Grandma always said, “I love that full feeling.”
I got to know it too well. As a guy who went from seeing 297 on a scale down to seeing 171, I know that losing the weight can be done.
Think of dieting and exercising as changing your liefstyle or adopting new habits, because ultimately that is what you are doing. It is something you should try to stick to daily regardless of your overall health plan.
I make reasonable goals. If I do 10 sit ups every day, I’ll have done 300 more in a month than if I had done none. I used to add one sit up a day as best as I could remember. Some days I had the energy to do more, but on other days I couldn’t make my goal. Doing 10 or even 100 situps should become easy. Doing it every day is much harder.
Don’t expect to make equal progress all the time, and beware of over doing it. You might lose a ton of weight, but not know what to do once you get there and revert back. A bike ride, swim, walk or jog should be fun, too. You can look great at about the same weight and certainly feel better in building up active muscle tone.
Age and most injuries change our bodies and do complicate exercise, but they don’t have to be an excuse. I ran my first 5k race 7 years after a sour back surgery.
Find something that works, even in and especially in getting to routine chores. Try alternating harder work-outs for the upper and lower body 3 to 5 days per week. Nobody can do it all—-be thankful for what you can do and how you can do it.
Balance activity with a stronger diet. Your ego is stoked after doing something to stay in shape, and sometimes the nervous system lowers your appetite. Continue eating reasonable meals, although your body may end up screaming for calories until you adjust to the changes in dropping the drive-through.
If you don’t like telling yourself ‘no’ to burgers and fries, say ‘yes’ to preparing something at home—although be careful with salads, they can be deceptive, especially the dressing.
I spend a good deal of time looking at food labels when I grocery shop. Don’t buy what you should be avoiding—find healthier alternatives, or buy a small bag of doritos at the counter instead of a two-days-and-it’s-gone family size.
Look out for sodium, as salt levels in low-fat foods can get jacked up by manufacturers in order to replace the loss of taste.
Shopping carefully at the supermarket takes twice as long at first, but it is worth it. You eat what is around to eat.
Combine smart shopping with smaller portions on a regular basis. A smaller bowl of cereal for breakfast and only occasionally having butter adds up over the weeks and months to make an impact.
Cravings are normal and shouldn’t be avoided completely. Instinctually, we know what we need to be happy and healthy, but easily overcompensate.
Remember, if it tastes good today, it will also taste good tomorrow. We may need calories and energy, or it may be disappointment, remorse, anger, blame or a lack of affection that makes us want comfort food.
Sometimes we eat instead of drinking water when our body craves hydration. Drinking plenty of water adds a little weight in the short term, but is healthier for the long term. I try to drink water with every meal.
Your medical doctor or nutritionist should be able to help with any changes in your life or refer you to other options if your case dictates it, but they cannot put your fork down, do your stretches or the work for you.
I’ve stayed at about the same weight for a good while. You too should regain equilibrium between eating and exercise and enjoy walking a mile or jogging your first 5k.
