Getting Healthier

nightshade

nightshade

Your grandfather is a cat
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Black Thorn
I've decided it's finally time I got healthier, so I'm cutting down on carbs, only having them in the morning at the moment, as I was a big bread and potato person and I've taken up running. So far it's not going too badly, except for meal ideas I got to actually plan meals now which it seems I'm not that good at!

Has anyone else changed their eating habits and how did you get on?

I share my run times with a friend that is just about to start running too so we can keep each other motivated and try to beat each others time!

Maybe we could motivate each other here, if anyone wants to join me on my healthy lifestyle plan (whichever way you choose to get healthier)
 
I changed my diet a couple of years ago. It took a month. In the first week I stopped eating sweets. In the second week I stopped sweetening my tea. In the third week I stopped eating potatoes, rice and pasta. In the forth week I stopped eating bread. Then I just stuck to it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an absolute diet Nazi - I might eat something sweet when I feel like but it just doesn't happen very often as I generally don't crave it now.

What do I eat instead of all that stuff? Vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, lentils, pearl barley, buckwheat - stuff like that.

As to working out. I was really out of shape at first so I started with walking. Then I added bodyweight and resistance bands exercises. Finally I got myself a rowing machine - I use it pretty much everyday ( minus the rest days and the I was doing squats yesterday days ) there were months when I would pull almost 600 km on that thing. Then I got a barbell. Basically, start slow, stick to it, build up gradually and don't forget about stretching.
 
Good for you nightshade and EVIL UU!

Those are good ideas for keeping you going; having someone to share your progress with and push each other is great.

EVIL UU said it well by starting slow and gradually making changes.
 
My advice ? Remember that "Rome wasn't built in a day" as they say 😛
 
Drink more water. I know, I know...everyone says that and it's a pain in the ass but it really does make a difference. We need a lot more fluids than we think to stay properly hydrated.

I also stopped eating sweets for the most part. I'll have dessert maybe once a week if/when I go out to a nice dinner (and I share it) but other than that I don't eat sweets. That took about a month for me to get use to and stick with.

As far as exercise goes, for the last year or so I've been downloading podcasts to listen to while I walk, run or elliptical. I really enjoy listening to them and only do so while exercising so that helps keep me motivated.

And I agree with Evil UU, start slow and stick to it and you'll end up creating new habits that will stick with you.
 
I've never really made a real effort to become healthier.
But I have done one thing. I bought a bathroom scale a some years ago and starting to check my weight once a week.

Since then I've lost 17 kg (37.4 lbs) and it's still dropping (slowly).
It might not be a whole lot for a few years but I still don't train at all and I still eat mostly the same things.
Think I just eat a little bit less, takes smaller portions etc. And that's not something a officially decided to do either it just happened.

But truth be told so can't I say that I've noticed any difference.
I still feel the same, pretty good usually, and I still look the same as far as I can tell.

Have been thinking about to take it another step. To actually think about what I eat, or perhaps even better, start to exercise.
But I'm not really prepared to do that yet. I like my food and training sucks. 😛

/SK
 
Nix
Nix
That is good weight loss well done x
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I don't really train but I realized that a few tiny things make me stay relatively health.
I commute to work, but once I get in the town I work, I don't take the bus but walk to work (and it's uphill). It's just a 10-12 minutes walk, but with good music it helps. I actually love this moment, it gives me time to wake up.
Also, I stop eating when I'm not hungry anymore. I noticed that I have a tendency to finish my plate even if I feel full. I try to stop doing that and I've been feeling so much better.
And yes, drinking water is important.

I'll try to hop on the healthy wagon once I'm done with school. But dissertation and diet don't go along well for me...
 
Mr Trick
Mr Trick
Yeah good point lol!
I've been making small dietary changes; no alcohol in over 12 months, no soft drink (soda) in 2 months, dessert onot once or twice a week and instead of half a ben and jerrys tub, I'll have one single ice cream instead. Next step is to cut down on carbs and increase my salad and vegie intake.
I've just started looking at fitness videos on YouTube as I was recommended to by a friend. She has lost a tonne of weight by doing fitness videos online. I was struggling with deciding on joining a gym but this suits me better. A channel I recommend is BeFit. Jillian Michaels (US biggest loser) has a few awesome videos on there. I'm currently doing her six week six pack workout and it is tough! But will be so worth it.

