Exercise and eating right

[scaeagles]

Doctors say exercise and eat right. That's just not going to happen for me anytime soon.

I exercise, not because I like to so much, but because I like junk food. Not fast food really, but give me a good pizza over a salad any day. Not big on my veggies, but I take vitamins. Except for a faulty esophogus, I'm incredibly healthy, and in decent shape. This seems to work for me, and with my esophagus, eating greasy food is a hell of a lot easier than eating stuff that's good for me.

What do you do? Do you eat right and exercise? If so, I bow to you. Do you do neither? Do you care?

[Ghoulish Delight]

I phase in and out of it. I never completely give up greasy junk food, but when I'm feeling motivated, I decrease my intake. Actually, for me it's more about portions. Whether it's "good for me" food or not, I tend to simply eat too much. If I spend a couple weeks simply consciously reducing portions, I pretty quickly loose 5-10 pounds with little effort. Add exercise to that, and it's more like 10-15 pounds.

Oh yeah, exercise. In general, I get into a good rhythm of regularly exercising...for about a month. Then, invariably, something gets me off schedule for a couple days in a row, and couch momentum takes hold for a couple months.

CP and I had just dusted off the bikes and were starting to get back to regular rides when I hurt my back. Hopefully now that I'm feeling better, we can get motivated to continue that, but the condo hunt may intervene.

[CoasterMatt]

I walk like crazy - thanks to the pedometer contest at work, I now know that I walk an average of just under 5 miles a day (at work). Outside of work, I walk even more. I eat pretty badly, and my medication to prevent seizures has "weight gain" as one of it's main side effects. Oh well, I'm gonna enjoy the time I've got.

[innerSpaceman]

I'm trying so hard to stick with it for more than 6 months. For years upon years now, it's been 3 months on, 2 months off, 5 months on, 3 months off.

There's no way on earth that the period between mid-June to mid-July is going to see me exercising. Same with the horrible stretch from mid-October to mid-January. Too busy with too much fun. Add in times when I'm obsessed with personal creative projects, and I feel doomed to the treadmill of 3 months on, same off. Blah.

I'm trying to get more of a loving habit developed. Exercise is easier for me than eating right. I try not to eat too poorly, but I certainly don't eat uber healthy. Fortunately, large portions are not consumed by the likes of little me, and sweets have never had a hold on my edible desires.

Moderation is key for me with food, but if I need to shed a few pounds ... I simply shy away from fat foods and hit the exercise a little more firmly.

Of course, I always lean too heavily on the vanity stuff like weight lifting, and am embarrassingly shy of aerobic exercise in my life. I've started to swim a lot more just recently, so we'll see how that works out. After 3 seaons off the wheels, I think my rollerblading days may be behind me.

Too bad, that was fun. And if my aerobics ain't fun, I ain't doin' it. No stationary bike or such for me. Uh-uh, can't, won't.

[wendybeth]

I'm worn out just reading this thread- does that answer your question?


Actually, since I quit smoking I'm weighing about 15 lbs more than normally, and am trying to eat better and excercise more to get rid of that. It kind of sucks because I felt better before I quit, but I know that in the long run this is going to be better for me healthwise.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I'm trying to get more of a loving habit developed.

This is the key right here. If you can't live with a choice you make, you are doomed to fail. It has to work with you, and you have to enjoy it.

I suggest making small, but noticeable changes. Like Chocolate? Trade in the Snickers for a low calorie treat like a low fat chocolate pudding or the non fat chocolate cookies. I use low or non fat cheese where I can (in burritos). I watch my portions and resist seconds. But remember, non fat cookies still have calories (lots of sugar) so you still can't eat the entire box! When having snacks you like/crave- devide the box/bag into single servings when you open the bag (so you don't eat half the bag of chips and go "oops!". Have no more than one a day. Have another low cal snack handy if the "2nds" temptation gets the best of you.

And choose an easy to do excersize. If it's hard for you to make it to the jym, then do something at home. Is the equipment too expensive? Find cheeper alternates. Jog on the beach, use stairs in your home, curl a 2 ltr bottle, ect.

[Stan4dSteph]

I'm doing Weight Watchers, which has caused me to be more aware of what I eat on a daily basis.

I love to play soccer. If time and my knees would permit me, I'd play it all the time. Right now, it's two times a week. The other days I try to do pilates or go for a walk. I'm most likely going to start training for the WDW half marathon soon as weel.

[scaeagles]

Sports are so much more fun than hopping on exercise equipment, but not nearly as convenient.

Basketball season adds to my exercise even more. Nothing like running around with 16 year olds for 90 minutes.

[Gemini Cricket]

I walk a great deal. I estimated that I walk about 3 miles a day. I also do it in a quick pace.

I do not eat fast food but I do eat my fare share of pizza which is not the greatest for you. We do cook at home a lot and try to avoid a lot of red meat. We even do vegetarian nights where we eat a lot of beans, soy for our protein kick. We try and have a salad with lunch and dinner and we eat a lot of fruit. We've curbed our eating out in order to save money. But I do treat myself to lunch and usually eat chicken burritos or grilled chicken and broccoli from a Chinese Restaurant near me (no MSG, not overly salty).

For the last couple of years, I have been drinking sencha green tea every day. One or two cups. Hot or cold. I enjoy it. It's supposed to be good for you.

I also do not use salt. Anything I cook does not have salt in it. (That way people can add salt to it if they like.) I worry that Ralphie and I eat too much of it. You only need a little each day.

I also make it a point to drink lots of water. It does mean a lot of trips to the loo, but oh well. I think that people don't drink enough of it and they get dehydrated and don't even know it. This leads to getting sicker more often. My theory is that people do too much soda and Starbucks and don't realize that all that caffeine is dehydrating them. Water is good stuff. We have a great filter at work and we buy bottled water at home...

[€uroMeinke]

After commutting for almost a year, I find myself about 10 pounds heavier despite the increased walking I've been doing. I guess I have to lay the blame on Union Bagel (my sometime breakfest stop) and Cowboy Burger, the unfortunatly only food place within walking distance from my new office, so I must find a way to easily avoid those venues - or at least reduce the visits.

My other option is to go to Paris, I seem to loose about 5 pounds a week when I'm there without denting myself anything.