Sedentary Lifestyles suck. Now how do you really fix one?

Teyar · January 2010

So, like a lot of you, I play a lot of video games. And read TVtropes. And hoard digital comics. And chat endlessly with friends. And facebook. And just being stuck in a depression-wave funk. And then there's - okay you get the point here.

The force-multiplying problem is, I work as a pizza driver nowadays, so my physical activity has dropped from "whatever I got at work, and walking to and from" to.... zip. Zilcho. And I wonder how many other people have started there and wound up turning into blob-whales. Like the other pizza driver who's about my body frame and twice my size. And I'm big as it is.

Not a fun idea. But its a bitch altering your everyday habits, sooooooooo....

My fellow whateverans! What sort of habits / life alterations / methods / ideas have you found effective for getting the hell off the couch in a long term, meaningful way?

SkyGheNe · January 2010

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

MKR · January 2010

Eat better calories, insert little bits of extra movement where possible.

HKPacman420 · January 2010

I don't really know all that much about the long term, but doing a light exercise routine (some crunches,push-ups,etc.) before bed and when you wake up in the morning couldn't hurt.

SkyGheNe · January 2010

HKPacman420 wrote: »

I don't really know all that much about the long term, but doing a light exercise routine (some crunches,push-ups,etc.) before bed and when you wake up in the morning couldn't hurt.

And finding an activity that involves exercise but is fun.

Tree climbing and tennis for me. Also frisbeee and hiking.

NailbunnyPD · January 2010

My dogs keep me active. I also prefer walking to driving whenever possible.

Corvus · January 2010

Start keeping a time log of how much time you spend sitting in front of your PC,video games, or TV. This is the same principle as learning to control your budget, you've got to track your spending. This is just a time-budget. Your time is valuable, keep track of where you are spending it.

Most people who complain about not having time to exercise could probably drop three hours of TV watching, or aimless web surfing, a week and easily have enough time to work out or do whatever.

The most important thing though, is to find something that is fun to do that is physically active. If you absolutely fucking hate going to the gym, it's going to be hard to stick with it. But if you try playing Ultimate Frisbee, or Rock Climbing, or Boxing, or whatever, having an active lifestyle is a lot easier.

How do you find which thing is right for you? You just have to get out and try them, Meetup.com is supposed to be good for this.

MKR · January 2010

It would probably also help to live somewhere walkable. I have to make a 5 mile round trip to get groceries, and 40 to do anything interesting. That's not conducive to good health.

Barcardi · January 2010

Over the past 6 months i have found it is best for my mental sanity to completely disconnect from electronics at least once a week. Usually this involves hiking and bringing my dog with me. So, get a dog? (note: not a small, prissy dog). The problem however is being away from the net...tv... whathaveyou is that for a while you feel like you are "missing out." But you arnt, and if you are get tivo.

Also it helps to take up a work out type that is actually fun, ie join a intermural sports league, or go rock climbing, or take up biking or something. It is a ton easier to stay committed to something like that when you have other people around you doing the same thing and supporting you. As opposed to random dudes at a gym.

Havelock · January 2010

As hard as it is to do, and believe me I know, limit your time on video games/internet stuff and try to have an excercise routine instead. Doesn't mean you have to stop playing video games, but some of that time could be spent doing something else physically challenging and fun.

Also, force yourself to develop a routine if possible. And stick to that routine like your life depends on it. The reason for that is that once you break routine, it becomes easier to break it again. I have a bad habit of doing the 'I'm tired so I don't want to run today. I'll just run tomorrow' thing, and then I wind up not running for a good while.

So in the words of South Park: "you needa goood disciprine"

RocketSauce · January 2010

I work in an office, but frequently am on the go or outside. I also work late evenings consistently and this leaves me with little desire to do anything but veg. I crank out as many pushups as I can throughout the day, in the office or with a minute or two to spare, or at home watching TV. It usually adds up to about 200-300 a day, and combined with a trip to the gym 2 or 3 times a week (at least once on weekends) keeps me in good shape. When I go to the gym I don't ride a bike for 30 minutes and call it quits, I am blasting my muscles with weights for a good hour non-stop.

jeddy lee · January 2010

Walk or bike whenever possible, see what healthy corners you can cut on food. (for me, I started drinking coffee black rather than cream/sugar, diet coke is just as good as regular coke, olive oil is better than butter). Also find something you genuinely like to do that could be somewhat seen as exorcize.

