I want to be fit & trim - but HATE exercising!

[Scuba_Jenny]

We are comparable size/age..
As for me, weight has been an issue in my adult years. Down now 50+ thanks to Weight Watchers.
As for "working out" I love running, walking, but if that's not for you, you won't keep at it. Try to find something you enjoy. Basketball? rollerblading? kickboxing?
There used to be a guy here on SB (@coach_izzy ) that loved kettlebells. He wrote a book, Kettlebells for a fit diver. Pretty good workout, limited equipment, quick results.
I beach dive regularly, yet that age thing.. dang.. it sneaks up on you.. Got to take more time to recharge..

 

[Kimela]

We are comparable size/age..
As for me, weight has been an issue in my adult years. Down now 50+ thanks to Weight Watchers.
As for "working out" I love running, walking, but if that's not for you, you won't keep at it. Try to find something you enjoy. Basketball? rollerblading? kickboxing?
There used to be a guy here on SB (@coach_izzy ) that loved kettlebells. He wrote a book, Kettlebells for a fit diver. Pretty good workout, limited equipment, quick results.
I beach dive regularly, yet that age thing.. dang.. it sneaks up on you.. Got to take more time to recharge..

Kettle bells are pretty cool. It's surprising how much exercise you get from swinging those things around - and what muscle groups they work. Thanks for reminding me. I have a set of three (5, 10 and 15 pounds I think) and can start light and work my way up. I think part of my challenge is that exercise is so darned boring. I LOVE racquetball, but I don't know if anyplace is open right now, and the places that were are so far away from me it was never a viable option anyway. It's hard for me to carve out an hour without work, husband or dogs getting into the middle of it.

 

[Marie13]

I was doing fabulous with the recumbent bike at the gym, then covid hit. I was back at the gym from June through October, then numbers were getting bad again, so I quit going. In January, I got a good under desk cycle. Except I use it in front of the TV. My Apple Watch has an indoor cycle workout selection, so I track with that. I also do dumbbell squats and some arm dumbbell work, as well. I’m limited in what I can do with my knees/sciatica. Need to be a bit more consistent. I changed jobs last month and I’m now working in an office after 8 months of working from home. Having a hard time getting used to a 40 minute commute again.

I have an outdoor bike I got from a friend grrr last summer, but it’s a bit too big for me. I also have to ride 1.5 miles to get to the nature preserve with a great trail, but the people on the trail do not share nicely (families walking spread out over the entire paved trail with a stroller on my side when I’m coming fast down a hill, that sort of thing).

 

[Diverlady13]

Another goal is to be able to comfortably swing my bag to the overhead compartment without worrying that I'll hit someone or crumple under the weight of my bag because I'm such a weakling. I see two ways of fixing that one. Pack lighter or work on my arms (and maybe back?). Perhaps I should do both?

I'm a huge fan of weight training. I had to give it up for about 2 years when I was caring for my mother and I noticed a huge difference in my fitness level. I wasn't nearly as strong, didn't have as much endurance, and gained weight. When I had to move mom to assisted living and then to memory care, I was able to get back to lifting. I work out with a personal trainer 5 days per week when I'm not traveling. I do only a little bit of cardio - mostly walking the dogs and sometimes the elliptical at my trainer's studio. I really feel like the weight training is what has helped me lose and keep off weight with the huge benefit of making me strong enough to do the things I want to do in a self reliant way.

Two years ago I would have struggled to carry myself up a ladder in full gear. Now I have no trouble with it. Fortunately our gyms were only closed for about 2 months (and my trainer sent me workouts during the lockdown), so I've been able to continue my training. I lost 42 pounds between March 2020 and November 2020. The weight loss was due to a few factors - eating less (just bored with food during the pandemic), being really busy last year, and having far less stress related to my mom. I feel that the ability to keep it off is due to having sufficient muscle mass to burn off calories. Years ago I had lost about 60 pounds and kept that off for 8 years or so, but when I had to move mom to Oklahoma, I gained it back due to stress, irregular eating, and simply not being able to get to the gym. Mom had Alzheimer's and it was difficult to leave her alone. I either had to stay nearby or take her along with me...and that didn't work for working out.

