Stupid Healthy Living

[TCJohnson]

Man, I am frusterated.

For the past month, I have been trying to live healthy.

I am going to the gym at least 4 times a week, sometimes 5, for an hour, mostly doing the treatmill or stair climbers.

I eat hot cereal for breakfast but other than that I am avoiding carbs. Mostly I am eating salads with some chicken.

I have cut out all caffiene. I am taking medication for my bloodpressure that has a whole range of interesting side effects, like acne.

And what happens? Since I Have began this routine I have gained 6lbs and and my bloodpressure has gone up 10pts.

Argh. What's so great about living past 40 anyways?

[Grazzt]

I remember a study that showed that fat people (on average) lived only 4 years less than thin, healthy people.

Just ask yourself, is it really worth the four years?

[TCJohnson]

I have some weight related health issues that if they don't improve I probably will not make it past 50.

[Grazzt]

I have some weight related health issues that if they don't improve I probably will not make it past 50.

Ah, never mind then.

Are you sure you haven't gained the weight in muscle?

[Tor]

Is this diet recommended by your phyician/dietician, or is this something that you've come up with yourself?
One of the more enjoyable jobs I've held is working as a caregiver for the elderly, and I've seen some people cease eatting a certain way with no consultation from they doctors, and the detrimental effect that it had on them.

... and as a side-bar, if you did get this new diet from your doctor, you should contact him immediately, as the medication you're on may be having an adverse effect on you. Some blood pressure medications can actually have the reverse effect intended.

[TCJohnson]

The diet is mine. Seems reasonable.

As for the medication...the problem was my blood pressure was above stroke level. Began taking medication and it went down to where it was high but not as high as it was before but still high. Since starting to work out it is beginning to climb back up.

[snarkbunny]

The diet is mine. Seems reasonable.


So on the diet/exercise thing, one of the other important measures is inches. Are you losing inches on your body? Are you feeling more energetic? Are you sleeping well?

[Corrina]

TC, have you been keeping a calorie count, too?

Oatmeal, for instance, has a lot of calories. It's good for you, but it's not going to make you lose weight unless you start measuring dosages.

My advice would be to keep a food journal and look up the calories for whatever you eat and add them up for a few days in a row. Then go to a place like ediets and plug in your current weight and what you want to lose, and they'll come up with a daily calorie count that will help you achieve that in the time you want to achieve it.

Also, muscles do weigh more than fat. Are your clothes fitting a little better?

And, yeah, losing weight sucks. It's hard and frustrating and it's kind of a constant thing. I even have to count calories now that I'm maintaining.

[Rob H]

Use the resources over at -

http://www.calorieking.com/

When you join, you'll be asked to fill out a few details. It will tell you how many calories and how much exercise you'll need to achieve your goals.

Count your calories(with Calorieking, it's very easy) and keep up the cardio. The weight will come off eventually, just keep it up.

EDIT: It would seem that the US version of Calorieking isn't free. :( The Aussie site is, so if you like, join here (http://www.calorieking.com.au/) and use the US site to check your food calories(US and AU have a slight difference). If you don't want to pay for the online journal, I'd suggest writing one up yourself and using the online resources as a reference point.

[DarkOra]

I am going to the gym at least 4 times a week, sometimes 5, for an hour, mostly doing the treatmill or stair climbers.
Are you doing any strength training? Building the muscle (you don't have to bulk up... just need to strengthen the muscles) can actually do more for your metabolism and blood pressure than just cardio alone. And even when you start losing fat, you will probably see some weight gain at the beginning (as some people already mentioned... that's because muscle weighs more than fat does).

I eat hot cereal for breakfast but other than that I am avoiding carbs. Mostly I am eating salads with some chicken.
With the hot cereal, it doesn't really matter if you're avoiding carbs (just thought I'd mention it). The big thing to remember for lowering blood pressure is to eat foods with calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Calcium's easy to figure out. Avocados, apricots, figs, potatoes, tomatoes and bananas are good for potassium. For magnesium, make sure you get a good mix of broccoli, soy (soy milk's really good), spinach, peanuts, black beans, scallops, and the hot cereal you're already eating (as long as it's a good whole grain cereal).

