It is motzai shabbos, July 23rd, 2011, and I am taking something on that I could use some support on.
Last year, I went to the doctor and he told me that I was months away from a heart attack. I wasn't significantly overweight -- at the time I was 245 lbs and being a tall 6'4" with broad shoulders, my weight was bad, even "obese" according to the BMI chart, but I wasn't walking around with a gut. As a result, he told me that my good cholesterol was low and that I needed to start taking Niacin pills to hold me over while I change my lifestyle.
With the permission of my wife, I used our income tax return money to purchase a Vitamix 5200 Juicer, and an EasyGreen sprout grower. I also bought a step counter and committed to walking 10,000 steps each day. I did this religiously for a while, but I never reached 10,000. I also grew sprouts regularly for a while and juiced them with vegetables, but as the document review project that I was on ended and I started studying for the NY bar exam, so did my exercise and my diet.
Since then I've kept it up only intermittantly, juicing maybe once every other week, growing sprouts, etc. but the exercise dropped off a cliff and never returned. Similarly, the step counter ran out of batteries, and I got tired of seeing that I only walked 4,000 steps that day which was embarassing, especially since my wife hit 10,000 on her step counter just running around with her smaller steps doing regular chores. Then she got pregnant, and I quit the whole health thing.
However, now it's almost two years later, and I am just as fat, unhealthy, and I've been getting sick a lot, especially since I have been working the law firm each day without leaving the home. It seems as if every other week, I come down with the flu or some cold which knocks me off my feet. Theraflu has become my tea of choice these past few months. In short, I'm getting tired of being sick and tired.
So my wife started exercising, and I've been listening to old audios of Tony Robbins (Living Health) that I have in my audio archives. I've also been re-reading the books I have on the shelf regarding the importance of staying hydrated, keeping your body alkaline, etc. I'm also watching streaming health videos on Netflix (at this moment, "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" which I am finding humorous since I relate to the character so much) which is a stark improvement from the Prison Break series or Battlestar Galactica which took up many months of my evening viewing in the past year.
So here's my plan, and this time I hope to stick to it. I will resume juicing and eating greens so that every day I have healthy liquid vegetables to drink. I will resume drinking at least three liters of filtered water each day. I will go to the gym at least twice each week. I will also get my sleeping habits in order so that I can wake up early and immediately start on this regimen -- this is my commitment. Hopefully being away in the morning will also lead me into the halls of the Empire Shteibel, my shul. In the past, this has been sufficient to get my health back on track. I cannot and will not commit more than this because this seems to be an overwhelming lifestyle change. I will not give up food, snacks, junk food, coffee, soda, or other vices, at least not yet. I am adding the good before I start subtracting the bad. Step by step is the way I will go.
3 comments:
I am going through the same thing. The key for me has been discovering the books of Tim Ferriss. Check out my blog at www.livinga4hourlife.com.
- Mordechai
Good for you. May I suggest that you do make a couple more changes...not too hard but they will make a difference...stop eating junk food and consider a delicious fruit a treat. I am a teacher at a Jewish school and i\I am amazed at all the junk that is considered normal for the Jewish community. Be an example for your children. Stop with the soda... AND, twice a week to the gym will not cut it. WALK daily for 40 minutes. Do it for you. Use that time to thank the Almighty for all the gifts you have been given. Consider it time of prayer.
Zoe, I agree with the above comments in regards to the soda/junk food. You'll save money on purchasing these unhealthy items as well as save money on medical bills for you and your family in the future. I personally love coffee and wouldn't give that up, but start with eliminating the junk food and soda and then incorporate 5-10 min of pushups, situps, jumping jacks or walking for 20 min a day to start with. Eventually you want to increase your cardio to 40-50 min a day for 4-5 x a week. You don't need fancy videos, food supplements or diet regiments to lead a healthy life just the motivation to keep moving. If you don't want to do it for yourself, then do it for your family. Hell...join the army and go to afghanistan if you really want to lose weight! ;-)
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