-Biking
-Hiking
-Rock climbing
-Swimming
-Weight lifting
-Casual sports like soccer, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, softball, etc...

Also don't be lazy about stuff. Clean up your appartment, do your dishes, keep things neat and tidy, all of those require a lot more calories than not doing them.

*note* skate boarding is way fun and burns a decent amount of calories.

mrt144 · January 2010

Teyar wrote: »

So, like a lot of you, I play a lot of video games. And read TVtropes. And hoard digital comics. And chat endlessly with friends. And facebook. And just being stuck in a depression-wave funk. And then there's - okay you get the point here.

The force-multiplying problem is, I work as a pizza driver nowadays, so my physical activity has dropped from "whatever I got at work, and walking to and from" to.... zip. Zilcho. And I wonder how many other people have started there and wound up turning into blob-whales. Like the other pizza driver who's about my body frame and twice my size. And I'm big as it is.

Not a fun idea. But its a bitch altering your everyday habits, sooooooooo....

My fellow whateverans! What sort of habits / life alterations / methods / ideas have you found effective for getting the hell off the couch in a long term, meaningful way?

Wii fit. TVTropes fit.

uean · January 2010

SkyGheNe wrote: »

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

I think I can safely say that this is bad advice.

Still... youtube link?

uean · January 2010

jack eddy wrote: »

Walk or bike whenever possible, see what healthy corners you can cut on food. (for me, I started drinking coffee black rather than cream/sugar, diet coke is just as good as regular coke, olive oil is better than butter). Also find something you genuinely like to do that could be somewhat seen as exorcize.

-Biking
-Hiking
-Rock climbing
-Swimming
-Weight lifting
-Casual sports like soccer, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, softball, etc...

Also don't be lazy about stuff. Clean up your appartment, do your dishes, keep things neat and tidy, all of those require a lot more calories than not doing them.

*note* skate boarding is way fun and burns a decent amount of calories.

Actually doing all those things also helps to get you out of a funk. You finish, and while you hated doing it, when the place looks good you feel pretty good. It's super easy to get bummed and get lazy and just let the sloppiness drive you further into depression. In college I found I could barely get anything done in a messy room. Now I even sleep better if the floor is tidied.

Fallingman · January 2010

Sports.

Find what interests you. Team sports, contact, non-contact, solo pursuits, mountain biking, rock climbing (probably smarter than the tree thing).

RocketSauce · January 2010

Healthy environment = healthy mind = healthy body

If I could make this into a little sign like the reuse, renew, recycle sign I would, because it's true.

Loren Michael · January 2010

Teyar wrote: »

So, like a lot of you, I play a lot of video games. And read TVtropes. And hoard digital comics. And chat endlessly with friends. And facebook. And just being stuck in a depression-wave funk. And then there's - okay you get the point here.

The force-multiplying problem is, I work as a pizza driver nowadays, so my physical activity has dropped from "whatever I got at work, and walking to and from" to.... zip. Zilcho. And I wonder how many other people have started there and wound up turning into blob-whales. Like the other pizza driver who's about my body frame and twice my size. And I'm big as it is.

Not a fun idea. But its a bitch altering your everyday habits, sooooooooo....

My fellow whateverans! What sort of habits / life alterations / methods / ideas have you found effective for getting the hell off the couch in a long term, meaningful way?

I went to China. Got thinner, had lots of sex, modified my gaming habits such that I was playing Settlers of Catan with pretty girls in coffee shops instead of in a comic book store with guys who smell like grease.

A change of scenery can do wonders. The move necessitated getting rid of a lot of the stuff I had hoarded.

HeraldS · January 2010

Step 1: Take a picture of the other driver (future you if no changes are made) and hang it everywhere you normally sit around and do nothing- by your TV, computer, refrigerator, and one on your nightstand too. Before you sit down to play video games or fuck around on the computer and before you go to bed at night, ask yourself, "Have I done what I need to do today to make sure I don't end up like that?". If the answer is no, sorry, you don't get to play/ waste time/ sleep until the answer is yes.

Step 2: Completely reevaluate your diet. Get away from processed foods, anything with partially hydrogenated shit, soda, probably the stuff you normally consume as you meld with your couch. Replace it with whole grains, fruit, green vegetables, lean protein like chicken or fish, and trade the soda for coffee or tea if you still want caffeine.

