Just a modest suggestion for people around my age.
When I was 58 I had a bit of a life experience—I reconnected with a woman I had carried a torch for when we were young. She'd been divorced, and we resumed our friendship, which quickly blossomed into a relationship. She was a runner (ran a marathon or two, even). I had a sudden interest in being healthy and trim, so I tried to take up running again.
I had been a runner of sorts when I was young. Mainly, I was fast when I was a kid—I won the blue ribbon at summer camp when I was seven, and was always the fastest kid in my class in grade school, so I thought of myself as a runner. I ran more or less daily, six months out of each year, until I was in my mid twenties.
When I tried to get back into exercise at 58, I first tried "spinning" on stationary bikes, which was all the rage ten years ago. But it turned out to be like dogs eating grass. I always wondered why my dogs ate grass, because it just made them throw up. So I went to Google, and learned that "dogs eat grass because it makes them throw up." Okay then. Solves that mystery. Spinning made my hips hurt, and I wondered why. Some quick Google-fu revealed that "middle-aged men sometimes have trouble taking up spinning because it makes their hips hurt." Well...okay. Check.
I won't go through all my experiments, but I had all sorts of problems with running, too. Here's the takeaway lesson, tl;dr version: it's better to exercise consistently and continuously throughout your lifetime. Taking several decades off throughout midlife not recommended.
Here's where I ended up after all my struggles: the walk-jog. My big problem ten years ago was that I kept injuring myself. So eventually I ended up walking two miles a day, interspersed with short blips of jogging—maybe a hundred or two hundred feet (30 to 60 meters) at a time. Walking is great, but a little jogging gets your heart rate up, and they think jarring your bones is good for keeping them strong. A little running is good for you even if you can't do a lot. Ten years ago I could easily jog for two miles, but after some number of weeks or months I'd break down (usually a knee). Sprinting for even short stretches, the same (usually a foot). The walk-jog I seemed to be able to do indefinitely.
When I got my pacemaker in January of this year, I had to follow various rules during a "recovery period." Problem was, I used that as an excuse. The recovery period was only six weeks, but I continued to eat poorly and not exercise long after the recovery period had, um, ended. I didn't start my exercise program until my cardiologist gave me a meaningful stare and said, "you have no restrictions on your activities."
Anyway, I started trying to eat right again, and exercising, finally, last May sometime. I've also had persistent problems with getting into it too fast, because I get all enthusiastic at first, do too much, and then run out of steam. So I started very slowly this time—half a mile out and another back. It was tough at first, and I had to stop along the way to recover (I was pretty sick last year). Each day I walk just a little further. Just a few steps. When I turn around I pick some landmark a bit further on—a bush, a driveway, a telephone pole—and walk to that the next day. I'm up to about 1.7 miles every morning now, and I can walk briskly the whole way. Then last week I introduced the first jogging section—nothing much.
I plan to work up to two miles in the morning, then start an additional walk in the evening.
I'm watching out for that defeatist mood that also comes over me—when exercising seems like too much of a PITA and a burden. Currently, my morning walk seems easy, and it's over quickly. But as soon as I catch myself dreading it, I plan to cut back on my distance significantly and start up the incremental increases again, slowly. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm ready for it. The point is to exercise every day, not to have to hit some arbitrary target.
I think real walking is better than a treadmill—does anyone know anything about that?—but I'm thinking of getting a treadmill for the Winter. I foresee it being easy to use the weather as an excuse. I belong to the health club in town, but using it has two downsides—I have to drive there, which takes up time, and I have to do all my walking at once. With a treadmill in the house I could walk for a while in the morning, again at midday, and then some more in the evening. Sounds convenient.
I think I'd like that.
Anyway, that's what has worked for me.
Mike
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Featured Comments from:
ASW (partial comment): "Your suggestion of maintaining beneficial activities and habits over a long period is relevant for most aspects of life. Want to be a good typist? Keep typing. Want to be in shape? Move your body every day. Want to write a novel? Write a bit each day. The big failures of my life have all come because I kept putting off some small task until tomorrow. I would suggest that it's easier to exercise from home than from a location you have to travel to, whether that's walking out your front door or owning a treadmill or having a few free weights beside your desk. I'm a regular runner to the tune of 2,500–3,000 miles/year. While that might sound impressive, it all comes down to doing a bit each day, six days per week. The tip I give to anyone who wants to exercise, whether it's walking, running, doing pushups, or lifting weights, is to just get started. Walk or run (or lift weights or whatever) for five minutes and if you're not into it you can stop. The vast majority of the time you'll feel better than when you began and you'll keep going."
