Photo by Len Spoden
|
Web Exclusive…
Fitness Diary Part 3
By Debbie Moser, May 2005
|
Fitness Diary
What does it take to go from couch potato to jock after 50? Follow the experiences of Debbie Moser and Mitch Berliner of Maryland as they work to get in better physical shape in time for their October wedding. Each month, Debbie will share the details of their fitness quest in this exclusive online journal. Check back to read how she and Mitch are doing.
Five months into our training program, we're seeing some exciting
changes. Our hike up a moderately difficult mountain in the Shenandoah Valley
last month was the first clue that our workouts were paying off. What would
have been a gruesome hike for me a year ago turned out to be an enjoyable
challenge. The climb was steep, but I realized on the way up that I was not out
of breath. I actually could feel that my leg and calf muscles were stronger and
the next day I experienced little of the muscles soreness I normally would have
on the day after. Mitch, who naturally has more strength than I do, noticed the
difference in me immediately.
Another change that is happening is that we both find we have more energy
throughout our workday. We work full-time and sometimes don't get home
until eight at night. I'm finding my stamina level higher and on the days
we work out, I go to work with an abundance of energy.
I've noticed something else too: our clothes are fitting us differently.
Our pants seem much looser on us and I actually have noticed that my thighs and
bottom are tightening up. For the first time in my life I have some definition
in my arms, too. This is no small thing for me: I come from a family with a
history of loose hanging arms. I've finally learned how those Hollywood
starlets get those arms that look so great.
And you should see the great muscles that Mitch is developing in his arms
and chest. For a man of almost 57, it's amazing to watch the
transformation. Good thing he's working on the arms—he'll need
them to lift me off the dance floor at our wedding in October.
How to Kill Your Will to Go On
Variety is the spice of life, and it can make or break your
motivation in a fitness program. The hardest part of sticking to a program is
trying to stay motivated to keep on exercising. It's great to have your
trainer or your spouse to tell you to keep going, but one of the greatest
incentives for Mitch and me has been seeing the training begin to change our
bodies.
Fortunately, Kunda (our personal trainer) is well aware that one size
doesn't fit all when it comes to working out. What works for one person
doesn't necessarily work for another—there is no cookie-cutter method
to exercise.
All the research points to the positive benefits of exercising, but there is
one thing that can undo the best intentions—boredom. Yes, it really is
true: doing the same exercises over and over can lead to exercise boredom.
That's probably the reason I never stuck to my own workouts before. Mitch
and I did not have the knowledge to change our routines, we just did the same
ones. Until we began working with Kunda, I had no idea how important change can
be to staying motivated enough to move on to the next level. In fact, we often
tease Kunda about making up new and more challenging exercises. He just laughs,
but he knows we need to change the routine to work on different muscle groups
and keep our interest up. And often Mitch and I will have a completely
different set of exercises in one session, because Kunda knows that our
abilities and bodies are different and will respond in different ways.
To keep boredom at bay, we've got some new things coming up to keep our
routine varied. The weather hasn't let us train outside yet—it's
been a cold, rainy spring—but we should be out there soon. Also, Kunda
has suggested I get some boxing gloves. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.
|