Step 3: Figure out a way to get exercise that you can actually stick with. None of that pussy ass low intensity Elliptical shit you normally see fat girls at the gym doing. Find something that gets you out of your house and kicks your ass. You may have to start off slow because it sounds like you don't have now and have never had much of a fitness level, but ratchet it up aggressively. Add weight lifting at some point- focus on compound exercises like benchpress, squats, and deadlifts. Bludgeon to death any trainer that advocates bicep curls or other isolation lifts. Start with pushups and the like if you can't get to a gym right away.

Step 4: Stick with it. And stick with it. And stick with it. And when you start to think you'll never see the results you want, stick with it some more. However long it took you to get to this point, it's going to take about that length of time to get serious results. Keep track of what you're doing- diet and exercise. Though you may not see physical results right away, if you keep at it you will notice better eating habits and progress in your workouts.

Step 5: Get ready to make these changes a permanent part of your life going forward. It's a lifelong battle to be healthy and in shape. You have visible proof of what awaits you if you chose the opposite.

I have no doubt this will be hard at first, and you will be tempted to cheat or slack off. But once you really get going with this, you will find that you can't imagine going back to your old lifestyle. You will look forward to getting your exercise in for the day and feel like shit when you gorge yourself on unhealthy food. If you want more specific advice on exercise or diet, check this place out. These dudes know what they're talking about and they won't coddle you or mince words.

Good luck. It's your life and it's up to you to make it how you want it.

Couscous · January 2010

I like playing videogames while walking on a treadmill or elliptical.

GungHo · January 2010

Dog, MMA, and Type-A girlfriend keep me busy.

Arch · January 2010

jack eddy wrote: »

Walk or bike whenever possible, see what healthy corners you can cut on food. (for me, I started drinking coffee black rather than cream/sugar, diet coke is just as good as regular coke, olive oil is better than butter). Also find something you genuinely like to do that could be somewhat seen as exorcize.

-Rock climbing

*note* skate boarding is way fun and burns a decent amount of calories.

These were the things that kept me fit, until I got old enough that skateboarding in public could get me in real trouble, and the only skatepark near me (that I know about) is exorbitantly expensive.

Ditto the rock wall climing (meaning I don't have access to a free rock wall at the university gym since I graduated and moved away).

I am actually gaining weight for the first time in ever and I do not like it. however, I also hate traditional exercise unless I wrap it in something fun (like skateboarding or rock climbing)

I need to do more things and get in shape but unless I just want to run everywhere (which I plan to start doing) I don't know what else to do.

MKR · January 2010

uean wrote: »

SkyGheNe wrote: »

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

I think I can safely say that this is bad advice.

Still... youtube link?

Like parkour, it's both extremely dangerous and fun. But it gets safer as you get more experience.

Corvus · January 2010

Arch wrote: »

jack eddy wrote: »

Walk or bike whenever possible, see what healthy corners you can cut on food. (for me, I started drinking coffee black rather than cream/sugar, diet coke is just as good as regular coke, olive oil is better than butter). Also find something you genuinely like to do that could be somewhat seen as exorcize.

-Rock climbing

*note* skate boarding is way fun and burns a decent amount of calories.

These were the things that kept me fit, until I got old enough that skateboarding in public could get me in real trouble, and the only skatepark near me (that I know about) is exorbitantly expensive.

Ditto the rock wall climing (meaning I don't have access to a free rock wall at the university gym since I graduated and moved away).

I am actually gaining weight for the first time in ever and I do not like it. however, I also hate traditional exercise unless I wrap it in something fun (like skateboarding or rock climbing)

I need to do more things and get in shape but unless I just want to run everywhere (which I plan to start doing) I don't know what else to do.

Join a hiking club? Hiking is pretty much free. Maybe you have to chip in for gas, or buy boots if you don't have them, but buying gear goes for most activities.

RMS Oceanic · January 2010

I think the key to improving a lifestyle is planning.

It's easy to get in a rut when you wake up in the morning and wonder "what will I do today?" It's easy to end up with "Eh, I dunno" and do stuff that requires little effort. Same thing happens when it comes to nutritional choices, it's easy to buy something from a shop or order takeout than cook for yourself.

So you should take some time to think about your daily routine, and think about how to improve it. Definately try and build a small stockpile of prepared food that you can cook and eat easily, and prepare sandwiches for your job so you're not tempted to get a pizza or something. Definately open up time in your schedule for some sort of exercise. If all you do is work/computer, that should be easy enough. A group activity would be a good idea, for then you'll have someone to help drag you to whatever you've decided to try out.

So plan out your weekly or monthly schedule a little, whatever you do. Living life day to day is an easy way to get caught in a rut.

