over 60

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hiphop10
hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
anyone over 60 do you do less exercise then when you were younger?

I do a little less because seems I don't have as much strength as when I was younger
slowly but surely I think my strength is getting better.
anyone else in the same boat?
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Replies

  • G8rRay
    G8rRay Posts: 89 Member
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    I do much more now, than before I was 61 y.o.! [Before: about 0 hours per week; now, about 6-9 hours/week, average. I'm a runner, now; before: I was a workaholic and couch potato.] I'll be 70 y.o. in January 2015 and planning another marathon for that year. Meanwhile, I'm running half marathons every few months.
  • hiphop10
    hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
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    wow! how inspirational! congrats to you! I want to keep up with you..at least a 1/10 of it!
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    I go in spurts. I didn't start working out until sometime in my 30s, and then I'd workout 3 to 4 times per week until something interrupted the routine, which was usually an injury. I didn't work out much at all during my 50s. I'm 60 now and working out 4 to 5 times per week. I'm now in the best shape since my 40s, maybe my 30s.

    This morning I just switched my workout routine to alternate days between body weight exercises and HIIT. I'll run on alternating days unless the weather is bad in which case I'll ride my stationary recumbent bike.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
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    I'm 64 and am working out harder than ever. I had a pretty serious back injury 8 years ago and let it sideline me for 7. Last year I decided I'd had enough and started swimming 5 days a week. After about two weeks of that I hired a trainer and started circuit training and some weight lifting. Now I'm on my second trainer and I'm in the gym 5 days a week working really hard and still swimming two days.

    I've lost a little over 50 lbs with another 15 to 20 to go and plan to keep up my gym membership as long as I can....................hopefully another 20 years or so!
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    I was always fairly strong, able to help my husband carry one end of the couch when we moved furniture, etc. but yes, I've noticed I'm not as strong as I was. Also, for a number of years I was kind of sloth-like if I were to be honest.

    But now that I've made the decision to lose weight and get stronger, its getting better. Like luluinca said, losing over 50 pounds and determined to continue losing is an incentive to work on strength too.

    The hard thing for me is figuring out how what to do when its so damn cold outside. I have the best intentions but for example this morning when I woke up it was Zero outside and windy. It doesn't take long at those temps to chase me back indoors. Walking a treadmill just isn't the same, for me. I think I'll become a snowbird in a couple years. Seriously. I need to be able to be outside without freezing to death.
  • noexcusesjustresults2014
    noexcusesjustresults2014 Posts: 212 Member
    edited November 2014
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    hiphop10 wrote: »
    anyone over 60 do you do less exercise then when you were younger?

    I do a little less because seems I don't have as much strength as when I was younger
    slowly but surely I think my strength is getting better.
    anyone else in the same boat?


    I see 60+ year old's in the gym all the time lifting heavy weights. They also run marathons etc.

    Don't let age be a reason to slow you down. Just make sure you give yourself enough recovery time (more needed with age) between difficult workouts.
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
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    I will be 57 next month... I started running about 3.5 years ago... I run 5 days a week and started running ultras this year. I also do weight training and cross training the other two days a week. I may not be as strong as I was when I was in my 30's, but I am definitely in better overall shape than I have ever been. Like noexcuses said, I just need more time to recover between difficult runs/workouts... and it hurts a whole lot more when I take a dig out on the trails...
  • tdecel
    tdecel Posts: 48 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I'm self employed and work over 60 hour a week. Primarily long days in front of a computer. But I never let a day go by without 1 to 2 hours of strenuous activity.

    2 or 3 mornings per week, I do a 21 mile "time trial" on my bike. Stopwatch in hand. Then SAT or SUN I do 40 to 60 miles. On the other days of the week I'm at the gym at 5 AM for 45 minutes of strength training followed by 45 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical.

    My rest or "easy" day is an up and down, all out animated 4 mile speed walk with over 900 feet of elevation. Also with stopwatch in hand.

    I'm spoiled in that I live in Southern California and I can be outdoors 360 days per year, and I do. I'm good for 20 out of 21 straight days +/-.

    Am I doing less than I was younger? Yes, but I'm having too much fun to notice. And by the way, I just turned 62 on Saturday.
  • hiphop10
    hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
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    happy birthday!! :) inspiring
  • indianwin2001
    indianwin2001 Posts: 296 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I'm 62 and have been lifting for over 33 years. My peak years were in my 40's for strength but I go to the gym 6 days a week now and lift weights for 75 minutes. The difference between my 40's and 60's is I never did cardio back than,I was just interested in getting stronger. Now I do cardio and abs,and although not quite as strong as I was,I still lift heavy and am in much much better overall shape now
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
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    G8rRay wrote: »
    I do much more now, than before I was 61 y.o.! [Before: about 0 hours per week; now, about 6-9 hours/week, average. I'm a runner, now; before: I was a workaholic and couch potato.] I'll be 70 y.o. in January 2015 and planning another marathon for that year. Meanwhile, I'm running half marathons every few months.

