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Give me Advise on Going from a Couch Potato to a Fit
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MA_TESOL



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:44 pm    Post subject: Give me Advise on Going from a Couch Potato to a Fit Reply with quote

I live a fairly sedentary existence. Next month I will be 55. I am not too motivated but would like to be.

Is it possible at my age to become quite fit?

Can you please give me some step-by-step advice. I would really appreciate it
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globalgirlk



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Location: Livingston, La

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Assuming that you're not being sarcastic. No insult intended. I would find a gym or a park, I'm not in S. Korea yet, and go for a walk for about 30 minutes a day. Smile
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MA_TESOL



Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

globalgirlk wrote:
Assuming that you're not being sarcastic. No insult intended. I would find a gym or a park, I'm not in S. Korea yet, and go for a walk for about 30 minutes a day. Smile


Thanks. No I am not being sarcastic, just honest. It is like I have 2 minds: the lazy one and the one that sincerely wants to get off my butt and get good and fit. I use to be involved in a 100Km trek called Trailwalker and was very fit..it did it in less than 48 hours going over 20 peaks. Unfortunately, I really hate hiking in Korea: too crowded and commercial. I want to be like I was-just have a motivation issue
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peppermint



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IT's absolutely possible. One of the aerobics instructors at my gym here in Canada is a 64 year old woman. She leads four or so classes a day, and says she's got more energy now than she did when she was 30.

I'm working out the how to aspect myself. The key seems to be finding a physical activity that you enjoy and just keep doing it.

Not sure this helped much, but good luck!
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globalgirlk



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Location: Livingston, La

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Motivation is the hardest part. Good luck!
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Czarjorge



Joined: 01 May 2007
Location: I now have the same moustache, and it is glorious.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm rapidly approaching 30 and I'm in the same boat as you. Part of my problem is a love, not just of food and drink, but of overindulgence itself.

I'm going on two weeks of good behavior and there are two things that have helped me.

One, I take a day off once a week. I let myself drink a case of beer if I want. Or eat a triple cheeseburger, or whatever. It's much easier to work towards the long term goal with some short term rewards.

Two, I do some running, which I hate, and some weight lifting, which I also hate, but for the most part I bought an exercise bike and I try to avoid JUST sitting and watching TV. The TV's on right now, but I'm online so I can justify it. For the most part though if I'm going to watch a show or movie I do it on the bike. It sucks, but its been a reasonably good compromise so far and after only two weeks I'm burning almost a thousand calories a day.

We'll see about the longterm viability, but thus far its working. twelves more days to thirty days, and it does get easier every day. Maybe I'll even start liking it.
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JustJohn



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Your computer screen

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agreed. I can tell you the best ways to get in shape (actually you probably just want to start with a lot of walking/hiking if you're 55 and have been sedentary for a while) but it won't make any difference if you aren't motivated.

Go look at some health facts. Getting toward the end of middle aged you probably are going to be interested in extending your healthy life-span. Exercise is a great way to do that. Realizing how much you can improve your life should be a good motivator. If not, find something else to motivate you. You'll need at least a moderate amount of motivation to get anything worthwhile done.
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Underwaterbob



Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like someone mentioned before, the best motivator is to find something you really enjoy doing. Exercise sucks, but doing something you enjoy and getting exercise is great.
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Cornfed



Joined: 14 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Years ago I wrote posted and article on another forum detailing what I thought was the most healthy diet and exercise routine. I could find it and repost it here if anyone is interested.

Last edited by Cornfed on Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
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crusher_of_heads



Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want some fast but healthy results....

get up early in the morning. For 2 weeks take a brisk walk for 45 minutes before eating anything or drinking coffee.


After that, replace walking with jumping rope-then breakfast.


And, obvioulsy, reduce sugar intake as much as possible.

alcohol=sugar
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JustJohn



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Your computer screen

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reducing (saturated and trans) fat is WAY more important than reducing sugar...
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bovinerebel



Joined: 27 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

find a place 20 minutes walk from work. I couldn't imagine this the same time last year , but now i refuse a lift home because I like my walk. The walk to and from work helps clear the head and just from doing that and not drinking beer in the week I've lost about 5kg's. I've added wights to my "regime" but that's purely cosmetic. 5 months in and I'm feeling fit as anything.
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Stormy



Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Location: Here & there

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bovinerebel wrote:
find a place 20 minutes walk from work. I couldn't imagine this the same time last year , but now i refuse a lift home because I like my walk. The walk to and from work helps clear the head and just from doing that and not drinking beer in the week I've lost about 5kg's. I've added wights to my "regime" but that's purely cosmetic. 5 months in and I'm feeling fit as anything.


I second this. I also live about 20 minutes from work & not only enjoy the walk, but have lost some weight just from doing it to school & back each day. I've also recently bought a bike & on the weekends spend at least an hour or so riding around my area. I've discovered some interesting out of the way places through doing this too - mind you I do live in a rural area, might be a different story in a big city.

I also did a search online for 'exercise classes' on google & found some good aerobics/exercise type classes that I downloaded for free. I found a selection - one that focuses on your arms, one on your abs, one on bums, tums & thighs & one that's all cardio stuff. They're only 20 minutes each so they're not a stretch to do one each morning, or a couple if you're feeling keen. When I get home I can post the link if anyone is interested. Or else just google it & explore.

Like you, I have trouble with motivation so my mantra is just to do small amounts regularly. A 20 minute exercise class in my loungeroom while the dinner cooks is doable whereas an hour at the gym would always be knocked out by any excuse I could think of.
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curlygirl



Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Location: Pundang, Seohyeon dong

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stormy wrote:
Like you, I have trouble with motivation so my mantra is just to do small amounts regularly. A 20 minute exercise class in my loungeroom while the dinner cooks is doable whereas an hour at the gym would always be knocked out by any excuse I could think of.


Seconded. Just break up your exercise throughout the day because short bursts are much easier to accomplish than long stretches.

I wake up and do 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises (I get it out of the way before breakfast). Then it's an hour's walk to my school and another hour's walk home again.

Nobody EVER calls me fat Razz
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WoBW



Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Location: HBC

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hate actually working out in a gym or whatever, but I do enjoy walking. It takes me a little over an hour to get home from work, but I look forward to it. If I'm in no hurry I walk everywhere within reason, although at this time of year it can just be too hot and sticky in the daytime and when the sun is shining.

I actually prefer walking in the city to walking in the countryside. Way more interesting. As long as it's not too crowded. I don't like walking around Gangnam Station, for example, but plenty of streets in Seoul aren't crowded at all.
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