It's Time To Say... Good... Bye

[filkertom]

Sadness. Fitness guru and pretty much all-American icon Jack LaLanne has passed away at the age of 96. If you never had the good fortune to see him on TV (and he was all over the place when I was a kid), he was truly the greatest cheerleader for getting off your ass and moving that the world has ever seen. Richard Simmons isn't even close.

I know some of you keep exercise logs on LJ or other social sites, and I think that's great. I am, at this point, a lump -- partly because of my current physical limitations, but partially because I am lazy about exercise. This isn't a New Year's Resolution or anything, but I am gonna try to be more active, and to note it here when I do so. So either there'll be a lot more entries with the "exercise" tag... or there won't.

I'm planning to do a little tai chi, maybe sit-down yoga, and I've got some small weights to start with. If you exercise, what's your preferred program? Do you watch a specific TV or video, do you go somewhere to run or walk, a particular gym because they have such-and-such weights and machines, yoga, tai chi, what? Just curious.

Comments

[trav13369.livejournal.com]

I practiced a composite form of kung fu called Nei Wai Chia (nay wah shah) for 4 years, up til about 3 years ago. Quit for many reasons, but I have a job of daily medium physical labor, with walking, climbing, and lifting (work in a car parts warehouse), so a daily exercise regimen is standard.

I just remember the juicer commercials with clips of his fitness feats, like pulling 6 tethered boats behind him while swimming! Cool! The man deserves rest after working so hard to get us fit.

[qnofhrt.livejournal.com]

My jobs both require doing a lot of walking so that helps a bit. (I average a couple miles a day.) After reading Roxanne's comments about riding, last year I dusted off my bike after a long absence and started too. I always loved it as a kid, when it was the standard method of getting around and rediscovered how much fun it was. I'm lucky to live close to Fermilab, which is a nice relatively traffic-free area to ride.

I can't run due to two bad knees and wouldn't anyhow. Although I like to swim, biking is way more accessible. I also found it a great way to reduce stress, of which there was a fair bit last year.

Good luck with your plan. I look forward to reading about your progress!

[jannyblue.livejournal.com]

If I exercise, it's DDR and a lot of walking-as-transportation.

...mostly walking AWAY from the freezer full of ice-cream.

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

My wife and I are slowly doing the Wii Fit Plus stuff and between that and proper eating we seem to be losing weight.

Though it's a bit annoying when the Wii purposely calls you by the wrong name when you haven't gotten on it in a while. *ahem* ;-)

Eventually I'd like to maybe try Judo or Aikido. I did Isshinryu karate when I was much much younger but didn't keep up with it. If I could find a local dojo for that it too is a possibility.

[jannyblue.livejournal.com]

I found WiiFit to be very passive-aggressive.

In addition, it uses BMI as the sole metric of your "fitness" level.

I suppose it works to motivate some people, but I'm not one of them.

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

Agreed it's not for everyone.

That said cyrrently BMI is a good motivator for us as we are definitely overweight. (Both of us by at least 40 - 50 pounds.)

The exercises aren't too hard and the yoga stuff in particular helps a lot to keep our joints from hurting provided we do it regularly.

[popefelix.livejournal.com]

I largely ignore the BMI measurement, my "Wii Fit Age", and the Wii Fit's exclamations of "that's obese!". I'm more concerned with getting my exercise in every day.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

I love my Wii Fit. I hate the way it gasps "OH!" when I step onto it, but I am enjoying the games and the yoga and even the strength training. It's helping some on the weight and more on the inches.

I bought a vest in November when I hit my low weight, and it was tight. I couldn't fasten it at 5 lbs over that weight. After 2 weeks of the Wii Fit, I could fasten it easily at SEVEN pounds over that weight and it was looser than when I bought it.

[living400lbs.livejournal.com]

FYI for those impacted, Wii's weight limit is 330lbs.

I have heard reports of those only a bit above the limit putting it on carpet or what-have-you to get around this, but obvy mileage will vary.

[the_rck]

I do Sit and Be Fit. It airs on WCMU at 2:30 every weekday.

[jcbemis.livejournal.com]

I also like this TV excercise show

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I walk five times a week (normally) for half an hour--often just around the block, but I just go around the block until half an hour is up. I have some lightweight weights I sometimes use for a strength training routine (I keep getting derailed on that, though.)

