"You mean I have to start taking those pills for life, doctor? I think I'm too young to be a pill popping coffin boffin."
In early March - a week after I was discharged from hospital and slapped with a long list of prescriptive drugs, I decided to improve my overall health. On the exact date of my birthday, I was officially diagnosed with diverticulitis, high blood pressure. Gout also made a comeback.
The prospect of popping pills for life was too grim and so, on my birthday, I promised myself that my increasingly sedentary lifestyle has got to give.
I started out by walking to work in the morning for 3 days a week. Work was about 3km away from home. This was dubbed "the Perpetua Walk" after a friend whose morning walks inspired me.
Not a brisk walk by any measure but just a lazy stroll, if you may, to help me get used to the idea of being in motion.
Once I got the hang of it after a month, I started incorporating jogging after work, each time for half an hour. Again, nothing too strenuous. Just an easy, slow jog. The kind of jog where I can still talk while running. I do this about 2 times a week, on a weekday.
As soon as I got the hang of it, I added into the regime running longer distances during the weekends. The more consistent I was at it, the better my stamina and speed.
I learned that for folks in the mid 30s like yours truly, the most important thing is not exactly weight loss, but staying healthy. Weight loss will come in naturally and eventually as a bonus.
After 2 months since the regime started, I was faced with a weight loss plateau. The plateau in weight loss is demotivating and can be crushing. But it happens and it's inevitable. My weight stayed stagnant for three weeks. Within those three weeks I even upped my runs to 4 times a week and included 2 half marathon distance runs. Still it refused to budge. But persistence is key. Finally the plateau broke and weight started decreasing again. As the weight shed, it revealed a healthier me. And that is what matters.
I also learned that watching what I eat and drink is more important than exercising. I used to use an app - MyFitnessPal - to actually count calories and try my best not to exceed my recommended calorie intake for the day.
These days I no longer use the app but just watch what I eat. Smaller portions each time. For lunch I prefer vegetables and fruits. I don't eat rice for lunch.
I also stopped eating red meats totally (due to my gout condition) but chicken remains a must. I started telling people I'm a pollotarian, much to their annoyance. I drink strictly plain water even when eating out. Boring I know. But I do not want to run risk of another debilitating gout attack. I find that sugar in drinks triggers them. So far in these 4 months I have not had another attack.
I watched my weight go down from 87kg to currently 76kg. But more importantly I feel better and more energetic.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Zahid_Zee/2317505
In early March - a week after I was discharged from hospital and slapped with a long list of prescriptive drugs, I decided to improve my overall health. On the exact date of my birthday, I was officially diagnosed with diverticulitis, high blood pressure. Gout also made a comeback.
The prospect of popping pills for life was too grim and so, on my birthday, I promised myself that my increasingly sedentary lifestyle has got to give.
I started out by walking to work in the morning for 3 days a week. Work was about 3km away from home. This was dubbed "the Perpetua Walk" after a friend whose morning walks inspired me.
Not a brisk walk by any measure but just a lazy stroll, if you may, to help me get used to the idea of being in motion.
Once I got the hang of it after a month, I started incorporating jogging after work, each time for half an hour. Again, nothing too strenuous. Just an easy, slow jog. The kind of jog where I can still talk while running. I do this about 2 times a week, on a weekday.
As soon as I got the hang of it, I added into the regime running longer distances during the weekends. The more consistent I was at it, the better my stamina and speed.
I learned that for folks in the mid 30s like yours truly, the most important thing is not exactly weight loss, but staying healthy. Weight loss will come in naturally and eventually as a bonus.
After 2 months since the regime started, I was faced with a weight loss plateau. The plateau in weight loss is demotivating and can be crushing. But it happens and it's inevitable. My weight stayed stagnant for three weeks. Within those three weeks I even upped my runs to 4 times a week and included 2 half marathon distance runs. Still it refused to budge. But persistence is key. Finally the plateau broke and weight started decreasing again. As the weight shed, it revealed a healthier me. And that is what matters.
I also learned that watching what I eat and drink is more important than exercising. I used to use an app - MyFitnessPal - to actually count calories and try my best not to exceed my recommended calorie intake for the day.
These days I no longer use the app but just watch what I eat. Smaller portions each time. For lunch I prefer vegetables and fruits. I don't eat rice for lunch.
I also stopped eating red meats totally (due to my gout condition) but chicken remains a must. I started telling people I'm a pollotarian, much to their annoyance. I drink strictly plain water even when eating out. Boring I know. But I do not want to run risk of another debilitating gout attack. I find that sugar in drinks triggers them. So far in these 4 months I have not had another attack.
I watched my weight go down from 87kg to currently 76kg. But more importantly I feel better and more energetic.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Zahid_Zee/2317505
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