Making Excercise a Habit

drsean

Hey all....

One thing I struggle with is exercise. I have found that when I enroll in small group personal training sessions I can stay on track. But if I have to travel (which I do a lot) or my schedule is thrown off (vacation, life events) then I get blown off course easy. I have been trying to work out regularly for the past 2 years, but it still does not seem to have become a "habit".

Anyone made the transition from "gotta do it" to "habit"? How did you get there?

bassmanlarry

I just make a priority of it. It has become such a part of my morning routine that if I miss it, it throws off my entire day. Some times life happens, but the main thing is getting back into the groove when everything settles.

Shfiftyfive

It will eventually click. Everyone has days they don't want to go train, even when you get past that hurdle. It really clicked for me over the past year or so. It went from something I needed to do to something I was going to do. Put it in your mind that it's going to happen, whether you like it or not.

scottandrenae

You have to find a program you enjoy. I work out three times a week but I never liked the gym. I have horrible knees (three surgeries) and I hate running because of it. I tried a mix of P90x and Insanity while I was deployed and for the first time in my adult life I really enjoyed working out. It is harder to keep the motivation now that I am home though. The key is finding something you like to do.

Wpbarr

Even though I really dislike morning workouts, whenever I travel, it's the first thing I do. I get down to the in-house gym as soon as it opens and get at least 30 mins of a weight circuit out of the way. I usually work out every second day when home, but when on the road, I make it happen every day mostly because of all the crappy food in American restaurants.

Also, when you do have to eat out on the road, talk to your server! Tell them you are a diabetic (even if you are not!) and the menu options get much more healthy, quickly.

dan_IRL

I have gotten into a habit of walking for at least 30 minutes every morning. IN the past when I would try and build this habit I would try and increase it every few weeks. Then I would get burned out and quit. SO this time I just said 30 minutes. That's all. If I want to walk more, that's cool. But I'm only committing to 30 minutes a day. I've been really good over the last 3 months but I still don't feel it is a habit yet though either.

Travel or anything out of the ordinary alway's seems to trip me up as well.

d_thomas02

Saw this thread while cooling down after my workout this morning and thought I'd hijack it (after four years figured no one would mind.)

I'll start posting my completed workouts here with data from my FitBit. Its mainly for my own accountability but I challenge y'all to post yours as well.

All my workouts are based on iphone apps so if I travel, they come with me. Most hotels have a workout room so all I need is a treadmill.

My warm-up apps are by Fitness 22 (F22 for short). I'm currently doing Push-up Pro, Sit-up Pro, and Squat Pro. (F22 also has a pull-up app but my rotator cuffs are shot so no-go on that one for me.) I think these were all free apps but I've had them a while and don't remember for sure. Pretty good bet as I don't buy apps often.

Main workout app currently is Zen Lab's 10K (free) Takes you from the couch to running 10Ks over fourteen weeks.

I bought a FitBit Charge HR at the beginning of Jan 2016 and have been having fun with it.

FYI, had surgery on both hands last Wed to correct for trigger finger on middle fingers.

So short version of today's workout:

F22 triad apps W2D1 complete (used padded gloves and push-up bars to keep weight off stitches), 10K app W5D1 complete. Week 5 is a mother on its own and first run after operation on hands so no extra sprints today. 56 minutes total, 42 active minutes, 561 cals, 4,206 steps, peak HR 177 bpm.

d_thomas02

F22 triad W2D2 complete (padded gloves and push-up bars), 10K app W5D2 complete.

Felt good at end of last jog of 10K app so ,after a 2 minute walk, added my four extra sprints today. 68 minutes total, 46 active minutes, 647 cals, 5,800 steps. 9 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 170 bpm), 22 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160), 30 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130), and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

d_thomas02

F22 triad W2D3 complete (padded gloves and push-up bars). Starting to fell the burn from today's 29 push-ups, 33 sit-ups, and 40 squats.
10K app W5D3 complete. First full 20 minute jog of series and a huge psychological mountain for me.

After a 2 minute walk, tried to add my four extra sprints. Had to call it after first sprint with stitch in right side. 67 minutes total, 41 active minutes, 627 cals, 5,095 steps. 15 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 176 bpm), 11 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160), 35 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130), and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

d_thomas02

F22 triad W3D1 complete (padded gloves and push-up bars).
32 push-ups,
37 sit-ups,
44 squats.

