The Benefits - Exercise
-
I know too well firsthand, the true benefits of exercise.
Right after college, I slowly became a couch potato as I dived head-on into establishing my career. All that overtime, all that social eating, and all that additional weight!
What first encouraged me to reverse the cycle was, let's see, more than 10 years out of college, in my last year in nursing school in Nanyang Poly. Damn SUAY!! My batch was the first batch that had to do the IPPT!!!
I didn't know the range of my cursing vocabulary until then! 
I tried to weasel my way out of it. First, I asked the coach if there was an 'age limit' to IPPT. But DRATS!!! He said that there were different ranges for different age groups! Doubly SUAY man!!!
Next, I conjured up imaginary ills and made excuses to the coach, hoping I could be excused from IPPT totally. Drats... have to produce valid certification from a GP to be excused.
There goes all my hopes.
I really had to drrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaag my feet to the IPPT. Worse, half the nursing school population appeared to be there at the same time!! That means, if you do the Standing Broad Jump and landed SPLAT! like some malformed duck, EVERYONE would be talking about it!!! If you attempted Sit And Reach and aiyoh...
cannot even touch your toes, people will giggle and laugh at you! If you did the Shuttle Run and skid and fall on your fat arse, oh glory, you will be the poster child of clumsiness and the new mascot for the unfit the next day! DREADFUL!!! 
BUT...
Though I didn't train for it, I did pretty ok. Failed overall but there were much younger peeps who did much worse than me. Hey, I failed my 2.5km run by just a wee 3 mins! Not too bad for someone who had been a couch po-tah-to for donkey years!
At least, I didn't give up 1/4 way through, like a few young 'uns did! 
That made me think... I'm not THAT unfit afterall!! My general fitness level is pretty good. I ought to take advantage of that and start working on getting fit again.
So, there you go! There were times when I failed and wandered far far far away from my goal, but slow and steady wins the race!
Now, I'm injured and all exercise plans have to be shelved until full recovery, and I'm really upset that I have to miss all my exercise classes.
Exercise changed me from a sluggish, drowsy person to a livelier, more energetic, confident and a tad less moody than I used to be. (Yes, excess fat does predispose one to depression and moodiness.) I cannot imagine NOT exercising now... well, not for too long a period anyways! I love that 'I'm on Top of the World' feeling after every workout, that flush in the cheeks, that 'We are the Champions' kind of ooomph!
The benefits of exercise? You bet!! -
everytime i try to exercise, i end up almost crippling myself
oh well... try again.. maybe exercise i like.. like i'm going bowling for the department bowling league tonight... i like bowling
one of these days, we should all go bowling together.. it's fun!
-
That's when you do not work within your limits.Originally posted by dragg:but recently quite a few people died after or during exercise.
Now, this is a double-edged sword... how would you know when you have truly reached your limits? People will always tell you to 'challenge yourself', to 'push yourself', 'you can do it!' but how would we know when is really enough?
I've seen quite a few folks who ended up in hospital because they over-exerted themselves and ended up bursting an aneurysm and stroking out.
And then there are those who over-estimate or over-push themselves and end up with various injuries that ends up taking lots of time to heal completely.
Basically, if you have pre-existing medical conditions like hypertension, hypotension, irregular heartbeat, heart problems, etc. you might need to seek your doc's advice before embarking on an exercise regimen. If you do have a medical history, be aware of it and do not try to be a 'hero' and show off and push yourself because you might just push yourself into the Accident & Emergency Dept of the nearest hospital. Not worth it.
