Walking and weight loss

[41_swish]

I have been super consistent about my 10k steps with the weather warming up. I really feel it keep my energy levels up.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Could you install a bar permanently in the basement somewhere?  You'd get the added benefit of adding a stair climb every time you went to do pullups.  If you're feeling spicy, you could install the bar with a length of chain supporting each side to bring it lower for you to reach, as well as for the bonus challenge of instability (serious, not joking).

Nope. Our basement is fully finished and contains the master suite and nursery. We do leave the laundry room door open but it does not have an upper part of the frame. Part of living in a house that is very small by American standards (about 1800 square feet for 5 people, and a full half of that is basement) is accepting that a lot of your shit is stored in a weird place that is not where you use it and also not with the other shit it goes with.

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

I have been super consistent about my 10k steps with the weather warming up. I really feel it keep my energy levels up.

Yesssss same!

[Fru-Gal]

Could you install a bar permanently in the basement somewhere?  You'd get the added benefit of adding a stair climb every time you went to do pullups.  If you're feeling spicy, you could install the bar with a length of chain supporting each side to bring it lower for you to reach, as well as for the bonus challenge of instability (serious, not joking).

Nope. Our basement is fully finished and contains the master suite and nursery. We do leave the laundry room door open but it does not have an upper part of the frame. Part of living in a house that is very small by American standards (about 1800 square feet for 5 people, and a full half of that is basement) is accepting that a lot of your shit is stored in a weird place that is not where you use it and also not with the other shit it goes with.

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

I have been super consistent about my 10k steps with the weather warming up. I really feel it keep my energy levels up.

Yesssss same!

My house is smaller than that and we had 5 people living here plus a pack of dogs and assorted other animals. Now it’s just three of us and the dogs and chickens. I always say my house got bigger over the years because I used to think it was so small and I just got more and more efficient and decluttered but I guess that’s another thread.

Also, 44 is not by any medical standards an old age. And BMI is not a good indicator of health lol I hope you don’t hate me for saying all these things.

[Fru-Gal]

Currently reading a book by Mark Sisson called born to walk — sort of the antidote to the book born to run, which I and everybody else read some years back and spurred the barefoot running and the ultra running boom (if you can call it that).

Author is biased and an influencer, but still makes tons of interesting points that I have empirically been proving to myself as someone who did endurance exercise for 30 years and began to see weight gain, despite the exercise. Lots of good points, which I will summarize somewhere else.

[GuitarStv]

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

If negatives are totally not working then you'll have to change the angle of your pull to reduce the force needed.

Step one is get some rope.  Loop the rope over the bar, then lie down under the bar holding onto the rope one end in each hand.  Keep your back and legs perfectly straight, and pull yourself up by pulling the rope back.  (Ideally you're going to be pivoting on the heels with the rest of your body kinda planking).  Initially you'll probably only be able to lift up your shoulders an inch or two off the ground, but then you can work on lifting higher and higher as your strength develops.  In the long run you want to be able to pull your hands with the rope all the way back to your chest.  Once you get this working (aim for sets of 3 or 4 sets of 10-12), then the negatives will be very doable.

FWIW, I'm going to be 44 this year and while recovery for a lot of stuff takes longer than in my early thirties or twenties, it's still very possible to gain strength in a reasonable amount of time.  Don't give up!

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

If negatives are totally not working then you'll have to change the angle of your pull to reduce the force needed.

Step one is get some rope.  Loop the rope over the bar, then lie down under the bar holding onto the rope one end in each hand.  Keep your back and legs perfectly straight, and pull yourself up by pulling the rope back.  (Ideally you're going to be pivoting on the heels with the rest of your body kinda planking).  Initially you'll probably only be able to lift up your shoulders an inch or two off the ground, but then you can work on lifting higher and higher as your strength develops.  In the long run you want to be able to pull your hands with the rope all the way back to your chest.  Once you get this working (aim for sets of 3 or 4 sets of 10-12), then the negatives will be very doable.

FWIW, I'm going to be 44 this year and while recovery for a lot of stuff takes longer than in my early thirties or twenties, it's still very possible to gain strength in a reasonable amount of time.  Don't give up!

Ha, I actually have a suspension system, I just need to dig it out of the baby's closet sometime when she's awake! I've been meaning to do that because I'm getting bored of doing sets of 15 with the 52 pound barbell. (It doesn't go any higher but I could break it down into dumbbells if I want, and each dumbbell could be up to 52 pounds.) That's a good idea, thanks for the suggestion.

