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Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

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Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#131

Post by rezashirazian »

Time and energy. I used to exercise a lot. Last year I ran a mile a day and this year I was going to the gym three times a week and regularly played basketball after work.

However when I got back home after a workout, all I could do was sit down and relax for the rest of the evening. I didn't have the energy to get behind the computer and work on any side projects.

For the past two months I've given up exercise for multiple side projects. I'll probably switch back again since I tend to get anxiety and the only cure for it has been running.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#132

Post by icc97 »

I went to swimming club until age 13 to help with my athsma. I then did nothing beyond a bit of football (soccer) until University.

At University I started rowing, then doing triathlons and cycling from 1998 until 2008. The last thing I did (cycling 120 miles / day for 7 days) caused a lot of damage to my knees (which were already too painful to use rowing machines). Also I've had a flair up of eczema since then that causes my skin to get very red and itchy (that drives me insane, and ruins any concentration for trying to work) if I sweat at all.

I've since had a daughter who's now 3 and I'm responsible for picking her up and dropping off to school (school starts at age 3 in Belgium) which is a half hour drive away. So I have 9 - 12 to work on Mon / Wed and 9 - 3 to work on Tue, Thu and Fri. Plus I'm perpetually disorganised and stuggle to use what little time I have effectively.

The only things I do now:

- Yoga (about 2 minutes to do the sun salutation twice) x 2 per day. This keeps most back problems at bay

- Occasional 20 minute walks

- Occasional cycling (once per month)

Two things got me training when I was healthy:

1. signing up for things - I'd sign up for the London Triathlon which you typically do 9 months in advance. Then the panic monster kicks in at some point to get you to train.

2. Join a club. All the sport I was inspired to do was either at a rowing club or training with much better triathlon / iron man nutters (in a good way) from work.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#133

Post by lanius »

nate_robo wrote: post #45
donjh wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Powerlifting is incredibly healthy. For anyone interested, pick up a copy of Starting Strength. It's an amazing read. I've also really enjoyed StrongLifts 5x5 - it has a companion app that tells you exactly what you need to do, each workout.

"Incredibly healthy" is a stretch when it comes to power-lifting. In fact, while power-lifting helps to rapidly gain and develop muscle, it's extremely unhealthy to your joints and poses a high risk of injury. For those looking to get similar exercise and results to powerlifting, check out body-building. Emphasis on slow and controlled form and muscle gain (aesthetics). Some good sources: http://scoobysworkshop.com/…

>it's extremely unhealthy to your joints and poses a high risk of injury

Do you have any sources for this?

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#134

Post by tostitos1979 »

SimonSelg wrote: post #98

If anything stops me from going to gym (I do weightlifting there - usually 4-5 times / week ) it's usually something that's worth skipping gym. In my recent lasts that has been either - social activities that I value more then gym (doesn't happen that often) - you can normally scedule that part of your life - Work that pays off that well that skipping gym is worth it. For example , I have a small company w/ a friend…

It looks like you have a good routine going on. When you say weightlifting, do you mean dumbbells, bench presses, squats, machines or all of the above? Do you have any book recommendations (I've read the Arnold S body building book to learn about muscles that may exist inside me)? I travel a lot so am frustrated that there are too many different machine combos. Makes me lose any kind of routine.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#135

Post by projektir »

Hydraulix989 wrote: post #112

I have to exercise or I feel like shit. I think that people that don't exercise have accepted feeling like shit as the "default" and somehow don't mind it. For me, the difference in my mental and physical health, to say nothing of my alertness and mental clarity, is night and day when I'm running every day. I run 3 miles a day (been running since I was 12 years old, sometimes competitively -- at my best, I was one of…

This is a fairly boring example of the typical mind fallacy. Or, the typical body fallacy, if you wish. I exercise and it doesn't have any significant effect on "feeling like shit" for me. I sometimes lose mental clarity from exercise, feel more tired, have less energy. The benefits are absolutely not obvious in my case.

