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Definitely love using the library for audiobooks. I mainly use apps: Axis 360, Hoopla, and Libby (and a little bit of Overdrive). It's been a godsend for reading for me and saved me a ton.

I also use those apps for ebooks, removing social media from my phone, and try to read a few pages here and there when I would have been scrolling mindlessly before.

I love running with audiobooks. People I talk to are initially thrown off (don't you need high-tempo/"pump" music?) but if you're get into the habit and don't push yourself too hard it's easy to listen to fiction 20-40 minutes at a time while doing cardio. It's positive feedback, too - I look forward to running because I get to listen to my book. And I like my book because (after getting into a routine) running makes me feel good.

Not sure how you exercise to audiobooks, unless maybe its running or something like that. Up-tempo music really helps increase my cadence. I've tried w/ podcasts and audiobooks and am forced to switch back or else just find myself half-halfheartedly working out.

I guess for me I mostly halfheart on the audiobook end. Like if I missed a sentence or two I'll just let it go. So I dont listen to serious books. On the other hand some weight training doesn't really require a fast cadence if not training for explosion I assume. Interestingly for me music sometimes can mess up my own exercise tempo.

> Not sure how you exercise to audiobooks

If you lift weights, there's a lot of waiting involved between sets. You can listen to stuff while you're idle, and then hit pause as you're doing your reps.

When you're just starting out you may only need 90s rest, but as you progress to higher loads, that will rise to (say) three minutes, and then even longer the more 'advanced' you get.

I find that podcasts or audiobooks can actually help my pacing on longer weekend runs. With music I all too easily get caught up in a good song, let my pace drift faster into unsustainable territory, and wind up paying for it on the back half of the run.

I exercise mostly indoors these days at home and most of my workouts are more endurance than cardio (long story) like walking at an incline on the treadmill and using the elliptical at high tension or lifting weights. In all three cases, the machines help me/force me to keep a cadence.

When I did run outside, I had a Garmin GPS Watch (before the Apple Watch was a thing) to force me to stay at my desired pace.

That being said. I can’t cycle without music. That is basically my only real cardio.

If I may, what kind of exercises paired well with audiobooks? I need a routine, any kind of routine, but like you I find a lot of exercising dull.

My routine with audiobooks:

Cardio: stationary bike, jumping rope, stair climbing. Body weight: some for abs some for lower back. I learned and picked a few from the youtube channel Athlean X. I personally feel we need those exercises to combat the long hours we sit everyday. And stretching! It was so boring before audiobooks I never stretch, now I stretch before and after.

Feel free to experiment to find your own optimal routine, since we have different schedules and access to equipments. I guess the idea is with audiobooks experimenting can be fun too. Even cleaning the house is fun now with audiobooks :D

I second audiobooks on long bike rides. I listened to the Mueller report and several audiobooks on my last bike tour and it was a great way to pass the time.

Mention of AthleanX and no mention of face pulls. I think aside the low back and ab exercises you mention it’s the single best antidote to the rounded-shoulders computer posture.

He recommends them after ever single workout and from doing this the last couple of months has done wonders from my experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiRAi2KOfRQ

His video on it.

The comments on it are pretty funny actually

Lifting weights.

There's a lot of waiting between sets as you get to higher numbers. See the book Starting Strength by Rippetoe, or /r/fitness.

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rippetoe

He's highly opinionated (on a variety of topics), but his system is pretty good. Note: it's fairly boring, as it's the same five basic exercises over and over. But it gets results and having strength is handy.

Other than that, being able to do a 5K is also useful:

* https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-5k-not-the-marathon...

Humans really don't need that much activity to stay healthy: at some point it's diminishing returns.

I cycle with audiobooks - 1-2 books/month. It really helps pass the time during long rides. I've tried with running, but being a more intense and high impact exercise it didn't work for me.

Walking up mountains - a typical Saturday for me is 2 hour drive, 8 or 9 hour walk then 2 hour drive back so usually about one non-abridged audiobook per week.

NB Only slightly odd side effect is I now associate particular mountains with specific topics....