how much exercise do you need?

[JackieOnLine]

and I don't mean for weight loss or for maintenance, I mean for health and LIFE.

The Right Dose of Exercise

more than I am getting, that for sure. this isn't what the article I linked is about but as always it turns out a little bit - regularly! - is better than none.

I have tried to be motivated various ways - feel better! look better! but what scares me the most is getting dementia, so

Think Better! is my hope. really? can't think of anything that ails me that exercise wouldn't help. seriously.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Well I get zero exercise right now other than the 1-1.5 miles walking to and from car and around office at work...and I have great numbers. That being said I have a couple other issues keeping me from exercising and I want to start building core strength back once those are out of the way and I feel like working out.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I bought videos of Miranda Esmonde-White after seeing Aging Backwards on a PBS pledge break. I got a couple seasons of Classical Stretch, #4 & #10 and I mean to start using them.

you know, any day now.

 

[Dave0168]

I think enough is a relative term. We each need to self-asses and decide what we want and how we want to feel. For some, their jobs provide enough activity, for others they need more.

I used to think I got enough from my job as a contractor and probably did. But once I started a regimented training routine I realized the feeling I get from it makes me want to keep going, do more and set better goals (I am contemplating a Spartan Sprint at some point ) which I never would have done 8 months ago.

Bottom line is something is better than nothing whether its stretching, walking, weight training, running, etc. Even simple things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator of parking farther away from the door count.

Do what feels good (for real, sleeping doesn't count).

 

[Txkat]

Check out the NY Times. They very recently did a piece summarizing the amount of exercise for optimal health. It's A LOT, like 180 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week.

 

[robs477]

I’m certainly not one to talk, or PREACH, BUT, I do have a lot of history and through the “School of hard Knocks”, (SHK), have a lot of knowledge from working out with world class trainers etc for many years and I will just say this. As far as I am concerned, regarding the Human body, there are TWO things that I call “Magic Bullets” regarding being healthy. Number one is of course HYDRATION, number two is Exercise. It really is a magic bullet and cure-all for a LOT of issues. I even put those two right up there with nutrition.

I’m NOT talking about “Walking at work”…YES, that’s better than doing nothing, for sure, BUT, you really need weight bearing AND aerobic exercise where you get your heart rate UP and you produce a LOT of sweat where you release a significant amount of bodily toxins, release endorphins, and trigger metabolic stimulating hormone profiles that will last up to 48 hours post work-out.

I had to stop working out a few yrs ago when I would just be to GD tired and sore at the end of the workday from WALKING A LOT AT WORK….lol I have just recently and VERY slowly starting to work-out again and I am SO EXCITED to be able to get this back in to my life again. I always LOVED working out, it feels GREAT afterwards!

The first “Step” is the hardest, but….it really grows on you quick. My personal favorite is riding my bike, which I really love to do. And….at 86 pound LESS, it’s not hurting my “NOT AS FAT ASS” near as much it did before, but....it is now scraping the bone a little.....lol

 

[MamaShelia]

@robs477,

I think you are so right on the hydration, nutrition, AND weight-bearing and aerobic exercise, we need all of that!
Sometimes, I think that we feel losing the weight will cure all of our ills---we will be instantly healthy, confident, loved, respected, AND win the lottery, without even playing! But most of the time there are a lot of underlying issues that we need to deal with, both emotionally and physically, that the weight has just been masking!
By looking at my cute baby phat on the left, you may not believe this, but at one point, before my mama died, Hurricane Katrina dislocated us, and I began an internal bleed that lasted 26 months before the cause was found---I was up at 445AM in the gym, before my husband Marine and his troops got there! I was a lean, mean fighting machine at 35 yrs old, for about, hmmm...7 months...and then I wasn't.
But boy do I remember how that made me feel...the endorphins, the sense of accomplishment, the moonlit 5ks on the beach....SIGH!

I have achieved so much in my life, and have a degree for almost all of it, I have an amazing husband and exceptional sons, but NOTHING has ever given me that personal satisfaction that taking care of my body and reaching that next goal at the gym has.

I can't wait to give it another go...albeit, 11 years later!

 

[GirlFriday]

I hate to exercise. Of course, if I loved it, I would probably never have gotten to 350 pounds in the first place.
These days, my dog is number one form of exercise. We love to go to the dog park and while he plays with his friends, I walk laps with mine. We also go to the hiking trails at the City park. I know one PA told me that walking a dog isn't exercise, but she never met my dog so that is how I do it. I spend about an hour and half each day, outside, walking/running/playing with my dog. It works for me. And it is so much easier now that I am getting lighter.

 

[SJB41976]

Something is better than nothing. My trainer wants me to walk up to an hour (or more) on days we don't work out. He says that it doesn't have to all be at the same time. I get strength/weight/interval training from him 2x a week.

Find something you love and move. I think if you think about it too much it gets overwhelming and we stop or don't start at all. Once you get in a groove and doing something you love consistently, add something else.

