Chaps

I am 53 yrs of age, now weigh 14 stone, my waistline is 38" and I am only 5ft 9". I want to become slim again.

I have a rather good lifestyle in the sense that I do indulge in numerous lunchs and dinners because of business and social requirements. Also Mrs Mick is a very competent cook and generally we eat well.

Today for instance business lunch consisted of soup, steak and kidney pudding with a selection of veg, pineapple upside down sponge with custard. This was washed down with a bottle of red wine and a pot of tea.

Mrs Mick usually does a pasta dish on Wednesday evenings followed by cheese and biscuits. We will probably drink half a bottle of wine between us and then I will have a large glass of whiskey at about 9.00.

We eat out every Satuday and also some Sundays

This may sound indulgent but it is typical.

I do not take any exercise and as such my waistline is inching up.

What is the best way of slimming down, I can modify the lunches and dinners by eating more healthy etc, but am I better off going to a gym or buying a bicycle or what.

I need to lose a lot of weight, say two and a half stone, Mrs Mick who also eats a lot, is still relatively slim, needs only to loose 7 lbs.

We are soon embarking on a quick 7 day holiday in Rhodes and on my return want to start the fitness campaign.

Any advice would be most welcome on how to regain my figure.

Regards

Mick

you need to exercise more and eat less ... which basically means a change in lifestyle.

The only way to succeed is to choose a new lifestyle that you enjoy and can keep up.

There is no 'best' exercise. You need to find something that you're happy to do on a regular basis, and that you actually enjoy doing ... because, if you want to stay healthy, you'll have to keep it up for ever

Steve

Quote.... because, if you want to stay healthy, you'll have to keep it up for ever.


Thats asking a lot from a 53 year old.

Regards

Mick

Hi Mick,
any sport that appeals to you? I'd recommend jogging, cycling or swimming, but on a regular basis and only if it provides some pleasure! Personally I hate swimming and I enjoy jogging much less, hence I go cycling a lot. I try to combine several hobbies, this is why I go cycling in wine regions (next week-end in the M

...otherwise skip the sauces and the cakes, reduce sugar. Hope this helps a bit,
good luck,
Uwe

Go to Rhodes and drink 4 bottles of Ouzo per day. Come back and follow the Vuk diet [sick] for 2 weeks. Then eat nothing for a year whilst waiting for the flatulence to subside. You may then drink a very small malt at 9.00 every evening with a dash of spring water. You must do all this whilst running round in small circles. Do not sleep but spend all night doing sit-ups, unless you can pursuade Mrs Mick to do something else with you.

Good luck!

Alex

Eat fewer puddings.

When you're in Rhodes do some walking, sailing or swimming. Anything that is relatively gentle but constant exercise. Do it every day. Don't eat lunch or cooked breakfast.

When you come back you'll be healthier than when you left. Keep up the good work, buy new trousers.

Paul

I'd lend you mine, but I need it myself

Hi Mick,

things like excercises, jogging and running are dreadfully boring. However, you could try to drive a little less and walk a little more.

You know, you're still heading somewhere, that makes it a little less silly. People who jog have a problem. People who walk have a destination.

In the US I used to drive (natch) and it took only a couple of years and I was gaining weight.

Less cookies, cakes and cheese wouldn't hurt either, and also, I really think the two of you are way too stingy on the wine. What's wrong with you? Can't finish a bottle between the two of you?

BTW, you're so lucky to have a wife who can enjoy her food without any visible consequences. These none-eating women are so... unappetizing.

Herman

Mick

Don't worry about the food. Cut back a little but don't go overboard. You still want to enjoy life. Go for low fat, low sugar when you can but don't be a martyr. Cut down on the drink, two glasses rather than three or four nights rather than seven.

And then walk everywhere. Don't take the car, carry your shopping home in a rucksack, walk to & from the restaurant. Use public transport if you're out of town, you'll still need to walk. Use the stairs, not the lift. Just use your body. Don't worry about a fitness regime or the gym, that's for the super fit. You just want to remain active & happy. Walking & using your body physically will be enough.

Tom
Enjoying it all

Hi Mick

I was considerably younger than you are when I had a massive heart attack. I was one of the unfortunate ones in that in no way was it life style induced ie never smoked, not over weight, took plenty of exercise, ate healthily.

Even though nothing in my life style caused my heart attack I have subsequently focussed on every factor that could have a relevance in the future - including weight. This is not meant unkindly but, if I may say so, you do appear to be running the risk of heading for a problem with your health let alone your figure.

