Zen Sports: At Home Exercise Routine and Nutrition

[lotus-of-the-mtn]

Hello everyone.

I've been looking for resources lately concerning at home work out routines for better health lately. I'm not looking to body build or anything like that, just something I can do to get in exercise. Preferably I'm looking for any advice or resources you might have on things that can be done at home with no equipment. Additionally, any information on nutrition for eating better is welcome as well. I'm not the best cook, and I'm looking for simple meals to prepare. I'm open to a variety of meals except seafood. Unfortunately, it doesn't sit well with me.

I know I could look for this online but I figured I'd ask here to see if anyone is informed on the subject. I have a hard time weeding through what is good information or not. Any of this from a Buddhist perspective is, of course, welcome.

Thank you in advance,
Gassho

SATLAH

[_Jd_]

Hello

I'm no way am I interested in starting a plant based vegan debate, just sharing with you my personal results. I'm 42 now, but a handful of years ago I switched to a whole foods plant based diet and began long distance running. In the course of 6 or 7 months I lost almost 60 pounds of weight and by the following spring I was conditioned enough to run 2 ultramarathons. Obviously not everyone is looking to go that far, but look into a plant based diet and even just waking or light jogging. I have an email I created for a friend that now I add recipes to over the years, it's probably 100 recipes and links, I forward it to friends anytime they express interest in plant based foods. If you eat it now, you can make a healthy plant based version of it!

There are numerous studies that show eating a plant based diet can improve overall health and even reverse many chronic illnesses.

The only cost is a pair of comfortable shoes so that fits your bill of no equipment.

Dm me if you'd like me to forward the email to you.

Gassho
Jd

s/l

[Rousei]

Hello!

Calisthenics is the name of exercise that uses body weight. If you search on YouTube for calisthenics at home I think you will be able to find plenty of examples! You can also do Yoga, some Yoga gets intense! You don't need it to be intense, but get a few moves under your belt and going between them will certainly work up a sweat! I do sun salutations (Surya Namaskars) when I need to warm up.

As for easy to cook food at home, try looking into making dhal/daal? The base is the same, the spices you can change up for your own tastes and there are a wide variety of different dahls. Easy to cook up a big pot and eat over a period of time, and very good for you! Have it with rice or some roti or chapatti or flat bread or whatever you feel like but rice goes best with it. There are plenty of how to videos for that too on YouTube. Using the same base, you could also swap dhal out for chickpeas, or potatoes and green peas! Wide variety of choices.

If you're looking to simplify the eating process, cooking simple things in bulk and freezing them in meal sizes for the week/next few days will save you time.

Good luck!

Gassho
Rousei
ST

[Onrin]

Regarding exercise, it all depends on where you are health/fitness-wise, what you enjoy doing, and what is most appropriate and will help you improve what you are after.
It's sometimes not easy to find information that checks all those boxes, and frankly there is a lot of crap out there, so more details would help.

I've been teaching people exercise for the past 20 years, used to run a gym for many years, and now do online coaching. If you'd like to pursue individualized help I can help you that way, or suggest other resources depending on what you want to get out of it (learn more about how to take care of joints, get a bit stronger, more flexible, endurance etc....).
Gassho,
Chris

[Ryumon]

If you can walk, there is no better exercise. Not everyone can, and not everyone lives in an area where walking is easy, but if it's possible, that's the best way to start. You can start slow and short, and work you way up to faster and longer.

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat

[Risho]

It's funny - aside from the coffee ceremony, a lot of my personal practice is in fitness/training. The parallels to working out and zen are astonishing; to me it is practice.

First off I'm no personal trainer (but it sounds like Kurisu is!), but I have been working out for years consistently, and I also follow a very disciplined diet plan. But what works for me may and will likely not work for you. That being said, these are some things I would suggest just based on personal experience.

1. There are no best exercise plans; you have to experiment to find out what you like; some combination of resistance and cardio are great. I like fitness in general, so I lift weights, perform intense cardio and yoga. You may hate weight lifting and love yoga - that's great: do what you love! The best exercise is the one you will actually do.

