I am an "exercise hater"...

[Abbeygurl4]

I just hate exercising. I don't mind yoga, but it's difficult to get to a class and dvd's get boring.

 

I was thinking of getting a rowing machine or an exercise bike because I can watch t.v. or read while on it. I like the idea of a rowing machine because it works upper and lower body together so maybe I can spend less time on it. But, rowing machines seem quite a bit more expensive than an exercise bike.

 

What do you think? Has anyone owned both and has a preference? What are the pros and cons of each? Maybe someone could come over and just force me to exercise :lol:

 

I'm 49 and my weight is right smack in the middle of normal according to my doc, but according to me I am 10lbs overweight.

[poppy]

Buy some dumb bells, do crunches and squats and rows while watching TV. Save yourself a grand and get the same result as a rowing machine.

 

Hopefully you know this but just in case.... if you are reading while biking or rowing, you are not doing it intensely enough to make any difference for your fitness and weight! I've read a magazine while warming up on a treadmill or bike, but that should be a very short portion of the actual workout.

[KungFuPanda]

I just hate exercising. I don't mind yoga, but it's difficult to get to a class and dvd's get boring.

I was thinking of getting a rowing machine or an exercise bike because I can watch t.v. or read while on it. I like the idea of a rowing machine because it works upper and lower body together so maybe I can spend less time on it. But, rowing machines seem quite a bit more expensive than an exercise bike.

What do you think? Has anyone owned both and has a preference? What are the pros and cons of each? Maybe someone could come over and just force me to exercise :lol:

I'm 49 and my weight is right smack in the middle of normal according to my doc, but according to me I am 10lbs overweight.

 

 

I spend 8-10 hours a week in dance classes. I teach several and I take two classes. I'm in good shape because of this. However, I RARELY exercise without witnesses. I just don't have it in me. I need the structure of a class or I just don't do it. I have exercises I'm supposed to do between the lasses I take and I might do them once during the week. I buy videos and only use them if I work them into curriculum for the classes I teach. It's kinda pitiful, but there you go. I don't exercise alone. :-/

[Abbeygurl4]

Buy some dumb bells, do crunches and squats and rows while watching TV. Save yourself a grand and get the same result as a rowing machine.

 

Hopefully you know this but just in case.... if you are reading while biking or rowing, you are not doing it intensely enough to make any difference for your fitness and weight! I've read a magazine while warming up on a treadmill or bike, but that should be a very short portion of the actual workout.

 

No, sadly, I did not know that :blushing:

[LaxMom]

 

 

I spend 8-10 hours a week in dance classes. I teach several and I take two classes. I'm in good shape because of this. However, I RARELY exercise without witnesses. I just don't have it in me. I need the structure of a class or I just don't do it. I have exercises I'm supposed to do between the lasses I take and I might do them once during the week. I buy videos and only use them if I work them into curriculum for the classes I teach. It's kinda pitiful, but there you go. I don't exercise alone. :-/

I'm a personal trainer and do the same. I have a workout buddy (also a trainer, but her goals are very different than mine) and we are both psycho competitive. Since our goals and, necessarily, our approaches, are different, we really just "compete" at the effort level. Each of us working hard spurs the other one on.

 

Fitness is not about just about weight. Maybe it will help you to know that, unless we are actively building/maintaining muscle, we lose about 8% of our muscle mass for each decade past 40. It's translates to a higher percentage of body fat at a consistent weight, decreased metabolism, increased incidence of injury, weakness, and falls. Resistance training also contributes to healthy bone density, which protects against fractures. Cardiovascular fitness keeps our heart and lungs healthy.

 

I opened this morning for the first time in a long time, and got to chat with a longtime member who comes in by 6 a.m. every weekday. And he hates every.single.mimute of his workout. He does it to stay healthy and able to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) into his retirement years.

 

And, yes, if you can read, you're not working hard enough. Find something else.

[Jane Elliot]

I can watch t.v.

I just wanted to say that I was an exercise hater, too, and this is what did the trick for me. I don't have any advice on choosing between a rowing machine and bike; I went with a treadmill. Just about the only time I watch t.v. (I get shows through Netflix) is on the treadmill, and I've done this nearly every day for the past 5 years. Get a show that leaves you on a cliff hanger at the end of each episode.

