Keeping Fit after Aging Out - A new diet book

[atlvalet]

FYI, if you have any sort of muscle tone whatsoever, your BMI is going to be wacked.

[leeb]

You aged out in '06? You're young my friend :)

My new recent addiction is spinning. They play mostly dance-type music, and I think my inner drummer enjoys the beat/bass. Anyway, without changing my diet at all (although I eat relatively healthy) I lost 5 pounds in a few months. It's a great, no-impact workout that also tones your legs and butt...not that I care about that, but it's a nice ancillary benefit. That combined with Pilates and the gym means that I may be close to being in the best shape of my post 30 year old life :)

Unless you go on a super-strict diet, there is no way to achieve the leanness that comes with drum corps. I mean, first of all you're less than 22 years old and 2, you're outside for 6-12 hours a day practicing.

OK started spinning and do it now 3x a week, did 40 miles on my bike then 100. Now i am in my first Cyclocross race next week. Check it out on thetube. Lost weight and am in great shape. Even at 45.

[heyboiay]

Lots of different methods. Whatever works for your time schedule, and fits you. Depends on your goals, are you trying to boost your level of fitness and make your body feel better? Get ready for some type of sport/competition? Or just want to look good?

[atlvalet]

OK started spinning and do it now 3x a week, did 40 miles on my bike then 100. Now i am in my first Cyclocross race next week. Check it out on thetube. Lost weight and am in great shape. Even at 45.

Yup. I spin 2-3 times a week. I do Pilates 1x a week and the gym 3-4x a week. Adding spinning this year really helped. I find it next to impossible to motivate myself to run.

[BDCorno]

Ok, definitely just kidding about the title.

But in all seriousness, I've decided to get back into an exercise routine since my days of drum corps (Crown Guard '03-'06), but oh geez do I feel like an old man! Obviously this activity puts a lot of stress on our bodies that rivals any athletic sport and I am definitely feeling it.

So, does anyone have any tips on how to stay fit without creating too much stress? Here are some things I've been doing lately:

cycling – i bought a road bike and my doctor says it's the perfect way to get a cardiovascular workout. he said it's also a great way to exercise if you have bad knees (just make sure your bike is fitted properly).

jumping rope - 10 minutes of jumping rope is equal to 30 minutes jogging (less time to endure chin splints!)

I also figured this would be a good topic for anyone aging out and coming off such a great season. Would love to hear anyone's tips on how you fought off the colossal "midnight food truck snack" routine. It's almost like quitting smoking!

Walking is pretty easy on the knees, and gives a nice cardio workout. Downside is the amount of time it takes. I started out huffing and puffing my way around the neighborhood back in February, and have made constant progress. Still walk a lot, but have integrated running into the routine. I'm down 45 pounds now, and really haven't modified my diet much. Sure, I eat a bit less because I just don't feel like it. Amazing how that works when you exercise! Speed, stamina, and overall health are great. Just had bloodwork run, and my cholesterol is down 36 points, good cholesterol is up, triglycerides and bad cholesterol are down 25%. It's simple calories in/calories out, nothing real fancy. "The old fashioned way...you burn it!"

The Nike Plus system with the Ipod/Iphone or Garmin sports GPS units (they work for walk/run and bikes too) have great capability of tracking your progress. One of the biggest motivators is Facebook. Ran into an old friend there...ex-VK drum major...and we ended up running a half marathon together in June. The ability to encourage each other - AND having a goal to meet - were key in keeping both of us motivated. Find like-minded friends and acquaintances to share with and encourage. If you have nobody for that, let me know. I'll be happy to stay in touch and give encouragement, and will appreciate the same in return. It feels great to feel great! All of the above is in only six months...YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

P.S. - You feel old in your mid 20s? Wow, wait until you're in your 50s like me! LOLOL!

[Piper]

1. Count calories — Yes, it's a pain but no, you don't have to whip a book out every time you eat something. Find out what your daily caloric intake is in order to maintain your body weight (find your BMI, too) and then determine how many fewer calories per day you should eat in order to lose weight, do so, lose the weight, then maintain the necessary amount.

