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Complaint Thursdays


LabattBlue

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It's way too easy to let the weight creep up (that's my complaint). As for solutions, I'm amazed that after a decade of trying to find a workout that fits into my schedule, walking seems to be it. I've been doing a couple of miles 4-6 times a week - only takes a little over half an hour and seems to be making a big difference. Now, the other piece of the solution is to not eat too much. I switched from cereal for breakfast to 3 - 4 pieces of fresh fruit cut up together, then instead of eating crap for a mid afternoon snack, I eat the cereal. Basically I'm substituting fresh fruit for pastries but mixing up the order (fruit in the afternoon never seemed to cut it). Also using the packaged lettuce and doing a salad (loaded with unhealthy stuff but still a salad) instead of the Dollar Menu at McDs (our office is next door).

 

Anyway, good luck to everyone on the board with this issue that's facing many of us. I feel somewhat the dork walking like the old folks but trying to get to the pool, gym or bike for an hour proved impossible. And as the soon to be father of our 4th and not too far away from 40, it's important to get & stay fit for the kiddos.

 

That's a great breakfast tip. The thing that walking provides is incredible stress relief. At least it did for me. Going to a gym would equal a lot of stress for me for any number of reasons -- maybe having to wait to use equipment, having to drive to get there, spending money to go there and get there, being around people (hehe) etc. Walking is easy and easy on your body -- and works for millions of people because, as you say, it's realistic. But I think the stress reduction really plays a big role on the other side, controlling the input. Stress=eating. Anyone see that study that actually argued that intense exercising leads to eating more?

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That's a great breakfast tip. The thing that walking provides is incredible stress relief. At least it did for me. Going to a gym would equal a lot of stress for me for any number of reasons -- maybe having to wait to use equipment, having to drive to get there, spending money to go there and get there, being around people (hehe) etc. Walking is easy and easy on your body -- and works for millions of people because, as you say, it's realistic. But I think the stress reduction really plays a big role on the other side, controlling the input. Stress=eating. Anyone see that study that actually argued that intense exercising leads to eating more?

I haven't seen that study, but I can understand it...maybe. For me, intense exercising pretty much leads to de-stressing. Earlier this year, I made a couple of adjustments that worked great. For my lunch, I used to have a sandwich with pretzels/chips, so I eliminated the pretzels/chips portion. I then started walking during my lunch time - I go across the street to the mall and make 3 laps. I don't know the exact distance, but it's a decent workout for 25 minutes. I then do my intense exercising (some weightlifting & ab exercises with 20 minutes on the elliptical machine) after dinner, usually 3 times a week. I'm done by about 8:00pm, so I can usually crash for a couple hours before bed time...that's where the de-stressing comes in. Combine that with stopping the ice cream (it really was frozen yogurt or light ice cream) and I dropped about 12 pounds.

 

Then my sister-in-law started her couponing kick again and bought all sorts of chocolate & stuff to make desserts, so I've put some of that weight back on. <_<

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Trans-Siberian Orchestra. What's the big deal?

Saw them last year at HSBC and it was a really good show, but I could swear I didn't pay nearly as much as they are charging this year for the same seats. I have heard that the show is pretty much the same thing every year, so I decided that I will pass this year and maybe catch them next year instead.

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That's a great breakfast tip. The thing that walking provides is incredible stress relief. At least it did for me. Going to a gym would equal a lot of stress for me for any number of reasons -- maybe having to wait to use equipment, having to drive to get there, spending money to go there and get there, being around people (hehe) etc. Walking is easy and easy on your body -- and works for millions of people because, as you say, it's realistic. But I think the stress reduction really plays a big role on the other side, controlling the input. Stress=eating. Anyone see that study that actually argued that intense exercising leads to eating more?

 

 

Haven't seen the study but couldn't agree with you more about the added benefit of walking to manage stress. I, like I'm guessing a lot of people, spend a lot of time indoors and if you are outside, it's mowing the yard (or preferably getting your leaves taken care of) or just sitting around. Seems that much more enjoyable to be walking a route, taking in the daily changes around the neighborhood (or mall) and getting a break from the phone, email and people either to let your mind wander around on nothing or think about the fun stuff in life (whether that be wondering if the Sabres are really going to be good or planning what to do with your kids on the coming weekend).

 

I'm with you on the whole invented workout industry. Great that it works for some but they must get some socializing out of it or be really dedicated. Just having to get in your car and pay to do physical activity seems counterproductive. On the contrary though, playing sports as an adult is a good option but hard to make it into a daily workout routine. Walking is also easier on the knees (I have a bad one from football & and a bad one from rugby).

 

From what little I know, you only need 20 minutes at 60% of your maximum heart rate (roughly 220 age minus your age e.g. 180 beats per minute for someone age 40) to get an aerobic benefit and help lose weight. The rule of thumb is that if you're walking rapidly enough to prevent carrying on a conversation, your at or above the 60%.

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If you are walking so fast you can't carry on a conversation, it's called running.

 

 

Sorry - edit what I said - should have been "carry on a conversation comfortably". You can walk rapidly enough though to where you don't feel like speaking aloud - uses up too much oxygen. My point was that despite my bias of seeing all the retirees around here ambling along (we'll be getting more now after the NY Times article), you can get a productive workout from this most basic of human activities. If only I'd known that before spending several hundred on my last bicycle which I like riding but don't have the time to do and really don't want to risk some idiot hitting me with their car. Should have known since the best shape I've been in since high school was while living in NYC and walking from my apartment in Hell's Kitchen to work in Midtown - took about 45 minutes each way and since there was no direct subway & I was a poor student, was the best option. Twice a day walks really offset the student diet (meals that come in a can, 12 to a pack).

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Sorry - edit what I said - should have been "carry on a conversation comfortably". You can walk rapidly enough though to where you don't feel like speaking aloud - uses up too much oxygen. My point was that despite my bias of seeing all the retirees around here ambling along (we'll be getting more now after the NY Times article), you can get a productive workout from this most basic of human activities. If only I'd known that before spending several hundred on my last bicycle which I like riding but don't have the time to do and really don't want to risk some idiot hitting me with their car. Should have known since the best shape I've been in since high school was while living in NYC and walking from my apartment in Hell's Kitchen to work in Midtown - took about 45 minutes each way and since there was no direct subway & I was a poor student, was the best option. Twice a day walks really offset the student diet (meals that come in a can, 12 to a pack).

 

OK, there's my complaint. The stigma that's associated with a man who walks for exercise. Also, just because a 43-year-old man is single and has a cat and cries during "The Locator," he's not necessarily gay!

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I'm with you on the whole invented workout industry. Great that it works for some but they must get some socializing out of it or be really dedicated. Just having to get in your car and pay to do physical activity seems counterproductive. On the contrary though, playing sports as an adult is a good option but hard to make it into a daily workout routine. Walking is also easier on the knees (I have a bad one from football & and a bad one from rugby).

 

You want a good incentive for going to the gym? Stare at the of half the girls in there. You'll be on the treadmill for an hour without even realizing it. Yeah, you could find eye candy somewhere else without paying, but the concentration is usually higher at the gym, or at least it is at mine anyway.

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