[gardenmom5]

form of exercise is taste and preferances. I hung a carrot in front of my nose until I was consistent. If I worked out 4x a week for a month/4 weeks, I could have a massage. If one week I only worked out 3x's the counter reset. eventually, I was working out because it felt good, I like the changes in my body, etc.

 

I like yoga - I do dvd's so I don't have to figure out how to get somewhere, and it's cheaper as I'm not paying a gym membership. I'm now adding in a barre3 workout (combo of pilates, yoga, and bar. even fit women have "commented" on being tortured by 2lb weights with that routine). their website has a huge selection of workouts and different lengths of time. I also like that it is a cross body exercise than forces each side of the body to work together intensly.

 

I also really enjoyed my old nordic track skier - works upper and lower and if the front is elevated, it works the abdominals. with a little maintenance, they will last almost forever and since they're out of production, they're cheap and easy to get.

 

dh bought a schwinn aerodyne exercise bike after being hit by a car on his bike. supposedly, it has a better form of resistance and are a better quality 'bike' workout than most exercise bikes. they're not cheap, we bought his off of craigslist.

[Night Elf]

Me too. And I don't think much of the opinion that I just haven't found the right kind of exercise yet. I've tried numerous things and the whole reason I don't like exercising is that it takes effort and it makes me sweat. It's just not appealing in any sense.

[Abbeygurl4]

I'm a personal trainer and do the same. I have a workout buddy (also a trainer, but her goals are very different than mine) and we are both psycho competitive. Since our goals and, necessarily, our approaches, are different, we really just "compete" at the effort level. Each of us working hard spurs the other one on.

 

Fitness is not about just about weight. Maybe it will help you to know that, unless we are actively building/maintaining muscle, we lose about 8% of our muscle mass for each decade past 40. It's translates to a higher percentage of body fat at a consistent weight, decreased metabolism, increased incidence of injury, weakness, and falls. Resistance training also contributes to healthy bone density, which protects against fractures. Cardiovascular fitness keeps our heart and lungs healthy.

 

I opened this morning for the first time in a long time, and got to chat with a longtime member who comes in by 6 a.m. every weekday. And he hates every.single.mimute of his workout. He does it to stay healthy and able to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) into his retirement years.

 

And, yes, if you can read, you're not working hard enough. Find something else.

 

As a personal trainer, what would you recommend? I'm in decent shape, I can ride my bike for a couple miles on a trail that has some hills, I can walk fast for at least a mile (I hate running), I go to Pilates class when I visit my sister every 2-3 months. I just don't do anything on a regular basis. Is yoga or Pilates 4-5x a week enough? How important is aerobic exercise vs. strength training? What is the simplest way to get a minimum amount of exercise? I mean, anything is better than nothing, right?

[Mommy22alyns]

Me too. And I don't think much of the opinion that I just haven't found the right kind of exercise yet. I've tried numerous things and the whole reason I don't like exercising is that it takes effort and it makes me sweat. It's just not appealing in any sense.

 

 

LOL, Beth, I feel the same way! If I had the space and money, I'd get an elliptical and watch TV while doing it. But then I'd probably start to slack off again. I still need to lose some weight, but I get SO grouchy when I have to actually sweat!

[LG Gone Wild]

I used to hate exercise as a kid. If you say you hate exercise, I believe you. Perhaps you need to find a compelling enough reason that is more important to you than your dislike of exercise.

[msjones]

I love my recumbent bike. I can work up a serious sweat on that thing. I usually 'ride' for about 50 minutes while I watch a show. I do a short but effective weight routine afterwards.

 

It's so easy to just hop on and do it. I don't allow myself any television unless I'm exercising at the same time, so I even end up looking forward to my bike workouts.

 

And I'll throw in my two cents on reading while you walk on your treadmill or ride your bike. It may not be a great workout, but it is better than being sedentary, certainly burning at least some calories, and hopefully starting a habit of being more active.

 

If that's all you can do while you get started, I think you should just go ahead and do it. You've gotta start somewhere.

[Mom-ninja.]

My dh hates to exercise. Hates it like no one I've known before. He just forces himself to do it. He wants short and sweet. So right now he does JM dvds that are 30 min or less.

