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Is Manscaping Required Grooming for Single Guys?
Tag Archives: health
23 1/2 Hours
I was given a link by my dietician this week to a video that has gone viral since its release in December, but I had never seen it. This video extolled the virtues of getting out and exercising.
Now I know what you’re thinking…there are a million videos like that. Sure, but this one was different. This one wasn’t trying to shill or sell a product. This one wasn’t telling you what exercises are available to help you get a flatter stomach or a tighter butt. What this video does is tell you that simple exercise is the best medicine your body can have. It also answers a huge question: If exercise is the medicine, how much is the dose?
This one said simply this: something is better than nothing.
Have you ever thought about taking a quick walk on a break but was under the assumption that 10 minutes wouldn’t fix anything so didn’t end up going? I’ve actually had people at work tell me that walking on my break is a waste of time because unless I “get my burn on”, it’s not going to do anything for me.
That, I now realize, is entirely untrue.
This video not only tells you why tiny amounts of regular exercise a day is a benefit to you, it also provides documented studies that back up those claims.
For example, did you know that by just walking ONE HOUR A WEEK (approximately 10 minutes per day) that you can reduce your risk of heart disease by 50%? This is even the case of people considered “obese”…if they walk regularly, they will prolong their life. Period.
Another example…you can reduce high blood pressure and hypertension by 12% by simply walking between 10 and 20 minutes a day. The video suggests that you can reduce high blood pressure by 29% if you walk over 21 minutes a day.
This isn’t lifting weights…this isn’t jogging…this isn’t aerobics…this is WALKING.
I was blown away by this video by Dr. Mike Evans, a professor at the University of Toronto and a practicing physician. It also helps me to confirm that what I’ve been doing over the past six weeks is right on track. I’ve lost 13 pounds since January 1st and I haven’t really done any crazy dieting or exercise regimens. I’ve simply been more active and have begun counting my calories. Those two things combined have done tremendous things to my body that I can begin to feel.
If you’ve got ten minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching this video. If you’ve ever told yourself that you didn’t have time to exercise so why bother, this is a must-see for you. At the end it even asks an amazing question:
Think about that for a minute. 30 minutes a day, regardless of what it is. Just stand up and move around. That’s it. How insanely simple is that? Please…watch the video. Hopefully you’ll be as inspired as I was.
It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint
So I’m off to see my dietician again this morning. It’s my fourth visit since the beginning of the year and things are looking good so far in 2012. I’m down 9.6lbs since January 1st, which I’m quite happy with. I mean, it’s no “Biggest Loser” number or anything.
Ahhh…but that’s the kicker, isn’t it? For as inspirational as that show may be, it’s sometimes difficult to remember that these folks aren’t working any real jobs during their time on the show. All they do is work out…all day every day. So if a 400lb man loses ten pounds in one week, that’s kind of to be expected.
Any other time I’ve tried to lose weight, I’ve gone down a few pounds in the first week or two then have given up. Whether it’s because I told myself that I was done trying or if it was because I told myself I had done enough, I never seemed to stick with things for more than a few weeks.
I’m about to start my second month of this new living experience. At this point, it hasn’t been nearly as tough as I thought it would be. Sure, the first couple of weeks were bad…but that was more about me trying to break some REALLY unhealthy habits. Sunshine told me that I’d be doing healthy things out of habit after a few weeks and y’know what? I am.
As I enter my 40th year of life, I almost feel like I’m learning how to live all over again. Here are some of the changes I’ve made thus far in 2012:
- My after-hours snacking is at a minimum. And when I do snack, the worst I’m having is some popcorn.
- I’m walking at least 30 minutes every single day, whether the weather co-operates or not. I’ve been outside in some crazy sub-zero temperatures, too…so I’m definitely dedicated to increasing my walking and exercise habits as the weather gets better.
- I’m eating more vegetables. Am I eating Sunshine-levels of veggies? Heck no. But I’m having 3 to 5 servings of veggies most days, and that’s a HUGE change for me.
- I’m eating breakfast regularly. One of the things I’ve learned is that I absolutely NEED to eat breakfast early because it kick-starts my metabolism. If I skip breakfast, like I’ve been doing for the past 20+ years, my body doesn’t know that it needs to get going so it’s a major reason why my metabolism is so bloody slow and I’m the size that I am.
- I’m counting calories. I’m not on a diet…I’m just making better choices. I can still squeeze in a chocolate bar every now and then, but only if my daily calorie count says I can. I’m trying to stay at 2,000 calories or less per day, and by eating more healthy choices it’s actually leaving a bit more room to have the occasional 300-calorie treat.
I’m not saying I’m an expert or anything. I’m not claiming to have found all of the answers. But at this stage in the game, I’ve already gone farther into making permanent life changes than I ever have before…and it’s all a bit exciting.
Both my personal dietician and my healthy eating class dietician have said that if I lose 1 – 2 pounds per week, that’s the healthiest way to go. Pretty much anything more than that you are probably going to gain back when all is said and done.
So 30 days, 10 pounds. That’s just over two pounds per week on average. If I continue this for just another couple of months and stay on track, I’ll have hit my goal by April.
So with February popping up tomorrow, I know that I’ve got two pretty difficult months in front of me. I’ve got twenty more pounds to lose and a lot of mental obstacles to overcome.
But with the way I’ve been feeling lately, I honestly think that I’m going to make it this time. I’m not only going to lose the weight that I’ve been wanting to lose for the past five or six years, but I’m going to do it in a way that helps me continue to maintain a healthy weight going forward.
