5 ms·

I'd add "workout frequently" as well.

52-6F-62 7y ago
Yes! Exercise and a diet consisting largely of fresh food. And then some junk food, because life is for the living and you have to find some time for enjoyment as well.
- marapuru 7y ago
  You are probably throwing in some humor here. But... > And then some junk food, because life is for the living and you have to find some time for enjoyment as well. Interesting how enjoyment is connected to junk food.
  - Donald 7y ago
    Junk food is engineered pleasure. It has everything that your ancestors craved (salt, sugar, fat) compressed into a calorically dense marvel of science.
    - SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
      Indeed. A lot of very "highbrow" stuff fits into this category too (high salt,sugar,fat), not just Big Macs.
      - 52-6F-62 7y ago
        Heheh—many chefs will readily admit that what makes their food taste so good is the excess butter and salt they use compared to what people would use at home. Also "season at every stage".
  - 52-6F-62 7y ago
    Definitely a bit of humour. But it can be anything. I just mean you should look after yourself, but also don't take everything all too seriously. "It's life and life only." And I think indulging that side of oneself lends to happiness. The key is not giving over to that side completely. My "junk food" in this case is beer, whisky, pizza, chips, and bad comedy movies. I enjoy them all greatly. Food can be a visceral pleasure and I can derive as much or more from a crappy pizza as I can from a gourmet meal. So... my "junk food" really is a lot of junk food. Yours or others may not be. Also YMMV.
  - cgriswald 7y ago
    I don't know why you were downvoted, and I'm also not sure what the GP means. Does he mean junk food == enjoyment or does he mean junk food is fast, saving you time for enjoyment? Going quasi-paleo, I learned how food is supposed to taste, and everything tasted better. Junk food also tasted better. Way better. Crazy better. Years later, I still remember 1/6 of a pretty basic Safeway chocolate donut tasted, and what I was doing at the time (physics club). It was the first junk I had had in months. On the other hand, my life would have been perfectly enjoyable without it as well. A link between junk food and enjoyment... I'm not going to judge it, but I'll say life's better when that link doesn't exist. When my life was nothing but junk food, nothing really tasted good. It was all just bland; like I was feeding a habit more than having a treat. Junk food was an escape from life for me, because life sucked. In part, it was not under my control. But in maybe the greater part, it was, and junk food was one thing I used to avoid having to do anything about it and still feel 'ok'. As far as time, if you're eating well, planning ahead is key. You don't need junk food to help you get things ready faster, because you've already cut up some fruits and veggies for snacks, or you've got a bit of last night's steak for part of your breakfast.
- m_fayer 7y ago
  Instead of junk food I go for super unhealthy but high-end food, rarely. A huge steak, excellent bar food, extravagant cake and baked goods - that sort of thing. Nutritionally bad for you in a way similar to junk food, but minus the mysterious lab-made stuff, and you get to have an aesthetic experience while still stimulating your monkey-brain.
matwood 7y ago
One of the best things a person can do to improve and maintain cognitive and physical function as they age is to workout. And it needs to be a real workout, not 45 lazy minutes on the elliptical while talking on the phone. A mix of HIIT and heavy weight lifting currently appears optimal. EDIT People really do hate exercise around here. The point of HIIT and weights is that when someone is younger they should be trying to build a base that can serve them as they age. When I think of life span and health span, having those reserves will make it easier to keep doing things as a person ages. If I could only pick a single thing to do to prepare myself for old age it would be lift weights. Specifically squats and dead lifts.
- 52-6F-62 7y ago
  Definitely agree. And any of the following if you're physically able: For my dad: I'll add in kayaking or canoeing (through a club, training with competitors), for my mom: rowing (same, again). For myself: mid-to-long distance running mixed with shorter sprints. It's also good for the knees if you look after your health, do it regularly, and wear proper shoes for the terrain and your body.
- leesec 7y ago
  Don't listen to this guy. If you want to do 45 minutes on elliptical good for you. Some exercise > No exercise.
  - matwood 7y ago
    Sure, some is better than none. But, my comment specifically said the best way.

