Importance of Being in Shape

moopants · #1 05-25-2010, 02:09 AM

After once being a fairly skinny guy and gaining the weight back, I've made a commitment to get back in shape. I've been avoiding fried foods, limiting soft drinks and fast foods, and exercising at least 5 days a week. Not only do I feel better as a person, I noticed that I'm able to practice bass longer without fatigue and I have almost zero back pain, which used to be somewhat of a problem for me. Has anyone else had an experience similar to mine?

TroyK · #2 05-25-2010, 09:42 AM

Yes. It's a struggle, especially with being out late playing, eating at the venue and sometimes holding a day job and taking care of a kid. But, it's a plain difference when I find/make the time to eat better and exercise. Working on it right now.

Tampabass · #3 05-25-2010, 09:50 AM

I've never been skinny, but I've been about 20 pounds overweight for a long while. I'm on doc's orders to lose, because of some other issues, so I've started using the Weight Watcher points system my wife has successfully used (no, I don't go to the meetings-no time).

So far, it has started to work. Basic concept seems to be to very conscious of what and how much you're eating, which is different than my former eat-whatever-I-want approach.

You can exercise like crazy but, particularly as you get older (I'm 48), the biggest key to keeping off the pounds seems to limiting the calories you take in. Yes, you have to exercise, too, but no amount of it is going to "compensate" for regularly eating large portions of the wrong stuff.

I've had some back issues, too, and I'm fairly confident that some of those will be eased when I weigh less.

SwamiRob · #4 05-25-2010, 10:14 AM

Being in shape tends to make peoples' focus alot sharper too, so I'd say alot of the time it's mental as much as anything else. Have alot more energy and enthusiasm for gigs when I've been looking after myself though obviously.

jallenbass · #5 05-25-2010, 10:16 AM

Weight Watchers works well. It makes you accountable for what and how much you eat. You'll pass on a little of something that is "expensive" in points for a greater quantity of something that doesn't count as much. I'm stuffing myself with carrots right now.

moopants · #6 05-25-2010, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tampabass

I've had some back issues, too, and I'm fairly confident that some of those will be eased when I weigh less.

Doing back exercises has almost completely eliminated the pain. Back problems seem to be caused by just having a weak back. Of course, it's always good to see a doctor to make sure it's not something more serious. Playing bass is just a really good indicator of your back strength.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #7 05-25-2010, 12:39 PM

It's absolutely important. Although I've been off red meat, alcohol, and most processed sugars for the past 20 years, once I hit my 40's that wasn't enough any more. Life improved greatly when I started exercising regularly again (elliptical + strength training for 50 minutes each weekday morning before work), and improved again when the fam started doing martial arts classes together 2 nights a week (adds another 4 hours of strenuous exercise a week) at the beginning of the year. Now I'm back into my college waist size, and playing the bass doesn't hurt any more. The only pain I have now is from the latest sports injury of the week, and that's a much better tradeoff in my book.

Phil Rowan · #8 05-25-2010, 12:43 PM

Ugh.. man, this is a good thread. A good push to get me to hit the pavement again as well as the gym (and what the hell, the chin-up bar I walk under every time I go in and out of my room). I was just reading too that, if you're in good shape and you suffer some sort of trauma, you have better chances of recovery/survival.. they don't say survival of the fittest for nothing. I can personally vouch for that based on my own experience.