10K app W6D1 complete.
After a 2 minute walk, added my four extra sprints.

FitBit Charge HR stats
78 minutes total,
62 active minutes,
736 cals,
6,213 steps.

6 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 167 bpm),
26 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160),
37 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130),
and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

PlunderingSteelGorilla

Impressive!

d_thomas02

Thanks, @PlunderingSteelGorilla.

Wrote this on my news feed two hours ago.
---
Too cold and windy today for outside work, so have the day off. One mower engine rebuilt and runs great. Two more in pieces in my basement with major parts (block and heads) at machine shop waiting their turn to be refurbished, so nothing to do inside either.

I will workout today, no question. That decision was made once months ago. The question for today is... when? I did manage to get out of my LazyBoy and change into my running gear. But that second cup of coffee isn't going to drink itself. [Ahhhh]. I'll probably get around to that workout before lunch... probably. (The tough decisions that come with retirement.)
---
I did manage to get the workout in before lunch.

F22 triad W3D2 complete (padded gloves and push-up bars).
32 push-ups, (same as last workout. Barely manage to squeeze the 32nd one last time. Today was easier.)
41 sit-ups,
48 squats.

10K app W6D2 complete.
After a 2 minute walk, added my four extra sprints. (1 min @ 7 mph, 2 min @ 3.5 mph)

FitBit Charge HR stats
83 minutes total,
65 active minutes,
773 cals,
6,389 steps,
3.92 miles.

0 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm),
37 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160, peak HR 159 bpm),
32 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130),
and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

PlunderingSteelGorilla

I will workout today, no question. That decision was made once months ago.

I like this!

d_thomas02

I posted 'Death By a Thousand Cuts' on the 'keeping motivated' thread.

If someone is suffering the death by a thousand cuts, lots of small bad things are happening, none of which are fatal in themselves, but which add up to a slow and painful demise.

If someone questions his decision to be healthier every time he needs to take the hard healthy road, eventually he will give in and take the easier unhealthy road. And then the next time he questions that healthy decision, it will become even easier to take the unhealthy road, until eventually he will no longer questions the unhealthy choice.

I decided to take the healthy road (again) just after Christmas 2015. At that same time I decided that I would refuse to second guess that healthy decision. And once I lose all my extra weight (again), I will continue to make the hard healthy decisions to maintain that healthy weight... no question.

While I am resolved to take the hard healthy road, I also realize that flexibility is needed. Obstacles will block my road that I will need to overcome.

• My treadmill went nuts after my very first 10K app W1D1 workout. I had a new (used) treadmill in place in time for my W1D2 workout.
• Had trigger finger release surgery on both hands on Wed 1/27. I did missed my normal workout the day after surgery, but I did a short easy 15 minutes walk on the treadmill that Thursday, a 30 minute walk on Friday, a 60 minute walk on Saturday, skipped the push-ups due to the post OP bandages but I did not miss the rest of the next scheduled workout on Sunday, and then found padded weight lifting gloves and push-up bars so I had a full normal workout on Tuesday 2/2, two days after the post OP bandages came off, six days after the surgery.
• I don't know what the next obstacle will be. But I am determined to do whatever it takes to stay on the healthy road.

The healthy road is hard, yes. But if it were easy, we wouldn't need tools like MFP.

d_thomas02

F22 triad W3D3 complete (push-up bars only).
35 push-ups, (Still having to squeeze out the last few, but at least they are coming out)
43 sit-ups,
52 squats.

10K app W6D3 complete. (22 minute jog @ 5 mph)
No extra sprints. (Stitch in right side again. Got to get that breathing under control.)

FitBit Charge HR stats
63 minutes total,
51 active minutes,
575 cals,
4,655 steps,
3.00 miles.

0 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 166 bpm),
25 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160),
29 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130),
and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

Last Wed.'s W5D3 was a 20 minute jog and my peak HR hit 176 bpm. Good to see a 10 bpm drop for today. I'll have to measure my VO2max Saturday.

d_thomas02

Didn't get my VO2max done Saturday so did it this morning. Sub-maximal VO2max test gave estimated 42.4 ml/kg/min, 1.6 higher than last time. Also see a drop in resting heart rate from 69 bpm to 65 bpm. Good non-scale improvements.