 

Yes, something is better than nothing. It adds up.

 

The First 20 Minutes was an interesting book to read. You can split up the time you exercise. 20 minutes in the morning and 10 in the afternoon for example.

 

One Hot (Sweaty) Mama is another good book for inspiration.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I hated to exercise. I still hate to "exercise". But I do love to play. So that's what I do. I go to Zumba and I dance my heart out. I go swimming with the kids and instead of boring laps I go down the slide (all the kids in the pool come over to watch the "grandma" go down the slide) and play Marco Polo with the kids and have a blast. I am getting lots of hard exercise now but it doesn't feel like it.

[Ellie]

I just hate exercising. I don't mind yoga, but it's difficult to get to a class and dvd's get boring.

 

I was thinking of getting a rowing machine or an exercise bike because I can watch t.v. or read while on it. I like the idea of a rowing machine because it works upper and lower body together so maybe I can spend less time on it. But, rowing machines seem quite a bit more expensive than an exercise bike.

 

What do you think? Has anyone owned both and has a preference? What are the pros and cons of each? Maybe someone could come over and just force me to exercise :lol:

 

I'm 49 and my weight is right smack in the middle of normal according to my doc, but according to me I am 10lbs overweight.

 

 

I don't believe in exercise.

 

I think you can get your weight down without investing in either an exercise bike or a rowing machine. If you really feel the need to exercise, walk. It's free, and you can do it anywhere. :-)

 

I have lost 50lb since September. No exercising.

[Pawz4me]

When I was 25 I exercised to look good. At 50 my goals have changed totally. I don't really care much about looks, even though I could sure stand to lose ten pounds or more. What I care a lot about now is aging well. I want to maintain a good quality of life for as long as possible. My goal is to be one of those 80 year old (and hopefully even older) ladies who lives independently. I want to be able to bathe and dress myself, keep my house tidy and do my own shopping as long as possible. I know to do that I need to achieve/maintain cardiovascular and functional fitness. So I work on heart health, strength, balance and flexibility. And it has little to nothing to do with losing weight.

[G5052]

Yes, I hate exercise and dieting. There, I said it. But I do both because I'm middle-aged and have to in order to be healthy and mobile.

[Kim in Appalachia]

Buy some dumb bells, do crunches and squats and rows while watching TV. Save yourself a grand and get the same result as a rowing machine.

 

Hopefully you know this but just in case.... if you are reading while biking or rowing, you are not doing it intensely enough to make any difference for your fitness and weight! I've read a magazine while warming up on a treadmill or bike, but that should be a very short portion of the actual workout.

 

 

This is a good suggestion. I was going to suggest kettlebell. You can get one, along with a plan called The Swing and do that in front of the tv. The workouts are short, and you would get your heart rate up, as well as build some muscle. The nice thing about this plan is that it is very simple, just swing the bell. You can get a Cap bell on Amazon for a good price with free shipping.

 

It is important to be building muscle. You can think about what you'll want to feel like or be able to do when you are older. That is a good motivator.

[AHASRADA]

 

 

I don't believe in exercise...

 

I have lost 50lb since September. No exercising.

 

Do tell...what is your weight loss secret?

[mytwomonkeys]

i hate exercising too. i love being outdoors, hiking, running, canoeing. but i am literally sitting here staring at my elliptical machine. nothing in me wants to even touch it, let alone use it. i also have weights & a jump rope collecting dust.

[Ellie]

Do tell...what is your weight loss secret?

 

Medi-Fast.

 

Also, getting proper treatment for my undermedicated hypothyroid condition #wishingIhadknownaboutT3andT420yearsago #cantfigureoutwhyprimarycarephysiciansdonttestT3andT4

[Ellie]

i hate exercising too. i love being outdoors, hiking, running, canoeing. but i am literally sitting here staring at my elliptical machine. nothing in me wants to even touch it, let alone use it. i also have weights & a jump rope collecting dust.

 

I like being active, along the lines of dance (hula, Scottish country, European) or fencing. "Exercise"? Aerobics, jazzercize, zumba, walking for the sake of walking, machines of any kind...no.

[Night Elf]

I have lost 50lb since September. No exercising.

