Living Car Free - Live Like the Amish!

According to a new study ... if you've got a "fat gene" you need 3-4 hours of exercise a day. Have a look:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26611180/
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/08/obesity.gene.exercise.ap/index.html

Apparently the Amish have this gene beat! And it's all because of their technology-free lifestyle.

Yep-the Amish live the best life style there is. However-we are all here sitting in front our computers-and I dont have the confidence or the will power to give up this life style. Do you?


I just ride my bike to keep the fat down! works so far!

Yep-the Amish live the best life style there is. However-we are all here sitting in front our computers-and I dont have the confidence or the will power to give up this life style. Do you?


Getting there. :) Talk to me a year from now ... I should be even closer. :D

I'm already active 2-24 hours a day, in various ways (walking, skipping, cycling, weights, etc. etc.).


And the car-free crowd here are on their way too.

Do the Amish ride bikes? If they do ride bikes, do they allow the use of Goretex clothing or fully waterproof Ortlieb panniers? Do they allow the lubrication of chains with silicone-based lubricants, or do they insist on goat-fat-based lubricants? How do the Amish decide which technologies are okay, and which ones ungodly? Do they have a God-friendly-technology rubric of some sort?

It's hard to tell in the picture in that second article, but she's riding what amounts to a scooter like this:

http://www.topics-mag.com/edition03/images-a/visit_biker.jpg

Not an uncommon sight in Amish country.

Maybe I'll trade that Footbike I was given for a quilt or something next time I'm out that way...

Do the Amish ride bikes?

Is this a serious question? Of course they ride bicycles.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0596_6.html
http://www.bicyclecart.com/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5553/is_200306/ai_n22283745



If they do ride bikes, do they allow the use of Goretex clothing or fully waterproof Ortlieb panniers? Do they allow the lubrication of chains with silicone-based lubricants, or do they insist on goat-fat-based lubricants? How do the Amish decide which technologies are okay, and which ones ungodly? Do they have a God-friendly-technology rubric of some sort?

And they wear their regular clothes, not cycling specific clothing.

Here do some research :) :

http://www.800padutch.com/amish.shtml
http://www.amish.net/

It's hard to tell in the picture in that second article, but she's riding what amounts to a scooter like this:

http://www.topics-mag.com/edition03/images-a/visit_biker.jpg

Not an uncommon sight in Amish country.

Maybe I'll trade that Footbike I was given for a quilt or something next time I'm out that way...

Have another look at the person on the scooter ... that's a "he" not a "she". If he were a "she", she would be in a dress.

Have another look at the person on the scooter ... that's a "he" not a "she". If he were a "she", she would be in a dress.

The 'she' I was referring to was in the picture in the second article you linked to.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/HEALTH/09/08/obesity.gene.exercise.ap/art.obesity.gene.exercise.jpg

The 'she' I was referring to was in the picture in the second article you linked to.


Oh yeah, I see what you mean.

I have a good friend whose family was Amish, but moved to Canada when he was quite young onto a Hutterite colony in southern Manitoba. Colonies vary, just like the Amish communities, and the colony he lives on is fairly liberal. They've got a manufacturing industry and they use technology for the business side of things. But in their daily lives they live very simply.

Peter, my friend, not only rides recumbents, and other bicycles, but he builds them. Some of the recumbent crowd might be familiar with Peterbuilt Recumbents. He has been, and still is, actively riding with the Manitoba Randonneurs, with whom I rode for many years.

When he is on the colony property, he wears the traditional clothing, but when he is on the road, he wears somewhat more cycling-ish gear.

So how "modern" they are all depends on the colony.

But they do tend to be active! Not necessarily active in the sense of designating 1 or 2 hours of their day for exercise, but just generally active throughout the day.

Yep...blame it on genetics:lol::p People used to much have more physical jobs than they do today. Also I suspect that the average "empty" calorie intake is much higher for the general public than the Amish, as well as their lack of highly processed foods. I have Amish friends in the Holmes County OH area and they eat minimally processed foods, as well as putting in long hard days on the farms. A sizable portion of the American population wouldn't make it through half a day of the amount of work they put in.