    70 and running a marathon? You are the definition of an athletic beast. :o:o:o
  • hiphop10
    hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
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    wow! you're incredible!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    G8rRay wrote: »
    I do much more now, than before I was 61 y.o.! [Before: about 0 hours per week; now, about 6-9 hours/week, average. I'm a runner, now; before: I was a workaholic and couch potato.] I'll be 70 y.o. in January 2015 and planning another marathon for that year. Meanwhile, I'm running half marathons every few months.

    ^^This is so awesome! What an inspiration!

    I exercise 100% more than I did when I was younger. In fact, I am in better shape now (age 63) than I have been in decades. I joined MFP on 3/12/12. I have gone from morbidly obese to "normal" weight. From being unable to walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath, to working out in the gym 5 days a week. My goal for 2014 has been to get in 18,000 to 20,000 steps daily on my fit bit, which I have been achieving.

    I live in Minnesota, but walk year round on days I do not go to the gym, even in the cold and snow.

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,485 Member
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    Never been and never will be a gym rat; more a book worm, but when menopause hit and strength went and pounds rolled on I managed to find an exercise that I liked. Aquafit.
    That is my staple and I have been doing it for 5-6 years. I can walk 10k's at a good clip, have just started Zumba and swimming lessons( swimming lessons for th4th time!) this month and used to have a good routine for the upper body in the gym which I plan to revive once the swimming is over. Oh, I have just started on the rowing machine for the winter, to replace summer walking, it is supposed to be good all round and not as boring as the treadmill.
    Whew, if you knew me pre menopause you would have never guessed I was doing all this now, I swore I was allergic to exercise.
    Cheers, h.
  • hiphop10
    hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
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    I never had menopause I somehow skipped it! I miss the gym at times. I climb steps about 5xs a day. I purposely go out of my way not to take the elevator & I do the stairs. In the summer I walk for miles & enjoy it. I don't like walking in snow & cold..but bravo to those who do!

  • bama6977
    bama6977 Posts: 71 Member
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    Wow!! At 68 thought I was out here by myself. I'm down to swimming, walking and body weight exercises. Every time I go back to gym for lifting, "my body says I'm older, but my brain disagrees", that leads to injury. Oh well, don't have a choice about getting older, but damn I can choose to not be old.....will start back 5x5 Monday!!! B)
  • indianwin2001
    indianwin2001 Posts: 296 Member
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    bama6977 wrote: »
    Wow!! At 68 thought I was out here by myself. I'm down to swimming, walking and body weight exercises. Every time I go back to gym for lifting, "my body says I'm older, but my brain disagrees", that leads to injury. Oh well, don't have a choice about getting older, but damn I can choose to not be old.....will start back 5x5 Monday!!! B)

    Beautiful---Age means nothing
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    bama6977 wrote: »
    Wow!! At 68 thought I was out here by myself. I'm down to swimming, walking and body weight exercises. Every time I go back to gym for lifting, "my body says I'm older, but my brain disagrees", that leads to injury. Oh well, don't have a choice about getting older, but damn I can choose to not be old.....will start back 5x5 Monday!!! B)

    Fantastic attitude!
    hiphop10 wrote: »
    I never had menopause I somehow skipped it! I miss the gym at times. I climb steps about 5xs a day. I purposely go out of my way not to take the elevator & I do the stairs. In the summer I walk for miles & enjoy it. I don't like walking in snow & cold..but bravo to those who do!

    I skipped menopause too, we are probably lucky. Hiphop, do you have a fit bit? I really love mine. When I first got mine (Feb 2013) I struggled to get 5000 steps per day. My goal for 2014 is 18,000 - 20,000 which I have been accomplishing so far. I don't know what my goal for 2015 will be, but I am not retired yet so, I may have to just make 20,000 my goal. I love walking and hiking. I live in Minnesota, so this time of the year, I just hike in our woods on weekend (even in the snow and cold), but I do work out in the gym at work Monday through Friday before I begin my work day.

  • 53welshlady
    53welshlady Posts: 136 Member
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    I'm 61 and used to cycle a lot in my late twenties and thirties. Nothing much when I was younger. Then I started weight training so that I would be stronger for cycling. Then started powerlifting for a year or two in my late thirties. Life got in the way every now and then and there have been long periods of not doing much at all. Now I am back in the gym lifting heavy because I have always enjoyed it. I love cycling as well but am not so inclined to go out on my own now.

    I started running about 3 years ago, managed a 10k in just over an hour, had some knee pain and eased off. I'm back doing it now though, but not so intensely.

    I have finally seen sense and stopped trying to achieve what I used to achieve years ago. I still push myself a lot, but give myself more time to recover. I like being the old woman who lifts weights in the gym and I love being strong. I generally go to the gym 5 days a week, and run outside with the dog 2-3 times between 5k and 10k. The 5k is at 5 a.m. before I go to work, the 10k is on the weekend.
    I still work full time, unfortunately sitting down all day so I go to the gym straight from work, otherwise I wouldn't go!!
  • hiphop10
    hiphop10 Posts: 135 Member
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    indianwin your not alone out here! Be careful & great positive attitude you have!
    snowflake your the first person I knew that is like me in skipping menopause lucky us!
    I never heard of a fit bit....5,000 steps a day? wow!
    53....wish there was a gym near me...that's great you are lifting weights..something I never tried except a one ponder.

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