Post by RumiDude on Oct 2, 2016 11:21:53 GMT -8
I guess it isn't my parents fault really, just the genes they passed on to me. I should have chosen better parents. *biggeneticgrins*
My tale of woe is basically I inherited a tendency towards major health issues. Kidney, liver, pancreas, heart/arteries are the main trouble points. You know, those vital organs and systems wanna crap out on me. These are all issues which run in my family, particularly my mothers family. So despite having a good lifestyle, at the age of sixty-four I take meds to keep my blood pressure in check and my cholesterol in a reasonable range. I am not obese by any means, but I am a little overweight. At my heaviest, I probably weighed 190 lbs a few years ago. I had lost a bit since then, but a year ago I weighed in about 185. My blood sugar numbers were a little high (pre-diabetic) and so my doctor suggested I lose some weight and exercise more. Well I am not a gym rat but neither am I a couch potato. I eat a very sensible diet. But my weight was hovering around 180 lbs. I wanted to lose weight, yet seemed to lack the inertia to start moving in that direction.
My doctor told me weight loss was curative, i.e. it would not only reduce my mortality risk, but could actually help cure my hypertention. My younger brother has kidney and liver failure along with his diabetes and other ailments. I visit him two or three times a week. Seeing his condition and other happenings in my life finally pushed ed me into doing something about my weight. I have mainly been trying to eat more vegetables and fruits and just eliminating mindless snacking, though I do have planned snacks of fruit or veggies. I am learning to be satisfied with much smaller portions. I still drink beer/whisky, have an occasional pizza, burger, and such, but I generally only eat half and take the rest home for lunch the next day.
So, this morning I weighed myself after breakfast and registered 172 lbs on the scale. I am hoping to get down to 155, though 160 would greatly satisfy me. I have no plan as to how long that will take me, just allowing it to happen. I know I will have ebbs and flows in my weight, but I am actually starting to get excited about the future. I don't know if it is all psychological, but I feel better and have more energy already. And I will have to buy a few belts to keep my pants up.
Everyone is different, and I just happened to get some genes which make me have to be more careful about my diet than many people. For most of my life, I got away with eating anything and everything i liked, in large portions. But as I aged, that started to catch up to me. I am coming to terms with that reality for me and making changes. I hope these changes are lasting and enable me to live an active lifestyle til the end.
Two things I look forward to: #1) being able to hike uphill without all that extra pounds of fat, and #2) seeing the look on my doctor's face in December when I return weighing less. I know if I get down to 155, I will essentially have lost the amount of my current pack-weight (base gear+food+water), packed for a five day trip in the Olympics. I am going to enjoy not having to lug that weight around. And for more than a year I have been telling my doctor I was going to lose some weight. I bet he hears that all the time and I bet very few ever do lose it.
I will try to report back every-once-in-a-while and let you know my progress. I will also share any joys, frustrations, discoveries, food finds, etc.
Rumi
My tale of woe is basically I inherited a tendency towards major health issues. Kidney, liver, pancreas, heart/arteries are the main trouble points. You know, those vital organs and systems wanna crap out on me. These are all issues which run in my family, particularly my mothers family. So despite having a good lifestyle, at the age of sixty-four I take meds to keep my blood pressure in check and my cholesterol in a reasonable range. I am not obese by any means, but I am a little overweight. At my heaviest, I probably weighed 190 lbs a few years ago. I had lost a bit since then, but a year ago I weighed in about 185. My blood sugar numbers were a little high (pre-diabetic) and so my doctor suggested I lose some weight and exercise more. Well I am not a gym rat but neither am I a couch potato. I eat a very sensible diet. But my weight was hovering around 180 lbs. I wanted to lose weight, yet seemed to lack the inertia to start moving in that direction.
My doctor told me weight loss was curative, i.e. it would not only reduce my mortality risk, but could actually help cure my hypertention. My younger brother has kidney and liver failure along with his diabetes and other ailments. I visit him two or three times a week. Seeing his condition and other happenings in my life finally pushed ed me into doing something about my weight. I have mainly been trying to eat more vegetables and fruits and just eliminating mindless snacking, though I do have planned snacks of fruit or veggies. I am learning to be satisfied with much smaller portions. I still drink beer/whisky, have an occasional pizza, burger, and such, but I generally only eat half and take the rest home for lunch the next day.
So, this morning I weighed myself after breakfast and registered 172 lbs on the scale. I am hoping to get down to 155, though 160 would greatly satisfy me. I have no plan as to how long that will take me, just allowing it to happen. I know I will have ebbs and flows in my weight, but I am actually starting to get excited about the future. I don't know if it is all psychological, but I feel better and have more energy already. And I will have to buy a few belts to keep my pants up.
Everyone is different, and I just happened to get some genes which make me have to be more careful about my diet than many people. For most of my life, I got away with eating anything and everything i liked, in large portions. But as I aged, that started to catch up to me. I am coming to terms with that reality for me and making changes. I hope these changes are lasting and enable me to live an active lifestyle til the end.
Two things I look forward to: #1) being able to hike uphill without all that extra pounds of fat, and #2) seeing the look on my doctor's face in December when I return weighing less. I know if I get down to 155, I will essentially have lost the amount of my current pack-weight (base gear+food+water), packed for a five day trip in the Olympics. I am going to enjoy not having to lug that weight around. And for more than a year I have been telling my doctor I was going to lose some weight. I bet he hears that all the time and I bet very few ever do lose it.
I will try to report back every-once-in-a-while and let you know my progress. I will also share any joys, frustrations, discoveries, food finds, etc.
Rumi
