What Does The Futre Hold (long, sorry)...

[uTranceMe]

Hi everyone, Ive never posted here so go easy...

I'd just like some opinions on my lifestyle in general. I'm 35 and have avoided healthy living like the plague. Some background. When I was younger I was relatively healthy. I played sport (athletics, basketball, aussie rules football) from a young age until I was around 15. I quit all sport, had teenage issues etc. I took up smoking cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol.

These habits, as well as a poor diet stayed with me throughout my twenties. I havent eaten a proper breakfast for many years. My diet for most of my adult life has been junkfood for breakfast (bacon, egg, cheese sandwhich) and lunch (whatever take away place was convenient to where I was working)then a reasonably healthy dinner (3 veg and a main i.e steak, chicken, pork)

When I was younger I had a thin yet muscular build. In my teens I was 6foot (183cm) and between 65 - 70 kg's. I always had a fast metabolism and have worked in physical jobs most of my life so my weight never really fluctuated.

Since I've turned 30, got married and become a dad I've gone up to around 83 - 85 kgs. My metabolism has slowed a little, Ive gained weight mostly around the stomach region, I suppose instead of looking thin as I always saw myself I know look average.

I quit smoking weed around 5 years ago but since then my cigarette intake has skyrocketed to around 30+ a day. I drink most nights, usually only 3 or 4 beers on a quiet night but still occasionally binge drink upward of 12 beers a night when out with my mates, maybe once a fortnight.

I have kind of had this peter pan attitude towards my health and my habits in that I've always thought of myself as still young enough to turn things around if and when the need arises. Bullshitting myself, I suppose.

I'm not an idiot but I'm no rhodes scholar either. I do realise that my lifestyle is not the greatest but I have no idea where to start. Giving away the smokes would be the first thing I'd like to do. It's weird when even my 3 year old daughter can tell it's a bad habit.

I'd like to hear peoples stories. Have you always lead a healthy life ? Do you go through periods where you fall off the wagon so to speak. This is BL so I'm even more intrigued by people who can balance their life..

Thanks to anyone who's taken the time to read, sorry it's so long and self indulgent lol.;

 

[uTranceMe]

Today's routine (typical)....

5.30am : wake up , go outside for a smoke.

5.40am : turn on t.v to get the weather, make a coffee with 3 sugars. Go outside for another smoke with coffee.

7.15am - Breakfast at McDonalds - Bacon and egg McValue meal, another coffee with 4 sugars. Probably had 5 or 6 smokes by this stage.

7.30 - 12.00 - work, do a lot of walking in and out of peoples yards, carrying tools etc, excavate around power poles using shovel and 12kg crow bar. Get a fairly good appetite going. Smoked around 10 - 15 smokes since waking up.

Lunch - Kebab and can of coke.

12.30pm - 3.30 - same work. smoked around 20 - 25 smokes.

3.45pm - 4.30pm 2 or 3 beers (schooners or midnecks)

4.30pm - spend time with family, colouring in with daughter. Had one beer at home, couple more smokes.

6.00pm - Dinner tonight my wife cooked spicy chicken singapore noodles. She had boiled rice with vegetables because she wanted something healthier. She s thai and cooks a lot rice/noodles etc and wants to lose some weight.

7.00pm till sleep - watch t.v, computer, more smokes and 3 more beers.

sleep

repeat.

 

[Amebix]

Your future looks like it holds an early death and never seeing your daughter get married or have kids. Time to get it together, quit those smokes, cut down on the beer and start exercising. You dont have to run if you dont want to, look into tabata cycling or crossfit style metcons for more time effecient and just as, if not more, effective exercise.

 

[TakeItAll]

Well even though there is a general vibe of doom and gloom in your post I think you've turned the corner by admitting you have to take action.

Now you just have to decide what action you want to take.

As I think you may already know the biggest bang for your buck will come from quitting smoking. There are several ways you can go about this. I would suggest visiting a doctor to get help quitting as the statistics say this will improve your odds.

The second biggest bang for your buck is reducing the amount of fat you have around your mid-section. The key here is obviously the combination of a healthier diet and some exercise. Amebix mentioned tabata interval training or high intensity interval training (hiit). This definately works so give it a try and see if you like it.

The problem with these changes are that there is no quick fix. It's like saving money. You've just got to keep at it and eventually it all adds up.

 

[Perpetual Indulgence]

It has been 4 years since I overhauled my life. I did it in steps.

First I quit smoking.
6 months later I joined a gym with my husband. Working out with someone made it easier for me not to feel intimidated.
Joining a gym made it easier to change our eating habits and I learned to cook.
After 6 months of eating better and consistent exercise I saw results and I kept going.
These changes no longer felt like work but a part of who I wanted to be.
Lifestyle change is key.

 

[uTranceMe]

Thanks for the posts. I'd been up drinking when I made the post, and when I get in those moods I tend to start worrying a bit. I'm booked in to see my doctor on Monday. I'm going to ask for a prescription for Champix http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varenicline

I've been thinking about gym. I've joined in the past with focus on lifting weights and ve only lasted around 3 months at a time. This time I'd like to join and focus on the cardio workouts and see where it goes from there.

Thanks again.

 

[Mehm]

You are eating way to much fat, meat and salt. Basing much of your diet on raw foods would go a very long way towards better health imo.

Also, yoga is amazing for everything.

good luck dude!

 

[Amebix]

^I find your antiquated biases disturbing. Salt, maybe in moderation, but meat and fat? Our paleolithic ancestors subsisted on mainly that for countless generations and it did them just fine.

If your interested in hearing a case about the health benefits of meat and high fat diets, check out "The Vegetarian Myth" on google books, the nutritional vegetarian chapter.