[classicrando]

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

If negatives are totally not working then you'll have to change the angle of your pull to reduce the force needed.

Step one is get some rope.  Loop the rope over the bar, then lie down under the bar holding onto the rope one end in each hand.  Keep your back and legs perfectly straight, and pull yourself up by pulling the rope back.  (Ideally you're going to be pivoting on the heels with the rest of your body kinda planking).  Initially you'll probably only be able to lift up your shoulders an inch or two off the ground, but then you can work on lifting higher and higher as your strength develops.  In the long run you want to be able to pull your hands with the rope all the way back to your chest.  Once you get this working (aim for sets of 3 or 4 sets of 10-12), then the negatives will be very doable.

FWIW, I'm going to be 44 this year and while recovery for a lot of stuff takes longer than in my early thirties or twenties, it's still very possible to gain strength in a reasonable amount of time.  Don't give up!

You can also do this with a sturdy table.  Lay on the floor and reach up to grasp the edge of the table; have your feet under the table if you want to use an overhand grip, or with your head under the table for an underhand grip.  Start with negatives until you get to the point where you can pull yourself up to the table from the floor.  Try not to headbutt the table (too often).

[Fru-Gal]

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

If negatives are totally not working then you'll have to change the angle of your pull to reduce the force needed.

Step one is get some rope.  Loop the rope over the bar, then lie down under the bar holding onto the rope one end in each hand.  Keep your back and legs perfectly straight, and pull yourself up by pulling the rope back.  (Ideally you're going to be pivoting on the heels with the rest of your body kinda planking).  Initially you'll probably only be able to lift up your shoulders an inch or two off the ground, but then you can work on lifting higher and higher as your strength develops.  In the long run you want to be able to pull your hands with the rope all the way back to your chest.  Once you get this working (aim for sets of 3 or 4 sets of 10-12), then the negatives will be very doable.

FWIW, I'm going to be 44 this year and while recovery for a lot of stuff takes longer than in my early thirties or twenties, it's still very possible to gain strength in a reasonable amount of time.  Don't give up!

Ha, I actually have a suspension system, I just need to dig it out of the baby's closet sometime when she's awake! I've been meaning to do that because I'm getting bored of doing sets of 15 with the 52 pound barbell. (It doesn't go any higher but I could break it down into dumbbells if I want, and each dumbbell could be up to 52 pounds.) That's a good idea, thanks for the suggestion.

I’m impressed that you’re motivated to work out at home… I usually am not. The exception is my rebounder/mini trampoline! I love this thing!!! Been using it since January. An easy way to bounce out some of my 20k steps a day.

Where do you put the trampoline, you might ask? In the livingroom, because I decluttered the couch years ago! 😂

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I did more negatives today. I am not 100% convinced it's going to be a useful excercise just because of my higher BMI. I can't get myself all the way up to the bar even from standing on a stool and jumping, and the descent doesn't feel very controlled. But I know that at my age (44) progress will be slow so I will give it at least a month of two to see if it starts feeling better.

If negatives are totally not working then you'll have to change the angle of your pull to reduce the force needed.

Step one is get some rope.  Loop the rope over the bar, then lie down under the bar holding onto the rope one end in each hand.  Keep your back and legs perfectly straight, and pull yourself up by pulling the rope back.  (Ideally you're going to be pivoting on the heels with the rest of your body kinda planking).  Initially you'll probably only be able to lift up your shoulders an inch or two off the ground, but then you can work on lifting higher and higher as your strength develops.  In the long run you want to be able to pull your hands with the rope all the way back to your chest.  Once you get this working (aim for sets of 3 or 4 sets of 10-12), then the negatives will be very doable.

FWIW, I'm going to be 44 this year and while recovery for a lot of stuff takes longer than in my early thirties or twenties, it's still very possible to gain strength in a reasonable amount of time.  Don't give up!

Ha, I actually have a suspension system, I just need to dig it out of the baby's closet sometime when she's awake! I've been meaning to do that because I'm getting bored of doing sets of 15 with the 52 pound barbell. (It doesn't go any higher but I could break it down into dumbbells if I want, and each dumbbell could be up to 52 pounds.) That's a good idea, thanks for the suggestion.

I’m impressed that you’re motivated to work out at home… I usually am not. The exception is my rebounder/mini trampoline! I love this thing!!! Been using it since January. An easy way to bounce out some of my 20k steps a day.