Yes! Exercise and a diet consisting largely of fresh food. And then some junk food, because life is for the living and you have to find some time for enjoyment as well.

marapuru 7y ago
You are probably throwing in some humor here. But... > And then some junk food, because life is for the living and you have to find some time for enjoyment as well. Interesting how enjoyment is connected to junk food.
- Donald 7y ago
  Junk food is engineered pleasure. It has everything that your ancestors craved (salt, sugar, fat) compressed into a calorically dense marvel of science.
  - SmellyGeekBoy 7y ago
    Indeed. A lot of very "highbrow" stuff fits into this category too (high salt,sugar,fat), not just Big Macs.
    - 52-6F-62 7y ago
      Heheh—many chefs will readily admit that what makes their food taste so good is the excess butter and salt they use compared to what people would use at home. Also "season at every stage".
- 52-6F-62 7y ago
  Definitely a bit of humour. But it can be anything. I just mean you should look after yourself, but also don't take everything all too seriously. "It's life and life only." And I think indulging that side of oneself lends to happiness. The key is not giving over to that side completely. My "junk food" in this case is beer, whisky, pizza, chips, and bad comedy movies. I enjoy them all greatly. Food can be a visceral pleasure and I can derive as much or more from a crappy pizza as I can from a gourmet meal. So... my "junk food" really is a lot of junk food. Yours or others may not be. Also YMMV.
- cgriswald 7y ago
  I don't know why you were downvoted, and I'm also not sure what the GP means. Does he mean junk food == enjoyment or does he mean junk food is fast, saving you time for enjoyment? Going quasi-paleo, I learned how food is supposed to taste, and everything tasted better. Junk food also tasted better. Way better. Crazy better. Years later, I still remember 1/6 of a pretty basic Safeway chocolate donut tasted, and what I was doing at the time (physics club). It was the first junk I had had in months. On the other hand, my life would have been perfectly enjoyable without it as well. A link between junk food and enjoyment... I'm not going to judge it, but I'll say life's better when that link doesn't exist. When my life was nothing but junk food, nothing really tasted good. It was all just bland; like I was feeding a habit more than having a treat. Junk food was an escape from life for me, because life sucked. In part, it was not under my control. But in maybe the greater part, it was, and junk food was one thing I used to avoid having to do anything about it and still feel 'ok'. As far as time, if you're eating well, planning ahead is key. You don't need junk food to help you get things ready faster, because you've already cut up some fruits and veggies for snacks, or you've got a bit of last night's steak for part of your breakfast.
m_fayer 7y ago
Instead of junk food I go for super unhealthy but high-end food, rarely. A huge steak, excellent bar food, extravagant cake and baked goods - that sort of thing. Nutritionally bad for you in a way similar to junk food, but minus the mysterious lab-made stuff, and you get to have an aesthetic experience while still stimulating your monkey-brain.

matwood 7y ago

One of the best things a person can do to improve and maintain cognitive and physical function as they age is to workout. And it needs to be a real workout, not 45 lazy minutes on the elliptical while talking on the phone. A mix of HIIT and heavy weight lifting currently appears optimal. EDIT People really do hate exercise around here. The point of HIIT and weights is that when someone is younger they should be trying to build a base that can serve them as they age. When I think of life span and health span, having those reserves will make it easier to keep doing things as a person ages. If I could only pick a single thing to do to prepare myself for old age it would be lift weights. Specifically squats and dead lifts.

52-6F-62 7y ago
Definitely agree. And any of the following if you're physically able: For my dad: I'll add in kayaking or canoeing (through a club, training with competitors), for my mom: rowing (same, again). For myself: mid-to-long distance running mixed with shorter sprints. It's also good for the knees if you look after your health, do it regularly, and wear proper shoes for the terrain and your body.
leesec 7y ago
Don't listen to this guy. If you want to do 45 minutes on elliptical good for you. Some exercise > No exercise.
- matwood 7y ago
  Sure, some is better than none. But, my comment specifically said the best way.