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'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

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Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#191

Post by agumonkey »

geophile wrote: post #33

I hate exercising, but I do it religiously. I am 64 years old, and in the best shape of my life. Same weight (and weight distribution!) as in college, good muscle tone. I think three things were critical, for me: 1. Absolutely no soft drinks at all. Not with sugar, not with artificial sweeteners. Nothing. Just seltzer. I used to drink a LOT of Dr. Pepper, and was told that they were contributing to my frequent kidney…

Point 2 reminds me how much of our minds are linked to social relationships. I'm jobless and went to help a charity.. the simple fact of being part of the group changes how I wake up, my schedule, my sleep and more.

That said, I'm still seeking the curiousity driven exercise where you're not in passive mode but playful and trying stuff for the sake of trying, it's an internal pleasure and a hygiene you know.

Happy healthy life man

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#192

Post by snayan »

labawi wrote: post #180
eigenschwarz wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That running, per se, ruins your knees as been debunked. Just search "running knees arthritis" and you'll find numerous recent (>2015) papers showing that running can be in fact protective. It's amazing how the body seems to follow a "use it or lose it" philosophy in almost everything.

I think it's important to note, that not all activities someone could call running are good for the body, and not all are bad for the body. You can break bricks karate style and be fine, if you build up and take it slow and steady. You can also just tap or lift bricks 1k, 10k times per day and be fine. However it won't end well if you use bad form, try to go max on day 1 (didn't build up), or try to break 1k bricks/d…

This is true, like anything, you need to build up to it. I lived an entirely sedentary lifestyle for the first 30 years of my life, hated all sport and physical activity. Dated a girl who taught me the joys of exercise and movement and I've been hooked on running for the past 4 years.

Takes some time to build up a base, and of course you need to be careful if you are quite heavy initially like I was. If you just listen to your body and don't overdo it, it all comes together pretty naturally. While bad form is a risk, a lot of what I've read seems to indicate that your body will naturally find a running gait that is optimal for your body and minimizes impact. Running without headphones also helps, just listen to your footfalls and adjust your stride to minimize impact. (I can't find any studies on this, but I can't help but feel that a lighter footfall is likely minimizing impact on joints somehow)

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#193

Post by garycomtois »

geophile wrote: post #33

I hate exercising, but I do it religiously. I am 64 years old, and in the best shape of my life. Same weight (and weight distribution!) as in college, good muscle tone. I think three things were critical, for me: 1. Absolutely no soft drinks at all. Not with sugar, not with artificial sweeteners. Nothing. Just seltzer. I used to drink a LOT of Dr. Pepper, and was told that they were contributing to my frequent kidney…

> 1. Absolutely no soft drinks at all... Same here! For the past 10 years I have only had a Coke maybe 3 times and each time was immediately following a long run (say after a 2.5 hour+ effort).

> 3. DO NOT treat exercise as a priority... I really like this philosophy. It's more or less how I've come to treat exercise, but phrasing in this way helps to justify and find reason for the habitual act. ("You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.") Cheers to continued health!

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#194

Post by GreenWatermelon »

zaptheimpaler wrote: post #188
majkinetor wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is hardly something you recommend to anybody. If it works for you great, but for most people it could even be dangerous: 1. Marijuana promotes appetite (munchees is the name). Canabinoid receptor antagonist promotes anorexy. This might depend greatly on the marijuana strain (CBD vs THC vs ...) 2. Your state of the mind is different, you might even got hit by the car. If you talk about doing it after exercise, th…

He didn’t recommend it, just talked about his own experience. i’d rather hear openly from personal experiences and make up my own mind rather than policing speech because it could be “dangerous”

GP explicitly recommended it. I quote: "If it's legal for you to try it I highly recommended it..."

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#195

Post by agumonkey »

matwood wrote: post #97
geophile wrote: post #33

I hate exercising, but I do it religiously. I am 64 years old, and in the best shape of my life. Same weight (and weight distribution!) as in college, good muscle tone. I think three things were critical, for me: 1. Absolutely no soft drinks at all. Not with sugar, not with artificial sweeteners. Nothing. Just seltzer. I used to drink a LOT of Dr. Pepper, and was told that they were contributing to my frequent kidney…

> Instead, make it a habit. This is really the key. I workout out every morning and have for years. The exact time has bounced between first thing and mid-morning, but I do it every day. Eventually you stop thinking about it and it’s just what you do, just like brushing your teeth.

