Conference quark::human_relations-v1

    
    	I've heard that fitness can be attained simply through the
    lifestyle you choose...
    
    	- Work on a soda truck instead of routing circuit boards...
    	
    	Also, within the lifestyle you have, you can make choices
    that will promote fitness...
    
    	- Walk up all those stairs instead of taking the elevator...
    
    	Somehow, I suspect being outta shape is connected with being
    lazy (And I'm not claiming anything!)
    
    	Joe Jas
    

    From my own experience and observation of the folks around me, the
    most addictive aspect of exercise is the sense of control that it
    offers.  If I run/pump/aerobics/whatever in a disciplined way, I
    can *SEE* the difference in me.  I *control* that.  When it seems
    that my world is beyond my control, the sense of control that comes
    from a focus on fitness can go a *long* way.

    Some DEC facilities, ZK for example, have "Wellness Centers" with
    exercise equipment, showers, etc.  It's free.
    
    I've lost about 20 pounds in the last 9 months simply by getting
    SOME exercise (I play racquetball once a week) and reducing what
    I eat, not always having dessert, etc.  I know this doesn't work
    for everyone, but it probably will for some, and I know I feel
    a lot better.  And because I feel better and know I look better,
    I feel better about myself and think of myself as more attractive.
    
    				Steve

Phil (.0):

Sounds like the real issue here might be that you want to go to the 
health club because society says you should.

Demands of "society" could probably be a note of its own, but it has 
often been fashionable to blame things on this environment.  Ie, "I'm 
this way because society forces it".  That's mostly BS.

Suggest you take up an exercise only because you can enjoy it.  If 
it's not for you, try another one.  And no matter what society says, 
being a couch potato is not immoral.


One of my favorite lines:

	How can you tell the difference between a runner and a bicyclist??

  hit <return>



	The bicyclist is smiling.



		Mike

    	Actually, this was a two part topic.  I am not saying that I
    don't excersise, I stay fairly active.  I play tennis when I can...I'd
    also love to play raqcuetball, but it seems that it costs in upwards
    of 250 smackers JUST to join a club to do it.  I have yet to see
    any public raqcuetball facilities.  Anyway, I'm in pretty good shape.
    But I thik the main issue here was how the physical fitness craze
    mentally "forces" some people to do in excess of what they are really
    capable of JUST to fit into society.  The second paragraph was a
    thinly disguised rant-rave about the current cost of going to a
    health club.  For, you see...I like working out on weight machines.
    Back home, a club was fairly affordable, and they also had public
    fitness courses, raqcuetball courts, bike trails...and the like.
    I just miss them that's all.
    
    						Phil
    

    We could define some other forms of fitness, like mental or
    emotional or spiritual.  We could say things like "I'm toning
    up my emotions" or "it was a good mental workout" or "doing
    spiritual benchpress".  Unfortunately, no one has found a way to
    make money with this, except maybe jerry falwell.  Further, I'm
    not sure that have a high level of fitness in these areas is
    as socially approved as high levels of physical fitness.  For
    sure, they are not as visible from across the room.  On the other
    hand, it seems to me that there is something to be said for balancing
    our focus on fitness to include these other areas.
    

    
    
    Now this I can really relate to!
    
    Health, sunshine, feeling fit..
    I was always very active in one form or another ,but over the years
    with this nice soft job, one tends to get out of shape.
    
    There always is some excuse why not to do something." I'll start
    first thing tomorrow"! Sureee!
    
    Every once in awhile you could mow the lawn, shovel snow cut wood
    play some sports but this isn't on a regular basis.
    
    I moved from a house to the ole bachelor pad and didn't do a thing
    at all except one arm curls (Coors).One day it was in early Oct
    of 82 I carried in two bags of groceries and my arms hurt!
    The very next day a close friend of mine died of a heart attack
    This guy never smoke drank did drugs was almost a Saint!
    
    So I knew that I couldn't keep a regular schedule in the pad or
    house.I also knew I needed to get back into shape
    and stay that way. Just like quitting smoking. One step at a time.
     
