Covid19 Fit

[River Don]

6 months since becoming aware of CV19, I've reached my target! After a lot of feeling hungry on the 5:2 diet, no booze except wine with Sunday dinner and a lot of cycling, I'm down to 12 stone. I reckon I've lost near 3 stone. According to one online calculator I'm around 17 to 20% fat. Not bad going for a bloke approaching 50. If I do catch it, I've now done everything I can to prepare.

I've got a new 6 month target. It's time for some muscle gain but not big, I want to see if I can get toned. Robert Downey Jr achieved it for his boxing scene as Sherlock Holmes at the age of 45, good going for an ex-drug addict! Is it possible for a 50YO me?

Time to join Fight Club. It might be difficult getting used to eating lots of protein and I dislike working out. Swimming would an ideal exercise but the local pool isn't open. Difficult. I was confident I could lose weight, I've done it before. For me, this is a much bigger challenge.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Excellent RD.

I managed to lose 5kg and hit my target of 750 press ups in an hour (Ok, the original target was 1000 but I soon accepted I wasn't doing that). I couldn't get any more weight off and I'm impressed at you dropping 3st. That's some going.

I'd definitely recommend press ups for arm and chest muscle tone. I was quite chuffed with how I was looking when I was working up to that target. Let it slip in the past couple of months mind.

If you've never done them much, just start off doing 3-4 at a time and build them up. Set a target for 15-20 in a minute, then 80 or so in 5 mins, doing them in 3s, 4s or 5s with a 15 second break between each set. You'll be amazed how quickly it has an effect.

[River Don]

I reckon 3st loss, can't be sure because I didn't get weighed back then but by last Xmas I'd become lazy. I was straining size 36 Jeans, I don't think 15 stone is an exaggeration.

In a way the 5:2 diet is easy. It means putting up with hunger for a day but then I could eat a big burger and chips followed by a couple large scoops of ice cream the next day. I didn't do that often but I was allowed to do it.

Now I need a new target because I know I can easily slip back but this means more control of the diet and disciplined exercise. That's more like hard work. So I've let  my target be known, come next Feb, I hope to be posting a pick of the new look, engulfed in the old big jeans.

[drfchound]

RD, regular exercise and a decent diet is the way.
I suppose I am lucky because I have always enjoyed training and working out but I see that you say you don’t enjoy it.
Set yourself reachable goals rather than setting the bar too high.
Good luck.

[River Don]

It's not a case of not enjoying it so much as keeping the motivation, Hound,

For instance when I'm cycling, after a long steady warm up, I can find my zone and just real off the miles and enjoy the scenery. That's likely to get harder as it gets colder.. Same with swimming, I was never fitter than when I was doing a lot of that but it was easy, there was a pool near the office and I could swim most mornings. Playing football I was more focussed on the game than thinking about the state of my lungs.

There's something about gym work, it doesn't distract me in the same way, so it takes more determination, if that makes any sense?

Still, any advice is welcome.

[BillyStubbsTears]

RD

Agreed, which is why I focus on intense, time-limited exercises.

The most body-transforming exercises I've ever done are planks. If you vary them up (front, back and side) they do wonders for core strength and shape.

I once did a 5 minute plank and I swear the final 45 seconds is the closest I've ever been to dying. The world record is summat like 8 hours which is just beyond belief.

[Metalmicky]

Pre Covid I was doing 7 gym sessions a week - CV and some loose weights/resistance work - every morning at 6am, and 2 dinner time spinning sessions.  I was also dog walking plenty at weekends also.  My weight was consistent, but I used to 'treat' myself to anything I wanted to eat and enjoyed a tipple.  Considering that I had open heart surgery less than two years ago (dodgy aortic valve), some of the rowing and bike times I was setting were better than I had been doing for well over a decade.  Covid has put things on hold somewhat, but I have been maintaining my fitness by walking daily and stretching.  I do a high paced 3 mile walk in the morning and do stretching afterwards.  I have cut back on the beers of late as (like a lot of folk) Covid has meant I started to drink more. I find my upper body muscle tone has gone a little, so the suggestion by BST might be worth a shot... 

Hope you succeed River Don... if you come up with any plan let us know...... and well done on your weight loss to date. 

[Filo]

I decided to do more walking 8 weeks ago, broke my ankle on my first walk, took me two hours to hobble the mile home 😩😩

[NickDRFC]

Pre lockdown I went to the gym 5/6 times a week and have never really been into classes but lately I’ve got into Joe Wicks on YouTube. He won’t be to everyone’s tastes as he’s a bit loud and, for want of a better word, Essex, but I find him pretty engaging. Simple, varied exercises for a decent HIIT session without any equipment.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Those Joe Wicks sessions were a pretty good blowout. I thought I was doing a heavy HIIT session myself at the start of the lockdown, but doing the JW sessions with the kids always left me knackered.

[drfchound]

I have sent you a PM River Don.

[GazLaz]

Well done mate, great effort that.

[5minstogo]

Great stuff. I've gone completely the other way. Having gone from being almost marathon fit to barely running at all and putting on the best part of a stone in weight. Working long hours, eating crap and drinking too much. Its not a recipe for healthy living. Can't seem to find my motivation at all at the moment.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Good effort losing weight in this, I can't stop myself eating purely out of boredom sometimes.  I'm determined to get my weight down before holiday next month though.  Seems to be much harder to control as you get older.  I've also just started to see my pace drop sprinting.  The realisation that in football terms I'd be 1 year contract territory is there.

[idler]

I'm really missing the gym. I'm exercising and stretching at home but it's not the same. My worry is that at nearly 72 I'll never get back as I was as it definitely gets harder to control your weight as you age.