Everything in moderation! -
Yeah! hehehe! We should have a 'Club 30 Bowling League for the Clowns!' or something like that... so those of us who are the undisputed long-kang kings and queens, like yours trulyOriginally posted by the Bear:everytime i try to exercise, i end up almost crippling myself
oh well... try again.. maybe exercise i like.. like i'm going bowling for the department bowling league tonight... i like bowling
one of these days, we should all go bowling together.. it's fun! , can also have our little moment of erm... 'glory'! -
you sound like me lol i try a new sport first day break a bone lorOriginally posted by the Bear:everytime i try to exercise, i end up almost crippling myself
oh well... try again.. maybe exercise i like.. like i'm going bowling for the department bowling league tonight... i like bowling
one of these days, we should all go bowling together.. it's fun! -
Wah! So jia lat!!!Originally posted by hisoka:you sound like me lol i try a new sport first day break a bone lor Which sport is it? I won't go and try! -
hmm better not wait pple know its me anyway most prob you try b4 one jsut that i very the suayOriginally posted by Rhonda:Wah! So jia lat!!! Which sport is it? I won't go and try! -
u played rugby ah?Originally posted by hisoka:you sound like me lol i try a new sport first day break a bone lor -
ahh.. i figure, if my sister can bowl, anyone can bowlOriginally posted by Rhonda:Yeah! hehehe! We should have a 'Club 30 Bowling League for the Clowns!' or something like that... so those of us who are the undisputed long-kang kings and queens, like yours truly , can also have our little moment of erm... 'glory'!
-
anyway, I'm also recovering from a fractured leg.. can't wait to start running again.
For me, i started exercising about a year ago.. then i was about 10 kg heavier.. To me, those things about weight loss, better health, etc.. are just by-products. somehow, i din purposely set out to get these benefits, but once you start to exercise regularly, they just come to u naturally. After about 3 months, I started to feel different, both mentally and physically. after 6mths, ppl ard me also started to notice a big difference.
It started one year ago when i decided to go downstairs for a 10 min slow jog every Mon, Wed and Fri, instead of slouching in front of the tv when i get home. I mean, What's 10 min rite? Soon, I started running further and faster. Eventually, I grew more confident about my fitness, and completed the Navy Biathlon in Mar. Now I'm training for the Half marathon in Sept.. and my ultimate prize for the year: my 1st marathon in Dec.
I believe the most important abt exercising is that you have to think of it as a change in lifestyle. start small, like doing 10 min brisk walking, but do it regularly. If you start with a large step, u may be demoralised if you dun succeed. Slowly increase it as you feel more confident. (In fact, this is also how i approach a lot of situations in life, when i have to do things that are out of my comfort zone.)
hope this will motivate those on the dark side to join the light. haha.. -
Hmm... I wonder what your sis will do to you when she hears this!!Originally posted by the Bear:ahh.. i figure, if my sister can bowl, anyone can bowl -
k4korny, wow... a very inspiring story! I'm really glad you shared it here.
I hope you'll recover fully soon! I'm hoping mine would be soon too cuz I really can't wait to get back to the gym!! I won't take my gym workouts for granted anymore!!
-
she knows.. i give her grief for it.. and she does the same thing to me
she's capable of scores up to 170 and i'm capable of scores up to 200... but we're just too busy fooling around to concentrate
then throw strikes and proclaim "because i can!"
the came is easy if you figure out the technique.. and you don't need a heavy ball, all you gotta do is to learn how to spin the ballOriginally posted by Rhonda:Hmm... I wonder what your sis will do to you when she hears this!! -
That's it, I am damn motivated right now...too bad I have to work...
But after work, I will go to the gym
Half an hour on the treadmill everyday...enough or not ah? -
well, anyone can bowl... but hitting the pins (or washing the gutter) is another matter altogether..Originally posted by the Bear:ahh.. i figure, if my sister can bowl, anyone can bowl
I look like a penguin when i bowl.. :p -
its not rugby if you hear what it is you will luff until stomach ache one i think. i think i not suited to esercising.... i bowl also can break fingernail and bleed :heh:Originally posted by k4korny:u played rugby ah? -
Wah... like a delicate flower like that!Originally posted by hisoka:its not rugby if you hear what it is you will luff until stomach ache one i think. i think i not suited to esercising.... i bowl also can break fingernail and bleed :heh:
/me runs and hides before hisoka kokz me! -
share leh!! let me luff so dat i can train my stomach muscles..Originally posted by hisoka:its not rugby if you hear what it is you will luff until stomach ache one i think. i think i not suited to esercising.... i bowl also can break fingernail and bleed :heh:
u're making me very curious.. later tonight cannot sleep ah!
