Exercise Survey ---Please help asap!!!

I need your help guys!!! and gals!!!!! OK....have my "6 month" appt this afternoon.... out of curiousity...wanted to know HOW far you all can walk at this point and how long it takes/distance walked?? are you able to run/jog at all for any distance? how many minutes? I am curious to see how I fit in with my abilities. AKA ....am I normal?!?! Last night I got on the treadmill to see what I can actually do....normally we walk on the trail with the dogs and it takes us around 2 hrs to walk the 4 miles but we have to stop along the way with the dogs for water breaks and chasing after animals! DO you count sweating to death outside doing house maintenance as "exercise" --it is at least an ARM work out to scrap paint off your front door! Unfortunately with my schedule I don't have a regular workout routine...it is sporadic at best. BUT I feel pretty good when I do it and don't tend to suffer the next day. Last night I jogged/walked 2 miles in just under 40 mins. I jogged a complete LAP (1/4 mile) on my treadmill in 4 mins around a 3.8/4.0 speed. I walked mostly at a 3.3+/- pace. Jogged 2 other times for around 1/8th of a mile. AM I ridiculously SLOW??? NORMAL? AVERAGE?

I was always an exerciser....though I started getting much more sporadic when my kids were born....which was when I put on a LOT of my excess weight. So one of the MAJOR benefits to me with WLS was to be able to walk again. Here's what I do: Typically, I walk 2.5 hr. in the morning and again that far in the late evening. I do NOT do well with heat so I have to find times of day, in the summer when it is not sweltering. I walk with a friend and we do the 2.5 miles in about 45 min., sometimes a bit faster. Summer, when it is really hot is a hard time for me to walk but I just don't want to get out of my habits so I'm hanging in there and waiting for the wonderful cooler fall days....my favorite time of year! Jenni -107

I haven't tried joggin on the treadmill yet because I am afraid my not so little panni just might smack against my legs and throw me off balance and then I'll fly right off the treadmill and look like an idiot (nice visual huh?) I walk at a 3.0 which means 3 miles an hour and I do it for about 45 minutes, but I feel the urge to run- like my legs wanna go faster, but Im afraid at my weight, it will sound like thunder and of what I said about my tummy. Im going to start working on using the elliptical machine cause it burns like 3 times the calories as the treadmill and is easier on the knees. Anyway, I think you are "normal" and doing great, just push yourself til you are tired and sweating, but don't hurt yourself.

Hi Shannon, My walking is about 45 minutes on the treadmill at a speed of 3.0 and an incline of 15. This burns about 565 calories according to the screen. I think I upped it to 3.5 once and got it to 660 calories burned. Lisa G

My speed on the treadmill is always different, but it is usually a little over 3. Before surgery, it was 2.5 to 2.8 and now it is 3.0 to 3.6 (depending on the song that I am listening to, the faster the song, the faster my walk) I either walk on the tow path with my girls, or do the treadmill every other day. The opposite days I do a weight routine and floor work, with sit ups and leg work. I take an occasional day off now and then too, about 2 or 3 days a month.

At 7 mos. post op, I walk about 6 mi. a day -- about an hour and a half. (I've always enjoyed walking.) 2-3 times a week I ride my bike 12-14 miles. I have actually jogged 2 mi. but don't like it. I much prefer walking. I haven't been working though so I have had a lot of time to devote to this new journey. That will change somewhat since I start a new job on Monday. luvitsunnyv

I guess I'm about the worse athelete here. I walk about 5 days a week, 2 miles in about 30 minutes. Or I use my Gazelle for half an hour. Depending on the weather. I prefer to walk outside. I do 4mph on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I tried jogging, but it hurt the RA in my knees so much, I had trouble walking after, so I will not be a jogger. I just wish I had more time to walk longer, but I don't. I"m still trying to get to the Century Club, but I have one stinkin' miserable pound that won't leave, and has hung on for two weeks, the nasty bugger. Nona

Hi Shannon and fellow Pittsburgher- Well, I think you are doing great!! I think what you are doing is above average. I do not live in a walker friendly area and HATE treadmills. I belong to the YMCA and they have a walking track and have found that I hate walking in circles. So, when I can, I will go somewhere to walk outside but I basically stick to the Leslie Sansone in home walking programs. I was doing a 2 mile tape that took about 25 minutes and I wasn't even sweating anymore doing it. So, I bought a 4 mile tape and did all 4 miles on the first try. I was a little sore the next day, but nothing too bad. I was sweating with this one though!! I also do water aerobics 3-4 times a week, swimming, and some weight training 2 times a week. The 4 mile tape takes almost an hour to do. At one point during the tape on Monday, I did jog a little and almost shocked myself I did it. I just did it without thinking, like it was natural. It was really weird!! These tapes are great for people who can't walk outside the home for one reason or another. I suggest them to everyone. You can buy a 4 mile tape and do one, two, three, or all 4 miles. You can work up to what you are ready to do. I think we are all doing great. Just think, before surgery most of us weren't doing anything. I was lucky I could walk up the stairs!! Take care and good luck! Kathy

IT is funny! When I start walking sooo fast I just find it easier to jog! My stepmom lost a TON of weight when she switched from walking to running and really leaned down. SO I would like to work up to jogging/running 30 min/day once I get started on my clinical rotations. I think I will be able to get up around 10am, exercise, eat, shower, and be ready to leave the house by 2pm for the hospital. IF I can do that the 4 days that I have clinicals --- I will be thrilled! I agree.....treadmill isn't that fun and we don't have good outdoor walking unless I drive to it...kinda defeats the purpose! We cut the cable off to the basement where the treadmill is...so now unless I have a movie to watch I am BORED out of my mind!!! Maybe I can get a 5 day movie rental each week and use that to help motivate myself. Figure most are an hour and a 1/2 so that would get me 3 days. All of you guys seem to be doing great! I wouldn't worry about the panni-- JUST wear a pair of tight work out shorts and suck it in! Fortunately I don't have any knee problems so I am not too worried about the knees with jogging. I hope that doesn't change any time soon. I would like to get into weight training eventually but IF I can just develop a weekly CONSISTENT exercise routine I will be thrilled! Get to start AUGUST 24th. I think I will get plenty of walking/hiking exercise on my vacation for the 2 weeks before so I am hoping I will at least maintain if not lose while overseas. I figure I will be eating poorly staying in hotels/eating out for 2-3 meals/day. I plan to take a slew of protein bars with me for breakfast. BOTTLED water is going to break the budget!

I don't walk outside as much as I should. I have been doing the eliptical machine and I love it. It burns the same number of calories as a treadmill but in less time (I complete the weight loss section and am on cardio at 30 mins and it takes atleast 45 mins on the treadmill). I do about 4 miles in about 43 mins and then go to weights so I get in my hour, then later in the evening I am trying to do some hand weights just to try to keep my batwings under control. I burned over 500 calories today just on the eliptical machine! I am not a runner... I can only jog for about 2 or 3 mins and then my tummy starts to bother me...the pounding each time I take a step. I am hoping this gets better b/c I would like to jog more too! ~Rachel