Also remember, eating too little can cause problems with your body like slowing down your metabolism and trying to build up fat reserves whenever it gets an opportunity. It's hard to advise on this not knowing exactly what you're eating each day (or how much). If you can afford it, meet with a nutritionist to help develop a diet plan for your goals.

I have cut out all caffiene. I am taking medication for my bloodpressure that has a whole range of interesting side effects, like acne.
Oddly, the other contents in sodas are more of a culprit for high blood pressure than the caffeine. I usually get minimal caffeine through green and white tea (which provide some other health benefits). And make sure you get enough water... your body needs water to burn fat and absorb minerals.

Also, be sure to talk to your doctor about the side effects. They might be able to get you on another med with more "tolerable" side effects.

And what happens? Since I Have began this routine I have gained 6lbs and and my bloodpressure has gone up 10pts.
Don't give up. Keep going and give it some time. Make some corrections if you have to, but keep it up. Here are some other things to consider for blood pressure and keeping weight under control:

--Sleep. Not getting enough sleep or not getting enough good sleep can wreak havoc on your blood pressure and cause weight gain. I had sleep apnea for long time and my doctor was ready to put me on blood pressure medicine when I had a sleep study done. I got my sleep apnea treated (oddly, losing weight helps) and after a few months of good sleep, my blood pressure dropped dramatically, and I noticed I've been losing weight faster.

--Allergies. If you have allergies, some of the medicines to treat them can cause high blood pressure and (as I found out the hard way) can cause you to gain lots of weight. Mostly these side effects come from the steroid shots used to ease allergy symptoms (and decongestants can raise blood pressure).

--Food intolerances. If you have problems with foods, they can cause some bad reactions throughout your body. I found out earlier this year I have a gluten intolerance. Once I cut that out of my diet, my blood pressure dropped even more and started losing even more weight from my workouts.

For some additional tips, advice and motivation, check out the Get Fit Slowly (http://www.getfitslowly.com/) blog. Good luck with it all.

[cedardryad]

TC do you have Showtime? I recommend watching Penn and Teller's Bullshit! Honestly they basicakky mention how the BMI was done incorrectly and how there are cases when fat people are fitter than the skinnies. :D They showed it on the show, very eye opening. Also your body is probably trying to adjust to the new diet and there are some stresses there.

[Joshua Pantalleresco]

Man, I am frusterated.

For the past month, I have been trying to live healthy.

I am going to the gym at least 4 times a week, sometimes 5, for an hour, mostly doing the treatmill or stair climbers.

I eat hot cereal for breakfast but other than that I am avoiding carbs. Mostly I am eating salads with some chicken.

I have cut out all caffiene. I am taking medication for my bloodpressure that has a whole range of interesting side effects, like acne.

And what happens? Since I Have began this routine I have gained 6lbs and and my bloodpressure has gone up 10pts.

Argh. What's so great about living past 40 anyways?

B Complex, Selenium and digestive enzymes would go great and probably reduce the blood pressure all on its own. Best of all, no side effects.

JP

[Reverend Smooth]

Chromium picolinate helps me be less insulin-resistant, which in turn helps me lose weight (I also have gone completely no-carb), so I suggest trying at least one a day with a meal.

Don't eat just hot cereal in the morning. Eat protein with it or you are making your diet pointless by spiking your insulin that early with carbs-- in fact, I'd make your portion of cereal the smallest part of your breakfast.

Your exercise regimen may be increasing your muscle mass and spiking your blood pressure just because of the intense effort.

And yes, do count your calories. My caloric intake, for example, is actually best under 1500 and ideally under 1200-- not the 2000-2500 listed on food boxes.

I haven't done much exercise-- I did before I got hit with a bad bout of the flu, but that's knocked me down for the last four months. I've lost about 80 lbs since late last summer.

And you're only going to lose a couple pounds a month if you do everything right. If you're working out a LOT, you may not lose anything for the first few as you put on muscle.

It took you years to fuck up your body, a month won't cut it.

[the4thpip]

Stop the carb hatred. Just avoid white flour. Develop a taste for wholemeal pasta and brown rice (as sides, not main dishes!) It will fill you up quicker and is full of them b vitamins, too.

[Reverend Smooth]

*I* can't eat carbs. Three bites of whole-grain bread and my blood sugar hits 200, easy, and then I am hungry nonstop for weeks. My insulin rises and my immune system attacks my body worse. I literally start shaking and become freaked out if I can't eat carbohydrates after the first batch, and then things degenerate into diabetes within days. Ask Aro or L for the results, they've seen it and it's not pretty.

