Thread: Activity vs. Exercise

Exercise is quickly becoming a four letter word in my book, structured type exercise that is.



Let us go back few years when there were no gyms to speak of and no tread mills to walk on, and no remote controls to save us the “agonisingly long walk” of two to three meters that separated us from our TV screens.

Yes, we live in a fast paced society with its fast food and quick transport facilities which we take advantage of on a daily basis. Some of us also work in a world comprising of a cubicle; spending long hours sitting behind a computer screen and surrounded by state of the art gadgets. Our message bank is full and our email folder is bursting at the seams and the boss has the audacity to place more papers on our desk just incase we were contemplating going for a little walk and stretch!

The picture I’ve painted above is not from Mars but is an everyday occurrence that would see us meet our demise sooner than later…if we allow it to continue and don’t take a stand TODAY!

Remember that time wasted now whilst you’re healthy would be time spent later when you’re not. The only difference is in the choice. It’s free choice vs. forced option (and it won’t even be an option later since that would mean having a say in it).

Time pockets; have you heard of them? If not in that particular terminology then I’m certain you’ve experienced at least a few of them during your day at work or home. For example, waiting for a kettle to boil, or having some time after dinner before your favourite TV show starts or the microwave oven (if you're unfortunate enough to be using one) to heat the food up…

Identify these time pockets and use them to your advantage. Go through the house insuring that no tap is licking or no lights are left on unnecessarily, (yes I’m a dad)! Reformatting the computer or waiting for that meeting to take place creates time pockets. You see, our minds do not stop ticking over and if we don’t feed that chatter box inside of our head with something positive and some meaningful task to accomplish (like writing a healthy food shopping list for example), then we would be faced with nothing but stress and worry. In a nutshell, busy yourself otherwise relax by meditating (in your own special way) or go to sleep. No, I’m not asking for a 24/7 of non-stop activity here but I am emphasising that thinking and moving are often two of the best options we have at our disposal when our aim is to live rather than simply exist.

Ask the person next to you if they exercise or not and most invariably they would feel embarrassed from your question. There are housewives out there who “exercise” much more than your average gym goer and feel great about it. Healthy looking skin, smooth and shiny hair, strong nails, beautiful teeth and gums, and an attitude that would make “positive and bubbly” green with envy.

Let us take a good, close, and hard look at this beautiful lady and see if we can not help but admire her attitude on life.

She goes to bed early because her day was vibrant and full of activities. More details please Fadi!

She wakes up to a crystal clear glass of water which she drinks slowly before getting her self (and her family) ready for a wholesome breakfast of a freshly squeezed orange juice, an egg on a toasted and buttered Burgen seed and grain slice of bread. A side salad drizzled with some of the finest olive oils in the world and a squeeze of lemon juice tops all those now glistening cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow, red, and green capsicum and all the other wonderful vegetables her healthy heart may fancy for that morning.

Off to work she goes (if she works). She parks about 30 minutes walk away from her office building and begins her morning activity of a brisk walk to work. She’s few minutes early as usual with no rushing and no stressing. She has a long day ahead of her that would require her to sit her muscular derrière for hours on end. Ah, but not this lady, so watch what she does to incorporate activities into her busy work schedule.

Due to her wonderful and liked attitude, she has already struck a deal with her boss at work that would result in nothing short of a win-win situation for everyone. She has volunteered to walk to the shop to buy everyone’s morning tea as well as lunch. That would mean leaving the office for few minutes to get the “much needed” blood sugar lift for her co-workers. These lifts come in many shapes and sizes; some in a bottle of coke whilst others in a beautifully rounded pink donut! Who cares as long as she gets to be the one “slaving” for her colleagues.

When she goes shopping, unlike most of us who fight for a parking spot so close to the supermarket’s entrance as to be virtually inside of it, she opts for a car space that is at the furthest point possible from “the car spot fighting zones”. When she’s inside the shopping centre, she takes the stairs instead of the escalators or the lift. She carries her 20kg of shopping to her car instead of pushing it in a trolley. Yes, her arms and shoulders are tight also, just like the rest of her well trained and healthy physique. She’s doing all the above willingly with a purpose that is the core of her driving force.

When at home or at work, this lady does these activities before her “exercise”, structured exercise that is. She likes to do the pushups, the bodyweight squats, the step-ups (on a milk crate or similar), the plank (oh that’s her favourite whilst watching TV with the kids who like to join in sometimes)!

