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Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

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Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#81

Post by AimForTheBushes »

tsimionescu wrote: post #69
beepbooptheory wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have executive function disorder, but I have found the best thing for me is just, simply, running. You can reduce the friction getting from A to B a lot if from the beginning you resolve to be minimalist about it. Just buy shoes (don't think too much about it, go to running store and get fitted) and shorts, and... thats it. Don't try to get any other products, and don't even worry too much about how you do it…

This may work for some people, but not others. For me, nothing is as unpleasant as running. Back when I tried to forcd myself to do it as part of my gym routine, I was actively dreading it the moment I woke up, after a week or two. It took all my willpower every time to run another minute, another 100m, etc. No other exercise I tried is as unpleasant and demotivating to me.

This is usually the side effect of people running too fast. Slow it down- even if you feel like speed walkers can pass you.

Or you actually hate running.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#82

Post by phatskat »

switchbak wrote: post #79
phatskat wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I know what you mean I’m not sure that you do, because > The only thing ever stopping you from going out the door and running is putting on shoes and shorts, its easy to form a habit! feels very invalidating, as someone who struggles with an executive dysfunction disorder.

I don't think they were talking to you specifically. They're probably just talking from their perspective, and don't have the knowledge of where you're at. If you feel invalidated, those are your feelings coming from inside you, not something they planted in you. Perhaps it's a sign that you have things you need to work on.

They were responding to someone who started off saying they’re dealing with executive dysfunction. I do not know exactly how it affects GP, but I do know that typically it creates a crappy system of inaction despite intention, motivation, etc. And yes, I indeed have things I’m working on.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#83

Post by switchbak »

m3nu wrote: post #40

Been looking into this recently and one really needs 3 types of exercise: - strength/resistance training: to build and keep muscles; one benefit of which is better stability at age and metabolic regulation. - high intensity cardio/HIIT/zone 5/95+% max heart rate: to build VO2max, was also shown to reduce arterial plaque. - normal cardio/zone 2/50-80% max HR: mitochondrial efficiency, fat burning?, endurance, memory (…

The amount of zone 2 that one should get is frustratingly large. I love my cardio - more than most, but it can be a real struggle to fit that in when you have a young family. I'm doing great on the strength training side, but the time demands of cardio are hard!

It doesn't help that when I do get outside that I tend to go "comfortably hard" and I'm in the no-man's-land somewhere between zone 2 and 5, not really capitalizing on the full benefits of either regime yet maximizing fatigue.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#84

Post by dragonwriter »

pton_xd wrote: post #76
kortex wrote: post #19

> Maximal effects were found for tasks related to executive functions, (i.e., aspects of higher cognition principally associated with the functions of prefrontal cortex). Oh good, exactly what I'm looking for. If only the executive dysfunction didn't mess with my ability to form any kind of stable exercise routine.

> If only the executive dysfunction didn't mess with my ability to form any kind of stable exercise routine. It's not actually about any difficulty in establishing a stable routine. It'd be very easy for almost anyone to maintain a routine of eating snacks and watching Youtube for 20 minutes per day. The root issue is we've become conditioned to avoid discomfort. Collectively our mental fortitude relatively weak in t…

> It's not actually about any difficulty in establishing a stable routine. It'd be very easy for most on here to maintain a routine of eating snacks and watching Youtube for 20 minutes per day.

From GP's executive dysfunction reference I am assuming something like ADHD, and...you'd be surprised.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#85

Post by TheCleric »

metabagel wrote: post #66
phatskat wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm more describing making this important enough to you that you start looking for places to slot it into your day I get where you’re coming from, and I think you’re missing the point. Executive dysfunction (for me at least) means I can “want to do the thing” a LOT, heck I can even have the motivation, but getting my brain and body to actually do the damn thing can feel insurmountable. There are certainly ways to w…

One approach is to put your body on auto-pilot. Just do the thing for 5 minutes or whatever, without consideration for whether you want to or not. The desire and will will typically develop over time. Get an easy win.

For me, my executive dysfunction makes one part MUCH more difficult than the rest: transitioning from one thing to another (especially if I have negative emotions attached to the other thing).

The 5 minutes (or even 30-60 minutes) is the EASY part. I have no problem with that. It's my brain screaming at me with every ounce of its energy that the effort of stopping what I am doing and starting something else is insurmountable. The length of the thing is mostly irrelevant.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#86

Post by beingfit »

I don’t know how good it is for the brain, but I put myself to exercise every single day even though most of the days I’m not in the mood. If I could be healthy or healthier without exercising, I’d very likely choose that. But I know that’s not possible, at least for me. Yet, I’ve been exercising for several years now without a break. I still don’t look forward to it. It’s not a lot. It’s just about 45 minutes a day. I just workout at home following video instructions (I get distracted or bored otherwise).

There are three things that made a difference: a) realizing that exercise can potentially make a positive difference to health [1] and that not exercising would turn out be a bigger waste of time in the future, b) getting an Apple Watch and closing the rings everyday [2], and workouts (with apps) on video by instructors so that I don’t get bored and keep looking at the time or figure out what exercises I should do. [3]

[1]: no guarantees because of complex factors like genetics, stress, environment, etc.

