Do you have to run to be fit?

[blondie3384]

About 3 years ago, I started the couch to 5k program and completed it, and then progressed to easily running 5k around 3 times a week, and even managed a couple of 10k charity runs.  But I since moved to a small village, where running at night is so boring, because it's the same loop over and over again - and it's very dark, eventhough I'm all lit up.  And now, because I've not been commited to running, I have lost all progress.  I find it very hard to run even 20 minutes without feeling really uncomfortable.

I try treadmill running, but find that dull.  But I've got into classes - I love body combat, and pilates.  

I could restart the couch to 5k program at around week 4, where I can manage the runs and have a sense of accomplishment, but then as it's on a treadmill, I'm really not sure I'd enjoy it.  And you have to enjoy what you do...

But can you still be fit by doing other things - if I traded running for something like zumba, which I think would be good fun!  I just have it in my head that to be fit, you need to run, but I'm hoping that's not true!

[Colinm39]

@Jamielynn10 At my age walking is it. I have now introduced some HiiT and waking 15 steps leasure and the 45 steps faster. I found this because my typical RHR is 51 and my Fitbit Cardio Fitness is, 42-46. The average pace is exercise speed. So that doesn't tax my breathing.

Now I have introduced Nordic Walking Poles and the my court which gas a 1 in 10 gradient and that can get my HR up to about 80% of Max HR.  Still can talk at that..

I love my Generic condition.  Always had it..

So getting of one's bottom every hour is the secret and keep active..

---

@Jamielynn10 wrote:

I don't feel you have to run to be fit you can go for simple walks and eat right to be fit

---

[Jamielynn10]

yes i totally get it sometimes to get off my bum every hour is hard especially when watching TV... Monday my boyfriend and i were watching Netflix and I was so into it that my arm would buzz and i would just ignore it and continue watching the TV causing me not to get goal.... I tend to be lazier during the weekend cuz i am on top of my 7000 during the week

[Colinm39]

@Jamielynn10 That 250 nagging step goal is a pain. I miss it sometimes because the vibration is meek.... Like you I then ensure ii have met my stepped goal.

My wife gets cranky if I want to go out at 10pm to catchup, so I compromised and have set up a 1000 step walking around our courts including the gradient in our court. So at the worst I'm only about 400 steps from our front door in any direction.

We have the issue of teenage gangs bashing and robbing people after hours and in the vicinity of takeaways like McDonald's.  We never expected it in Melbourne and it's mainly children from refugee families. So I'm safe now.

---

@Jamielynn10 wrote:

yes i totally get it sometimes to get off my bum every hour is hard especially when watching TV... Monday my boyfriend and i were watching Netflix and I was so into it that my arm would buzz and i would just ignore it and continue watching the TV causing me not to get goal.... I tend to be lazier during the weekend cuz i am on top of my 7000 during the week

---

[Kevinslyric]

Depends on your definition of fit really.... But most have answered quite nicely.  If you are referring to a fit runner, then naturally one would have to run, to have a good fitness level at running.  What ever you choice as your exercise will be what your fitness level is geared toward.  That is however not to say it will not help your fitness in other functional movements of the body, but still limited.

If you are referring to fit as in the physical aspect of your appearance.  Running does very little in this regard for many people...  But that of coarse in another opinion, due to only you know how you want to look. 

The best way to achieve true fitness is to do many variations of activities.  Bike, swim, walk, run, hike, sports, yoga, weight train.  Fitness is measureable.  And what part of that measurement is important to you is how you should approach if running, or any type of specifics exercises is right for you.

If you only eat Spinach, Sure its great for you, but your limiting your nutritional value to feed your engine.

If you only run, the same goes.

My 2 cents.....

[AlohaEliza]

Being fit means you are active and taking care of yourself.  It does not equate to being a runner.  I used to run too, but my knees started to wear.  I now "run" on the elliptical almost every day.  I do between 3 and 4 miles.  I also do squats, use the TRX bands and do some weights.  Taking a zumba class would be great and keep you very fit! Enjoy it! 🙂

[Corney]

Your program seem OK except for the squats. Never do a full squat, during
a full squat all 4 ligaments that give your knee stability are lax, thus
offering no stability, plus it puts a lot of pressure on the
Patellar-Femoral joint. If you must do squats only do a half squat.

