2013 Health Challenge

[Acadia]

I don't believe in calorie counting. I think it is setting up for failure IMO. Just don't put crap in your body and you will be alright and stay away from microwave dinners that have have "low fat and low calorie", they just add a bunch of salt for flavor.

I know people who are getting fat while eating healthy. Good diet is an important part of losing weight, but the fact is too many calories in of any quality means weight gain. I don't count calories daily, but I have settled into a baseline diet that I know keeps me at a stable weight. If suddenly I changed my common foods, I would likely have to reassess my intake to get the balance right. I agree 100% on diet quality though, and the choices you outline have the benefit of not being so calorie heavy. I live on veggies, some fruit, occasional whole grains, and a huge amount of lean protein (including a freakish amount of nonfat Greek yogurt to the point that I think the supermarket checkout people think I have some kind of disorder).

On the diet quality tangent, any given day at the market check out while spying on other peoples purchases, I am constantly amazed that I very often see entire carts of "food" I consider inedible. Nothing but refined carbs, sugar drinks, frozen pizza and other low quality crap. No wonder we have become a nation of fatty slugs.

 

[Goonie]

I know people who are getting fat while eating healthy. Good diet is an important part of losing weight, but the fact is too many calories in of any quality means weight gain. I don't count calories daily, but I have settled into a baseline diet that I know keeps me at a stable weight. If suddenly I changed my common foods, I would likely have to reassess my intake to get the balance right. I agree 100% on diet quality though, and the choices you outline have the benefit of not being so calorie heavy. I live on veggies, some fruit, occasional whole grains, and a huge amount of lean protein (including a freakish amount of nonfat Greek yogurt to the point that I think the supermarket checkout people think I have some kind of disorder).

On the diet quality tangent, any given day at the market check out while spying on other peoples purchases, I am constantly amazed that I very often see entire carts of "food" I consider inedible. Nothing but refined carbs, sugar drinks, frozen pizza and other low quality crap. No wonder we have become a nation of fatty slugs.

Hit the nail on the head. That's a better way of saying what I meant.

If you use common sense on what you eat then you really shouldn't have to count calories.

I eat a ton of Greek yogurt too. I used to eat the fruit flavored and then just started adding my own fruit or putting it into a smoothie. I still can't develop a taste for plain Greek. I do the same thing when I'm at the grocery store and can't believe the crap people buy. I'm not saying you shouldn't treat yourself to your favorite things every now and then but having 5 bags of chips and 3 kinds of soft drinks is insane. I love Dr.Pepper but if I buy a 12 pack I will be too tempted to drink it so I just treat myself if I go out to eat on special occasions.

My mom and dad fail every diet because they go cold turkey into them. From BBQ to salad. They last a couple weeks, eat one bad meal and just have the weakness of " oh, I already ate a bad meal this week so ill just start over next week". Happens every time.

I used to be the same and then I realized if I just change my lifestyle gradually I will be more successful. Now instead of craving ice cream or a random bag of chips, I crave fruits and Greek yogurt. It's not my mind saying I have to crave this because its healthier, but I actually prefer the taste now. That's a small lifestyle change.

The best advice I can give anyone is excercise! I promise you are going to HATE it at first and you will try to come up with every excuse not to do it. It might take a month or two and you will be addicted to it. You will notice your strength and energy and your body will need it as often as possible. You will be looking forward all day to get off work and go to the gym or on a run. I promise.

 

[MQAAord]

The best advice I can give anyone is excercise! I promise you are going to HATE it at first and you will try to come up with every excuse not to do it. It might take a month or two and you will be addicted to it. You will notice your strength and energy and your body will need it as often as possible. You will be looking forward all day to get off work and go to the gym or on a run. I promise.

That does NOT happen for everyone.

I have stuck with workouts for months at a time. It is always a PITA to drag myself to do them, I do not feel AWESUM!! when I finish a workout, I NEVER "look forward" to it.

Ever.

Never have.

And yes, I have stuck with exercise programs, tried different things, etc. I'm not a fat ass, I don't eat a lot so I keep my weight in check by not stuffing my face with food every second of the day. But not everyone likes working out or can somehow magically "make" their body love working out. It just doesn't work that way for everyone. I'm glad if it does for you, but it doesn't for me.

