Fitness For Revolutionaries

I thought the title sounded way cooler than Fitness For Middle Aged Folks. Disclaimer: I am not a revolutionary, I am not a fitness or nutrition expert. Therefore, everything I say is open to dispute. Pretty much everything I say is open to dispute regardless of the topic.

We spend quite a bit of time dissecting and pruning and processing the elements that make up our spiritual/intellectual selves in order to determine where we fit and how we can make our small contributions here but not much on our physical selves.

Verbal and physical agitation takes some stamina, flexibility, and strength.

Too often talking about exercise or attempting it feels a bit like this….

Some of us have gotten on an off the exercise wagon so often it feels like a merry go round of gloom. A recent minor health scare sent me scurrying to the doctor for a “well woman” check up to find out an old chronic and relatively but very manageable problem had popped up again. Of course, I have insurance, something that is becoming regrettably a bit like a status symbol instead of a human right.

Many middle aged people have fantastic excuses for not exercising. I am certain I have used every single one of them. I don’t have time. I am not good at anything. I will look silly exercising. I am never going to be a size 2 anyway. All the people in my family are bigger. Can’t fight genetics. Where do I start?

Aerobic exercise. Yeah. The thing that raises your heart rate, makes you sweat, gives you tomato face, ruins your hair. Your fantastic sex life does not count toward this either, although please do not read this as a dismissal of your fantastic sex life. Glad you have it, keep on keeping on.

The Mayo Clinic seems to think you should exercise 30 minutes every day. I find them rather credible about health issues, but search for yourself about what a variety of experts recommend. It varies somewhat, but what you won’t find is any experts saying you shouldn’t get any aerobic exercise. If you have not engaged in any regular exercise for some time, get clearance from your doctor.

The benefits of exercise are rather overwhelming. But it can be an intimidating commitment. Gym class for many brings back memories of bullies, teasing, and torment. If you happened to be gay, artsy, weird, invisible, or just plain uncoordinated in middle and high school, jocks are usually recalled as being sadistic idols who got away with treachery and who were worshiped slavishly the way reality TV stars are today. In other words, why would I/you want to be like them. Simple. You and I aren’t. I was a semi-jock, but too weird to really be accepted. Nobody harassed me, but I wasn’t invited to their parties either. No big loss was my opinion, even then. Cast aside whatever negative perceptions you have of sports, athletes, your own failings in those arenas and find an activity you like. Doing something you like will increase the likelihood you will stick with it. Don’t run if you don’t like running. If finding 30 minutes all in a row is too difficult, the American Diabetes Association thinks it is perfectly acceptable to try it out in ten minute chunks. Actually, it might be easier for a newbie to do that. Thirty minutes might sound daunting right now, but three 10 minutes sessions, heck you can do that!

Wait. There is something else you can do for yourself. Lift weights. Yup. It doesn’t matter how old you are there are still benefits. Lifting weights can assist even those in their 80’s by helping to maintain lean muscle mass. In a practical sense, lean muscle mass helps you engage in your activities of daily living without becoming too worn out. If you’re keen on building muscle mass, why not visit steelsupplements.com to learn about how supplements may help you in your fitness journey. Even if you’re not using supplements, you should still get a great result if you’re working hard in the gym. Weightlifting has functional applications: it will be easier to tote that pitchfork, march endlessly, lug the kids, grandkids, dogs, and groceries. You increase bone density,joint flexibility, and manage weight by lifting.

There are some helpful hints about weight lifting offered up by the mayo clinic. I enjoy it. When I am deeply embedded in a physical activity my mind flows all over the place. It has a serenity, a spiritual essence that reminds me that I am in a body. A body that is mine, and quite frankly I’m proud of my body. And these feelings are doing wonders for my motivation levels. I just want to push on and make more of a difference. As my friend also told me, it’s the perfect excuse to look for some men’s workout pants because if I going to start exercising again, I want to look good doing it. Who wouldn’t? So, I guess this activity does have its perks after all. But I already know even once I am re-committed to exercise, I am never going to be the perfect size 2 or 4, I will still have some flab and I still won’t be any taller than I am right now. I like the idea that my body when in good condition can support me during mental and emotional trials and propel me into the world.

Given the dramatic rise in obesity rates here in the United States and the shocking reality that about two thirds of Americans are over weight and one third are obese I can’t help but wonder if our physical passivity and our consciousness passivity toward being able to impact our political and social worlds are connected. None of us are going to look like super models or those weird puffy steroid muscle behemoths that win body building competitions if we strive for better fitness (though we may get some help from buypeptidesusa products if that’s what we want) but we just might have the physical stamina to match our idealistic ambitions of shaking the foundations.

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  1. for slightly pudgy calicos, ponies, tigers…. ect.