For starters I would suggest that you decide here and now to cut out all desserts - no exceptions allowed. It will be hard at first but eventually you will find that you don't really miss them. Certainly cut out cheese and biscuits - the same applies. That way you can enjoy your main course to the full and just go without the frills. Two to three glasses of red wine a day is good for you (I always drink this amount as it is good for the heart) more alcohol is definitely not. If you really want to bring your weight crashing down cutting out all alcohol for about six to eight weeks should have a dramatic effect and you can then go back to it at a more appropriate level.

As for exercise - forget the gym. It is mind blowingly boring. The only people who keep on going are those looking for company. I know it is often said but just normal walking for half an hour three times a week is all you probably need. Cycling is even more effective. My wife and I bought new bikes after my heart attack and it showed that cycling is vey good for the cardio vascular system. I can rarely get out of breath walking as I am very fit but cycling in a higher gear soon has that effect.

I have a wonderful life and an even more wonderful wife. Whenever I am tempted by desserts or cheeses I ask myself do I really want a portion of this or would I rather increase my chances of more of life and more time with my wife. It never fails to work. Similarly when I am reluctant to find the time for exercise I force myself to get my priorites right.

Having said all of the above I would just add that on high days and holidays I blow it all and have whatever I want as I feel I can justify it.

I am sure there are others on the Forum far better qualified to advise you but I hope my suggestions are some help.

But I would never try to kid you that it's easy.

Cheers
Max

Hi Mick

The best way of achieving long-term weight loss is a combination of diet and exercise, which normally involves a bit of a lifestyle change. As you've not taken any exercise for a while, perhaps a visit to the doctor might be in order before you start any exercise regime? As far as motivation is concerned, having a definite target always helps, either in terms of the amount of weight to be lost, distance to be run etc etc.

If you just want to lose weight there is only one sure fire solution - start exercising more and keep at it.

If you want to be 'healthy' then that's a whole different problem and will vary on which 'expert' you ask, wind direction, air temperature, alignment of the planets and so on.

quote:

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but don't go overboard

---

unless the Rhodes ferry starts to sink.

Alex

Max' advice about giving up desserts sounds good. A biologist friend of mine once told me that sugar is much, much worse than fat.

I've started running to keep fit, but it can be terribly boring, especially in the 15 minutes before you get into the right breathing rhythm (from then on you stop suffering and start thinking about other things).

However, if you get one of those stationary bikes you could have it in a room with a telly on and exercise while watching the news (or MTV?). Yuri "Spoonman" Geller writes emails while exercising in this manner.

In any case, you really need to be disciplined to get anywhere.

Thomas

Hi Mick

I'm pretty sure there must be some way to pay a dreadful oik to do all of this for you, giving you more time for further eating, drinking and 552 shopping...etc..

If anyone can find a way - you can. Please let me know if you do. I need very similar therapy soon.

Cheers
Jonathan

After the first 15 minutes I only continue for another 15. I'm 34, but apart from that it sounds as if we had a similar starting point. When I started running two years ago, all I could manage was a couple of minutes, but give it a try - you build up very quickly (and I hadn't done any sports in a decade!).

Thomas

I'm a big fan of skipping, although I've been off it for a few months and have become a fat(ish) bastard.

Better than jogging (stand up straight and it works your arms, shoudlers, stomach and legs) and you don't get rained on, can do it in front of the hifi, telly etc.

Don't overdo it to begin with, because that'll kill your enthusiasm pronto. Start off by doing a couple of minutes twice a day and work up from there. Fifty minutes every other day made me feel better a lot sooner than it made me look better though, and even at my peak I was only tidy, toned and firm. I liked that, but I don't think skipping will give you that stereotypical "closet homosexual" musclebag look.

Curiously, once fit I found myself getting very hot very easily and started just a T-shirt in cold weather.

To all those advising Mick to give up foods that he likes: have you considered the possible negative effects the stress of worrying about what you eat may have?

Max had it the best, but it comes down to more exercise and less food. Unfornately, alcohol is one of the worst candidates for weight gain.

I don't know how much spare time that you have for working out, but a walk every evening for about a mile or so won't necesarily cause great weight loss, but it does wonders for the heart and might just give you a bum that will catch (more of) Mrs. Parry's eye.

Food? I lost 40 lbs in less than half a year on the Atkins diet (ducking for the flames), but it doesn't work for everyone.

If you want to continue to drink, keep it to low sugar alcohol, such as whiskey or red wine. But I recommend finding a way to reduce your total intake by half.

Any decent procedure to lose weight and keep it off wil require a lifestyle change, particularly the amount of food and drink that you enjoy. But it's counterbalanced by the much healthier feeling that you will enjoy.

Congratulations to Mrs. Parry for keeping her youthful figure by the way.

Did you ever get the push bike that you ruminated about some months ago?

Cheers

Keith.

Quote

"Did you ever get the push bike that you ruminated about some months ago?"

No

Mick