This post isn't a fishing exercise for compliment or priase on success, but just maybe to let others hear my story and maybe find some encouragement in it. If any fitness experts would like to offer comments to further improve my fitness, I would welcome those as they may benefit others as well.
So I started my journey almost a year ago (Christmas). I had gained a lot of weight and carried it for about 5 years. I was 240 lbs at 5'10" and 56 years old. I have a fit background having played basketball and ran track in high school, then ROTC in college followed by 7 years in the Army. I continued to run and workout for many years until I went back to school in 2003 to learn computer programming.
It is as after school when I started programming and sitting all day (previously I was in manufacturing management and walked a lot during the day). Then I started in a consulting role where I combined travel with sitting all day and eating out every night. The weight just started adding up.
So last Christmas I was given a fitbit flex ( since upgraded to Charge HR). Honestly, I hadn't even heard of fitbit before, but I joined and started dieting and walking. All I did was walk in the beginning and try to get 10k in steps each day. As the pounds came off, I started trying to jog a little on my walks. I won't lie, it was tough. The extra weight didn't feel good on my joints either, but I just tried to keep going and managed to loose down to 208.
Then I fell off the fitness wagon for a couple of months and shot back up to 221. I took a deep breath and started again, but this time with renewed determination. If you study my ytd graph you'll see a marked increase in effort as measured by steps. Instead of just 10k a day, I was hitting 15 plus. Again, I tried to jog inbetween, but when I stalled at 214 I started intermittent fasting. This jump started my weight loss again and I've not lost down to 190 (goal is 180). I've also gone from walking to steady jogging and can now go 4.5-5 miles without stopping (not setting any speed records here).
I've also just started HIIT. I've played with it previously, but now am doing it twice a week using the tabata method. It's 4 minutes of intense suffering, but then its over. I've noticed that in just two weeks of HIIT, my run time has dropped 3 minutes for the same course and my heart rate during this period is 1 bpm lower on average during the workout period. Also, fewer steps are logged which probably means my stride is longer. I'm excited it may be attributable to this HIIT. Following my HIIT 4 minute session, I lift weights for about 30 minutes primarily using compound moves and finish up with a 20 minute steady state jog.
Finally, I discovered compression garments. I bought them online primarily for warmth. I didn't know much about them, but was under the impression they worked by rubbing the skin and creating warmth. Well, that's not true as I know now - they are actually quite cold and feel like they conduct the cold right to the skin. You have to layer on top of them. But suddently my legs didn't ache after my runs. More research indicated they help with blood flow and recovery, so I ware them on my jogs and a clean pair during the day (sitting had my legs stiffening up too). I go for a 45 minute walk every day at lunch and they help on that as well. I love these things!
My actual weight loss has slowed, but I'm not so concerned with that. Now it's about fitness as much as weight loss. I still fast daily for 16-20 hours and try to watch my calories and I'm sure the fat will take care of itself. I pulled about 6 pair of still servicable slacks from my closet this weekend and they fit me once again, so my wardrobe just increased, but I do need another belt!
My resting heart rate is now around 64 bpm where it was up at 78 a year ago. The fitbit calculator shows it at 68-72, but when I'm most relaxed I take it manually and I'm always 63-64. It does take a lot longer when you get older, but it can be done. I feel so much better and my mood is very even now. If I could only fix my sleep, I'd have the perfect life!
“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.”
― Isaac Asimov
“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin
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