How do Roads Scholars stay so fit?

[bandit957]

How do Roads Scholars manage to stay so in shape?

I went to the Columbus roadmeet, and I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group when we stopped and walked around. It's been like this since at least 2014, when I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group at the St. Louis meet when they walked across that big bridge.

I have bad kidneys, my thyroid doesn't work, I've had a pulmonary embolism and possible heart attack, and I have really bad arthritis, but still I should be in better shape than I am. I take medication for hypothyroidism, so I should really be doing better. We went to Kroger during the Columbus meet, and I guzzled a 52-ounce orange juice to improve hydration and energy, and still I felt so exhausted that I nearly fainted. I always drink juice or milk, and still I never have enough energy. For a while, I had to take about 5 naps a day. As soon as I woke up, I had to lay back down again.

So what's the Roads Scholar secret?

[Max Rockatansky]

An average of forty miles running weekly for the last twenty two years. 

[Rothman]

I walk to work.

Also, I take 88 mcg of levothyroxine.  I haven't found hypothyroidism ever to be a hindrance, even before diagnosis.

Diet and being sedentary is much more significant.

[jlam]

School sports mostly

And the low, rolling hills to the west called the Rocky Mountains

[Scott5114]

I wouldn't call myself fit–I could still stand to lose 40 lb or so–but I go to the gym twice a week and do weight training. I also swim during the summer.

[kkt]

I'm not super fit, but I walk 4-5 hours every week and take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever it's less than three flights.

[formulanone]

It sounds like you have a lot of health concerns, and medicines and conditions sometimes work against each other. My sister has thyroid issues; takes some medicines that make her feel tired, doesn't feel much like walking, and gets worn out easily. But she doesn't eat the right stuff either, although her appetite is on the low side.

I had some borderline cholesterol and triglyceride issues, took some prescribed medicines which made me hungrier and felt weird pains. If there's any good things to be said about the excesses of the pharmaceutical industrial complex, is that minor-to-medium concerns usually have 3-4 choices, and sometimes switching from Brand X to Brand Y helps with side effects.

I'm not super fit, but I walk 4-5 hours every week and take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever it's less than three flights.

Me too, though above five floors and I'm usually a little more tired than I'd like.

I wouldn't call myself fit—I could still stand to lose 40 lb or so—but I go to the gym twice a week and do weight training. I also swim during the summer.

30-45 minutes a day of continuous exercise, about 4-5 times a week; treadmill, cycle, or elliptical (it helps that a lot of hotels I stay at have at least 1-2 of these). Try to keep moving helps, standing even when you're trying to stay still; it adds up. I try to get in a minimum of 10,000 steps in a lazy day, 15K on a work day, and 20K on a very active day. I try to make up for what is a sedentary hobby, and sitting around on airplane seats and desk chairs. I do get work days where I'm all over the place, and others where I stand around and barely move out of a single room, so it varies.

I have weaknesses and fondness for sweets, salts, and starches, but try to limit them with vegetables or protein (it's tricky to eat healthy on the road). As much as I talk about fast food, I try not to have it more than 2-3 times a month. Toughen up and eat a big salad every so often. I added 25 to my gut the first year I had this job, and eventually fought it back and a little more. I've lowered my consumption of fries, alcohol, and large platters of food over the last 8-10 years. I'm one of about 2 or 3 people that pack a lunch container while working on the road.

I order water about 90% of the time I'm at a restaurant, sodas have lots of sodium and generally make me feel thirstier. I personally find that consuming lots of sugar just increases my appetite, so I try to be careful. If I have coffee, I try to avoid adding any cream or sugar. Hunger can be a psychological trick as well; getting good rest and finding an activity that makes you ignore food helps as well. I used to be about 40 pounds overweight, and tried just eating slowly for 10 minute maximums, then pausing for 5 minutes. Usually, I wouldn't return to any left over food. Our stomachs aren't as big as we imagine them to be, and remember they have zero taste buds.

It honestly felt very good to walk out of the doctor's office with no concerns and the borderline issues held further in check for the last two years...that won't last for long at my age.

[bandit957]

I also forgot to mention that I have a disorder where I can't properly process vitamins B12 and D, so I just end up eating more foods with those vitamins.

[thspfc]

We went to Kroger during the Columbus meet, and I guzzled a 52-ounce orange juice to improve hydration and energy, and still I felt so exhausted that I nearly fainted. I always drink juice or milk, and still I never have enough energy.

Drink water.

For me, it's eating well, cycling, running, and skiing.

[JayhawkCO]

Genetics, hiking, taking care of a 16-month-old, rarely eating fast food, working in the restaurant industry for 20 years.

[Scott5114]

...rarely eating fast food, working in the restaurant industry for 20 years.

