Journey to buffitude is going slowly but surely

[Ellen Forradalom]

I vowed a few months back to become buff. It's coming along despite the usual scheduling hiccups of life.

I got through the holiday season well. No major diet or workout downtime except for a week when my beloved was visiting. On Christmas Day I took the dog for an eight-mile trail hike.

I swim usually three times per week. My technique has improved a lot, and I'm starting to incorporate flip turns (as I am under orders from the coach to 'end my love affair with the wall.' :-) ) Swimming with hand paddles has built up my triceps in a hurry.

Recently the swim club has added dry land workouts. I attend the Tuesday and Thursday mornings sessions when I can drag myself out of bed. We focus on upper body work with free weights and work with abs. I get a fitness evaluation from the gym where we go tomorrow.

I get out for a run when I can, but not as much as before. I was running for a while with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training. I did five, six, eight and ten-mile runs with them quite comfortably.

I regularly miss workouts due to oversleeping, family and work commitments, or fatigue, and simply consider those days of rest. I have many options to pick up the slack.

I'm learning that fitness is a slow and steady process, one that needs steady fine-tuning. What starts as an act of will becomes a habit and a sensory experience. It sounds strange but there's real pleasure in rolling out of bed at 5, getting in my car, driving through the misty, cool predawn before everyone is awake, and jumping into the pool; swimming a mile, and climbing out at sunrise.

[The Inquisitive]

1. true words

"I'm learning that fitness is a slow and steady process, one that needs steady fine-tuning."

Such true words. I learnt that the hard way last spring. I was overzealous and injured my lowerback while doing deadlifts simply because I wasn't giving myself the time I needed to rest.

No one gets in shape in a day, no one loses 10lbs of fat in week. Super intense and lengthy workouts quickly result in exhaustion and plummeting enthusiasm. Fitness really is one of those "slow and steady wins the race" type of things. So long as every week your able to run a little faster, crunch out that extra rep, or simply add a couple lbs to the barbell is a succesful one. Slow and constant progress acumulates over time faster than people think. Not looking at the big picture can be detrimental to your goals.

[CrispyQ]

2. I completely agree.

Consistently working out at less intensity will pay off more than on-again-off-again hard core workouts. I use to do brutal workouts -- long, intense. I could never maintain it for more than a few weeks & then I wouldn't workout for a week or more. I've backed off on intensity but try to do some kind of activity every day & I've seen more improvement in my fitness & appearance than ever before.

[Ellen Forradalom]

3. Some kind of activity every day

Me too. The program's been a little scattershot--sometimes more running, sometimes more swimming, sometimes get to the gym, sometimes hike on the trail--but I do something almost every day.

Today I swam for an hour and went on a 2 hour trail hike with the dog. That's enough for one day!

[lizerdbits]

4. Super intense or long workouts

I agree those are draining, especially mentally if I'm trying to go to work every day. If I spent the rest of the day alone putzing around the house it might not be so bad. I also try to do a little bit every day instead of occasional marathon workouts.

I admit if I've been on vacation I'll sometimes feel like I have to 'catch up' which just leaves me really sore for days or with a pulled muscle. It seems to have worked better when I was 25.

[CrispyQ]

5. LOL

Everything worked better when I was 25! :rofl: But I wasn't as wise, either. ;)

[lizerdbits]

6. You've got that right

I never understood why people spend thousands on surgery to look 18. Why would I want everyone to think I'm as dumb as I was then?

[Ellen Forradalom]

7. Not to mention which

they don't even look 18. They look like 55 year olds with a boatload of work done. Scary I tell ya :shrug: