The FastDay Forum

[Moogie]

In a bid to learn a bit more about our community's fasting habits, motivations and other interesting foodie/fasting stuff we're going to be running a poll each week and would appreciate it if you could take a moment to cast your vote on the matter!

For this week's poll, we are asking:

Do you exercise?
Feel free to reply to explain your answer further, or if none of the answers are close enough for you.

Over to you!

I have only recently started walking specifically for exercise, though I have been following this WOL since January 2013. I have a Fitbit Flex (a glorified pedometer for those of you who haven't come across them) and it encourages me to go out for a walk when my natural inclination would be to settle down in front of a warm fire! I have also recently started Pilates, which I am really enjoying - my husband says it's because it involves a lot of lying down! I did try to row three times a week on my son't machine using the HIT protocol, as described by Michael Mosley, but gave that up because it was rather boring! I have found that since starting the walking it is easier to maintain my weight without having to fast but that could be a coincidence! I'm afraid that exercise and me aren't really a good fit but I am trying!

I walk the dog but I don't do it for exercise so I don't know which one to choose.

Yes, I started a regular program of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week and weight training 2x a week more than 20 years ago. Before that I spent a long time trying to find exercise that I liked well enough to stick with (that's the key, I think.) My choice has been using videos at home. The last 4 years I've been doing only the aerobics at home and going out to our local senior center (1/4 mile walk one way) for Strength Training classes--got too bored with doing it at home on my own.

Another way I prevent boredom is to mute the audio and listen to radio or audiobook (after I learn the routine and don't need the verbal cues any more.) My favorites over the years have been Jane Fonda's Low Impact Aerobics from 1986 or so and the Weight Watchers Low Impact Aerobics also from that era--both still available only on vhs My current favorite is Leslie Sansone Walk at Home - 5 Day Slim Down - A Mile Each Morning, which doesn't appear to be available on Amazon UK. I do one of the 4 14-minute miles and finish up with the 12-minute speed walk.

Last week the NY Times had a 2-part series on falls among the elderly. One good way to prevent falls is to start exercising before we get elderly--Improves coordination, balance, and flexibility as well as muscles and cardio-vascular system. Sorry to go on a bit here, but hope my experience is helpful.

I do three aquacize classes a week and sometimes go in the gym as well. Since buying my Fitbit Flex in August I have also been doing several long walks but as my weight has dropped even more and I don't want to end up too skinny I am scaling back on the number of daily steps I had as my target and will naturally be doing fewer and shorter walks now the winter is fast approaching. I am probably fitter and healthier now though at 66 than in any previous decade of my life!

I am also a fitbit fan. I don't have time for formal exercise so this reminds me to move more. I have the wristband one, flex I think and I wear it all the time. I am very conscious of it and I often do a few steps just for the sake of it.

[Debs]

I started exercising about 13 years ago and haven't looked back. I am fitter tha I have ever been. I still exercise here at the mine but it is a bit more patchy due to fatigue, a busy gym, sheer laziness some evenings. I enjoy weights but loathe cardio, I find it so boring!

I jog 3 or 4 times a week, and do a couple of barre classes and/or a weekly yoga class. Fasting for me has to fit around exercise, but its gotten easier now my body has adjusted to fasting. I think I'm the opposite of Debs - love the cardio, weights bore me silly (hence the barre and yoga for core and strength training which I'm really enjoying. Good for working on my dodgy balance too).

I'm not sedentary, but I don't do any hard work exercise yet. I'm on my feet for four hours a day pretty much constantly and I take walks of short distances in my neighbourhood. My body needs real exercise to firm up, get some muscle back. It is really difficult getting me to do that kind of exercise.

I try to walk at least 3 days a week. Sometimes I do more. I also go to yoga twice a week.

I'm not exercising at the moment as I am recovering from abdominal surgery. When well, I frequently walk and intended to take up cycling, but did very little, other than buying a bicycle! That's something for when I'm a little better.

[carieoates]

Love my aerobic exercise classes, which I did before joining the forum. Discovered Fitbit last august (on the forum), which has made me realise that I'm a very active person. I have however started running since getting my Fitbit. And now give myself new goals to achieve. So in summary 5.2 got me running.

@Coffeetime? Who is that beautiful, cute little dog? Ohhh that is so sweet xx

I must confess I'm quite jealous of you lot. I think part of the reason I struggle to lose weight is because I am currently unable to do much in the way of "proper" exercise. In my hey-day I used to go to aerobics classes every day and when I was at work they used to hold lunch time classes. I worked on a university campus so it was just great. I really miss those days actually.

I am lucky now in that I CAN walk my darling girls...but not as far as I'd like (mind you, they're getting a bit old now so they can't go TOO far...little grandmas!) When I think back to when I was first diagnosed with ME, I could barely stay out of bed. Even the act of "thinking" was exhausting. I couldn't even watch a film without having to lie down. Now, I can walk the girls and I'm trying real hard to get back into the "real world" by starting my own business from home. Its hard work, but I'm doing it and thats the main thing.

I must try getting back into yoga. Its great to stretching and toning the muscles...but I'd really love to be able to do a WHOLE Davina DVD or Cindy Crawford (showing my age now

So, next time you decide to "skip exercise class", think of me and get out there and shift those pounds! I'll be ever so proud xx

Hi @nursebean, that is my Maisie, she's a rough haired JRT. It looks as if butter wouldn't melt doesn't it? But she loves biting ankles, she's over protective and will attack any other dog no matter how huge, typical Jack Russell. We had to install a mailbox at the end of the drive as the postman was too scared to walk to the door.
But she loves me.

All the best with your new business

Thanks @Coffeetime! I think Maisie is so cute. She sounds just like my "Minnie". She's only a tiny Italian Greyhound but she will take on ANYTHING! Even when she was a tiddly tiny puppy she went after cows! Yes, she has no idea of her size. My little cutie!

Bean