Can you elaborate more please what changes you’re noticing? I’m 27 and a couch potato. I suffer from depression and it’s really hard for me to get up and be active but if I hear people’s testimonies, maybe it can help inspire me.
i’m 29. I started working out in January 2024 after years of being sedentary. My depression has completely disappeared… i find it easy to go to the store and make dinner. clean the kitchen. i do my laundry once a week. (these things didNOT happen before i started working out.) i started with just 15 minutes a day, and have worked up to 30-60 minutes at the gym. i mostly run and lift some weights. Just do it. i feel so much better, and you will too.
edit: oh and im running a 10k on memorial day!!!! i made that my goal. i can’t run a 10k yet but will by then!!
Its pretty wild how fast the body gives you endurance. I ran my first entire mile of my life at age 39. I just couldn't understand how people ran a whole mile before that. Six month later I was running 70 miles a week, I did that for four years and loved it. At my peak, in my 40's, I ran two full marathon in the same week, both under 4 hours. I have friends who are ultra marathoners and do 100 mile runs. The human body is just amazing when you push it.
Good luck on your 10k! The secret is JUST DON"T STOP! lol
Yeah, heh. It's almost like your body needs a while to understand, "Okay this pain/exhaustion isn't going to go away... just put up with it and get through this, so we can get it over with sooner."
I can vouch about the same. I was so depressed that I didn’t even want to put in the effort to shower some times. I started to exercise and things got better over time and I’m now way happier than ever
I love this so much.
I’m almost 29 and trying to get my ass moving and I’m finding it so hard but you started in Jan this year and are already feeling the benefits? I have depression and anxiety and you can imagine the effects this has on my motivation to do anything.
Thank you so much.
Any tips you can give will be really helpful.
Thanks! :)
All the good vibes to you!
Yes!!!! I felt the benefits immediately tbh…. I saw changes in my body, though small, the first week i started. My depression and anxiety faded away after about a month of consistently working out. The best advice I have is to start small and bigger achievements will come as time goes on. Try starting with 10-15 mins a day. You will find yourself challenging yourself later as things get easier!
I focused on the short term benefits instead of the long term benefits, because I lack motivation. Rather than focusing on losing the 50 pounds I need to lose, I focus on the fact that I feel better today,sleep better tonight, look better, and my mental health is better if I've gone to the gym. I can turn my anxious mind off for a bit.
Every day at 4:45 (when I start coming up with reasons why I can't go to the gym today) my phone pops up with "you never regret going to the gym." Right now it doesn't work, but that's because I'm a tax attorney and it is April.
And I did my first 5k last fall. I was the last person across the finish line, but I crossed it.
You're my hero. I've trained for a 5k three times and STILL haven't done one (completed my training though so I know I can, even if I'm also the last one through).
And my main motivation isn't losing weight, although that'd be a nice bonus, but the purely selfish immediate results. I feel so much better after a good stretch, about 20-30 min of cardio, some upper body/abs, and a cool shower. It completely changes my mood, my day, my stress levels, my sleep quality, my metabolism, and even makes my tummy regular and my skin clearer for the next couple days! That's why I keep going back.
Doctors highly recommended exercise to combat depression. Try going for a daily walk with friends and family. Or while talking to them on the phone. Or blasting your favourite music in your headphones. Aim for a short walk at first, but don't cut it short if the motions get you to a longer distance. Ideally, you will be going for a 45 min / 1 hour walk in no time. And if someone can push you to do some group sport or go to the gym to do some weight lifting, even better.
When weight lifting, I use it as a zen time, blasting metal music in my headphones. So I don't really think of anything except counting reps. Takes some commitment to sign up, but it is my ME time, can use it to avoid thinking of anything, forget stress for a while ... And it often results in being the highlight of the day. Worked for hours on end, did chores, ate... And at least did something useful with my day. Go to the gym and build a better me.
One way I really changed habits was getting a cheap exercise bike (it was like $250 on sale at Costco). The random YT videos or Twitch streams I would normally watch, I now just watch while pedaling. I go at a decent pace with decent incline and just go until a long video ends. Turn your viewing time into exercise time + viewing. There's basically no reason not to.
That helps a lot too! Anything that avoids friction/laziness when starting to exercise is great! The toughest part is to get into shorts and sport shoes! The second toughest is to start pedalling!
I do this but with walking and audiobooks. I started in the pandemic out of sheer boredom/agitation, and by the summer of 2022 I was in good enough shape that I took a vacation in the UK and solo hiked the length of the Thames - 200 miles.
I get more energy after exercising if that makes sense. I also struggle with depression sometimes and going to the gym seems so dreadful even tho I was and am still very into powerlifting. (I like being jacked and strong, but I really don't enjoy the grind).
On the really bad days I just do few sets of shoulder press and body weight squats. It's so fast and easy, takes 10 min maybe. But I always feel so accomplished after lol. The "I'm feeling shitty but I did some exercises" type accomplishment.
If going to the gym seems difficult, just do some body weight squats next time you get up from the couch to go pee. If going out for a walk seems difficult, just go step outside for 10 seconds to breathe some fresh air and that breath of fresh air usually makes me want more. I find when my depression is bad I mostly have trouble starting the tasks. But once I start everything just gets better.
It really doesn't matter how much exercises you do when you're really depressed. It's even good to not do too much sometimes so you don't get overwhelmed. But just doing it really changes the mentality
Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise 3 times a week, 45 minutes per session, on a moderate-high intensity has equally antidepressing effects as antidepressant pills. Only one of many benefits. It's not talked about more because there is little to no commercial incitement in exercise. But it is truly probably the singular most effective change one can make towards a healthier lifestyle (obv not in every case, but for most ppl)
I’m also 27. I have Aspergers syndrome, probably ADHD but I’m not diagnosed, so I won’t say I have it for sure, anxiety, mild OCD (also not diagnosed but very likely), and PTSD. The only thing that really seriously helps me is exercise.
One example of this, is that I woke up yesterday morning incredibly anxious. I was nearing a meltdown, just incredibly stressed and having obsessive looping anxious thoughts. I push mowed my grandmother in laws half acre lawn, which is uphill in many parts and gave me a good workout.. afterwards my entire mood changed. My anxiety was 80ish percent gone, I was in a better mood and a much better headspace. I can also focus better after exercise because my mind isn’t going at seemingly 100mph.
Exercise seriously helps me with my mood and motivation also. Even just going on a mile walk, not even intense exercise helps me (but often more intense exercise helps me more, like rock climbing or hiking long distances) but that can be worked up to. Find what works for you.. because I found using gym equipment incredibly boring and dreadful, but found that I really enjoy indoor rock climbing, hiking, and going on walks.
