What motivates you?

[mr_tony]

I'm fighting a loosing battle with my weight these days (up 10kg in 2 years), but try as I might the gym just doesn't do it for me.

I used to play a lot of football which kept me fit. These days though old injuries and the work travel schedule (I'm abroad 2-3 weeks per month) mean that football is something I do a couple of times a year for fun in the park.

My mrs loves the gym, she keeps trying to convince me it's the answer - after all every hotel i stay in has a gym. The thing is no matter how hard I try I just don't get it. She clearly gets some kind of high from running / rowing / lifting weights and comes out with a big grin on her face. No matter what I do I just don't get that high from exercise at all, no endorphins nothing, just pain and boredom and no sense of achievement.

Anyone else felt like this about the gym and learned to love it? It seems to be the only option for me, but I just can't get enthusiastic..

[mr_tony]

VEA said:

+1 for the having something to train for, find something that you are interested in doing. Like a charity cycle ride or run. Book yourself onto it. Then get training as you don't want to look like a mug on the day do you?

OK this works. The competetive aspect always brings out the best in me. Training against myself never works, having others to beat means I will sweat to the last breath..

Running is out - I stopped playing football due to shinsplints which now recurr pretty badly if I even look at a pair of running shoes. Cycling is fine though so maybe this is what I need to do.

So, if I'm currently accumulating additional weight (i.e fat) at 0.5kg a month, how far do I need to cycle each month to stem the flow without a change in diet?
(or someone explain how I work this out)..

Ok worked it out.

7000 calories need to be burned to lose 1kg bodyweight (from WikiAnswers)
21 calories burned per mile (According to exercise bike).

To stabilise my weight - I need to lose 0.5 kg a month (which is what I'm gaining).

this means 2500/21 = 167 miles a month cycling.
Assuming I cycle 5 times a week this is 22 days a month which means 7.6 miles per day. Which, in a 20 minute window is around 24 mph.

Should be achievable.

Now if I want to lose that 10kg by Christmas....

70000 (10kg) + 5*3500 (what I'm gaining) / 21
= 4166 miles
which in 5 months of 22 days is 110 days.
so miles per day are 37.8

Which in my 20 minute window is 114mph.
Think this is probably unrealistic...

So if I'm going to lose that by christmas, I'm going to need to allocate a lot more exercise time which is probably unrealistic, or find something that burns 80-100 calories in 20 minutes..

Any ideas?

Edited by mr_tony on Wednesday 4th August 12:51

[mr_tony]

UncleRic said:

You need to cycle around 108 miles a month to break even / stop the weight gain.

Ish..

You're exercise bike is clearly a tougher taskmaster than the one my colleague uses in the gym here...

[mr_tony]

I'm sure classes would be great but joining a gym isn't an option - I travel between 50-80 percent of the time each month - long haul which is why I'm finding it hard I think - no regular mealtimes, regular foodtypes and constantly jetlagged and living off caffeine and sugar to get me through. Had to give up football as I cannot turn out regularly for a team because of the travel, as well as the injury which means I cannot sustain a 90 minute match any more too.

I am fortunate that some of the hotels I stay in have gyms - well at least a running machine / exercies bike and a rack of weights usually.

The exercise bike is something I can do at home when I am here which will be consistent with what I can do while I'm away which is what makes it appealing.

Edited by mr_tony on Wednesday 4th August 13:05

[mr_tony]

Tumbler said:

You could try having a chat with some of the PH guys who did the London to Brighton ride this year, may help motivate you, I think you'll burn more on a real bike than one in the gym.

Sounds like a plan - proper challenge cycling that far. And I get to buy a new toy as I don't have a bike..

Tumbler said:

If your wife cycles maybe it's something you could do together, which may also help keep you motivated.

She doesn't - she is a runner. Pi**es me off because I'd love to go for a run with her, but after a mile of running my legs are completely destroyed and I go home in pain. (Shinsplints). Doc says it's the price I'm paying for 30 years of football with no shinpads most of the time.

Tumbler said:

I hate the gym, but I except that at my age it's a necessary evil if I want to consume alcohol and a few nice meals a month. If you don't want to change your diet lots, you could try tweaking breakfast and lunch, then reduce some of your alcohol a little reduction goes a long way, swap a couple of beers for a spirit with slimline.

I'm with you on the hating it bit - I just hate exercising with all that time to think - I start to stress about things I haven't done etc and it's not enjoyable. If I'm playing football then I forget about everything else and just play and it's great. Still between the travel and the shinsplints footy is off the agenda these days.

Boozewise I'm practically TT already - less than 7 units a week this week (and I've been to a good friends wedding). Most weeks I'm 0 units, unless the GP is on in whichcase I have a can to enjoy whilst relaxing on the sofa.

[mr_tony]

Fume troll said:

http://hundredpushups.com/

Cheers - Interesting - something you can at least do anywhere. Have to say that just the idea of doing 100 press ups make me feel slightly quesy though!

[mr_tony]

Good to see this thread is still alive, and that some people have actually read my original post.

Emma appreciate your input - all useful, and I agree that if my schedule permitted I would get a lot of benefit from a personal trainer. However given the utter unpredictability of my schedule and the large proportion of time I'm out of the country, this isn't really viable.

What particularly interests me - and what I guess I was getting at in my original post was this bit though..

EmmaP said:

I get a buzz out of pushing myself and seeing improvements. .... . I always feel so much happier and more alert after exercising.

This is what I'm failing to get at all from exercise. I only get this kind of 'good feeling' / endorphin rush etc from something competetive. Is this 'post exercise high' something that you developed from doing this a lot, or was it always there from the start?

Edited by mr_tony on Thursday 5th August 12:48

[mr_tony]

Podie said:

First off, long time no see.

Yep not made an event in ages, too much bloody work and being married etc etc. Might make it down to the next Sunday Service with the Mog, if you're there come for a spin

Podie said:

To put this in context, at the beginning of December I weighed just over 16st, but by April I was down to 13st. I’ve had 3 months out the gym and climbed back to 13st 8, so started back on Monday.... (and went yesterday too). I’m out the door at 6am, and if I’m back by 8pm it’s a result.. so you can find time to do i, if you are determined.

I'm impressed! And now have someone to complete against - 3st is fantastic! I'm 15st right now, and dropping back to 13 would be my target. Cross trainer is probably a good idea - good training for ski season to I would think

When it comes down to it though all the exercise in the world isn't goint to make a difference if I don't stop eating loads of nice food.

I guess maybe I need to start booking into hotels on the basis of the sports facilities, rather than the restaurant reviews.