 

I lost 40 lbs. with Weight Watchers and no exercise. I lost at an average of 1 lb. per week which is considered good. I'm happy with it. I've kept it off for 8 months now. I'm sure we're freaking out people reading these messages that we are admitting we didn't exercise. :)

[Ellie]

I lost 40 lbs. with Weight Watchers and no exercise. I lost at an average of 1 lb. per week which is considered good. I'm happy with it. I've kept it off for 8 months now. I'm sure we're freaking out people reading these messages that we are admitting we didn't exercise. :)

 

 

:cheers2:

 

I just don't believe that God made us such that we have to *exercise* in order to be healthy. I don't care that long ago people tended to be more active because there weren't cars and public transportation and whatnot. God did not have a ::face palm:: moment when civilizations became mechanized, KWIM? If you consume fewer calories, you should lose weight. There might be other reasons for exercise (especially if it's more along the lines of physical therapy), but it shouldn't be *necessary* for weight loss (for most people; I know there are extreme cases, and I know that many people will lose weight faster if they exercise; it just isn't *necessary*).

[edelweiss]

I hate to exercise too. Hate it. I am an on-again, off-again exerciser. I will work out for 6 months and then stop for 3-6 months. Rinse and repeat. I have been pretty fit a couple of times in my adulthood. Two years ago, I worked out with a trainer several times a week, was running consistently and even placed 3rd in a 5K in my age category. I still hated every. minute. of. it. Ugh!

 

Fortunately, I don't have a weight problem, but I am feeling rather flabby right now. I need to force myself to start exercising again, but it is so hard. I truly hate all forms of exercise. I have a beautiful exercise room with equipment (treadmill, spin bike, weight bench, free weights, barre, mirrors installed on the wall, TV and DVDs, wood floor installed over foam, etc.) and I still have lots of trouble making myself work out. I need to get back at it though.

[Pawz4me]

I'm sure we're freaking out people reading these messages that we are admitting we didn't exercise. :)

 

I suspect the only people you may be freaking out are those who are uneducated on the matter. Study after study has concluded that exercise does very little, if anything, to aid weight loss.

[Abbeygurl4]

 

 

This is a good suggestion. I was going to suggest kettlebell. You can get one, along with a plan called The Swing and do that in front of the tv. The workouts are short, and you would get your heart rate up, as well as build some muscle. The nice thing about this plan is that it is very simple, just swing the bell. You can get a Cap bell on Amazon for a good price with free shipping.

 

It is important to be building muscle. You can think about what you'll want to feel like or be able to do when you are older. That is a good motivator.

 

 

I actually have a kettlebell that I forgot all about! I just ordered The Swing from Amazon. I never really learned how to use it, so I stopped. Maybe the book will help and I'm going to check out Tracy Reifkind's blog and FB page. Thank you!

[Word Nerd]

I've been doing Denise Austin DVD workouts using a balance ball, dumbbells, and a mat, and I've been surprised to find that I actually enjoy this type of exercise. I may also get a kettlebell and do some of the workouts I've found online at Fitness and Women's Health. I also try to walk and do other physical activity regularly, as I have a sedentary job and am stuck at a computer desk most of the day. Buying cute workout clothes and shoes helps motivate me.

[poppy]

 

 

I suspect the only people you may be freaking out are those who are uneducated on the matter. Study after study has concluded that exercise does very little, if anything, to aid weight loss.

 

Yup. Exercise makes you feel good, reduces aches and pains, cures insomnia, increases energy. But it doesn't make you lose weight.

 

Personally I would much rather be fit and overweight than thin and weak and sedentary. Of course being fit AND not overweight is best :)

[LucyStoner]

Exercise also contributes to heart health and longevity and bone density. It does more than make people feel better- it makes people healthier. People who are physically active live longer. Building a little muscle helps people maintain a healthy weight by making you body burn more calories during the day. This goes for people who are a healthy weight as well. Fitness does matter.

 

I don't think exercise has to be hitting the gym though if you don't like it. Make your life more active- walk for enjoyment/errands, join a sports team, take dancing up as a hobby, ride a bike for errands instead of driving all the time. I get in 40+ miles a week of biking that way. I think it is disingenuous to minimize the benefits of exercise and fitness because it is not the key ingredient for serious weight loss. I don't eat well and stay fit/exercise because I want to LOOK good or slim. I do it because this is the only body I've got and it is incumbent on me to treat myself well so I can dance at my grandchildren's wedding.

