Hola everyone

[m06w41]

So we've had a rower in the house a couple years. Used it mostly off and on since then, always best of intentions and I always felt better after working out but nonetheless I've been intermittent.

But I'm older and you know I'm also winded during sex and tired of that. Also, when I wear tennis shoes it's tough to bend over and tie the stupid laces because somehow in the past 20 years a large mass of un-compressible fatness has appears in my midsection. My pants are tight and I refuse to buy new ones but good lord I'm down to about 2 pair which are comfortable.

So, at 49, Male and 172cm (5'8"ish) I weighed in this morning at 197.6. Not shocked, I've been expecting it. I spent the past 6 months studying for an exam and everything was put on the back burner. Now that the exam is over, the first order of business was to get back on the Pete Plan. I've lurked around the forums here for a few months when I was regularly rowing but never posted. I'll likely post a technique critique video as I'm certain there are improvements I can make and I'm not above learning how to get better.

Big Bend backpacking trip is scheduled for September and my wife and I both working at carrying more on our backs and reducing what we need to carry as organic mass.

Just stopping by to say hola, and hope to talk to more of you soon.

[Allan Olesen]

Are you sure that this is a case of excessive overweight? It could also be a case of excessive shortness.

Sorry, I have no input on your rowing, but the shoe lace thing caught me. I have for the last 1-2 years been tying my shoe laces in the air, standing on one leg instead of bending over. It is incredibly good balance training, and it also works my back muscles and the small stability muscles in knees and ankles a lot.

[Erik A]

welcome back.
i also had a keg thing going on for a bit (well ok... a long time) and the move back to rowing and fitness in general has reduced that to a nearly visible six pack (ok there are bumps appearing in my keg) but i have seriously noticed the weight loss from my legs and butt. ive gone from the last hole in my belt to the first hole and its much easier to tie my shoelaces.
i did the interactive weight loss program as the BPP did my head in (probably as i went straight into it after little to no rowing for greater than 15 years) i now do 40 mins + 5 times a week which is good for me and im looking to get up to a minimum of 60 mins 5 x a week.
My wife is very happy with the results so far lol

[m06w41]

@Allan Olesen - yes, it is a height issue LOL! Also good idea on the shoe thing, makes sense. There is a guy here in my office who has a balance board he stands on a couple times a day while working at a stand up desk. Does it for his back and says it works wonders.

I'm counting on rowing on helping the weight along with, of course, diet. I understand weight loss is about 80% diet but doing both together can't hurt. The endurance and windedness is the other really frustrating thing. I was a smoker for a number of years. Stopped completely other than an occasional cigar and naturally over-worry about how much lung capacity I may have lost but still...just being out of shape and feeling winded is embarrassing.

Seems like a good plan @Dreadfish. As everyone, time is a challenge but things will have to make way as the sessions become longer. Do you find yourself rowing more in the morning or evening?

[Allan Olesen]

I'm counting on rowing on helping the weight along with, of course, diet. I understand weight loss is about 80% diet but doing both together can't hurt. The endurance and windedness is the other really frustrating thing.

If this is any motivation to you:
I am 50 years old. 6 months ago, my weight was 105 kg, and I was in rather bad shape. I was not entirely a potato couch, since I did some limited cycling, running and sea kayaking, but I could only run 2-3 km, and when sea kayaking I would often slow the group down.

Today, my weight is 81 kg, and my power output and endurance has increased immensely. A few days ago I ran 15 km without walking even once. I did not really plan to run that far - and I had never before in my life ran much more than 10 km - but I just couldn't find a good reason to stop. I felt like Forrest Gump...

I have only made two adjustments to accomplish this:

• I avoid any fast carbohydrates. I firmly believe that if the body knows that it will get easy energy from sugar every time it asks me to fill up, it will refuse to use fat as an energy source. So the first few days will be a little tough while you teach the body who is in charge. It will attempt a sit-down strike to make you comply to its demands. This is where you should be tough, just like when you are raising a child. Don't give in, and eventually the body will resign and start burning fat for energy.
• I avoid high intensity exercise. Instead I do 1-3 hours of daily, light exercise at 120-130 BPM heart rate, doing any sport which suits me that day. By doing this, I primarily burn fat and avoid emptying the sugar depots in the muscles, thus not giving the body a new excuse for craving a refill of carbohydrates after the exercise.

Now, all this fat burning is not just intended to make you lose weight. Fat burning is also the key to endurance. The body only has limited sugar depots, but it has plenty of fat available. So the more you can train your muscles to burn fat for "base endurance" the longer you will stretch your sugar depots during an endurance event.

[Erik A]

Hi

I row in the evening. typicaly arrive at the gym around 6pm and leave around 7:30 pm after doing my warm ups and down and my row and any weights i throw in. last night i had to pick my wife up from work at 6pm so got there late and had to drop the weights left at about 8:15pm

[Dangerscouse]

Tracy, the windedness may be due to smoking but it will improve as you improve. Fitness will also be playing a part. Everyone had the same issue at some point as no-one is great to start with.

Do you row with a slightly full stomach? I almost always row early morning (6am) and if I row in the afternoon I usually struggle with breathing due to a 'food baby' due to too much food at lunch. I find rowing to be really bad for this as you're compressing your stomach, and to slight extent your lungs, at the catch.

Keep on pushing through the pain and you will see improvements quite quickly

[Erik A]

Do you row with a slightly full stomach? I almost always row early morning (6am) and if I row in the afternoon I usually struggle with breathing due to a 'food baby' due to too much food at lunch. I find rowing to be really bad for this as you're compressing your stomach, and to slight extent your lungs, at the catch.

