Improving my health

[FergusonTO35]

So, I'm about 75 pounds overweight and too sedentary as are most people in the west nowadays. I'm almost 46 and I know that now is the time to start getting my health under control. I've been on diets before and lost weight which was then gained back. As have most of us.

So, I'm thinking of taking a new approach to my health. More exercise and somewhat better food choices, but not "dieting" as we usually do. I think that pursuit of lower weight, and all the backsliding and disappointment that comes with it, is setting me up for failure. After all, better health is really the goal, isn't it? We have a Peloton bike/laundry rack at home. I got on it for 30 minutes today and it felt good to just get my muscles moving.

I know that being overweight isn't conducive to better health, and I would be better off if I wasn't. But it's time to face facts. I'm probably going to be overweight the rest of my life, so I have to be as healthy as I can be in spite of it. Does this make sense? Have any of you ever decided to get healthy without making weight loss an overarching goal?

 

[Lnk]

So, I'm about 75 pounds overweight and too sedentary as are most people in the west nowadays. I'm almost 46 and I know that now is the time to start getting my health under control. I've been on diets before and lost weight which was then gained back. As have most of us.

So, I'm thinking of taking a new approach to my health. More exercise and somewhat better food choices, but not "dieting" as we usually do. I think that pursuit of lower weight, and all the backsliding and disappointment that comes with it, is setting me up for failure. After all, better health is really the goal, isn't it? We have a Peloton bike/laundry rack at home. I got on it for 30 minutes today and it felt good to just get my muscles moving.

I know that being overweight isn't conducive to better health, and I would be better off if I wasn't. But it's time to face facts. I'm probably going to be overweight the rest of my life, so I have to be as healthy as I can be in spite of it. Does this make sense? Have any of you ever decided to get healthy without making weight loss an overarching goal?

Buy a farm, no shortage of exercise. Next time I do hay, I will give you a call, better than any peloton, and it costs nothing to use. Lol

Walking is one of the best exercises anyone can do. Especially on hills. Start slow if you haven't exercised much recently. Consult a Dr if you are in poor shape, only you know what you need to do. I could stand to lose 20-30 myself. 6' 205. Should be 175-180. Pounds not commie metric cats per kilometers.

 

[damifino]

In a nut shell....IMO....exercise is IT! It's a life style change and its uphill battle till the end. Embrace it and stick with it. Skip walking and move into low impact jogging or treadmill but stick with it. Biggest obstical to overcome is not physical, but mental.

 

[Lnk]

In a nut shell....IMO....exercise is IT! It's a life style change and its uphill battle till the end. Embrace it and stick with it. Skip walking and move into low impact jogging or treadmill but stick with it. Biggest obstical to overcome is not physical, but mental.

I agree with you on everything except the skip walking part. He said he needs to lose 75 pounds, low impact for a while at least. Unless he hates his knees. Lol

 

[Loony661]

My wife is a health coach. She lost 76 lbs herself, a few years ago. She has kept it off and stayed in relatively good health and a healthy weight/BMI. I can tell you from her experiences, that 90% of weight loss is from eating the right size portions of the right foods. Don’t take me wrong, exercise is still a very important thing in life. What it boils down to is this: burning more calories than you’re consuming in order to shed lbs. ..

 

[damifino]

Buy a farm, no shortage of exercise. Next time I do hay, I will give you a call, better than any peloton, and it costs nothing to use. Lol

LOL
I agree with you on walking but don't get complacent with walking if more is what you want.

 

[Squareground3691]

Exercise is key especially cardio , eating healthy, the worst is processed foods that’s the main killer , Ur cardiovascular system is the key to a healthy life , you can be strong as a ox , but if ur heart not healthy, then what’s the point, Life style changes are required and sticking to them , So yea make it a point to get into a healthier lifestyle, and yes ur family is worth it ,

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

My wife is a health coach. She lost 76 lbs herself, a few years ago. She has kept it off and stayed in relatively good health and a healthy weight/BMI. I can tell you from her experiences, that 90% of weight loss is from eating the right size portions of the right foods. Don’t take me wrong, exercise is still a very important thing in life. What it boils down to is this: burning more calories than you’re consuming in order to shed lbs. ..

Nailed it.

One of the biggest things that adds weight is refined sugars and anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it. Highly processed foods add unwanted weight as well.

 

[Powerstroke Cowboy]

So, I'm about 75 pounds overweight and too sedentary as are most people in the west nowadays. I'm almost 46 and I know that now is the time to start getting my health under control. I've been on diets before and lost weight which was then gained back. As have most of us.