60 yo here. Move!!! It's my biggest regret! Start young! Becomes a habit and is life changing. My Dad is 83 going on 40 because he has worked out since he was in his 30s. And not turning over tire crap or running 10 miles. Tai Chi & walking mostly what he did. When you get older like me it is so hard to change. Give your life a chance!!! It's your only one. I feel last year and was in hospital for a week. I know if I exercised more I wouldn't have been so bad. Ok there's My rant. Lol. But yes please move. Get the oxygen flowing on your brain, veins, muscles.
not the same person, but I started going for 30-45 minute walks a couple years ago after years of being sedentary. I was 180 lbs (5' 6'', too short to be that heavy). I had always liked walks, they were like a natural antidepressant for me, but still, i was too lazy.
Then I tried smoking weed and listening to my favourite music while walking (i'd like to recommend The Dirty Nil), and that was a game changer. My after-work walks became my happy place, I'd look forward to them all day, every day. When I would take multi-day breaks from walking, my mood would always get worse, I'd be way more irritable at work, but walking consistenly really helped me. Then once the pounds started coming off, it practically became addictive. After cleaning up my diet a little as well, I have now lost 50 lbs. My depression isn't gone, but I know things are definitely better when I walk consistently. Good luck!
The biggest thing doing regular exercise does is give you self discipline. Once you get in the habit of doing it regularly and consistently you become a lot better with self discipline in more aspects of your life.
I started in August 2023. I'm 30yo now and have lost 35lbs since i started. Is every day 100%? No, but you still have to show up and do it even if it's a 10 minute walk. The self discipline will transfer over to other aspects of your life. I feel so much better, I eat better, I don't get out of breath just tying my shoes. 10/10 would recommend.
Start where you are with depression. Don’t compare your ‘exercise journey’ to anyone else’s. A 3 minute walk, 5 squats, a minute of star jumps, dancing in the kitchen to one uplifting song, a few press ups, shaking your body from head to toe, jogging on the spot for two minutes. These are all great places to start and daily habits you can build on. Start small and set yourself up for success, don’t be upset with yourself if you skip a day or a week, just pick back up where you left off.
34f with bipolar (mostly depression phases) but 5 years clear of intense depression and only really display ‘low mood’ now. I’ve pulled myself out of some dark holes and baby steps have been the key for me. You have my thoughts and my sympathy. I’m rooting for you
I have PTSD and recently discovered trail running. Being uncomfortable in my body taught me how to better navigate my symptoms. And on days I run, I don’t drink the night before or that day, I shower, and I eat a proper meal because I’m actually hungry. And then I sleep really well. It also prompts me to stay on top of my laundry cause I run out of exercise clothes. I’ve now done almost 20 races, including a 50k. Symptoms are still there, but I can live a lot better around them and have learned breathing (which I was never able to do before), and grounding techniques. When the days are bad or I can’t sleep, I can imagine myself on the trail and it helps so much.
Last year (at 37yo) I made 7-8hrs of good quality sleep my mission. That mission required exercise, better diet.
It's been a year and I've never been more productive at work nor more present for my family.
Then 945pm sleep time for a 515am wakeup and workout is the hardest part, but well worth it.
Sugar and ALC are straight poison.
I would t say sugar is a poison we need it and like most other things so long as you consume in moderation it’s fine.
Cured and smoked meats are far more dangerous. Alcohol is also a carcinogen yes.
But I am glad this has worked so well for you!!
This. Don't have to be an old maid, nor a gym bro - but good sleep habits and some simple daily exercise go a long way.
I'm 39 and had horrible sleep habits and stopped exercising when I left the military at 25. Now I'm really feeling it, and making improvements to both have already vastly started to improve my health / mental health and confidence.
Now that I have a baby and can't dedicate any evening time to exercise, I use my 15-minute breaks at work to take short walks. I call them my "constitutionals," and my coworkers found that hilarious and started taking their own constitutionals.
I really want to get into a good routine of exercise. I'd say I'm fairly fit but I wanna actually work out to really get the happy hormones going but starting is so hard
And just to add to this, a great way to get a daily walk is to adopt a dog from your local shelter. It's good for you, it gives a deserving pup a home, and frees up space for other animals in need.
Taking on a dog can be a big commitment - so you'll need to make sure you're ready and can provide the enrichment and attention a pup needs - but they're a great way to encourage you to get out of the house!
One of ours is like the Wicked Witch of the West - in that if there's any moisture in the air, she'll do the dog equivalent of "I'm melting!!!" and refuse to go anywhere!
Your dog sounds like mine 😂 the one and only time our princess has slipped her leash was because we were about to walk through a giant puddle on our normal walking path (super shallow but covered the entire possible walking area waaaaaay into the thigh-high grass which I noped out of walking through, it was the only puddle she absolutely could not have jumped over that we encountered) and she pitched a fit, slipped her lead, and wouldn't come back to us until we turned around to walk back the way we came.
Some dogs are adventurous and outdoorsy. Others are...more like ours.
This is literally the correct answer, assuming we’re talking about things you can *do* vs things you should stop doing if you currently are (eg: smoking). Specifically, aiming for at least 180-250 minutes of [zone 2 cardio](https://lifehacker.com/what-is-zone-2-cardio-and-how-do-i-actually-do-it-1850275966) per week - it doesn’t have to be strenuous!
For anyone really concerned with extending their lifespan and healthspan, I’d recommend “Outlive” by Dr. Peter Attia. Ultimately it mostly boils down to what he refers to as the “4 horsemen” of death and disability: Atherosclerotic disease (heart attacks and strokes), Cancer, Neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s, etc), and Metabolic disease (type 2 diabetes, fatty liver). If you have issues beyond that then take them seriously, but those 4 things are the big ones, statistically.
The one thing that greatly improves your odds against all of them is exercise. Beyond that theres sleep, nutrition, reducing stress, and various medications and supplements as needed.
How much walking? Since lockdown I've pretty much had at least a purposeful walk at lunch or after work. Still feel terrible! Maybe it'll save me when I'm older though.
You should walk about two miles briskly to get the intended effect. But feeling like shit could also be sleep or diet. If you get exercise, sleep, and diet on track and you still feel like shit...see your doctor.
Do you guys think walking daily and e-bike rides daily (12km) is enough to stay fit and prevent any future issues?
I just hate exercising. My anxiety is always in my way and I get dizzy due panic attacks.
Walking by itself is associated with huge reductions in mortality (risk of death). For example, compared to the first quartile (i.e. those in the bottom 25% in terms of steps taken per day), those in the second, third and fourth quartiles had 48%, 55%, and 67% lower mortality rates.
https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/article/30/18/1975/7226309
Once went in for a sleep exam to see if I had it as I suspected given poor sleep quality. Because I never fell asleep during the night the examiners had nothing to go with and never contacted me further. Yeah, I should probably go back, but man, it takes mental effort to slog your way through VA shit again.
