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does an intelligent person swim laps for 30+ minutes? /quote]
Swimming is also good for you because it relaxes your eyes, it forces you look long distance. People have been getting used to look at short distance( like TV screen, ipod nano, etc… ) that are hard for the eyes.</p>
<p>"it forces you look long distance. " - ??? I do not see anything, barely bottom of pool, the googles get fogged up right away and you do not want to bother to stop to clear them. See nothing, hear nothing (head being mostly under water), the best ralaxation, it is addictive! If you swim early before office, you feel “high” happy for the rest of the day. I hear it from others who do it year around in inside pool. I swim only in a summer, outside in heated pool.</p>
<p>toneranger, I totally understand about your dog anticipating the walk!! When I put on my dog-walking shoes, I have to hide from the dogs, or else they’ll knock me over!</p>
<p>I have to own the only lab who doesn’t like to swim. He does love his walks, however. Always an opportunity to make new friends.</p>
<p>I’m liking hearing different activities that aren’t exercise, per se, but which are physically active: walking Rover because he needs the walk, gardening because you like pretty flowers or gorgeous landscaping, going down two flights of stairs and walking six blocks because that’s where the grocery store is and you don’t have a car in the city. </p>
<p>More suggestions like these? It takes a certain kind of discipline to be able to go to the gym regularly if you don’t like it, a lot more discipline than it takes not to drive a car if you haven’t got a car.</p>
<p>Heavy housework can be exercise. And you get a clean house to boot!</p>
<p>MiamaDAP, I wasn’t asking *if *intelligent people swim for long period of time. I know they do. I was asking what they *think about *all that time.</p>
<p>“I have to own the only lab who doesn’t like to swim. He does love his walks, however.”</p>
<p>Count your blessings. Wet dogs smell - ewwww! And they take a while to dry, too!</p>
<p>The MyPlate website actually has estimates of calorie burning for daily activities. Everything from sheet metal work to changing a lightbulb. </p>
<p>I’m ready for the weather to warm up. I am treating myself to one of the best forms of exercise tomorrow…power shopping.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner, have you seen that cologne(?) at Orvis? Wet gun dog? I’m never sure if that’s serious or not. I do notice that our dog, who enjoys a premium lamb and rice diet and cannot open the refrigerator is pretty svelte. I just want to feel good.</p>
<p>No, I have not seen that cologne, so I googled it and this made me ROFL:</p>
<p>[Designer</a> Uni-Pet Fragrances - Colognes & Perfumes](<a href=“http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&pf_id=2009&area=dog]Designer”>http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&pf_id=2009&area=dog)</p>
<p>CK-9, Timmy Holedigger, DGNY, Bone-D-Licious, Dogs of New York Fragrance - ROFL!!!</p>
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<p>Anyway, back to our exercise discussion.</p>
<p>Missypie, "I was asking what they think about all that time. " - own life, everybody is different. I am not intelligent, just average person who likes to have my own opinion about things. You need to allow yourself time to think, otherwise others will brainwash you to their liking. Perfect time while swimming!</p>
<p>When I swim a long distance (or hike, or ride my bike) I just let my mind wander. It’s my time for problem solving and figuring out issues in my life.</p>
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<p>My daily commute averages 45 minutes each way, so I have at least 90 minutes a day to let my mind wander. By the time I’d get to the pool in the evening, I’d be *making up *issues.</p>
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<p>I totally agree. Our society values strong work ethics (a good thing), but so many of us spend the whole day running around at work, then running around after work trying hard to be perfect parents rather than just the best parents we can be, taking care of others, etc., that we rarely take the time to just think. When I was in nursing school, I had to drive 45 minutes away for class. Since I was going against traffic, I was not stressed out by the drive. I would turn off the radio and cell phone, and just spend the whole trip thinking my thoughts. Nowadays I will occasionally visit our lake house all by myself and just sit on the balcony for hours, looking at the water and losing myself in thought. It’s very rejuventating.</p>
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<p>Now THAT is funny. You’re right, moderation in all things, lol.</p>
<p>IMO, everyone should have a few key pieces of exercise equipment at home. For many years I worked minimum 12 hour days, and if I depended on the time and energy of getting to the gym regularly, I’d have been in trouble. A few dumbbells and a resistance ball are cheap and can accomplish a lot. For cardio, dance or run in place. If you have the funds and space an elliptical is the perfect cardio machine for the 50 plus set (easiest on joints), spinning bikes are great or whatever you’re into. My pilates reformer, which slips under a bed, is my favorite.</p>
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<p>Missypie, for the first year after the injury it felt like the whole world was more physically able than me. But after the doctor gave me the go-ahead to do PT and exercise, within 6 months no one could tell the difference between me and any fit person. It was not fun at all at first–I had extremely poor balance and coordination and was focused on weights which I’d never done before. </p>
<p>As the results started to show I became much more enthusiastic. I really worked hard at it until I got to where I was as good as I was going to get. Still have a few residual problems, but they are minor and far less than predicted because of the quality of help I got.</p>
<p>I have to admit, the maintenance stage is often boring. I’m very type A and just want to get it done. Music helps as does choosing something to think through as I work. But the bottom line is that most of what I need to do I can do in under 40 minutes, 4 times per week now which is no big deal. </p>
<p>The walking and gardening is indeed exercise of a sort, but unless your power walking and digging ditches, the cardio impact is limited. So those kind of things you do need to spend hours and hours on each week. If you’re bored by exercise I think the trick is to choose things that have great impact in a short amount of time.</p>
<p>Just for the ones who were wondering what to do while swimming laps:</p>
<p>[The</a> Best Waterproof Cases for the iPod and iPhone | Spot Cool Stuff: Travel](<a href=“The Best Waterproof Cases for the iPod and iPhone | Spot Cool Stuff: Travel”>The Best Waterproof Cases for the iPod and iPhone | Spot Cool Stuff: Travel)</p>
<p>Or if you do not want to risk your iPhone, there is an underwater MP3 player by Finis:</p>
<p>[FINIS</a> - SwiMP3 Waterproof MP3 Player](<a href=“http://www.finisinc.com/Company/Tech_Sheets/Swimp3/swimp3_technology.aspx]FINIS”>http://www.finisinc.com/Company/Tech_Sheets/Swimp3/swimp3_technology.aspx)</p>
<p>hmom5:
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<p>We can tell. Sometimes your advice is not so applicable to people like me, who are the complete opposite of Type A. For me, blithe advice to add some tedious task to my life that takes “only” four hours a week is just not going to work. I have enough trouble keeping the kitchen clean.</p>
<p>It’s kind of like those hyper-organized folks, who advise everyone else to alphabetize their shoes. Not in this life. If I’m going to exercise, it has to be something I like. And if I’m going to diet, it has to be food I like, not some kind of tofu-bran-broccoli muffin sweetened with two drops of honey.</p>
<p>missypie…I take it that you can swim laps. You’re way ahead of me! I can swim to save my life. I’ve thought about those water aerobics class but then I would feel really OLD. </p>
<p>hmom mentioned cardio impact. That’s what I’m missing and haven’t figured out. I take brisk walks and do yoga. Running is in my past due to the ravages of time. I generally hate machines. So maybe these rumba type classes or spinning is the way to go. And what happens if I exercise and don’t bring my heart rate up to qualify as aerobic? Will I set myself up for heart disease? I’m far from a couch potato…</p>
<p>^^^^I work out pretty hard 6 days a week, so I’m pretty fit. I think spinning would kick my butt. If you like that, sounds like a FANTASTIC way to get your heart rate up.</p>