# People who do exercise regularly but used not ... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337 "2013-12-03T02:55:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/21 "2013-12-04T01:28:16Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Check out [Jonathan Bailor](http://thesmarterscienceofslim.com/). You can get all his stuff for free, and he explains why dieting and ordinary exercise don’t work long term. He recommends less exercise, just very specific, and painful exercise. But he will also tell you that checking your weight isn’t very smart. I will check that out but I won’t be following his advice if he recommends painful exercise. I don’t mind being dumb for checking my weight. I know what happened last time I stopped checking … ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/22 "2013-12-04T09:53:03Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > You’ve heard, ‘Everything’s walking distance if you’ve got the time’? I’d have my husband drop me at Curves on his way to work at 6am and after I was done I’d have to walk home - a little over 2 miles… The nearest Curves to me is about six kilometres and it’s in the wrong direction from everywhere else I go. If I was truly motivated, yeah, I’d go there but I’m less motivated than anyone else I know. I should be more motivated because I know how much better I feel from just dieting to lose weight. Oh, and I also suffer from mañana as well. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/23 "2013-12-04T09:54:54Z")
On a more promising note, I’ve made email contact with a Ballroom Dancing class I’d like to join. It’s donkey’s years since I’ve done any dancing and this seems like a way to get off my bum. Not sure how much it qualifies as ‘exercise’, though. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/24 "2013-12-04T16:08:01Z")
I ride a bike and bought a really good one with comfort as the primary feature. I was soon zooming around doing 10-15 miles per day. I created a push-up zone on my back deck. every time I pass it during the day I do 25 pushups, I started with 11 and worked my way up. Now I do about 200 pushups every day. I guess my comment is, Make it easy to do. and Actually do it on a regular basis. Pain and effort will make you stop. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/25 "2013-12-04T16:53:56Z")
I’m not willing to call myself a regular exerciser yet but **Cat Whisperer** has said in a few threads that it’s like flossing - nothing you like but you just have to do it, so I decided to treat it that way. I bought a Body Media armband because the one person I’m really good at lying to is myself, and started to set goals. Steps taken, minutes of exercise per day etc and I’m doing a pretty decent job of holding myself accountable for meeting those goals. The one thing I’ve noticed now that I’m tracking actual steps is that mood has a huge amount to do with my perception of how active I am. I’ve had days where I thought I walked for miles and days when I was sure I was a complete sloth and they were both right around 4k steps taken. Apparently when I’m in a great mood I don’t notice how much walking I’m doing and when I’m cranky I count every step 5 times. One thing I noticed has made this attempt more successful (touches wood, crosses fingers etc) than prior attempts is that I started wearing the armband first and then made my goals what I was already doing + 10%ish for the first couple weeks. Little tiny changes each week after that make it seem almost trivial to increase are easier to convince my brain to do 🙂 There are a million and a half activity trackers out there in every price range. If you think gaming yourself will help it’s worth looking into. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/26 "2013-12-04T16:57:34Z")
I realised that jogging home would get me into my living room in front of the TV faster. Not an option for everyone, but it’s the only exercise option I had that would _save_ me time. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/27 "2013-12-04T18:30:34Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Don’t make exercise something separate that you must do - see how you can change your current routine such walking is something that must be done in the natural course of your day. This is the key IMHO. Don’t think of it as “doing exercise”, think of it as “not driving to X” or “going for a walk to see Y”. I have very little free time for exercise, but I cycle to work. That’s about an hour and a half of exercise every day, done as part of my routine. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/28 "2013-12-04T20:48:35Z")
You could lift weights instead of focusing on cardio. It’s a different method of exercise that targets a different kind of fitness, but lifting is something you can do while sitting or lying down. And you build muscle pretty fast, so the good results motivate you to keep doing it. I’m fat and out of shape, and I know from experience that it’s much easier to start lifting than it is to start running. And even better is: the stronger you become, the easier it gets to transition into cardio later. When you’re fat AND weak, it’s really hard to start cardio from both a psychological and physical perspective. When you’re fat and strong, it’s easier physically (although probably still difficult psychologically). ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/29 "2013-12-04T20:51:18Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > This is the key IMHO. Don’t think of it as “doing exercise”, think of it as “not driving to X” or “going for a walk to see Y”. > > I have very little free time for exercise, but I cycle to work. That’s about an hour and a half of exercise every day, done as part of my routine. I’m going to third this. When I moved to this area, I had no intention whatsoever of getting fit or losing weight. But I was annoyed by the local “only losers and cripples ride the bus” anti-mass transit attitude, and so I started taking the bus as a bit of a political statement. And, being me, I would miss the last bus in the evening and have to walk home. Now I’ve lost 80+ lbs (without dieting!). A lot of people complain about how they don’t have time to go to the gym, but nobody complains about how they don’t have time for their commute. I walk about 30-60 minutes a day (depending on whether I catch the bus), but since it’s part of my commute, I don’t even notice it. One tip I have: if it’s possible, leave your car at work. You can do all the daytime things that require a car (run errands, go out for lunch, go to the doctor’s, etc.) by driving from work, but walk back and forth to home. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/30 "2013-12-04T21:26:15Z")