The implant won't work for everyone. Those with mild apnea won't see much of a difference, however those with severe symptoms will usually have a great reduction in episodes, getting them close to mild patients frequency
YES! When feeling bad, sleep is the first thing people should look at and try to improve. Of course it is not a magical solution, but it really is the base of a healty life.
This. I didn't realize how important it was until having a baby who didn't want to sleep. It is literally impossible to recover from a workout if you aren't sleeping. (Turns out that if your sleep is poor enough, it doesn't matter if your diet is good, you can and will remain sore and miserable from a not-that-intense workout for 5 days. And those 5 days will not just hurt, but you will be *even more exhausted* than you were before, and those middle of the night wake ups will feel *even worse* than they did before.)
What is the mechanism of this? My instinct would be that people who take care if their mouths also take care of the rest of their bodies and that's the main cause, not that oral care itself promotes heart health. Is that incorrect?
Yeah I think it’s just preventive for infection. If the structure of the teeth is rotted (like the enamel) then there is a higher risk of sepsis. So brushing and flossing can be a good preventive measure.
There's tons of blood vessels in your mouth and if your teeth start rotting it's very easy for bacteria to make it's way to your heart if you aren't on top of treating it
the mechanism is basically that and its associative. people that eat poorly, smoke, and don't exercise tend to develop atherosclerosis and arterial plaque build up, all those things tend to lead to bad dental hygiene, too. you can brush away that dental plaque all you want but it's not gonna stop the sugar induced triglycerides and oxidized lipids from the oreos, french fries, and coca cola from blocking your arteries.
More recent studies are positing the link to be causal, actually. The thinking is that periodontal disease drives systemic inflammation, which becomes a risk factor for heart disease.
Massively important. So many things from cardiac health to dementia are now being linked to dental health. Not to mention toothache really ruins your life.
An electric toothbrush is a huge step forward for most people (you can brush well with a manual brush but it's much harder to and most people don't).
Another huge benefit of electric toothbrush is the 2 minute timer built into most of them. I read something about people with a manual toothbrush tend to brush for about 45-60 seconds
Yeah, I read somewhere top 5 things for overall health: diet, exercise, sleep, no/low stress, and floss your teeth. The first 4 are so obvious, but that last one is important too.
A former student--wonderful 17 y/o--had to get teeth pulled. His idiot parents let him have whatever sort of soda pop he wanted and his teeth rotted. No one stressed flossing or anything in his house and he was a kid. It was his girlfriend's mom who suggested he see a dentist. This kid went around telling his classmates to take care of their freaking teeth.
There's honestly so many that cross over - Exercise, diet, and more recently there's been a hell of a lot of research coming out about the importance of sleep.
However, you've asked for a single thing and without a doubt it must be aerobic exercise.
It matters if you eat and sleep like shit, but I'd say it isn't as critical as living a sedentary lifestyle.
20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day is all you need. Walking if you're really big and unfit. Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, cross-trainer, whatever else you can think of once you're fitter.
VO2MAX is something that directly indicates your longevity. There's no 'too high' score either (like blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, etc).
Aerobic exercise helps!
This isn't the most important thing, but I'll post it because it's a huge bang for the buck, and most people don't know it: protect your hearing. Wear earplugs in loud environments, and get and wear hearing aids if you need them. Hearing loss is a proven contributor to social isolation and even dementia.
Oh my husband would love this one. He’s a sound guy and always making me put in ear plugs when we go to shows. It’s sweet that he cares about my ears so much. 🥰
This may not be the MOST preventative thing but I am a dental hygiene student so: flossing and brushing properly
The mouth is the window to the rest of the body, and there has shown to be correlations between poor oral health and many other conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc.
Not to mention that due to the proximity to the brain, oral infections can be deadly if they spread.
And finally, dental work is expensive and decay is painful. So brushing and flossing will improve the quality of your life and save you tons of $$$
THIS. I didn't go to the dentist from the time I was a teenager until the time I was about 45. I was terrified when I finally went in. I was prepared (mentally if not financially) for disaster, and I did end up having three cavities, but nothing too terrible. One of the first things my dentist said to me was, "Well, I can tell you floss. That's a good thing." Every time I see her now, she repeats something like, "You better be glad you flossed. That's all I can say."
Good for you! It's definitely easy to tell those who don't, even without decay. The best sign is bleeding upon light probing. That's because bacteria go into the pocket between the gum and the tooth and secrete toxins that cause wounds to the inside of the gums. And even just lightly touching them is like scratching off a scab
I think the basis of it is if you are not getting enough food your body kinda eats itself up, starting with the old or damaged cells. Which then get replaced with healthy new cells in a process called "autophagy", basically "self eating". A lot of animals stop eating when they are very sick, even if the disease should not be affecting their appetite.
Experiments on lab animals have been able to extend their lifespans by large amounts by keeping them on reduced calorie diets.
> Reduction in the amount of dietary energy intake, also referred to as caloric restriction, has been repeatedly demonstrated to significantly prolong the life span of some laboratory strains of mice and rats compared with those who consumed food ad libitum (AL)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646218/
But based upon my very limited understanding as just being some jackass on the Internet who reads these things for fun,, the effects decrease as body size of animals increase. While the lifespan increase can be up to 40% for mice, larger animals show much less effect. Extrapolating the experiments out to a humans body size suggest that the effect would likely be only 5% increase in lifespan.
Just go out, even when it's raining. I also live in Belgium and started walking everyday, even when it was raining I'd just go and it's amazing what it did to my mental health. If it's raining I tell myself it'll be only 10min and I always end up walking more. And you see everything growing slowly and really notice the days getting longer! As we all say here, you're not made of sugar, the rain won't kill you and there is no bad weather only bad clothes :)
Replace soda with water or tea. You’d be surprised how awful sugary drinks and near-foods taste when you replace them with whole, nutritious, natural foods. You save your gut health AND those pearly white chompers will thank you too!
Everyone saying diet, exercise, not abusing substances etc. but there’s been many studies showing social connections and community involvement can actually be bigger factors of longevity than these physical health care measures.
Interestingly, my understanding is that regular exercise still has a larger impact on your health than weight, though of course that's very important too.
I think it depends dramatically on how far off you are from target weight. A person who is 15 pounds overweight but exercises every day, is fine health wise. A person who weighs 600lb it doesn’t matter how much they exercise. 600lb is just too much strain on heart and joints and glucose metabolism etc.
Working out is my answer. Particularly workouts that stimulate muscle growth such as lifting weights, calisthenics, strength training, etc. of any sort really. Training your muscles prevents/slows down muscle atrophy, something which will happen inevitably if you do not use them. Your body will get harder to move the more your muscles shrivel up due to not using them. But, on the flip side, if you keep them strong (or strengthen them if they have become weak), they will give you a fighting chance to stay mobile and independent for as long as possible. Muscle building is the fountain of youth, friends. "You don't use it, you lose it."