Aaron:)

I guess that means we are going to lose the battle of the bulge if Americans have to exercise 3 or 4 hours a day. I also think this fat gene is expanding more of the population is born from over weight parents.

The 'she' I was referring to was in the picture in the second article you linked to.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/HEALTH/09/08/obesity.gene.exercise.ap/art.obesity.gene.exercise.jpg


I lived in the middle of Amish country for a few years in PA and they are
great people. A very eyeopening experience. Sometimes what we think are
Amish might be Mennonite or other like sect/religion. They do ride bikes alot.
On a trip up Rt. 322 in Pa or around Christiana you will see women in full
black dresses pedaling these 45 lb pee wee herman type S.S. bikes with
MASSIVE cargo or chicken coups on the back. Penna hills are no joke, either :eek:
I think if you were to give one of these women a Cervelo or something like that
they would smoke Lance and Jan et al in short order :lol:

I guess that means we are going to lose the battle of the bulge if Americans have to exercise 3 or 4 hours a day. I also think this fat gene is expanding more of the population is born from over weight parents.

Are you thinking of exercise as something you have to specifically and consciously do? Like ... between 8 am and 5 pm, I will work at my job. Between 5 pm and 6 pm I will eat supper. Between 6 pm and 10 pm I will exercise?

Because that's not what they are suggesting. They are suggesting being active throughout your day.

"Every little bit helps
But he said every little bit helps, and that adding an extra few hours of activity daily might not be as hard as it seems.

Instead of watching TV for a few hours at night, take a brisk walk, he suggested. Or use stairs instead of elevators, walk instead of driving, or take up a structured exercise such as swimming."

On days I have my "How to teach physical education to children" class at the University I easily fall in the 3-4 hours a day. I walk 1 hour (1/2 each way) to the University. I walk, and take the stairs between classes. I hop, skip, and jump through my physical education class for an hour or more. Then I come home, and ride my bicycle for at least an hour.

It's really not that hard to get the time in. And for car free commuters it should be even easier. When I was car free, I walked and cycled everywhere ... several hours a day. And I had trouble keeping weight on.

It's really not that hard to get the time in. And for car free commuters it should be even easier. When I was car free, I walked and cycled everywhere ... several hours a day. And I had trouble keeping weight on.

For me, commuting to work is a 1 1/2 hour trip per day. I also try to get out in the evening -- trip to the library or a grocery store. I also do some minor dumbbell weight lifting, although it is probably too sporadic to be effective.

My observation is that if I don't build the exercise into a "must do" (like biking to work...), I won't keep it up for any length of time.

If anyone reads Yehuda Moon (http://yehudamoon.com/index.php?date=2008-05-29) they should recall that the shop he works in has their frames built by the local Shaker community.

Not sure of the significance but I just thought I'd throw that out there.

I'd love to be Amish if only for the homemade pies!

A little aside, which is an indirect anecdote about their physical lifestyle - There are a number of Amish and black-bumper Mennonites in my area, but during the flooding earlier this summer scores of them came from near and far to help with the massive sandbagging effort - some from three and four states away, and they knew no one in our area. They hired drivers to bring them out in vans. One group of fellows I worked alongside were on their way from a wedding in Wisconsin to their home in Central Missouri, about two hours from ending their trip. But they had been on the road for ten hours listening to the impact of the flooding on the radio and decided to do something about it, so when they stopped in our area and asked where the nearest sandbagging operation was going on they were pointed here. I worked with them for another seven hours, and I took my break about twice as often and for twice as long as them. They were friggen machines! They were always friendly and chatty, but they remained focused. They seemed to have a quiet determination that there would be no let-up on their watch. It was inspiring. Another day, I worked a levee with a group of Amish. The National Guard took us out in big duce and a half's, and we worked piling bags on the levee in two hour shifts. The Amish knew more about how to build up the bags and place the tarps than the ACoE's! And man, even in the full midday sun, they simply did not stop. They efficiently formed supply lines and put the right guys in place to guide where stuff was delivered. Pretty awesome spectacle, to be honest with you.

So, yeah, count me as a big fan of the Amish.

