112 Comments

I moved from a house with stairs to a retirement community with no stairs. Realizing how much I need to walk upstairs I now g o to a church with 19 steps and an elevator. So, I take the elevator down and walk up the steps three or more times several days a week. Will try for a few extra upstairs on my 93rd birthday on Sunday the 25th.

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That’s an amazing way to stay active and celebrate your upcoming birthday! Do you have any special plans for your 93rd, aside from those extra steps?

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Lucky you, Carl.

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I would if I could walk.

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Same. I'm disabled and primarily in a wheelchair. But I do yoga and floor/chair exercises!

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I’m, literally, barred/banned from exercising. 😢 my joints dislocate because of cEDS and I’ve had parts falling out, in the past. So, it stinks. I also have vEDS - an extremely rare disorder.

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Oh I'm so sorry 😞 that's absolutely tragic 🫂

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I used to be a white water raft guide, rock climber, wilderness survival guide, rugby player, and runner. Then stuff came apart. It was difficult all my life but I just kept going. Can’t anymore. Gained a lot of weight but have lost abt 50 lbs in a year. If I can lose enough weight to get it off my joints, maybe…. I’m trying. 😉

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Very admirable! I used to be able to dance. At 47, I have joint degeneration and osteoarthritis in my feet. I understand the difficulty of knowing what it's like to be active and have that taken away along with the weight gain. Sending you hugs!

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Very sweet. Ty.

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RemovedAug 19
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JFC. Get that shit off my post. Goddamned fucking misinformation!

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Fab.

But you do realize this is terribly ableist in its POV. Not unfollowing … but please consider being more inclusive and that includes asking more inclusive questions during an interview when your guest seems oblivious to how many people in the world have physical limitations. Trainers and health experts in general need to be more aware of their ableist biases and shift to a more inclusive mindset if they really want to be helpful to those who aren’t lucky enough to have fully functioning bodies. (And yes, a lot of that is pure luck, not in any way related to virtue.)

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Oh okay I'll just get on the nasty floor and drag my wheelchair right on up them things. Lol

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I would take stairs more often if they had cameras and were well lit. 🤷🏼‍♀️ #womenproblems

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My Apple watch has helped this 82 year old be more active as well as interrupting me when I sit for too long a stretch. Life changing.

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I just took the stairs and sat down at my desk. The App then dinged me for this story. Kind of creepy! Thanks.

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This article is extremely ableist and fatphobic. Michael Easter, please educate yourself on these topics before you spew your hateful bullshit all over the internet.

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are you kidding?

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I know that I personally seek out discomfort in my life through running specifically because my life is so easy, but I'm also wired to want to challenge myself because I'm a) easily bored once I've got something figured out and b) afraid of finding myself in a situation where I'm not capable of handling discomfort or stress.

But part of having the capacity to seek out stress and discomfort *is* having a safety net and stability and a life that's otherwise quite manageable, because otherwise life itself is stressful and adding more stress is detrimental. You can't ask someone working three jobs just to get by to also take the stairs.

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Yes you can! And it will improve their life.

Or you can continue to validate their excuses, telling yourself you are helping them, but watch their physical health go down the toilet.

Imagine if hearing the truth actually had a positive impact on their lives… na, I’m sure that’s never happened before

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So, how many jobs are you working? Are they physically challenging or sedentary? Are you free from disease and/or genetic disorders? How many stairs do you ascend per day?

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Aug 14·edited Aug 14

I'm wondering if childbirth counts as 'misogi'? The 50% stat of making it to the end alive certainly rings true.

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Oh, look, everyone, a white dude telling everyone how to live their lives! This is an extremely ableist mindset, as well - not EVERYONE can take the stairs, and for some of us more exercise is actually PAINFUL (and not in your fun, chasing-a-dopamine-rush bs way). This really points home how many folks are thoughtless about disability, and will be completely gobsmacked when it comes for them. Just remember - disability is a group that anyone can join at any time. Do better.

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Why get angry it wasn't aimed at you. Taking stairs is the simplest choice most people can take. Maybe for you getting exercise takes more planning. I do aqua sessions it eases a lot of the pain during exercise. Remember a healthy population is better for all of us.

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Are you new to the Internet? If someone publishes publicly, they should be prepared for public comments. "A healthy population is better for all of us." So, what are the folks with chronic illnesses supposed to do, huh? There are way more of us than you think, and in the wake of COVID, we haven't even begun to tally the ravages it has taken on our population. And I'm allowed to be angry, because the prevailing attitude of our society is severely ableist, and the fact you don't see this is part of the problem.

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Say "Mike Easter" out loud.

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Funny Tom - just what this thread needed

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I’m 70 and today have to load all my drum gear into car…..set up rock n roll gig for 2 hours at exclusive senior home ………break it all down after……this is my exercise …..weights and aerobics into one lovely danceable day!

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Simple observation - and this might just be me, but I'd like to see who agrees:

I can not understand the 'WHY' and will never take seriously any male who after the age of 10 insists on wearing a baseball cap indoors. It matters not one bit if the cap is on with the bill in front or in back - it is childish and pointless and quite frankly looks stupid! - Does anyone else agree?

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Really makes zero difference to me, as long as not running around nude. Have right to be themselves. Why judge clothing seems lame. Like color religion smoking drinking.

Why not simply let everyone be without childish judgements.

🌞🙉🙈🙊🇨🇦🌞

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If you wish to be taken seriously you need to look like a professional not a ragamuffin.

BTW, smoking, drinking and religion are all voluntary - color is not…why do you really find those relevant?

Childish judgements? How about respect for your audience Margot?

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Hiding baldness, maybe?

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What price vanity? Paul Simon used to do that - trouble is it hid nothing.

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I just finished Comfort Crisis and am now onto Scarcity Brain. I love quality research and writing. Moving more and eating real food are the best things to do. Great piece.

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Just returned from a cruise to Alaska. My 1 hard rule is I always take the stairs on the ship- cosistantiy going from deck 2 to 11 will get your heart pumping. No elevator all week.

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Lucky you that you can do that.

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