James Bullard: "Treadmills and other home exercise devices are boring. If you decide to go that route you need to also plan a distraction while you are treading, spinning, whatever. Set it up so you can listen to podcasts, watch videos, listen to music that engages you. Some people read. I can't do that. If you can, that is an option too, but however you manage to counteract the boredom, do it. Lack of activity never makes you feel better."
Don't think of it as exercise, think of it as walking. Take a camera.
I have always hated running, from the get go. I'm ok with running a 4 second pass pattern in touch football but long distance pounding is not for me.
When young I cycled a lot, enough to get funny looking cyclist legs. But then I stopped it for decades. Getting back to it caused all kinds of butt problems because of bicycle seats. I wish I had kept the seat from the bike I used back then.
Posted by: Robert Roaldi | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 02:17 PM
Buy a copy of this book, "Younger Next Year." Read it cover to cover. Re-evaluate your exercise program. You may live longer and better.
https://amzn.to/4f9FWGp
I can't begin to tell you how many copies of the book I've handed to friends who thought a short walk around the block was exercise. Putting in the miles makes all the difference. Every day. The stuff in the book, when applied, is basically the secret to having more energy as well.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 02:46 PM
You could take up local politics. I campaign for one of the UK’s political parties, which basically means that I walk miles delivering leaflets. During most of most years that’s every couple of months or so, but during elections, local and national, the frequency of deliveries increases and therefore the total distance walked as well. During the recent UK general election I walked just over 170 km purely doing deliveries in addition to other walking and activity.
To no avail, sadly, at least not political - we didn’t win the seat.
Posted by: Tom Burke | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 03:23 PM
Giving yourself incentives is valuable for sustaining efforts. Reward yourself for reaching 1.7 miles with a Pentax 17. When you reach 6.7 miles, give yourself a Pentax 67.
Posted by: Andrew L | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 03:43 PM
TREADMILLS
If you get one, a key is to use the incline adjustment. Don’t do it high all at once. Start with a bit at 7 degrees, not continuously.
Posted by: Jack Mac | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 03:49 PM
Your suggestion of maintaining beneficial activities and habits over a long period is relevant for most aspects of life. Want to be a good typist? Keep typing. Want to be in shape? Move your body every day. Want to write a novel? Write a bit each day. The big failures of my life have all come because I kept putting off some small task until tomorrow.
I would suggest that it's easier to exercise from home than from a location you have to travel to, whether that's walking out your front door or owning a treadmill or having a few free weights beside your desk.
I'm a regular runner to the tune of 2500-3000 miles/year. While that might sound impressive, it all comes down to doing a bit each day, six days per week. The tip I give to anyone who wants to exercise, whether it's walking, running, doing pushups, or lifting weights, is to just get started. Walk or run (or lift weights or whatever) for five minutes and if you're not into it you can stop. The vast majority of the time you'll feel better than when you began and you'll keep going.
I have a treadmill in the basement. I barely touch it for most of the year but it is handy during the winter. I love running in the snow, but dread the (increasing number of) days when it's 34F (1C) and raining. The treadmill removes an easy excuse to skip a run.
To circle back to a post from a few days ago, the other time I use the treadmill is when I'm watching sports. I can't justify sitting on the couch for 3+ hour to watch my favorite football team, but if I'm walking on the treadmill while doing it I'm not wasting the time because I'm exercising. Even at an easy pace on the treadmill, an average football game is a 10+ mile walk. Add some incline to the treadmill and you get a decent workout.
You have a sit/stand desk, correct? Maybe investigate and under-desk treadmill and walk for part of your work day.
Posted by: ASW | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 03:56 PM
Mike, get some ear buds and books from Libby the library and listen while you walk. I go through 1-2 books a week this way. Not all non fiction, read some fun books too, and you will begin to look forward to your daily exercises. My two cents.
Posted by: albert erickson | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 04:20 PM
A treadmill is somewhat different from walking on a road or trail and I haven't understood why. I found it hard to keep at the treadmill in the winter but I did use it some.
The good thing about a treadmill for aerobic conditioning is that you can make your body work harder without walking fast or jogging by setting to an incline. Even 4 or 5 degrees will make you feel it at first. You can slow down until it's manageable without making you feel bad. I can't run or jog either and that's what I did.
Get a better treadmill than you think you need because it will have a stronger motor and a more steady walking surface.
Posted by: Tom Passin | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 04:21 PM
Or walk around the house in winter? Maybe taking a step counter or your mobile phone to count them? I'm doing my 10.000 steps a day since end of January, which by now makes a total of over 2 million steps, or over 1500 kilometers...
You have stairs, right? Even better, so it's up and down as well...