I do not understand nor have I ever experienced that "runner's high" that people talk about. Maybe something is wrong with me, I dunno.

 

[Xcaliber]

That does NOT happen for everyone.

I have stuck with workouts for months at a time. It is always a PITA to drag myself to do them, I do not feel AWESUM!! when I finish a workout, I NEVER "look forward" to it.

Ever.

Never have.

And yes, I have stuck with exercise programs, tried different things, etc. I'm not a fat ass, I don't eat a lot so I keep my weight in check by not stuffing my face with food every second of the day. But not everyone likes working out or can somehow magically "make" their body love working out. It just doesn't work that way for everyone. I'm glad if it does for you, but it doesn't for me.

I do not understand nor have I ever experienced that "runner's high" that people talk about. Maybe something is wrong with me, I dunno.

I've always suggested that it's far more important to find a activity you like then to just go out and exercise hoping you'll eventually like it. A social activity helps too. It'll act as sort of a "gateway" exercise.

I tried running too, and hated it. That was, until I started playing Ultimate frisbee. I love that game. It's estimated that an average player runs an equivalent of 7 miles during a game, but I never felt that way because I was having too much fun to realize it, and making good friends at the same time. The friends I made doing that got me out biking and rock climbing, I started weight training and then running by myself, and now I do triathlons just because they're a blast.

 

[Goonie]

That does NOT happen for everyone.

I have stuck with workouts for months at a time. It is always a PITA to drag myself to do them, I do not feel AWESUM!! when I finish a workout, I NEVER "look forward" to it.

Ever.

Never have.

And yes, I have stuck with exercise programs, tried different things, etc. I'm not a fat ass, I don't eat a lot so I keep my weight in check by not stuffing my face with food every second of the day. But not everyone likes working out or can somehow magically "make" their body love working out. It just doesn't work that way for everyone. I'm glad if it does for you, but it doesn't for me.

I do not understand nor have I ever experienced that "runner's high" that people talk about. Maybe something is wrong with me, I dunno.

Makes sense. I'm just speaking from personal experience. If you can maintain a healthy weight just by eating good then keep it up. You're blessed with a good metabolism.

I have a crap metabolism and have to do some form of cardio or I will gain a ton.

 

[MQAAord]

Meh, as I get older the metabolism slows! However, I just compensate by eating less. I'm 5'2", 128-130, I don't NEED to eat a lot. I love good food, and I have a sweet tooth the size of Alaska, I just restrain myself and don't eat a lot. Portion control, for me, is key. For others, exercise may be key. To each their own, as long as everyone finds the key that works for them.

 

[falconvalley]

The wife and I are on weight watchers right now. Down 8 pounds in 4 weeks, so it's working just like it should.

So with that, in my view, there is no silver bullet that will result in weight loss. Not a new age diet, not cutting out soda. Counting calories, measuring portion sizes and being honest with yourself about what you've eaten and writing it all down will provide results.

Anything else is smoke and mirrors.

Remember, this isn't rocket science, you're just trying to balance an equation; less calories in than out. If you don't count calories and write it down, you're trying to balance the equation without an equals sign.

Agreed and to add, calorie counting isn't the silver bullet but it's about as close as you can get. The bottom line is that net weight loss takes time. You can conceivably lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, but don't forget that you have a structure to maintain. It other words, kill the weeds but water the grass, too. Get your nutrients. Fat can only take you so far when you're burning it. Unless you have a legitimate goal to meet a certain percentage, what is the rush? 500 calories a day works great, especially if you're active. It gets more complicated when your BMI reaches the average range because you technically can't say "I need to lose x pounds". When you're getting rid of fat, you have to account for the weight of everything else in your body and that number doesn't have a simple answer. That could mean a visit to a sports doctor, like what I had to do to get a percentage.