Activity vs. exercise. Ah, I nearly forgot, this dynamite of a lady goes to the gym just for fun and enjoyment and is very proficient in performing the compound lifts that are the bedrock of a magnificent body. These lifts comprise of:

Squats
Bench press
Press above head
One arm d/bell rows
Dead lift

This beautiful lady is not muscular by any stretch of the imagination yet her muscles are nice and tight. She is not the strongest woman in the world but is strong enough to rearrange the home furniture around in no time flat (as women often do) and create a totally new and different surrounding that has a positive outcome on mind and spirit alike.

Who is she or who is he that amazing person I’ve been talking about now?

Take a walk to the closest mirror and look at the reflection that you see. It has been you all along.

So the moral of the story is as follows:

Perspire before you retire
Move for the sake of moving and not for the sake of improving
Walk for enjoyment not for exercise and take the stress out of the equation
Moderation and not marathons or sprints is what will win at the end
Lift for you and no one else
“Exercise” to live not live to exercise = be active!


Fadi.

Left out climbing the stairs at work. Now that is an awesome workout for both your heart as well as your butt and legs.


Fadi.

Originally Posted by Fadi

Left out climbing the stairs at work. Now that is an awesome workout for both your heart as well as your butt and legs.


Fadi.

This is one thing that ALWAYS puzzles me at my work, i only work on the second floor and the left is dead slow, however, 95% of people insist on pressing the button, waiting for the lift to arrive then go down or up get out and on they go, when 100% of the time it is quicker taking the stairs, not to mention the extra "activity" by taking the stairs.

Originally Posted by Zam

This is one thing that ALWAYS puzzles me at my work, i only work on the second floor and the left is dead slow, however, 95% of people insist on pressing the button, waiting for the lift to arrive then go down or up get out and on they go, when 100% of the time it is quicker taking the stairs, not to mention the extra "activity" by taking the stairs.

May be it's time some of what I've written above was stuck on the wall somewhere at you work Zam! What can I say about people and their often contradictory statements: "oh yes most definitely I want to lose weight"; "love to be more active but there's simply no time, what with all the hours I do at work and...".

Zam, last night I took the stairs twice at my work. First at 8:30pm, I walked up 9 floors (128 steps) in 1:36, then about one hour later went for a taller building (12 floors with 176 steps), taken one at a time in 2:06. Talk about a calf, leg, and glutes workout, not to mention the cardiovascular system getting a wake up call, I simply love that feeling!


Fadi.

I remember a big "incidental exercise" fad that seemed to get a bit of traction a couple of years ago before it dissipated.
I'm in favour of "effciency gains" when it comes to activity.
With the Melb train system being so bad, I can take the train and be home in 30-35 mins, or walk home in 45 mins. Basically, I get an extra 45 mins of low-impact exercise in every workday that costs me only 10 mins in time. I'm surprised more people aren't doing something similar.

Originally Posted by Mofra

I remember a big "incidental exercise" fad that seemed to get a bit of traction a couple of years ago before it dissipated.
I'm in favour of "effciency gains" when it comes to activity.
With the Melb train system being so bad, I can take the train and be home in 30-35 mins, or walk home in 45 mins. Basically, I get an extra 45 mins of low-impact exercise in every workday that costs me only 10 mins in time. I'm surprised more people aren't doing something similar.

I wish I could do that. Unfortunately for me work is about 40 minutes away via car, or 75 minutes via pushbike (and forget about walking). Throw in things like having to wear a suit, having to drive to see clients, etc and it becomes a pipe dream. PIPE DREAM!

This is always an interesting topic - Personally I feel there is far too much sedentry-ness in the year 2010,
throw in a bit of complacency and presto you have type 2 and obesity at all time highs.

There should be a health/fitness tax break or insentive of some sort IMO.

Originally Posted by Mofra

I remember a big "incidental exercise" fad that seemed to get a bit of traction a couple of years ago before it dissipated.

Problem is it was a fad. All Fadi is pointing out is the glory of physical stuff being a way of life. You just walk the stairs because you are 'that' sort of person.

Like the difference between being on a 'diet' (special thing) instead of just being a person who eats healthy food (lifestyle)

Originally Posted by ClownBoy

Problem is it was a fad. All Fadi is pointing out is the glory of physical stuff being a way of life. You just walk the stairs because you are 'that' sort of person.