Posted by: Wolfgang Lonien | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 04:42 PM
Mike, from our age to the end, there’s only one rule: use it or lose it. Do whatever you need to do to keep walking every day. I’d highly recommend seeing a personal trainer or physiotherapist and having a mild weights / resistance regime created for you. I’ve been using a personal trainer, which I thought was expensive until I realised (a) that I actually turned up for every session without procrastination, (b) preventing a medical incident is far cheaper and less intrusive than the cure when one occurs, and (c) I’m really enjoying myself - I’m doing a lower body day (weights and resistance), an upper body day (ditto) and a aerobics/mobility day (I want to expand to two of these). Five hours (including travel) a week is not very much to ask ….
Posted by: Bear. | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 06:49 PM
After my heart attack and stents, I joined the local YMCA and began a treadmill + workout routine. I do about 50-60 minutes every afternoon six days a week. This began two years ago, and it gives my day structure.
Posted by: K4kafka | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 07:31 PM
Your experience may be different but if you are shopping for a treadmill you may want to bring along a weeks worth of laundry and a small bag of Portland cement.
Sprinkle the cement on the treadmill and pile on the laundry to see how it will look when you have it for a while.
I would send a picture of how this looks but it would involve walking downstairs.
On the other hand I love taking a two mile stroll down the hill and back.
It is good for my spirit and I carry a small camera with me.
Exercise and the occasional keeper, sweet.
Haven't figured out winter yet.
Posted by: Mike Plews | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 08:23 PM
An old Nordic Track ski machine suits me, and I get an upper-body workout at the same time. I set the resistance very low at first and then slowly ratcheted it up.
Pairs well with watching videos (all kinds) on my laptop and folds up out of the way when not in use.
There are plenty of old ones around, most of them still work fine.
Posted by: Stephen Cowdery | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 09:33 PM
Cycling is my exercise of choice. A few years back I was on a bike ride with a friend, and as we passed a jogger, she yelled “What are you guys training for?” My cycling partner, without skipping a beat, answered “Old age.”
Posted by: Mark B | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 09:45 PM
I find a Schwinn Airdyne to be an excellent source of exercise. Obviously, I get a good leg workout with it; less obviously, I also get a good core and upper body workout as well. It's loud, but the fan on the resistance wheel keeps me cool. It works great when we have inclement weather. The upper body movement is also great for stimulating your pacemaker's activity sensors.
To make it less tedious, I've put the bike in front of a computer and gotten a light set of headphones so I can watch streaming media or a DVD.
Highly recommended.
Posted by: Greg Boiarsky | Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at 10:47 PM
I've always liked to keep in some modicum of shape, which becomes consistently harder as one ages- and consistently more important, particularly if one wishes to diminish one's physical deterioration. I try to exercise regularly, but once I establish a strict, rigid regimen- I instinctively rebel against it. So I do it on a semi-regular basis to maintain some measure of tone and flexibility, so I can continue to do what I need do and maintain my independence as long as possible. I used to run up the stairs instead of just walking or taking the elevator- now I just walk. And (hours long) photo walks are the best two in one for the money; now, I just stop to take breaks, breathe in and appreciate what's left of life, and carry on...
Posted by: Stan B. | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 12:20 AM
I tried walking for a while. Couldn’t do it. My target was 5 km a day at a speed of around 6 kph. Boring for me. I mean, I love walking aimlessly around a city, with my camera bag, stopping here and there for coffee and lunch and a beer, but just going out and coming back I can’t do, but what I have been doing for the last 3 years is cycling. I have a bag in the bike where I put a book and my phone and my reading glasses and I can do 35 to 40 km without even thinking about it. I also got a craddle and use it instead of the bag to go grocery shopping. I use a heart monitor conected to the Polar app and it keeps track of all my outings. I just love my bike.
Posted by: David Lee | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 12:43 AM
Sorry Mike, I had the time, but not the ability to make this shorter
My sister is 50 and is trying to get fit after recovering from breast cancer. She had a mastectomy, Kemo, and radiotherapy. She’s also taking medication to reduce the odds of cancer returning, medication with some unpleasant side effects.
With my encouragement, she’s
run-walking daily with her dog. She’s very pleased with her progress, her enthusiasm gives me hope she’ll stick with it, as the best exercise is the one you enjoy, the one you’ll do. I tell her to favour direction over speed, that this time next year we’ll be running 10K together, but for now just recite a favourite passage/lyric to gauge her effort when she runs. If she splutters it out, she’s going too fast. Speed and distance need to be tackled separately, trying to do both at the same time will lead to injury. She trusts the process. She saw me go through it
I started running at 40 when I was 35lb overweight and shaped like a bowling pin. I was the coach potato’s coach potato; Now, I run most days, ran 10K last night with my wife, and could run 20K right now without any difficulty. So when I tell my sister to hold on to her enthusiasm, that she’s lucky to feel that way, that she will run 10K with me in time, she gets her little dog and gets out the door knowing that if her former couch-potato brother can do it…
On gym memberships and home equipment.