  2. sounds so perfunctory — maybe it’s that, in the current regime, most realms of action are themselves rendered pointless…get stoned and hike across America, handing out radical literature, now there’s some “exercise”…

  3. I did light weights before going into work on Thursday and could barely walk.

    I also have a rowing machine that I am going to try to do three times a week and maybe mix in some walking.

    Working 12 hour shifts really makes it a challenge but I have used that excuse for too long.

  4. Most people can do it. And it can be done in most places. Without equipment or joining a health club. If I walk an hour to an hour and a half 5 or 6 days a week, I can maintain a good weight.

    Just a thought.

    • pfiore8 on February 17, 2008 at 03:56

    just kidding…

    I have 2 and five pound weights. Like to walk with the 2 pounders.

    and i bounce (on a little trampoline) about 30-45 minutes every dayto John Cougar, Santana, Inxs, Dave Matthews et al

    then stretch (which i hate but that always makes me feel the best)

    tried yoga et al… but but but i an not choreographable… like i can’t slow dance anything more than a two step.

    so i walk, which i love. and i bounce, which is fun and like dancing.

    i think blogging must count for something. we must burn up lots of calories and tone some muscles with all this thinking, reading, reacting… laughing. and sometimes crying.

    • RiaD on February 17, 2008 at 04:03

    i am sadly tragically out of shape.

    for me what is hard is getting over the inertia…

    some of it is lingering depression…

    i’m still on chantix& welbutrin to help that & keep me from going back to smoking…

    the change these meds brought in my outlook was amazing…

    but.

    i was depressed and got almost no excercise for the past 2-3  3-4  4-5 hell i don’t know how long. i do know i’ve lost weight & muscle tone. drastically. i am the woman needing help with the cart.

    & i don’t want to be.

    & its so effing hard to motivate when you’re out of breath in 5 min. & it takes you 15 to recover…

    its soeffing hard to keep on getting back up & going at it again when you look at what its taken you all effing day to accomplish… and you know anyone else could do it in an hour or so.

    its so effing hard to look on the bright side… to have hope that one day i’ll be able to walk the length of my driveway (3/4 mi) without having to stop & catch my breath.

    its so effing hard to know my help amounts to almost nothing & my poor husband is shouldering nearly all the load.

    • plf515 on February 17, 2008 at 04:11

    there is a series on fitness.

    I posted one diary on men, women, and muscles.  I can easily post it here, as well, if there is interest.

    • Zwoof on February 17, 2008 at 04:15

    Weather permitting of course.

    I can’t picture any of us as “mall walkers” but might I suggest only using your vehicle for trips over 1 mile.

    Since giving up my “wheels” and moving overseas, I’ve noticed that I don’t mind walking.  I hated it at first but now I don’t even think about it. I just start walking and maybe some endorphin thing takes over, but my mind just wanders… and then, I’m where I wanted to be.

    My back is better, my legs are strong and I see some cool things along the way. Jean size- 33 waist, only 1 inch bigger than college days.

    I just bought a bike and have pedaled many miles in just 2 days.

    In China, walking is jokingly called “taking the Number 11 Bus”… 1 foot follows the other 1 foot

  5. i used to be sooooo active…i taught pre-school and had a summer-camp group and played kickball and wiffle ball all day and ran around playing tag and cleaning up and i felt GREAT!!

    and then i quit my job to take care of thing 1, and sitting with her all night and then sleeping all day has seriously impacted my cardiac health (the syncope is getting more and more frequent…and im really screwed if i pass out and really hurt myself…..im the only adult here).

    and the physical care i have to give her wipes me out, but it doesnt really count as ‘exercise’ im sure.  she’s only about 112 lbs., but she and i are the same height so i dont have very good leverage when lifting/standing her.  most times i can stand-pivot for her transfers and do her bathing/dressing by rolling her in bed…its strenuous, but not really ‘exercise’, y’know…

    but i REALLY have to address the heart issue, cause she needs me around….

  6. …a fishing pole, an exercise bike, a generator, charger, 12 volt battery, and my laptop and I’m there…

  7. the more you remind me of me ucc.  It must be the dragon thing…  

    I was a semi-jock, but too weird to really be accepted. Nobody harassed me, but I wasn’t invited to their parties either.

    I played on the badminton team all 4 years of high school; it was the only thing that made school half way bearable.  Maybe it wasn’t as big a deal as basketball or softball, but I enjoyed the training and the practices and the competition. The team camaraderie provided enough of a social life.   Otherwise I pretty much kept to myself and liked it that way.  

    What was your sport(s)?  

    • kj on February 17, 2008 at 23:40

    don’t know how i missed this essay earlier! but thank you.  very important topic and one i like to ignore and pretend doesn’t apply and oh it does, it does, it does, it does.

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