40s and fit

[Anonymous]

I’m a 46 year old woman, have three kids ages 11, 9, and 6. I was a competitive athlete back in the day but now content myself with various daily workouts. My schedule:

-2000m lap swim, 2- 3 times/week (mix of free and IMs)
-Peloton strength workouts, 3 times/week
-Running and Peloton rides (usually intervals), 1-2 times/week

I’m not skinny and never have been. I’m 5’8, broad shoulders, size 8 - 10. When I’m sleeveless, people ask if I CrossFit (never). I mostly follow intuitive eating, which works for me after a history of eating disorder/disordered eating. Plenty of fruits and veggies, healthy fats, lean protein. Lots of water. I have alcohol a few times/week and dessert sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone. For those doing weight training, how long are your sessions?

I do a class that’s 45 mins but very intense. MADabolic.

[Anonymous]

18:30 again - I usually do an hour of strength training the days I do it. I stack classes, so may do two 30 minute full body classes, or a 20 minute glutes and legs, 30 minute full body, 10 minute core, or 10 minute glutes and legs, 45 minute full body, 10 minute core, etc.

I’ve lifted heavy in the past, too, usually for hour long sessions.

[Anonymous]

Some people here work out twice per day or several hours per day. It’s their hobby, so don’t let that discourage you OP.

You can be in great shape working out less than hour per session/4-5 days per week. As long as your diet is good and your workouts are well rounded and efficient

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I’m not training for any endurance events 1-2x per week strength training after swimming 1500-2000 m, maybe two bike workouts one of which is a group ride of maybe 2 hours, and 2 runs per week. Generally avoid alcohol these days. Sometimes go hiking instead of running. Intentional eating that definitely is not extreme-lots of Whole Foods and non processed food.

Are you a woman? How old? That seems like an excessive amount of exercise, especially is you have kids

Not female and we don’t have kids. How is this excessive when others are reporting more up thread? There is always at least one day in there where I do nothing, or two. Either way, I obviously enjoy it-a whole lot more than watching TV or some other non productive use of my free time. To each their own.

I don’t think that’s excessive and I’m female in my 40s and have kids. I’ve trained and ran a marathon with kids and it’s manageable. I wake up early and get most workouts done by the time my kids wake up.

My kids need me by 7 to drive to school. So you get up at 5? When do you go to bed? Do you work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I’m not training for any endurance events 1-2x per week strength training after swimming 1500-2000 m, maybe two bike workouts one of which is a group ride of maybe 2 hours, and 2 runs per week. Generally avoid alcohol these days. Sometimes go hiking instead of running. Intentional eating that definitely is not extreme-lots of Whole Foods and non processed food.

Are you a woman? How old? That seems like an excessive amount of exercise, especially is you have kids

Not female and we don’t have kids. How is this excessive when others are reporting more up thread? There is always at least one day in there where I do nothing, or two. Either way, I obviously enjoy it-a whole lot more than watching TV or some other non productive use of my free time. To each their own.

I don’t think that’s excessive and I’m female in my 40s and have kids. I’ve trained and ran a marathon with kids and it’s manageable. I wake up early and get most workouts done by the time my kids wake up.

Maybe I am not understanding but it sounds like Iron Man PP exercises at least 2 hours most days and sometimes twice per day. That isn’t realistic for most people with jobs and children, nor is that level of exercise necessary for fitness. If that is what you enjoy, great, but then it is your hobby and not for fitness maintenance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I’m not training for any endurance events 1-2x per week strength training after swimming 1500-2000 m, maybe two bike workouts one of which is a group ride of maybe 2 hours, and 2 runs per week. Generally avoid alcohol these days. Sometimes go hiking instead of running. Intentional eating that definitely is not extreme-lots of Whole Foods and non processed food.

Are you a woman? How old? That seems like an excessive amount of exercise, especially is you have kids

Not female and we don’t have kids. How is this excessive when others are reporting more up thread? There is always at least one day in there where I do nothing, or two. Either way, I obviously enjoy it-a whole lot more than watching TV or some other non productive use of my free time. To each their own.

I don’t think that’s excessive and I’m female in my 40s and have kids. I’ve trained and ran a marathon with kids and it’s manageable. I wake up early and get most workouts done by the time my kids wake up.

Maybe I am not understanding but it sounds like Iron Man PP exercises at least 2 hours most days and sometimes twice per day. That isn’t realistic for most people with jobs and children, nor is that level of exercise necessary for fitness. If that is what you enjoy, great, but then it is your hobby and not for fitness maintenance

2 hours a day is perfectly achievable with a job and kids. You just learn to be efficient and minimize downtime.

[Anonymous]

I'm in my 60s and fit. I alternate running days and swimming days. My run or swim workouts are an hour long. I stopped drinking alcohol four years ago. Nothing special about my diet - I mostly buy fresh foods and cook from scratch. The exceptions are plain frozen veg, canned tomatoes and beans, pasta, and rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I’m not training for any endurance events 1-2x per week strength training after swimming 1500-2000 m, maybe two bike workouts one of which is a group ride of maybe 2 hours, and 2 runs per week. Generally avoid alcohol these days. Sometimes go hiking instead of running. Intentional eating that definitely is not extreme-lots of Whole Foods and non processed food.