My motivation has come from my wedding (in October), getting fit and healthy with my partner who isn't as blessed as me with a fast metabolism and has put on 25 kilos in 2 years. And also just for my mental health. I struggle with anxiety and depression and I believe this will do wonders for me.
 
No, of course not I am perfectly healthy already!😛

Good luck guys, don't over do it, but just small steps done consistently can make a big difference🙂
 
TotallySpiked said:
I've been making small dietary changes; no alcohol in over 12 months, no soft drink (soda) in 2 months, dessert onot once or twice a week and instead of half a ben and jerrys tub, I'll have one single ice cream instead. Next step is to cut down on carbs and increase my salad and vegie intake.
I've just started looking at fitness videos on YouTube as I was recommended to by a friend. She has lost a tonne of weight by doing fitness videos online. I was struggling with deciding on joining a gym but this suits me better. A channel I recommend is BeFit. Jillian Michaels (US biggest loser) has a few awesome videos on there. I'm currently doing her six week six pack workout and it is tough! But will be so worth it.

My motivation has come from my wedding (in October), getting fit and healthy with my partner who isn't as blessed as me with a fast metabolism and has put on 25 kilos in 2 years. And also just for my mental health. I struggle with anxiety and depression and I believe this will do wonders for me.
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I have Jillian Michaels 30 day shread, but I'm working my way up to that one, I tried it before and just can't do it, so doing other easier work outs til I can do that again
 
TotallySpiked said:
I've just started looking at fitness videos on YouTube as I was recommended to by a friend. She has lost a tonne of weight by doing fitness videos online. I was struggling with deciding on joining a gym but this suits me better. A channel I recommend is BeFit. Jillian Michaels (US biggest loser) has a few awesome videos on there. I'm currently doing her six week six pack workout and it is tough! But will be so worth it.
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It sounds interesting and practical but are those type of channels safe?
I don't know my body that well and I'm super clumsy, I'm sure I'd be able to hurt myself without anyone here to tell me the dos and don't. 🙁
 
Yeah I have that issue with Yoga, I used to take classes but couldn't do them anymore and started looking at videos instead, but really I'd rather someone to tell me if my position is right or not
 
I'm really uneasy about these fitness videos and stuff, they just present unrealistic targets for people and I don't just trust them. Its better to join a gym or run or swim regularly as it gets you out of the house and engaging with people rather than just staring at a screen for hours.
 
Swimming and the gym costs money though, and these videos are free and you are able to do them at home if you aren't confident in being able to work out in public. It really depends on the video, if you watch the video before to attempt it, then I can't see why there would be any problems, as you know what you are facing and whether it's beyond your ability.
 
nightshade said:
Swimming and the gym costs money though, and these videos are free and you are able to do them at home if you aren't confident in being able to work out in public. It really depends on the video, if you watch the video before to attempt it, then I can't see why there would be any problems, as you know what you are facing and whether it's beyond your ability.
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Well I know the gym can be pricey, but surely Swimming isn't that expenisive? Its not like you have to do it everyday just once or twice a week. I think the thing to do is just to add little bits of excerise into simple dairy things such as walking home or two the shop rather than getting the bus or whatever the case and maybe running once or twice a week too.

My concern is that we live in a culture where people are told that if you don't look like famous celebs like Jennifer Lopez then you are not fit, which is rubbish, and it becomes a thing of trying to be cool just like them, not saying that you think that like just than that is the sort of thing which these videos can encourge.
 
None of the videos I've tried have said anything like that! They are just work out ones that show you how to do the exercise and then you do it for a certain time before they show you the next one.

My swimming pool is currently closed for refurbishment which just means when it does reopen the prices will be even higher, even though they haven't actually done anything to the pool area.
 
Fair enough, I did mean the culture and how they are sold, but maybe yours is fine.

I still think its better to get out of the house to excerise than to just in and stair at a screen. You have to leave the house for other stuff so just merge that with your swimming trips or whatever.
 
Well I found out yesterday that eating out, when you aren't eating bread and potatoes is hard, I ended up having potatoes just as it was easier than trying to ask for different things.
 
nightshade said:
Well I found out yesterday that eating out, when you aren't eating bread and potatoes is hard, I ended up having potatoes just as it was easier than trying to ask for different things.
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Hard how? Do you just mean you struggle to find many healthy options when eating out? I would have thought there were lots depending on where you live, or is it just a cost thing?
 
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