[tommy toes]

I've walked myself stupid in the last 6 months. Was doing at least 6 miles most days.
Unfortunately for some reason I'm getting severe pain on the inside of right knee and some pain in the same place in the left knee.
Had the right one x-rayed. No sign of arthritis (despite crunching noise when I move it) so waiting for a scan.
Just started going back to Nuffield gym last week, was rowing and doing weights, bit of cardio,but tripped over and badly damaged my thumb, so no gym or swimming for the next few weeks.
So reduced to a painful 2 mile stroll about 3 times a week and pottering around the allotment.

[idler]

You're lucky Tommy, all of the gyms in Bradford are closed again.🙁

[River Don]

A couple of people have inspired me in getting fit, one of them is Frank.

Frank is a 94 year old fella who lives downstairs in my Mums flats. He's as thin as rake, perhaps partly because he has digestion problems that force him to be very careful with his diet. He's also always been very sporty, in later years he has played a lot of bowls but all that has been put on hold. He is still very keen with his rowing machine though.

If you're struggling with aches and pains, rather than struggling against it, I think it best to find something lower impact, like a rowing machine or a bike.

[Metalmicky]

If you're struggling with aches and pains, rather than struggling against it, I think it best to find something lower impact, like a rowing machine or a bike.

Quite agree with this - I had to give up competitive rugby, football and squash after I had my cruciate ligament done and ruptured my shoulder.  I could still do the latter two, but not at the same level (or velocity) as I had previously - so I reverted to doing something I could do without pain, which involved more centered movement.  I do miss competing in sports badly - but I now challenge myself and the clock to keep that edge. 

[Bentley Bullet]

I went to the doctors for my annual check-up the other day. I was stood naked in front of him and he said: "Your belly's got a bit bigger since last year." I said, "I know, in fact, I haven't seen my manhood for years." He said, "You'll have to diet."
I said, "Why, what colour is it now?"

[River Don]

BST

So, planking. I have heard of this but I've never tried it before, so I looked it up and found this lad.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lismOShjHnA

I've tried it a couple of times and it is killing. If I get everything inline a breath deeply like he suggests... Then I'm looking at only 15 seconds. I imagine that's a bit pathetic. What's a reasonable length of time to be doing this for? At the moment, for me it's just managing any length of time.

[BillyStubbsTears]

As with anything RD, start with what you can do and work it up. Be prepared for the last 20% of the time to hurt like f**k and your time will soon build up.

I was only doing 15-20 seconds when I first started a few years ago. Try to do that several times a day and be aware that your abs will ache like hell. Then as the aching eases, add 5-10 seconds a day.

[BillyStubbsTears]

The initial difficulty is a sign of how much you need to strengthen your core. I had back trouble for 25 years before I started planks. Hardly had a twinge for the last 5 years.

[idler]

Back in 1980 I had gone up to over 14stone.
I was contracting in the North East and in digs in Whitley Bay Mondaŷ to Friday. I started doing press ups and sit ups in my bedroom. I eventually built up to over 500/600 a day in batches of 100. I went down to 10st 8 as I also stopped having the daily fried breakfast and stopped having the evening pudding. I used to do a quick 30 press ups every time that I went to the bathroom as well. I was only 32 then though which made it easier but it shows how you can build up your exercises fairly quickly if you are determined.

[ravenrover]

Wish I could get down to 14stone😟

[River Don]

Wish I could get down to 14stone😟

You can do it, if you want to. I am rapidly approaching 50 and I was over 14 St, probably 15.

First thing I did was stop drinking alcohol altogether. I did that for 4 months, now I allow myself a glass of wine on a Sunday. Then I used the 5:2 diet. Look it up.

It's not for everyone but I can manage without eating very much in a day. My mum has lost quite a lot of weight just by missing lunch on weekdays.

Do that and you will lose weight.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Back in 1980 I had gone up to over 14stone.
I was contracting in the North East and in digs in Whitley Bay Mondaŷ to Friday. I started doing press ups and sit ups in my bedroom. I eventually built up to over 500/600 a day in batches of 100. I went down to 10st 8 as I also stopped having the daily fried breakfast and stopped having the evening pudding. I used to do a quick 30 press ups every time that I went to the bathroom as well. I was only 32 then though which made it easier but it shows how you can build up your exercises fairly quickly if you are determined.

Idler.

I used to poo-poo press ups but they really are superb exercises. And anyone who can do one, can work up to doing 500 a day if they are prepared to work at it and hurt.

[idler]

It helped me not being at home. No distractions and I used to ring the wife and kids when the other lads were having their puddings.
It is surprising how quickly you can increase reps as well.
I can still manage 50 press ups in a morning at even 71. Not comfortably any more though. I also used to do them on my knuckles rather than my fingers as well as it makes you work harder. Alan Rushby used to have us doing that at karate class in the 70s.

[BillyStubbsTears]

50 press ups at a time is going some. I used to do 100 without a break when I was 25, but these days I'm struggling to hit 40. I do 100 over 5 mins most days in batches of 5-10 at a time with a few seconds gap.

I took part in (read: "failed spectacularly") a 1000 press ups in an hour effort for charity earlier this summer with some ex- US forces guys. One ex-SEAL did the 1000 in just over 45 minutes, including one run of 333 without a break. Just superhuman!

[ravenrover]

Wish I could get down to 14stone😟

You can do it, if you want to. I am rapidly approaching 50 and I was over 14 St, probably 15.

First thing I did was stop drinking alcohol altogether. I did that for 4 months, now I allow myself a glass of wine on a Sunday. Then I used the 5:2 diet. Look it up.

It's not for everyone but I can manage without eating very much in a day. My mum has lost quite a lot of weight just by missing lunch on weekdays.

Do that and you will lose weight.

Trouble is I'm rapidly approaching 70 and good food is one of my few pleasures in life