@jym626, Tabata intervals is a structure for high intensity interval training. Essentially, after an appropriate warm up, you do 20 seconds of whatever exercise you are doing as hard and as fast as you can followed by 10 seconds of recovery and the repeat 6 more times for a total of 7. Then you take a period of time to recover and do the cycle again. This structure is often used for structured cardio training and can also be used for circuit style resistance training using body wright e revises and/or light Dumbbells. With the latter, you line up seven exercises you will do and can either do 7 repeats of each exercise before moving to the next or can do one repeat of each, move to the next and go through all of them 7 times. It’s not something that a person new to exercise should do but once you’ve established a decent baseline conditioning, it can be a lot of fun and very challenging.
It isn’t “silly” if it gets the job done. Be it at the gym, in the backyard, in front of a tv with a Wii…
House and yard work can be tiring, but it’s not aerobic, weight bearing or stretching. Not in the sense of concerted effort.
But me? I love the treadmill. I can walk without paying attention for sidewalk bumps or traffic.
My, all this bickering about driving to the gym or not driving to the gym, how silly, lol! The name of the game is to get yourself up and moving, doing things that will make you healthier and more fit. Whether you drive to the gym or not, who cares. Everyone does what works for them and best enables them to participate. I used to go to a gym and enjoyed it but then built a gym in my house because for a variety of reasons losing the travel time was not compatible with the rest of my scheduling and lifestyle. I will still go to facility based indoor cycling classes from time to time even though I have high end state of the art indoor cycling technology in my home because I enjoy the camaraderie of the class environment. I will occasionally go a Pilates studio because I want the benefit of the specialized instruction and postural coaching that is available. There are bike rides I drive to because it’s a group ride and the start point is too far to ride to given my time constraints or the mileage I want to do. There are bike rides I ride to because the start point doesn’t present those obstacles, and sometimes I ride from my front door as the start and finish point.
And yes, there is a difference between working around the house and targeted exercise that provides specific medically and scientifically proven benefits or which is training goal specific. It bears comment, though, that there is a lot of interesting new literature and studies coming out that targeted exercise alone is not enough to maintain health and absence of age driven diseases and conditions. These studies and reports indicate that basic movement during the day is essential and those who are sedentary during the day but for an hour of targeted exercise may be more at risk for many age driven diseases than those who incorporate movement throughout their day but do not engage in targeted exercise. See the recent report from the American Diabetes Association. It’s interesting stuff that could redefine the paradigms of what’s required for a healthy lifestyle.
MoWC: of course you’re right, you’re always right. On the other hand, I’m in great shape. Bone density is wonderful, all tests great. Weight just right, cholesterol wonderful. I’m in very good health and not just for my age. Fully expect to live as long as my mother and hers who died at 103. Not sure what I should be changing…but if you say so.
Maybe it’s time for you to admit that what works for you is not perfect for everybody else. Don’t see why only I am not allowed my own personal opinion.
Anyway, since I’m risking your wrath by my contributing I’ll just leave you to your expertise.
Because doing housework, etc ISN’T enough exercise for most people. It doesn’t get heart rate up. It doesn’t build strength or flexibility. I just lifted weights for an hour - it hit muscles I’ll never touch no matter how much housework I do. Yes, it’s better than lying on the couch but c’mon.
3bm, do you think your “plan” of just getting exercise through housework, etc is going to work for the majority of Americans? I mean, the average American cleans her own house, does gardening, walks the dog, etc. How well do you think it’s working for them?
My H drives to the gym everyday and does cardio on a stationary bike for at least 1.5 hours (when the weather doesn’t permit him to ride outside). We have a recumbent bike in our house, but he only uses it on rare occasions like when he’s anticipating a delivery and may need to bolt at any second. There’s something about the purposefulness of going someplace that works for many people. I know I’ve tried to exercise at home and it doesn’t work for me.
And of course, not everyone has a gym within walking distance. Mine requires me to cross a highway. I could bike there - for 3 months out of the year!
I have a former coworker who is young (30) and fit and we keep up by planning monthly get togetherness where we try something new. Last month we walked a trail and did a high intensity interval class I had never done but she had. This month we are going to do a yoga sculpt class that she has wanted to try. We might also try SoulCycle or similar. That motivates me.
Interesting how many people don’t exercise because it is boring.
