Exercise -- you should do it, but do you do it?

[Bill Binkelman]

Seren, you lucky!!!  ;)

I have to work really hard, but I'm getting into pretty good shape now & I'm pretty happy with how things are looking these days.  :)

That IS a " 'shopped" photo, isn't it? I mean, s'rsly? 'Cause if that's really all you, Lena, for god's sake, if Mike ever gets outta line, you can just kick his ass to hell and back! (sorry Mike but she - if it's her - looks strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark...or whatever it was that Han Solo said to Luke)

[mgriffin]

Lena lifts weights 4 times per week -- she's got serious guns!

[Bill Binkelman]

So, Lena has brains, beauty, and now BRAWN too!

Excuse me while I go weep for my pitiful existence... :'(

[Joe R]

Luckily, I work in a job where it's quite easy to stay in good shape, IF you choose to. I work for a utility company installing gas lines, and if you're ambitious enough to get your ass off the backhoe and bulldozer (and I am), then there's plenty of opportunity to get LOTS of aerobic exercise, and muscle building exercise as well. I make it a point to do the physical work that some other co-workers shy away from -the shoveling, the jack-hammer, the sledge hammer, the frost bar, the rock drill, etc. I work at a fast enough rate to keep my heart pumping at a brisk, steady pace, and it shows. I'm 6' 1'', 195, never have had high blood pressure, or bad cholesterol, or bad sugar. So I don't have to follow a strict exercise regimen at home, though I do try to ride my bike for an hour or so, 2 or 3 times a week.
 

[lena]

Well, thanks for the compliments, Seren & Bill!  :)

Bill, you really thought my pic was Photoshopped?  Awesome!!!  ;D

OK, back to shoveling a gigantic pile of rock back into my pond now. (Oh, and if you think my arms look buff, you should see my QUADS)... ;)

[Seren]

Well, thanks for the compliments, Seren & Bill!  :)

Bill, you really thought my pic was Photoshopped?  Awesome!!!  ;D

OK, back to shoveling a gigantic pile of rock back into my pond now. (Oh, and if you think my arms look buff, you should see my QUADS)... ;)

where are quads??

[mgriffin]

QUADriceps, the big muscles along the front of your upper legs.  Well, they're big on some people...  ;)

[lena]

And, no- those are NOT my legs... (Beat you guys to it, didn't I?)  ;D

[mgriffin]

They're not mine either!

[ambient789]

If I look back at the times in my life when I struggled to do the things I wanted in my life, when I had negative thoughts about myself, and when I felt physically poor, it always coincides with the times when I've allowed myself to stop exercising, gain weight, and become sedentary.

It helps my sense of overall well-being, makes me feel stronger, more capable, and more energetic in the rest of my life.  I'm more able to meet the challenges of a busy life when I stay fit, and I have more confidence about trying new things.

;)

Mike, Lena,

Basically, could you say that it advances your personal happiness? During one year, I exercised so much that it burned me out. The thing was, I was mainly trying to advance my happiness with it as I was feeling really bad about my work, life etc. I haven't found the right balance for me yet, so please be careful. Burnout can be hard to recover from. Good luck with it!!!

[mgriffin]

Just because exercise makes you feel better doesn't mean that exercising to extremes will make you extremely happy.

Similarly, drinking a glass or two of wine makes me feel good, but I know that drinking 30 glasses of wine will make me feel much worse, not better.

[zzzone.net]

Just like anything else, one can over do exercise.  When it is just boring and lacking any pleasure, most people throw in the towel.

That's why whenever I recommend exercise, I stress how important it is to make it fun...read, listen to music, watch the news, etc.

I will add that exercise is the only "fountain of youth."

As we age our bones and muscles get weaker and weaker until one basically falls into the grave.

Exercise, done sensibly, keeps things working longer...if that's what you want.

Also, listen to your body when you exercise.  If you hurt consistently, something's amiss and you need to avoid whatever exercise is aggravating things.

Let me take off my white coat.

Jim

[sraymar]

I just discovered that Fullerton has a 28 mile recreational trail system! I knew of a couple of trails but now I'm going to be putting in some serious time walking/jogging them. I tried out a mile of the Juanita Cooke equestrian trail this morning and it reeks of Eucalyptus.

Steve

[jkn]

I spent many years not being active and not exercising and I regret it - the last few I've made serious efforts to do "something" on a regular basis - whether it's walk or do an exercise dvd (I really like Leslie Sansone "walk at home" dvd's - because it's more than walking, but not too stressful - and it's inside - which works nicely for the time of day I typically workout which is 4:45 - 5:15 am or so.) or get on our recumbent exercise bike or lift hand weights. 

Unfortunately - I run into times when exercising doesn't work out so well - but I'm getting there.   Regardless - I've lost 35 pounds over the last 2-3 years.   2009 so far hasn't been the best of years for exercising - asthma and illnesses have been a bit on the annoying side... :-)   But nothing serious!

[drone on]

I will start on my exercise program tomorrow.  Tonight, however, I will order another pizza and veg out on the couch melting my brain with Hypnos CD's, which make me not want to move except lie perfectly still and gain more weight. 

[sraymar]

I will start on my exercise program tomorrow.  Tonight, however, I will order another pizza and veg out on the couch melting my brain with Hypnos CD's, which make me not want to move except lie perfectly still and gain more weight. 

So drone on, how's the new exercise regimin(and diet I hope!) comming along? I'm still at mine(and I've added a few new exercises as well) and haven't gained a pound. I've also put in quite a few miles on the Fullerton walking trails. I should get a digi recorder to capture the rattlesnakes! They keep their distance but like to let you know they detect your presence.

Steve

[mgriffin]

In May, Lena and I set a goal of running a July half-marathon and we are both very pleased with ourselves that we were able to do it, finishing comfortably and even running a bit faster than we expected we would.

Next stop, Portland Marathon.  Ok, not NEXT stop, but a little over a year from now, we're going to run a full marathon.  Probably we'll do other half-marathons and 10ks and stuff in between.

[hdibrell]

I should get a digi recorder to capture the rattlesnakes! They keep their distance but like to let you know they detect your presence.




  Yes, That is definitely an adrenalin pumping sound. I remember going to Big Bend National Park years ago and having a conversation with some Swiss hikers and a park ranger. The Swiss couple were showing off the latest Sony Walkman (OK, it was quite awhile ago) and talking about how they loved to listen on headphones as they hiked. The ranger then expained that when that 6 foot rattler is letting you know you're getting too close, you really want to hear it. I've never used headphones while hiking since then.   Harry

[lena]

Ha ha, yes, I would DEFINITELY want to know about a nearby, unhappy six-foot rattler!  ;D

I don't understand why people want to get out into nature and then block a bunch of it out with headphones, anyway...  ???

[hdibrell]

Ha ha, yes, I would DEFINITELY want to know about a nearby, unhappy six-foot rattler!  ;D

I don't understand why people want to get out into nature and then block a bunch of it out with headphones, anyway...  ???

I agree. Although , I have to admit that I did do that in some of my much younger years. There is plenty of time when you get home to listen to music. It is such a great experience to listen to what is going on around you when you are out in nature. Now, I spend an hour or more every evening just sitting in my back yard listening to the sounds of nature, as well as my neighborhood. A lot better than TV. ;)   Harry