Deebaser · January 2010

Check the internet, They may have something similar in your area. Grown ups love them some kickball
http://www.zogsports.org/

PotatoNinja · January 2010

Do you have difficulty maintaining an exercise regiment? Consider enrolling into a class or creating some other kind of obligation. "I should go to the gym sometime tonight" is a very easy requirement to delay or ignore, "I have cycling at 6:00" or "I need to meet Jim and Bob for weights at 7:00" makes it harder for your brain to say "meh, let's do it later."

Essentially: create a scenario where doing nothing is no longer convenient. Too much effort is placed into "what specific activity should I do to change my lifestyle," as if there's some gigantic difference in health benefits between biking and kickball. Get a generic idea of how you'd like your lifestyle to change and then abuse your own psychology to ensure it happens.

Cantido · January 2010

I'm AFROTC, I have every right to completely shut down when homework and exercise is done. :P

SkyGheNe · January 2010

uean wrote: »

SkyGheNe wrote: »

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

I think I can safely say that this is bad advice.

Still... youtube link?

pmed

Arch · January 2010

SkyGheNe wrote: »

uean wrote: »

SkyGheNe wrote: »

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

I think I can safely say that this is bad advice.

Still... youtube link?

pmed

why not just post it? I think we all want to see!

Andrew_Jay · January 2010

SkyGheNe · January 2010

Arch wrote: »

SkyGheNe wrote: »

uean wrote: »

SkyGheNe wrote: »

I climb trees.

It's fun, a great way of building muscles and exercising, and makes me feel like a kid again.

It's also really impressive when you've practiced so much that you can scale a tree in a matter of seconds like spider-man. You start to spot patterns, learn about which branches are safe/unsafe, and also what your limits are.

I learned mine when I attempted to jump from one branch and swing to another. I think I feel 20 feet, and the result made me look like I was a falling starfish that landed on my head.

This was all recorded and put on youtube. I do not regret it.

I think I can safely say that this is bad advice.

Still... youtube link?

pmed

why not just post it? I think we all want to see!

Up for a limited time due to people who might track it back to me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He1mKTvdJJA

I don't need anyone telling me I may have a pre-existing condition like insanity :P

Senjutsu · January 2010

Yeah, constant and ever increasing sprawl as the solution to expanding cities is a big big culprit. You literally cannot do a damn thing without hopping in a car.

It locks people into and creates a culture where people look at you funny if you even try to trek across sidewalk-less streets and mammoth parking lots to get groceries rather than drive 4 whole blocks even if you live close to a small franchise island in the suburban sea

[Tycho?] · January 2010

I purposely lived without internet for two years. It wasn't due to my physical heath really, I just felt like I spent too much time on it. I used a university or city library instead, meaning I had to walk or bike to use the net, I often had time limits, and I very rarely went more than once a day. Two hours a day was usually enough, and it got me out of the house a lot.

Also, martial arts.

[Tycho?] · January 2010

And that video was hilarious.

MKR · January 2010

However, there is an excellent MTB trail 3 miles away that I intend to peruse this summer.

THEPAIN73 · January 2010

Your cameraman is the worst.

They missed the best part!

Clearly you need to reevaluate your friends.

Arch · January 2010

[Tycho?] wrote: »

And that video was hilarious.

yes

SkyGheNe · January 2010

THEPAIN73 wrote: »

Your cameraman is the worst.

They missed the best part!

Clearly you need to reevaluate your friends.

Oh believe me, I know. After I could see again and wasn't in tremendous pain, I checked out the video and was like "HOW COULD YOU HAVE MISSED THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS ENTIRE VIDEO."

It looked a lot worse in person, because the branch I was standing on was taller than me and I'm about 5'7". The branch that I leaped to was absurdly far away, and upon re-examination, I should have known that momentum would have gotten the best of me.

Robman · January 2010

How do you fix a lazy lifestyle?

Start with walking everywhere less then 3 miles/5 km from your house, even for grocery shopping. Buy a cart to lug your food back.

UncleSporky · January 2010

Couscous wrote: »

I like playing videogames while walking on a treadmill or elliptical.

You know what, I asked H/A about this a while back and they said it was impractical/not worth it.

Well, to be more specific, either doing that or finding equipment that has a place for a keyboard and mouse. If the movement of my body wouldn't get too much in the way, that seems about ideal.

I have a partly desk job, I also wonder if those floor cycles are any good.

Penny Arcade

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Sedentary Lifestyles suck. Now how do you really fix one?

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