I've noticed that many of the followers of Your Fitness Quest are very similar to myself in age. That intrigues me since I'm not necessarily trying to cater to the 40 + year old crowd. I think one reason there are so many of us with similar interests in this age bracket is because in your 20's, you can get away with murder when it comes to taking care of your body, but after 30, as your body ages, you can't expect good results unless you take care of yourself.Many of you are like minded individuals who have awesome fitness blogs. I thought I'd do a brief survey to pick the brains of the people who practice what they preach. The 4 questions for this survey are geared specifically to people who take their health seriously and are passionate about fitness. You don't need to have a fitness blog or be any specific age to respond to the following questions.
1. Was there a time when you felt out of shape or in poor health? If so, how long ago?
2. What motivated you to get serious about your health and make healthy lifestyle changes like eating right and exercising?
3. What type of exercise program or nutritional changes have made the biggest difference for you?
4. Name some people who you look up to as role models when it comes to fitness.
Here are my answers:
1. I realized I was a overweight about 10 years ago (skinny dude with fat deposits). I was out of shape due to a sedentary job and eating a lot of fast food.
2. One big motivator for getting into shape was coming across an issue of Muscle Media magazine in the 90's and seeing so many regular people who made amazing body transformations.
3. Eating smaller portions and eating more fruits and vegetables have been the biggest help for my diet. Lifting weights is the most beneficial exercise for me, but I also love basketball and have taken up running.
4. I admire Randy Couture, Dara Torres, Karl Malone and other people who show you can still be in great shape even as you get older.
Thanks for your participation. Just number your responses in the comments section. I look forward to your feedback.
14 comments:
From a 40 something :) ... 1. I would say it sort of hit me in my early 30s that I could/should be doing more for my health. Although I wan't overweight, I was forever watching my diet and not feeling happy with myself. 2 & 3. I had always loved swim team as a kid and saw an article about a masters team in my area. I jumped right in (so to speak) and was amazed at the results. I learned to love the smell of chlorine! From there, I was inspired by the triathletes in the group which led me to where I am today. I think the key is finding something you enjoy so you want to work out. 4. Role models... Dara Torres, Tosca Reno (love that she makes clean eating seem interesting and easy), Jillian (love that she can reach the masses with her get healthy message), my trainer friend Herb (love that he is so passionate about it)
It is funny that you just posted this since I just put up a pic post of the time in my life when I was most out of shape!
So #1~ If I can post a link, here is a visual of me at 13- http://bikinirun.blogspot.com/2010/10/mostly-wordless-wednesday.html If you don't want to visit the link let's just say I was a 5'2" 160+ 13 y/o (about 12 yrs ago)
2. What motivated you to get serious about your health and make healthy lifestyle changes like eating right and exercising? Well I was in Junior High at the time so I think my motivation was along the lines of "having JHS boys like me" and also wanting to prove a point to everyone who made fun of me. I used to dream about coming back to school skinny and then I actually did it!
3. What type of exercise program or nutritional changes have made the biggest difference for you?
When i first lost the weight it was all about walking and switching to only drinking water (as opposed to juices). From there I started running and became pretty good at it. Recently I've added more resistance training and hiit to get in even better shape.
4. Name some people who you look up to as role models when it comes to fitness?
No one in particular comes to mind right away, I guess a bunch of acquaintances, family, and co-workers(ocean lifeguards) who compete in races and stay fit!
1. Was there a time when you felt out of shape or in poor health? If so, how long ago?
-- just about a year ago. I was still a smoker, I drank a lot of alcohol and would party until the wee hours of the morning. This all changed when I started running.
2. What motivated you to get serious about your health and make healthy lifestyle changes like eating right and exercising?
-- my age. when I turned 36 last year. I realized I wasn't getting any younger but I wanted to live longer.
3. What type of exercise program or nutritional changes have made the biggest difference for you?
-- eating red meat during the weekends only and more fish, chicken and veggies during the weekdays
-- I run 3 x a week. lift weights 3 x a week. swim and bike for cross-training.
4. Name some people who you look up to as role models when it comes to fitness.
-- Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels and all my other bloggie friends. seriously! I get so motivated by merely reading their posts.