[allisona.livejournal.com]

We bought the Wii "Let's Dance" and "Let's Dance 2" after Christmas and the goal has been to go through the program 30 minutes five or six times a week and then weigh in on the WiiFit every Saturday morning. So far the dancing is fun and it's decent cardio exercise. I still have to work on those bad food habits, though...

[popefelix.livejournal.com]

Free Step on the Wii Fit Plus 5 days a week and occasionally on weekends. I also have a couple of 2# weights that I use while I'm doing the Wii to work my arms.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

I have a gym membership paid for my my health insurance. I use the exercise bike and the rowing machine--I have shoulder issues, so the rowing machine is one of the few arm-exercises I can do. I was very sad when they canceled the belly dancing classes.

I keep track of my biking with this site: http://www.barrowdowns.com/walktorivendell.php

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

I shed my weight (roundabout 100lbs) by eating better and exercising. For the latter half of the equation, my preferred methods are walking, light weights, walking, occasionally biking, walking, putting on tunes and dancing around the apartment as I work, walking, at least 10min of yoga every other day, and walking. See a trend? :-) Even a bit of walking on a regular basis does wonders.

Two years ago, I picked up an old hobby from my childhood: volksmarching. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volksmarching) My parents started doing it in the 70s when they were stationed in Germany, and my roomie and I started up in 2008 (my mom still had my old and still good event cards!). Mostly 10k walks, with achievement pins and levels for AVA (American Volkssport Association (http://www.ava.org)) sanctioned events. It's actually a lot of fun and a highly recommended fitness activity. There's even a walking club in your area. (http://www.ava.org/gen3/data/clubsbystate.asp?EVState=MI)

And I can't recommend yoga enough; it does wonders for increasing strength and flexibility. I've got a bum right knee (from football) and a bad foot (from breaking it at a con in '04), and targeted yoga's really helped me strengthen those weakened areas.

Wishing you the best of luck and encouragement...we want to have you around for as long as we had Mr. LaHanne!

[qnofhrt.livejournal.com]

Cool icon! Where'd you get it?

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

My stellar roomie gaelbrady made it; my ideas+her graphics wizardry=fun stuff. Her biking icon is orange-toned and says "I want to ride my bicycle..."

Queen references for the win!

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I have a membership at Snap Fitness because it's cheap ($40 a month) and it gives me a place out of the elements to exercise. The range of machines is limited, but it works. They have the basic stuff and keep it well maintained.

In nice weather I'll walk/run/ride outdoors. I don't expect there'll be any of that for at least two more months. I like the air temperature somewhere between 40 and 80F if I'm doing that.

Considering where you're starting from Tom, you might find a recumbent exercise bike useful.

[tarsa.livejournal.com]

I loved doing Yoga while I was attending EMU. Though I wasn't able to do some of the asanas due to my back injury, it still was a very nice stretch and the grounding and centering was a wonderful way to start the day. Walking seems to be my one fall~back exercise, even now with being on Disability. I still have to take my dog out for a walk, which is a good thing. I just can't go for a mile or longer (if I'm lucky, I can do a couple of blocks), which I miss greatly.

[cainle-bean.livejournal.com]

We have started exercising here. I have been doing a exercise bike (with NO regularity) for a couple of months, but needed to get on the regular thing. So in the mornings, the hubby and I do his Army physical training stuffs (modified for broken down me) and walk the dogs. Evenings, dogs get a walk. This is in addition to any walking we do during the day. Alternative to me (if he cannot walk that day) is riding the exercise bike.

I do not do gyms, generally. I also picked up a belly dance (tribal fusion style) DVD to hel pwith core strength, and do an old Billy Blanks Tae Bo DVD when I can (its FUN).

[malada.livejournal.com]

I do morning stretches for about 5 minutes, then 50 push ups, 50 deep knee bends, 30 sit ups and 30 leg raises. It's boring but I do it.

Then I walk my dog. Depending on the weather it's anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes _twice_ a day. The dog loves it and it helps keep me fit.

-m

[elektra-h.livejournal.com]

At the moment, physical theraphy 2 to 3 times a week. Shifting to working on the recumbent exercise bike at home, plus we picked up a home (universal-type) gym used a while back for $200. Now that it's set up in the basement, I actually want to play with it.

[mdlbear]

I walk. I used to walk for an hour almost every day around lunchtime; it's gotten more difficult now, mainly because of scheduling conflicts, and I sometimes go for almost a week without walking at all.