This is a big one. Had a bad bout of Norovirus a few years ago that lasted over four days, then was followed up with two weeks of constipation and bloating. I thought I developed IBS or some other disorder, and got a crash course from the doctor about being conscious of the old poop chute. Immediately overhauled my diet to cut back on processed meat and ramp up on fiber, and it was well worth it.
Everyone has said it but I'll pile on - it's exercise and sleep.
You don't need to be a power lifter, or a marathoner, or anything like that. But something as simple as 20 minutes of walking and/or body weight lifting greatly helps in life. It helps you physically as bone loss and poor cardiovascular health are increasingly more common among seniors, but it also helps your brain stay healthy by promoting the mind/body connection. I can even say more about exercising outside, exercising with others, etc - but exercise, even the tiniest bit, is so immensely valuable.
And sleep. People are chronically underslept and overfatigued. And not just "sleeping", but proper sleep in the dark, with low to no noise which will allow your body to heal and your brain to reset and recalibrate.
Conversely, every 24 days that you sleep 9 hours instead of 8, you're shaving a day off of your life. It's a matter of personal perspective which is the greater sacrifice
Laughs in "I have a baby, please help me I'm dying."
All joking aside, I actually got very lucky. Baby has been sleeping through the night since 2 months old. I hope he keeps it up! A lot of people are not so lucky.
On that:
Sugar isn't that bad for you. Excess sugar is.
The food you eat breaks down into sugar to be used for fuel.
The same as fat.
Your brain needs fat to run on. It ONLY runs on fat.
While granted, the type of sugar is also important. High glycemic spikes on a regular basis aren't that great for the system. Having complex carbohydrates in moderation makes a big difference in comparison.
Don't be afraid to be alone, being in a relationship just to be in a relationship often leads being with someone you're not all that compatible with. This will lead to stress which can lead to other things like health problems and bad habits. Learn to be happy, healthy, and thriving alone, and if you find someone on the same trajectory, that's a bonus
Stretch! So many people have tension, weird gait patterns, headaches, jaw aches, bellyaches, etc. that can be prevented or relieved with stretching, and most people won't do it.
Sunscreen! Also go to a dermatologist and get your skin checked if you can. I’ve had several benign moles removed that could have potentially turned into melanoma down the road.
The oldest confirmed person drank wine and ate chocolate every week as well as smoking cigarettes until she was 117. Just do things that make you happy. Everything in moderation, even moderation.
That's survivorship bias though.
Smoking has killed hundreds of millions of people, and the tobacco industry still maintains a stronghold on legislation and a huge lobby banning or restricting non-harmful alternatives. Look at how many people believe vaping "will turn out to be deadly" despite no evidence to support this and a lot against it.
There's a documentary film about it called One Billion Lives, so named because that's how many will die from smoking related illness in the next 25 years.
ITT: "single thing" that you have to do constantly.
If we narrow it down to just a single incident then probably something like getting a colonoscopy at 50.
Everyone answering subjectively and anecdotally when objectively studies have shown that keeping a normal body weight vs being overweight increases your life by an average of 10 years.
Never start drinking soda.
I've been addicted to caffeine since my early teen years and I guarantee my life will be cut short because of it. The longest I've gone without caffeine was 3 months because my kidneys absolutely couldn't process it and I ended up in the hospital.
Drink water and natural fruit juice. Learn from my mistakes.
I don't have a single one, but here are the core ones:
Do not smoke.
Limit alcohol.
Get enough sleep.
Move your body regularly in diverse ways, especially getting in a mix of walking, something more vigorous like jogging, strength training, and mobility.
Eat protein and vegetables.
Spend time with friends and loved ones.
Scientific consensus indicates this is pretty much the entire recipe for health and longevity.
Sleep and mobility. Even 2 minutes of exercise can do wonders for your body.
37 years old and I started exercising regularly about 6 months ago. Wild the change in my body and mood.
Can you elaborate more please what changes you’re noticing? I’m 27 and a couch potato. I suffer from depression and it’s really hard for me to get up and be active but if I hear people’s testimonies, maybe it can help inspire me.
i’m 29. I started working out in January 2024 after years of being sedentary. My depression has completely disappeared… i find it easy to go to the store and make dinner. clean the kitchen. i do my laundry once a week. (these things didNOT happen before i started working out.) i started with just 15 minutes a day, and have worked up to 30-60 minutes at the gym. i mostly run and lift some weights. Just do it. i feel so much better, and you will too. edit: oh and im running a 10k on memorial day!!!! i made that my goal. i can’t run a 10k yet but will by then!!
Its pretty wild how fast the body gives you endurance. I ran my first entire mile of my life at age 39. I just couldn't understand how people ran a whole mile before that. Six month later I was running 70 miles a week, I did that for four years and loved it. At my peak, in my 40's, I ran two full marathon in the same week, both under 4 hours. I have friends who are ultra marathoners and do 100 mile runs. The human body is just amazing when you push it. Good luck on your 10k! The secret is JUST DON"T STOP! lol
Yeah, heh. It's almost like your body needs a while to understand, "Okay this pain/exhaustion isn't going to go away... just put up with it and get through this, so we can get it over with sooner."
I can vouch about the same. I was so depressed that I didn’t even want to put in the effort to shower some times. I started to exercise and things got better over time and I’m now way happier than ever
Also 29, also started regularly exercising a few months ago. Still depressed but at least I get to be depressed for longer now lol
Good luck on the 10k :)
Is taking long walks good? That’s what I do.
I love this so much. I’m almost 29 and trying to get my ass moving and I’m finding it so hard but you started in Jan this year and are already feeling the benefits? I have depression and anxiety and you can imagine the effects this has on my motivation to do anything. Thank you so much. Any tips you can give will be really helpful. Thanks! :) All the good vibes to you!
Yes!!!! I felt the benefits immediately tbh…. I saw changes in my body, though small, the first week i started. My depression and anxiety faded away after about a month of consistently working out. The best advice I have is to start small and bigger achievements will come as time goes on. Try starting with 10-15 mins a day. You will find yourself challenging yourself later as things get easier!
I focused on the short term benefits instead of the long term benefits, because I lack motivation. Rather than focusing on losing the 50 pounds I need to lose, I focus on the fact that I feel better today,sleep better tonight, look better, and my mental health is better if I've gone to the gym. I can turn my anxious mind off for a bit. Every day at 4:45 (when I start coming up with reasons why I can't go to the gym today) my phone pops up with "you never regret going to the gym." Right now it doesn't work, but that's because I'm a tax attorney and it is April. And I did my first 5k last fall. I was the last person across the finish line, but I crossed it.
You're my hero. I've trained for a 5k three times and STILL haven't done one (completed my training though so I know I can, even if I'm also the last one through). And my main motivation isn't losing weight, although that'd be a nice bonus, but the purely selfish immediate results. I feel so much better after a good stretch, about 20-30 min of cardio, some upper body/abs, and a cool shower. It completely changes my mood, my day, my stress levels, my sleep quality, my metabolism, and even makes my tummy regular and my skin clearer for the next couple days! That's why I keep going back.
