You need some exercise!

Post #30,703 by ben_tilly 3/4/02 3:42:19 PM Reply	You need some exercise! I consider myself out of shape, but you shouldn't (barring knee trouble and the like) have problems walking down stairs. As I have long known, and recently started doing something about, getting and staying in decent shape is a matter of a 15 minute per day commitment over an extended time. Cheers, Ben "... I couldn't see how anyone could be educated by this self-propagating system in which people pass exams, teach others to pass exams, but nobody knows anything." --Richard Feynman
Post #30,742 by nking 3/4/02 6:27:24 PM Reply	I do need exercise I am almost 275 pounds. But when I do try to exercise, I get pain in my gut or in my back due to my other medical problems. So the best I can do is walk, for now. I have been walking. "Will code Visual BASIC for cash."
Post #30,786 by ben_tilly 3/5/02 6:02:20 AM Reply	Um, start with small amounts of exercise If you go out and try to do as many situps as you can, you will have problems. Try to jog a mile or three and ditto. If you sit down to try any exercise program, and go to it with the attitude, "OK! Time to whip this body in shape! No pain no gain! WORK!", you will have a problem. So don't do that. Not long ago Greg pointed you at [link\|http://www.fourmilab.to/hackdiet/www/hackdietf.html\|The Hacker's Diet] and gave his personal testimonial. I read it. I can't give you a personal testimonial from it. But I can say that, the [link\|http://www.fourmilab.to/hackdiet/www/chapter1_2_5.html\|exercise plan] certainly looks like sound advice. Note in particular that in the "run and jump" phase, "a brisk pace" on his introductory might for you mean a march rather than a run. That is OK. So try that exercise plan. Your total for the first day is try to bend over twice, do 3 "introductory situps" (much easier than the real thing), 4 leg lifts, 2 "introductory pushups" (again easier than the usual thing), and a bit of marching in place. Try to finish it all in 15 minutes. Not really that much more work than getting in and out of bed a few times, getting dressed in the middle and walking around the block. Repeat the next day, every day, for a week. Then decide whether you are ready to do slightly more or not. Do that for a month and you will feel like doing more, plus walking down 10 flights of steps will no longer strike terror in your heart. Sooner than you think, walking up them won't be very scary either... Cheers, Ben "... I couldn't see how anyone could be educated by this self-propagating system in which people pass exams, teach others to pass exams, but nobody knows anything." --Richard Feynman
Post #30,949 by Ashton 3/5/02 8:03:50 PM Reply	Especially that last. Every 'body worker" I know is by now aware that that slogan is cut from the same Marketing cloth as, Just Do It! Norman, You do NOT want to evoke pain; it is more than counterproductive. Further (as I have verifed by experience) .. even gentle motions in fact 'educate' underused muscles and their nerve rete. Then as you work up your endurance (where you can begin to achieve other results) - they 'know' how to do more without strain or sprain. (That's the simplistic version but it's close enough to work with.) Now then, as you progress - muscle soreness will appear, for obvious reasons. But soreness after exercise (maybe next day, even) is a Good feeling - not nearly the same as the pain of 'strain'. I hope this is something you already sorta know (?) Luck on.. er persisting. A.

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