Not only would we be physically healthier, but we'd be somewhat outside the money economy.. The Amish have the survivalist thing beat.. But, not with the violent tinge some survivalists in the west seem to advocate.. Living productively off the land. With America's possible financial collapse and some economists predicting hyperinflation; who says the backwardness of the Amish won't be good thing.. And they are big bike advocates.?.

I've never seen the Amish here in Michigan riding bikes, but different communities have different cusoms and habits. I read recently that the Amish are the fastest growing religion in America, even though they don't "recruit" new members or proseltize. They just have huge families, and almost all of the children choose to remain within the community when they grow up.

As for the Amish or active lifestyle, I totally agree with Machka. One of the main reasons I became carfree in the first place was to incorporate exercise into my daily life, rather than make it a special activity. I ride more than 100 miles a week, 52 weeks a year--and almost all of that distance is transit riding, not recreational rides or fitness rides. As for lifting weights--slinging that 30 pound bike with 20 pound pack is a pretty good substitute.

Do I not recall reading Roody. Many Mich Amish immigrated to south of the state line.( Indiana.) Something about Michigan state law and Amish schools and teacher accrediation. ?..

The big fad in training and fitness is "functional exercise." Here's an example from Webmd (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/working-out-for-real-life-functions):




"The key to functional exercise is integration. It's about teaching all the muscles to work together rather than isolating them to work independently.


"So what's an example of a functional exercise? Think of a bent-over row; not the kind of row you do on a seated machine, but the kind you do leaning over a bench, holding the weight in one hand with your arm hanging straight down, and then pulling the weight up as your elbow points to the ceiling, finishing with your upper arm parallel to the ground."


Instead of going to all of this trouble, why not just use more human power in your daily life and kill two birds with one stone?

Do I not recall reading Roody. Many Mich Amish immigrated to south of the state line.( Indiana.) Something about Michigan state law and Amish schools and teacher accrediation. ?..

This was many years ago. The state of Michigan has made peace with the Amish, as far as I know. Any time the Amish start a new community, they run into problems with state and local governments, mostly involving their education system and their buggies on the highways. (I'm sure that the latter sounds familiar to most cyclists!)

BTW, the Amish community in northern Indiana is very old and well established. My grandmother lived just a few miles from them, in Constantine, MI, so I was aware of the Amish when I was a kid. The newer communities in Michigan are mostly in the middle to northern part of the lower peninsula.

In my area, Old-order Amish are not permitted to ride bikes. The bike-tired scooters are allowed and quite commonly seen. Some less-conservative Amish groups ride bicycles.

Some Old-order Mennonites (confused yet?) ride bikes, particularly young unmarried men who frequently bike commute to off-farm jobs. Typically steel-framed road bikes, and some of them even have clip-on aero bars--I've yet to meet one while riding but I'm told that those guys can flat-out go.

Half of my ancestry is Amish, and the other half is Old-order Mennonite. Guess I've probably got that fat gene.

It's not clear to me that it matters how fat you are.

According to research cited by the book, "Fat!So?", by Marilyn Wann, if you eat healthy and exercise 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, it doesn't matter how fat you are... you'll be at a weight that is healthy for you.

I'm skinny but I tend to agree - anybody who eats healthy foods and exercises for at least 30 minutes most days, will be pretty healthy and doesn't need to worry about weight.

The Amish do have the simple life thing down pat. There was a Mennonite community (I know they are not the same) in North Carolina when I was younger and you would see them riding to the store on those "Dutch tourist bikes" in full sleeves and long pants and boots on 103 degree NC summer afternoons. Talk about tough.

It's not clear to me that it matters how fat you are.

According to research cited by the book, "Fat!So?", by Marilyn Wann, if you eat healthy and exercise 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, it doesn't matter how fat you are... you'll be at a weight that is healthy for you.

I'm skinny but I tend to agree - anybody who eats healthy foods and exercises for at least 30 minutes most days, will be pretty healthy and doesn't need to worry about weight.

30 minutes a day is a good start, but 30 minutes a day is not much ... it's a short walk at lunch or a 9-10 km ride. I would guess that most of us are considerably more active than that.

