Many people reach a certain age, or waist size, and decide to make changes in their lives and get fit again. Some succeed, others give up and fail. Why?
My ‘lightbulb moment’ came a few years ago when I turned 39, and somehow I felt a compulsion to try to get fit again. Part of it was about losing some weight and looking and feeling better, but equally it was about wanting to look after myself so that I’m more likely to be around for my wife and kids.
There are so many things we can outsource in our lives. Laundry, shopping, cooking, garden maintenance, the list goes on.
You can’t pay somebody else to get fit for you. It’s down to you.
For me, that was a key part of why I stuck at it. It was about taking control of my life and feeling that I was making the decisions about what happened to me, rather than just passively going along with things and blindly accepting that weight gain, lethargy and a general decline in physical fitness was par for the course once you hit 40.
I’ve read some amazing stories online, of people who have totally transformed their lives and lost tonnes of weight (not quite literally!). I’ve been gobsmacked by some of the ‘before and after’ photos I’ve seen of people who got into cycling, and stuck at it. It’s so inspirational.
My own transformation was more about attitude rather than a physical change (I was never obese, for example) but what still fascinates me is why some people can stick with it, and others can’t get started (despite wanting to), or can’t stick with it.
So, “Why do so many fail?” is the wrong question. What helps some people succeed?
What I’m really interested in, is why some people can make a lasting change in their lives, and others give up and go back to the sofa.
I’d like you, dear readers, to volunteer your insight.
For all of you who have been through this, and feel like you made a positive, lasting change in your life:
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What did you do that helped?
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What tricks or tips can you offer, to inspire others to keep at it?
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What made the biggest difference to you?
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How did you keep your motivation going, even through times when you couldn’t be bothered?
Make a life-saving comment.
I would love to hear your stories.
Just think – your comments could inspire somebody else to get fit. You could actually save somebody’s life!
Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tipstimesadmin/11375928206/ Licensed under Creative Commons
I am now in my early 60s and have never been able to stick at any sport. I have never been obese, but have always carried a few pounds I didn’t really need. My husband has always been fit and involved himself in sports, but this was never something that we could do together as the differential in our fitness and ability was too great..
About 6 years ago we took up cycling, we do sometimes go on rides together, but its more a case of us following the same route at different paces and we actually spend little time within 100 yards of each other. Last year I came across Breeze rides ( British Cycling) for women. These are great as
a) they are free,
b) they are friendly,
c) they go at the pace of the riders,
d) there is usually cake!
Many of the other ladies are also unable to ride “with” husbands or partners, some of the ladies are single, all of us enjoy the chat and friendships that evolve.. The ladies on the rides I am involved with are usually aged between 40 and 65, some of them have come to cycling after having enjoyed higher impact sports, some of us have not ridden a bike since we were at school..
I cannot say that I have lost any weight on my rides, but I am much fitter and more active, and having fun.
Hello Marion, thanks for commenting! I’ve read about the Breeze rides, and what a fantastic idea they are. Going along with a friendly group can be such a motivating factor. It’s nice to see people and have a chat, and sometimes it’s about not wanting to let them down, so you’re more likely to turn up. Very powerful. Here’s the link for anyone else who might be interested – find out more about Breeze rides and where they take place http://www.goskyride.com/Breeze/Index
Hi I’m a 58 year old guy who has been cycling for about 3 years and do about 120 miles per week. Until about 8 weeks ago I struggled to loose weight whilst doing all this cycling as I was permanently hungry!
I then discovered low carb high fat diets and after researching the health implications ( all completely positive) I switched to this type of eating. Result: I have lost just 7 kg despite lapsing for a couple of weeks. I never feel hungry and I can ride all day almost with just normal (low carb) food.. It really is fantastic as I now seem to have far more energy than before.
I’ve always been overweight and generally been well in to the clinically obese levels (this is surprisingly easy, if you look at the graphs the ‘correct weight’ portion is analogous to the sliver of setting that is ‘the right temperature’ in a shower or on a toaster) I’ve now gone from 23 odd stone to 15-16 stone twice, the second time I’ve managed to generally keep it down. I’m currently trying to dump 10kg I’d prefer not to have to get back below 90kg.