Need to fix that.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

When I'm on top of my program, I walk twice a day for about 30 minutes each time. At my usual walking speed, that's 3.5 to 4 miles a day. I keep thinking about adding weights or yoga, but haven't gotten there yet. That's on top of eating a pretty decent diet; one of my sweeties says that I eat more fruit and veggies than anyone he knows who isn't a vegetarian.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I've had fibromyalgia for many years and I'm limited in terms of how long and how intensely I can work out. I'm a fan of the "walk at home" videos (now DVDs) by Leslie Sansone. Most of them aren't too intense for a recovering couch potato (like me): there's no jumping, running or stepping, and no fancy dance steps to learn. I find that I can put my mind on autopilot while I'm doing these workouts and just mirror what I see on the TV. I started buying Leslie's exercise programs in the mid-90s and wish that I could put some of the older ones, currently on VHS, onto DVDs.

[roane.livejournal.com]

I recently discovered yoga, and it's been amazing. I am enormously out of shape and weigh somewhere in the vicinity of 400 lbs. I am interested, at this point, in getting stronger and more flexible, but also more in touch with my body. I spent 20+ years distancing myself from a body I've loathed, mistrusted, and tried to 'fix'. I've spent the last 10-15 or so trying to repair that physical and emotional damage.

Yoga is helping me just BE inside my skin, and be aware of what's going on inside me. I can't say enough good things about it. I've been fortunate to have found teachers who don't look at me as the next Biggest Loser competitor (oh, how I despise that show), but instead take me exactly for where I am and what I want to accomplish, and help me to get there. For only the second time in my life, I've found a form of movement that I do because I like the way it feels when I'm doing it (even if I'm sweating and grumbling) and I like the way it makes me feel afterward. (For the curious, the first was dancing in the SCA. :) )

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

Exercise is a major goodness - I've found that the more active I am, the happier I am. I try not to become too obsessive, but I just can't stress enough how much it helps my health, my mood... everything.

I'm an omnivore when it comes to activity; I'll do just about anything. I love yoga for the peace of mind it brings, and because it just feels so delicious to stretch and breathe. I love walking, because I live in a neighborhood that makes it convenient - I don't just walk for it's own sake, but it's easy to walk to the library/bank/new lunch restaurant. I love circuit training because it keeps me from getting bored - just treadmill or situps bores the bejeebers out of me, but videos where I'm doing something different every five minutes keeps me engaged.

As for what DVDs, I was pleasantly surprised with the P90X series - they're fun, and they don't take themselves too seriously, and they show a range of difficulty levels. I'm not too fond of Jillian Michaels, she's kind of obnoxious. And for women, The Firm series of DVDs is just awesome (it's a little... dance-y and girly for most guys, though).

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

In my last two years of TV work, I walked. When I was fired, I walked even more. I stopped drinking so much diet soda and started drinking water; that alone washed a lot of fat out of my system.No longer as fat on the sides, and losing it slowly in front as well.

 I've also helped a friend tend a dog for another family. The dog's a golden retriever/border collie mix, and is energetic and somewhat daffy, running after every cat or "uncut male" dog he comes across.. Keeping up with Butch has provided a lot of exercise.

The critical factor, as I discovered, was to stop wearing tennis shoes or "walking"shoes and to wear work boots with good arch supports. When these are laced up tight, they provide ankle support, and that keeps my feet from getting all worn out and sore. I can walk more.

This "Sit and Be Fit" program sounds good; got to see if it's available somewhere.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

And from what I could tell, up until the end, he could probably still run rings around Richard Simmons.

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

I make a point of taking the stairs down at least once a day (15 floors) and I've been taking them up from various floors as often as I can convince myself. In a few minutes I'm going to take a break and walk down to the 7th floor and back up.

I have a Wii Fit, but rarely use it. Life has been both busy and eventful of late.

Working out, etc.

[zencuppa.livejournal.com]

Ummm, I think you know I actually *like* working out, unlike many fans..

Right now I workout three times a week, with at least a hour per workout. That could include yoga, spinning, weights, cardio, elliptical, situps, and swimming. (and yes, I get bored easily can you tell?).

In the summer, I love doing 2-3 hour long hikes, several times a month with hiking poles and sometimes a loaded backpack.

And that's all I can think of, for now...

