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Comment by lhorie | Hacker News Reader

>> 5) don't commute more than 20mins each way

I walk to work. Free 1.5 hr of exercise every day and I don't have to spend money on transportation.

You can get to work some quicker way and run instead. Running is much more valuable than walking.

Well, you have to factor in changing out of your running clothes and showering if you're in a "professional" environment.

Also I have bad knees that make even the mile I walked to the job I just quit a little difficult. I doubt they will ever heal enough that running is a good idea.

You can try bicycling, it's faster and you won't sweat unless you have to go uphill. Also, if your office has showers (a rare but nice feature) you can go running/bicycling and have a shower.

Indeed. Id recommend using a fixie - http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_250/268_fixed-gear...

If showering is not an option, choosing the right apparel can get you through the day. http://shop.outlier.cc/index.html

The compromises are an inconvenience, but IMO the subsequent healthier and happier life is worth it.

A fixy is the shortest route to blown out knees. Especially if they were bad to start with.

I had bad knees for years, but found that running exclusively up-hill on uneven ground for about 2 years completely cured them. This might not be practical or work for you, but I found a steady improvement after I started walking gently down hills and only running up. I also made a conscious effort to minimize the impact of each footfall. After 2 years, I found I could even run downhill again without pain or injury.

Do you run striking with your heels or a more sane part of your feet?

I could jog on my way home, but since I sweat a lot, running to work is probably not a good idea. I've thought about biking, but it'd be a hassle because of the narrow staircases in my building. The subway is just slightly faster than walking (when it's on time anyways)

In any case, I do ~6 hrs of martial arts per week, and I find that walking is a nice low-impact type of activity to complement it.

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