> [@mischievous](#): > > One tip I have: if it’s possible, leave your car at work. You can do all the daytime things that require a car (run errands, go out for lunch, go to the doctor’s, etc.) by driving from work, but walk back and forth to home. If I lived within walking distance of work, I wouldn’t have a car. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/31 "2013-12-04T21:57:30Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > If I lived within walking distance of work, I wouldn’t have a car. There are still a lot of places I can’t get to on foot, and errands that need to happen during work hours that I can’t afford the time it takes to walk to. A surprising number of people of people do live within walking distance and don’t realize it. I walk **past** my colleagues’ houses on my way home. Also, many people live within walking distance of a bus/train stop that they’ve never thought about. All of that goes double for bikes, too, which substantially increase your available range. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/32 "2013-12-04T22:15:44Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > I ride a bike and bought a really good one with comfort as the primary feature. I was soon zooming around doing 10-15 miles per day. …_snip_ What bike did you get? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/33 "2013-12-04T23:28:10Z")
**Jabiru** , like you, I hate running and enjoy fapping about on the 'net . . . . . . Oh. Sorry, misread that. But I do hate running. Absolutely loathe it. Same goes for treadmills. What I can do is get on an exercise bike and burn off a few hundred calories whilst watching Youtube on my Android. As long as I have that distraction I’m fine. I enjoy weight-lifting, and walking 1+ hours a day is already part of my daily commute. Probably the biggest factor in my efforts to fight the flab is diet. When I cut out sweets and carbohydrates I can lose weight fairly quickly. But for someone with a terrible sweet tooth and an atrocious snacking habit, this is a real challenge. (I now chew gum constantly. Must bug the hell out of my co-workers.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/34 "2013-12-04T23:30:21Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > Probably the biggest factor in my efforts to fight the flab is diet. > When I cut out sweets and carbohydrates I can lose weight fairly quickly. > But for someone with a terrible sweet tooth and an atrocious snacking habit, this is a real challenge. > (I now chew gum constantly. Must bug the hell out of my co-workers.) Avoiding snacking has been a big thing for me as I’ve lost weight. While I’m not 100% in compliance with this, I try to limit between-meal snacking as much as I can. (As I’m diabetic, I do give myself slack if I can feel that my blood sugar is low, and I need a little something before the next meal.) ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/35 "2013-12-05T04:40:00Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > The nearest Curves to me is about six kilometres and it’s in the wrong direction from everywhere else I go. If I was truly motivated, yeah, I’d go there but I’m less motivated than anyone else I know. I should be more motivated because I know how much better I feel from just dieting to lose weight. Oh, and I also suffer from mañana as well. I giggled picturing you walking out of Curves after being dropped off and having your first workout, walking a block and saying, ‘I guess I live here now.’ ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/36 "2013-12-05T04:46:09Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > Yes, we do have Curves here. Sadly none convenient to me. If I was really, _really_ keen, I would go out of my way to go to one but I think I’ve demonstrated that keenness to exercise isn’t one of my traits. I wish it was. I’m a gym person who once wasn’t, my back is in terrible shape so I’m not all gung ho but I do exercise regularly. I’m also in Sydney. Maybe we could do the Bondi-Coogee walk together and have a coffee at the end, if you want? PM me if you’re interested. Maybe that will help with your walking, to have a regular date for it - monthly or fortnightly or something? ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/37 "2013-12-05T07:51:26Z")
Good idea, **Gleena**. I have only two more lots of days off before Christmas, though and haven’t started my shopping yet for The Big Day. Can I contact you in the New Year? ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/38 "2013-12-05T10:22:05Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > Good idea, **Gleena**. I have only two more lots of days off before Christmas, though and haven’t started my shopping yet for The Big Day. Can I contact you in the New Year? No worries, whenever you’d like. If you like ballroom dancing, there’s salsa lessons here in Newtown, too, you might enjoy. Also Amera’s in Newtown if you want to try belly dancing. I did before I hurt my back and it was fun - the people in the class were by no means fit, in shape types and shaking my hips with the jangly scarves was heaps fun! ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/39 "2013-12-06T18:02:18Z")
A friend of mine who’s not in great health lives in Sydney and she finds loads of interesting places to take short walks and take photos. Check out one or two of[her Flickr sets](http://www.flickr.com/photos/55369298@N00/sets/) to see. You might fancy going some of the same places; they’re all in or near the city. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337/40 "2013-12-07T04:24:09Z")
Motivation: the big and tall selection at Kohl’s doesn’t have much variety. Solution: I’ve belonged to gyms and it just didn’t work out. With my work schedule it was difficult getting there and doing anything. I knew I would need something that would accomodate my schedule and leave me with no excuses. A bit of research led me to a DVD based exercise program. I can do it in my living room anytime. It takes about 30 minutes a day. Combined with a new focus on eating right it’s worked well–I’ve lost 17lbs since Nov 1. I keep doing it because my clothes fit better and I feel like a new person mentally and physically. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-do-exercise-regularly-but-used-not/675337.md?page=3)