It’s not a marathon, it’s a sprint…and I’m doing whatever I can to ensure that regardless of WHEN I finish, all that matters is the end result.
And if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it.
Visualizing a great you
As I’ve mentioned over the past few months, I’ve been going through a depression that’s been extremely difficult to kick. It’s really been a combination of a multitude of things over the past year, and everything seemed to culminate in late November/early December.
I feel like I’ve been happy lately, though…and I attribute that to a few different things.
The first is obviously my incredible relationship with Sunshine. At the risk of sounding lame (and I know that people are already rolling their eyes), it just seems that we end up getting closer and closer together every single time we’re together. I can’t imagine my life without her in it.
The second has been my Employee Assistance Program contact through work. “Tom” has been absolutely amazing…not only being able to recognize things through my multi-layered messages, but to also relate to a number of things in my life because of similarities in his own. Just to be able to dive into some things that I didn’t really care to dive into (like my feelings on my dad’s relationship with his new fiance) have helped me a lot.
The final road to being happy again has been to find the self-esteem that I’ve long been unable to find within myself. To say I’ve had self-esteem issues over the years would be a tremendous under-statement. But somehow that has been changing a bit over the last month or so. I don’t know if I’m quite ready to say that I love myself yet, but I feel like I’m finally going down a path that could very well lead me there…and that’s an exciting feeling to have.
One of the exercises I’ve been asked to perform is trying to visualize a great me. Not just picturing myself thin and on a beach somewhere counting my money, but to realistically sit with my eyes closed while trying to visualize what is great about me…and that’s something I’ve never really done before.
Imagine…
…being healthy. What does that mean to me? It means being able to watch my son grow up. It means being able to fully enjoy the second half of my life in a much better way than I did the first half. It means not always looking over my shoulder to see if a heart disease or clogged artery is coming after me. It’s really me living life to the fullest and being happy. So for the first time in my life, my health is a big priority for me.
…being positive about myself. What would it mean to NOT be so self-depreciating all the time? What would it feel like to not have doubts or negative feelings about every little aspect of myself? If I can look at myself in the mirror and smile knowing that there are a number of positive traits about myself that I’ve always refused to recognize, just imagine how good that feeling will be if I mean it.
…feeling energized. Life is entering a very scary yet exciting time for me. The health changes, the weight loss changes, moving on from mom’s death, knowing that the future is full of fun and possibilities as long as I continue to maintain a firm grasp on the present…visualizing being happy and excited for life on a daily basis will truly be an incredible feeling if I allow myself to feel it.
…being at a healthy weight. This all began because I spoke to a dietician back in early November and got scared about my weight. I hated the way I looked and it was not only affecting me mentally, but it was having physical effects, as well. I finally TRULY realize that losing weight in a healthy way is not a race but a marathon. My lifestyle changes are small and slow yet steady and ongoing…and eventually these changes are going to benefit me physically. I’m down almost eight pounds since January 1st, so my journey is taking me in the right direction. I’m seeing a dietician every week and am attending healthy eating classes every week. I’m making changes and sticking to them, even when I’m alone and the only person accountable for keeping me in line is myself.
It’s not going to be easy and it’s not going to happen overnight, but I’m more committed to making these changes than I ever have been before, and I gotta say…visualizing a great me isn’t too far of a stretch at the moment.
A Quick Health Update
Since January 1st, I’ve made a serious commitment to not just lose weight, but to become healthier overall.
I was inspired by the results of the blood work that I got last month because I was healthier than I had feared. Knowing that it wasn’t too late has been a big boost to my motivation, especially with 40 just around the corner later this year.
I went to my dietician last week and got my Body Mass Index looked at. Let’s just say that the results were less than pleasing (I’m in the higher-end range for a future heart condition at my current weight and age) and only went to motivate me more.
So now I’m seeing a dietician once a week and am attending a 12-week healthy eating course. I’m down 5 pounds from the beginning of the year and I’ve been making a lot of healthier choices lately. I’m even counting my calories on a daily basis using CalorieCount.com (if you’re already signed up, you can find me here and be a moral supporter).
I’m feeling better about myself than I have in years. I’m still definitely overweight…and the vast majority of my extra weight is in my stomach, which in itself isn’t good…so feeling better about myself is a huge step in the right direction.
I think I’m finally beginning to come to terms with my depression. I don’t know if it was a “mom thing” or a “holiday thing”, but the last week or two has seen me feeling good…even with some restless sleepless nights and vivid dreams about my mom. After discussions with my dietician, it turns out that I might have sleep apnea. My appointment should take place sometime in the next few weeks (I’m waiting to hear back from them), so I’ll hopefully find out one way or the other soon.
I’ve tried to be healthy before. I’ve tried to diet before. But for some reason, I could never seem to maintain my motivation. While not going all “hardcore” this time around with dieting, I’m doing more to help myself get healthier than I ever have in my entire life…and I’m feeling a lot better about myself because of it.
I still have a ways to go, though. I still sit at home in the evenings in a dark room in front of the laptop when I should be doing other things, but I’m a work in progress…and I feel that for the first time in over a year, my progress is good.
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jobo on Fun Music Friday Cruisin Tam on 26 pounds! Jess Sutera on 26 pounds! jobo on 26 pounds! Momma Sunshine on 26 pounds! FYI