 

[kellwolf]

I started actually paying attention last Monday. Got the MyFitnessPal app to keep track of what I'm eating, enlisted the wife to help out and she's doing it right along with me. We started out just walking every day (or at least when I can), and we stepped it up today. My biggest hurdle has been keeping running "fun." She found an app called Zombies, Run! It mixes the music on your iOS device (might be out for Android, didn't check) with a story arc. It will occasionally toss zomibes behind you to get you to pick up the pace to turn it into interval training. So far, I'm loving it. Having someone do it with me really pushes me to be accountable. Some days I'm not feeling it, so she kicks me in the butt to get out. Other days, I'm the kicker rather than the kick-ee. Best part? App will work on a treadmill, too, so I can use it in hotels on overnights.

Downside is there's no gym close to my crashpad in BOS, and the last few times I've been sitting around up there, it's been 9 degrees and snowing. Makes it tough to walk/run. I DO walk to the airport transit station rather than take the bus or the cab, though.

Another challenge I've found for me is eating on the road. Eating healthy in airports is either impossible because the options are a tasteless salad or something that costs $15 and won't even fill you up. At 9E, I would bring food since most of the hotels had a frig/microwave. Staying in better hotels, though, means it's less like a truck stop and more like you're travelling on an expense account. I'd love to give Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem a try, but I'd be hauling so many meals with me on a trip, I wouldn't have room for the other stuff.

 

[KLB]

We've cut way back on the processed food and have gone 90% organic. It's expensive, but we plan on using a portion of our yard to grow a small garden to help cut cost. Living in South Florida, I can pretty much grow something year round. We also plan on purchasing a few things similar to these: http://www.urbangardensweb.com/2013/01/23/new-twist-on-home-hydroponic-gardening/ to put out on the back patio. I'm looking to get into a cowpool to buy all organic beef also.

 

[Goonie]

We've cut way back on the processed food and have gone 90% organic. It's expensive, but we plan on using a portion of our yard to grow a small garden to help cut cost. Living in South Florida, I can pretty much grow something year round. We also plan on purchasing a few things similar to these: http://www.urbangardensweb.com/2013/01/23/new-twist-on-home-hydroponic-gardening/ to put out on the back patio. I'm looking to get into a cowpool to buy all organic beef also.

I watched Foodmatters on Netfix the other day and they made a good point. Buying healthy/organic food does cost more, but if you think of it as an investment for your future it makes it easier to pay up. I know a lot of people that say they can't afford to eat healthy, but they have 2 car payments, iphones, cable....

 

[KLB]

So far we've only seen about a 10% increase on our grocery bill. Stay away from whole foods! A lot of their products aren't organic anyways.

 

[Goonie]

Yeah we will get maybe a few items from Whole Foods. They are very expensive and a lot of their food is camouflaged as organic or healthy. They do have a better butcher selection then the other chain grocers by us so we will get that there usually.My wife has been going to the local produce stand to get most of the fruit and veg.

I haven't had ANY fast food since the new year. I cut down quite a bit a while ago but cut it out of our families diet completely on New Years. I used to crave a fast food burger and salty fries once a week and now I have zero craving for it.

I do like a pizza on Sunday while I am watching football but I don't eat so much where I have a pizza baby all day.

 

[falconvalley]

Isn't it amazing how your tastes change after a while. I used to eat McDonald's once a day, minimum. Now, if I'm low on trip food and have a quick turn, I panic at the thought of McDonald's. I rarely eat the fries any more. I love McDonalds fries, but I feel like crap the next day if I eat them.

 

[JayAre]

Well so far 25lbs YTD, lost 20 from starting herbalife 5 weeks ago.
Haven't been working out. If I was it would be much more. Now sitting at 270 yikes I know. Last time on this diet I got down to 196 but I also was working out and much more active than now.....
More updates to follow.

 

[derg]

So far we've only seen about a 10% increase on our grocery bill. Stay away from whole foods! A lot of their products aren't organic anyways.

Whole Foods is 'psychosomatic health' for people with disposable income.

I like browsing the store, don't get me wrong, but as a primary grocer, I just don't believe the hype.

I think I do more for the environment by walking to the local AZ-chain grocer down the street and buying locally grown products than I would by driving 15 minutes away to purchase food that was trucked in from Timbuktu and where the corporate office is states away.