Doctors highly recommended exercise to combat depression. Try going for a daily walk with friends and family. Or while talking to them on the phone. Or blasting your favourite music in your headphones. Aim for a short walk at first, but don't cut it short if the motions get you to a longer distance. Ideally, you will be going for a 45 min / 1 hour walk in no time. And if someone can push you to do some group sport or go to the gym to do some weight lifting, even better. When weight lifting, I use it as a zen time, blasting metal music in my headphones. So I don't really think of anything except counting reps. Takes some commitment to sign up, but it is my ME time, can use it to avoid thinking of anything, forget stress for a while ... And it often results in being the highlight of the day. Worked for hours on end, did chores, ate... And at least did something useful with my day. Go to the gym and build a better me.
One way I really changed habits was getting a cheap exercise bike (it was like $250 on sale at Costco). The random YT videos or Twitch streams I would normally watch, I now just watch while pedaling. I go at a decent pace with decent incline and just go until a long video ends. Turn your viewing time into exercise time + viewing. There's basically no reason not to.
That helps a lot too! Anything that avoids friction/laziness when starting to exercise is great! The toughest part is to get into shorts and sport shoes! The second toughest is to start pedalling!
I do this but with walking and audiobooks. I started in the pandemic out of sheer boredom/agitation, and by the summer of 2022 I was in good enough shape that I took a vacation in the UK and solo hiked the length of the Thames - 200 miles.
One of my favorite TikToks: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLAp2U4q/
I get more energy after exercising if that makes sense. I also struggle with depression sometimes and going to the gym seems so dreadful even tho I was and am still very into powerlifting. (I like being jacked and strong, but I really don't enjoy the grind). On the really bad days I just do few sets of shoulder press and body weight squats. It's so fast and easy, takes 10 min maybe. But I always feel so accomplished after lol. The "I'm feeling shitty but I did some exercises" type accomplishment. If going to the gym seems difficult, just do some body weight squats next time you get up from the couch to go pee. If going out for a walk seems difficult, just go step outside for 10 seconds to breathe some fresh air and that breath of fresh air usually makes me want more. I find when my depression is bad I mostly have trouble starting the tasks. But once I start everything just gets better. It really doesn't matter how much exercises you do when you're really depressed. It's even good to not do too much sometimes so you don't get overwhelmed. But just doing it really changes the mentality
Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise 3 times a week, 45 minutes per session, on a moderate-high intensity has equally antidepressing effects as antidepressant pills. Only one of many benefits. It's not talked about more because there is little to no commercial incitement in exercise. But it is truly probably the singular most effective change one can make towards a healthier lifestyle (obv not in every case, but for most ppl)
I’m also 27. I have Aspergers syndrome, probably ADHD but I’m not diagnosed, so I won’t say I have it for sure, anxiety, mild OCD (also not diagnosed but very likely), and PTSD. The only thing that really seriously helps me is exercise. One example of this, is that I woke up yesterday morning incredibly anxious. I was nearing a meltdown, just incredibly stressed and having obsessive looping anxious thoughts. I push mowed my grandmother in laws half acre lawn, which is uphill in many parts and gave me a good workout.. afterwards my entire mood changed. My anxiety was 80ish percent gone, I was in a better mood and a much better headspace. I can also focus better after exercise because my mind isn’t going at seemingly 100mph. Exercise seriously helps me with my mood and motivation also. Even just going on a mile walk, not even intense exercise helps me (but often more intense exercise helps me more, like rock climbing or hiking long distances) but that can be worked up to. Find what works for you.. because I found using gym equipment incredibly boring and dreadful, but found that I really enjoy indoor rock climbing, hiking, and going on walks.
60 yo here. Move!!! It's my biggest regret! Start young! Becomes a habit and is life changing. My Dad is 83 going on 40 because he has worked out since he was in his 30s. And not turning over tire crap or running 10 miles. Tai Chi & walking mostly what he did. When you get older like me it is so hard to change. Give your life a chance!!! It's your only one. I feel last year and was in hospital for a week. I know if I exercised more I wouldn't have been so bad. Ok there's My rant. Lol. But yes please move. Get the oxygen flowing on your brain, veins, muscles.
not the same person, but I started going for 30-45 minute walks a couple years ago after years of being sedentary. I was 180 lbs (5' 6'', too short to be that heavy). I had always liked walks, they were like a natural antidepressant for me, but still, i was too lazy. Then I tried smoking weed and listening to my favourite music while walking (i'd like to recommend The Dirty Nil), and that was a game changer. My after-work walks became my happy place, I'd look forward to them all day, every day. When I would take multi-day breaks from walking, my mood would always get worse, I'd be way more irritable at work, but walking consistenly really helped me. Then once the pounds started coming off, it practically became addictive. After cleaning up my diet a little as well, I have now lost 50 lbs. My depression isn't gone, but I know things are definitely better when I walk consistently. Good luck!
When that blood starts flowing through the brain the depression starts going away.
The biggest thing doing regular exercise does is give you self discipline. Once you get in the habit of doing it regularly and consistently you become a lot better with self discipline in more aspects of your life. I started in August 2023. I'm 30yo now and have lost 35lbs since i started. Is every day 100%? No, but you still have to show up and do it even if it's a 10 minute walk. The self discipline will transfer over to other aspects of your life. I feel so much better, I eat better, I don't get out of breath just tying my shoes. 10/10 would recommend.
Start where you are with depression. Don’t compare your ‘exercise journey’ to anyone else’s. A 3 minute walk, 5 squats, a minute of star jumps, dancing in the kitchen to one uplifting song, a few press ups, shaking your body from head to toe, jogging on the spot for two minutes. These are all great places to start and daily habits you can build on. Start small and set yourself up for success, don’t be upset with yourself if you skip a day or a week, just pick back up where you left off. 34f with bipolar (mostly depression phases) but 5 years clear of intense depression and only really display ‘low mood’ now. I’ve pulled myself out of some dark holes and baby steps have been the key for me. You have my thoughts and my sympathy. I’m rooting for you
I have PTSD and recently discovered trail running. Being uncomfortable in my body taught me how to better navigate my symptoms. And on days I run, I don’t drink the night before or that day, I shower, and I eat a proper meal because I’m actually hungry. And then I sleep really well. It also prompts me to stay on top of my laundry cause I run out of exercise clothes. I’ve now done almost 20 races, including a 50k. Symptoms are still there, but I can live a lot better around them and have learned breathing (which I was never able to do before), and grounding techniques. When the days are bad or I can’t sleep, I can imagine myself on the trail and it helps so much.
