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I can not give you more +1s. If your goal is to be healthy, and not necessarily be pretty, exercise is integral. You can be skinny and be unhealthy. You can be

I can not give you more +1s. If your goal is to be healthy, and not necessarily be pretty, exercise is integral. You can be skinny and be unhealthy. You can be overweight and be heart-healthy, if you exercise. I am obese according to the BMI, but I run 3 times a week and my resting heart rate grazes into the "athlete" territory. My doctor is very happy. But I don't look it, that's for sure. I do not like running. I see it like brushing my teeth. I don't like it, but I do it because I have to if I want to maintain my body.

adrianN 8y ago
Are you concerned about your joints? Running is pretty hard on the knees even for skinny people.
- ashtonbaker 8y ago
  I have always felt that this is a myth or misconception. Humans probably evolved as distance-running specialists [1] so it would be pretty strange if our knees were some sort of exhaustible resource as seems to be the popular idea. If people have trouble with their knees, I think there are lots of potential explanations, for example running too far or too fast before building fitness, which includes conditioning of stabilizer muscles in the knees, or poor running form caused by lack of fitness or encouraged by modern running shoes. I'm a bit biased, but I don't like to see the sport of running blamed for these things. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis
  - adrianN 8y ago
    Humans also evolved to be pretty much useless after their children (or maybe grandchildren) are self-sufficient, so being mostly immobile in your fifties is probably of little concern to evolution.
SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
While being obese and having a healthy heart is totally viable, it get's harder in the long run as age compounds with weight. Can you be healthier than the lazy? Oh yes, but the extra weight can catch up to you, regardless of lifestyle.
metabagel 8y ago
I recommend swimming laps, if you have a place where you can do that. It's a fantastic workout, and easier on the body.

adrianN 8y ago

Are you concerned about your joints? Running is pretty hard on the knees even for skinny people.

ashtonbaker 8y ago
I have always felt that this is a myth or misconception. Humans probably evolved as distance-running specialists [1] so it would be pretty strange if our knees were some sort of exhaustible resource as seems to be the popular idea. If people have trouble with their knees, I think there are lots of potential explanations, for example running too far or too fast before building fitness, which includes conditioning of stabilizer muscles in the knees, or poor running form caused by lack of fitness or encouraged by modern running shoes. I'm a bit biased, but I don't like to see the sport of running blamed for these things. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis
- adrianN 8y ago
  Humans also evolved to be pretty much useless after their children (or maybe grandchildren) are self-sufficient, so being mostly immobile in your fifties is probably of little concern to evolution.

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago

While being obese and having a healthy heart is totally viable, it get's harder in the long run as age compounds with weight. Can you be healthier than the lazy? Oh yes, but the extra weight can catch up to you, regardless of lifestyle.

metabagel 8y ago

I recommend swimming laps, if you have a place where you can do that. It's a fantastic workout, and easier on the body.