"Healthy lifestyle.."

#1

Post by baha_man » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 1:44 PM UTC

"Healthy lifestyle.."
torvalds-family.blogspot.com

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#2

Post by gaius » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 3:07 PM UTC

It's always funny when people who know a lot about computers sound off on unrelated topics.

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#3

Post by a-priori » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 3:13 PM UTC

For weight maintainence, healthy eating is definitely more important than exercise. It takes a hell of a lot more effort to burn 500 calories than to cut 500 calories from your diet.

I'm no exercise nut, but I do a lot of cycling (70-75km/week this summer). I don't find it relaxing; if anything, it's the most stressful part of my day. But, it wakes me up in the mornings and forces me back into the real world at the end of the day. More than the exercise, I really do it for the cognitive benefits.

But exercise has to be something you like doing. Cycling is the most enjoyable exercise I've found so far that I can easily integrate into my daily routine (that's how I commute to school and work).

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#4

Post by danielh » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 3:26 PM UTC

gaius wrote: post #2

It's always funny when people who know a lot about computers sound off on unrelated topics.

It's even funnier that they still get votes on HN, if they have a rockstar status among hackers.

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#5

Post by sown » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 3:50 PM UTC

Human bodies are not evolved to sit idle in office chairs for exceedingly long periods of time. All the science points to a reasonable diet and exercise as being important. It's just that most hew-mahns don't like to.

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#6

Post by jcromartie » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 3:50 PM UTC

The only sort of exercise I can tolerate is the type where it's you versus a landscape or individuals. I hate team sports of all types, and running faster or lifting more to beat my personal best doesn't keep me interested either. I think most geeks are this way. The most enjoyable sports for me end up being hiking, climbing, exploring in general, biking, boating, and racing.

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#7

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 4:12 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#8

Post by gcv » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 4:38 PM UTC

I must be one of those people Linus wants to kick. Too bad for him. I love taking a break from staring at a screen, and I feel way better, physically and mentally, after a good run or a good rowing session. My lower back starts to feel stiff and cramped if I go for more than a day or so without exercise.

Also, I can't imagine life without skiing, and that requires a pretty decent degree of fitness. Anyone who doesn't ski, or doesn't ski hard enough — you don't know what you're missing, and I feel sorry for you. :) (<--- Smiley for the humor-impaired!)

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#9

Post by crosscompile » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 5:12 PM UTC

You want a drug that will make you actually love exercise? This is no secret. It's called testosterone. You can actually get pure testosterone prescribed to you in the US if your levels are low, but this might not be much. Alternatively, you could get it from steroids. Carefully.

This is completely serious. Few realize how what a powerful effect testosterone can have on how you mentally feel. Like Arnold said, "You feel like you're cumming all day", among other positive effects.

Re: "Healthy lifestyle.."

#10

Post by iigs » Thu, Nov 06, 2008, 5:30 PM UTC

Sure, some people apparently get a runners high and really enjoy exercise, and they'll say how much people like me are "missing". My dad is apparently one of those freaks, as is my wife. I'm not. I have never in my life felt like exercise has made me feel that way.

The diet and exercise comment isn't like the Amazon suggestions of the type "If you love being healthy you'll also enjoy good diet and regular exercise", it's more about reminding you that, as far as weight is concerned, it's more or less simple accounting: deposits without caloric withdrawls = increased balance.

I understand that it's frustrating to hear this message all of the time (especially if you are unsuccessful at meeting your weight goals or don't like exercise), but nobody's implying that it's going to be fun, just that it's how the numbers work.

Furthermore, there's more benefit to exercise than burning excess calories, which is why credible dietitians and doctors don't just say to eat less: there are innumerable cardiovascular and muscular benefits; maybe not so important at 25, but definitely something that can make a difference between a youthful and a pre-elderly 50 year old.

Disclosure: I don't do any of this stuff. I do not live a healthy lifestyle and am not chiding anyone for doing (or not doing) anything. I'm just saying the math is what it is and that getting frustrated about it doesn't accomplish anything.