Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

Josh Leo has been trying to figure out why people feel so passionate about sports. He went to a hockey game and was bored, so he thought he’d try to participate in sports to see if that would create a passionate experience for him.

Josh Leo’s Vlog » Josh on Sports – Part 2

I love his final decision on the process:

“I think it’s pretty clear that this isn’t working out. I don’t think that playing sports badly is the best way to get an understanding about the passion that people have for sports.”

He’s right. Passion for sports is not about playing sports so much as being part of a tribe. If you don’t feel connected to your local hockey or basketball team, sports will hold little interest for you. So, the question still remains, if you have never enjoyed sports, how do you get excited for exercise?

Exercise and being active doesn’t have to happen in a sports environment. It also doesn’t have to happen at a gym. You can increase your activity just by changing your life a little bit. Here are a few ways to keep active without resorting to sports:

• Once a week, walk to the grocery store to get your groceries. Only buy as much as you can carry in two bags.

• Once a week, find an alternate route to work that doesn’t require your car. Even if you live too far from your work to walk or ride a bike, there are still alternative routes for you. You could take public transportation. The walk to and from the bus stops will add activity to your day.

• Get an active job. You might not want to give up your lucrative day job, but a part time job that is active (like at a department store stocking shelves) will not only bring in extra money, but move you in ways that you aren’t used to.

Just because sport is the method that so many people use to increase activity, doesn’t mean you have to resort to that option. There are as many ways to exercise as there are people. Go find your own favorite!

Watching this video made me eager to dance again. I never was into breakdancing, but moving the body to music is so therapeutic and even cathartic that I miss it sometimes.

You can also see the video here:

Rocketboom – August 11, 2006

When asked, the leader of Fox Force Five, the winners of the competition, described the joy and passion that can come from a sport that you love.

“You put in dedication so that even after you hurt yourself, you know that you can’t wait ’til you get back better because you know that you are going to start all over again. Some people have a kid and say I’m not doing that anymore. A B*Girl will have a kid and be like, ‘Can’t wait ’til I pop that baby out so I can practice again!'”

Next time you can’t imagine jumping on that treadmill once more, put on your favorite tunes and try your hand at dancing. It doesn’t matter if your moves are as smooth as a B*Girl. You can burn just as many calories dancing like a maniac as you would dancing like a ballerina. Let your favorite tunes move you for thirty minutes instead of pounding away at the gym and you might just enjoy your workout a little more.

Something about running gives me chapped lips. I think it’s the fact that I have to breathe out of my mouth instead of my nose. All that air rushing past my poor lips makes them parched by the end of a workout. Most of the times, I only crave water because my lips are chapped. Lip Balm helps some, but the Overnight Lip Treatment from Chapstick is better than normal lip balm because it lasts through the whole workout instead of needing reapplication halfway through.

This stuff was designed to be used overnight while I sleep, so it stays on my lips the whole workout. It has been my favorite for a long time, but I keep forgetting to pass on this tip. I guess I thought I have more important things to write about than lip balm. The truth is, however, the more comfortable you are during your workout, the more likely you’ll do it again. If all it takes is a little container of Chapstick to get you out the door every day, then I wish I had told you sooner.

The entire North American continent is dealing with a heat wave, so exercising outside has become miserable for a lot of people. If you are considering buying a treadmill, check out Wendy’s tips on getting a bargain.

• About.com – Treadmill Tightwad: Finding Treadmill Bargains or Creative Alternatives by Wendy Bumgardner

One thing I would add to this comprehensive article is garage sales. New Years resolution end with garage sales. It’s really easy to cruise the garage sales looking for a treadmill because you can see from the street whether they have what you want.

Additionally, if you are really serious about getting a treadmill for cheap, you can ask at every garage sale, “Hey, I’m looking for a treadmill. I know they’re kind of heavy to move. You wouldn’t happen to have one to sell, do you?” The treadmill that is gathering dust in their basement but is too much of a long shot to go to the bother of carrying up for the garage sale might just find a home with you.

Finally, the most important thing to remember is to be willing to ask. Asking for what you want takes very little time, but many times it rewards you far more than you ever thought it could. You might just end up with a treadmill for free!

CNN has an article from sport nutritionists that talk about how to eat when you’re working out. Whether you workout in the morning, at lunch or in the evening, they have recommendations for you.

• CNN.com – Get the right fuel for your workout – Jul 25, 2006

I workout in the morning. Sometimes I can just wake up and go for a run with no problems. Other times, I end up shaky and needing to eat when I get home. If I eat beforehand, I’ve had trouble with nausea during the run.

The most important thing is to listen to your body.

I haven’t seen that recommended enough anywhere. CNN has given you guidelines on how to eat healthy, but they aren’t set in stone. Be aware of how your body feels and fuel it accordingly. That’s the best advice you can follow.

Wendy Bumgardner at walking.about.com has a nice selection of walking journals and spreadsheets that you can use to track your walks. You can see them here:

• Track Your Walks with Walking Logs, Walking Journals and Calendars

I really liked the 2006 calendar where you can see all your mileage for the entire month on one page. I imagined having a yearly calendar on the wall with all my mileage on it and it felt really inspiring to me.

If you have been letting the heat get in the way of your workouts, try these motivating journals and spreadsheets that are free to download. They might give you the boost that you need.

I heard about Workout back in May, but I forgot about it until now. On a lark, I looked for it again and Bravo has a whole website devoted to the show now including little workout videos:

The show itself appears to be a soap opera/reality series that takes place in a trendy gym in Los Angeles. I’m excited to see it. I’ve already missed two episodes, so I need to find those reruns if possible. For now, there are several little fitness tips on the Bravo website to enjoy!

Have any of you seen this show yet? Is it worth watching?

I want to go to Sammy’s Supper Club! Not only do I get to eat; I get a little exercise afterwards!

I love Ballard Street comics. Jerry Van Amerongen has such an inventive imagination. I would have never thought about rolling around in the grass after a meal. It sounds like such a fun thing to do and the people in his comics are enjoying it so much.

Next time you enjoy a meal, remember this couple and think of something active that would be fun after dinner.

Click here to see this and other Ballard Street comics:

• Ballard Street: 07-27-06

Mike Moon, from Moon Echoes, has this great little video about walking in the mall in the early morning to get a little exercise.

MOON ECHOES: I’m a Wall Mocker

I’ve heard people talking about walking in malls for exercise. I’ve seen people doing it during the cold days of winter and opressively hot days of the summer.

This video is a great introduction to mall walking.

“I think this is good. It gives you an opportunity to meet other people. It gives them a way to meetup and get some good exercise.”

He says that many of the early morning mall walkers are retired folks, but obviously not everyone is retired, because Mike does it before work in the mornings.

Last week, I talked to you as my exercise buddy. I was exercising on my bike and my right knee was hurting a little bit. This video is 1:34 minutes long and talks about running, biking and my joints.

I always wonder what makes my body do the things that it does. I have had small joint troubles with my knee every since I slipped on ice in college. The scar on my skin and the occasional popping are innocuous enough, but sometimes it will bother me when I’m riding a bike. I thought bikes were supposed to be better for my joints…