I'm sure it's different for everyone, but I gained a lot of weight when I was working in a fast-food restaurant. (Too many lunches of messed-up orders.)

[hbelkins]

How do Roads Scholars manage to stay so in shape?

I went to the Columbus roadmeet, and I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group when we stopped and walked around. It's been like this since at least 2014, when I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group at the St. Louis meet when they walked across that big bridge.

I have bad kidneys, my thyroid doesn't work, I've had a pulmonary embolism and possible heart attack, and I have really bad arthritis, but still I should be in better shape than I am. I take medication for hypothyroidism, so I should really be doing better. We went to Kroger during the Columbus meet, and I guzzled a 52-ounce orange juice to improve hydration and energy, and still I felt so exhausted that I nearly fainted. I always drink juice or milk, and still I never have enough energy. For a while, I had to take about 5 naps a day. As soon as I woke up, I had to lay back down again.

So what's the Roads Scholar secret?

For me, there isn't one. I let the chips fall where they may. I like what I like, and I don't like what I don't like. If given the choice of a long life with a strict regimen of diet and exercise vs. a shorter life of eating what I want and doing -- or more accurately, not doing -- what I want, then only the good die young.

[wanderer2575]

^^  This.  When I go to that great Breezewood in the sky, it will not be with a pulled muscle from running or with a stomach full of kale.

[Max Rockatansky]

I do enjoy running and general exercise, most people tend to find that strange.  One of the biggest benefits to being extremely active is being able to eat what I want and not really needing to worry about the consequences.  I consume more fried high calorie foods than probably most people but that is offset by distance running keeping my cholesterol and weight low.  I also tend to not really worry about what I weigh given my BMI has always been out of whack given that spend a lot of time strength training.

[formulanone]

How do Roads Scholars manage to stay so in shape?

I went to the Columbus roadmeet, and I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group when we stopped and walked around. It's been like this since at least 2014, when I couldn't keep up with the rest of the group at the St. Louis meet when they walked across that big bridge.

I have bad kidneys, my thyroid doesn't work, I've had a pulmonary embolism and possible heart attack, and I have really bad arthritis, but still I should be in better shape than I am. I take medication for hypothyroidism, so I should really be doing better. We went to Kroger during the Columbus meet, and I guzzled a 52-ounce orange juice to improve hydration and energy, and still I felt so exhausted that I nearly fainted. I always drink juice or milk, and still I never have enough energy. For a while, I had to take about 5 naps a day. As soon as I woke up, I had to lay back down again.

So what's the Roads Scholar secret?

For me, there isn't one. I let the chips fall where they may. I like what I like, and I don't like what I don't like. If given the choice of a long life with a strict regimen of diet and exercise vs. a shorter life of eating what I want and doing -- or more accurately, not doing -- what I want, then only the good die young.

I thought it was a little nutty when people told me "you'll feel better after getting some regular exercise". Turns out we were both right...I do feel better and even more confident, and I was nuts for thinking so negatively about that. I'm usually not overdoing it, but I get less annoying aches, far fewer sudden sharp pains, and getting better nightly rest are perks that you can't really get too many other ways. I'm not saying it's a panacea, but it's certainly helped a lot of annoying things that had been bugging me for years. I'm also less lethargic and feel less restless. How are those terrible gains?

So changing only 10% of my daily routine (30-60 minutes) made me feel much more than 10% better overall (quantifying that is going to be different for everyone), than it's stupid to call that a loss. A big part of that is wanting to be there for my kids when they get older. One can merely live, some luckier than others, and also one can make choices to live well.

And no, I don't eat kale.
I can listen to music whenever while I walk.
I do more by eating less.
I get more control over what happens, instead of giving more chances to fate.
How are those not gains?

[kphoger]

I do feel better and even more confident, and I was nuts for thinking so negatively about that. I'm usually not overdoing it, but I get less annoying aches, far fewer sudden sharp pains, and getting better nightly rest are perks that you can't really get too many other ways. I'm not saying it's a panacea, but it's certainly helped a lot of annoying things that had been bugging me for years. I'm also less lethargic and feel less restless. How are those terrible gains?

Agreed.  My wife and I terrible at exercising consistently, but even just two evenings of it a week make us feel better in several ways, and it's something that's noticeable almost immediately.  We sleep better, get less tired during the day, and feel happier in general.  The crappy part, however, is that my wife has a fallen arch, so figuring out how to exercise without aggravating that has been difficult.

[formulanone]

I do feel better and even more confident, and I was nuts for thinking so negatively about that. I'm usually not overdoing it, but I get less annoying aches, far fewer sudden sharp pains, and getting better nightly rest are perks that you can't really get too many other ways. I'm not saying it's a panacea, but it's certainly helped a lot of annoying things that had been bugging me for years. I'm also less lethargic and feel less restless. How are those terrible gains?