You mentioned putting your bag in the overhead. Use your legs to help push up, but yes, working on your arms and back should help. Don't swing your bag because you could end up with a shoulder injury and that can be a difficult injury to heal. Plus, having sore shoulders is no fun when trying to get into gear and get to the water. I have to put my right shoulder into my BC first because I can't twist it into the strap if I have the left arm in first. LOL! I also have injured my left shoulder, but that injury doesn't flare as much anymore.

ETA: I should add that I'm 51, so a few years younger than you but well past the point of having that fast metabolism of the young. Every pound is a victory.

 

[Janie88]

Kettle bells are pretty cool. It's surprising how much exercise you get from swinging those things around - and what muscle groups they work. Thanks for reminding me. I have a set of three (5, 10 and 15 pounds I think) and can start light and work my way up. I think part of my challenge is that exercise is so darned boring. I LOVE racquetball, but I don't know if anyplace is open right now, and the places that were are so far away from me it was never a viable option anyway. It's hard for me to carve out an hour without work, husband or dogs getting into the middle of it.

I need to get some kettle balls and try them out. I do love to run, but with the weight I've put on in the last 2 years it really puts a strain on my knees. I need to lose about 40 lbs. My goal/motivation is to lose the weight by the October trip we've planned on the Juliet.

I need to get back to weight training. I used to love my gym for classes on weights and you'd do the "round robin" style of working out on the equipment, but these days not sure it's so smart. You really can't stop to wipe down each piece of weight/equipment in that scenario. Or maybe I can. Maybe I try it again and just be careful not to touch my face while doing the class and then wash/sanitize after.

I know that ever since I turned 50 it's been really hard to keep the weight off and stay toned. I used to be able to get tons of carbs and sugar without weight gain, and do very little exercise and stay toned - not the case now. And while I love cardio, it's not the same as doing weights.

 

[Kimela]

Everything I've been told supports the reality that muscle burns fat, even at rest, so I need to build more muscle. Unlike @Janie88, I don't find cardio OR weights 'fun', but I sure do like the idea of being that woman with nice arms and shoulders. Maybe I need to put a picture of THAT on my fridge!

 

[Janie88]

Everything I've been told supports the reality that muscle burns fat, even at rest, so I need to build more muscle. Unlike @Janie88, I don't find cardio OR weights 'fun', but I sure do like the idea of being that woman with nice arms and shoulders. Maybe I need to put a picture of THAT on my fridge!

Hey I love cardio, it definitely gets my endorphins going! But weights? HATE it. But that's what I need to start doing

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I don't like it either.. until it's over, then I'm like "whoaaaa, that was a great workout!" I do not have a runners physique, but love to run..
I try to find things that look fun to do that incorporates exercise. I've never done the go to gym thing, so I improvise whenever. Rollerblade, put 10 lbs in a weight belt and go about your normal day, hula hoop, climb trees... the key for me is variety. Even running, I get bored if I do the same route too many times.
And the biggest thing, I think is finding my WHY. Why do I want to work out, eat healthy, etc? I've had to really dig down to get those answers (go 5 why deep... i.e. I want to lose weight. Why? so I feel better Why? So I can carry my dive gear. Why? Cause I really like diving Why? I love diving because it's my sanity..Why? in this messed up crazy world I find peace.

 

[flyboy08]

I don't like it either.. until it's over, then I'm like "whoaaaa, that was a great workout!".

You need to get in the mindset that when you DONT exercise, you feel like #*$&$^@%! If I miss a day its like being weathered out from a dive. Then you truly have arrived....and that time will come the more you train your body to expect a routine.

 

[Esprise Me]

Amen and hell yeah! I also do not experience a workout buzz. Best I ever got was a few times in my life when, after running pretty much daily for several months and hating every minute of it, I gradually began to hate it a little less. I'm trying to get back into shape now, and unfortunately I don't have any advice, just sympathy.

I will say that, in my experience, for weight loss alone exercise is not very efficient. Jogging only burns about 100 calories per mile, and you have to burn 3500 calories to lose a pound. That means to lose a pound a week, you'd have to run five miles a day. It's usually much easier to trim 500 calories from your diet. But that doesn't help with lifting your bag into the overhead compartment.