How much is enough?

I'm sure it's been asked millions of times, but what is enough to be healthy, in terms of activity, not to lose weight.

i dont have a walking commute and have a mostly desk job.  i dont really like to excercise and havent found anything Im into.

whats enough?

Agru -

Join netflix, rent and copy (shh don't tell) dance videos! not Jane fonda... I mean like Salsa, Tango, all of that stuff. Change it up when you get bored. Belly dance! All of it - make it fun. Even strip tease. Whatever! But it keeps you healthy and getting exercise and its fun.

"arent u tired after work?"

Well, no.  But I was when I wasn't exercising...  Exercise has its own return energy after you do it for a couple weeks.  Personally, I find any kind of gym/machine workout completely unbearable.  I would never stick to it.  So I ride my bike to work every day.  It's ten miles each way and when you put the two together, it's a pretty decent workout.  Then I have more energy when I get home.  It sounds like that's not an option for you but you're going to have to do your own exploring to find out what you like.  I've heard some people got a workout with their wii.  I am not a video game person so I can't advise you there.  But maybe look into it.

wow, thanks everyone!

FITNESSGIRL-thing is, i dont want to be an athlete and i dont want to have to work out everyday, i mean, maybe im wrong but is that what most ppl do to be healthy, not overweight?  i guess im lost as to how much, mins, a week, wahtever, is enough for health.

CC31  i wish i lived near parks to hike but i dont have any, plus i couldnt do that during the week bc itd be dark by the time i got there

HIP2SHIP-lucky u an take ur bike to work, mine is a 45 min drive.  i have been working out  consistantly, yes i feel good after, i love the high, but i dont like DOING it, i DREAD IT!

BSH-zero coordination!  tae bo ive done, like billy blanks super beginner in college but dancing, im terrible!  i need to learn how or get the cable to hoodk up my dvd player!

Are there any malls where you live?  Or any other large indoor places where you can walk in all weather?  What do you do during your lunch?  Find something you enjoy listening to: music, books on tape, radio programs (many of which you can check out at the library) then your daily walk (or however you get moving) will fly by before you know it.  The key is to get and keep moving.  Our bodies get sick when they don't move enough - a 26 year old should not be tired, unless you have something else wrong. 

BTW, I don't believe most on the site are athletes, just people wanting to feel better and learning better ways to take care of the only body we will ever have.

Maybe try parking as far away from your building as possible, as well as any shopping you do.  Wear appropriate clothes and shoes - walking briskly will warm you up no matter how cold.  Our big hurdle here in the winter is rain, but as an elderly German friend once told me, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing"!  My friend is still walking everyday and is now 85.

SOO, would 2-3 days of a 30 mins brisk walk or elliptical, and 1-2 days about 20 mins free weights be ok to keep me cardiovascualrly healthy, not overweight, but still be aboe to eat a decent amount?

Define descent amount. The 30 minute brisk walk burns optimistically around 200 Calories, free weights will burn even less. Maybe high intensity weight lifting will burn more, but judging by your posts I don't think you will be doing that. So being super optimistic lets say you do your brisk walks 3 times a week and free weights 2 days a week you will burn ~800 Calories extra a week. I am pretty sure that is the equivalent of a happy kids meal at McDonalds.

UD

haha, but i thought ur supposed to maintain on 2000ish, i think i do give or take now, but ive been more active than i like, i dont like to work out, i dont want to feel obligated to do it daily, i just cant believe that most ppl excercise everyday?

The maintenance level depends on an individual and varies with gender, age, weight, etc. It is not a set number for everyone. If you want to know the ball park figure plug in your stats in to the calculator on this website to find out. There are plenty of other online calculators that use the same or similar formulas. The number you get might not be 100% applicable to you, but it will give you a rough idea of the calories you need to maintain. To that you add calories burned through exercise.

Actually most, as in population in U.S. in general, do not exercise every day. One of the reasons why obesity and heart disease are so high here.

UD

i obviously dont want heart disease or to be obese, i want health, but a life too.

i feel too restricted w having to excercise that it cuts into socializing, i dont want that anymore so im wondering, what is enough?

thanks!

Original Post by agruskin:

i obviously dont want heart disease or to be obese, i want health, but a life too.

i feel too restricted w having to excercise that it cuts into socializing, i dont want that anymore so im wondering, what is enough?

thanks!

 Didn't earlier you say something about "being too tired for anything after work"? Now you talk about missing social time?? I'm lost. Seems like you have a lot of free time to be on this forum. Perhaps you should re-evaluate your "priorities".