I have used that boring part to 1) have time to think, 2) have time to read, and 3) have time to watch TV. When the kids were very little, there was a period when the only time I got to myself was my hour of gym time. The kids were in child care. I would get on some machine and read or watch the news or just wool gather. I did have to reach some basic level of fitness before I was able to check out, to have the body moving while the mind was doing something else.
Exercise is very helpful for anger issues. Just saying…
Ugh. Get togethers, not get togetherness!
It’s hard to be reading if you’re really getting in quality exercise, though. Watching TV or listening to music/ podcasts, sure! I have podcasts on topics I like that I “reserve” for brisk walking.
Even if you don’t do intervals quite at the intensity of Tabata, I do find changing the pace with intervals makes the elliptical much less boring and it definitely kicks up the heart rate. My husband goes to the gym because he really enjoys the guys who work out there. It’s mostly blue collar Republicans, and he really enjoys getting their view of the world.
Very good point PG in post #146.
My weights guy who I see 3x a week is a Trump supporter from a rural area who keeps guns at his home, which is kind of my polar opposite 
We have great political discussions and we both approach it with a sense of humor. We can say anything to one another and not be offended. It livens it up.
I dislike having to shower/dress in places other than home ( too much stuff to lug), so that’s one reason I’m not a gym person. My yoga studio is 2 minutes away - I drive for safety reasons. If I can’t get outside to walk/ run I use my basement treadmill. We also have a bike. And i can also go to the homeowners community center which is also 2 minutes ( other direction) from home.
You just have to find what works for your time, your lifestyle, your budget, your body and your activity preference.
I got really good at reading on the Stairmaster fwiw. I was killing it aerobically but because I didn’t bounce that much, I could read, too. Getting to that point was definitely a process, though. I also watched a lot of Oprah.
I joined a gym a few years ago and was the best thing I did for myself. And yes I drive there, usually straight from work. The changing doesn’t bother me, but it took a while to make a habit of getting my gym clothes together every morning. It is impossible for me to go before work - I am definitely an owl not a lark. And if I go home first, it can be harder to be motivated to go back out.
What works for me is classes - everything from pilates to zumba to step to lifting to high intensity intervals. I can focus on getting to class (tonight its high intensity interval for 30 minutes at 7:30), I look forward to it and can plan accordingly. I don’t care if I am not always on the correct foot or breathing exactly right. In the harder classes, I am happy I can keep up with those that are 25 years (or more) younger than me! I no longer feel like I have to push myself to go most days, but even when I don’t feel like going or am looking at the clock wondering why class feels so long, I always feel better afterwards. What I can’t make myself do is go on the treadmill or elliptical very often. That, to me, is boring.
That being said, I have let work get in the way of my workouts over the last couple of years, along with some annoying heel pain and a few muscle pulls. I am now committed to getting to the gym (and luckily deadlines are more manageable) five to six days a week. When summer hits, I will swim laps at our town pool, but hate to swim indoors (even though my gym has a pool).
I also love to walk outside with a friend or alone. It started when I had my kids in the stroller and was so happy to get out of the house. I can walk to the local park or to our downtown. Almost never boring to me as the sun and fresh air are healing. Occasionally, but not always, I listen to music. But I found that just walking wasn’t enough. I have tried running but, even when in shape from the gym, have not been able to get to a point when I can run for a couple of miles without stopping. I may try the suggestion of running more slowly.
For me lack of discipline is the problem. I am a yo yo dieter and exerciser. I eat well (actually not well because not enough) run and bike and lose weight. Then one day I fall into a bag of chips or cookies, skip the run and put it all back on. I quit sodas Jan 1 and thought I would get back on track but so far haven’t succeeded.
Many of us here on CC became runners by doing the Couch To 5k program (C25K). It’s a 9 week program but I took a little longer because I wanted to feel I personally proficient at each level of moving along. I started at age 53 - it changed my life. (ask if you have questions!)
Crutch or not, if I am walking, running or on a machine I “must” have music. While I dread treadmill or similar machines, in Ohio winters they sometimes become a must - I make a deal with myself - I try not to think in terms of miles or distance specifically, but songs. 3 songs = 1 mile (I comfortably run between a 10-11 minute mile) 9 songs = 3 miles. The idea of listening to several songs is much more appealing than 30ish minutes of watching the clock!