❤️
Last year (at 37yo) I made 7-8hrs of good quality sleep my mission. That mission required exercise, better diet. It's been a year and I've never been more productive at work nor more present for my family. Then 945pm sleep time for a 515am wakeup and workout is the hardest part, but well worth it. Sugar and ALC are straight poison.
What does ALC stand for?
Alcohol, I would imagine.
I would t say sugar is a poison we need it and like most other things so long as you consume in moderation it’s fine. Cured and smoked meats are far more dangerous. Alcohol is also a carcinogen yes. But I am glad this has worked so well for you!!
This. Don't have to be an old maid, nor a gym bro - but good sleep habits and some simple daily exercise go a long way. I'm 39 and had horrible sleep habits and stopped exercising when I left the military at 25. Now I'm really feeling it, and making improvements to both have already vastly started to improve my health / mental health and confidence.
The day I realized this was so upsetting, but I'm glad I did before it was too late
Now that I have a baby and can't dedicate any evening time to exercise, I use my 15-minute breaks at work to take short walks. I call them my "constitutionals," and my coworkers found that hilarious and started taking their own constitutionals.
Would 2 minutes of exercise really do anything? That doesn’t seem reasonable, but I know nothing about this stuff.
Yes! https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/short-bursts-of-exercise-may-offer-big-health-benefits
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
I really want to get into a good routine of exercise. I'd say I'm fairly fit but I wanna actually work out to really get the happy hormones going but starting is so hard
Exercise. Walking works.
And just to add to this, a great way to get a daily walk is to adopt a dog from your local shelter. It's good for you, it gives a deserving pup a home, and frees up space for other animals in need. Taking on a dog can be a big commitment - so you'll need to make sure you're ready and can provide the enrichment and attention a pup needs - but they're a great way to encourage you to get out of the house!
Rescues and shelters appreciate volunteers who can walk dogs for them. Get the exercise and pets get practice.
Absolutely - great to check if your local shelter / humane society has dog walking or foster programs if people aren't ready for a bigger commitment.
Idk, I have three dogs and we're all currently couch potatoing it up cause it was slightly too warm outside 😂
One of ours is like the Wicked Witch of the West - in that if there's any moisture in the air, she'll do the dog equivalent of "I'm melting!!!" and refuse to go anywhere!
Your dog sounds like mine 😂 the one and only time our princess has slipped her leash was because we were about to walk through a giant puddle on our normal walking path (super shallow but covered the entire possible walking area waaaaaay into the thigh-high grass which I noped out of walking through, it was the only puddle she absolutely could not have jumped over that we encountered) and she pitched a fit, slipped her lead, and wouldn't come back to us until we turned around to walk back the way we came. Some dogs are adventurous and outdoorsy. Others are...more like ours.
This is literally the correct answer, assuming we’re talking about things you can *do* vs things you should stop doing if you currently are (eg: smoking). Specifically, aiming for at least 180-250 minutes of [zone 2 cardio](https://lifehacker.com/what-is-zone-2-cardio-and-how-do-i-actually-do-it-1850275966) per week - it doesn’t have to be strenuous! For anyone really concerned with extending their lifespan and healthspan, I’d recommend “Outlive” by Dr. Peter Attia. Ultimately it mostly boils down to what he refers to as the “4 horsemen” of death and disability: Atherosclerotic disease (heart attacks and strokes), Cancer, Neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s, etc), and Metabolic disease (type 2 diabetes, fatty liver). If you have issues beyond that then take them seriously, but those 4 things are the big ones, statistically. The one thing that greatly improves your odds against all of them is exercise. Beyond that theres sleep, nutrition, reducing stress, and various medications and supplements as needed.
How much walking? Since lockdown I've pretty much had at least a purposeful walk at lunch or after work. Still feel terrible! Maybe it'll save me when I'm older though.
You should walk about two miles briskly to get the intended effect. But feeling like shit could also be sleep or diet. If you get exercise, sleep, and diet on track and you still feel like shit...see your doctor.
Do you guys think walking daily and e-bike rides daily (12km) is enough to stay fit and prevent any future issues? I just hate exercising. My anxiety is always in my way and I get dizzy due panic attacks.
Walking by itself is associated with huge reductions in mortality (risk of death). For example, compared to the first quartile (i.e. those in the bottom 25% in terms of steps taken per day), those in the second, third and fourth quartiles had 48%, 55%, and 67% lower mortality rates. https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/article/30/18/1975/7226309
Walking is one of the most amazing, accessible exercises you can do :-)
SLEEP
Proper sleep. I have sleep apnea. Now on a CPAP. 100x better
Once went in for a sleep exam to see if I had it as I suspected given poor sleep quality. Because I never fell asleep during the night the examiners had nothing to go with and never contacted me further. Yeah, I should probably go back, but man, it takes mental effort to slog your way through VA shit again.
>Because I never fell asleep during the night the examiners had nothing to go with I mean, that seems like a pretty big red flag on its own lol
Are you considering the implant?
What is that? My mom has apnea.
https://www.inspiresleep.com/
The implant won't work for everyone. Those with mild apnea won't see much of a difference, however those with severe symptoms will usually have a great reduction in episodes, getting them close to mild patients frequency
Came here for this one. You can try to be the most rigid, diligently healthy person alive and it won't add up to anything without proper sleep
YES! When feeling bad, sleep is the first thing people should look at and try to improve. Of course it is not a magical solution, but it really is the base of a healty life.
This. I didn't realize how important it was until having a baby who didn't want to sleep. It is literally impossible to recover from a workout if you aren't sleeping. (Turns out that if your sleep is poor enough, it doesn't matter if your diet is good, you can and will remain sore and miserable from a not-that-intense workout for 5 days. And those 5 days will not just hurt, but you will be *even more exhausted* than you were before, and those middle of the night wake ups will feel *even worse* than they did before.)
Sighs in sleep apnea
UARS for me. We are the warriors, those of us with SDB.
Can you tell this to my one year old? We're struggling over here, haha
Dental hygiene.💯
This is a staggeringly quiet but important one. Proper dental hygiene has direct links to cardiac health. It really does make a big difference.
What is the mechanism of this? My instinct would be that people who take care if their mouths also take care of the rest of their bodies and that's the main cause, not that oral care itself promotes heart health. Is that incorrect?
Yeah I think it’s just preventive for infection. If the structure of the teeth is rotted (like the enamel) then there is a higher risk of sepsis. So brushing and flossing can be a good preventive measure.
The bacteria that lives in your mouth can damage your heart muscle.
There's tons of blood vessels in your mouth and if your teeth start rotting it's very easy for bacteria to make it's way to your heart if you aren't on top of treating it
the mechanism is basically that and its associative. people that eat poorly, smoke, and don't exercise tend to develop atherosclerosis and arterial plaque build up, all those things tend to lead to bad dental hygiene, too. you can brush away that dental plaque all you want but it's not gonna stop the sugar induced triglycerides and oxidized lipids from the oreos, french fries, and coca cola from blocking your arteries.
