PSA: Be More Than Just a Couch Potato

bleujazz3

Fractal Fanatic
The following is a PSA for folks who live life without considering what they take in daily. Although it may come across as soap-box mantra, please consider the following and see if you do not also fit the pattern.

Strangely enough, the mindset of most people who read or watch the news these days is one of the "couch potato" mindset. Too often we sit on our couches either reading or taking in news and not actually taking the time to be active in our daily lives.

How do you avoid being butchered in hospital surgery? By eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity. How many times do we eat fatty snacks? Depends. Are you a teenager without a sense of correct nutrition, or an older individual who is more aware of what you take in? Does diet and exercise play a regular role in your life?

My point is, in this ever-changing world, we need to be aware of what we take in, both in the forms of what we read and view, and how we take care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

The "couch potato" mindset is a regular aspect of our lives. Time to get up off the couch and realize that surgery will happen if you don't care of yourself. And, if you're not healthy enough, you might not survive surgery.

Might help if you make it your goal to shed some of that weight. How do I know? Losing 10 lbs. actually has helped me live a healthier life. I personally don't smoke, don't drink or eat excessively, don't engage in anything that might be considered a risk factor. I'm not married, and am not by choice involved in any relationships. My family history has some risk factors involved, but for the most part, I usually stay active during the day, especially during my work schedule, that helps maintain my current weight if not lose some of the pounds.

How are you doing? Are you eating good nutrition in correct portions and staying active in order to avoid injury or hospitalization? Remember, as we age there are increased risk factors associated with not maintaining an active lifestyle. Avoiding these risk factors with a good physical routine can help you like a longer, healthier life.
 
Also watching stressful news can trigger desire to self-soothe with food/drink/malaise. I mean there is little positive "news" no matter what anyone's political position.

Limiting doom-scrolling / doom-watching is part of the health equation.
 
Limiting doom-scrolling / doom-watching is part of the health equation.
This.

It's such an easy trap to fall into. Try to get your news from outlets with a history of accuracy and neutrality. I prefer Associated Press and Reuters. Limit your intake of news from sources that align with your politics. Stick to the ones that tell you what's happening instead of the ones that tell you what to think about it.
 
Also watching stressful news can trigger desire to self-soothe with food/drink/malaise. I mean there is little positive "news" no matter what anyone's political position.

Limiting doom-scrolling / doom-watching is part of the health equation.

This.

It's such an easy trap to fall into. Try to get your news from outlets with a history of accuracy and neutrality. I prefer Associated Press and Reuters. Limit your intake of news from sources that align with your politics. Stick to the ones that tell you what's happening instead of the ones that tell you what to think about it.
Yeah, it is an easy trap. What's on the TV or radio is often a lure to get you to buy into advertising. Think of what the bait is. When they've got you on the hook, yeah, that's about it. This is one main reason I try to avoid "debating" topics with folks. It only leads you towards losing money and/or sleep.

I personally prefer info that is easy to understand, doesn't double-speak or send mixed messages. Something you can trust but not be envious or suspect of. Sure, if you don't understand, someone can answer your question. Neither TV nor radio can do that. The hook with TV is things are often presented as mysteries that you don't learn the answer to until the conclusion.

I'd say that the difference between TV & radio is comparable to fishing and cultivating a garden. I personally prefer not to fish, but enjoy gardening. Too often life is about the wrong kind of fishing, whereas gardening produces a better environment and food.

I personally prefer to think that keeping on the watch for daily occurrences might provide some insight as to how we can focus on our daily routines with fewer distractions. Much like being on the clock at your job. Focus is important, but many times we lose sight of what is important because of distractions, like TV, radio, and phone calls.

What do you think?
 
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TBH,
I actually was learning about how to grow your own garden potatoes in some wallboard containers, much like you might a potted plant (which I have several of in my front window).
The gardening is one of my activities that helps me stay active without the so-called "recreational substances" that "could" lead to health problems (some may debate this topic, I'll just let it slide).
The bigger picture, though, is bringing home a bag of groceries (everybody does this). Food is an essential need. Being a couch potato, though, is not healthy for you.
I go from all out couch Potato to health nut depending on my weight.
You should try gardening. Either indoor front window or backyard patio when Spring turns toward better growing conditions.
 
TBH,
I actually was learning about how to grow your own garden potatoes in some wallboard containers, much like you might a potted plant (which I have several of in my front window).
The gardening is one of my activities that helps me stay active without the so-called "recreational substances" that "could" lead to health problems (some may debate this topic, I'll just let it slide).
The bigger picture, though, is bringing home a bag of groceries (everybody does this). Food is an essential need. Being a couch potato, though, is not healthy for you.

You should try gardening. Either indoor front window or backyard patio when Spring turns toward better growing conditions.
I do grow tomatoes. And my own ass. Sometimes. Lately I’ve been running a few miles a day trying to get the weight off.
 