-
I used to clock in long sessions at the gym right after my night shift, 'Because I can!' (sorry, Bear... just infringed on your copyright! hehehe!Originally posted by rainee:That's it, I am damn motivated right now...too bad I have to work...
But after work, I will go to the gym
Half an hour on the treadmill everyday...enough or not ah? ) and because it helps me to sleep soundly for a few hours straight if I tire myself out with exercises.
That is, until colleagues warned me that exercising when your body is exhausted, ie. after night duty, can do more harm than good. And then, a friend told me that a nurse did that very routine, and fainted and collapsed, and ended up in the A&E!!!
So, don't go overboard and don't over-estimate your own fitness level!
BTW, half an hour at what speed? If you're doing high-intensity varied 'interval training', then yes! If you're going to exercise for half an hour at a pace where you can still talk without getting winded, then maybe you ought to kick it up a notch.
A lot of interesting things to learn re exercise. Hey, get 'Shape' magazine every month, the local version! They have a lot of interesting articles on exercising in there! -
x2!Originally posted by k4korny:share leh!! let me luff so dat i can train my stomach muscles..
u're making me very curious.. later tonight cannot sleep ah!
First time I use that x2 thing! -
hisoka guy rite?Originally posted by Rhonda:Wah... like a delicate flower like that!
/me runs and hides before hisoka kokz me! -
bowling happened to me one time only i think maybe cos i bowl for like 3 or 4 hoursOriginally posted by Rhonda:Wah... like a delicate flower like that!
/me runs and hides before hisoka kokz me! that time crazy one -
Hehe thanks for the tip...I don't know what speed I am going at...usually around 4 to 5? And yea, I am doing something called Cross-Aerobics Training...not really sure if that's the name, but something like that...have to keep changing pace now and then de, then have to pedal backwards, pedal forwardOriginally posted by Rhonda:I used to clock in long sessions at the gym right after my night shift, 'Because I can!' (sorry, Bear... just infringed on your copyright! hehehe! ) and because it helps me to sleep soundly for a few hours straight if I tire myself out with exercises.
That is, until colleagues warned me that exercising when your body is exhausted, ie. after night duty, can do more harm than good. And then, a friend told me that a nurse did that very routine, and fainted and collapsed, and ended up in the A&E!!!
So, don't go overboard and don't over-estimate your own fitness level!
BTW, half an hour at what speed? If you're doing high-intensity varied 'interval training', then yes! If you're going to exercise for half an hour at a pace where you can still talk without getting winded, then maybe you ought to kick it up a notch.
A lot of interesting things to learn re exercise. Hey, get 'Shape' magazine every month, the local version! They have a lot of interesting articles on exercising in there! Oops..that was when I was using the Stairmaster... -
yup.. like i said.. start with small steps and slowly increase, otherwise either u burn out, give up or overexert .. neither of which is good. and also, must understand your strengths and limits. a lot of ppl say that exercising in the morning is better, but smoehow, nothing in the world can force me to give up that extra mins of zzzzzz.Originally posted by Rhonda:So, don't go overboard and don't over-estimate your own fitness level!
A lot of interesting things to learn re exercise. Hey, get 'Shape' magazine every month, the local version! They have a lot of interesting articles on exercising in there!
I also bought Shape mag b4 (for the wrong reasons).. but later found that it has a lot of good fitness advices. -
hahaha!!Originally posted by k4korny:yup.. like i said.. start with small steps and slowly increase, otherwise either u burn out, give up or overexert .. neither of which is good. and also, must understand your strengths and limits. a lot of ppl say that exercising in the morning is better, but smoehow, nothing in the world can force me to give up that extra mins of zzzzzz.
I also bought Shape mag b4 (for the wrong reasons).. but later found that it has a lot of good fitness advices. I can guess what those 'reasons' were!