     I started on a trial 6 weeks membership and then went to 3 months
    6 months and then a year.
    Now I get up at 04:30 and go to the club.No way after work my schedule
    is too confused. Five days a week I exercise. Now it's a habit but
    a good one. I feel much better then I ever had.If it wasn't for
    regular exercise the physical outlet I think I would be a raving
    loony. What a great way to get rid of fustrations..Er certain
    fustrations.
     Why do I do it. I want to. I 've worked construction for years
    before coming into this line of business and was use to my body
    doing what I told it to do! This was especially true in the Army.
    Your body is a machine. Take care of it and it will take care of
    you.
     So every day I pump iron, sweat a lot, and feel damn good !
    
    I figure I'll be around a little longer then my friend.Gee I hope
    so!
    
    Cal.
    

>    We could define some other forms of fitness, like mental or
>    emotional or spiritual.  We could say things like "I'm toning
>    up my emotions" or "it was a good mental workout" or "doing
>    spiritual benchpress".  

     This (7) appears to be the only comments of any worth in this
     discussion

     I would suggest that physical fitness contributes to mental
     and spiritual fitness however American society's version of 
     physical fitness is warped to be kind.

SET FLAME ON/SWEAT/CLASS=ALL/NOEXCLUDE
                                           
     Fitness seems to imply cardiovascular health, strength and 
     agility. While weight lifting seems to offer strength it 
     seldom offers cariovascular enhancements and hinders flexibility.
     The current rage of triathlons seem to offer the highest level
     of fitness (save flexibility) however only a minority partake.
     Diet is essential and the reason so many of us have heart disease
     and other related diseases of excess. 

     My point is to say too much physical fitness is not only a 
     fallacy it is a dangerous fallacy. One that can encourage 
     high blood pressure the results thereof. People in our 
     profession (that spend so much time sitting (improperly))
     are at greater risk. There is an excellant discussion on 
     nutrition in the triathlon notes file.

     Best of health,


     John _who_practices_yoga,competes_in_triathlons and feels good.

	I've been running off and on for as long as I can remember.  Usually
    around three to four miles is as much as I can take.  I could go farther,
    but I get too bored.  For this reason, I also only run every other day,
    as opposed to everyday.  At times (back when I was engaged to a fanatic
    runner), I would run everyday with her, but got tired of waiting for her
    (I ran at a faster pace), so I went back to going every other day.

	I run for fitness, not because I enjoy it exactly.  It's kind-of
    like banging you head against the wall because it feels so good when you
    stop.  Then I discovered swimming.  I had always hated swimming because
    I hated having to open my eyes in chlorine and would try to swim without
    opening my eyes (which always resulted in embarrassing laps veering off
    side-ways across the width of the pool).  It wasn't until quite recently
    on my vacation in Florida that I discovered not only how to brave the
    chlorine, but I discovered that the real reason that I hated swimming (at
    least the normal crawl-stroke or whatever) was because I wasn't breathing
    correctly.

	It took a few drinks and a semi-boring conversation in the hot-tub
    to drive me back to the pool at the rented condo we were at.  Well, I
    couldn't believe it!  I hadn't ever swam so many laps in a row before
    using that stroke!  It all sort-of hit me at once!  I like swimming!
    Now I'm trying to figure out where the pools are around the Northboro
    area.  Any clues?

							-davo

    p.s.  Ooops, gotta go!  Tonight's a running night!

    Exercising in your home is real cheap--I used to do the "5BX Plan"
    (Royal Canadian Air Force system, available in paperback: toe-touch,
    push-up, etc, and running in place).  Total cost $1.50 for the book,
    less than half an hour a day (they claimed 12 minutes, but for
    cardio-vascular fitness you should keep your heart rate up for 20
    minutes).  Boring but fast. And it worked.
    
    The Wellness Center in ZK is great!  I only wish it were open more.
    It's also free--you can't beat the price.
    
    Many sports will be fun, cheap, and keep you in shape--if you do
    them often enough.  The martial arts (Karate, Aikido, etc.) usually
    have the aspects of "group activity" and "regular classes" which make
    it easier for many people to participate regularly.  So would regular
    tennis games.
    
    As for the idea that the current "fitness" craze is hard on people
    who are not fit, well, I agree it is.  But no more than other crazes
    are hard on those who don't share the interest.  Did you feel left
    out when disco was in?  When everyone was doing hula hoops?
    Is this feeling of outside pressure worth complaining about?  Maybe,
    but I don't think the interest in hula hoops (or fitness) is itself
    a bad thing.
    
    I didn't use to belive that a healthy body lead to a healthy mind
    when I was in Junior High School.  It sounds a lot more reasonable
    to me now.
    