He might, but he should have protein with it. If he's been eating badly for a long time, he may have developed insulin resistance.

I'm telling him to eat his carbs as sides-- and small sides. The typical american diet is so lousy that folks' ability to process carbohydrates frequently gets overloaded-- and then the weight won't drop, they get diabetes, etc.

People get weird about the no or low-carb thing. I know it's not for everyone, but it's worked for me, it's worked for my GF (low-carb). Even changing roommate Aro's diet around (low-carb, not no) has got her much less sick.

[Cam63]

Man, I am frusterated.

For the past month, I have been trying to live healthy.

I am going to the gym at least 4 times a week, sometimes 5, for an hour, mostly doing the treatmill or stair climbers.

I eat hot cereal for breakfast but other than that I am avoiding carbs. Mostly I am eating salads with some chicken.

I have cut out all caffiene. I am taking medication for my bloodpressure that has a whole range of interesting side effects, like acne.

And what happens? Since I Have began this routine I have gained 6lbs and and my bloodpressure has gone up 10pts.

Argh. What's so great about living past 40 anyways?

Have a beer, mate.

[cactusmaac]

TC, limit your cardio to 30 minutes and do weights for the rest of your workout. I used to do what you did and my gym results were negligible.

[Cam63]

I've heard of gyms.

Is Olivia Newton John still being played to make them give up all hope ?

[TCJohnson]

Thanks for letting me rant and whine a bit. Was just so frusterated yesterday.

So on the diet/exercise thing, one of the other important measures is inches. Are you losing inches on your body?

Clothes don't feel any looser. :(

Oatmeal, for instance, has a lot of calories. It's good for you, but it's not going to make you lose weight unless you start measuring dosages

Well, it's 150 calories according to the package. This stuff to be specific: http://www.kashi.com/products/golean_hot_cereal_creamy_truly_vanilla (which you can see has a good chunk of protien too.)


Count your calories(with Calorieking, it's very easy) and keep up the cardio. Thanks for that! Going to start Monday. (Mondays are good days to start things like that.)


--Sleep. Not getting enough sleep or not getting enough good sleep can wreak havoc on your blood pressure and cause weight gain. I had sleep apnea for long time and my doctor was ready to put me on blood pressure medicine when I had a sleep study done. I got my sleep apnea treated (oddly, losing weight helps) and after a few months of good sleep, my blood pressure dropped dramatically, and I noticed I've been losing weight faster.

Ding ding ding! You know, it just occured to me that my blood pressure started creeping back up after my office moved and my morning commute went from 15 minutes to 45. There is also the problem that the only time I can really get to the gym is after work which is around 8. This means 10 o'clock is rolling around and I still awake, which means I am getting to sleep a bit later. Didn't make the connection to just now.

It took you years to fuck up your body, a month won't cut it.

Oh yeah, I know. Just frusterated that seems to be getting worse. :(

Have a beer, mate.

No! Bad Cam! Bad!

ANyways, thanks for the support all. :)

[Cam63]

You'd make a bad Australian.

[Solaris]

Muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you're both dieting and exercising, it's common to stay at the same weight for a while, or even gain a few pounds initially. Thing is, the muscle is better for you than the fat.

Also... are you drinking enough water? It's important to flush out the toxins released from your burned fat, and also getting enough at regular intervals lets your body know you aren't dehydrating, so it stores less water.

[Cam63]

*Lights cigar and ponders*

[heystacy]

TC, what is this "healthy" you speak of? :confused:

[Cam63]

Careful... It comes with a poodle dog thingy.

[heystacy]

Sounds worth avoiding. :)

[Cam63]

I'll have another beer while I think about it.

[heystacy]

I want some sweet tea.

Sorry TC. I know you can't have sugar. :o

[Liberty Belle Fan]

TC do you have Showtime? I recommend watching Penn and Teller's Bullshit! Honestly they basicakky mention how the BMI was done incorrectly and how there are cases when fat people are fitter than the skinnies. :D They showed it on the show, very eye opening. Also your body is probably trying to adjust to the new diet and there are some stresses there.

Do you know what episode this was?

