originalpiratematerial Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 My journey to something approaching fitness has taken a while but I hope it’s worth sharing. At the beginning of 2009 I was a 44 year old mother of three, the youngest of whom had recently been diagnosed with autism, and had a fairly challenging job (I’m a lawyer). I’d got back into shape fairly quickly after my first two kids, but my third son was a dreadful sleeper. After my return to work when he was six months old, he became nocturnal, so as to maximise his time with me! At the time, the only way I could find to deal with the lack of sleep was to drink coffee and eat biscuits. Not surprisingly, not only did I never lose the baby weight, I put on plenty more besides. I was in frankly dreadful shape. I’m not sure how much I weighed at my heaviest but it was certainly more than 65 kg (I’m only 1.65 m tall, and have quite a small frame, so that was a lot of surplus fat) and my core was so weak that I had constant lower back pain. At one stage my back was so bad that I was starting my day crawling around on the landing to loosen up my back and getting my older kids to bring me stomach-lining tea and toast so I could take Nurofen. Clearly something had to change… So I started walking. My journey to work was just a bit over 7 km door-to-door. At first I’d be really pleased with myself if I managed to walk one-third of that distance, two or three times a week. Gradually I got a bit faster and a bit fitter. One day I thought, sod it, I’m going to walk the entire way, and I did it, although my legs were seriously aching. I built it up and built it up until I could walk the whole way, three or four times a week, and do it in around an hour. Then I started walking part of the way home too, or doing a quick power walk at lunchtime, so that I was walking about 10km a day on a regular basis. This made me fitter and I started gradually to lose some weight but I was very aware that it wasn’t doing much for my core strength. Then I came across a truly great Pilates teacher who taught small group classes that I could get to in my lunch-hour. Within a year my back pain disappeared altogether. In the autumn of 2012 I was referred to the cardiology team at Barts because I was experiencing a lot of heart palpitations. There was two month wait for the appointment so in the meantime I did something I’d always thought impossible for me – the Couch to 5k beginner running programme (and it turned out my heart was fine). I’ll never be a great runner, but I totally fell in love with running and have stuck with it ever since although have missed a lot this summer because of persistent pain at the top of my right fibula. Running and eating low-carb made the weight absolutely fall off, to the extent that I started to worry that there was something wrong with me! My arms were so weedy that it was hard to find an iPhone armband that was tight enough, but at least I felt as if I wasn’t absolutely comically unfit anymore so I plucked up the courage to join a gym. For the last 18 months I’ve been doing strength/resistance stuff as well as cardio and now I feel that I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve just turned 50 but hey, better late than never. My new favourite thing is weight training. I’m finding that building muscle is a slow process for me, but I actually have some muscle definition now and I’m desperate to carry on and improve, before I get too much older! I can now deadlift 40 kg (don't laugh, please) and would really like to be able to deadlift my own bodyweight (about 56-57 kg). So I'm looking for encouragement, tips, challenges... 2 Quote Link to comment
SpecialSundae Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hey,Massively warm welcome!You're not even close to the oldest member on here, though. Lots of people over 50!Are you in the UK (mention of Bart's)? There's a load of Nerds in the UK (including yours truly). Strength training is awesome and congratulations for a strong start! I have a friend who took up powerlifting at 60 and she's still improving. Age might make it tougher, but it sure won't stop you!Where do you lift?Anyway, I've rambled a bit!Nice to meet you!Sundae 1 Quote Link to comment
originalpiratematerial Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hi and thank you for the welcome! I am in London and I use an LA Fitness gym that's just about to shut for a couple of months and reopen as part of Pure Gyms. I'm really glad to hear that there are others my age and older around here. Quote Link to comment
SpecialSundae Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 If you love lifting and are anywhere even vaguely close to Bethnal Green, check out Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club. It's absolutely legendary and they have world record breaking lifters in their seventies (so you're but a tot to them).As for on here, check out Wildross and ChristArtist, who are a married couple in their late 50s and (I think) do some coordinating for Nerds over 50. Quote Link to comment
Tanktimus the Encourager Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Welcome to the rebellion! You've done great so far, keep up the good work! Quote Current Challenge "By the Most-Righteous-and-Blessed Beard of Sir Tanktimus the Encourager!" - Jarl Rurik Harrgath Link to comment
originalpiratematerial Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Thank you! I am not that far from Bethnal Green at all. I did have an introductory session at a CrossFit box in Bethnal Green last year but sadly they decided I wasn't for them. I'm not bitter! Quote Link to comment
SpecialSundae Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Thank you! I am not that far from Bethnal Green at all. I did have an introductory session at a CrossFit box in Bethnal Green last year but sadly they decided I wasn't for them. I'm not bitter! Lucky escape! I'm not a big fan of Crossfit. 1 Quote Link to comment
bim Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Come join us in the Chronologically Blessed thread!Aside, I second SpecialSundae's verdict on CrossFit... Quote balance in mind ... body in motion ... making inertia my bitch Lv.2 warmonkey | 2 STR, 3 STA, 3 DEX, 5 CON, 4 WIS, 2 CHA Challenges: Current | Previous Link to comment
originalpiratematerial Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Will do. Am there already.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment
Elastigirl Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 welcome, I just celebrated my 50th too! Feel healthier and stronger than I did 10 years ago. Quote Wisdom 22.5 Dexterity 13 Charisma 15 Strength 21 Constitution-13 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind' Luke 10; 27 Link to comment
Bullroarer Took Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Plenty of not quite kids on here as well as a few of us with kids on the Spectrum. Sleep difficulties are fairly common and I'm about to give a melatonin to my kiddo at this very moment!. Quote "For us, there is no spring. Just the wind that smells fresh before the storm." Just remember that Scooty Puff jr sucks! Link to comment
originalpiratematerial Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Haha yes, my son is awake too [emoji23]Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
originalpiratematerial Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Thanks for all your replies! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
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