F22 triad W4D1 complete (push-up bars only).
35 push-ups,
46 sit-ups,
52 squats.

10K app W7D1 complete. (25 minute jog @ 5 mph)
One extra sprints. (Stitch in right side again.)

FITBIT CHARGE HR STATS
71 minutes total,
63 active minutes,
728 cals,
5,769 steps,
3.62 miles.

3 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 166 bpm),
28 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160),
34 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130),
and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

d_thomas02

F22 triad W4D2 complete.
36 push-ups (with push-up bars),
50 sit-ups,
56 squats.

10K app W7D2 incomplete. (25 minute jog @ 5 mph)

TBH, I did straddle the treadmill halfway (12 min 30 seconds) for 15 to 30 seconds for a sip of water, and again with 6 minutes left on the run. (I've found I can miss a step or have trouble swallowing if I try to drink while running.)

Bonked with 6 minutes to go in workout. Dizzy and winded. (FWIW, also been noticing light-headedness when standing-up lately.) Walked remaining 6 minutes of jog before normal cool-down.

Think I'll try a little carb-loading before next workout. Real sugar in coffee, maybe Gateraid instead of water during run. If that works, I consider this a one-off bonk and forget about it. Otherwise. I'll repeat week 7.

FITBIT CHARGE HR STATS
71 minutes total,
57 active minutes,
668 cals,
4,292 steps,
2.59 miles.

16 minutes in peak zone (>160 bpm, peak HR 174 bpm just before bonking),
10 minutes in cardio zone (130 - 160),
38 minutes in fat burn zone (95 - 130),
and the rest out of zone (<95 bpm).

UG77

d_thomas02 wrote: »

maybe Gateraid instead of water during run.

When I was training for a marathon a decade or so ago I use to cut it with water. About a 50/50 mix was as high as I'd go, usually would be lower, about 30% gator/power-aid, 70% water.

Also ol' Hal Higdon recommended walking through the aid/drink stations during the races/runs. I don't know if your treadmill has the capability or presets so you can hit a button and take a short walk while drinking. Heck, I don't know if any of them can do that.

d_thomas02

My old treadmill had buttons for whole number speeds 2-10 but it went nuts at beginning of year. My current one is a 0.1 mph bump for each button hit. 5 to 3.5 is 15 stabs of the button and then another 15 to get back to speed.

Thanks for the tip on the gator mix. I'll give it a try on Thursday.

d_thomas02

Been doing some web surfing on getting dizzy after exercise (thanks @UG77 for pointing me in the right direction). Low blood sugar from dieting could be part of the issue but I think its more likely that my habit of straddling the treadmill to sip water during an extended jog is the main factor.

Called the "second heart theory". When people are involved in high intensity exercise over at least several minutes, they require a LOT of blood flow to the working muscles. So the blood vessels in our muscles, especially the legs, dilate to accommodate all this increased blood. Now, our body depends on contraction of our leg muscles to push blood from the legs back up to the heart. During intense exercise our ability to maintain adequate blood pressure depends on this pumping of blood back to our heart by our legs. If you suddenly stop running (exactly like when I straddle the treadmill), the blood return from your legs to your heart suddenly drops and so you don't have enough blood to pump to your brain (just like standing up suddenly). Our leg muscles act as sort of a second heart pumping blood back up to the real heart.

Since I was borderline hypertensive at the beginning of this year, I will take this as a sign that I am on the right path to a healthier body. All I need do is slow to a walk to take that sip of water. Will give it a go for this morning's workout.

UG77

I hope that works for you. I didn't even think about blood return, which is kind of silly of me. I'm 6'4" so I will have crappy circulation at times in my feet. It's kind of fun at night to have super cold feet to stick on my gf and make her freak out.

I've been in that zone on the blood pressure scale that's after the red... the darker red? Whatever it is, it looked ominous. I didn't really care about it until it started to have ramifications on certain hydraulic functions, at which point I started to care about it immensely.

It's shocking how fast things will start to come down and trend towards healthier numbers. It makes me feel like a real *kitten* for taking my health for granted and neglecting my body for so long. After just two weeks of some light lifting, 3x swimming for 60mins a week and 2x 30min elliptical sessions per week, my resting heart rate is down, my active heart rate is down and my blood pressure is already down to the low end of the red zone vs the high end of that scary zone after red.