what's your current exercise regime?

[redrhodie]

I've been thinking about my fitness regime, and how it's changed over the years. Right now, and for the last several years, cycling has been my main aerobic activity. Once a week I take Pilates class for my core. I also walk every day, most often to the store, and I consider carrying groceries part of my weight bearing work. I like this current mix, but I know if I ever get bored, I'll try something else. I could see myself trying 'cross someday for some excitment.

In earlier years, I was into ballet, yoga, and rock climbing. Walking has been my most consistant activity over many, many years.

So, what's working for you? Is there anything you're thinking about trying that you haven't yet?

[ny biker]

Weight training 2x/week. Cardio on other days, totaling 5-6 days exercise per week.

Cardio in warm weather is bike or long walks. In winter it's a machine at the gym or a long walk outside if it's not too cold. I should ride my bike on the trainer more, maybe this year I'll do that.

I walk to/from the gym which is 15 minutes each way, down a big hill to get there and up the big hill to get home.

[kjb]

Biking is my main aerobic work-out, too. A couple of times a week I head over to the stadium at the high school and run the stairs. It's great for the legs and the mind, as well as for adding some variety. I don't walk nearly as much as I used to. I like biking everywhere I can instead. I have my eye on some indoor rock climbing for the winter. It's something I've always wanted to try, but I finally feel strong enough to try it. I'll probably also add a cheap gym membership, just for the winter, for weight training and (possibly) some group classes. I'd like to think I'm hardcore, but I don't think I'll be doing much biking in the Chicago winters.

kjb

[deeaimond]

my current exercise routine is called 'wielding the red pen' (endless grading. guess my occupation! )


in a more normal state I engage in a mixture of 60% biking, 20% jogging and 20% swimming at least 5 exercise days a week. However due to my work schedule now, I'm lucky if i get to fit in a 20 mile ride on Sunday.

I cycle to work everyday, but its like a 2 mile commute. i try to make up for it by riding faster and using the heavy bike. 20 mins on the bike each day (unless i have something on that day then i just hop on a taxi....) I know i'm bad. been looking for a pilates class to attend but i live in the suburbs and pilates hasn't reached here yet. I need to work on my core. I think it doesn't really exist right now... I try to squeeze in some running now and then, but it hasn't happened in about... 3 weeks. sigh...

[Brandi]

Let's see I shovel sand, play tennis twice a week and bike.

[GLC1968]

Since I started biking, it has become pretty much all I did and I've done nothing but gain weight in that time frame.

This past year, we added 'farm work' into the mix - so when I'm not at a desk at work, I'm shoveling, hoeing, building, carrying, milking, weeding, etc. And I was *still* gaining weight.

A month ago, it occurred to me that when I was a 'normal' body weight, it was back when I used to lift weights regularly. I decided to pick it up again. Now I lift heavy 3 days a week, do one mixed cardio (kick boxing, step, etc) once a week, still do the farm work and I ride when I can (about twice a week now). It's making a HUGE difference on how I view my body and my abilities. And the scale is starting to move in the right direction, too.

I have no idea how I ever let myself drop the weight training, but I'm SOOOO glad that I'm finally back into it.

[Chile Pepper]

We're still in winter, so my cycling time is down. I'm going to the gym three to four days a week, doing the treadmill and weights. I cycle when the weather is decent. Once spring arrives, I'm hoping to keep up at the gym three days a week and ride three days (two short, one long), with Sundays off for recovery.

[DarcyInOregon]

During the winter months I am at the gym 6 days a week, doing cardio, weights and core. However I can't get the sustained heart rate at the gym that I can while cycling, so when good weather arrives I am on the bike again, and I just visit the gym a few times a week to do low burn cardio, weights and core. I also walk and hike.

On the bike my average heart rate on a distance ride is over 130. At the gym, even doing running intervals on the treadmill I am lucky to get an average heart rate of 125. The bike is a more effective cardio exercise for me.

Next summer I am thinking about taking up kayaking, in addition to the cycling.

The weight gain while cycling happened to me too, and in a serious way, back in 2007. I burn over 35,000 calories a month with cycling during the good months, so I was in shock. It turns out I had gotten an inflammation of my intestinal system, most likely caused by food chemicals, which slowed down my digestive system and metabolism. Anyone reading this who is gaining weight and might not know why, to put it delicately, if your bowel movements are not normal, like when you were a healthy child, then you should suspect internal inflammation as the cause of your weight gain. I focused carefully on my nutrition and minimized processed foods in my diet, cleared up the inflammation, my bowel movements are now incredibily healthy, I lost the weight I had gained plus a bunch more, and I feel great.