Well, according to James Howard Kunstler (http://www.kunstler.com/), the amish way of life may just be the way of the future.

At least according to his novel, "World Made By Hand (http://www.worldmadebyhand.com/)".

Well, according to James Howard Kunstler (http://www.kunstler.com/), the amish way of life may just be the way of the future.

At least according to his novel, "World Made By Hand (http://www.worldmadebyhand.com/)".

I thought this book was more than a little over the top. There was hardly a mention of a bicycle... what type of world would that be :eek:

Speaking of the Amish, here's (http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/4429612) a report from my mother's local paper of an all-Amish, all-bike traffic fatality! Yes, the ones in central Ohio ride bikes, but they won't wear helmets.

well to add to this discussion, I grew up and am a practicing mennonite. In all honesty thats not as wierd as it sounds, as the majority of Mennonites, live and work exactly like every other group of people in the States. Its more like baptists vs lutherans than like the amish. But thats us modern Mennos, there still plenty of Conservative mennonites out there. I went to a small mennonite school (eastern mennonite university) in the Shenadoah valley of Virginia, gorgeous place with plenty of us bikers! In fact did you know floyd landis of Tour de France fame is from a Mennonite family?

IF you ever want to see tons of amish and mennonites bike, go to Sarasota Florida. Its sort of their version of vacation mecca. They get bussed down in lots from Ohio and indiana to bike and wear cape dresses on the beach. And earlier posters were right, the friendliness and eagerness to help people of the Amish is amazing. There was an NPR story comparing the Amish/mennonite house building efforts vs Habitat for humanity after Hurricane Katrina, and the summary was that the amish had nearly trippled the number of house habitat had built for families. Not to toot my peoples horn or nothing, but the mennonites loom larger than their small numbers should dictate in international peace and disaster relief efforts. Check out Mennonite Central Committee if you want to see all the programs theyve got their hands in.

We all may believe what we will, but its hard to argue that the faith of the amish and mennonites really makes possible their simple lifestyles, good deeds, and tireless work ethic. Most of them arent even thinking about peak oil or global warming and look at the good their lifestyle can do!

ok off my soap box now :) Lancaster, PA = Best pies in the world!

Getting there. :) Talk to me a year from now ... I should be even closer. :D

I'm already active 2-24 hours a day, in various ways (walking, skipping, cycling, weights, etc. etc.).


And the car-free crowd here are on their way too.

if you really "do it," we won't be able to "talk to you" a year from now... You won't be using a computer.

if you really "do it," we won't be able to "talk to you" a year from now... You won't be using a computer.

Yep ... if I suddenly disappear from this forum for extended periods of time, you'll know what happened. :D

Yep ... if I suddenly disappear from this forum for extended periods of time, you'll know what happened. :D

If we don't hear from you, I'll assume that you found a way to ride all the way to Australia! :)

Yup You git yerself an Amish lady. Put 'er in a short skirt, high heels and some lipstick. Then send her into the kitchen to make ya some home-made stone-ground wheat bread.

Now that's some fiiiiiine livin'!

http://bp2.blogger.com/_H0kQnM2wsPA/Rfx_XnIKB_I/AAAAAAAAAI0/sc6q9Mv7nNw/s400/Amish+at+the+Bar.gif

Every Saturday I go to the farmers' market and get coffee from a Mennonite guy. Last week he gave me the cup for half-off.

That's my input.

Yup You git yerself an Amish lady. Put 'er in a short skirt, high heels and some lipstick. Then send her into the kitchen to make ya some home-made stone-ground wheat bread.

Now that's some fiiiiiine livin'!


Ya mean live the simple life like the Potato Eaters? So close to the earth; how blissful!

Ya mean live the simple life like the Potato Eaters? So close to the earth; how blissful!

Good one, I-Like-to-Bike.

You speaka my language.

well to add to this discussion, I grew up and am a practicing mennonite. In all honesty thats not as wierd as it sounds, as the majority of Mennonites, live and work exactly like every other group of people in the States. Its more like baptists vs lutherans than like the amish. But thats us modern Mennos, there still plenty of Conservative mennonites out there. I went to a small mennonite school (eastern mennonite university) in the Shenadoah valley of Virginia, gorgeous place with plenty of us bikers! In fact did you know floyd landis of Tour de France fame is from a Mennonite family?