The gardening is one of my activities that helps me stay active without the so-called "recreational substances"...

Recently got into "growing" sprouts (in a jar so far - they do the growing, I just do the watering). Broccoli and radish for anti-cancer benefits.

It's like gardening for kindergartners like me who have mostly a brown thumb. Could also be a gateway to recreational gardening...
 
Recently got into "growing" sprouts (in a jar so far - they do the growing, I just do the watering). Broccoli and radish for anti-cancer benefits.

It's like gardening for kindergartners like me who have mostly a brown thumb. Could also be a gateway to recreational gardening...
I currently have Roma tomatoes in red solo cups under grow lights about 2 weeks old. It’s a fine balance. If I get 6-8 Mature plants out of it I’ll be buried in tomatoes. Goal is to make a sauce from scratch. I’ll need 40-50 tomatoes.
 
My family decides to not watch TV (except for my K-State Wildcats and Chiefs football). We don't do iPads/Tablets for the kids either. My kids have to learn how to entertain themselves instead of being constantly entertained. For me I have noticed it helps to stay engaged and present with my family.

I also always exercise during my lunch breaks at work to stay active. I work at Garmin which is a fitness company among other things, and over lunch I can play ping-pong, ultimate frisbee, kickball, disc golf, sand volleyball, basketball, or just go for a walk. According to my Garmin watch, I ran over 3 miles in 45 minutes playing ultimate today and got up to 16mph at one point.

All the activity really helps as a software engineer, as it would be really easy to be sedentary at my desk all day.
 
My family decides to not watch TV (except for my K-State Wildcats and Chiefs football). We don't do iPads/Tablets for the kids either. My kids have to learn how to entertain themselves instead of being constantly entertained. For me I have noticed it helps to stay engaged and present with my family.

I also always exercise during my lunch breaks at work to stay active. I work at Garmin which is a fitness company among other things, and over lunch I can play ping-pong, ultimate frisbee, kickball, disc golf, sand volleyball, basketball, or just go for a walk. According to my Garmin watch, I ran over 3 miles in 45 minutes playing ultimate today and got up to 16mph at one point.

All the activity really helps as a software engineer, as it would be really easy to be sedentary at my desk all day.
can you shower at work?
 
Here's my story. Just to give pause, as it's not just about healthy eating and living. Yes, those are extra-ordinarily important, but not the whole story.

I was an elite level athlete as a kid, young teen and early adult. Martial Arts and downhill skiing. I always ate well, and was very physically active, but was always a bit portly due to genetics. I also gain muscle mass easily, which is a plus for my activity level, but the scale never really was kind to me.

Even throughout my adult life, I was very active, and always just a slightly bit overweight on the scale. At a time in my life when there was a lot of stress, and I was working a lot to support a young family, my health crashed. Mentally and physically. I was in the hospital at 36 years old, wife pregnant with our 3rd. I had had a hypertensive crisis, and they thought I had had a stroke. Turns out, those issues were 100% genetic. So at 36 years old, I had to commit to a taking a handful of pills every day for the rest of my days. It took my doctors two years to figure out the proper concoction of pills to avoid serious complications, which I had every one, and to make sure I was mentally and physically sound. It then took another hand full of years before I felt good enough to return to heavy physical activity.

That was about 3 years ago. Since then, I've returned to being active, eating right, avoiding stress and being the best me. It was a tough road, but I made it happen. Eat well, exercise, take your meds, and find doctors you trust. Those are the paramount for healthy living. Happily now, I am in the best shape of my life. And feeling great.

I'm not trying to prop myself up, but mine is a cautionary tale. Most people don't know what "eat right" actually means. I was a bodybuilder and personal trainer with a background in exercise physiology, and even though I was doing all the right things, my body, and its programming let me down.
 
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I do grow tomatoes. And my own ass. Sometimes. Lately I’ve been running a few miles a day trying to get the weight off.
You must be a devoted Lee Ritenour fan. You'll find exactly the song I'm speaking about in his collection.
Lotsa people telling people how they should live their lives on these boards lately…
TBH, this is gonna sound strange, but it's designed to be a preventive measure where one prevents health symptoms from occurring instead of paying doctors to treat the symptoms. My feeling is, if a person could prevent health issues from occurring, which might ultimately require major medical procedures, wouldn't you agree that preventive care is better than palliative?
 
You must be a devoted Lee Ritenour fan. You'll find exactly the song I'm speaking about in his collection.

TBH, this is gonna sound strange, but it's designed to be a preventive measure where one prevents health symptoms from occurring instead of paying doctors to treat the symptoms. My feeling is, if a person could prevent health issues from occurring, which might ultimately require major medical procedures, wouldn't you agree that preventive care is better than palliative?
Prevention is where it's at. Reactive care is always much more difficult.
 
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