So, I'm thinking of taking a new approach to my health. More exercise and somewhat better food choices, but not "dieting" as we usually do. I think that pursuit of lower weight, and all the backsliding and disappointment that comes with it, is setting me up for failure. After all, better health is really the goal, isn't it? We have a Peloton bike/laundry rack at home. I got on it for 30 minutes today and it felt good to just get my muscles moving.

I know that being overweight isn't conducive to better health, and I would be better off if I wasn't. But it's time to face facts. I'm probably going to be overweight the rest of my life, so I have to be as healthy as I can be in spite of it. Does this make sense? Have any of you ever decided to get healthy without making weight loss an overarching goal?

If you get in better shape and loose weight you will never regret it.

I wish you all the best!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks. I believe getting on the bike is the first step, since I can do it any time and it's always there. Gonna ride again before I go to bed tonight.

 

[FederalQ]

Exercise for me is going to the gym when I feel like it, so it isn‘t a chore. The best cardio is working in the woods sawing and splitting by hand and weight lifting at the gym for me. I was 198lbs the first of the year. 175 tonight at the gym. I have been drinking the Celsius soft drink once a day but now only occasionally. For me that really helped drop the weight but almost too much. I was 166lbs last month which is not a good sign loosing that much with cancer history. So I ate like a hog in heaven and gained some back! I am minus the upper left lung lobe due to cancer and feel the best now in 3 years.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I'm looking forward to doing more work outside. Gonna be digging potatoes this week.

 

[Loony661]

Nailed it.

One of the biggest things that adds weight is refined sugars and anything that has high fructose corn syrup in it. Highly processed foods add unwanted weight as well.

Bingo. Sugar is the enemy, not fatty foods like the AHA wanted everyone to believe. There’s a really good documentary about it called “Fed Up” that explains how the sugar industry paid off reports to be printed in their favor, even though they knew they were to blame for obesity and high rate of diabetes in America.

 

[jacob j.]

I can tell you from my experience being overweight - one thing is you wear out your shoes, socks, and pants much faster. Underwear doesn't matter since most men wear underwear until it's shredded to ribbons anyways. It's also harder on your joints. I've lost twelve pounds in the last three months and the body part that has thanked me the most are my knees.

Like Wayne said, avoid ultra-processed foods and like Andy said, avoid refined sugars. It's cheap and easy to add sugar, salt, and chemicals to ultra-processed foods and food companies do this in abundance.

Exercise is medicine but start out at the appropriate intensity for your fitness level. There's no sense in putting more wear-and-tear on your major joints if the supporting muscles aren't quite up to the job yet. My answer has been mix up cardio and weight training and do the weights on a circuit training style regimen. I walk 4-6 miles/day, four days a week and lift weights three days a week. I jog/run about 10-12 miles a week.

Also, I've taken steps to avoid plastics exposure. I buy condiments and liquids packaged in glass, drink water from glass or stainless steel containers, buy meat from the counter wrapped in butcher paper, and never ever micro-wave anything in a plastic container.

 

[thedude74]

Good for you Ferguson!
Find a physical activity you enjoy and keep doing it.
Drink lots of water too.

 

[bradb123]

There has many great suggestions here. You got to remember that everyone's body is different. What works for some may not work for you. I'm fortunate, I pretty much eat and drink whatever I want. The people on here that have meet me at gtgs can attest that I am scrawny. I have a physical job and all my hobbies are active. Weather permitting I try to walk 6 plus miles every day. Try to stay away from carbs. I eat cheeseburgers all the time but I don't eat the bun. The biggest thing for me is, just move, stay physical active.

 

[Squareground3691]

There has many great suggestions here. You got to remember that everyone's body is different. What works for some may not work for you. I'm fortunate, I pretty much eat and drink whatever I want. The people on here that have meet me at gtgs can attest that I am scrawny. I have a physical job and all my hobbies are active. Weather permitting I try to walk 6 plus miles every day. Try to stay away from carbs. I eat cheeseburgers all the time but I don't eat the bun. The biggest thing for me is, just move, stay physical active.

Genetics play a major role in ur makeup, like 70% , but eating healthy and a balanced diet, and exercise are what does a body good, stay away from processed foods and high sugars,

 

[Wilhelm]

Get a pup, go on looooong walks!

Drop TV snacks!

There was a time when I would watch TV standing & lifting weights, for up to two movies easily.
In the evening before sleep I would do situps while listening to music.
I started with counting my situps, then went to doing situps for the duration of one song, rest for the next - repeat till You fall asleep.
I got really buff!

 

[Wilhelm]

Just remember!!!

 

[Lnk]

Just remember!!!

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Round is a shape!