Unfortunately, this fallacy seems to be present every single time this topic is brought up. It's very hard to discuss fitness without moralistic arguments showing up, which is why the field is wrought with so much misinformation and cargo-cultism.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#136

Post by icc97 »

zeveb wrote: post #125

a) Most importantly, I would rather program, browse the web, watch TV or play games than exercise: any of these is a more enjoyable experience than exercising. b) Even ignoring my preferences, exercise is miserable. It is painful, unpleasant and sweaty. So not only would I rather do something else, I would rather not exercise. I know that some folks disagree, and that's fine. I don't, myself, want to spend an hour pa…

I think a lot of people feel like this, but perhaps not as much as you - the things you mention are what most people have to push past to do anything. Certainly I do - although I do enjoy sport.

I don't however think that sport doesn't involve engaging the brain. It depends what sport you do.

Do just go for walks? [1]

The other things are Yoga, Thai Chi or Martial Arts which have a lot of philosophy to them to learn, so you're using your brain.

  [1]: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27186709

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#137

Post by zeveb »

icc97 wrote: post #136
zeveb wrote: post #125

a) Most importantly, I would rather program, browse the web, watch TV or play games than exercise: any of these is a more enjoyable experience than exercising. b) Even ignoring my preferences, exercise is miserable. It is painful, unpleasant and sweaty. So not only would I rather do something else, I would rather not exercise. I know that some folks disagree, and that's fine. I don't, myself, want to spend an hour pa…

I think a lot of people feel like this, but perhaps not as much as you - the things you mention are what most people have to push past to do anything. Certainly I do - although I do enjoy sport. I don't however think that sport doesn't involve engaging the brain. It depends what sport you do. Do just go for walks? [1] The other things are Yoga, Thai Chi or Martial Arts which have a lot of philosophy to them to learn,…

> the things you mention are what most people have to push past to do anything

Well, I enjoy programming, browsing the web, watching TV and playing games for their own sakes, without having to push past any lack of desire. If anything, not doing them is tough (well, I can take TV or leave it).

> Do just go for walks?

Honestly, that's my favourite form of exercise, because at least then I am able to think, and I don't sweat. And it's nice to see the flowers, smile at attractive MOTOS, smell the air. But it's not terribly good exercise so I do other stuff as well.

I'd rather sit in front of a computer though.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#138

Post by icc97 »

aianus wrote: post #102
inanutshellus wrote: post #2

Exercise is like keeping a feather aloft with your breath. At any point, you can choose to stop, or blow again. Blowing works for a short amount of time, you see some short-term results, and then you're back at the head of the loop. Basically... like most anything that takes effort you either have to make "the switch" and make it be a defining characteristic of who you are, or it will never matter more than a passing…

> Just keep showing up. Once your social circle includes healthy active people you'll go do healthy outdoorsy things to stay with them. Would those people not resent you for showing up and making them lose?

Persistance at something is really fundamentally important, certainly in sport. Most people really respond to enthusiasm.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#139

Post by icc97 »

nicoles wrote: post #118
toastking wrote: post #111

I just don't seem to have time. I spend 4 hours commuting by train every so it's really a choice between sleep and working out most days. I used to get up early to work out but it just became too much.

Why do you spend that long commuting? Are there no closer/remote jobs, or can you not move closer?

It's not uncommon for a commute to take two hours (certainly around London) especially if there are changes between trains / metros involved. Although a good friend of mine had a mental breakdown which I think was brought on partially by that length of commute.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you from exercising?

#140

Post by omarchowdhury »

projektir wrote: post #135
Hydraulix989 wrote: post #112

I have to exercise or I feel like shit. I think that people that don't exercise have accepted feeling like shit as the "default" and somehow don't mind it. For me, the difference in my mental and physical health, to say nothing of my alertness and mental clarity, is night and day when I'm running every day. I run 3 miles a day (been running since I was 12 years old, sometimes competitively -- at my best, I was one of…

This is a fairly boring example of the typical mind fallacy. Or, the typical body fallacy, if you wish. I exercise and it doesn't have any significant effect on "feeling like shit" for me. I sometimes lose mental clarity from exercise, feel more tired, have less energy. The benefits are absolutely not obvious in my case. Unfortunately, this fallacy seems to be present every single time this topic is brought up. It's…

How do you breathe when you exercise? What exercise are you doing?
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