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Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

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Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Do read. Books. Not kindles. Books. Do you mean physical books are better than ebooks? Why is that?

Limiting screen time isn’t just for kids. Reading is a good non-screen option because it builds mental endurance.

IMO I think that it is more about the content of the book then the device it is stored on. Especially with a Kindle(the e-ink variety, not the LCD tablets) it is a single purpose device that looks near identical to a physical book. Of course if someone is reading on a modern internet device there is always the possibility of getting of losing mental concentration, but that is less so on a dedicated e-reader like a Kindle.

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#152
post #118
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hate to be that guy, but that's wrong. Body weight is determined by calories in vs calories out. Eat less calories than you burn, body weight goes down, eat more, body weight goes up. Body composition is determined by exercise and diet. Lift weights and get enough protein, muscle mass increases. Run marathons and don't get enough protein, muscle mass decreases. In general, compound movements like squats, deadlifts, p…

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but what you are saying here is for the most part only correct for a very small subset of the population. Your current weight is a functional aggregate of the surplus calories which consists of many factors that can't immediately be measured (yet). The "Calories in, Calories out" belief which is based on very sketchy evidence (i.e. try tracking down where that came from some time) br…

Do you worry about chemtrails too?

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#153
post #124

1. See if you are into exercising. Find something you love. Not everyone love weoghtlifting or jogging so try to find something you enjoy and better if you find a partner. The point is from my experience himan vitality does not decrease continuously buy drops sharply after certain age. On my side it was 28 and 35. 2. Take care of joints and teeth. Once they degenerate it's impossible to reverse the process. 3. Get fi…

I'd adjust 6 to read: Be very mindful and careful about which drugs you take. Do your research (e.g. on Erowid) and know that while some drugs can have amazing, long-term benefits, others can be an easy way to downward spiral out of society. I'd include LSD and MDMA in the former category; opioids, amphetamines, and cocaine in the latter. There's also a category of 'casual' drugs which require discipline if you want…

there's one to stay away from: scopolamine

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Would have been a lot easier at 25 What do you mean?

Kids are hard and time is cruel. My oldest will remember his grandparents, my youngest will barely remember his grandmother as an old lady who couldn’t talk right. Where my wife bounced back from the first child, it was a lot harder seven years later with the second. Just having the energy and stamina to keep up with your kids is hard, gets harder as your body slows down, and gets really hard when your parents get ol…

Sounds like none of it would've been a problem if you hadn't had kids? Were your 20s, without kids, not better than your 30s with kids but with all these self-imposed problems?

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#155
post #132
post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Implying people need to start with a trainer is pointlessly exclusionary. When I started training I couldn't afford a gym membership so primarily did bodyweight training at home, so a trainer was just completely off the radar as an option. Sure, once I could afford the gym I could train a lot better, and the may have neen true if I could afford a trainer on top, but I couldn't.

'get a trainer' is proxy for 'get a form check', which is fair advice to prevent long term injury. There are many beginner friendly lifting resources online, and communities who will help you review videos of your lifts without needing a specific trainer.

"Get a form check " is definitely good advice and if that's all the person I responded to said I would have agreed with them.

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kids are hard and time is cruel. My oldest will remember his grandparents, my youngest will barely remember his grandmother as an old lady who couldn’t talk right. Where my wife bounced back from the first child, it was a lot harder seven years later with the second. Just having the energy and stamina to keep up with your kids is hard, gets harder as your body slows down, and gets really hard when your parents get ol…

Sounds like none of it would've been a problem if you hadn't had kids? Were your 20s, without kids, not better than your 30s with kids but with all these self-imposed problems?

IF you are going to have kids, having them younger is better is my point. Are kids worth the trouble? - that is for you to decide.

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#157
1) Don't go into debt and if you are in debt get out of it as fast as you can

2a) Don't be so worried about your future that you forget to live while you are young. You need to balance the two.

2b) Travel, travel, travel. You will be amazed at how much your perspective on the world changes once you start to experience it.

3) Find a non-tech hobby. This will do wonders for helping you solve problems by being able to step away from the keyboard and take your mind off the problem, like Einstein in the patent office. Bonus points if it is active and gets you into nature.

4) Always side on investing in yourself. If you need to stop saving money in order to go back to school of something like that, go for it. The best investment you can make is in yourself.

5) Learn how to eat healthier. You don't need to live on chicken and broccoli but taking the time to learn how to make delicious food that is also good for you is one of the best things you can do.

6) Find a form of exercise you like and do it. You will hear people talk about this being better than that but the best exercise is the one you will do.

Re: Ask HN: What is something important I should start doing in my 20s?

#159
post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd adjust 6 to read: Be very mindful and careful about which drugs you take. Do your research (e.g. on Erowid) and know that while some drugs can have amazing, long-term benefits, others can be an easy way to downward spiral out of society. I'd include LSD and MDMA in the former category; opioids, amphetamines, and cocaine in the latter. There's also a category of 'casual' drugs which require discipline if you want…

“Everything in moderation” ;)

"moderation itself included" ;)
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