Lots of people were surprised at the weight that I managed to loose, especially second time round as I have a stocky ‘estuary build’ and as well as losing weight cycling has toned me up a bit which means I look lighter than I am, with my build I’m never going to be thin and if I managed it I’d look ill. When they asked me “how?” my answer was stubbornness. Basically once I was doing the exercise, I needed to cut back on the wrong sort of food, so I just did. it. It wasn’t easy, and part of the reason I’ve nudged back up is that it’s nice to eat and I like it too much. But denial, and accepting that by not eating those un-needed calories I was heading towards my goal, was the only real way to do it.
Keeping it off, and the other reason why I’ve managed to bump up a little, is done by weighing myself once a week and keeping a record. For me it’s very easy to simply add 10-15 kilos and not really realise it. The clothes get a little tighter, but a lot of my wardrobe has room to grow in it still. If I’m actually looking at the numbers once a week then if it starts to go up I know I need to get a bit harsher with myself. Currently the issue is making sure I keep doing that weighing thing. I’m starting to get better again though….
Advice, make a plan, stick to it. Keep tabs on yourself so you know what is happening.
Joining a local cycle group has helped motivate me. I love taking part in sport, but find motivation really difficult. It’s too easy to get comfy at home with the family I want to spend my time with.
When I was young, I ran with a club and just turned up to all the training sessions without question. As an adult, I find solitary training (gym or run) difficult and unfulfilling. I joined a squash club seven years ago, got a bit of coaching and joined the league. People call me for games all the time. No motivation needed to get two games per week.
I run with a friend who finds it easy to get out and run, but then struggles during the run. He gets me out, I keep him going. That’s another session per week in the bag.
I’ve only just joined the cycling club and for the first time, I’m motivated to move things around so that I can free up the time to get out with them as often as possible – about twice per week.
Hi Alan,
I started cycling over a year ago now but for commuting practicalities rather than specifically health reasons. Most importantly I did nothing about my diet – which was absolutely overloaded on chocolate. I am just about to turn 38, was very fit and active until about 2004 and have done very little since, and I would estimate have put on about four stone and become very unhealthy and unable to exercise much.
I don’t drink or smoke, but I had on average five chocolate bars a day and a can of coke, not to mention crisps and ice cream with ice magic on top, huge portions and way too many takeaways. However, very recently after one too many comments from the kids about wanting a thin daddy, I decided to literally cut the crap. It is difficult because it is an addiction, but as my only vice it made it a little easier, and as there are very real and tasty natural alternatives to chocolate, it has been much easier than I thought. I have immediately noticed a huge increase in energy on the bike.
I think having got in to the habit doing the short four mile commute every day for a year has made it much easier to start to look at putting in much longer regular rides. I am pretty sure that if I was not cycling then I would have found it much more difficult to change my eating habits, but feeling such a big difference in the saddle so quickly is certainly pushing me on to do more.
I am starting in a squash league in a few weeks and have also signed up to a 56 mile charity ride along the Taff Trail in September are the next steps. Certainly the position I was in a year ago was making it much too difficult to get past the initial physical challenge of other forms of exercise, but cycling allowed me to go at my own pace but always achieve the outcome I needed and step up the pace in my own time.
I should have taken some before and after pictures, but I don;t weigh myself or record my activities because that doesn’t work for me. I know what waist size I want to be and what size t-shirts I want to fit in to and when I hit that then I will be happy. Who knows what I’ll want to achieve when I get to that point, I hope I’ll want to go on and take up some more challenging sports, or maybe start much more challenging bike riding – maybe even join a club!
Daniel
I am probably generally fit by many peoples’ standards, but have been up and down the fitness roller coaster for all my life. I am highly motivated by big goals, and easily distracted by good food, drinks, and competing demands of career and family.
The most helpful book I’ve ever read with regard to that balance piece is “The Power of Full Engagement” which helped me hang on to my fitness when I made a big career leap. And the biggest fitness motivator for me is having both short and long-term goals.
I just signed up for a big event a year from now that will require me to get in shape, big time — and just started a blog that will hopefully keep me honest, help me memorialize the process, and maybe even inspire a few people: http://kickinthemojo.tumblr.com