From Uri Gneezy's Mixed Signals
“It seems as if people are overconfident about their future self-control and therefore overestimate their ability to change their behaviour, such as visiting the gym more often. This overconfidence could be very costly. For example, Stefano DellaVigna and Ulrike Malmendier, both professors at UC Berkeley, analyzed the contractual choice of 7,752 US health club members over three years and found that the members with monthly subscription fees of over $70 only attend on average 4.3 times per month, equivalent to paying more than $17 per visit. According to their calculations, 80 per cent of these members would have been better off using a ten-visit pass, paying $10 per visit instead. Throughout their membership, the average foregone savings added up to $600; DellaVigna and Malmendier called this behaviour “paying not to go to the gym”
Mike, are you paying not to go the the gym?
Home gym equipment often turns out to be the most expensive clothes horses money can buy. I'm also a cyclist, and I have an expensive turbo trainer for using my bike indoors. I can't remember the last time I used it, and I'm a fit cyclist from a rainy region who should benefit from a turbo trainer. But no, It's something to stub my toe on. Before you buy a treadmill, commit to walking around your pool table for 30 minutes each day for a month. Bundle it with some classic tennis matches on your phone to make it more enjoyable. If you can't manage that, there's a good chance you'll be hanging your trousers on your treadmill with a sigh
Posted by: Sean | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 05:55 AM
I don't have experience with treadmills, but I know walker/runners who can't stand using them. OTOH my parents have used one in the house for a long time for their cardio work. So I think it's very person dependent. Maybe go to a local gym to try one out if you can do such a thing? Buying one and then hating it seems like an expensive move.
I have a similar relationship with stationary bikes. I like to ride real bikes a lot, and try to keep it up year to year. But I can't stand riding bikes that don't move. Even my own actual fancy road bike hooked up to a thing in the house is no good. I'd rather walk 3 miles in sub-freezing snowy weather outside than do an hour on a bike that stands still inside. Go figure.
[Oh, I've spent many hours on the treadmill at the health club, believe me. Many many hours. The problem is that the treadmill I use there is a super-heavy-duty commercial model that costs $7,000. So it doesn't really predict how I'll feel about using something I can afford in the comfort of my own home. Always some kind of wrench in the works.... --Mike]
Posted by: psu | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 10:12 AM
Prior to March 2020, my wife and I walked on most days. Then we got COVID and both took a while to recover. I remember lying on the couch looking enviously at people jogging by my front window while I only had the strength to make it to the bathroom as required. By May 7 I had recovered sufficiently to start jogging at the local high school track. The effort was very bad at first. There were people on the track who were passing me while walking. One of my daughters called it "pathetic jogging" as in "Isn't he pathetic, but at least he's trying."
I worked through foot issues, knee issues, and shin splints and eventually it got better. I now jog 4.5 miles a day around a local lake and leg issues are a thing of the past.
While I will never get a speeding ticket on my way to the lake and "runners high" continues to elude me, I feel accomplished when I finish and I've found it very beneficial in terms of my mental health.
I give myself a pep talk every morning to keep me at it. "You've worked too hard to get to this point to give it up now."
We all know that skipping a day becomes skipping two days becomes a week, a month and maybe years.
Keep at it, Mike. You'll be glad you did.
Posted by: Tom Duffy | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 12:17 PM
At 65 and officially a senior, my Medicare plan includes a Silver Sneakers benefit which includes a free membership at the gym down the street. I've been going three times a week to jog on the treadmill for 40 minutes per session. I started 8 months ago, gradually increasing duration, speed and incline. As much as I dislike the activity, listening to an audio book helps.
The benefits are tangible. My endurance is good, my resting pulse has slowed down, my cholesterol ratio has significantly improved. My mental health is better, and I generally have more energy throughout the day. So as much as I hate the 120 minutes per week on the treadmill, it's really a small price to pay for the benefits it yields.
In the past I've purchased a few stationary bikes, a stair master and at least another few odd machines. Invariably, they ended up collecting dust, clothes, towels and sundry stuff. After a while, my wife would insist I sell them to somebody who'd use them.
Now that I've gotten into the habit of going to the gym, it occurs to me that for some reason I've been able to stick to an exercise regimen for the first time. Why? Because the machines are down the street. The reverse inverse square law: proximity of an exercising machine to the end user correlates to a higher frequency of use the further away said machine is to where the end user sleeps at night.
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Wednesday, 24 July 2024 at 04:00 PM
Don’t you live in snowshoe and cross-country ski land sometimes of the year?
Posted by: hugh crawford | Thursday, 25 July 2024 at 04:19 PM