61–70 of 105 posts
Having something to aim for works for me. It doesn't have to be competitive either, setting yourself personal goals works too.
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You have to do it regularly. :) It sucks at first.
Is this a meth argument? If I'm relatively okay without exercise, and start exercising, staying on it for a while, the anecdotes here seem to suggest that if you ever stop it throws you in a huge funk.
My problem with deliberate exercise is that it doesn't feel purposeful (vague notions of improved health notwithstanding). Picking up a chunk of iron just to put it back down again or stomping on a moving platform just to remain in the same place feels about as useful as typing out a bunch of boilerplate code just to delete it shortly afterwards. I might change this attitude should I find more interesting activities.…
A goal could be anything from training to run a 5K, a marathon, being able to squat your body weight, be able to do five pull-ups, lose 10 pounds etc...
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I like to "garden" using a chainsaw. That's a pretty good workout.
When I lived in areas that had a lot of snow, I enjoyed the workout of shoveling snow. Always felt fantastic doing it and afterward, so much so that I'd often fantasize about shoveling the entire neighborhood if I had enough time.
After going outside and walking in the sun for a couple of hours, I'm too tired to get any work done the rest of the day. As far as I can tell, everything said about exercise is lies. Or perhaps mileage varies. Just remember, mileage varies, and also, you're not alone.
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Definitely going outside is required. The gym does not give you the same benefit, imo. Its definitely also about connecting with nature. Editing now to clarify, thanks!
Pet peeves with these types of comments/articles: 1) They are completely anecdotal. "This worked for me, so it applies equally to all 7+ billion humans on this earth!" 2) They assume that everyone lives in the same climate and/or lives in a similar region. e.g. How are you supposed to 'connect with nature and the sun' when you live in Alaska and it's dark 6 months out of the year? How are you supposed to regularly 'c…
I haven't gotten sharper in the past six months, but I'm more robust to energy-sapping conditions. An occasional bad night of sleep doesn't ruin my work day. I have a lesser mental block when starting big projects. I'm not worn out after a long work day, so I've worked more on pet projects without sacrificing time with my girlfriend. I have a major incentive to eat light, since nothing is worse than a hard run with a stomach full of grease. As a plus, I now understand the value of working incrementally towards a large goal.
I didn't find it difficult to work into my schedule. My highest-mileage week only took six hours of my time, and most weeks were less than four hours.
I can't stop running. It's too addicting. Though, I can't help but feel the pain of my exercise.
It could be your shoes as well. I've been running for a couple years, and take frequent breaks now. Vary your run; do different distances, speeds etc. But don't neglect shoes; indulge in a new one every 500 Km.
However, I would be willing to buy shoes like the vibram 5 fingers to protect me from the occasional pebbles and the dangerous glasses but not modify how I run barefoot.
My problem with deliberate exercise is that it doesn't feel purposeful (vague notions of improved health notwithstanding). Picking up a chunk of iron just to put it back down again or stomping on a moving platform just to remain in the same place feels about as useful as typing out a bunch of boilerplate code just to delete it shortly afterwards. I might change this attitude should I find more interesting activities.…
Try a sport! I too hate treadmills and lifting weights -- it's just dreadfully boring. However, if you pick up a sport, you can hone your coordination skills and progress to become a better player. I find that it's much more motivating when you're competing with people. And, I feel much better knowing that I am acquiring a useful skill that can be measured against in competition. Personally, I play competitive table…
If your looking for sports, many cities have adult social/recreational sports clubs. I know Toronto has several. And if you don't know any sports, dodgeball is always fun! Just keep moving the whole time. Apologies to anyone to whom dodge ball is linked to poor physed memories.
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Try a sport! I too hate treadmills and lifting weights -- it's just dreadfully boring. However, if you pick up a sport, you can hone your coordination skills and progress to become a better player. I find that it's much more motivating when you're competing with people. And, I feel much better knowing that I am acquiring a useful skill that can be measured against in competition. Personally, I play competitive table…
I want to echo your advice. I recently started playing a combat sport after a few years of not really exercising. I have no illusions about its likely effectiveness in a real fight (not much), but since I don't plan on getting in a real fight that doesn't matter. It is fun and interesting compared to other forms of exercise I've tried, and it definitely helps me get my cardio up. There are a couple other benefits too…