Where do you put the trampoline, you might ask? In the livingroom, because I decluttered the couch years ago! 😂

Ha, it can be difficult but it helps that I have my 14 year old son as a workout buddy. I actually started doing it Fridays before work because he said he wanted to work out and that was when we could do it together! And then even when he was away for spring break, I was like, well, if I get up and work out it will feel SO FAST because he isn't here to take turns with, so that was motivating even though normally I wouldn't be able to do it without the accountability partner!

A trampoline sounds so fun!

[Just Joe]

Just doing planks, squats, push up and pull ups and that is 90% of the muscles

I mean, sure, but pull ups take equipment and especially if you need assisted pull ups, which a lot of women do! I used to be able to do a couple of pull ups but that was after practicing with the assisted pull up machine at the gym until I saw that my app was calculating my 1 rep maximum as my body weight. Now that I've gained a bunch of weight (doing fertility treatments during a global pandemic that was coincidentally a year of family tragedy will really do that to you) it is simply out of the question. I have a neoprene barbell so I've been doing barbell rows as my "pull" exercise.

Maybe I should get one of those giant bands so I can do assisted chin ups at home- I do have a chin up bar- but they do look awkward...

I have a pull up bar in the kitchen doorway (because teens) and while I can do pull-ups unassisted, the way to get there is to do negatives. You can stand on a chair, hold on in the top position, and gradually drop down using your muscles as much as possible to go down slowly. It’s also an amazing stretch to just hang there. More advanced stretch is hang from one hand, then the other. You don’t have to fully hang either, can be on a chair.

Another concept for getting unassisted pull-ups is something called greasing the groove. Basically you are rehearsing the movement slowly, standing on a chair or stool or milk crate if necessary to take weight off.

Second the concept of negatives.  I've helped several people develop the strength to do pull-ups from being able to to zero to 10+.  All started with them holding the bar, jumping as high as they can go, and slowing the descent.  You don't need special equipment.

Fine, fine, I did some damn negatives. IMO the pull up bar IS special equipment! Our house has no place it can be permanently installed and it also cannot be conveniently stored due to our house being an older one with limited storage and quite small for our family size. I drug it out of the basement and up the stairs and hung it from the bathroom doorframe upstairs. I can't jump that high so I had to stand on a stool and have my teenage son move it for me as I descended (additional logistical challenge).

I did exactly 3, in place of one of my sets of barbell rows. At my age (44), I am cautious of injury. Did not enjoy but at least it was something different! The teenager did two sets of negatives.

When our kids were little, I built a pull up bar in the back yard. Two 4x4 wooden posts, a bit of bag concrete, a piece of black pipe (ioron) and two caps for the pipe. Drill holes in the posts at the desired heights.

[41_swish]

BMI is very outdated. I am a tall adult man and weigh 230 lb and my BMI says I am overweight. I ran 10 miles on Saturday and religiously get my steps in. BMI is a one size fits all solutions that neglects so many other aspects of health.

[GuitarStv]

BMI is very outdated. I am a tall adult man and weigh 230 lb and my BMI says I am overweight. I ran 10 miles on Saturday and religiously get my steps in. BMI is a one size fits all solutions that neglects so many other aspects of health.

If you are sedentary I think it tracks reasonably well.  If you carry muscle mass, it's pretty messed up.

I'm 6' tall, 204 lbs, have a 32 inch waist, 43 inch hips, and (since I've been doing extra training and watching my diet for an upcoming Jiu-Jitsu tournament) have visible abs.  According to BMI I'm overweight.  :P

[41_swish]

Good point. Most people live a sedentary lifestyle, so it probably covers a lot of bases.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Yeahhhh BMI is a crappy metric for a lot of reasons. For one thing, the cutoffs for "overweight" and "obese" were based on the sizes of people in the population, NOT a number where statistically more problems start to occur. So people who are overweight or maybe even on the low end of obese (not looking it up right now) in some studies actually have LOWER rates of all cause mortality than thinner people.

There is a movement afoot to separate "obesity" from "clinical obesity," where the latter would be fat people who also have diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, or some other weight-related problem. Someone like me would just be fat, NOT "clinically obese" and would therefore be a low priority for obesity treatment. (Okay, I do have some joint pain, but, like, I'm 44. It would be kinda weird if I didn't have joint pain.)

Almost as if "obesity" never actually was a disease in and of itself...

[Fru-Gal]

Yeahhhh BMI is a crappy metric for a lot of reasons. For one thing, the cutoffs for "overweight" and "obese" were based on the sizes of people in the population, NOT a number where statistically more problems start to occur. So people who are overweight or maybe even on the low end of obese (not looking it up right now) in some studies actually have LOWER rates of all cause mortality than thinner people.

