It's Dai Time

Katie & Scott & Simon & Cecily.

Tag: exercise

Day 354: activity

January 31, 2010 / / 0 Comments

I don’t do all that much physical activity.

I have a job where I sit most of the day (or, if I do get up, it’s because I’m walking to a meeting room to sit somewhere else) and, when I get home, the things that I enjoy the most are sedentary: watching things on the TV, playing video games, reading.

I used to enjoy playing team sports, but it’s hard to motivate myself to find a team that doesn’t mind having an out-of-shape misfit, much less actually going to practices or games.  I still get somewhat intimidated by pick-up games with people I don’t know and the people I do know tend to like doing the same things I like when we get together: watching things and playing video games.

And I’ve tried to start or keep some kind of consistent gym routine but it’s never stuck.

Anyway, this is all material that I’ve covered in this blog before.  What struck me recently is that I’m going to feel like such a hypocrite when my son is born.  For an extended period of his youth, I’m going to want the kid to balance his sedentary and physical time, when I don’t really do a good job of doing it myself.

In my head, though, it’ll be much easier to motivate myself.  Playing with my kid?  That seems like it’ll top watching an episode of Glee or playing an hour of Mass Effect 2.  So maybe having a child will help solve some of that, just by merit of a child naturally wanting to expend energy.

I’m sure that having a baby in the house may also cut down on the amount of time I can spend just sitting on the couch.  But it’s something I’ll have to make an effort to do: be more active, if nothing else for the simple fact that my son will be watching me.  And I need to set a good example.

Day 265: unfit

November 3, 2009 / / 2 Comments

Exercise is a chore for me, despite what my purchases of Wii Fit and EA Sports Active might have you believing.

Given the choice, I’d almost always pick to watch TV or play games or eat candy over exercising.  It’s just the easier path, the one of least resistance.

But if I can manage to get two major elements in place, I think being fitter and healthier wouldn’t be as much of a hassle.

1. Form a routine
This is something that I’ve tried to do several times.  I’ll exercise regularly for a few days, maybe even a week, at around the same time of day (either at work or at home) and then I’ll forget or wake up late or have too much work one day and the whole thing will fall apart.

So how do I make a routine more successful?  Pick a time when I’m almost always be free and may not be dependent on waking up early?  Force myself to do it enough times that it begins to feel more like muscle memory than actual effort?  I’m not completely certain.

2. Make it fun
Wii Fit or EA Sports Active is a start.  There are elements that feel a bit game-y, there are goals and achievements presented in a format I know and love, and I fire up my Wii to use them.  But…it’s not quite enough.  It still feels like exercise to me, because it is exercise.

Does it mean joining a community team sport instead?  Forming some kind of larger meta-game around exercising?  Having a workout buddy that I can compete against?  Again, I’m not sure, but I know that figuring this out would also go a long way to keeping me motivated.

I know I have to get better at this, but it’s never been a priority.  I keep pushing it off because it’s not fun to think about and it’s not fun to do.  I think concretely finding solutions to the two issues I outlined above would be major steps in the right direction.

Day 252: cholesterlol

October 21, 2009 / / 0 Comments

I got my flu shot at work today and had a free cholesterol screening at the same time.

It seems my overall cholesterol is a bit high.  My overall cholesterol is at 205, which is above the 200 (or below) that is considered desirable for adults.

I guess I should have seen this coming.  I like to eat fried foods, I never exercise, and I don’t eat enough fruits or vegetables.  But it’s a bit of a wake-up call.  After all, I’m only 26 and if my habits are this unhealthy now, I imagine I’ll be a walking sack of heart attack in another couple of decades.

So, here’s to a renewed effort at a few cholesterol-lowering habits:

  • Making exercise a routine, either at the gym at EA or with Wii Fit or EA Active at home (or both!)
  • Eating more fiber, as well as a serving of fruit or vegetables each day
  • Eating more salmon or walnuts to try to boost my healthy cholesterol levels
  • Try and cut back on meat and egg consumption
  • As a corollary to all this, try to go to bed each day before midnight – this will help make time in the mornings for exercise as well as potentially eating something healthy

I’m not overly concerned, as I’m just above the cutoff for a healthy, desirable cholesterol level.  And, I am young.  I still have plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.

Still, it was a bit unexpected and did fill me with both a sense of sadness and a tiny bit of dread.

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