Well I suppose I'm not your typical audience because I am 22 and take my health very seriously. We're not invincible and I'd like to take care of it early on.
1. Was there a time when you felt out of shape or in poor health? If so, how long ago? I've been blessed to never feel seriously out of shape or of poor health. I went through a two year period of time when I was a little slow in the endurance department. That's it.
2. What motivated you to get serious about your health and make healthy lifestyle changes like eating right and exercising? Being a child involved in sports programs made all of the difference. From extremely early on I valued my body because of its abilities more than its appearance. I got that good feeling from sports early on and haven't stopped since.
3. What type of exercise program or nutritional changes have made the biggest difference for you?
1-Simple calorie restriction when necessary. Being mindful of yes, what I eat, but more so HOW MUCH I eat. 2-Limiting refined sugars.
4. Name some people who you look up to as role models when it comes to fitness.
Suz, Emily Copeland Durham, 'average' women in my life who are making serious, ass-kicking life changes.
So great to see such motivated women!
Count me as part of the 30 year old crowd.
1. I felt a bit out of shape about a year ago. After my son was born, working out had to take a backseat so I could help my wife take care of him. By the time he was sleeping through the night, I found myself at my highest weight and body fat ever.
2. I think I wanted to get back my old high school body. I always took a lot of pride in the way I looked back then. Instead of just doing exercise though, I started to improve my diet since I thought more about the importance of long term health.
3. Eat Stop Eat really gave me a way to still have some cheat meals but lose weight and get healthier. Since then I've managed to clean up my diet more and my yearly physical and blood work were top notch.
4. I don't really have any fitness role models. I try to hold myself to the highest standard and continually improve.
1. Yes, 3 years ago when my temporary fat pants didnt fit anymore.
2. I became horrify at how overweight I had gotten in only a few years.
3. Running major mileage
4. I am always amazed by other runners in general.
1. Yep! I'm 19 now, decided to get in shape around 12 (I was at 207 pounds). Best decision of my life.
2. A little sign at the local gym, it read:
Muscle burns fat permanently
To me, that was magic. If I could put in effort and get rid of the fat forever, I'd do it. And I did. That was the day I started studying the mind and body.
3. Switching my focus from time to intensity (with form) was the best decision exercise wise. It's become a passion since then.
Newest love as far as food goes:
intermittent fasting.
4. Paul Chek. There are so many others but that guy literally changed my life.
You can probably tell by my answers life changing is pretty easy for me haha...
1. Yes, right around the time I turned 40; was still working out-but not particularly hard or focused, not being very good with my eating and lots and lots of drinking.
2. This got me to start checking out fitness blogs and start my own and all of that made me decide to compete in a figure comp.
I'd been into fitness since I was a kid-so really, this all just reinvigourated me. Though it took me a couple more years to quit drinking for good.
3. When I quit drinking last year it has made me feel better than ever, physically, mentally and spiritually.
4. People that are in their 70's, 80's, & 90's that are still fit and active are my role models; whether they are lifting weights, running or doing yoga, that's what inspires and motivates me to keep working at my fitness.
I'm not going to answer all the questions, but I will say that I am finding my way back to fitness right now. Exercise and healthy eating were a big part of my life and then I had a child. Now I am once again exercising on a daily basis and it feels great. I need exercise for my mental as well as physical health.
I always feel a little out of shape by the end of the summer. I go into the summer feeling and looking great but all the BBQ and vacationing catches up to me by the end of summer.
Every September I get right back on track.
Best - Mike
Ok I'm 47 so here goes:
1. no real decision it just started to develop over the last 5 years.
2. I hate not being able to do things and I wanted to start running (which i hate)so in the end I was running 100 km per week.
3. Lifting heavy weights,cardio junkie, becoming vegetarian and minimal alcohol drinking
4. I really don't have any fitness role models that I look up to and say wow i want to be like them or gee these guys influenced me.
Cool article
raymond
Having a baby did it to me....... sixteen years ago. The journey is long and hard, with ups and downs and nowhere near finished... but the single most important thing that I have noticed is that eating about 5 or 6 small meals a day is the best thing I can do.
Great post, glad I cam across it.
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