In the summer it's so nice to jog early in the morning it becomes a tiny subconscious addiction. I don't even need an alarm.

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#196

Post by agumonkey »

m_a_g wrote: post #179
geophile wrote: post #33

I hate exercising, but I do it religiously. I am 64 years old, and in the best shape of my life. Same weight (and weight distribution!) as in college, good muscle tone. I think three things were critical, for me: 1. Absolutely no soft drinks at all. Not with sugar, not with artificial sweeteners. Nothing. Just seltzer. I used to drink a LOT of Dr. Pepper, and was told that they were contributing to my frequent kidney…

I am trying to get my father to start exercising. He is 60 years old, and he has been sedentary for the past five years. Do you have any tips on how to motivate him and where to start?

The 7 minute workout youtube videos were a great motivation to get back when I was weak.

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#197

Post by agumonkey »

copperwater69 wrote: post #17

A problem I had was letting perfect be the enemy of good. I wanted the perfect workout program and wait for my fridge to be stocked with the right foods, the day to be correct so my arms won't be tired when driving and my leg won't be too sore to push in the clutch. Eventually I just did it and sorted out those other details later. If you're in the same position I recommend immediate action. Like just go do 50 squats…

From my tiny experience, the fastest way to perfect is imperfect. Only reality will feed you the important cues. Otherwise it's fantasy.

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#198

Post by cafard »

zarkov99 wrote: post #95
cafard wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

65, and not remotely in the best shape of my life. (In my late 20s I ran at least a couple of marathons every year.) I run about four times a week, and have always regarded running as the perfect exercise for a lazy man: find your shorts, find your shoes, and head out; no need for reservations, exercise partners, etc. And I walk most days: generally twice a day on days I don't run, once on days I do. And I do not hat…

How have you managed to keep your knees working?

Dumb luck, picked the right parents? Some of my running friends from back in the day have had knee problems.

My mileage was never that high, even during my late 20s: maybe forty miles per week as maintenance, rising to around sixty when training for a marathon. And frankly it wasn't that fast.

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#199

Post by zimmern »

superflit wrote: post #38
lottin wrote: post #29

On this topic, I recommend reading (or listening to) Mark Rippetoe, a strength and conditioning coach from Wichita Falls, Texas, and author of Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training. He's got quite a few videos on YT where he explains his views on strength training, exercise and its effects on human physiology. While he can be bit controversial sometimes, he's also clearly very knowledgeable about the subject and…

I have to second and recommend this. 42 years. Obese. Started doing this regimen. Gained 10 pounds but got skinner. I was so out of shape that I almost did not have muscle, just fat. Once I started doing my posture got better, sleep and everything. I hate doing it but I love the results.

Hate hate hate starting strength, been doing it 4 years, you will hate it as much as anything in your life. But the results are fantastic!

Re: 'Exercised' Explains Why It Can Be Hard to Commit to Working Out

#200

Post by zimmern »

lottin wrote: post #168
brandonmenc wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

imo Starting Strength is overrated, especially if you're just looking to improve health. Not everyone needs to powerlift. My go-to for science-based, reasonable exercise and diet advice is Renaissance Periodization. Nearly everyone on their team holds a PhD, does active research, and trains or competes at an elite level: https://renaissanceperiodization.com/team

Their argument is that, at first, the best thing you can do to improve your health is train for strength, because getting stronger will improve your general fitness and health more than anything else. The idea is to build a base of strength before you start training for a particular sport or activity.

A secondary argument is it's time efficient, results come fast and you get the most health and strength benefits with the least amount of time investment compared to say low impact aerobic regiment such as biking. I've done both and have to say I agree that starting strength method is optimal for busy professionals. Also lifting heavy weights is strength training and cardio training. You can't lift heavy weights without getting a cardio workout at the same time.
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