[Mommyfaithe]

 

 

I spend 8-10 hours a week in dance classes. I teach several and I take two classes. I'm in good shape because of this. However, I RARELY exercise without witnesses. I just don't have it in me. I need the structure of a class or I just don't do it. I have exercises I'm supposed to do between the lasses I take and I might do them once during the week. I buy videos and only use them if I work them into curriculum for the classes I teach. It's kinda pitiful, but there you go. I don't exercise alone. :-/

 

Yep, I am a group fitness gal. Keeps me accountable and encouraged. If left to my own devices....nope, not gonna happen.

[Mom-ninja.]

You know turning on your favorite music and dancing like no one is watching (because no one is) is a great workout.

[gardenmom5]

I just don't believe that God made us such that we have to *exercise* in order to be healthy.

well no. people used to walk everywhere. they plowed their fields by hand. they harvested by hand. they engaged in physical labor - which is exercise.

 

I have an aunt who lived in india for 40 years. she walked or took public transportation everywhere. that wasn't "exercise", but it was exercise. she ate a simple diet. she still does. shes in great shape, she just looks about 20 years older than she is. I have an aquaintence who doesn't drive. she walks everywhere, including grocery shopping. she has the same build as my aunt. long, lean and very skinny.

 

the university my girls attended has a notorious hill in the middle of campus. one visiting prof commented on the physical condition of the students compared to all the other universities he'd visited/attended. they were all in much better physical condition - well yeah, they had to go up and down that stinking hill at least once everyday just to get to classes, dorms, the post office, etc.

[Ellie]

well no. people used to walk everywhere. they plowed their fields by hand. they harvested by hand. they engaged in physical labor - which is exercise.

 

I have an aunt who lived in india for 40 years. she walked or took public transportation everywhere. that wasn't "exercise", but it was exercise. she ate a simple diet. she still does. shes in great shape, she just looks about 20 years older than she is. I have an aquaintence who doesn't drive. she walks everywhere, including grocery shopping. she has the same build as my aunt. long, lean and very skinny.

 

I understand that people's lifestyle was "exercise." But I don't believe that we have to do something to make up for our modern-day, less-active lifestyles.

[LucyStoner]

 

I understand that people's lifestyle was "exercise." But I don't believe that we have to do something to make up for our modern-day, less-active lifestyles.

 

 

Seriously? You see no significant benefits to physical activity? Your belief is wholly untrue. People suffer healthwise for choosing to be sedentary. The facts are really irrefutable. Bone density, heart function, mood, metabolism, longevity etc...

 

What facts back up your belief?

 

I'd link up a lot of articles but I am a) on my phone and B) quite clear that no one needs help finding information that supports the vast benefits of a non-sedentary lifestyle.

[gardenmom5]

I understand that people's lifestyle was "exercise." But I don't believe that we have to do something to make up for our modern-day, less-active lifestyles.

 

that depends upon your goal. If all you care about is what the scale says - then don't exercise and just diet. however, there are many things the scale *doens't* tell you and that dieting won't help with. such as . . how much is muscle and how much is fat? what is your bone density? what is your lung capacity? what is your stamina level? there is a huge difference between a sedentary lifestyle and one that is physically demanding of muscle and stamina.

 

muscle is 1/3 - ONE THIRD - the volume of fat. you can have two 110lb women with completely different BMIs. (the only truly accurate BMI is the one done in a water tank showing displacement.) my grandmother was always very thin, and weighed about 98lbs wet. (maybe 105?) her bones were terrible and she had severe osteoperosus. strength training demands stronger bones that are more able to withstand the ravages of mineral loss as women age. certain exercises also force the body into an improved posture position (yoga has improved my posture more than my chiropractor) because the muscles invovled are strengthened. healthy posture affects lung capacity, gait, stamina, lifting ability, etc. as we age, we stiffen up. yoga as an example, has a tremendous effect on developing and maintaining flexilbity in both muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. that allows flexibility and decreases incidences of injury. those are just a few scant examples.

 

I'll leave with - I've a friend who has always been attractively thin, even after four children. she became a personal trainer. she GAINED 10lbs. she LOST two dress sizes.