[SunsetRunner]

As a person who for years thought that couldn't run due to asthma, I'm going to answer "no" to the question from the topic. There are many activities that can make one sweat and I believe everyone should look for something suitable. If we go into a healthy lifestyle and include a "being active" part, then the last we want is to make it yet another chore. Before running I started with cycling/spinning. Also, I love to swim ( however, my ability to swim can be precisely described as "ability not to drown within first 10 seconds" 🙂 ). Ok, maybe I should say, that I love to be in the water and flap my limbs 😄 There is a number of activities which aren't running and still may give a positive effect on overall health. It so happens that I actually enjoy running ( practising within the limits my asthma set ) but it took the time to get there. Thing is, nobody ever forced me to do that ( on contrary, I've been discouraged so many times due to my health condition ) and it never felt like a chore. My advice is to find something that doesn't feel like you must do it but rather you want to, and then do it 🙂

[Jamielynn10]

yes @Colinm39 if it gets too late and i do not feel like going out anywhere and I feel l need to make goal and I am about to reach it for the day if I'm over my boyfriends house he will end up giving me a whole bunch of stuff to bring back and forth to the kitchen but hell only do it one at a time and its like about 150 to his room to the kitchen but this only happens because he calls it cheating to be in one place just moving your feet..... and yes its totally rewarding when it vibrates and you hit the 250 after buzzes you ten minutes before the hour i wish i could change that to 20 minutes.....

[Jamielynn10]

@SunsetRunner Swimming is fun but it just counts as an activity for me and i have to put it in myself because it doesnt count as steps because my fitbit isnt waterproof....

[SunsetRunner]

@Jamielynn10 true. My Fitbit isn't waterproof either. Indeed without proper waterproof tracker swimming may be a tricky activity to track.

[Jamielynn10]

@SunsetRunner my isnt either so although i try to leave it on to walk around in the shallow end my boyfriend always seems too take it off my wrist so i dont ruin it but if i do log it I get the calories i believe 

[SunsetRunner]

@Jamielynn10 I would say your boyfriend is doing the right thing. Better safe than sorry. I have Charge 2 and I know some people reported even swimming with it and it survived but as long as Fitbit doesn't claim my device is suitable for such activity I prefer not to risk. It's not super expensive, but it doesn't come cheap either. Last time I gave my Fitbit to my wife as she didn't enter the swimming pool but she stayed motionless so not much help for me it was 🙂 If I go into the swimming pool I just make certain assumptions staying on the lower end but even if I miss the entry I don't really make a big deal about it 🙂 I'm active in various ways now and swimming ( in my case rather "swimming" ) doesn't define my whole activity level 🙂 Same problem I find with bouldering. While you can wear Fitbit and switch your activity to workout, it's easy to damage it so I'd recommend not to wear it if it's not a must. By the way, I also recommend to try bouldering - it's lots of fun too 🙂

[davy.franko84]

The answer is running by itself is probably detrimental to your overall progress. It is however better then nothing. The body figures out its activity goals after some time doing the same exercises, and starts to digress in the process. Add some circuits like push ups, battle ropes, and lunges in a 3 exercise, 4 circuit training program one day, then on the next day do some running, on the third day do some high repetition weightlifting, and then take a break for a day. The next three days should be something like biking, maybe some more high repetition weightlifting on a different body part, and something like rowing on a machine for 30 minutes. This is called muscle confusion, and it's the, "variety is the spice of life" aspect of training. it also keeps things interesting because its not the same old stagnent training routine day after day. Try to incorporate circuit training as much as possible though. Its probably the best way to develop lean muscle, and built endurance, and stamina. 

[SantiR]

I believe you don't have to run to be fit specifically. However, cardio is a very important exercise to do. You can get cardio with a lot of different exercises.

My favorite cardio exercise is actually running. It has helped me to decrease belly, which makes me happy. Then, I can do any other exercise to make my muscles stronger. But belly is out thanks to running! 

[JezT]

It certainly helps but as others have mentioned, just keep moving. I always walk my dogs every day for  30 minutes. We live in a beautiful part of Pembrokeshire and there are loads of hills to walk up and down. I always say as long as you get 'slightly out of  breath' while walking you are doing ok.  Running does not suit everyone (including me) and can be excessive  on the joints for some folk. I cycle when possible. This is a great and the Strava App is very addictive. Helps keep your average speed up and logs total miles etc. 

[SunsetRunner]

I don't run either, but lately I gained a lot of weight.

Would anyone be interested in doing a walk challenge?

[SantiR]

Hello @SunsetRunner! You can find a lot of Fitbit users to do challenges with on this Fitbit friends thread. Feel free to post there or add any friends!  

[DianaLong]

I agree. Need to try some hard to achieve the goal.

[Waddle]

What are you looking for in the walk challenge?  I am limited to about 10 to 16 thousand steps per day and I usually do at least half of them on a trail at a local park.  I like the trail because there is a little agility and some stair stepper type action. Then I have to be alert for bears, who haven't really bothered me yet.

[GershonSurge]

---

@Waddle wrote:

What are you looking for in the walk challenge?  I am limited to about 10 to 16 thousand steps per day and I usually do at least half of them on a trail at a local park.  I like the trail because there is a little agility and some stair stepper type action. Then I have to be alert for bears, who haven't really bothered me yet.

---

This is one case where a person might need to run to stay fit. You don't have to outrun the bear, just the person you are walking with.