activity part of my life is covered.

As for the protein part, I LOVE to cook and enjoy eating protein, so that part is easy. Maybe a meal service that is focused on protein can supplement your cooking a few times a week?

Again, I think you are doing well, and good for you and hubs

April

Veteran

Peri, now my BIL has attached the same glucose monitor to himself and my son is ordering one. Soon I will be the only person in our orbit who wants to talk about books or making fresh pasta.

AndiB

Veteran

What a great thread. I've been lifting on and off pretty much all of my adult life, and am really trying hard to create a long term HABIT of lifting. I have excellent habits with other fitness activities, but not so much lifting. I do belong to a gym - a YMCA, and I now take many more classes than I used to since they changed the pricing from having to pay for all classes to increasing monthly dues and all classes free. I now do yoga at the Y instead of a studio, which means I can take more than one class a week without breaking the bank. I've upped my spinning to 2 or sometimes 3 a week. I drop in to Pilates and kickboxing. I've made so many new friends of women I've seen around the Y for years, who were long time familiar acquaintances, but now we are all taking more classes, and we DO things together! But the weightlifting, no matter that I've been doing it at home for years - inconsistently, and without the progressive overload necessary to get really strong (which is what I want!) - hasn't become a 2 to 3 day a week habit. BUT! One of my new Y friends and I hired a Y personal trainer, and now we are holding ourselves accountable to 3 workouts a week. Sometimes we meet at the Y and do them together, sometimes separately, and I still do a lot at home, where I have acquired mostly dumbbells but a bunch of them over the years. Really added during covid, and I have 30lb'ers!

so what everyone else already said, but also adding to try to do some on your own at home, to supplement the trainer. Or so that when you are done with a trainer you KNOW what to do at home.

I became quite good a doing at home dumbbell only exercises, but now bunch pressing, using the cables, the pull down (up?) machine. Loving trying new things on the fitness floor and so fun to have a new friend to explore with. We've been taking classes together for a decade at the Y, but doing the trainer together was a great decision.

You've got this. So much good advice here!

RobinF

Veteran

I will chime in with the advice to try it at home! I started going to a trainer maybe 7 or 8 years ago a few times a week and, while I didn't love it, I did like the feeling of getting stronger and firmer. Then we moved too far away from the trainer so I started doing workouts with You Tube videos three mornings a week before work. That 5:30 alarm was really hard and I struggled but for the most part kept it up.

Then this January I broke my foot and stopped completely (why I didn't continue with upper body I don't know!). THEN just when I had convinced myself to pick it back up again I hurt my hand and once again gave up on my weights. Now thinking of it again but not sure how I would hold the weight in my injured-but-getting-better hand. Maybe kettlebells?

Anyway, for me, working out at home takes up less time and I like that. Sounds like the time is part of the issue for you so maybe that would help.

I love that you are doing ballroom dancing! My DH and I took some dance classes before Covid and really enjoyed them! Unfortunately the place where we took the classes has closed but we should find a new one!

BrieN

Veteran

I consider my time at the gym "me time". Its pretty much the only time I listen to my music playlists and I go and just focus. I don't talk to anyone and I hardly look at anyone. I'm just totally in my body. I guess I've framed it to myself as a bit of a luxury.

As for protein I hear you. I like dairy products though so that makes it easier. I find if I don't pack my breakfast with protein I can't get anywhere close to my goal for the day. I do a greek yogurt smoothie in the morning with all the add-ins including a big scoop of a collagen powder. I take it because it has fortibone/fortigel in it (for bones) but i also packs a lot of protein.

I recently shelled out $42 for an InBody scan - but I didn't shell out for the meeting with the nutritionist which was like 3x the cost. It took me a good hour with google to figure out what it all means. The level of detail is wow - like I have 5.47 lbs of muscle in my right arm - but it also gives the big picture numbers I was after - like amount of skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage and visceral fat level. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for more fitness information than just what the scale says. I am finding the information very motivating. I'm planning on repeating it in 2-3 months.

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