 

eta: I have many disagreements with ruth bader ginsberg, but I respect her that at the age of 90, she has taken up a demanding physical fitness regimen for the sake of her health. she can now do military push-ups. she was always thin, and certainly no lie-about, but she wasn't strong and 'in-shape'.

[Rosie_0801]

Does walking to and from the washing line count as exercise? :Angel_anim:

[Night Elf]

Exercise also contributes to heart health and longevity and bone density. It does more than make people feel better- it makes people healthier. People who are physically active live longer. Building a little muscle helps people maintain a healthy weight by making you body burn more calories during the day. This goes for people who are a healthy weight as well. Fitness does matter.

 

I don't think exercise has to be hitting the gym though if you don't like it. Make your life more active- walk for enjoyment/errands, join a sports team, take dancing up as a hobby, ride a bike for errands instead of driving all the time. I get in 40+ miles a week of biking that way. I think it is disingenuous to minimize the benefits of exercise and fitness because it is not the key ingredient for serious weight loss. I don't eat well and stay fit/exercise because I want to LOOK good or slim. I do it because this is the only body I've got and it is incumbent on me to treat myself well so I can dance at my grandchildren's wedding.

 

 

Oh I do understand the benefits of exercise outside of weight loss. The little exercise I do is for heart health. We have a lovely greenway/boardwalk that is always filled with walkers, runners, and cyclists. I go walk 2 miles a few days a week. I walk just briskly enough to get my heart rate up. I had to research to find out what my heart rate range should be. I also read the exercise needs to be harder and produce more sweat in order to do anything for weight loss. I'm not interested in that though. That was my point. I was able to lose weight without the exercise. I personally think exercise should be looked at from a health point of view and not just as a weight loss practice. Hoping I will maintain a healthy body as I age is what motivates me to exercise at all. I still hate it though. I just hate it more when I have to do it hard.

[Mom-ninja.]

 

I understand that people's lifestyle was "exercise." But I don't believe that we have to do something to make up for our modern-day, less-active lifestyles.

 

 

Your choice to believe the evidence or not. It's your health and your body.

 

However, it's simply not true that humans don't need to make up for modern lifestyles. I even see it. My grandfather is 93. He is very fit. The man is like an ox. He's never had any health problems. His entire life he has had rough and tough work. He is very physically active and always has been. His activity level is above and beyond what most younger people do. I see kids who are less active much less adults. My dad has led a much more sedentary life. He had a massive heart attack at age 60. He has diabetes from being overweight. He is now making an effort to be more active. The difference between my dad and his dad is astounding. It comes down to activity. My dad grew up in a much more sedentary modern time than my grandfather. It shows.

 

My mom has avoided exercise at all costs for all her life. She doesn't believe women should exercise. It's not ladylike. She's in her 50s and gets winded if she tries to walk half a block. If she tries to plant flowers she throws her back out. She broke her ankle by just walking. She stumbled over a lip of grass, lost her balance, and her ankle just snapped. Why? She has no balance, no core strength, no muscle strength, and her bones are weak. That stumble should not have broken her bones.

 

In my kid's karate class I see so many kids who cannot do jumping jacks. They cannot run. They cannot skip. They cannot do push ups. This is because they are not active. They watch TV and play video games instead of physically playing. How do I know this? Their parents admit it. That's why the parents put them in karate.

 

The modern lifestyle is not how humans are meant to live.

 

Does one need to do HIIT workouts? No. But moving one's body more than is normal in modern day times is needed.

[Susan in KY]

My mom got me a fitbit for my birthday, and, as an exercise resist-er, I love it. I have been going on a walk every day just to hit my goal of 10K steps and 10 flights of stairs. Everyone else in the family has been joining me!

 

It's been a real treat to get out for a good ramble every night, and my fitbit helps me track how well I am doing through the day. I have the FitBit One, but they have a wrist band now that I think you can wear swimming, too.

[fairfarmhand]

 

I understand that people's lifestyle was "exercise." But I don't believe that we have to do something to make up for our modern-day, less-active lifestyles.

except eat less.

[Ellie]

Your choice to believe the evidence or not. It's your health and your body.

