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Some time in October 2008, I started a program of diet and exercise. Mostly the latter, but diet has played its role. My long-term goal was (and is) to avoid the fate of the elder Wagners; a big belly and a bad back by the time I'm 50. Much of my height is in my torso, which means I have an unusually long spine for someone of my height (190cm, or 6'3"). My back started to go out with uncomfortable frequency, and I had to do something about it.
My doctor gave me two choices for treatment: medication, and physiotherapy. It's always tempting to ask the doc for a pill that lets me keep doing what I'm doing, but not pay the consequences, but such a thing doesn't exist. So I chose the latter.
The doc sent me to an NHS physiotherapist, who examined me and concluded that I lack the musculature through my torso to adequately support my back. She prescribed a set of exercises that I could do at the gym and at home. Since I'd been paying for the gym for almost a year (but not using it), I decided to give it a shot.
I started working out 3 times a week, doing 40 minutes of cardio at peak heart rate (~170 bpm for me) plus some stretching and weight lifting through the chest. At home, I started a daily 20-minute warm-up routine in the morning, mostly sit-ups and push-ups. That first week I was miserable but determined. 5 push-ups was a struggle. Jamie has been an angel to support me, taking care of Pascale every morning while I do this.
About six months in, I decided to track my weight loss via fitday.com. At that point I set a goal of 10 kilograms from when I started until my next birthday. I started at 95 kg, or 210 lbs. Fitday can work in metric but graphs only in imperial. The results:
Happy birthday to me! I turn 32 tomorrow, and I'm down to 84.5 kg. I can also now do 40 push-ups in one go, or 100 push-ups and 150 sit-ups in 8.5 minutes (thanks for that routine, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) rezendi). I can run for 40 minutes without stopping, up and down hills and on dirt trails. I can pick up my daughter and carry her for a two-hour walk without my back going out.
My dad has the habit of taunting Jamie when we visit. "Do you like the belly? You'd better get used to it, because Tyler's going to have one just like it! Ha-ha-ha-ha!" You meant only a joke, Dad, but you lit a fire under my ass. I'm going to prove you wrong.
Lessons learned:
Your body is not supposed to support itself solely on your skeleton. You should rely on the static interplay of the muscles to move. When you aren't in shape, you spend a lot of time resting on your joints. Now I spend a lot of time resting on slightly tensed muscles. This is much better. I have very little joint pain now.
The physiotherapist was right. My back hasn't gone out in at least 10 months.
Score another one for NHS care. Time from seeing the doctor to seeing the physiotherapist: 3 days. Amount of money paid to NHS beyond what comes out of my paycheck: £0.
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| feyluck |
| 2009-10-29 16:06 (UTC) |
| (no subject) |
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Woot!!! I am so proud of you honey! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Even if it is a little bit early.
Much loves,
=M=
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| moovelvet |
| 2009-10-29 16:24 (UTC) |
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congrats! Perhaps you'll inspire my lazy self to get to the gym.
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Congratulations! That's quite an accomplishment.
My own meager attempts to get in better shape have been falling by the wayside lately. I'm hoping to pick it back up when Dave comes home, though I realize his absence is more excuse than reason. But it does help if there are two of us to remember that Sunday mornings are for yoga. One or the other of us usually does. So far I have had very little consequence for my lack of physical fitness--I think being small of frame puts less stress on my body in general--but it's only a matter of time.
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I wish I could find the time or the energy to do exactly as you have done. From 6AM to about 9PM every day I'm booked with commuting, working, taking care of kiddo and generally getting shit done around the house. It's difficult to envision getting up earlier or tacking on another hour of activity at the end of it all, and yet...I'm in almost the same place you were at 210lbs. I'm only at about 203lbs and 6'2" but I'm the heaviest I've ever been and I would like to change it. Please tell me it gets easier to find time when they are post-toddler.
I was at 185lbs for most of my 20's and I would LOVE to get back to that weight again, both for my health and all the superficial reasons as well.
Enough about me though. Congratulations on maintaining that self-discipline and seeing the results. It must be a great feeling of accomplishment. Hopefully I can take some inspiration from you and figure out a way to follow suit. :)
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Yes, it does get easier. It is a gentle downward slope after the first six months. You will get there. It was the regularity of family life that made this possible for me.
My gym time is my work lunch hour. I had to give up lunches with the coworkers, and I eat at my desk now. I take a 2-hour lunch 3 days a week, and none at all on the other two days to make it happen. The morning warm-up is 20 minutes that Jamie makes possible, and that's about the most either of us can spare.
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Makes me wish I had been a Cal Poly graduate. A lot of the guys here do the long lunch thing or a morning workout and just go to the gym on campus. I, however, would have to go somewhere else in town. Grrrr.
Out of curiosity, what kind of cardio are you doing? Treadmill, stationary bike, bikini mud wrestling...?
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My cardio routine is:
2 minutes walking on treadmill, about 6 kph, then speed up to
13 minutes running on treadmill, about 10 kph
10 minutes on elliptical machine / ski machine
10 minutes on hand bike
5 minutes rowing machine
Then I finish with another 2 minutes of walking, just to cool down a little before lifting weights. I prefer free weights or machines with free cables to static, isolating machines. That's usually another 10-15 minutes. Total workout is one hour.
I always start with the treadmill, but the exact order of the machines varies, and sometimes I'll substitute something else like a stationary bicycle. The hand bike was particularly hard to tackle, but I'm glad I did it.
One tip: get a heart monitor. It's easy to feel you're working too hard, or can't do something and slack off. But the monitor doesn't lie, and as a geek I'm sure you see the value of an objective measure. If your heart rate (at your age) is under 175, you can do it. Push yourself to stay in the target zone (I use 165-175), and adjust the difficulty to stay there. Using that as a guide, you'll naturally increase your difficulty over time as you heart get in shape.
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| arielmnop |
| 2009-10-29 18:00 (UTC) |
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That is very cool, Tyler! Congratulations. I bet you feel super sexy, too. ;)
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| drdougfir |
| 2009-10-29 18:25 (UTC) |
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I have had the same issues and the same resolution. Although I am currently a bit out of shape and the back is feeling it. Sucks to be tall in the spine.
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| (Anonymous) |
| 2009-10-29 20:32 (UTC) |
| results |
Congrats on the great results. Ur so right to tackle it now...so sad to see old people fat & unable to move without pain. I'm inspired by your graph as I use fitday.com & my numbers are not nearly as impressive. Isn't that a great program? And free yet.
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Who do I know at Cuesta College that would use net speak spelling? (Your IP is registered there.)
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| rezendi |
| 2009-10-30 02:53 (UTC) |
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That's pretty impressive. Congrats.
I have to get back into shape myself. The running is going well, but I had been slacking on the rest until recently.
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| sainton |
| 2009-10-30 04:15 (UTC) |
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congrats on getting back into better shape.
may your back never trouble you again
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Well, that's a relief. Congratulations! Please compare notes with Adam, if you see him-- he and his brother have similar issues with their backs.
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