Take care of yourself

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

And here I thought red wine and grape juice were supposed to be good for you.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

here's my deal - i'm not a very big fella, about 5-9 and for the last four years, slim everywhere except my belly. after a separation from my wife and the eventual divorce, i ballooned to nearly 200 pounds - all in the belly. all due to not eating right - fast food, too much food, press room food, late-night stops at IHOP or any other all-night breakfast joint.

then my girlfriend set me straight. she's a vegetarian, and i do most of the cooking. so first, no meats. second, more vegetables - broccoli, asparagus, green beans, carrots, peas, spinach, cauliflower. for protein, we eat pistachios and other nuts, plus fish/shellfish. no potatoes, but we do eat lots of rice/noodles. i'm doing my best to vary our menu. i've been watching a lot of the food channel and scanning its web site for recipes. not my choice, but it's done me well, we also avoid hydrogenated oils.  third, no more fast food. no IHOP stops. now, i will eat a burger at the bar after softball with the fellas, but that's the extent of my fast food.

i've lost nearly 30 pounds, most of it in the last eight months. and it came off of my belly. i feel great. i do need new clothes because most of my pants are too big in the waist and my belts need another hole.

i exercise a bit. i play basketball once a week, lift weights from time to time (i hate doing it) and do sit ups almost daily. and i take the dog on decent walks when my workday is done. i know none of this makes me a fitness buff or a paragon of health. but i feel and look better.

by the way, great thread.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Fortunately, I'm the same weight I was 25 years ago. I exercise because if I don't I feel like a slug .

I do around 120 km. per week on my bike until it starts snowing then I set it up in front of the TV. I play hockey once a week and up until my twin sons came along I played squash three times a week before work. Had to give up that for marital harmony.

I'm not a big eater and I rarely eat junk unless you count chicken wings and beer once a week and the odd pizza. I don't take supplements other than multi-vitamins.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Moddy: That potato turns into sugar in your body. The skin isn't bad, full of vitamins.

This is all about balance, though. Have the potato, but then lay off the bread and pasta. If you have pasta, stay away from the donut. It's all numbers.

The secret is to be aware of what you put in your body. If I eat half a bag of peanut M&Ms, I know I'm screwed. But I also work out every day, hard.

Bottom line, if you use more calories than you eat, you lose weight. Simple numbers. Muscle burns calories, so lift weights. Protein digestion burns calories too.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Not to get carried away or anything, but it might be a wonderful thing if people posted their helpful tips, links, etc., here regularly. Maybe if you have time, each time you do something (a certain workout, a certain meal) that you haven't told us about yet, post it here.

Maybe Moddy could keep it high in the rotation, so it's seen every day. I know I would find it helpful. It would be something I would check every day.

I bet there are outstanding ideas here to be shared, and we'd all benefit.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Thanks, Moddy.

I think this could be a great thread with participation from a diverse group of people, and it could be very helpful.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

OK, i love to cook, so following johnny dangerously's suggestion, here's my recommendation for eating healthy:
pick up a copy of 'Cooking Light' magazine. i find it at my local whole foods grocery store. great recipes, delicious food and many simple recipes. i've made it a couple of times in the last few weeks: pepper shrimp fajitas with sauteed green peppers and onions. you don't need cheese or sour cream, but you can add those if you wish. i don't have the recipe with me, but you marinade the shrimp in a light, low sodium soy sauce concoction with chili powder, ginger, pepper and minced garlic. use corn tortillas and you don't get all the extraneous ingredients that are in flour tortillas. it doesn't take much time either.

oh yeah, if you don't like conventional exercise, find something unconventional - i hike and fly fish. it takes a two-mile hike to get to my favorite stream. then i spend an entire day hiking and wading up a mountain stream. i am beat at day's end. can't beat the scenery, the workout is good and i catch a few trout along the way. i do have to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, copperheads and black bears. that's part of the fun.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Advice from the elderly, having outlived most of the rock gods of the '60s and '70s, using the mantra of live hard, die fast.

Now past the midpoint of my 50s, I offer this: Walk and eat less.

It works. Also, find something you like and do it. Find somebody to love and ... well, you get the picture.

Working out, I've found, be it running or lifting, is fine when your single or married without kids. Kids may soon become your workout. Enjoy.

Get a backpack and go for a walk away from the bright lights. Or rent a canoe and drift off downstream. The exercise will be good for you; the peace you might gain is even better.

The best supplement is to help somebody out, whether they "deserve" it or not.

We all are gonna die; and we all never know when.

Might as well make the journey as meaningful and fun for yourself and others as you can.

Otherwise, what's the point?

All things in moderation -- including moderation. Which might be the point for a Guiness with a Jamieson's back.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Ewww Mizzou. If that's your method, I'll stay fat, thanks.

PS -- Cue Rodney King. Isn't it nice when everyone gets along?