Agreed.  My wife and I terrible at exercising consistently, but even just two evenings of it a week make us feel better in several ways, and it's something that's noticeable almost immediately.  We sleep better, get less tired during the day, and feel happier in general.  The crappy part, however, is that my wife has a fallen arch, so figuring out how to exercise without aggravating that has been difficult.

My wife has the same, and it means buying $130 sneakers (Brooks). She also swears by these things called Samurai Insoles. I personally think they look like torture devices, but we're not the same.

Meanwhile, I get by on shoes usually costing about one-third of that. I get the point of buying good shoes, but I can't muster the energy to spend $70-100 on anything other than good work shoes. Since I find most sneakers ugly, I just get whatever is in the discount range in my size (which means they're either really ugly or very boring-looking).

On the other hand, she's not the type to have more than 3-4 pairs of shoes. I usually keep them until they're like 99% worn inside and out, and still keep them for yard work or really muddy activity. So I break that trope and have like 8 pairs of shoes in my closet (given that 4-5 of them could be thrown out).

[corco]

I could stand to be in better shape- but yeah while I agree with the sentiment that I'd rather live a few less years and eat good food, I also want to be mobile and active once I get to my 60s and 70s and God willing even my 80s. The goal isn't necessarily to maximize life expectancy, it's to maximize the number of years where I feel good enough to do the stuff I like to do (i.e. travel)

To me, worse than being dead is being alive but not feeling good enough to do much of anything but stay at home and watch the television - and so to the extent that I can stave that off I see value in exercise.

[Max Rockatansky]

Endorphins can do a ton to make a shitty day not feel so bad after a workout.

[Rothman]

Endorphins can do a ton to make a shitty day not feel so bad after a workout.

So can ice cream.

[Rothman]

I think the "live as I want and accept that I'll die earlier" is easy talk until you actually come face-to-face with health that restricts your activity and/or brings your mortality right to the forefront.

[Max Rockatansky]

Endorphins can do a ton to make a shitty day not feel so bad after a workout.

So can ice cream.

Usually I've found I feel like shit if I  eat ice cream or really any low quality food without any advanced cardio productivity during the same say.  This is probably due to feeling guilty about eating something bad and doing nothing to earn it.  I don't feel the way if I ran/hiked/lifted and had then have an ice cream (or bad food) right after or later in the same day. 

I think the "live as I want and accept that I'll die earlier" is easy talk until you actually come face-to-face with health that restricts your activity and/or brings your mortality right to the forefront.

Cardio strength sure comes in handy when running, hiking or cycling abandoned roads.  I much rather have the physical ability to explore the world than to be restricted to "safe activities."

For what it is worth, I had to face that mortality issue during 2015 when I ended up in an emergency room after a Half Marathon.  Specifically I was showing symptoms of early cardiac arrest due to dehydration.  I had plenty of time think/reflect while I was going through rounds of EKGs.  The conclusion I came to was that I much rather go out doing something I enjoy and not see death coming as opposed to waiting for it at home. 

Occasionally some doctor raises concerns with me regarding A-fib during annual physicals, I'm kind of dismissive of the matter at this point.  Both my parents died of cancer and largely regretted not doing more with their lives (specifically travel).  I would prefer not to end up in a hospice facility like both of them did.  If a quick death finds me while I'm in the middle of something I like doing such as running or hiking so be it.

I had similar thoughts in the emergency room during 2010 when I got hit by a Ford Mustang while I was out running while on vacation at Coronado, CA.  One of my family members even asked me if I was going to stop running and traveling alone.  I had too much fun to let a couple broken ribs, a concussion and broken left arm (which required a plate and physical therapy) stop me from doing things I enjoyed like running or traveling.

[Rothman]

Endorphins can do a ton to make a shitty day not feel so bad after a workout.

So can ice cream.

Usually I've found I feel like shit if I  eat ice cream or really any low quality food without any advanced cardio productivity during the same say.  This is probably due to feeling guilty about eating something bad and doing nothing to earn it.  I don't feel the way if I ran/hiked/lifted and had then have an ice cream (or bad food) right after or later in the same day. 

A modern self-flagellator.  That's rather sad, but at least you're open about it.

[Max Rockatansky]

Enjoying exercise is "sad"  how exactly? 

[Rothman]

Enjoying exercise is "sad"  how exactly?

It isn't.  Being unable to eat ice cream without guilt unless you exercise first is.  ("I can't eat this!" *whip* "I didn't exercise!" *whip* "Mea culpa!" *whip* "Mea culpa!" *whip*..."Tastes so good..." )