2. There are no best nutrition plans; this is another area of religiosity If you have a lot of weight to lose (read: greater than 30 pounds) you may want to consider a high protein/high fat low carb combo. All in all just avoid processed crap, and you need to prioritize on protein. Protein builds muscle - our muscle's sensitivity to absorb it decreases with age - we need to eat more of it as we age. That is coming from a PHD in biology; another PHD claims the opposite that protein triggers MTOR which triggers aging. hahahah So it is very confusing; again: vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, etc etc etc - doesn't matter; avoid the middle of the grocery store (aka avoid the processed crap)

3. There are no hacks; only hard work but also fun - don't worry about results; really just show up every day and have fun; try something - if it works stick to it, if not try something else

4. Get your mind right: It all really comes down to consistency; there will be days you don't feel like doing it; those are the days that count; you can't rely on motivation; you have to rely on discipline; just do it. Do not give into the weakness or voice that tells you to quit.

5. Start off slow - it takes a long time to really get into shape; so just pace yourself to avoid injury. If you can only do half a pushup on your knees, well then do half a push up on your knees.

The exercise plan you choose depends on what your goals are but, for the biggest return on investment, resistance training is a good one (bodyweight like pushups, pull-ups, etc or weight); this is because of many reasons: it's more efficient to get in shape, but what does that mean? Well especially with age and something I'm concerned about (and yes I love lifting heavy weights hahaha) but seriously the most important thing would be longevity: resistance/lifting is good for your joints, it's good for your bone density, it maintains or allows muscle increase which is really important as we age.

But you gotta find what works for you

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Nengei]

Hello

I'm no way am I interested in starting a plant based vegan debate, just sharing with you my personal results. I'm 42 now, but a handful of years ago I switched to a whole foods plant based diet and began long distance running. In the course of 6 or 7 months I lost almost 60 pounds of weight and by the following spring I was conditioned enough to run 2 ultramarathons. Obviously not everyone is looking to go that far, but look into a plant based diet and even just waking or light jogging. I have an email I created for a friend that now I add recipes to over the years, it's probably 100 recipes and links, I forward it to friends anytime they express interest in plant based foods. If you eat it now, you can make a healthy plant based version of it!

There are numerous studies that show eating a plant based diet can improve overall health and even reverse many chronic illnesses.

The only cost is a pair of comfortable shoes so that fits your bill of no equipment.

Dm me if you'd like me to forward the email to you.

Gassho
Jd

s/l

Jd, I am left wondering if I know you outside of Treeleaf! I lost 250 pounds through WFPB eating and became a runner through a group called the Missing Chins Run Club. A few of us are in Florida, so your story brought that to mind for me. Kale yeah!

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Ryumon]

2. There are no best nutrition plans; this is another area of religiosity If you have a lot of weight to lose (read: greater than 30 pounds) you may want to consider a high protein/high fat low carb combo. All in all just avoid processed crap, and you need to prioritize on protein. Protein builds muscle - our muscle's sensitivity to absorb it decreases with age - we need to eat more of it as we age. That is coming from a PHD in biology; another PHD claims the opposite that protein triggers MTOR which triggers aging. hahahah So it is very confusing; again: vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, etc etc etc - doesn't matter; avoid the middle of the grocery store (aka avoid the processed crap)

The problem with diets is that there is no solution that works for everyone. I wanted to go back to being vegetarian (with fish and cheese) a few years ago. I put on a lot of weight, in part because I was making bread regularly. About a year ago, I went on a pretty strict low-carb diet and lost about 6.5 kg, though I've put a couple of kg back on with the holidays, and I'm ready to get strict again; ideally, I want to lose 5 or 10 kg more. But the problem with vegetarian / vegan diets is that you may end up eating a lot of carbs; for some people, that's not an issue, but for me it is.

I also don't eat processed food - very rarely, cakes or similar things - and live next to a farm, and get lots of fresh vegetables. But everyone's metabolism is different, and, as you say, as we get older we need to eat more protein, and that's very difficult with a plant-based diet.

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat

[Risho]

Yep I hear you - I can put on weight incredibly easily when eating carbs, so I avoid them mostly. I've been mainly focused on high protein and, admittedly, I primarily eat meat, dairy etc.

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[_Jd_]

Jd, I am left wondering if I know you outside of Treeleaf! I lost 250 pounds through WFPB eating and became a runner through a group called the Missing Chins Run Club. A few of us are in Florida, so your story brought that to mind for me. Kale yeah!

