Comments on: Ask a loser: Is exercise a hobby?

By: PastaQueen

PastaQueen — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:34:48 +0000

Linsey – I know you left your comment days ago, but I wanted to say I did like TurboKick a lot. I’d never taken an aerobics class before, but it was fun and the routines were challenging enough that I never got bored either trying to learn them or trying to keep up physically.

And I’m glad you’ve found the blog to be helpful!

By: Tammy

Tammy — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:57:04 +0000

I know I’m still adjusting to all the time it takes just to make a salad the way I like it – but as for exercising, it’s more than a hobby, it’s a mini vacation every day. I actually wish I had more freedom to pursue my “hobby.”

Very insightful and motivating post… you look great!

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:24:51 +0000

Like Marshmallow said – My kickboxing is my hobby and all my other stuff like weights and running is training for my hobby… LOL The whole world revolves around kickboxing!

I’ve recently been on holiday and took a week’s semi-enforced rest (walking only). By day 2 I wanted to kickbox on the beach!

FWIW I can’t remember what I used to do with my “free time” before I started exercising.

By: Oscar

Oscar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:07:05 +0000

I think it’s a hobby. The reason that we do it everyday and consider it as something we need to do in order to please ourselves with the results makes it more as a hobby.

By: jenni

jenni — Thu, 31 May 2007 22:14:58 +0000

I loved Beakman – weird science rocks. Thanks for the reminder of a great show.

By: jenni

jenni — Thu, 31 May 2007 22:14:48 +0000

I loved Beakman – weird science rocks. Thansk for the reminder of a great show.

By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 31 May 2007 02:47:06 +0000

I agree that it people have different purpose in doing exercise. We know that some are just doing it for the sake of weight loss. While others are doing it for a healthy living.

By: Marshmallow

Marshmallow — Wed, 30 May 2007 16:55:57 +0000

Ba-da-bing, ba-da-bang, ba-da-brilliant post! [10 points to anyone who gets the reference in the afore mentioned text ;-)]

I guess I can split my exercise into two camps – the first being serious training, and the second is my hobby component. The hobby component are the classes, and the stuff I do because its fun – spinning, kickboxing, hiphop. My interval training? I take that a bit more seriously – rather than a hobby, perhaps a challenge or a ‘project’?

By: Yolanda

Yolanda — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:39:52 +0000

Exercise a hobby? I think it depends on the person. If hobby is something we always do because we like doing it, then I think not all people who do exercises considers it as a hobby.

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Wed, 30 May 2007 00:29:22 +0000

I think whether it’s a hobby or not depends on your motivation. If your motivation is fun because you’re doing something you enjoy (hiking, rock-climbing, swimming, cycling, etc.) and it just happens to have some awesome fitness benefits, I still think it’s a hobby–just with great benefits. But if your dragging your behind to the gym doing something that isn’t that really that enjoyable because you want the fitness benefits, then I think it’s more like work than a hobby. So I guess it depends on how you exercise. I’m currently in the latter group right now, but I hope to soon be more in the former—doing things I more enjoy than because I want the exercise value.

But my real question is how are you liking the TurboKick classes? I ask becuase I think it’s based on these tapes called TurboJam. Like many folks here, I’ve tried all sorts of at-home fitness tapes (Pilates, TaeBo, Slim in 6, etc.) but the TurboJam tapes were the only ones that didn’t bore me to tears in a week or two. I just love the convenience and privacy of being able to work out at home, but I couldn’t find anything that kept me interested and engaged in the long term—until I tried TurboJam. They seem to have just the right balance of sportiness (punch and kicks) and danciness (even for those of us non-natural dancers)—mostly cardio, but some weight resistance training options too. Enough of a challenge to keep it interesting and feel like you still got a good workout, but not so hard it was discouraging. And I swear I don’t work for TurboJam!!:).

I guess I’m just wondering how the TurboKick classes are because if you dig them, I might have to try and find some in my neighborhood instead of just doing the tapes to mix things up on occasion. You gotta let us know how they go/are going.

Also, as a random sidenote, I just want to express my thanks too for this blog. I only recently discovered it, but I think it’s amazing–both what you’ve accomplished with your weightloss and fitness, but also your inspiring ability to not only to be brave enough to share it with us but also in your eloquence of expression.

Your weight is right where I am now, I too have an initial goal of 160 (may reevaluate when I get there) and we’re both 5’9″, so I kind of feel like I have a partner down this path too. Just not enough tall girls out there—too few who can appreciate how awesome it is to be in a size 12!!! I’ll never be 2 or 4 (or would want to be for that matter), but will make a pretty hot little 8 and unless you’re one of us taller than average girls, you just can’t quite get it. Not many women would be ecstatic to say they weigh 150 or 160 lbs in this culture, but that would probably near perfect for me.