Exercise Goals....

Is it just me or does it seem like many people who lose weight their goal is to run a race?  Am I just different in the fact I have zero goals to run a race, but my goals are so much different.  I run into people that say "are you going to run a 5k now?"  Why do people feel the need to assume thats the goal of everyone who loses weight?  I notice most people post about racing goals is this just the "thing" to do after you lose weight?  

My exercise goals are so much different.  Am I the only one? 

I currently use races to keep me motivated to KEEP running.  I need the challenges.  I think a lot of people do that too.  we want to do things that we thought we couldn't do before - race running is one of those things.

That said, there is nothing wrong with running for the sake of running.  It's a wonderful thing to do - I think many just don't "get" that. 

There are plenty of people who lose weight and exercise in moderation and are thrilled with that.  I think this particular message board has a lot of challenge driven folks, but there are some around that are satisfied with maintaining good habits. 

As long as what you are doing is working for you, keep doing it!

I agree with Sue. I hate to run, so running a 5K is the furthest thing from my mind. There are a lot of runners here, though, and I really admire them. My goals are to get another 30 lbs. off, be healthy, and feel good/look good. I know exercise is one of the necessary things that will help keep me from being one of the people *****gain their weight. I would be devastated if that happened, and I'm determined not to let it. I choose walking, biking, swimming, and weight work to achieve my goals. Whatever you'll do consistently is what you need to do.

Good luck!
Jenny

Because running is the absolute opposite of spending years sitting at the dinner table or on the couch stuffing your face.
For me running was always a point of failure in school and sports.  It is a challenge that I was never able to overcome.  The inability to run cost me a career because I couldn't complete the physical agility portion of the job requirements.  So my weight and inability to run was a defining factor in who I was.
To be able to beat that and cross it off my list helps to remove those painful memories.  It isn't who I am any more.  I can do that now, this is me and it's who I choose to be.
The more extreme or harder the effort the more I have pulled away from the obese child, teen, adult I used to be and the closer I am to the healthy husband, & father I want to be.

Scott

I understand, but my point was that there are a lot of people who assume that its everyone's goal.  Thats all really.  I'm very proud of those who achieve their goals.  I wonder if the show The Biggest Loser reflects that most of the contestants run a marathon as an achievement.  I was mentioning this because everyone who knows me always asks are you going to run one? 

For me... I never even THOUGHT about racing after surgery when I joined a gym and started walking on the treadmill. I got sucked into it, because I loved it, and am now an Ultra Marathoner, Ironman, Etc... Having a race scheduled means you have something to work towards. You say your goals are much different. What are YOUR goals?... To get healthy?  To be toned?  To maintain a healthy weight? Those goals, I would guess, are no different than anyone elses goals who race, including myself.

The "Thing to do" after surgery, is gain your health, and more importantly "Keep your health and weight in check"... racing allows you to do that. I would surmise that if you took 100 people post-op  who do not race, and take 100 people that do race post-op, at 5 years out... I would put money on the bet that the racers would maintain a VERY high percentage of their weight loss VS those wo don't IMHO...

For me, I run, I ride, I swim, I lift weights....  I run, ride, and swim AWAY from the 400 pound man I used to be. The further I go, the further I get away from that person I used to be 2 years ago... 'Nuff Said!

I am not a runner either. My doctor is going to get a walk or run race in St Francis this year I may try the walking but I know I won't be able to run though. To me fitness goals are cardio like the eliptical, treadmill (I don't run it I use the hill program), recumbent bike, ball exercises and weight machines. I want to be healthy, good shape and hopefully reduce the amount of saggy skin I have besides get to goal by July 28, 2010 which is my 1 yr surgeryanniversary. My doctor wants me to try a spin class I am not sure if I ready for that yet. I havent' taken any classes yet. Guess I am little self consious yet.

I am running my first 5k this month. I am planning on doing 3 of them and a 10k. I am going to race because I couldn't before. I am going to race to be an example to my son. But most of all I am going to race away from what I have been.

I love that response and had never thought about it in that light. I truly believe most of us run for 1) our health, 2) to fight off re-gain, and most of all to 3) "get away from where we were!" I think it's individual in many ways too. The level of "feel goodness" I have after a solid run can't be beat...no way no how

I didn't start out wanting to race or even wanting to run.  I was on the treadmill one day and thought that it was going too slow so I kept speeding it up. I realized that now that I had begun to loose weight I could move my body so much more than I ever could before.  I love the feeling that I get from running, it amazes me everytime that I can actually do it. 

Running has made me a complete 180 from the person I used to be - I had a hell of a drinking problem before my RNY and was smoking a ridiculous amount of pot up until a few months ago.  Running helped me put things into perspective and figure myself out.  Way better than any therapy out there.  The races I sign up for are for me, not for anybody else, to keep myself in check and push myself.   They're also a chance for me to run with other people who are suckers for that same runner's high that I now crave.