I get the whole social life gets int the way of working out or visa versa.  It does.  I like going out for dinner and drinks.  Really, I have found that I just had to give up some of my personal me-time at home.  I also have to be willing to do 30min at the gym across the street from work, shower at the gym, then go socialize.  Can socializing be more active?  I know when I started working out I made my Sunday dinner date into a Sunday gym-dinner date.  During the summer when I went for "coffee" with friends, I suggested we get it to go and walk and talk with the coffee rather than sit and drink it.

Ultimately my mantra is I am exercising and working out to live life to the fullest.  I am not living to be skinny.  If I wanted to be a size-4 I probably could, but I would have to live in the gym and couldn't really eat out or go for drinks with friends.  If I have to give up my life to go to the gym, then I am not living life.  And to me, living to be skinny is mentally as unhealthy as not going to the gym at all.

 But if I can alter my life a bit so I can do both, even better.  Maybe go for a 30min walk on your lunch break.  Go out one night fewer a week to build in time for more strenuous exercise 1 night a week (plus maybe one day on the weekend).  Then go for a walk or something smaller the other nights.

I don't think wanting to live life to the fullest and having a robust social life is a miss placed priority.  I just think living life to the fullest involves exercise.  The balance will depend on you.  And at least I found that I had more energy and need less sleep and less sitting/vegging out time the more I exercised. (Its bonus found time I didnt have before).

Your best bet is to find something you like.  And since social seems to be important to you, maybe a team sport, or a gym buddy. 

Ultimately, the only person you hurt by not exercising is yourself (maybe your family if you are really unhealthy).  You don't have to run a marathon to be healthy, but just walking is probably not enough either.  Be honest with yourself.

agruskin ok you seem to determine to ask the same question until you get the answer that you want. Yes what you are doing is enough do the brisk walk 2-3 times a week, and free weights 1-2 times a week, and then you can eat "decent amount".

UD

grt advice you are all giving but are you aware amy is underweight and is suffering from an ed h x

Original Post by tessa1223:

grt advice you are all giving but are you aware amy is underweight and is suffering from an ed h x

No. I know others disagree, but I simply answer the questions asked. I'm not a babysitter.

I think 'enough' is however much you are willing to do. As an ED sufferer you have to be very aware of why you want to exercise. If you're underweight you shouldn't exercise at all, and if you're a healthy weight and not trying to lose weight then you shouldn't need to change your life drastically just to fit exercise in (unless you want to).

It's possible that your tiredness after work is ED related - I'm 22 and I'm always tired in the evenings.

Original Post by girlplurality:

I think 'enough' is however much you are willing to do. As an ED sufferer you have to be very aware of why you want to exercise. If you're underweight you shouldn't exercise at all, and if you're a healthy weight and not trying to lose weight then you shouldn't need to change your life drastically just to fit exercise in (unless you want to).

It's possible that your tiredness after work is ED related - I'm 22 and I'm always tired in the evenings.

Tired because you have an ED and/or underweight? Or just tired because you work hard?

I'm 20 and tired all day at work, but I credit that to having a desk job and being bored. Technically my job doesn't require a desk at all, but until the equipment I maintain breaks, I chill. And the equipment rarely breaks...

Original Post by bmx419:

Original Post by girlplurality:

I think 'enough' is however much you are willing to do. As an ED sufferer you have to be very aware of why you want to exercise. If you're underweight you shouldn't exercise at all, and if you're a healthy weight and not trying to lose weight then you shouldn't need to change your life drastically just to fit exercise in (unless you want to).

It's possible that your tiredness after work is ED related - I'm 22 and I'm always tired in the evenings.

Tired because you have an ED and/or underweight? Or just tired because you work hard?

I'm 20 and tired all day at work, but I credit that to having a desk job and being bored. Technically my job doesn't require a desk at all, but until the equipment I maintain breaks, I chill. And the equipment rarely breaks...

 Both, actually! Yeah, I have a desk job too, but I also study part-time so I suppose I'm striking a good balance between boredom/motivation... Hopefully!

hank u for all the advice, my bmi is now about 19, i think its ok to do moderate activity but thank u anyways.

i used to/feel like i NEED to excercise. i used to too much.

  i DONT want that anymore, thats y i want to know what is "just enough", im so black and white, all or nothing, im just wondering whats the happy medium.

Ok I know there's been lots of advice here, but I think fundamentally, the trick is this.  You need to redefine yourself as an active person.  I went from sedentary to very active, not because I wanted to be an athlete, but because I wanted to be healthy. 30-60 minutes of exercise daily (and yes, that might be a walk, or hey, some activities while you watch TV) is what is recommended.  This isn't just about being thin, this is about your heart health, your blood pressure, your circulation etc.  That is what doctors recommend to be healthy.  The best thing you can do for yourself is reconcile yourself to this.  Embrace it, learn to love it.  Convince yourself every day that you are an active person and you will be.  The power of mind over matter is a strong thing.