 

[kellwolf]

Whole Foods is the hipster grocery store. Only shop there if it's chique to spend a lot of money on granola. It's not, IMO. I hit the local farmers market when I can. Better food, better prices and I actually KNOW where it came from. Hell, in some cases, I can say "Can you bring more of this next week?" and lo and behold, there it is actually set aside for me the next week.

I did the weigh in yesterday, YTD I'm down nearly 20 lbs. Next week I'll probably actually start running.....

 

[aobt14]

Just started P90X. I hope it works like advertized!

 

[derg]

Whole Foods is the hipster grocery store. Only shop there if it's chique to spend a lot of money on granola. It's not, IMO. I hit the local farmers market when I can. Better food, better prices and I actually KNOW where it came from. Hell, in some cases, I can say "Can you bring more of this next week?" and lo and behold, there it is actually set aside for me the next week.

I did the weigh in yesterday, YTD I'm down nearly 20 lbs. Next week I'll probably actually start running.....

Running is good.

Here's the kick. Take your worst problems on your run.

Run, runrunrunrun! Then think about your worst problems, keep running, hit "The Wall" but keep running until it seems like it's stupid, but keep going, then you're past the wall and problems are solved.

It's weird, but it works.

 

[Cav]

I'm down 30 pounds since starting Weight Watchers Dec 1 and down almost 40 lbs since my last medical in May. The program works if you follow it and quite honestly I really don't feel like I'm on a diet. It's all about accountability, portion size, and sustainable lifestyle change. I really don't deprive myself of anything I like I just have to plan ahead to enjoy it. If you think Weight Watchers is merely a calorie counting program you really don't understand it. I enjoy the slower pace of weight loss via this method because I believe it will result in better long term habits and thus a higher chance of long term success.

I agree to an extent that exercise is important to weight management but it's still impossible to ignore the fact that you can lose weight by just dieting alone but very few can lose weight by exercise alone. Obviously combining diet and exercise is the best approach but if you are only going to do one or the other, pick diet as your focus. To me exercise is about overall health maintenance (including mental) and not weight loss. It certainly speeds up the process and makes it easier for me to take an evening off from dieting but it's not a singular path to weight loss. What you put in your body is the key.

I will never be a gym rat. I like elliptical work but don't really enjoy weight lifting. I loathe running outside but I enjoy long hikes and while it may not be incredibly masculine, I enjoy long walks. I find them therapeutic. In the end, I just try to do SOMETHING active everyday even if it's just a brisk hour long walk.

I will say, having to go out and buy new uniform pants last week was actually fun. I figured once I was able to remove the old ones without undoing the button, it was time. I was glad to spend the money for a change!

 

[jtrain609]

I'm down 30 pounds since starting Weight Watchers Dec 1 and down almost 40 lbs since my last medical in May. The program works if you follow it and quite honestly I really don't feel like I'm on a diet. It's all about accountability, portion size, and sustainable lifestyle change. I really don't deprive myself of anything I like I just have to plan ahead to enjoy it. If you think Weight Watchers is merely a calorie counting program you really don't understand it. I enjoy the slower pace of weight loss via this method because I believe it will result in better long term habits and thus a higher chance of long term success.

I agree to an extent that exercise is important to weight management but it's still impossible to ignore the fact that you can lose weight by just dieting alone but very few can lose weight by exercise alone. Obviously combining diet and exercise is the best approach but if you are only going to do one or the other, pick diet as your focus. To me exercise is about overall health maintenance (including mental) and not weight loss. It certainly speeds up the process and makes it easier for me to take an evening off from dieting but it's not a singular path to weight loss. What you put in your body is the key.

I will never be a gym rat. I like elliptical work but don't really enjoy weight lifting. I loathe running outside but I enjoy long hikes and while it may not be incredibly masculine, I enjoy long walks. I find them therapeutic. In the end, I just try to do SOMETHING active everyday even if it's just a brisk hour long walk.

I will say, having to go out and buy new uniform pants last week was actually fun. I figured once I was able to remove the old ones without undoing the button, it was time. I was glad to spend the money for a change!

How has it been while you're on the road? The wife and I are doing WW with good results, but it's easy for me right now since I'm not at work. I don't know what I'm going to do when I go and have to spend 3 weeks in Houston for requal.