MistyTiger wrote:I like running outside. I run on the road and my knees hurt at times, but not that often. I only run 1.5 miles. On weekends I run on the treadmill. In the winter I will be running on the treadmill more. I also swim which has improved my lung capacity and helped tone my muscles.
When I was in the Army, I used to run on a two mile oval dirt track especially made because we had to pass a physical training test that required timing us at a two mile run. Before that we just had the normal quarter mile track that required 8 laps to complete the two miles. That made it more difficult for the timers to keep track of everyone and how many laps they had done.
After I retired from the Army, I continues to run at least two miles, but often I ran on paved roads and concrete sidewalks. With all that pounding on the hard surfaces, I noticed some pain in my knees after a few years. I then started driving to a track at a nearby YMCA and ran around that track.
Swimming is good. I also went swimming from time to time. I used to swim at Lake Tyler near where I was raised in Texas and a pond that was in the woods behind where we lived. My first tour overseas was to Okinawa and that was the first time I was able to swim laps in a big swimming pool. Fort Gordon also had an indoor swimming pool that was nice in the winter months. I haven't done any swimming since I left the Army. It would probably be hard for me now.
It sounds like you are doing the right thing to keep in shape and keep your weight down. I never did any dieting, since the exercise was good enough to keep my weight down. But now, in my old age, I do a lot less exercise and no running at all, my weight has gradually increased over time because I still eat anything I want.