[majorvices]

I wouldn't regret posting it at all. My only point is that fitness is something I have managed, practiced and researched over twenty years now. I just don't like to see misinformation being propagated by folks based one presumptions. I certainly agree that there is a possibility of a repetitive stress injury from running, especially of you are overweight. But there is that possibility in any type of exercise. I practiced several different forms of martial arts over the years and broke fingers and toes a few times and have seen people break wrists and ankles, but I feel I got a lot more good than bad from that time and don't regret it. I am currently not running, either, but i did for about three years straight and my knees are pain free and I have no joint issues - and I also could eat just about anything I wanted back then and never gain a pound.

Running is not perfect, but it's better than sitting around and cramming pie in your face and watching dancing with the stars every night. And if you run smart, practice good form, wear good shoes (and I recommend getting fitted and having the fitter see you stride in action) and take time off to recover from time to time you can really get a huge life changing benefit from running. And it's way better than simply walking.

[edvinjonsson]

Yeah thats what I was gonna say, its probably not the BEST way to exercise out there, but its better than nothing. If you accepted the 5k challenge go for it, never go looking for excuses not to. However, if you want to lose weight, the most important thing its your diet.

Good luck!

[jiggs26.2]

you should read born to run by christopher mcdougall.

+100 to that another great running book.

[bo]

Yeah thats what I was gonna say, its probably not the BEST way to exercise out there, but its better than nothing. If you accepted the 5k challenge go for it, never go looking for excuses not to. However, if you want to lose weight, the most important thing its your diet.

Good luck!

I agree, diet is the best way to go and unfortunately, homebrew packs a LOT of calories and carbs.

[a10t2]

If we're talking strictly about weight loss, then it's calories in minus calories out. Exactly WHAT your diet/exercise program is doesn't matter.

[morticaixavier]

If we're talking strictly about weight loss, then it's calories in minus calories out. Exactly WHAT your diet/exercise program is doesn't matter.

except that calories from fiber don't count. and calories from simple sugars tend to burn off quickly without triggering metabolic changes that allow other, slower metabolising calories to be burned before they are converted to fat. And an excess of fat in the diet will either be passed out again or be deposited in unpleasant ways. and alot of simple sugars also has a tendency to cause your blood sugar to yo-yo so that your metabolism changes again. and calories from alcahol work differently still. and if you cut your calories too much your body begins to eat it's own muscle tissue thus slowing your metabolism even more and making it harder for your body to burn calories. and... and... and..

the body is such a complex set of systems that to simplify to calories in - calories out = weight just doesn't work.

I can eat 1000 calories a day in one sitting and gain weight if I don't exercise, I have done this. I can also eat 1000 calories a day broken up into 7 or 8 small meals, not excersize and lose weight. I have also done this. calories in is the same, calories out, at least as measured by activity level, is the same yet results differ.

[edvinjonsson]

Calories in calories out works great for me. I also do resistance training to stay in shape.

[gmac]

Mrs. gmac (I call her Kim) did her bachelors in clinical nutrition.  When my Dad died, I got concerned for my own mortality so she made me a diet and I lost 60 lbs.  But then I realized I was too awesome to die early so I quit following it and gained most of it back.  I don't prescribe to any diet plan.  I'm a firm believer in balance and common sense.  There is no bad food, just too much of any one food.  You are welcome to disagree.  It's just what I think.

I am reluctant to start dieting again.  When I lost weight before it sucked.  Seriously it sucked big time.  I measured everything, calculated how much I could eat etc.  It's not a fun way to live.  And did I feel better?  To be honest, not really.  My golf game went to crap because my swing was all screwed up, my back felt better for sure, and I didn't have heart burn that much anymore but I can't say I felt way better because I didn't feel that bad before.  But, that was 12 years ago and now that I'm 41, I can see that things are different.

I lifted weights a lot when I was younger.  I mean a real lot.  I was pressing 350 when I was 14 (I also weighed 240).  I wrestled in University at 280 and I've stayed about the same ever since but my muscle/fat ratio has change slightly (OK, changed a lot).  To be honest, I'm not interested in lifting weights although I think I should get them out for the boys.  My 12 year old is almost 6 feet tall and very skinny but he swims competitively so we can't get enough food into him to put on a lb (last weekend he swam 5 km on Saturday alone and swims about 20 km a week).  I think a bit of iron would be good for him.

Or, I could just say "screw the whole thing", grab some homebrew and go fishing but who wants to be happy?

[narvin]

Yeah thats what I was gonna say, its probably not the BEST way to exercise out there, but its better than nothing. If you accepted the 5k challenge go for it, never go looking for excuses not to. However, if you want to lose weight, the most important thing its your diet.

Good luck!

I agree, diet is the best way to go and unfortunately, homebrew packs a LOT of calories and carbs.

Now THAT I don't agree with.  Beer has dietary fiber and is better than other booze.  Definitely control your portions, but staying active is the best thing you can do, no matter what exercise you choose.  Avoid fad diets.  Eat everything including carbs, meat, and fat, in moderation.  If anything, avoid too many simple sugars.  Live to a ripe old age like an old Italian guy :-)

[punatic]

Swimming is f*cking HARD!

Not really.  Swimming is boring, even when you swim over beautiful corall reefs.  I swim a mile three times a week.  I ride my bike 12.5 miles every day.  Good zero impact cardio exercise.  I do this so I can hike 10-20 miles across the lava fields to photograph and videotape the active lava flows.  I also hike with my Boy Scout troop.

I used to run four miles a day five days a week.  The impact was too much on my knees, it really hurt.  Sustained running became pretty painful.  But my knees have suffered from all the water skiing I did when I was young.  Slalom and jumping are hard on the knees.  I still surf when the waves are good though.  Try taking a double overhead wave (or bigger) on the head... Talk about high impact exercise!

[loopy]

On general principle, I don't run unless something is chasing me. 

// something I cannot shoot that is. 
// just a general principle. 

[tschmidlin]

gmac, I feel for you.  Except you're better off than I am, I committed to four (yes four) 5ks this year.  The first one is next month.  I used to run but mostly now I just walk or hike.

I might try that couch to 5k thing, it's worth a shot.  I grew up spending a lot of time barefoot at the beach and still spend a lot of time without shoes, so I have a pair of those 5-toed shoes.  I find them incredibly comfortable, but they're not for everyone.  I'm confident though, that I can finish this first 5k in under an hour

[phillamb168]

I've been thinking about taking it up once the park starts opening earlier (should happen in another month). We wake up around 6, figure it wouldn't push it to wake up at 5:30 to get something in before the kids wake up. I've heard the best thing to do is to start really slow with walking mixed with light jogging, and just try to increase the amount of jogging over time. Is that a good move?

[bo]

On general principle, I don't run unless something is chasing me. 

// something I cannot shoot that is. 
// just a general principle.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ That

[weithman5]

^^^+1

Graham, didn't you have some trouble with your back a few weeks ago? running is maybe the worst thing I can do to my back. Don't know about yours though. Now yoga, that involves a good amount of sitting and even laying down! that sounds like the kind of exercise that you could get behind! 

i have more people with back issues in my office who are runners than i do home brewers. just saying.   
remember 5 k is 3 miles. you could walk that slowly in under about an hour.  take your time and practice walking with a good pair of shoes.  and for heaven's sake please stay off the treadmills.  i see way too many medial collateral ligament injuries on those damn things.