 

However, it's simply not true that humans don't need to make up for modern lifestyles. I even see it. My grandfather is 93. He is very fit. The man is like an ox. He's never had any health problems. His entire life he has had rough and tough work. He is very physically active and always has been. His activity level is above and beyond what most younger people do. I see kids who are less active much less adults. My dad has led a much more sedentary life. He had a massive heart attack at age 60. He has diabetes from being overweight. He is now making an effort to be more active. The difference between my dad and his dad is astounding. It comes down to activity. My dad grew up in a much more sedentary modern time than my grandfather. It shows.

 

My mom has avoided exercise at all costs for all her life. She doesn't believe women should exercise. It's not ladylike. She's in her 50s and gets winded if she tries to walk half a block. If she tries to plant flowers she throws her back out. She broke her ankle by just walking. She stumbled over a lip of grass, lost her balance, and her ankle just snapped. Why? She has no balance, no core strength, no muscle strength, and her bones are weak. That stumble should not have broken her bones.

 

In my kid's karate class I see so many kids who cannot do jumping jacks. They cannot run. They cannot skip. They cannot do push ups. This is because they are not active. They watch TV and play video games instead of physically playing. How do I know this? Their parents admit it. That's why the parents put them in karate.

 

The modern lifestyle is not how humans are meant to live.

 

Does one need to do HIIT workouts? No. But moving one's body more than is normal in modern day times is needed.

 

It is not that I don't believe in being active. It is that I don't believe in *exercise.*

 

I used to take long walks with the babies...because I didn't have a car during the day and I wanted to go to the library, so there you have it. :-)

 

I have done clogging, Scottish country dance, and hula. Of course those are "exercise," but I don't do them because they are "exercise." I do them because I enjoy them (especially hula, because you don't have to be young or thin, you get to dance barefooted and swish your bootie, and you get to wear way kewl costumes).

 

I took fencing for a few years. Have my own gear. What's not to love about whacking away with a sword?

 

I'm thinking about taking up some sort of martial arts, and there's a Society for Creative Anachronism group in my area that has a European dance guild that I'd like to join, if I can just remember that they meet on the second and fourth Sunday afternoons.

 

I will be 62 in July. :D

 

My children did lots of active-children things; younger dd did Scottish Highland dance for 9 years, ballet for as many (she also taught ballet for several years); older dd did marching band (color guard) for a short time, and she has taken surf-board lessons, and has trained and participated in several marathons (one of which was after having a baby).

 

Neither my children nor I are inactive. We just don't do things specifically for the sake of exercise.

[fairfarmhand]

Your choice to believe the evidence or not. It's your health and your body.

 

However, it's simply not true that humans don't need to make up for modern lifestyles. I even see it. My grandfather is 93. He is very fit. The man is like an ox. He's never had any health problems. His entire life he has had rough and tough work. He is very physically active and always has been. His activity level is above and beyond what most younger people do. I see kids who are less active much less adults. My dad has led a much more sedentary life. He had a massive heart attack at age 60. He has diabetes from being overweight. He is now making an effort to be more active. The difference between my dad and his dad is astounding. It comes down to activity. My dad grew up in a much more sedentary modern time than my grandfather. It shows.

 

My mom has avoided exercise at all costs for all her life. She doesn't believe women should exercise. It's not ladylike. She's in her 50s and gets winded if she tries to walk half a block. If she tries to plant flowers she throws her back out. She broke her ankle by just walking. She stumbled over a lip of grass, lost her balance, and her ankle just snapped. Why? She has no balance, no core strength, no muscle strength, and her bones are weak. That stumble should not have broken her bones.

 

In my kid's karate class I see so many kids who cannot do jumping jacks. They cannot run. They cannot skip. They cannot do push ups. This is because they are not active. They watch TV and play video games instead of physically playing. How do I know this? Their parents admit it. That's why the parents put them in karate.

 

The modern lifestyle is not how humans are meant to live.

 

Does one need to do HIIT workouts? No. But moving one's body more than is normal in modern day times is needed.

 

I don;t think that Ellie means that noone should move. But cultivating an active lifestyle is different from intentional exercise. Gardening, dancing, cutting the grass, taking the dog for a walk, working on a car are all active activities, and the cool thing is that they masquerade as exercise. I doubt your 92 yo grandfather ever went jogging, lifted gym-type weights or did aerobics. But his lifestyle was busy and his body was moving.