[2]: there was a brief period where the addiction to close the rings was done by just letting the watch be in workout mode without me working out, but that kind of lying to myself got boring too.

[3]: I know there are several programs with instructions and progressions that are freely available, but I get distracted and bored if I have to do something by myself and there’s no audiovisual guidance. I don’t like going to a gym either.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#87

Post by wormius »

phatskat wrote: post #43
pc86 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe. I'm more describing making this important enough to you that you start looking for places to slot it into your day. Yes, a routine will likely form out of that but I think it's secondary to getting you to want to do the thing, which is harder (at least for me).

> I'm more describing making this important enough to you that you start looking for places to slot it into your day I get where you’re coming from, and I think you’re missing the point. Executive dysfunction (for me at least) means I can “want to do the thing” a LOT, heck I can even have the motivation, but getting my brain and body to actually do the damn thing can feel insurmountable. There are certainly ways to w…

Yep - executive dysfunction is... difficult, you short circuit your mind in a strange loop of fighting yourself. It's like writers block or when you try to go to sleep but can't and the harder you try the harder it feels. So it's... Difficult to even do things, even when you DO want to (I have been meaning to play solo board games I bought but ... just can't... My ADHD has gotten far worse over the years compared to my youth). I think people who don't have to deal with it don't understand what it's like.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#88

Post by VirusNewbie »

m3nu wrote: post #40

Been looking into this recently and one really needs 3 types of exercise: - strength/resistance training: to build and keep muscles; one benefit of which is better stability at age and metabolic regulation. - high intensity cardio/HIIT/zone 5/95+% max heart rate: to build VO2max, was also shown to reduce arterial plaque. - normal cardio/zone 2/50-80% max HR: mitochondrial efficiency, fat burning?, endurance, memory (…

what is the notation? HIIT 5/95? means what? Can I just do a ten minute hard run in the morning a few times a week?

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#89

Post by delecti »

pton_xd wrote: post #76
kortex wrote: post #19

> Maximal effects were found for tasks related to executive functions, (i.e., aspects of higher cognition principally associated with the functions of prefrontal cortex). Oh good, exactly what I'm looking for. If only the executive dysfunction didn't mess with my ability to form any kind of stable exercise routine.

> If only the executive dysfunction didn't mess with my ability to form any kind of stable exercise routine. It's not actually about any difficulty in establishing a stable routine. It'd be very easy for almost anyone to maintain a routine of eating snacks and watching Youtube for 20 minutes per day. The root issue is we've become conditioned to avoid discomfort. Collectively our mental fortitude relatively weak in t…

Respectfully, you seem likely to not have ADHD. If I had "snacks and Youtube" on my calendar for 20 minutes every day, I would spend the preceding hour stressing about what video I would watch on a given day, and struggle to make myself go down to the kitchen to grab a snack when the time came. It's not even the discomfort, I enjoy exercise, it's overcoming the activation energy to get started.

Executive dysfunction is fundamentally different from laziness in a way that a lot of people have trouble grasping.

Re: Aerobic exercise is good for the brain; easy wins for behaviour change

#90

Post by dwaltrip »

decafninja wrote: post #8
lagniappe wrote: post #6

Exercise just makes me feel good. To me, that's enough. Its not about a routine, or how I look, it's eustress.

I'm the opposite - exercise makes me feel terrible both physically (exhausting) and mentally (boredom), both during and after. I've never experienced "runner's high" or the similar feeling some people describe from lifting weights. If it wasn't for the health and aesthetic benefits, I'd choose to never to exercise again.

You may be ramping up too quickly. It doesn’t need to feel like torture. Drop any preconceived notions of what counts as an “exercise session”. Go as slow as you need. Let your body adapt.

When I first got back into running 2 years ago after a long hiatus, I had to learn the painful lesson that I was being way too hard on myself. I eventually figured out that I can slow down and start with just a very slow 0.5 - 1 mile jog. I can even stop and stretch in the middle of the run if I'm feeling tight. It sounds silly, but I didn't realize that was allowed. There are no rules. If anyone judges you, that's there problem. You do you.

Here’s one of many, many possible examples:

* Walk for 10 minutes 3x a week for a few months.

* Walk for 15 minutes 3x a week for a month or two.

* Walk for 20 minutes 3x a week for a month or two. Stretch for 5 minutes before or after walking.

* Walk for 5 minutes, then jog VERY SLOWLY for 5 minutes, and then walk for 5 more minutes. Stretch for 5 minutes before / after.

* You get the idea…

And if running isn’t your thing, try something else. The only that matters is that you move and use your body. There are a million ways to move the body! I bet you can find one you like :)

———

More philosophical / technical approach:

Treat it like a puzzle. You have a System in State A (your body and your current behavioral patterns).

How can we get the System to State B? Or wait, perhaps State C or D are just as good or even better! We just didn’t realize those were possibilities.

Consider dropping old assumptions. Experiment! Try different things :) What are different ways of interfacing or evaluating the system? Perhaps some of the old interfaces and metrics aren’t as useful or applicable to the current state?

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