IF you ever want to see tons of amish and mennonites bike, go to Sarasota Florida. Its sort of their version of vacation mecca. They get bussed down in lots from Ohio and indiana to bike and wear cape dresses on the beach. And earlier posters were right, the friendliness and eagerness to help people of the Amish is amazing. There was an NPR story comparing the Amish/mennonite house building efforts vs Habitat for humanity after Hurricane Katrina, and the summary was that the amish had nearly trippled the number of house habitat had built for families. Not to toot my peoples horn or nothing, but the mennonites loom larger than their small numbers should dictate in international peace and disaster relief efforts. Check out Mennonite Central Committee if you want to see all the programs theyve got their hands in.

We all may believe what we will, but its hard to argue that the faith of the amish and mennonites really makes possible their simple lifestyles, good deeds, and tireless work ethic. Most of them arent even thinking about peak oil or global warming and look at the good their lifestyle can do!

ok off my soap box now :) Lancaster, PA = Best pies in the world!

I am not religious by any stretch, but I am full of admiration for your communities' principles of practical living... and being able to get so much joy from it.

The ultimate in car free! Good to see the Amish portrayed in a positive light for a change. Seems like it is easy to make fun of folks who look different and dont fight back. Looks like they might have the last laugh.

We're trying to become more like the Amish. We're building our food stores up to a year's worth, biking everywhere we go, use manual tools instead of power tools, cook from scratch, but we're a long, long way from being as self sufficient as they are. I'm in awe of how they live their lives.

I agree with slagjumper, they will have the last laugh. Maybe not too long from now.

well to add to this discussion, I grew up and am a practicing mennonite. In all honesty thats not as wierd as it sounds, as the majority of Mennonites, live and work exactly like every other group of people in the States. Its more like baptists vs lutherans than like the amish. But thats us modern Mennos, there still plenty of Conservative mennonites out there. I went to a small mennonite school (eastern mennonite university) in the Shenadoah valley of Virginia, gorgeous place with plenty of us bikers! In fact did you know floyd landis of Tour de France fame is from a Mennonite family?

IF you ever want to see tons of amish and mennonites bike, go to Sarasota Florida. Its sort of their version of vacation mecca. They get bussed down in lots from Ohio and indiana to bike and wear cape dresses on the beach. And earlier posters were right, the friendliness and eagerness to help people of the Amish is amazing. There was an NPR story comparing the Amish/mennonite house building efforts vs Habitat for humanity after Hurricane Katrina, and the summary was that the amish had nearly trippled the number of house habitat had built for families. Not to toot my peoples horn or nothing, but the mennonites loom larger than their small numbers should dictate in international peace and disaster relief efforts. Check out Mennonite Central Committee if you want to see all the programs theyve got their hands in.

We all may believe what we will, but its hard to argue that the faith of the amish and mennonites really makes possible their simple lifestyles, good deeds, and tireless work ethic. Most of them arent even thinking about peak oil or global warming and look at the good their lifestyle can do!

ok off my soap box now :) Lancaster, PA = Best pies in the world!

I remember reading that when there was that terrible shooting at an Amish school, some of the children offered themselves up to be shot, so long as the others went free, and, in the aftermath, the families of the unfortunate kids who were killed went to the wife of the killer to support her, and invited her to the funeral of the children. Whether you believe in God or not, that seems to me a society that is head and shoulders above the craven, selfish, grabbing society in which I live. We could all learn a lot from them.

GeneticFlea, if I was touring in North America and wanted to meet some of you... well, how receptive are you to meeting with others within your communities, and especially "non-believers" like me?

I'm not suggesting I am about to run out and arrange such a trip, but Machka and I have been discussing some of our future adventures on the East Coast of North America, and across to the mid-West again, and I've flagged that the Amish or Mennonite communities and their people are something I would like to experience.

GeneticFlea, if I was touring in North America and wanted to meet some of you... well, how receptive are you to meeting with others within your communities, and especially "non-believers" like me?