 

If you are not going to do more each day than click your remote, you will need to intentionally build in exercise. But for those who don't spend hours a day sitting on their fannies, fitting in a "workout" may be something unnecessary. You can be active without spending hours "exercising."

 

I think you and Ellie are both saying the same thing but in different ways.

[Mom-ninja.]

I don;t think that Ellie means that noone should move. But cultivating an active lifestyle is different from intentional exercise. Gardening, dancing, cutting the grass, taking the dog for a walk, working on a car are all active activities, and the cool thing is that they masquerade as exercise. I doubt your 92 yo grandfather ever went jogging, lifted gym-type weights or did aerobics. But his lifestyle was busy and his body was moving.

 

If you are not going to do more each day than click your remote, you will need to intentionally build in exercise. But for those who don't spend hours a day sitting on their fannies, fitting in a "workout" may be something unnecessary. You can be active without spending hours "exercising."

 

I think you and Ellie are both saying the same thing but in different ways.

 

Exercise vs. active. To me it's the same thing. And yes, for a lot of people, in today's modern world one has to intentionally be active. Activity is no longer just part of life as it used to be. That was my point with my grandfather compared to my father. My grandfather lived mostly in a time when activity (aka exercise) was built into his day. My father who as an adult in more modern times had desk jobs has to make a conscious effort to be active.

 

To say that modern day people don't have to do anything differently than those in the past is just not true. People today by default of their jobs, their commute distance, computers, and foods eaten (most people eat processed foods) do have to make a deliberate effort in being active.

[Ellie]

It's not the same thing to me. :-) "Exercise" is where you purposely get up and Do Something Different, like machines or zoomba or whatnot, for the sake of exercising, because someone said You Should. "Being active" is when you do things you enjoy that just happen to involve some sort of physical activity. It may turn out to be the same thing down the road, but it's different in my head. :-)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ellie - stop picking on Zumba. I dance because I love to dance. I don't see it any differently than you doing your Hula.

[LucyStoner]

It's not the same thing to me. :-) "Exercise" is where you purposely get up and Do Something Different, like machines or zoomba or whatnot, for the sake of exercising, because someone said You Should.

 

 

It's the same to your body. My body doesn't much care if I go out biking for fun, transportation to errands/work or because I need a workout.

 

People are pressed for time these days. My husband is 33, works and goes to school. He bike commutes much on the time but for bone density and upper body strength he can take up rock climbing as a hobby in non existent time he has or he can drop and do push-ups and sit-ups. We can go dancing, again in time he doesn't have, or he can wake up with me and do yoga in the living room for 20 minutes. Like millions of others, his field of work will keep him in front of a computer for most of his career. Most people do need to intentionally add activity be it biking or square dancing or water Zumba to make up for our much more sedentary lifestyle these days. Don't criticize those who need or want to be very efficient in their use of time and like modern forms of fitness/"exercise". There is no need to make exercise a dirty word.

[mommymilkies]

I used to hate exercise. Then I got chronic pain problems from it. I have OA in my knees from weak legs, a bad SI joint problem from a weak core, walking incorrectly, and weak butt muscles. Seriously. I spend hours a day stretching and doing alignment exercises to fix problems from living and exercising incorrectly. Now I run, bike, dance, and do yoga for fun. Sometimes I do it when it's not fun. I admit sometimes I throw and exercise DVD on the portable player and watch netflix so I don't get bored to death doing the same old thing. And I have ADD. :D

 

While I agree that an active lifestyle is the most important thing, not everyone can do so in modern society. We no longer walk miles a day, climb trees, climb rocks, hunt, etc. like we are built to. Even 2 hours of sitting a day can be detrimental to your health. But when you can't be that active (we can't all be trail guides), any exercise is better than none.

[Ellie]

Ellie - stop picking on Zumba. I dance because I love to dance. I don't see it any differently than you doing your Hula.

 

Silly you! I'm not picking on Zumba. I'm using that word because it's more popular today than Jazzercise, which was popular when I was a young mother and which was also promoted as a more palatable and fun form of exercise. :-) If I enjoyed Zumba (yes, I went to an introductory class), I'd do it, but not because it's "exercise."