There is a movement afoot to separate "obesity" from "clinical obesity," where the latter would be fat people who also have diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, or some other weight-related problem. Someone like me would just be fat, NOT "clinically obese" and would therefore be a low priority for obesity treatment. (Okay, I do have some joint pain, but, like, I'm 44. It would be kinda weird if I didn't have joint pain.)

Almost as if "obesity" never actually was a disease in and of itself...

AAAAAGH triggered



Joint pain is not normal, something is wrong

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Joint pain is not normal, something is wrong

I mean, I guess so, but it doesn't necessarily follow that it is (a) obesity related or (b) something that can be effectively cured, and I don't think I know anyone over 40 who doesn't have some little aches here and there. I've done PT, I have braces, my range of motion is normal so I just let it ride. The pain is intermittent, minor and activity-related.

[mm1970]

We took our pull up bar down when we repainted the living room, but when it was up - I have these heavy duty fat rubber bands that I'd tie onto it and use to help with pullups.

Also: joint pain for me started at around 40.  Not just frozen shoulder, but achy knees, sore back, etc.  It's just easier to get injured, and you cannot just ignore that shit like you could when you were younger.

Like, if I ignore my sore knees and run on them - I'll be unable to run for a few weeks.  ASK ME HOW I KNOW.  But if I take it easy for several days to a week, then I'm fine.

[Fru-Gal]

I was your age (~44, so 10 years younger than I am now) and training for my ~5th marathon. Started to get knee pain DEEP in the knee if I did a full bend (like sitting on your knees). I have good knees, always have, but have also had various injuries/pains associated with endurance running. I casually saw a PT and unbelievably her response was just that after a certain age, “don’t do that anymore. Don’t bend your knee all the way.” But someone else overheard this and took me aside and told me the exercises to do. The point is your joints are supported by complex chains of muscle, fascia, tendons. A knee, ankle or foot problem could be caused by your hip, heck it can be caused by your neck or shoulder!

Of course, DO NOT run or push through this kind of pain. I too have made this mistake, and paid for it in YEARS of not being pain-free and developing bursitis.

One of the excellent points in Born to Walk (not a flawless book, but I love this point) is that the injury rate for amateur running is WAY too high. And he says, the number of people getting stress fractures is ridiculous. (Thankfully have never had that.) A stress fracture, according to him, is something that starts as a small muscle knot that you IGNORE for months. He says your bones are so strong, that for them to begin to develop hairline cracks means you ignored something wrong for WAY too long.

Also the newest science is finding that the cure for osteoarthritis (not rheumatoid) is MOVEMENT, explosive in fact. You create the necessary lubrication by using the joint.

Kneesovertoes guy on YouTube is a treasure for this kind of info. He’s in his 30s, and has his almost 70 mother running sooo fluidly and fast thanks to his exercises.

Final point, I personally think that we grow into our body our whole life. For some reason (emotional?) I had bad back trouble from teenager to early 40s! I haven’t had back or hip trouble now for 10 years. Every problem our body gives us is something we have the opportunity to try to solve. Not saying it’s easy, but achey joints is telling you something is out of whack. I have ZERO aches, I’m closing on a decade of menopause, I feel younger and fresher than ever. The human body is not meant to decay due to disuse, but our extreme comfort/EXTREME sedentary life and extreme overstimulation mentally (which causes bad stress*) is causing fast aging in some people.

*bad as opposed to good stress, since stress is necessary for growth

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

@Fru-Gal - Ahh, we are talking about different kinds of pain.

I'm a devoted Jazzerciser and they have a new program that I am referring to as Jazzercise for Women in Decline that has an emphasis on that explosive movement! It is kicking my ass.

[Fru-Gal]

Oh and this belongs on my aging thread, which I plan to turn into a book, but don’t get distracted: Do not confuse visible wrinkles or whatever with aging. For example, while I’m boasting about how great I feel, there is no doubt that in pictures I look older than I did 10 years ago. But guess what, THAT IS MEANINGLESS.

An entire industry is designed to make you feel bad about how you look, distracting you from your purpose: refinement of FUNCTION. It’s all about how you feel. And if indeed the skin is all you care about, there are in fact rare examples of male/female icons who had all the weathering of age yet were revered for their beauty their whole lives, because their authentic vitality shone through.