Are you a woman? How old? That seems like an excessive amount of exercise, especially is you have kids

Not female and we don’t have kids. How is this excessive when others are reporting more up thread? There is always at least one day in there where I do nothing, or two. Either way, I obviously enjoy it-a whole lot more than watching TV or some other non productive use of my free time. To each their own.

I don’t think that’s excessive and I’m female in my 40s and have kids. I’ve trained and ran a marathon with kids and it’s manageable. I wake up early and get most workouts done by the time my kids wake up.

Maybe I am not understanding but it sounds like Iron Man PP exercises at least 2 hours most days and sometimes twice per day. That isn’t realistic for most people with jobs and children, nor is that level of exercise necessary for fitness. If that is what you enjoy, great, but then it is your hobby and not for fitness maintenance

I am the PP. You asked what people do, I answered. I also work around 60-80 hours a week if you count “on” time. It’s all about efficiency, and as the marathon poster mentioned before, you really need to adapt to doing this stuff early morning. It’s also rare I spend more than 2 hours. I have all my stuff inside my house except the pool. And you are right, I enjoy it. Far more than watching TV or reading; I read for a living.

None of this is necessary. I could cut that in half. Again, look back, people in here are reporting way more time / volume than I am.

Also, coffee and breakfast is pretty amazing after cranking on the bike for an hour or an hour and half in the morning.

Watching your parents health go down the tubes confirms you won’t be able to do this forever. That was a big motivator for me to ramp all this up. To each their own.

[Anonymous]

41 and I do free weights 2-3x week, about 40 mins each session (includes rest and chatting with friends). Other days I swim laps, do Peloton, or fast walk or jog lightly. It’s the weights that keep me most fit, I think. I kind of eat whatever.

I’m not thin but I’m strong, like how I look and I feel like a million bucks.

[Anonymous]

I am 42 years old and 5 feet 11 inches tall at 172 lbs. This is my daily routine:

- Wake up at 5:30am and have a bowl of Oats with almond milk, blueberries and banana, an avocado

- Arrive at Lifetime fitness at 6am for an hour of light weight lifting and abs workout; lap swimming at 7am until 8am,
- An avocado on whole wheat toast, an apple and five egg white at 8:15am,
- work remote from 8:30am until 10:30am. At 10:30am, have almond and pistachio for snack,
- lunch at 12pm: 1lb of baked salmon on top of a bowl of salad + quinoa; an orange and 10 strawberries,
- snack at 3pm: a low fat yogurt with some almond and pistachio,
- 4pm: go to the driving range and spend an hour hitting golf balls,
-6:30pm dinner: chicken breast, tuna or rockfish combination serve on brown rice with lot of cauliflower and broccoli, and a bowl of tomato soup,
- 8:30pm: a glass of red wine.
- On Saturday and Sunday, I normally play tennis or golf with my friends for three hours, weather permit,

I feel really fit, both physically and mentally. The key is to have a clean diet and workout everyday.

[Anonymous]

I'm 50 and have had the same routine for over a decade now. Four days/week I do a 5-6 mile run. Three days/week I hit the gym and lift for about 20 minutes and do 30 minutes on the arc trainer. I also do some walking and 30 minutes of yoga a couple times/week. I can mostly eat what I want without gaining weight and have been about the same weight for my entire adult life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I’m not training for any endurance events 1-2x per week strength training after swimming 1500-2000 m, maybe two bike workouts one of which is a group ride of maybe 2 hours, and 2 runs per week. Generally avoid alcohol these days. Sometimes go hiking instead of running. Intentional eating that definitely is not extreme-lots of Whole Foods and non processed food.

Are you a woman? How old? That seems like an excessive amount of exercise, especially is you have kids

Not female and we don’t have kids. How is this excessive when others are reporting more up thread? There is always at least one day in there where I do nothing, or two. Either way, I obviously enjoy it-a whole lot more than watching TV or some other non productive use of my free time. To each their own.

I don’t think that’s excessive and I’m female in my 40s and have kids. I’ve trained and ran a marathon with kids and it’s manageable. I wake up early and get most workouts done by the time my kids wake up.

My kids need me by 7 to drive to school. So you get up at 5? When do you go to bed? Do you work

I get up at 4.40am to do a 5.15am class that finishes at 6am. It gives me plenty of time to be out the door by 7am. I have to go to bed early though - around 9pm. I workout every morning - mix of lifting/HIIT/pilates.

[Anonymous]

And yes work full time

[Anonymous]

49. Work f/t and single mom to teenagers. I workout 6 days a week for an hour each time. Two workouts are usually HIIT classes like orange theory, combining cardio and strength. 1 day I usually run or do a combo of run/stairclimber. 1 day is usually heavy weights for an hour. 1 day is usually yoga. And the final day might be a dance class, hiking, Pilates, or just a mix of weights/cardio at gym.

I eat more plants, less processed food. I also walk everywhere. Usually 8000-10000 steps a day. Less eating out and more cooking at home. Dessert one day a week. Weight is healthy. I wear a size 2-4. I am strong with good endurance.