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How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

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Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#21

Post by billpaetzke »

mshafrir wrote: post #16
noarchy wrote: post #11

Bike to work, if it is possible. For me it is actually faster than using public transport, and it does wonders for my health, since I am not physically active at most other times (especially when working).

How good of an exercise is biking compared to running and walking?

I wouldn't run to work. You'll get sweaty and smelly and always have to take a shower before work.

With biking, the constant air flow keeps you cool, so you won't have to shower at work unless it's really hot out. That's assuming your work has a shower (which mine doesn't).

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#22

Post by starkfist »

mshafrir wrote: post #16
noarchy wrote: post #11

Bike to work, if it is possible. For me it is actually faster than using public transport, and it does wonders for my health, since I am not physically active at most other times (especially when working).

How good of an exercise is biking compared to running and walking?

Biking is good exercise but is quite efficient so you have to do a lot of it to get the same effect as running or even walking. For instance, it takes me about 1.5 hours to walk to work and I burn about 600 calories. The same distance on a bike, even going pretty fast, I only burn about 350 calories. And that's going flat out the whole way... in reality there are many opportunities to coast.

I've found that walking is underrated as an exercise. If you live in a suitable area (like NYC) it's easy to walk 2 hours a day, and you can also use the time to talk on the phone, listen to podcasts or books on tape, or just be outdoors.

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#24

Post by scottshapiro »

Super simple: eat to keep insulin and cortisol levels low.

Avoid sugar (including artificial sweetners), juice, grain, starch and sweet fruit (berries are fine). eat enough fat and protein to feel full. get plenty of sleep (8+ hours / night).

Exercise will improve strength, muscle tone and metabolic conditioning, but diet is far more relevant to body composition.

As Gary Taubes taught us in "Good Calories Bad Calories" this is a hormonal issue, not a thermodynamic one.

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#25

Post by [deleted] »

jkincaid wrote: post #6
asnyder wrote: post #3

Interesting, working has the opposite effect on me. This past week I barely ate. I usually get so caught up working that I'll only stop to grab a bite to eat when my stomach won't allow me to continue. I'm curious to see what the distribution is for HNers.

I'm the same way; if I am busy I put off eating for hours longer than I should. Unfortunately I find that if I don't eat anything for a long time, I get progressively dumber. I read something that said there's a strong correlation between blood sugar and brain activity, but have no idea if it was scientifically sound. In any case, it seems true for me. Sidenote: my best pick-me-up when I haven't eaten for too long ar…

[deleted]

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#26

Post by potatolicious »

starkfist wrote: post #22
mshafrir wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How good of an exercise is biking compared to running and walking?

Biking is good exercise but is quite efficient so you have to do a lot of it to get the same effect as running or even walking. For instance, it takes me about 1.5 hours to walk to work and I burn about 600 calories. The same distance on a bike, even going pretty fast, I only burn about 350 calories. And that's going flat out the whole way... in reality there are many opportunities to coast. I've found that walking i…

> "and you can also use the time to talk on the phone, listen to podcasts or books on tape"

Agreed on the walking, disagreed on the disconnection. Personally I feel like people have gotten disconnected from the world at large and each other for little more than a few tunes and podcasts.

I see everyone everywhere with earbuds stuffed into their ears - drowning out the activity and life all around them, absorbed into tunes that they've heard a million times already before.

I am often tempted to do the same - but over the last month I've made a concerted effort to eliminate headphone use while out and about (including commuting), and I think I'm a lot better off for it. I've had many an interesting conversation, have been more aware of my surroundings, and generally noticed and appreciated a lot of the things around me in the city that I used to just walk past without the slightest awareness.

I highly recommend this to anyone.

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#27

Post by patrickk »

The second "proposal" reminded me of the South Park World of Warcrack episode, where Cartman....you know. Let's just say he didn't need to get up to fulfill basic bodily functions.

Anything can be taken to the extreme, even productivity ;-)

Re: How To Not Get Fat At A Web Startup

#29

Post by starkfist »

potatolicious wrote: post #26
starkfist wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Biking is good exercise but is quite efficient so you have to do a lot of it to get the same effect as running or even walking. For instance, it takes me about 1.5 hours to walk to work and I burn about 600 calories. The same distance on a bike, even going pretty fast, I only burn about 350 calories. And that's going flat out the whole way... in reality there are many opportunities to coast. I've found that walking i…

> "and you can also use the time to talk on the phone, listen to podcasts or books on tape" Agreed on the walking, disagreed on the disconnection. Personally I feel like people have gotten disconnected from the world at large and each other for little more than a few tunes and podcasts. I see everyone everywhere with earbuds stuffed into their ears - drowning out the activity and life all around them, absorbed into t…

I sort of agree with you but I walk to work at 5:30 in the morning. Nobody else is there. Also NYC has the opposite problem of most places in the USA. You're bombarded with so much "activity and life" that you tend to grab any amount of personal time you can get.
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