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The problem is they also say we should do calorie restriction. CR plus a reasonably active lifestyle sounds a lot more fun than lifting weights, and less like

The problem is they also say we should do calorie restriction. CR plus a reasonably active lifestyle sounds a lot more fun than lifting weights, and less likely to injure me. Has anyone studied how these different things stack? If someone walks a lot and eats healthy, and lifts a normal amount of things in daily life... will they get significant disease prevention benefits from lifting on top of that? And what happens if you control for mental well being? Will someone who deeply enjoys being strong get a lot more benefit than someone who's just kind of meh about a PR?

fuzzybiscuit 4y ago
being strong improves your life. there is no situation in which not being strong is a benefit.
- pawelduda 4y ago
  up to a certain point
  - jhauris 4y ago
    It's important to realize the vast majority of people will not get to that certain point. Sure, you may not want to be as large as some of the famous body builders, but don't worry! That takes living your entire life organized around the central goal of getting bigger. If you are going to the gym for an hour 3 days a week you will never get to that point.
    - jmnicolas 4y ago
      Even if you're making your life revolve around body building you won't get as big as them if you don't take some questionable products.
- eternityforest 4y ago
  It seems obvious, but that kind of thing still needs to be verified with science, so we can figure out exactly how strong you need to be before there's diminishing returns and you are getting more trouble with injuries than you save with health benefits. I've always found the direct benefits aside from the possibile long term health boosts from being stronger to be pretty moderate back when I worked out more, but I also know people who seem to get so much benefit it literally saved their life and they'd probably be suicidal without the gym, it just makes them feel that wonderful, so I'm probably the odd one out there.
d0mine 4y ago
Yes, being strong is beneficial by itself all else being equal. If you had to choose: it is better to be strong even if you are fat than being weak and thin. "better" meaning survival here according to the research.
throwaway22032 4y ago
Calorie restriction sounds more fun than lifting weights? That's a new one for me. Have you actually tried a routine or are you just guessing that lifting is painful or awful or something? IME it's quite relaxing as long as you're not ego lifting (going beyond your current capabilities).
- ElfinTrousers 4y ago
  Yeah personally my approach has been lifting heavy and the seafood diet ("when I see food, I eat it"). Much more fun than calorie restriction and no lifting.
- wjnc 4y ago
  IF for years now and working out for a half year. For me the pain (mainly day+2) of a workout is a lot bigger than the hurt of hunger. A good workout gets me grumpy for a day. A little hunger gets me grumpy for a few minutes. It’s also more easily to resolve.
  - throwaway22032 4y ago
    Interesting. I don't typically get soreness from working out unless I'm doing something novel.
    - wjnc 4y ago
      For me interesting as well. I’ve done tri / marathon running in the past and then as now, quite a lot of soreness after training. My body has a pretty good “training response” (and a general lack of performance ;) but I don’t know better that training leads to sore days.
dirtyid 4y ago
Calorie restriction seemed like poor framing for transitioning then settling at lower bodyweight, otherwise where does restriction stop. IMO spirit of prescription for restriction when older is to find lowish bodyweight that doesn't stress your biology too much, but also exercise to build enough muscular base to be durable against injuries. Not mutually exclusive goals. Building muscle base doesn't involve PRs, they get set regardless on way to building base, but long term maintenance is fairly trivial. Go in gym do 3x8 of on compounds that cover major muscle groups with medium (i.e. not very strenous weights) a couple times a week.

fuzzybiscuit 4y ago

being strong improves your life. there is no situation in which not being strong is a benefit.

pawelduda 4y ago
up to a certain point
- jhauris 4y ago
  It's important to realize the vast majority of people will not get to that certain point. Sure, you may not want to be as large as some of the famous body builders, but don't worry! That takes living your entire life organized around the central goal of getting bigger. If you are going to the gym for an hour 3 days a week you will never get to that point.
  - jmnicolas 4y ago
    Even if you're making your life revolve around body building you won't get as big as them if you don't take some questionable products.
eternityforest 4y ago
It seems obvious, but that kind of thing still needs to be verified with science, so we can figure out exactly how strong you need to be before there's diminishing returns and you are getting more trouble with injuries than you save with health benefits. I've always found the direct benefits aside from the possibile long term health boosts from being stronger to be pretty moderate back when I worked out more, but I also know people who seem to get so much benefit it literally saved their life and they'd probably be suicidal without the gym, it just makes them feel that wonderful, so I'm probably the odd one out there.

d0mine 4y ago

Yes, being strong is beneficial by itself all else being equal. If you had to choose: it is better to be strong even if you are fat than being weak and thin. "better" meaning survival here according to the research.

throwaway22032 4y ago

Calorie restriction sounds more fun than lifting weights? That's a new one for me. Have you actually tried a routine or are you just guessing that lifting is painful or awful or something? IME it's quite relaxing as long as you're not ego lifting (going beyond your current capabilities).

ElfinTrousers 4y ago
Yeah personally my approach has been lifting heavy and the seafood diet ("when I see food, I eat it"). Much more fun than calorie restriction and no lifting.
wjnc 4y ago
IF for years now and working out for a half year. For me the pain (mainly day+2) of a workout is a lot bigger than the hurt of hunger. A good workout gets me grumpy for a day. A little hunger gets me grumpy for a few minutes. It’s also more easily to resolve.
- throwaway22032 4y ago
  Interesting. I don't typically get soreness from working out unless I'm doing something novel.
  - wjnc 4y ago
    For me interesting as well. I’ve done tri / marathon running in the past and then as now, quite a lot of soreness after training. My body has a pretty good “training response” (and a general lack of performance ;) but I don’t know better that training leads to sore days.

dirtyid 4y ago

Calorie restriction seemed like poor framing for transitioning then settling at lower bodyweight, otherwise where does restriction stop. IMO spirit of prescription for restriction when older is to find lowish bodyweight that doesn't stress your biology too much, but also exercise to build enough muscular base to be durable against injuries. Not mutually exclusive goals. Building muscle base doesn't involve PRs, they get set regardless on way to building base, but long term maintenance is fairly trivial. Go in gym do 3x8 of on compounds that cover major muscle groups with medium (i.e. not very strenous weights) a couple times a week.