At the beginning of 2007, after spending a relaxing summer holiday on the beautiful New South Wales beaches, I should have felt terrific. Instead I was disgusted as I viewed the photo snaps of myself. Gut hanging over my board shorts, T-shirt bulging past my feet as I looked down.
Time to diet, exercise and discipline my body back to health.
Ten years earlier I had lost weight on the Atkins diet, but that weight returned quite rapidly and I wasn't comfortable with all the bacon and eggs.
I also recognised the value of exercise as I had had some success in the past with swimming laps, but found the results rather patchy.
I was willing to work out but needed it to be convenient and relatively cheap. I purchased some second-hand gym equipment, set up the machines in my garage, and invited my family and a close friend with similar goals to work out if they felt the need. It is terrific to have another person to help you become committed to routine.
Getting started
I chose the CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet because it seemed like a more sensible use of a broader range of food groups than the Atkins diet, and had the backing of a very reputable organisation.
I started to exercise about three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes a time, but soon found I could extend my routine and enjoyed working out five days a week for around 40 minutes.
I appreciated the relaxed feeling after exercise and preferred not to miss out. It really helps to have an exercise partner to keep you on task.
The weight loss was slow at first and I preferred to weigh myself in the morning after sleep. Originally I hadn't considered what sort of weight reduction I could achieve and my primary focus was to reduce the waistline.
I purchased a set of electronic scales that calculated BMI, or Body Mass Index. It showed that an ideal weight for my height would be around 80 kilograms. That would put my BMI at around 25 which is on the upper limit of a healthy range.
With fluctuations I lost 15 kilograms in six months. My weight plunged from an obese and disabling 97 kilograms to a more reasonable and comfortable 82 kilograms. I felt fantastic but I found additional benefits.
No more medication
Prior to this time I was on 'permanent' blood pressure, gastric reflux and cholesterol medication. Upon losing the weight, I discontinued the blood pressure medication (on doctor's advice) because I was feeling very dizzy. Blood pressure without medication is now well inside normal limits.
A relaxed and calmer man would arrive home from work, without feeling the need for a stress-relieving red wine. In fact, alcohol was easy to cut down on as my health improved.
No need for the gastric reflux meds anymore. The CSIRO diet does not include many carbohydrates after the midday meal. I found this was easier on my digestive system. No longer did I have the uncomfortable feeling of gastric juices fighting with my evening meal. No more waking with a very uncomfortable burning in my throat, and no need for the expensive medication.
No cholesterol medication because I was no longer at risk. My reduced weight, sensible diet and regular exercise has put me into a very normal category. Not superman, just normal.
The new me
My message is simple. Don't allow pills to let you follow an unhealthy lifestyle. I made a decision to improve my health by losing weight and I now save over $90 a month on medication and I feel much better. My stamina and concentration has improved and my general demeanour is far more positive and less aggressive (lower blood pressure makes you far less volatile).
My family prefers the new me and I get the bonus of people telling me how much better I look. All my family members benefit from better food and they have an exercise partner to help them reach their own goals. I look forward to my exercise and I enjoy my meals a lot more than the junk food and snacks that I rubbished on before.
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1 comment:
That's fantastic that you lost all that weight. You look so much better now!!! Really good! :)
I'm on the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle program from weight lifter Tom Venuto. It's not a fad diet or anything. I learned so much from it.
I just started my weight loss journey Jan 1, 2008 and I"m a part of an online support community for fat people. :) That helps. I weight about 273 now so I have a long way to go.
Come visit me some time:
http://thequeensizecommentary.blogspot.com/
Blessings,
Carol
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