I also need to write something somewhere about this dumbass concept of “pretty privilege,” which I am certain some marketer coined. Yeah, that must be the case because the whole concept of labeling something as “x-privilege” is only a recent phenomenon.

I had a similar insight into another false concern, the idea that women of a certain age are ignored (ignoring the fact that there are more women 50+ in power currently than ever before in the history of the modern world). I realized that the reason why some men are drawn to the young-uns is not the beauty… it’s the control. A 20-year-old woman is much less likely to recognize bullshit. A 50-year-old mom? She’s seen it all, don’t fuck with her. I am not going to waste a second of my life energy feeling bad that some creep isn’t following me down the street.

[Fru-Gal]

@Fru-Gal - Ahh, we are talking about different kinds of pain.

I'm a devoted Jazzerciser and they have a new program that I am referring to as Jazzercise for Women in Decline that has an emphasis on that explosive movement! It is kicking my ass.

hahahahahha “… for women in decline” that is hilarious

[Fru-Gal]

We took our pull up bar down when we repainted the living room, but when it was up - I have these heavy duty fat rubber bands that I'd tie onto it and use to help with pullups.

Also: joint pain for me started at around 40.  Not just frozen shoulder, but achy knees, sore back, etc.  It's just easier to get injured, and you cannot just ignore that shit like you could when you were younger.

Like, if I ignore my sore knees and run on them - I'll be unable to run for a few weeks.  ASK ME HOW I KNOW.  But if I take it easy for several days to a week, then I'm fine.

I 100% agree never ignore it, definitely rest a lot and make sure you sleep well, but also, try to fix the stuff that’s wrong. I am finally trying to fix my shoulder that I dislocated years ago and never did anything about. Sure enough I find some incredible PT info on YT that explains so much more than a doctor or PT ever did, and I’m starting to do those exercises.

Two other areas I don’t know enough about: Fascia and primal movement. The latter is really interesting because never before in history have we sat in such fixed positions as humans do now. Moving outside of the frontal plane is really key. Yoga helps a ton with this, all the twisting stretches.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

We took our pull up bar down when we repainted the living room, but when it was up - I have these heavy duty fat rubber bands that I'd tie onto it and use to help with pullups.

Also: joint pain for me started at around 40.  Not just frozen shoulder, but achy knees, sore back, etc.  It's just easier to get injured, and you cannot just ignore that shit like you could when you were younger.

Like, if I ignore my sore knees and run on them - I'll be unable to run for a few weeks.  ASK ME HOW I KNOW.  But if I take it easy for several days to a week, then I'm fine.

I 100% agree never ignore it, definitely rest a lot and make sure you sleep well, but also, try to fix the stuff that’s wrong. I am finally trying to fix my shoulder that I dislocated years ago and never did anything about. Sure enough I find some incredible PT info on YT that explains so much more than a doctor or PT ever did, and I’m starting to do those exercises.

Two other areas I don’t know enough about: Fascia and primal movement. The latter is really interesting because never before in history have we sat in such fixed positions as humans do now. Moving outside of the frontal plane is really key. Yoga helps a ton with this, all the twisting stretches.

Isn't that why yoga was invented? To counteract the pain caused by prolonged sitting (to meditate)?

[GuitarStv]

Joint pain is not normal, something is wrong

I mean, I guess so, but it doesn't necessarily follow that it is (a) obesity related or (b) something that can be effectively cured, and I don't think I know anyone over 40 who doesn't have some little aches here and there. I've done PT, I have braces, my range of motion is normal so I just let it ride. The pain is intermittent, minor and activity-related.

I am also turning 44 this year and don't have any joint pain.  (I mean, unless I've been way overdoing it and hurt something.)  Where are you getting the pain?  Knees, shoulders, ankles?  I've had to rehab a lot of injuries over the years that certainly would have caused joint pain if they weren't fixed . . . torn rotator cuff, broken wrists, broken ankles, sprained knees, broken/sprained toes and fingers, sprained neck, pinched disc in by back, etc.  I am a really big fan of stretching and sensibly building strength throughout full range of motion to help recover from this sort of thing.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Joint pain is not normal, something is wrong

I mean, I guess so, but it doesn't necessarily follow that it is (a) obesity related or (b) something that can be effectively cured, and I don't think I know anyone over 40 who doesn't have some little aches here and there. I've done PT, I have braces, my range of motion is normal so I just let it ride. The pain is intermittent, minor and activity-related.