I have odd eating habits. on the days i row i typicaly have breakfast around 7am on the way to work. i then have Lunch around 10:30 - 11am then nothing until after i have done my row around 6-8pm so dinner around 7:30-8:30 pm usually. on the weekend i have breakfast around 8am then nothing until after i have done my row around 4-5pm.
i really hate working out with a 'food baby' it really seems to affect me as in if i work to hard too soon after eating i pretty much vomit gauranteed.

[DavidA]

Do you row with a slightly full stomach? I almost always row early morning (6am) and if I row in the afternoon I usually struggle with breathing due to a 'food baby' due to too much food at lunch. I find rowing to be really bad for this as you're compressing your stomach, and to slight extent your lungs, at the catch.

I have odd eating habits. on the days i row i typicaly have breakfast around 7am on the way to work. i then have Lunch around 10:30 - 11am then nothing until after i have done my row around 6-8pm so dinner around 7:30-8:30 pm usually. on the weekend i have breakfast around 8am then nothing until after i have done my row around 4-5pm.
i really hate working out with a 'food baby' it really seems to affect me as in if i work to hard too soon after eating i pretty much vomit gauranteed.

Sounds very similar to me.

David

[m06w41]

I'm counting on rowing on helping the weight along with, of course, diet. I understand weight loss is about 80% diet but doing both together can't hurt. The endurance and windedness is the other really frustrating thing.

If this is any motivation to you:
I am 50 years old. 6 months ago, my weight was 105 kg, and I was in rather bad shape. I was not entirely a potato couch, since I did some limited cycling, running and sea kayaking, but I could only run 2-3 km, and when sea kayaking I would often slow the group down.
Today, my weight is 81 kg, and my power output and endurance has increased immensely. A few days ago I ran 15 km without walking even once. I did not really plan to run that far - and I had never before in my life ran much more than 10 km - but I just couldn't find a good reason to stop. I felt like Forrest Gump...

Thank you yes. I appreciate that.

I have only made two adjustments to accomplish this:

• I avoid any fast carbohydrates. I firmly believe that if the body knows that it will get easy energy from sugar every time it asks me to fill up, it will refuse to use fat as an energy source. So the first few days will be a little tough while you teach the body who is in charge. It will attempt a sit-down strike to make you comply to its demands. This is where you should be tough, just like when you are raising a child. Don't give in, and eventually the body will resign and start burning fat for energy.
• I avoid high intensity exercise. Instead I do 1-3 hours of daily, light exercise at 120-130 BPM heart rate, doing any sport which suits me that day. By doing this, I primarily burn fat and avoid emptying the sugar depots in the muscles, thus not giving the body a new excuse for craving a refill of carbohydrates after the exercise.

Now, all this fat burning is not just intended to make you lose weight. Fat burning is also the key to endurance. The body only has limited sugar depots, but it has plenty of fat available. So the more you can train your muscles to burn fat for "base endurance" the longer you will stretch your sugar depots during an endurance event.

Great feedback. I struggle with a sweet craving (that is really rally my weak spot) so you nailed it on the head. The week has not been perfect, but I've been maintaining my calorie target and macros overall. Not perfect, but better. More conscious.

[m06w41]

Tracy, the windedness may be due to smoking but it will improve as you improve. Fitness will also be playing a part. Everyone had the same issue at some point as no-one is great to start with.

Do you row with a slightly full stomach? I almost always row early morning (6am) and if I row in the afternoon I usually struggle with breathing due to a 'food baby' due to too much food at lunch. I find rowing to be really bad for this as you're compressing your stomach, and to slight extent your lungs, at the catch.

Keep on pushing through the pain and you will see improvements quite quickly

Thanks. When rowing in the morning, it's only after a bit of water. I've found I'm more motivated in the evening to row, but i have rowed with a slightly fuller stomach and know exactly that feeling.

[rr0ss0rr]

I can attest to what Alan has said ... Although I find it very hard not to exceed 130bpm. I moved on to The Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions ... org-scale/ The scale seems very accurate for me .. I row 13000 meters (a little over 60 minutes) with a 140 bpm. This is a rate I can maintain and falls under "14" on the Borg Scale (Somewhat hard). I usually sprint the last x meters depending how I feel. I believe in a heart rate monitor since your bpm reflects your perception on hard your body is working. I row usually before dinner and rowing for the hour diminishes my appetite, so it's a win win. I'm down weight and my muscle tone has improved. I haven't felt this good since I was 20 .. and that was 40 years ago.

[m06w41]

I can attest to what Alan has said ... Although I find it very hard not to exceed 130bpm. I moved on to The Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions ... org-scale/ The scale seems very accurate for me .. I row 13000 meters (a little over 60 minutes) with a 140 bpm. This is a rate I can maintain and falls under "14" on the Borg Scale (Somewhat hard). I usually sprint the last x meters depending how I feel. I believe in a heart rate monitor since your bpm reflects your perception on hard your body is working. I row usually before dinner and rowing for the hour diminishes my appetite, so it's a win win. I'm down weight and my muscle tone has improved. I haven't felt this good since I was 20 .. and that was 40 years ago.

Great - thanks for the link and the feedback. Working heart rate ranges are interesting and when younger I just never considered anything about it. I swam growing up and it was only about training and training being hard. I'm sure coaches understood heart rates and all that so as an adult, trying to get back into better shape it is interesting how my different a 140 versus a 150 bpm pace is. It also helps me focus on breathing too instead of shallow breathes I've found. I'm pretty out of shape so I hope more fitness will lower my training heart rate over time as it also becomes fitter. Plus, I worry about the years of smoking and the lasting damage.

I understand the evening rowing focus. It's a good way to end the day.

Thanks again for the comments on how it went for you. I'm looking forward to being able to say the same thing!