My advice, for what it's worth

[Timax56]

Hi all,

Just wanted to pass on a few tips that have affected my endeavours to keep fit over many years. Now I am no Saint when it comes to sticking to what I know is best for me but i will try to tell you what has worked for me and what hasen't.

Firstly I would say that unless you have 100% committment to something then it usually only works in the short term. I have found that setting small goals and then incrementally adding to them is far better than going whole hog on something.

I like alcohol and I like food, when I have an excess, i become bloated, full, heavy, listless and lazy, my determination to do some excercise goes out the window. When I lay off the alcohol and food, I feel good, my belt size loosens and I have the energy to do the five mile walk or the 30 mile bike ride. My clothes fit better, my skin and looks better and i feel better.

I am not a great fan of diets and have tried many of them, in fact I tried one last year that left me feeling terrible, I lost 2 st in just over 2 weeks but it was torture and as a result I collapsed...never again!!

There are such things as healthy diets and I try, in the main to watch my calorie intake and source fresh products and eat plenty of vegetables. Remember that it is also important to watch what you are burning off and maintain a healthy balance. One of the biggest problems with the way we eat today is portion sizes, we are now eating nearly double per meal what we were eating back in the 50's. This is of course due to a massive choice in food available and the supermarkets push to sell sell sell. A good tip i find is to serve your meal up on a large side dish rather than a dinner plate, you will soon get in the mindset and will not only cut down on your calories but also save money.

My biggest enemy is the biscuit barrel, it sits there and entices me to open it everytime i make a cup of tea, it is unbelievable how many calories are lurking in those Bourbons and Hobnobs. Sugar I am afraid has to go, with type 2 diabetes becoming more prevelant in older people with high BMI it is time to find alternatives.

One thing i have never been very good at is drinking water. The recommended daily intake is about (adjusted) @70kgs 2.7 litres @100kgs 3.7 litres....I just find that I am always feeling full or I am always heading for the loo (probably adds a couple of extra steps to Fitbit total though). What I do now is get a sports drink bottle, add 2-3 slices of fresh lemon fill with ice cold water.. it isn't so bad that way and i am finding that i can manage those amounts without too much problem.

I am no expert when it comes to these matters but i am just sharing a few things that work for me, of course i have read a lot and tried many things out before i make my judgements. After all, what works for one doent necessarily work for another. 

Hope you find this Useful and keep up the good work 

[WendyB]

Thanks some great advice! Thanks for sharing!

[Dominique]

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@Timax56 wrote:

One thing i have never been very good at is drinking water. The recommended daily intake is about 10 pints or 5.68 litres....

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That sounds a lot. This article (from Mayo Clinic) says about 3 liters for men and 2.2 liters for women. The daily goal set to me by Fitbit is 1.9 liters.

[betpchem]

@Timax56 I agree with you on the small goals advice. Studies have shown that's why most people do not follow through on New Years resolutions - because they are too vague. "I'm going to lose 5 pounds by January 20th" is much better than "I'm going to eat healthier this year."

Good luck with your fitness journey and thanks for the good advice!