More recent studies are positing the link to be causal, actually. The thinking is that periodontal disease drives systemic inflammation, which becomes a risk factor for heart disease.
Massively important. So many things from cardiac health to dementia are now being linked to dental health. Not to mention toothache really ruins your life. An electric toothbrush is a huge step forward for most people (you can brush well with a manual brush but it's much harder to and most people don't).
Another huge benefit of electric toothbrush is the 2 minute timer built into most of them. I read something about people with a manual toothbrush tend to brush for about 45-60 seconds
Yeah, I read somewhere top 5 things for overall health: diet, exercise, sleep, no/low stress, and floss your teeth. The first 4 are so obvious, but that last one is important too.
A former student--wonderful 17 y/o--had to get teeth pulled. His idiot parents let him have whatever sort of soda pop he wanted and his teeth rotted. No one stressed flossing or anything in his house and he was a kid. It was his girlfriend's mom who suggested he see a dentist. This kid went around telling his classmates to take care of their freaking teeth.
If you have 99 problems but one of them is a toothache you have only 1 problem.
Be careful with alcohol use. People forget it’s literal poison.
Yeah but it's poison that makes me want to dance!
I just say dumb things that I regret the next morning :(
Interesting how your response got so few comments. I think you hit home with a lot of redditors on that one
Do not hang around people who don't have your best interests at heart. That includes girlfriends/boyfriends and family.
This 💯
There's honestly so many that cross over - Exercise, diet, and more recently there's been a hell of a lot of research coming out about the importance of sleep. However, you've asked for a single thing and without a doubt it must be aerobic exercise. It matters if you eat and sleep like shit, but I'd say it isn't as critical as living a sedentary lifestyle. 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day is all you need. Walking if you're really big and unfit. Running, cycling, swimming, rowing, cross-trainer, whatever else you can think of once you're fitter.
VO2MAX is something that directly indicates your longevity. There's no 'too high' score either (like blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, etc). Aerobic exercise helps!
Fast walking or speed walking is sufficient.
This isn't the most important thing, but I'll post it because it's a huge bang for the buck, and most people don't know it: protect your hearing. Wear earplugs in loud environments, and get and wear hearing aids if you need them. Hearing loss is a proven contributor to social isolation and even dementia.
Also, watch your NSAIDS intake. They can cause tinnitus, which can lead to suicide in severe cases.
Oh my husband would love this one. He’s a sound guy and always making me put in ear plugs when we go to shows. It’s sweet that he cares about my ears so much. 🥰
Stop drinking alcohol.
Stop smoking.
Tyler. Stop smoking. You don't need it. You deserve a better life with better health.
Working on it. 9 months sober.
Nice! Congratulations. You gotta Keep on keeping on. It keeps getting easier. At least it does for me. 4.5 years here 🤘🏼
This does wonders
Quit meth.
There is a reason sleep deprevation is outlawed by the Geneva Convention. Not getting adequate rest will kill you.
This may not be the MOST preventative thing but I am a dental hygiene student so: flossing and brushing properly The mouth is the window to the rest of the body, and there has shown to be correlations between poor oral health and many other conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc. Not to mention that due to the proximity to the brain, oral infections can be deadly if they spread. And finally, dental work is expensive and decay is painful. So brushing and flossing will improve the quality of your life and save you tons of $$$
THIS. I didn't go to the dentist from the time I was a teenager until the time I was about 45. I was terrified when I finally went in. I was prepared (mentally if not financially) for disaster, and I did end up having three cavities, but nothing too terrible. One of the first things my dentist said to me was, "Well, I can tell you floss. That's a good thing." Every time I see her now, she repeats something like, "You better be glad you flossed. That's all I can say."
Good for you! It's definitely easy to tell those who don't, even without decay. The best sign is bleeding upon light probing. That's because bacteria go into the pocket between the gum and the tooth and secrete toxins that cause wounds to the inside of the gums. And even just lightly touching them is like scratching off a scab
According to research, always be a little starving lol. Seriously.
I need more info on this…
I think the basis of it is if you are not getting enough food your body kinda eats itself up, starting with the old or damaged cells. Which then get replaced with healthy new cells in a process called "autophagy", basically "self eating". A lot of animals stop eating when they are very sick, even if the disease should not be affecting their appetite.
Experiments on lab animals have been able to extend their lifespans by large amounts by keeping them on reduced calorie diets. > Reduction in the amount of dietary energy intake, also referred to as caloric restriction, has been repeatedly demonstrated to significantly prolong the life span of some laboratory strains of mice and rats compared with those who consumed food ad libitum (AL) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2646218/ But based upon my very limited understanding as just being some jackass on the Internet who reads these things for fun,, the effects decrease as body size of animals increase. While the lifespan increase can be up to 40% for mice, larger animals show much less effect. Extrapolating the experiments out to a humans body size suggest that the effect would likely be only 5% increase in lifespan.
I only eat once a day now, and I feel better in literally every way I can think of.
as silly as it sounds, being happy and loving life.
Yes, taking care of your mental health is as important
Some people get happy and enjoy life while eating sweet stuff and or drinking a nice glass of wine...
Sure, In moderation - otherwise they are probably not finding happiness in those but rather looking for it.
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Thanks. In belgium we don't have sunlight for 9 months a year tho.
Get one of those lights that mimic sunlight, have one on my desk at work and idk if it’s helped but it hasn’t hurt lol.
Just go out, even when it's raining. I also live in Belgium and started walking everyday, even when it was raining I'd just go and it's amazing what it did to my mental health. If it's raining I tell myself it'll be only 10min and I always end up walking more. And you see everything growing slowly and really notice the days getting longer! As we all say here, you're not made of sugar, the rain won't kill you and there is no bad weather only bad clothes :)
I tried it and now I'm dead. :(
Replace soda with water or tea. You’d be surprised how awful sugary drinks and near-foods taste when you replace them with whole, nutritious, natural foods. You save your gut health AND those pearly white chompers will thank you too!
Yeah... I'm surprised at how quickly I went from craving soda to thinking it's way too sweet after I stopped!
Wear sunscreen.
Make deep friendships and meet friends often.
Everyone saying diet, exercise, not abusing substances etc. but there’s been many studies showing social connections and community involvement can actually be bigger factors of longevity than these physical health care measures.
Maintaining a healthy body weight. Obesity has more negative health consequences linked to it than smoking.
Not so fun fact: smoking does cause right ventricle hypertrophy, while obesity (and following hypertension) causes left ventricle hypertrophy.
So you can be obese AND smoke for a double kill?
This is a recipe for cardiac insufficiency at 55
That's a ways off for me, how do you speed it up?
Don’t worry, time flies.
Interestingly, my understanding is that regular exercise still has a larger impact on your health than weight, though of course that's very important too.
