Photographs by Len Spoden
|
Web Exclusive…
Fitness Diary Part 1
By Debbie Moser, March 2005
|
Editor's Note
From lower cholesterol levels to feeling "more beautiful," the
seven people profiled in the Real Fitness article reaped numerous benefits by
starting or getting back into vigorous exercise programs. What does it take to
go from couch potato to jock after 50? What's the process like, step by
step?
Meet Debbie Moser of suburban Maryland and go along with her on the road
to fitness. At 50, she's trying to transform her lifestyle from occasional
weekend walks to weight lifting three times a week. Mentally, she's
striving to overcome a lifelong view of herself as not athletic (she still
remembers the D she got in a junior-high gym class). Aside from the usual
incentives to look and feel better, Debbie, the executive director of an arts
center, has some very personal reasons driving her to become a regular
exerciser. She's also got a partner in her endeavor— her
fiancé, Mitch Berliner. Although Mitch, 56, has always been active,
recent back pain has motivated him to train for more strength. Together,
they're planning to follow a program of aerobic exercise and strength
training, aided by a personal trainer.
Over the coming months, Debbie will share their experiences in this
Web-exclusive fitness diary. Check back each month to read an update on how she
and Mitch are doing.
Seven and a half years ago, I met Mitch. On our second date, he asked me to
go bike riding with him. Bike riding! I had not been on a bike since I was
twelve. I made some feeble excuse and got out of going that time, but Mitch was
persistent and eventually persuaded me to go riding with him, citing the
benefits of good exercise. He also introduced me to the benefits of good wine
and organically grown food. He's a food distributor and I'm an amateur
cook, so charity food events and restaurant visits began to be a part of our
new life. Unfortunately, so did a few unwanted pounds, and I began to notice
that the older I got the harder it was to "drop a few pounds."
Working out consistently has never been a part of my routine. I led a very
busy life raising two boys, working full-time, and teaching graduate school at
night. There was no time in my schedule to fit in regular exercise. Once or
twice, I joined an exercise class at my local gym. I had a membership there but
rarely went, especially in the cold weather.
 After the boys went off to college (the younger one left four and a half
years ago), Mitch and I joined a local gym, where I worked out occasionally and
Mitch could swim indoors in the winter. He biked in the summer, and I walked
whenever we could get a free Sunday afternoon. We maintained a healthy diet of
organic and natural foods, drank wine in moderation, and felt relatively
fit.
The years have passed since we met. Mitch is closing in on 57, and January
2005 rang in the New Year, my 50th birthday, and a marriage proposal.
Mitch's pitch was rather unique—not only should we get married, but
also, together, we should get in shape for our wedding.
His proposal intrigued me. It came at a time when I discovered that my
constantly aching hip was really a slight case of osteopenia (decreased bone
density, which can lead to osteoporosis) and Mitch was struggling on and off
with a sore back. This seemed like a great time to embark on a fitness routine
to prepare for a healthy future.
The Goals
Mitch and I have similar fitness goals. We want to increase our strength and
endurance and learn how to incorporate exercise into our lifestyle to maximize
the benefits as we get older. From the research I did after my hip diagnosis, I
learned that strength training would increase my bone density, thereby reducing
my risk of osteoporosis. I was afraid of bone loss because my grandmother
shrank to what seemed like three feet tall in her later years, and my mother is
showing some signs of decreasing height. Mitch and I also learned that the more
muscle mass we develop, the more efficiently our bodies will burn calories,
making it easier to control our weight. Burning calories after 50 is not easy,
at least not for us. Dessert, even if it's made with organic fruit, manages
to cling to the stomach and hips like an unwanted hitchhiker. Finally, building
our muscle strength will help us protect our joints from injury. This is
especially important for Mitch because strengthening the core muscles in his
back and abdomen will help prevent those nasty bouts of back pain.
And of course, there is the wedding goal. We want to be as fit as we can by
October for our wedding. I would like to lose those extra five to ten pounds
and look great in my wedding dress. And Mitch, well, let's just say that
Mitch would like to be able lift me off the dance floor without hurting his
back.
The Plan
The first decision we had to make was how to begin an exercise program that
would build a foundation of strength. We decided that with our busy schedules,
the most convenient place to exercise was in our home, so we set up a mini-gym
in our basement: an all-in-one weight machine, free weights, a bench, exercise
balls, and a Tony Little Gazelle.
Then we had to find a competent trainer who could work with us two days a
week to build our strength training program. We found that person in
27-year-old Kunda Kimaro. Kunda has been successfully training clients for
several years. He even worked with a 95-year-old man!
After assessing our strength ability and talking about our goals, Kunda
worked out a program that includes three to four days a week of aerobic
activity: two days alone and two days combined with strength training. We
learned that it's important to develop an exercise program that will
develop into a habit, because forming habits is the first step in maintaining a
successful routine.
The next step was to develop a program of circuit training*: 12 to 15
exercises with eight to 15 repetitions while trying to maintain strict
form—not an easy feat. Kunda explained that we would be starting with one
set of the exercises, eventually transitioning to two sets. He pointed out that
most strength gains come from the initial set; doing more sets is not
necessarily better. It's the law of diminishing returns: the more you do,
the less you benefit from each additional set. Research has shown that there is
no significant difference in overall strength and muscle development when
comparing a single-set high-intensity group to the conventional three-set
training group.
Our initial goal is to start at two days a week and work up to three, which
will depend on our level of consistency and muscle adaptation. We are starting
with weight machines because they are the recommended method for training at
the beginner stage. Working out with the machines will help us maintain proper
form. In one month, or when we feel comfortable with these techniques, our
routine will expand to incorporate free weights. Our sessions begin and end
with 10 to 15 minutes of stretching to promote flexibility and minimize the
chances of muscle injuries, which is one of my big concerns.
So, I invite you to follow along as we embark on a journey that may not be
an easy one. We will be checking in with you every month with an update.
Moreover, we hope that you will join us in beginning your own exercise
routine.
* Circuit training employs a group of strength exercises performed
quickly, one after the other. The aim is to improve both strength and
stamina.
|
