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Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

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Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#51

Post by Thriptic »

hellofunk wrote: post #49
Thriptic wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Cardiovascular is the best thing. Not weight lifting, but running, swimming, or fast walking, biking, any of those things. What makes you say this? I always feel fantastic and motivated after a hard session in the gym. I agree that long runs or walks yield more creative thoughts than time in the gym, but few things are as energizing and motivating as successfully grinding out heavy sets of squats or deadlifts.

Hm, the OP asked what would I do to overcome lethargy. I personally would not lift weights, preferring instead the other forms of cardio activity I mentioned... so that is why I answered the OP's question as I did.

Great, but that's not how your post reads. Your post comes off as you stating that cardio is inherently better that lifting w.r.t OP's goals. You don't say anywhere that you are presenting an opinion or what happens to work for you.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#52

Post by lepunk »

For years I was only living for work. No girlfriend, no hobbies, virtually no sleep, nothing. Gradually I became burnt out, depressed and pretty fat for that matter. My productivity and the quality of my output declined as well

After a while I realized that this is not sustainable and I have to do something. I started to focus on weight loss since the results are easily measurable and I felt if I succeed that will give me positive encouragement to improve other parts of my life. Started off with simple changes. Started walking home from work (about 6km) instead of taking the bus every day. During my walks I listened to my favorite tracks or just walked in silence and thought about stuff that I wouldn't normally spend time thinking about. The change in my day to day mood was measurable even after the first week.

After a while I started doing yoga at home following YouTube videos and started meditating regularly. Yoga, besides having positive health effects (flexibility, weight loss) teaches you about being aware of your body and it's needs. I noticed that after a couple of weeks I started eating way healthier and drinking way more water (these days I do at least 3 liters / day) and way less alcohol.

In six months I lost over 26 kilos, which is obviously really nice but what is even better that I feel happier in general and more confident in myself. My life is not revolving around my work anymore. This new found self awareness also had positive effect on my professional life. I'm thinking more clearly, my code quality is better and I solve problems faster than ever.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#53

Post by abramN »

coconut oil and a b vitamin - works wonders for energy. But sometimes your brain needs a break - give it one. There are times when I don't want to do a darn thing, and I have to fight the feelings of guilt that come with that. But, why feel guilty? Are we meant to be productive 24/7?

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#54

Post by chmielewski »

Thriptic wrote: post #51
hellofunk wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hm, the OP asked what would I do to overcome lethargy. I personally would not lift weights, preferring instead the other forms of cardio activity I mentioned... so that is why I answered the OP's question as I did.

Great, but that's not how your post reads. Your post comes off as you stating that cardio is inherently better that lifting w.r.t OP's goals. You don't say anywhere that you are presenting an opinion or what happens to work for you.

I didn't read his comment that way and I agree that prolonged cardio, sustained and focused breathing, and sweating out toxins over a longer period of time is more conducive to affecting a negative mood than aggressively knocking out high weight/low rep sets. With it comes, also, the added benefit of a repetitive "zone" where you can do some greaaaat thinking and get used to having your body functioning on a higher level. Energy begets more energy.

Thriptic, you didn't bring to the table any thought that isn't criticism... which is fine but you also don't back it up which is what you are criticising this fellow for.

FYI the above is my opinion.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#56

Post by Thriptic »

chmielewski wrote: post #54
Thriptic wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great, but that's not how your post reads. Your post comes off as you stating that cardio is inherently better that lifting w.r.t OP's goals. You don't say anywhere that you are presenting an opinion or what happens to work for you.

I didn't read his comment that way and I agree that prolonged cardio, sustained and focused breathing, and sweating out toxins over a longer period of time is more conducive to affecting a negative mood than aggressively knocking out high weight/low rep sets. With it comes, also, the added benefit of a repetitive "zone" where you can do some greaaaat thinking and get used to having your body functioning on a higher l…

Parent poster thoughtfully edited their comment in response to the comment you are critiquing, which is why that comment comes off as strange and negative; it is out of context.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#57

Post by porker »

revx wrote: post #23

So, a few things here that I've discovered in my own fight against this kind of lethargy & depression. 1. Eat food. Eat good, healthy food on a regular schedule. The willpower center of your brain takes a LOT of calories to run, and if you don't fuel it, you'll find yourself paralyzed by laziness. Make sure the calories you ingest are solid ones - protien, fat, sugar. Not HFCS or other forms of fructose, since it mes…

And I thought I was the only one who had post-orgasm depressive/flat feelings!

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#58

Post by hellofunk »

Thriptic wrote: post #56
chmielewski wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't read his comment that way and I agree that prolonged cardio, sustained and focused breathing, and sweating out toxins over a longer period of time is more conducive to affecting a negative mood than aggressively knocking out high weight/low rep sets. With it comes, also, the added benefit of a repetitive "zone" where you can do some greaaaat thinking and get used to having your body functioning on a higher l…

Parent poster thoughtfully edited their comment in response to the comment you are critiquing, which is why that comment comes off as strange and negative; it is out of context.

Yes, I prepended the words "I think" to my comment to make it clear it was an opinion. The original question was clearly opinion-based anyway, so I took it as assumed that people would respond with what works for them personally.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#59

Post by Thriptic »

hellofunk wrote: post #58
Thriptic wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parent poster thoughtfully edited their comment in response to the comment you are critiquing, which is why that comment comes off as strange and negative; it is out of context.

Yes, I prepended the words "I think" to my comment to make it clear it was an opinion. The original question was clearly opinion-based anyway, so I took it as assumed that people would respond with what works for them personally.

> Hm, the OP asked what would I do to overcome lethargy. I personally would not lift weights, preferring instead the other forms of cardio activity I mentioned... so that is why I answered the OP's question as I did.

This comment was heavily edited relative to what I responded to

Re: Ask HN: What do you do when you are lethargic?

#60

Post by revx »

porker wrote: post #57
revx wrote: post #23

So, a few things here that I've discovered in my own fight against this kind of lethargy & depression. 1. Eat food. Eat good, healthy food on a regular schedule. The willpower center of your brain takes a LOT of calories to run, and if you don't fuel it, you'll find yourself paralyzed by laziness. Make sure the calories you ingest are solid ones - protien, fat, sugar. Not HFCS or other forms of fructose, since it mes…

And I thought I was the only one who had post-orgasm depressive/flat feelings!

I don't have a source right now but I think people have written about it since the ancient Romans!

I think it happens to pretty much everyone, we as society just don't talk about sexuality or depression enough to put the two together.

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