2. Exercise — Whatever works for you to burn calories. If it's stress on joints that bothers you, may I recommend swimming? Best. Workout. Ever.

I grew up like a fish, I was always in the water. Swimming is great because you're basically exercising every muscle in your body.

[TerriTroop]

Good for you for taking this step now instead of 20 years later like most of us!

In the past 6 years I've gone from obese to just 20 lbs or so shy of my goal weight. I decided to tackle them by signing up for marathon training. With any luck I'll be fit and running (i.e. jogging) 26 miles at the Austin Marathon on February 20. Yeehaw!!!

Anyway, here are some things to keep in mind:

Muscle burns fat. Period. Cardio is great, but building muscle mass will keep your body burning fat much more efficiently - and then you can eat a bit more. (honesty check: this is not my strong suit.)

Your core work is just as important as your cardio work. Keeping your core strong will keep you looking great and you'll feel better when you do all that cardio work. (honesty check #2: I had a great core workout program going, and I've slacked off. Time to practice what I preach - again!)

Work with a trainer once in a while to get new ideas about how to balance your workouts. You don't have to go all out and work with someone weekly. Maybe hire a trainer around birthdays or Christmas as a little present to yourself. These times are usually when people think they are treating themselves by taking a little workout vacation, but instead you'll be motivated to keep going by changing up your routine.

When it comes to weight management, it's all about calories in vs. calories out. Most of us underestimate the calories we take in and over-estimate the calories we burn. ("I walked a mile, I can eat a couple of donuts today." Nope! Does not compute!)

There is no magic dietary bullet. Lots of unprocessed fruits and veggies is the bulk of a healthy, balanced diet. Add to that a couple or three servings of lean protein sources, 2-3 whole grain sources and 2-3 dairy sources and you're good to go. Just be careful about added sugars and fats. The food pyramid is your friend.

Most Americans have no idea what a portion size is, and we have been trained to love the taste of high fat, high sugar, highly processed foods. I was one of those people, and I had the pounds and the 2X size clothes - and the blood pressure - to show it. Woo. Go American food industry! (and the truth is that most of us with weight issues have refused to look in the mirror to examine what the real problem is. If we as a culture would stop buying all that crap, the food industry would respond. It's already happening a little, which is good.)

Restaurant eating is difficult - portion sizes are enormous, social pressure to eat large is enormous, they bring chips or bread to your table without asking, and then there's the whole appetizer/main course/dessert trio of death. I've learned to ask for what I need and avoid what I don't. The customer wins when the customer goes in informed and ready to be specific.

[One Step]

Diet and exercise my friend.

I haven't found any kind of work out that helps like running does. I know, I know, we all hate it. Myself included. We all have bad knees, too. I was always the kid out on the field with both knees in braces while marching. If I went more than a block or two without them, I would be next to tears because of the pain. I hear you guys on the knees, I promise.

But, I was talking to some friends of mine who recently got into running, and they suggested I look into what's called ChiRunning. I watched some videos on YouTube, but didn't really understand the concept until I borrowed the book from my friend. There is so much good stuff in there, including how to run if you have "bad knees." So long as I focus on the technique throughout my entire run, I have no issues with shin splints or knee pain. I suggest you look into it. http://www.chirunning.com/

Plan your meals. Eat breakfast everyday. Eating less and skipping meals doesn't necessarily result in losing weight. Here's the big toughie for me: Don't eat before bed. Your body doesn't need all those calories to sleep. The easiest way to make losing weight hard is going to sleep for the night on a full stomach. It's comforting, sure. But it's not necessary.

[2000Cadet]

Join the military.

[ouooga]

While we're on the topic, is there anyone else here that can't do the elliptical? My knees are shot after drum corps, and running's tough, but the elliptical kills me! Most people are surprised by this, since they're really meant to be BETTER for the knees, but I think it's because the motion of the elliptical is very similar to the motion of marching, which is why they hurt in the first place.

Is this just me?