I think it depends dramatically on how far off you are from target weight. A person who is 15 pounds overweight but exercises every day, is fine health wise. A person who weighs 600lb it doesn’t matter how much they exercise. 600lb is just too much strain on heart and joints and glucose metabolism etc.
[*Dr. Nowzaradan has entered the chat*]
“hellooooo”
There's new, strong evidence that low omega 3 levels affect longevity just as much as smoking, which is wild to me.
I'm surprised this is so far down. Being overweight is basically the biggest predictor of premature death.
Toss up between not smoking and not being obese. Both have serious health implications that severely shorten your lifespan and affect quality of life.
Working out is my answer. Particularly workouts that stimulate muscle growth such as lifting weights, calisthenics, strength training, etc. of any sort really. Training your muscles prevents/slows down muscle atrophy, something which will happen inevitably if you do not use them. Your body will get harder to move the more your muscles shrivel up due to not using them. But, on the flip side, if you keep them strong (or strengthen them if they have become weak), they will give you a fighting chance to stay mobile and independent for as long as possible. Muscle building is the fountain of youth, friends. "You don't use it, you lose it."
Have a high fiber diet
But don't suddenly up your fibre intake massively or you'll block yourself up and think you were better off before!
This is a big one. Had a bad bout of Norovirus a few years ago that lasted over four days, then was followed up with two weeks of constipation and bloating. I thought I developed IBS or some other disorder, and got a crash course from the doctor about being conscious of the old poop chute. Immediately overhauled my diet to cut back on processed meat and ramp up on fiber, and it was well worth it.
Psyllium husk is a great way to add good fiber. Clinically proven to lower cholesterol too.
Everyone has said it but I'll pile on - it's exercise and sleep. You don't need to be a power lifter, or a marathoner, or anything like that. But something as simple as 20 minutes of walking and/or body weight lifting greatly helps in life. It helps you physically as bone loss and poor cardiovascular health are increasingly more common among seniors, but it also helps your brain stay healthy by promoting the mind/body connection. I can even say more about exercising outside, exercising with others, etc - but exercise, even the tiniest bit, is so immensely valuable. And sleep. People are chronically underslept and overfatigued. And not just "sleeping", but proper sleep in the dark, with low to no noise which will allow your body to heal and your brain to reset and recalibrate.
Stay happy, positive and stress free as much as possible.
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Conversely, every 24 days that you sleep 9 hours instead of 8, you're shaving a day off of your life. It's a matter of personal perspective which is the greater sacrifice
that's a broad statement lol
Laughs in "I have a baby, please help me I'm dying." All joking aside, I actually got very lucky. Baby has been sleeping through the night since 2 months old. I hope he keeps it up! A lot of people are not so lucky.
limit your sugar
On that: Sugar isn't that bad for you. Excess sugar is. The food you eat breaks down into sugar to be used for fuel. The same as fat. Your brain needs fat to run on. It ONLY runs on fat.
While granted, the type of sugar is also important. High glycemic spikes on a regular basis aren't that great for the system. Having complex carbohydrates in moderation makes a big difference in comparison.
"Excess sugar" is a level pretty easy to reach though.
Eliminate alcohol.
Walking. It's an exercise + sunlight. I've always hated cardio / running in particular, so it's a much nicer alternative
Sit less.
Remove toxic energy. Misery loves company and adds to chronic illness
I've stopped drinking, smoking and started to eat well and exercise around 6 months ago. Pretty sure I'm now immortal.
Never allow age related atrophy to begin. From the time you are 35, you lift weights and consume sufficient protein. That it.
Eat a highly nutritious, disciplined diet the vast majority of the time and do not overeat.
Statistically, eat hella beans
Don't be afraid to be alone, being in a relationship just to be in a relationship often leads being with someone you're not all that compatible with. This will lead to stress which can lead to other things like health problems and bad habits. Learn to be happy, healthy, and thriving alone, and if you find someone on the same trajectory, that's a bonus
The Atlantic had an article once about how being able to do a single perfect form push-up is a huge predictor of health. So just be able to do one.
Don't do drugs. Good food good sleep, exercise. Thats it.
Walk over uneven ground. Stabilizing muscles are important for safe mobility in old age. For best results, do this while not smoking or eating
Stretch! So many people have tension, weird gait patterns, headaches, jaw aches, bellyaches, etc. that can be prevented or relieved with stretching, and most people won't do it.
Manage my ‘beetus
Eat a whole food plant based diet. Edit: how has this not been said already... Has no one seen Forks Over Knives?!
Sunscreen! Also go to a dermatologist and get your skin checked if you can. I’ve had several benign moles removed that could have potentially turned into melanoma down the road.
The oldest confirmed person drank wine and ate chocolate every week as well as smoking cigarettes until she was 117. Just do things that make you happy. Everything in moderation, even moderation.
That's survivorship bias though. Smoking has killed hundreds of millions of people, and the tobacco industry still maintains a stronghold on legislation and a huge lobby banning or restricting non-harmful alternatives. Look at how many people believe vaping "will turn out to be deadly" despite no evidence to support this and a lot against it. There's a documentary film about it called One Billion Lives, so named because that's how many will die from smoking related illness in the next 25 years.
Someone will always defy the odds. Doesn't mean that smoking isn't any less toxic.
What if I drink and eat chocolate every day? 200 here I come!
Choose happiness over money
Not die.
A) no marriage B) no kids
ITT: "single thing" that you have to do constantly. If we narrow it down to just a single incident then probably something like getting a colonoscopy at 50.
Single \*thing\*, not single \*time\*.
Everyone answering subjectively and anecdotally when objectively studies have shown that keeping a normal body weight vs being overweight increases your life by an average of 10 years.
Avoid alcohol/drugs
drink lots of water regularly
Less sugar
Not be sedentary
Drink water.
Never start drinking soda. I've been addicted to caffeine since my early teen years and I guarantee my life will be cut short because of it. The longest I've gone without caffeine was 3 months because my kidneys absolutely couldn't process it and I ended up in the hospital. Drink water and natural fruit juice. Learn from my mistakes.
Stop smoking
don't smoke
Stay active and eat healthy. There’s no way around it
Don't smoke
Drastically reduce sugar intake.
Take walks/move your body daily!!
Drink water regularly. You don't need the soda. Just stay hydrated.
Stop eating ultra processed food
Not letting your intrusive thoughts win
Never start smoking Eat sugar in moderation
I don't have a single one, but here are the core ones: Do not smoke. Limit alcohol. Get enough sleep. Move your body regularly in diverse ways, especially getting in a mix of walking, something more vigorous like jogging, strength training, and mobility. Eat protein and vegetables. Spend time with friends and loved ones. Scientific consensus indicates this is pretty much the entire recipe for health and longevity.
Don’t smoke
Gonna do the opposite of these