				-John Bishop

    RE:  .13
    
    That's sounds like a terrific idea.  HOW????

    Re .14:
       Well, as a first step, everyone can WALK to the party!  Those
    really feeling they need help can jog or even run!  :-)
    

    Physical fitness is good, but I wish I had never, ever taken up
    running!  SOme people just are not cut out for running.  I developed
    a bone spur (which I have had fixed once, and which still bothers
    me sometimes), and had to cut way down on folk dancing, which
    I really love doing, because I wasn't able to walk the next morning.
    I never did enjoy running anyhow, out there in the pollen with
    my nose running and my glasses banging up and down on my nose...Walking
    is much better, except for the pollen (I'm not much of a swimmer:
    hard to do with glasses on and embarrassing without them; I can't
    see well enough without them to fid the edge of the pool!).
    I definitely don't have time, anyhow, for more activities that I
    can't do at home between taking care of my other responsibilities.

    If people are planning to walk to party, please let me know so I
    can stock up on bottled oxygen etc to revive them so they can enjoy
    the party.
    
    How about another suggestion for exercise? the oldest one we know.
    Find a compatible partner(emotionally) and enjoy the longest durations
    of making love that you can. And do it as frequently as you can,
    great for the heart and lungs as well as a good calorie burner.
    
    just a thought.
    
    al
    

    Gee .. If I start walking now, maybe I'll make it in time.
    
    Can I cheat a little, like driving the first 80 miles?
    
            Puff, Puff, Pant, Pant .........................................

    Re .17:
    
    On this non-serious tangent... there was once a novelty book that
    tallied the calorie expenditure for various sexual activities.
    Problem is that none of it is really significant exercise (though
    it sure may seem so at times!)  However I always thought that
    pushups could be more fun with a friend...
    
				Steve

    
    
       Take a close look at everyones answers.
    
    What it all boils down to is.It really doesn't matter what you do
    as long as you do something. It doesn't have to be weights, karate,
    jogging,swimming,ahhhh sex or whatever just get off the ole ass
    and do something!
    
    Boy I feel better!
    
    Cal.
    

    My former manager lives in Northboro and swam at the Y - I believe
    it is in Shrewsbury.
    
    Yes, you have to learn to breathe properly in order to swim laps
    as well as wear goggles.  I wear contacts - and can see but not
    too comfortably - therefore, the goggles.
    
    Most Ys have early hours - 6a.m. - 9 a.m. for adult laps - as well
    as lunchtime and afterwork.  
    
    It was interesting to me to note that "most" people I met who swam
    regularly started after injuring themselves jogging.  Now their
    major exercise was/is swimming and walking.
    
    Trudy

    I started swimming after I totally destroyed my knee and just recently
    I managed to destroy my ankle. Now the worse that can happen is
    I could drown. Goggles are certainly a must (keep away from the
    cheap ones). Prescription goggles are in existance these days if
    you don't wear contacts but would like to see where you are.
    
    Bahama Mama

    re:.19
    
    The book you're referring to is THE DIETER'S GUIDE TO WEIGHT LOSS
    DURING SEX. It's a hilarious book to read, even if it doesn't do
    you much good.
    
    --- jerry

re: sexercise,

	I thought the main point of exercising was to increase your circulation,
    sex certainly does wonders for your circulation.  While it might not burn
    that many calories, it will definately get that blood (as well as other
    things) pumping!


re: swimming pools,

	Shrewsbury huh?  I wonder where in Shrewsbury?  Let's use something
    we all know about as a reference: SPAGS.  Where might it be in relation
    to Spags or route #9?

							-davo

    Davo - sorry I thought it was Shrewsbury.  Just talked to my former
    manager and he said he goes swimming at one of two places - the
    Greendale Y which is just over the Worcester line and/or Shrewsbury
    Racquetball.  I'm sure both these places are more convenient for
    you than the Y in Framingham.
    
    Swim and enjoy.
    
    Trudy

>	I thought the main point of exercising was to increase your circulation,
>    sex certainly does wonders for your circulation.  While it might not burn
>    that many calories, it will definately get that blood (as well as other
>    things) pumping!


Yeh, but it has to be done on a regular basis... ':-)

-jim-

	So, was this a drop of perspiration on you smiley face's head?

			------>  ':-)			-davo