Do you have a fitness regimen?

[NothingClever]

I am mid 50s and have always been overweight because I love eating too much.

I hear you.

It's really, really hard work re-programming our brains to regard food as fuel. Something that helps me is conspicuously posting in the kitchen a printed table from a nutritionist with portions and variety for the week's meals. This along with "fueling" five times a day (rather than the customary three) helps keep me focused on calibrating exercise and nutritional intake. I don't obsess over it and, in fact, I cheat on occasion (like adding peanut butter to my chocolate ice cream last night!) but when I'm working towards a fitness goal, it helps me calibrate overall intake and caloric burn.

One thing I struggle with is when I come off that goal (either because I accomplished it or something got in the way) I have trouble ratcheting down my portions. I keep sub-consciously thinking I'm going to get right back into high-intensity workouts. Like you, I'm in my 50s and know that my metabolism has slowed a lot and that sustained fueling for increased performance while on a decreased performance schedule can lead to, you know it, undesired weight gain.

One thing I have learned about LOB eating is to really, really exercise portion control. Nothing is worse than having a full stomach on a dive that interferes with ideal breathing. I absolutely hate that feeling and would rather be hungry.

Great news that you enjoy cycling. It's a great V02 maximizer. Hope you stay on trajectory where taking off that electric motor becomes a goal.

 

[ofg-1]

Well, October is college football season, so I revert to the southern redneck exercise program. I do 12 oz curls, many sets, every weekend, walk to the refrigerator to get my steps in, and practice leg presses pushing the recliner back. I also go on the college football 1/3, 1/3, 1/3, diet. 1/3 pizza, 1/3 hot wings, 1/3 beer.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I needed a goal after age 50, and after recovering from DCS, for my training. It seemed that meeting the USLA lifeguard standards and the fitness standards for USCG and US Navy aviation rescue swimmers should be my goal to keep being a scuba and lifeguard instructor.

Here are four sources from which to build a fitness program.

Charleston County South Carolina Ocean Lifeguard Fitness Program

US Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Events

USCG Aviation Rescue Swimmer Manual

USCG Aviation Rescue Swimmer Annex

Former US Navy SEAL Stew Smith has designed workouts for rescue swimmers you can find online or purchase if you aren't sure how to program a routine. I was certified as a personal trainer through two agencies, and I had been a phys ed major for two years before switching to English. I have to say that most fitness programs are designed for looks rather than athletic performance. Smith's programs shoot for fitness not the look of fitness.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

My regimen is to just go diving. I'm 67 and to stay in shape I play golf 2-3 times per week with an average of 3-4 miles walking per round.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I wanted to jump back in here and update my response. I was going all out on cycling until July 13th of this year (2022). I fell on the bike and broke my left hip. At the time I was working towards doing a 62 mile ride on Sept 24th and with the possible goal of a 100 before the end of the year.
Since then all I have been doing, after 6 weeks of NO WEIGHT on the left leg, is intense physical therapy. Lots of stretching and getting my strength and flexibility back, followed by just getting mobile again.
I spent 4 days in the hospital and 2 weeks in a skilled nursing facility.
One thing I will say is THANK THE OLD GODS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS!
The first couple of session I hated them. By the time I left the rehab I was hesitant to leave them!
4 weeks of at home on my own while the bones knitted up and now in out patient with two amazing people making me bust my ass to get back to normal.
It will still be possibly 6-8 months before I'm 100%.
My left leg is still longer than the right because it just hung there for almost 2 months. The right is like steel.
But it's getting better and I'm getting stronger.
I now have an intimate understanding of the importance of stretching in a fitness program. I have an hour's worth I do daily at various times in addition to the strength, balance, and mobility exercises.
They let me get back on the stationary bike but it was supposed to be spring of 2023 before I was back on the trails with my bicycle.
But they have cautiously revised that due to the level of fitness I came in with and the work that I've been putting in.
I might be able to get back on it around Thanksgiving. I completely retired from teaching scuba and the accident was part of finalizing that decision. I don't miss it at all.
I do miss cycling.
The first two weeks after the accident it looked like I might still be using a wheelchair for some things even now. That hasn't been the case. I still have a walker in the car just in case, but I don't even need the cane for everything. Just when I may be doing a lot of walking, when on uneven ground (balance is still and issue due to left ankle weakness) or after a grueling therapy session. But last weekend I walked a mile with no problems.
If anyone gets injured as part of a fitness routine, get help and do what they tell you!
Waiting or saying "I'll do that when it doesn't hurt as bad" is likely going to delay your recovery.
PT's are not sadists! They know what they are doing.

 

[NothingClever]

Concur 100%. Good PTs are awesome!

 

[halocline]

My regimen is iron clad: I drink a lot of beer and I watch a lot of sports on TV.

 

[Dark Wolf]

I try to do 12 ounce curls at least once a week.

DW

 

[Ben_3]

Since I’v been diving I have not come across a lot of fitness oriented divers. I’v had to tow a few divers. Some heavier divers often struggle with overheating and exposure protection…
Fitness has been beneficial form ma as a diver but I get that it’s not for everyone.

I have actually seen a few articles recommend not to train before and after diving to avoid dcs.. so i guess that’s a downside for any fitness fanatic.

 

[NothingClever]

Since I’v been diving I have not come across a lot of fitness oriented divers.

I share your observation but don't understand why there is such a propensity to disregard fitness. Although I haven't checked every single diver certifying organization, I know four of them have an entire chapter in their basic instruction manual dedicated to the importance of fitness. Nonetheless, boat after boat has clearly unhealthy people on board. To call it out here on SB risks someone asserting that one is "fat-shaming". Perhaps it's cultural (or temporal) since early photos from the 1950s to 1990s seem to reflect that a more physically fit population was attracted to diving (although smoking was pretty prevalent in the earlier decades).