I'm not suggesting I am about to run out and arrange such a trip, but Machka and I have been discussing some of our future adventures on the East Coast of North America, and across to the mid-West again, and I've flagged that the Amish or Mennonite communities and their people are something I would like to experience.

Hey Rowan, Mennonites are very receptive and friendly.. The amish may be a bit more closed as a group, bt id suspect that the most effective way to meet them would be in personal encounters in amish concentrated areas like ohio, or lancaster, pennsylvania.

As for mennonites id highly suggest trying something like http://www.mennoniteyourway.com this is a sort of impromptu network mennonites have set up where people offer their homes as places to stay for travelers to stop in for a night. Ive done it before and its a great way to meet local mennonites. Theyre always extremely nice, helpful and can suggest great things to do in an area or will invite you to potlucks, church dinners etc.

Another route would be to go the way of looking up mennonite churches in the area. If you were to just stop in at a church on sunday, and when introducing yourself as a visitor mentioned you were stopping through, i gaurantee you youd have 10 offers for a place to stay in minutes.

Another great thing to check out our "relief sales". Relief sales are really big fair type events with an auction as a main event, that were designed to raise money for Mennonite Central Comittee, an organization that operates like a hybrid of the RedCross and Peacecorp. all the money raised goes to them for worldwide projects and disaster relief. The sales are amazing, with homemade food, arts and crafts, and the most fun, the Auction. Auctions have all sorts of fine home crafted furniture, and the mennonite/amish signature of quilts. some of the quilts go for many thousands of dollars.Google Mennonite Relief sale and youll find a relief sale for nearly every state. Some, like my home state of Georgia are fairly small, while the ones of Indiana, Pennsylvania or virginia are quite legendary.

Let me know if you need anymore help. Mennonites everywhere are pretty easy going friendly crowd. and youll find a ton of them are actually really into bikes.

Ya mean live the simple life like the Potato Eaters? So close to the earth; how blissful!

Do you think that the lifestyle of the Amish is squalid or lacking in contentment?

Do you think that the lifestyle of the Amish is squalid or lacking in contentment?

No. But I think that some urban, college educated, Woodstock wannabes romanticize the "simple life" of the Amish and dream about joining and successfully living long term with a tightly integrated, mutually supportive community of dedicated and hardworking converts. IMO they are more like to end up deciding that maybe some of the conveniences of modern urban life are essential for their own contentment and wake up; or they live their dream in squalid conditions until they wake up or wither away.

BTW, willingness/eagerness to substitute a bicycle for an automobile will only go so far in maintaining a simple lifestyle.

According to a new study ... if you've got a "fat gene" you need 3-4 hours of exercise a day. Have a look:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26611180/
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/08/obesity.gene.exercise.ap/index.html

Apparently the Amish have this gene beat! And it's all because of their technology-free lifestyle.

Being as I live live in Cuyahoga county, right next door, I've seen them in person often. They walk barefoot through the fields full of manure, don't bath regularly and have some of the worst personal hygene I've ever seen. Add to that they have some of the highest percentages of mental *********** in the world. Why on earth would you want to emulate them? I'd rather be fat. Check out this:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/08/60II/main700519.shtml

The Amish aren't nearly as healthy as you think.

Do you think that the lifestyle of the Amish is squalid or lacking in contentment?

I know it is. It's amazing how all you people who don't live near them idolize them. Their life style is what you think it is.

Being as I live live in Cuyahoga county, right next door, I've seen them in person often. They walk barefoot through the fields full of manure, don't bath regularly and have some of the worst personal hygene I've ever seen. Add to that they have some of the highest percentages of mental *********** in the world. Why on earth would you want to emulate them? I'd rather be fat. Check out this:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/08/60II/main700519.shtml

The Amish aren't nearly as healthy as you think.

Sorry, but you're very ignorant. :(

The article refers to rare genetic disorders that have absolutely nothing to do with the Amish lifestyle.

Sorry, but you're very ignorant. :(

The article refers to rare genetic disorders that have absolutely nothing to do with the Amish lifestyle.


Agreed; however, it could be a symptom of a closed society where due to intermarriage and the lack of fresh blood is causing a higher incidence of genetic disease/