[shootingstar]

The weight gain while cycling happened to me too, and in a serious way, back in 2007. I burn over 35,000 calories a month with cycling during the good months, so I was in shock. It turns out I had gotten an inflammation of my intestinal system, most likely caused by food chemicals, which slowed down my digestive system and metabolism. Anyone reading this who is gaining weight and might not know why, to put it delicately, if your bowel movements are not normal, like when you were a healthy child, then you should suspect internal inflammation as the cause of your weight gain. I focused carefully on my nutrition and minimized processed foods in my diet, cleared up the inflammation, my bowel movements are now incredibily healthy, I lost the weight I had gained plus a bunch more, and I feel great.

Re: Bowel...I tried starting up a topic thread on this with a few responses. Just a few days ago, I chatted up with another cyclist. She agreed that regular BM is another way how she informally assesses healthy bodily functioning..aided by exercise. My gut feeling tells me that BM matters both healthy and not so good, tend to be noticed when we get into our 30's and beyond. Younger people may not notice certain patterns nor care at that point in time.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=32936

During cycling season, I do cycle a significant amount. Then near end of day, I try to do some simple Pilates, yoga, etc. more to keep myself flexible, stretched, etc. Winter is not great 'cause other than the floor stretching exercises, I only do snowshoeing occasionally if weather is too lousy/not safe for cycling.

Of course, not having a car, I must walk, etc. as my other transportation alternative.

[Crankin]

Right now, cycling about 4 days a week, sometimes 5. A couple of these rides may be short, errand rides of 8-15 miles, but always ending in the steep climb to my house. I walk or hike on a trail 2 days a week, about 3-4 miles. I also do upper body weights twice a week and at least one yoga session and two days of core work.
I gave up my gym membership in May and it hasn't made one difference. I have weights at home, lots of DVDs, a balance ball, and elastic bands. In the winter, I snow shoe, x country ski, and hike for cardio, along with my bike on the trainer. It helps that I have trails right from my door and an x country center about 8 miles away. I am thinking of buying an elliptical for my house, which would have helped me during the rainy summer we had in June and July. Although I don't mind walking in the rain, I don't ride in it.
DH and I are planning on doing some serious core work and lifting this winter, in preparation for a bike trip next May.

[redrhodie]

Let's see I shovel sand, play tennis twice a week and bike.

This all sounds fun!

I have recently gotten a frisbee, and that's REALLY fun. My dbf is really good, won tournaments way back in high school. I'm surprisingly okay. I'm pretty much afraid of anything flying at me (any kind of ball), so it's great that I don't feel that with the disc, and I can both throw AND catch!

Does anyone play any sports?

[Crankin]

I consider what I do as sports! I suck at team things that require eye hand coordination. I liked field hockey in school, but I haven't played it since I was 15. Things like golf and tennis are out for me, as are baseball and basketball. I think I would have been OK at soccer, but it wasn't played when I was a kid and while I understand the point is to get a goal, I don't really know the other rules (yea, I faked it when my kids played). I sailed for a few years as a kid, as the crew for a friend, but my parents decided not buy me a boat when I couldn't learn the knots (see above about eye hand coordination!). We have a canoe, too, but we only do flat water pond canoeing. I don't swim well, either; I can swim, but not efficiently and tire very easily when swimming. And I don't really like not being able to touch my feet on the ground.

[GLC1968]

I love just about all sports (except field hockey...man I hated being forced to play that in gym!)!! Unfortunately, most team sports require a commitment and I just can't do that right now.

We have been scoping out tennis courts in our area...and I'm thinking about joining in with the group that plays volleyball at lunch here at my office (we have a new sand volleyball court outside). I'm too old for rugby any more....and probably for soccer, too. I gave up snowboarding permanently, but I do hope to get in some skiing this winter. I don't think I've skied since our honeymoon over 6 years ago!

[kenyonchris]

I ride the bike as pretty much my primary activity during the late spring/summer/early fall....my mountain bike for strength and my road bike for LSD (and intervals, etc.), the patrol bike...well, on patrol. I do a gym workout once or twice a week if I am lucky. I also ride a few horses, move jumps, etc.
During the winter, I mainly run, spin, and lift. It is funny how my shape changes. I am much leaner looking in the summer, stockier in the winter, but my body fat stays almost the same. I have more bulk muscle from heavy lifting. I just don't do that in the summer, I don't have time.
In the police academy, because I am athletic looking, can run, fight, do pushups, etc. I was picked first for a team ball game...and the guys found out that I cannot throw a ball to save my life. One day at the department they handed me a baseball and asked me to throw it....and now for a little fun entertainment and laughter I perform my "mad skills" on demand. There is no telling where or how that ball will go.

[Kelly728]

Run 4 days a week, cycle 2 days a week and swimming will come back into play once I switch gym memberships. Running is my priority and cycling is more of a recent add in for me.