[Grazzt]

Do you know what episode this was?

Quick search of Wikipedia shows that there were two episodes based around fat people. Episode 1-11 was entitled "Eat This!", and 5-01 was "Obesity". You can read episode descriptions for yourself. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Penn_%26_Teller:_Bullshit%21_episodes)

I remember them pointing out that Brad Pitt and Richard Gere were overweight by BMI.

Edit: Oops, I meant Brad Pitt and Russel Crowe. My bad.

[Reverend Smooth]

I want some sweet tea.

Sorry TC. I know you can't have sugar. :oStevia might be a good substitute. :3 NOW brand has very little aftertaste, and one version has chromium.

I have to agree about water, and toxins. I've had a few times when I dropped several pounds all at once, and then got extremely sick.

I do agree about rest mentioned earlier, too. Sleeping seems to reset the clock on inflammation, at least in my experience.

<333

If you have oatmeal, have an egg or two, or some cheese, with it. It should help fight hunger and keep your insulin levels balanced. If you're working out as well, mind your appetite and blood sugar-- keep something around if you start feeling oogly.

[cedardryad]

Stick with the sugar. Our bodies digest real sugar faster and better than sigar substitutes.

[snarkbunny]

Stevia might be a good substitute. :3 NOW brand has very little aftertaste, and one version has chromium.


Stick with the sugar. Our bodies digest real sugar faster and better than sigar substitutes.

As you can see, TC, there is no magic bullet here. As far as I can tell, everyone's body reacts slightly differently, and you are going to have to experiment to find out which diet works best with your body to lose weight.

If you are trying to find a way to jumpstart the weight loss, may I suggest the way that works for me? I find that exercising when I first get up does make a difference both helps me lose weight and keep it off. Even 10 minutes is enough to make a difference. Check out The Hacker's Diet (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html) for one version of a short exercise program or just boogie to some music for 10 minutes.



Also... are you drinking enough water? It's important to flush out the toxins released from your burned fat, and also getting enough at regular intervals lets your body know you aren't dehydrating, so it stores less water.

Oh yes, lots and lots of water.

Sleep too.

Good luck, TC. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

[Tyr]

I remember a study that showed that fat people (on average) lived only 4 years less than thin, healthy people.

Just ask yourself, is it really worth the four years?

Well as Dennis Leary might say, "that’s four years I don't want", that said I do need to lose some weight, cause if anything else its cheaper to be thin then it is to be fat. I just wish Mother Nature would stop intruding on my favorite exercise activity, but its winter so what I’m a gonna do? :(

[Reverend Smooth]

Stick with the sugar. Our bodies digest real sugar faster and better than sigar substitutes.
Stevia's not artificial sweetener. I can't do the fake stuff at all.

[singoalla]

People have all kinds of tips for being healthier. But any real instructor I've asked says there are two secrets to losing weight, and staying at a low weight: Diet, and exercise.

Eat less than 2000 calories a day, and work out 6 days a week, with one days rest. Don't do the same exercise every day, or your body will get "bored". Mix it up, have fun. Swim, walk, run, lift weights. If you do the same thing every day your body will get used to it and stop being challenged and the results will be less. BUT! If you have a high BP you should not push yourself too hard, or things could go very, very bad.

As far as what you should eat, anything pretty much goes once you're exercising enough. Your diet is individual. Everyone's body is different and you'll kind of have to try your way around. The majority of people have more success with varied diet than one specific diet (eat everything rather than stick to the atkins, GI, or low-carbs whatever)

Anyways. Keep at it and good luck :)

[singoalla]

Stevia's not artificial sweetener. I can't do the fake stuff at all.

Sweeteners give me terrible acne, gas and stomach cramps. In fact, most soft drinks and candies do. Then I found out most of them are like plastics and went "oh, so that's why my body feels all clogged up everywhere".

But once a month I enjoy a proper coke, get an extreme sugar rush and feel sick for a few hours after, and remind myself why I don't drink the crap anymore :D

[Reverend Smooth]

Yeah, some artificial ones metabolise to formaldehyde compounds, etc. (Aspartame = instant allergic reaction for me.) Sucralose has a molecule swapped out with chlorine. (Made me sick, sick, sick.)

Stevia doesn't have an effect on me, except to increase my appetite just enough for me to choke down actual food.