[ebenbrooks.livejournal.com]

Tai Ch'i is a good exercise regimen. It's great because it's a nice, light workout in its basic form, can be "ramped up" by simply doing the same movements in a lower stance, and "really ramped up" by adding isometric resistance.

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

"If it tastes good, spit it out." -- Jack LaLanne.

I doubt he had a lot of friends in the restaurant business.

Starting formal exercise is very likely something I'll do in the not-too-distant future because my chiropractor keeps nagging me about it and she's been totally right about everything else so far. (Did exactly what I needed to make my back pain disappear, and put me on a diet that actually works - I'm down 50 pounds and maintaining.)

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

We have a Wii Fit, and I am *just* at the cusp of "overweight" and "obese." If I never hear it chuckle "heh, heh, heh...That's obese!" again, I shall be quite pleased.

We also have a YMCA membership, and I reliably work out twice a week. I love swimming, because it you can really work your muscles with the water supporting your weight. Nice resistance.

Last year, I joined my son in Tae Kwon Do, but my foot injury put paid to that for a while.

[hillarysherwood.livejournal.com]

I'm a big walker. When the weather is nice I'll walk outside. I've got stairs in my rental, so I'm constantly having to go up or down stairs. I can't walk as far as I once could because of arthritis in my knees and feet, but it's worked very well for me.

Two words: Water Aerobics

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

That's what my arthritis guy recommended for my aging knees, and i bet it would help you, too, if you can find a congenial place. Even just walking back and forth across the pool at a comfortable depth to take the load off the joints will help.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

I really like it when friends get more active, because inactivity kills (albeit slowly) and saps the life from people as they age, and we need as many good ones around us as we can get.

[catnip13.livejournal.com]

I do 30 minutes of yoga everyday. Wednesdays, I do an hour of rollerskating once a week, I walk 30-45 minutes most days, and in the summer I swim or do water aerobics frequently.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

I'm lucky enough to work a few blocks from Oakland's Chinatown -- it makes an interesting walk at lunchtime.

[kyril.livejournal.com]

I can personally recommend Tai Chi--preferably taught by someone who knows it as a martial art, even if they're only teaching it as exercise. Failing that at least make sure they're telling you your knees should be bent. (I ran into one "Taoist Tai Chi" organization that had you keep your legs straight, which kills 75% of the exercise factor.)

My biggest recommendations are (1) do a little something anytime you think about it, it doesn't even have to be a formal exercise move, just to get in the habit of burning calories; (2) don't stress too much about it--or anything else. Stress hormones make you want to eat--which defeats the purpose.

Making sure water is the most convenient thing to drink is also a good trick.

[living400lbs.livejournal.com]

I rebuilt after injuries and arthritis in both knees with leg lifts, modified squats and walking in physical therapy. Since then I've added some yoga, aerobics, and other exercises. Lots more detail here (http://living400lbs.wordpress.com/exercise/), including how I adapt some stretches and yoga moves for my current abilities.

[old-fortissimo.livejournal.com]

Well, since you asked.

I do walk and stand a lot in court. I use stairs as fitness opportunities - free StairMasters for the people! - avoiding elevators for trips of only 2 or 3 floors.

I do Delsarte to center myself (no, no Grecian Urns, thank you), then dynamic leg stretches, and then all my Tae Kwon Do forms, from white belt to black belt, at speed. Then I do them again, mirror image - e.g., starting with a right low block rather than a left - so I work the body bilaterally. I do the same with the self-defense combinations, I add in the defensive moves Kat showed me from her days at the psychiatric hospitals. Shoulder moves to counter "plugged in at the computer" positions, deep knee-bends, push-ups with my feet elevated, sit backs. Cool down is Chinese forms - 2 Wing Chun forms (I'm teaching myself the 3rd, but it's not mastered yet, a short Tai Chi form, and static stretches.

The result is I'm overweight.

Don't laugh: 28 pounds ago(from August 2010) I was obese. Kat and I went on low carbohydrate Atkins/South beach diets, and she's dropped 30 lbs.

I'm working towards a happy medium...as opposed to an extra-large.

Okay, laugh. :D

[antinomic.livejournal.com]

I swim every morning before work for 30-40 minutes. I have a bad knee, so this is a good exercise for me. Also, the local Y has an indoor pool kept at 84 degrees.

I'm still overweight, but I've dropped 20+ pounds in the last two years. Which also helps the knee.