And no, I'm not walking an hour a day on my off days. I do exercise on my own 1 extra day a week.

I like how exercise makes me feel and it keeps my lower back from inflammation. I have been active over the past 12 years to keep my back issues at bay. Now my knees are going out. It sucks. But my trainer is awesome and has strengthened my knee after meniscus repair last year.

 

[robs477]

@robs477,

I think you are so right on the hydration, nutrition, AND weight-bearing and aerobic exercise, we need all of that!
Sometimes, I think that we feel losing the weight will cure all of our ills---we will be instantly healthy, confident, loved, respected, AND win the lottery, without even playing! But most of the time there are a lot of underlying issues that we need to deal with, both emotionally and physically, that the weight has just been masking!
By looking at my cute baby phat on the left, you may not believe this, but at one point, before my mama died, Hurricane Katrina dislocated us, and I began an internal bleed that lasted 26 months before the cause was found---I was up at 445AM in the gym, before my husband Marine and his troops got there! I was a lean, mean fighting machine at 35 yrs old, for about, hmmm...7 months...and then I wasn't.
But boy do I remember how that made me feel...the endorphins, the sense of accomplishment, the moonlit 5ks on the beach....SIGH!

I have achieved so much in my life, and have a degree for almost all of it, I have an amazing husband and exceptional sons, but NOTHING has ever given me that personal satisfaction that taking care of my body and reaching that next goal at the gym has.

I can't wait to give it another go...albeit, 11 years later!

@MamaShelia ...you sound like a VERY strong and determined Woman with a proven track record of success! I’m sure you will succeed at this as well and I am also sending you my best wishes!!

 

[southernlady]

I hate to exercise. Of course, if I loved it, I would probably never have gotten to 350 pounds in the first place.
These days, my dog is number one form of exercise. We love to go to the dog park and while he plays with his friends, I walk laps with mine. We also go to the hiking trails at the City park. I know one PA told me that walking a dog isn't exercise, but she never met my dog so that is how I do it. I spend about an hour and half each day, outside, walking/running/playing with my dog. It works for me. And it is so much easier now that I am getting lighter.

I had an exercise physiologist at my surgeon's office INFORM me that home renovations, gardening, yard work is NOT exercise. That was the nail in the coffin with my going to that office post op.

I will admit it isn't FORMAL exercise but it IS exercise. I sweat, I burn calories, I use muscles that I don't use just walking, etc.

 

[MamaShelia]

@MamaShelia ...you sound like a VERY strong and determined Woman with a proven track record of success! I’m sure you will succeed at this as well and I am also sending you my best wishes!!

HAHAH! That's ONE way to "see" me, I have been described in several others! Thanks, Rob---let's do this, brother!

 

[GirlFriday]

This person was the PA that I had to see pre-op as a requirement by the hospital where I had my surgery (not required by Dr. Inman, but the hospital itself) and she also told me that all those things that you mentioned were NOT exercise either. Well, I spent 3 hours cleaning out my garage this past Saturday and I worked up one hell of a sweat, and I have the sore arms that say it was indeed exercise.
The PA told me that exercise SPECIFICALLY is a scheduled, regimented work out with no distractions that I must do for 60 minutes everyday.

When I completed my survey of the hospital, I let them know what a smug little witch she was and how it was a waste of my time to spend an hour with her.

 

[southernlady]

This person was the PA that I had to see pre-op as a requirement by the hospital where I had my surgery (not required by Dr. Inman, but the hospital itself) and she also told me that all those things that you mentioned were NOT exercise either. Well, I spent 3 hours cleaning out my garage this past Saturday and I worked up one hell of a sweat, and I have the sore arms that say it was indeed exercise.
The PA told me that exercise SPECIFICALLY is a scheduled, regimented work out with no distractions that I must do for 60 minutes everyday.

When I completed my survey of the hospital, I let them know what a smug little witch she was and how it was a waste of my time to spend an hour with her.

I'm sorry, I do NOT do anything scheduled or regimented!

Dh and I are rebuilding a bathroom downstairs in the basement. (It's actually a half bath and we would ignore it but we do have a toilet drain there so leaving that out isn't wise. Also we found that having one down there is convenient for times when we can't make it upstairs fast enough, for workmen around the house, etc. But it's involved totally deconstructing the old one and rebuilding a new one. And 2 x 8's are NOT light! The old one was molded and rotting.

And when I mentioned to my handyman that I was told yard work was not exercise, he LOL and said, just let ME have her for a day...she'll change her mind!

 

[JackieOnLine]

I had an exercise physiologist at my surgeon's office INFORM me that home renovations, gardening, yard work is NOT exercise. That was the nail in the coffin with my going to that office post op.

not exercise, my ass.

truly, the best option would be if you never needed to "work out" because your day is full of movement. you walk, you work, you do chores, you have hobbies and activity that include moving and you do not sit all day long.

that's what we were designed for, duh. so I don't blame you for not taking them seriously.