I would add though, that factory farmed meat is the equivalant of junk food, in my mind at least. The chemicals and omega ratios are bunk. Few things are healthier then grass fed meat from animals who have led good healthy lives.

 

[doesntmatter]

Cigarettes, fast food and alcohol. The last two had a hold on me something fierce.

I went through a period that started at the end of high school where I wanted to try all types of drugs. I got my hands on most. Stuck with weed the longest, but I had my share of opiates, benzos, a few psychedelic experiences, a few rolls, about 6 months of light to moderate coke use, tiny bit of misc. pharms... basically nothing crazy, nothing I'd ever say I was addicted to except when it came to alcohol.

Short version of the story... a certain drug ---*cough*weed--- landed me in a situation where the panic attacks I was having high, slipped into my sober life and they stayed. I self medicated with something I found to end the anxiety, which was alcohol. I spent about 2 years getting drunk every night. In the third year I was staying fairly strongly buzzed throughout the waking day. I ate pretty much nothing but fast food. I got no exercise and still smoked weed in much smaller amounts. Its a funny thing what you're mind does when you try to shut it down. That was me from introducing myself to drugs at 17 until about 23. At the end I was a mess, but I didn't really see it. I mean I knew, and my friends knew. I cringe to think of the times I drove. I thank God I didn't hurt of kill somebody. I was certainly going downhill both mentally and physically.

I made the decision to quit drinking and loaded up on what I'd need to do it. I didn't know exactly how far into it I was, so I tapered off by slowly pushing the time back to start drinking. No drinks before 5, then 6...etc When it came time to flat out quit, I had my benzo's ready and actually got through it very easily after the horror stories I've read. I woke up and had to take a shot at one point, but honestly the benzo's I had chosen were longer lasting and really took most of the edge off. I did tend to rely on benzo's much more than ever before, but I was ok with that. I wasn't abusing them.

Today I have no desire at all to drink. I have had a few nights out with friends where I've over done it , the last of which left me with a wicked hangover which pretty much sealed the deal. I've been completely sober for maybe 6 months, but quit drinking about 2 years ago (25 now).

In those two years I joined a gym and slowly started getting my eating habits in order. It flat out takes time. You don't sound to obsessed over looking like a magazine cover, but more so concerned about your general health. Cigarettes are going to be the hardest thing for you to tackle I'd imagine. I think you should take all the help you can get.

DO NOT EAT FAST FOOD! I can't stress that enough. Honestly, there should be laws requiring a statement to be posted on the doors of most fast food restaurants indicating the health effects their food has on its customers. It is addicting, but if you abstain from eating it long enough and then let yourself have a big meal from one of these places you'll notice the way your body reacts. I'm serious, you can feel it...its gross. I won't go into what you should be eating, because there's just too much variety and opinion regarding that whole topic. You can do the research and decide for yourself.

Drinking in moderation (1 glass of wine) is fine. I think there are even studies suggesting there are benefits to it. 3-5 drinks a night doesn't lead to a happy liver. Getting tanked just compounds upon it. Our livers and body systems in general work hard. Our environments, even down to our drinking water, are somewhat "toxic". Cut back slowly, and don't let a slip discourage you. You are human. What you did yesterday is done, you have today to continue forward.

All of this takes time and effort. It seems you have the will. You certainly have the inspiration. Your body is a beautiful design. Its desire to heal itself is astounding. If you fuel it with the nutrients it needs to rebuild it will begin doing so. While you're at the doctor get your blood work done. Find out where you stand. Make the necessary dietary and physical adjustments. Don't let the results scare you, you're living with them anyways.

I can honestly say that if you talk to anybody who's gone from living an unhealthy lifestyle to living as healthy both spiritually and physically as they can, you'll hear them say that the difference is something you notice in retrospect, but its like night and day.

Good luck and God bless : )

 

[uTranceMe]

^^ Thanks for the feedback. I should have changed the title of the thread. I just wanted to state my situation and hear from people that have been in a similar situation and get some ideas on how to snap out of this apathy.

 

[Mehm]

^I find your antiquated biases disturbing. Salt, maybe in moderation, but meat and fat? Our paleolithic ancestors subsisted on mainly that for countless generations and it did them just fine.

If your interested in hearing a case about the health benefits of meat and high fat diets, check out "The Vegetarian Myth" on google books, the nutritional vegetarian chapter.

I would add though, that factory farmed meat is the equivalant of junk food, in my mind at least. The chemicals and omega ratios are bunk. Few things are healthier then grass fed meat from animals who have led good healthy lives.

The majority of our evidence form the paleolithic period is that people tended to die in their 30s. I don't see how this proves or disproves any point on the merit of eating meat besides the fact that it is possible to live on it.

I will definitely check out "The Vegetarian Myth". I you are interested, I'm not a vegetarian however.

I agree that factory farmed meat (you should add in dairy and eggs while your at it) is crap. It is first of all terrible for the tortured animals it is inflicted on. It ruins ecosystems. And it poisons the people that it eventually "feeds". Grass fed meat from healthy animals on the other hand is indeed very sustainable and quite healthy, agreed.

Here are some thoughts on the benefits of eating raw food that you might entertain.

-Sensitive vitamins, enzymes, and pro-biotics remain live and well in the food.
-These foods are high in fiber. Not only does this aid digestion, fiber is digested into a type of acid (can't remember what type of the top of my head) that is one of the most potent anti-oxidants know.
-If you are worried about protein, it can easily be obtained from beans and rice/wheat. I've been drinking a juiced kale that is very high in both synthesized protein and available nitrogen.

My point to the OP is that his diet right now almost solely consists of factory farmed bread paste, nasty meat, saturated fats, and salt. Eating more raw food will certainly help his overall health. Do you disagree with this?