I’ve ballooned from 155 lbs. to 182 lbs. in the past 2 years (I’m 5’7"). I need to get active. What do y’all do for physical activities that isn’t pure exercise?
Bike to work. Take the stairs. Park really far from the entrance and walk. Have sex. Eat less. Start a nicotine/heroin habit. Be late so that you have to run everywhere. Run up the stairs.
Father a healthy child who needs you to haul him around.
Ride the snake imo.
Sell some of your heavier organs on eBay.
I find that playing Basketball 2-3 times per week does wonders for your weight.
That is, until the inevitable injuries pile up, leaving you unable to do any exercise at all.
I’m not sure, though - maybe “sports” are too much like “pure exercise”? I find that playing sports scratches the same itch as playing video games.
I play tennis. Awesome sport, though it’s a lot more fun when you have some training in it, and private lessons aren’t cheap.
Walk. Seriously. It’s the best exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise you can do. Got a treadmill? Walk in the morning before work to jumpstart your metabolism. Walk around your neighborhood after dinner each night (assuming it’s safe of course). Walk an extra few blocks at lunchtime instead of rushing straight to the take-out place. The added bonus is that you might actually see and meet a few attractive women while walking all over the place.
I mostly swim - once finals end, I’ll be able to do it five days a week! Breaks up the 8 hour work day beautifully.
If you mean by “pure exercise” going to the gym or running, then I was in the exact same boat. I find those activities boring.
I found the martial arts to be a good motivator for me. It stimulates the brain and the body so yo don’t get bored, and you attend scheduled classes so people (and the instructor) will “motivate” you if you skip. Some people find the competitive aspects motivating as well. Finally there are many flavors out there, so you can find one that fits your needs.
Well, you’re not going to want to hear this, but I go to the gym 3 times a week. I do cardio for 20-30 minutes (I can watch TV during this portion) then I lift for 45 minutes. The first 3 weeks are tough but then it just becomes habit. Although my goal is lean weight gain.
I find sports much easier to do than pure exercise. I have a hard time getting motivated to go running or cycling or even walking, and I’ve only lifted weights a couple times in my entire life, but if I have a hockey or volleyball game I won’t miss it even when I’m sick.
Lifting weights is good cause it builds muscle mass that burn calories for you. But it does fall under “pure exercise”.
I have a Yoga/martial arts (Budakon?) dvd I pop in the laptop and do sometimes when I don’t want to go to the gym. I’ve done it enough that I don’t really need to watch the instructor so I can pretty much watch basketball/sports while I do it. That’s a pretty easy 25- 30 min workout that doesn’t get too boring.
Do you not have a single physical activity that you already enjoy? Do it more. If you don’t have one, kill yourself now.
H.
I hope this doesn’t mean what I think it does. Though that would be funny.
I try to walk 30 mins, five times a week, but if I can’t fit that in, I ride our stationary bike for half an hour.
It’s not as fun as playing ice hockey (which I did for years until I wrecked my back) but I find myself using the dead exercise time to flush my head out, or worry at a problem I’m having with my work. Exercise is hands down the best cure for stress and/or anxiety. And it means I can keep drinking beer :o
Spring is sprung, summer’s on the way, and my wife and I are talking house projects. Here’s two we’re considering. I don’t want to start a thread for each. Any advice is appreciated, and if anyone else has minor home improvement questions, feel free to stick them in this thread.
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Wireless intercoms. Our house is a 2 story, plus a finished basement. It’s hard to communicate from one level to the next, and especially to the basement. What I’d like is a simple wireless intercom system, where a person can walk to an intercom, press a button, and broadcast to any other intercom systems in the house. The person on the other hand might be busy, but ideally wouldn’t need to walk over to the 2nd intercom system to talk back - they could just talk/yell in the general direction of the receiver - i.e. the first person holds the channel open - the other(s) don’t need to press a button. Is this how they work? Anybody use and like any particular models?
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Attic fan. I work in an upstairs bedroom, and during the day, the temperature can be about 10-15 degrees warmer than the overall house temperature. Even with the central A/C set at 72, it can reach mid 80s up here. I have a window A/C for this room, but it’s loud.
We have a dark roof on our house, and the attic space gets really hot. I suspect that this is creating an effect rather like a blanket on the rooms upstairs (right below the attic). The attic has a couple of vents, but no fan or anything. Can I get a fan put in the attic, and will this make a noticeable difference in the temperatures upstairs? Ideally, I’d like the fan to be either temperature sensitive (only kick in on hot days), or controlled by remote within the main part of the house. The blanket effect is probably a net positive during the winter - it’s only during hot summer days that I’m bothered.
I walk every morning for about 45 mins. I take my iPod along and crank through audiobooks at the same time.
Take up smoking, or if that isn’t quick enough, crystal meth. Catch dysentery.
If that fails, walk everywhere, eat alot less, play the Wii for a few hours a day, do some heavy duty housework or work in the garden.
I’ve found I’ve gained a bit of weight over the last few years as well, making the transition to more desk based work. A huge way I’ve taken 10+ lbs. off over the last 6 months has just been packing my own lunch instead of going out to lunch. I found I ate less, spent less, and ate much better foods for me. I’ve been doing a lot of those Progresso soup bowls you can microwave up, and then have a couple of sides. Trade Joes has a great selection of quick easy things to make for lunch for under $3 a piece as well.
I’ve also tried to go on walks pretty regularly as well, but it’s harder to get motivated for that.