Ask HN: How has exercise changed your outlook on life?

Exercise taught me the value of hard work. I learned how to really push myself, and that I felt good afterwards and actually got more fit. Realizing that you're getting stronger and suddenly recognizing that your physique improved is amazing.

But it also taught me that hard work isn't everything, and moreover, that you can actually push yourself too hard. It got to a point where I ran so much and so hard that I didn't even feel good afterwards. My pace and overall fitness actually started to decrease.

Some of my fastest runs were also some of the runs I felt best doing.

"Life's a marathon not a sprint". If you try to sprint the full marathon, you'll burn out and finish slower. You need to pace yourself. Work hard, but also smart, and make sure your routine is bearable and sustainable long-term.

I taught myself to code with the lessons I learned from weightlifting. I knew that all I had to do was put the reps in and trust the process. Even when I had bad days or felt like I didn't want to practice I knew that I'd be better for just showing up and writing a few lines of something.

It is a shame that our "Modern" lifestyle (mostly Sedentary and too much Food) has made "Exercise" a Necessity rather than Optional. Since Body and Mind are linked together the benefits are both Physical and Mental. The single biggest benefit that i have observed is that i become more Self-Confident/Self-Assured and somehow more Optimistic about my Life even though nothing has changed in the Environment. This obviously leads to better problem-solving skills.

Some resources for further reading:

* The Energy of Life: The Science of What Makes Our Minds and Bodies Work by Guy Brown.

* Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey.

* Body by Science: A Research Based Program to Get the Results You Want in 12 Minutes a Week by John Little and Doug Mcguff.

Before I started lifting, I dreaded making coffee in the morning. I always hoped my girlfriend would get up first and make it. I was shaky holding the pot of water with 1 hand while I poured it into the machine.

Now when I get up in the morning and make coffee it is effortless and I don't even think about it. Fill a pot with water and pour it into the machine. And I feel upbeat while doing it.

This is something that would be very easy to not self-observe. I overlooked the before/after difference myself. Just one day I noticed "hey making coffee is easier than it used to be". Being physically fit is good for many little things in life. Things you will not even notice and take for granted.

Realized physical stuff is a decent rest from all the mental stuff. Better mental clarity afterwards. Aesthetically better looks. Better stamina in hanging out with people in general, and of course also in bed.

I’ve started going to a gym connected to a physical therapist and hospital. It’s really encouraging to see people twice and thrice my age still active, makes me a little less freaked out about growing old.

My dad was chairman of the Royal Navy surf association so basically surfed since I could walk and used to go to all the RN surf comps with the marines and all the navy guys and fleet air arm and stuff and thought I was so cool.

Surfing has kept me fit and kept me WANTING to stay fit throughout my whole life - I’ve swum and done weights when living in cities to stay on point for getting in the water ‘when it’s necessary’ (Big Wednesday quote).

I’ve also made a lot of friends and travelled a lot with it. Don’t know what I’d be like without it ….

There's a number of insights I've had:

You won't push yourself as hard when you're by yourself than if you're in a group / personal training setting.

If you do a really hard workout in the morning and you're in tune with your body you can instantly tell if there's something you didn't do right the day before (eating / drinking etc).

If you notice the previous insight it can shape your behaviour the day before your workout (e.g. "I won't drink tonight because I've got a hard workout tomorrow morning"). Exercise can alter your behaviour in life.

Not everyone puts in the same energy into a workout / exercise. To be better than the rest you should focus on technique and always give it your best - even for simple exercises.

You'll advance faster if you work hard on the basics, but to become really good in say a sport one of the main things is to show up consistently and train frequently.

Training doesn't just make your muscles stronger, it strengthens your bones and (perhaps counter-intuitively?) makes you less prone to injury.

The hardest thing is showing up. Once you show up you'll usually do more than you thought you would.

Previously, I had greatly underestimated the impact physical fitness has on my mental health.

Incidentally, highly recommend -

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-...

To lift 200lbs, you start with 1. Then increase as you get stronger, get better form and become more confident.

To reach your goals, you need to make incremental adjustments and gains. One step at a time. Take notes and look back at what you have accomplished. Cherish each pound. Take breaks to rest the body. And don’t forget to celebrate each step.

.5 lbs extra on a lift is worthy of celebration!

I run regularly now for 3-4 years. What surprises me is that I feel like I’m more fit than I was 10-15 years ago even at an older age.

Discipline, wake up in the morning, enjoying sports and outside activities. Cycling, swimming, running.

Still don't like talking to people though.

People say hi and chat, but I just don't enjoy talking to strangers, I guess. :) Different if I live abroad, but, mostly in the USA - They ask about my bike, and I always feel like they are surveilling me more than wanting to connect.

Much better mood and self-confidence. I feel attractive, and that helps in interactions, and capable of handling challenges as I feel stronger.

I feel physical progress rather than decay, so I feel confident of a healthy future for myself. Group exercise has also helped me socialize.

A regular schedule has helped me feel satisfied of the week, and enjoy more my rest days.

Don't overthink it.

Do it. Develop the habit, 1000% more important than measured results. Push yourself to do it even if you're not feeling like it, and even if you're not enjoying it mid-exercise.

The net result is you're overall better. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. THIS is the biggest benefit for me.

Large gains are made in small steps. I realised almost any goal can be achieved by consistently pushing yourself in that direction over a large enough time period.

Aka benching twice a week and adding a 2.5 pound plates whenever possible to get to 315 pounds.

Just do it, is the best thing you can do for you

Be careful not to overdo it resulting in injury.

Avoid dangerous things that stress poor parts of the body, such as the knee's ligaments.

Some things never heal back once injured, such as most of the meniscus-- only a small part of it has blood flow. Probably similar with other cartilage body parts.