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Wow! That's amazing, congrats! Since i switched to WFPB I've never felt better in my life. 100% attribute the diet to my quick recovery after long runs and lack of injury from. I've never heard of the run club but it sounds fun! The only running group that I've been associated with is the Yeti Trail Running Cult, great group of folks. I'll look up the one you mentioned tho!

Gassho
Jd

s/l

[Jundo]

If I may, I am going to move this thread into the Zen Sports section, so maybe we can keep it for awhile.

By the way, I have lost quite a bit of weight this year, but I don't know how much because I don't get on the scale and check (I only know because, during a recent doctor's appointment, they told me that I had lost about 30 pounds or something). I am just eating normally, but small portions eaten slowly and "mindfully" (3/4rs of a pizza slice rather than the whole, a tiny dish of ice cream eaten slowly with a tiny spoon, etc.). I am also exercising about 7 days a week, 3 days of weight training with all the nautilus machines at the gym (with a few podcasts: listening to this one now on new tech with Dr. Lander, very good for anyone into the topic: https://www.pushkin.fm/show/brave-new-planet/), and 4 days for an hour to an hour and a half on the stationary bike (in front of the computer, watching tv shows ... right now, 1 episode of Dexter, a Japanese show and 2 Colbert monologues seem to get me through the ride).

I really am trying to diet with Shikantaza, no gaining (no losing) mind ... like a hike which is right at the start, right all the way, no other place to be and nothing to attain or take away ... and yet keep going and keep losing.

Plus, a good way to catch up on podcasts and junky tv shows without feeling guilty!

Gassho, Jundo

[CS]

There is some great advice already on this thread - as it appears both Kurisu and Risho are serious trainers, and most of the other posts seem to be pretty sound - but I would like to offer my two cents as a former competitive bodybuilder (in the '90s) and a former competitive powerlifter, a competitive martial artist, and I USED to work for Ironman magazine (as their resident "strength and power" expert) along with several other magazines in the '90s and early '00s. I just mention my writing background because although the internet has provided us some great stuff (here, for instance) it has also allowed for a PLETHORA of misinformation from so-called "experts" in the field of training and nutrition who don't really have the background to be disseminating their knowledge, even if they mean well. (They just lack the years of experience needed even if they are passionate about it and love it.)

Home Training: I've trained at home for more than 20 years. My home training is probably a "little" different since I have an entire powerlifting gym in my garage dungeon gym/dojo, but I rarely use any of the equipment anymore for anything heavy (due to my years of training, I have a lot of injuries) and primarily do "bodyweight" training.

I think you have a LOT of options for home training, but most people make training too complicated. Get a pair of dumbbells, and a kettlebell or two, and some bands so you can do more than just bodyweight exercises. I think the simplest method is what I call the "3 to 5 method". Pick 3 to 5 exercises, utilize 3 to 5 sets per exercise, and workout 3 to 5 days per week.

I also advise the "Maffetone method" of lifting or other similar training advice such as what is disseminated by Pavel Tsatsouline. All of their programs are perfect for simple, effective at-home training.

Nutrition: I personally think a lot of guys and gals get too "passionate" about ONE way of dieting, to the point of almost cult-like obsession. I've tried every "diet" under the sun. Some are better for "aesthetics" and some are better for health, but I always apply three basic principles:
1: Only eat when you are "hungry". And you will only be hungry once you have "earned" it through work or labor. (I think this is one reason intermittent fasting is so effective for some folks.) You may have an "appetite" for something, but that doesn't make you hungry. I used to have an appetite for alcohol, but that is not true "hunger". If most people would only eat a meal when they are hungry, we would have a lot less coronary heart disease and other issues in this world! Personally, I eat two meals a day, one around noon, and the other around 7PM in the evening.
2: Don't eat sugar! I'm not saying to not eat carbohydrates, but stay away from sugar. (Rice is a staple of my diet, and it's sugar-free.) This means that either a WFPB or a high-fat, low-carb "Meat" diet would fit the bill.
3: Unless you are training for a competition, and need to really put on some muscle, or maintain what you have, then STOP EATING BEFORE YOU ARE COMPLETELY FULL. As soon as I feel as if I am full, I stop before I'm ever stuffed. Most people simply overeat WAY too much.

Gassho,
C.S.