Like the difference between being on a 'diet' (special thing) instead of just being a person who eats healthy food (lifestyle)

Ah, you've summed it up beautifully my friend.

Here's my message to anyone who think they have a legitimate reason not to do what I'm suggesting in my article; do it now when you can instead of having to do it later because you have been forced to, due to health issues. And yes, we develop health issues not because we don't go and rock it out at gym A or do aerobics at park B; we develop problems with our health simply from not allowing our bodies do what they were designed to do: MOVE!

I'm putting out a challenge to anyone who thinks they have no time because I will find time for them! Even if you work in an offence building (wow, that's the best!) trapped in your little cubicle, even under this circumstances you could find 2 minutes the way I have. But I must warn you, you may get addicted to my plan, so get your boss on board as well or else!

If smokers can be standing outside their building (or behind it as the case maybe now), then why not us who wish to look after our precious assets, namely our lungs, heart, and major muscles!




Fadi.

Originally Posted by Andypoo

There should be a health/fitness tax break or insentive of some sort IMO.

All in favour of the above, seeing as in six weeks on prac I have pretty much worn out my almost new shoes, and left tracks in the carpets ( private hospitals have carpet, it always looks more faded on the wards than the public/entry areas, not because its older carpet, its simply because of how many millions of laps the nurses get to do in a day!!!). Hope the tax man understands me needing new work shoes every few months!!

Originally Posted by Fadi

Left out climbing the stairs at work. Now that is an awesome workout for both your heart as well as your butt and legs.


Fadi.

I started half skipping half jogging up the stairwells on my way back from morning tea or lunch breaks, legs already dead tired, let alone all the bits attached to my belts with nice sharp items ie nurses scissors etc, running was out of the question unless i wanted a broken neck or a puncture of some kind.

The hospital I was in promotes staff using the stairs to go between floors, its an image thing (private hospital, they want the patients and visitors to feel like they are in a 10 star resort where the staff are behind the scenes) and the cafeteria is in the basement and doesnt have a direct lift access from any ward, there is a choice of 1 flight of stairs and a long corridor, or 2 flights of stairs from the other wing, means enforced exercise (ontop of any other incidental activity exercise from a normal shift).

I have seen some very obese nurses, but you dont tend to find any of them on a busy medical or surgical ward!!

Originally Posted by Dollfinn

All in favour of the above, seeing as in six weeks on prac I have pretty much worn out my almost new shoes, and left tracks in the carpets ( private hospitals have carpet, it always looks more faded on the wards than the public/entry areas, not because its older carpet, its simply because of how many millions of laps the nurses get to do in a day!!!). Hope the tax man understands me needing new work shoes every few months!!

I hate to be the one to break this bad news to you Dollfinn, but about a year ago now, Sydney was the host city of the Masters Olympic Games (here at Homebush). Now what do you think the government did to get all its "senior" citizens bubbling with enthusiasm and back into shape? A big fat zero!

It's food for thought how hypocrisy works in our society and why I'm doing my bit to get the word out there; that activity, good company, and good wholesome food is nothing short of medicine for our mind, body, and spirit.


Fadi.

Great read, thanks Fadi.

I am one of those who sits on my backside 24/7, the only exercise I get is my workouts (plus in the bedroom). But I eat clean all year round and maintain a decent body composition. When it's time to lean up, I take the stairs at work (I'm on the 16th floor). It makes my glutes/hammies extremely tight though, I have to do HEAPS of stretching..

Nursing isn't a healthy profession at all. Lots of walking but shift work plus shit opportunities to drink water, rushed tea breaks don't make for a great situation.

I'd like to think I'm pretty active... a 3 year old will do that to you lol. We jump over the white lines at the zebra crossing, we jump over cracks in the concrete, we run chasey around trees when we walk, I piggy back him (20 kgs at 3, I have a solid little fella!). I'm hoping to stay young at heart and young of body and mind. At my gym, we have a few older participants that would put a lot of younger ones to shame! A lady in her 70s that regularly competes in masters swimming for butterfly and sets records. She's had 5 hip replacements, but she keeps going... activity (not just gym) is her fountain of youth. She cycles, she swims, she teaches yoga to a retirement village! How awesome is that!