I am also turning 44 this year and don't have any joint pain.  (I mean, unless I've been way overdoing it and hurt something.)  Where are you getting the pain?  Knees, shoulders, ankles?  I've had to rehab a lot of injuries over the years that certainly would have caused joint pain if they weren't fixed . . . torn rotator cuff, broken wrists, broken ankles, sprained knees, broken/sprained toes and fingers, sprained neck, pinched disc in by back, etc.  I am a really big fan of stretching and sensibly building strength throughout full range of motion to help recover from this sort of thing.

My wrists have never been the same since I had a baby over 40 (deQuervain's tensosynovitis). Sometimes my ankles ache. I did something to my elbow in the summer of 2023 pulling a car seat dolley through the airport and it's never been the same even after PT. Sometimes my knee aches while I'm jogging or in pigeon pose. That kind of thing. Nothing that affects my ability to do things (anymore- the left wrist was a big problem for a while but with long term PT, 2 steroid shots and months and months of bracing, it is now just an occasional ache), just things that I notice.

[jrhampt]

Oh and this belongs on my aging thread, which I plan to turn into a book, but don’t get distracted: Do not confuse visible wrinkles or whatever with aging. For example, while I’m boasting about how great I feel, there is no doubt that in pictures I look older than I did 10 years ago. But guess what, THAT IS MEANINGLESS.

An entire industry is designed to make you feel bad about how you look, distracting you from your purpose: refinement of FUNCTION. It’s all about how you feel. And if indeed the skin is all you care about, there are in fact rare examples of male/female icons who had all the weathering of age yet were revered for their beauty their whole lives, because their authentic vitality shone through.

I also need to write something somewhere about this dumbass concept of “pretty privilege,” which I am certain some marketer coined. Yeah, that must be the case because the whole concept of labeling something as “x-privilege” is only a recent phenomenon.

I had a similar insight into another false concern, the idea that women of a certain age are ignored (ignoring the fact that there are more women 50+ in power currently than ever before in the history of the modern world). I realized that the reason why some men are drawn to the young-uns is not the beauty… it’s the control. A 20-year-old woman is much less likely to recognize bullshit. A 50-year-old mom? She’s seen it all, don’t fuck with her. I am not going to waste a second of my life energy feeling bad that some creep isn’t following me down the street.

Emphatically agree on all of this.

47 and no joint pain…if I start feeling anything below my knees when I’m running then I know it’s past time to replace my running shoes.

Yin yoga is great for stretching out all the tissues.  I also swear by regular power/vinyasa style yoga but yin makes you feel like you’ve had a massage afterwards.

[wenchsenior]

Oh and this belongs on my aging thread, which I plan to turn into a book, but don’t get distracted: Do not confuse visible wrinkles or whatever with aging. For example, while I’m boasting about how great I feel, there is no doubt that in pictures I look older than I did 10 years ago. But guess what, THAT IS MEANINGLESS.

An entire industry is designed to make you feel bad about how you look, distracting you from your purpose: refinement of FUNCTION. It’s all about how you feel. And if indeed the skin is all you care about, there are in fact rare examples of male/female icons who had all the weathering of age yet were revered for their beauty their whole lives, because their authentic vitality shone through.

I also need to write something somewhere about this dumbass concept of “pretty privilege,” which I am certain some marketer coined. Yeah, that must be the case because the whole concept of labeling something as “x-privilege” is only a recent phenomenon.

I had a similar insight into another false concern, the idea that women of a certain age are ignored (ignoring the fact that there are more women 50+ in power currently than ever before in the history of the modern world). I realized that the reason why some men are drawn to the young-uns is not the beauty… it’s the control. A 20-year-old woman is much less likely to recognize bullshit. A 50-year-old mom? She’s seen it all, don’t fuck with her. I am not going to waste a second of my life energy feeling bad that some creep isn’t following me down the street.

Emphatically agree on all of this.

47 and no joint pain…if I start feeling anything below my knees when I’m running then I know it’s past time to replace my running shoes.

Yin yoga is great for stretching out all the tissues.  I also swear by regular power/vinyasa style yoga but yin makes you feel like you’ve had a massage afterwards.

Do you have any links to yin routines that you really like? I've dabbled but not been fully happy with the few I've tried...

[jrhampt]

I don’t…I have a couple of yoga studios near me that do really great yin workshops so I’ve never looked any up online.

It probably wouldn’t be terribly hard to develop some on your own though if you’ve done lots of yoga before.  Just pick a series of poses and have some props and set a timer for 3-5 minutes for each one and see what works well for your body.