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Comment by lnalx | Hacker News Reader

"Take care of your body in your 20s"

It's easier to build muscle mass before the age of 30 and the muscle you gain during that time will never go away (with a minimum of training).

The earlier you start exercising, the less difficult it will be to maintain your body as you get older. Someone who has never exercised but wants to lose weight by their 40s will have a much harder time than someone who started exercising early.

More than that, working out has a significant impact on my productivity, mood and psychological health. It changed my life.

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Just something to keep in mind:

If you're 40ish and new to physical fitness, don't despair. I turn 39 tomorrow and am in the best shape of my life.

Anything done consistently is better than nothing, but done perfect.

Losing fat is a simple calorie deficit. Find a way to do it consistently and you will lose weight. This cannot be scienced out of.

This needs to include not getting injured as well. I worked out plenty in my 20s, but was also reckless as hell, and lost most of my 30s to severe spinal degeneration. It's not too late in your 40s, though. It took about six years, but even after spending most of a decade unable to consistently put my own shoes on and ending up with ten screws in my spine, I'm still lifting just about everyday and putting up lifetime PRs. To be clear, I'm not saying those are huge numbers, since I was more of an endurance athlete in my 20s and only lifted to have a solid strength base for longer-duration activity, but even so.

Granting here, I'm sure it's definitely easier to resume old habits after injury recovery than to start completely fresh, so yeah, still start young if you're young. But if you're not, it's never too late until you're in the ground.

Yes! I figured this out in my mid-20's and it wasn't too late. I had gone to the doctor with the complaint that I just did not want to eat. He prescribed some substance, which of course didn't work. I was working from home, and my girlfriend had a back injury and a car so I had essentially no exercise.

I prescribed myself a bicycle, biked hard while singing every night until I couldn't breathe, and very soon I was regularly hungry and fit.

What did I need to learn? I'm not just a brain on a stick.

> It's easier to build muscle mass before the age of 30 and the muscle you gain during that time will never go away (with a minimum of training).

Why would that not also be true of muscle you build later in life? It might be harder to acquire it, but it should be similarly long-lasting.

This sounds like a universally good advice. Sometimes, it's really hard to put projects and work aside and devote time to excercise and health. It's not that amusing when you do it alone and really hard to make it a habit in the beginning.

I started with 100 situps and push-ups over an hour while watching tv and cutting dessert. One month later I looked in the mirror and was inspired to do more. Little things add up. Try something small, daily for 2 weeks.

100 situps is a lot for a beginner. Actually, after 3 years in gym I did ~80 in 4 sets. Not because I can't do more but 1) it is a high stress for a spine and 2) there are other exercises to do.

Sit ups can be really hard on the spine, even if done "properly". You slip a disc in your neck even slightly while working on your abs, and you won't be working on your abs or anything else for a long time. Slipped discs can cause an astonishing amount of pain.

Not an exercise guru, just someone who slipped a disc.

great work!

but, please no more sit ups. Even the marines figured out it is bad for the spine.

Health is your greatest wealth.

Take care of your body for your whole life.

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