I talked to my doc last week. Cholesterol is good (I’m on a statin so it’s working), BP is good (lisinopril, so that’s working), but my A1c is an RCH from diabetes. I’ve been a fat fûck for the last decade (gained 30 in the last 3 years) and the bill is due.
Tired of being tired. I can still hunt but it takes a lot more out of me. Sat down with wifey. Made the commitment to eat better and move more. Sure, I’ve made the promise before, but the specter of a physical breakdown seemed much more remote. Now I have a piece of paper that says “You’re killing yourself, dumbass.”
We’re gonna pay off the house next week. Financially set in IRA/401K, both of us. Great jobs, both of us. Great marriage. Now I just need to learn how to put the fork down.
Kinda looking forward to see if I can do it. I know what the consequences are if I don’t.
P
Good for you for facing that reality. I’m a young guy and never have been heavy, but I’ve seen a lot of people lose weight. From an outsider looking in, it seemed like to lose the weight, you’re going to have to be hungry, a lot. Still eat good, healthy meals, but less quantity. Of course you’ll need to increase your activity level too. Getting started will be the hardest part, but once you get on track and start to see results it will get better. Good luck on your mission! You can do it!
Stroke when I sixty from not listening. You know invincible. Damn near lost it all. Lost money and retirement. I was lucky. It took 2.5 years to learn how to use the right side of my body. I can walk now. Right hand hasn't recovered yet. So listen to your doc. Lose the weight and anything else you can.
I also lost 30 pounds in 3 months a few years ago. I put on 5 but lost it a couple times. So still at my target weight. I kinda went back to my original diet, but I eat less and limit carbs. I still have beers on Friday supper with pizza or some other horror, but just 2 slices and 2 beers. I do think I feel better. I was going to take off another 10 this fall if my total knee replacement heals up.
faced similar situation in my early 60's, my weight had ballooned to 311# and it was hard to kep my a1c below 7. My doctor arranged a visit with a dietician, best 60 minutes I've spent in recent memory. I learned the role of controlling carbs in weight loss, once put into practice I lost the first 10# rather quickly. After approximately 18 months watching my carbs I had lost 60#, my weight plateaued a few times sometimes for almost a year. I didn't let that discourage me, I kept eating properly and walking a mile every day working in a 2-3 mile walk a couple times a week. I have managed to keep the weight off and have been working out at the gym 3x/wk. to maintain muscle mass and tone. For me following this plan easily produced the results I was seeking and by sticking to it have maintained them.
I had the same scare when I last went to the doctor back in Jan. I am 63. Resting pulse was over 100. Sugar 118. Blood pressure was in the 145/90 range. Cholesterol 180 doctor and my weight was 212 with a height of 5’-10”.
After quitting my habit on sugar, exercising and eating healthy As of this morning my pulse is down to 58. Sugar is 84. Blood pressure is in the 80s. Blood pressure is 96/60 Cholesterol 135 and weight is now 165.
I started trying to eat healthy when Pharmseller started this thread. I've only lost 12lbs but I'm not going hungry and still eat to much. I just quit eating ice cream, candy, desserts, potatoes, pasta and breads. Always been really healthy, just played and worked to hard for my body to hold up.
Weight is down 42 lbs. BP is 122/77. Fasting glucose is normal. HbA1c is normal. Didn’t do lipids but will in three months.
Feeling better, sleeping better, eating better. Regular exercise is a challenge but I’m improving.
P
Congrats! I'm in the same boat. I'm about 3 weeks into no carbs, no sweets and other dietary changes. I've only lost about 7 lbs but feel remarkably better already.
Weight is down 42 lbs. BP is 122/77. Fasting glucose is normal. HbA1c is normal. Didn’t do lipids but will in three months.
Feeling better, sleeping better, eating better. Regular exercise is a challenge but I’m improving.
P
NICE job! Doing what you have done, losing the weight and eating right, is not an easy lifestyle change for most people but it’s of tremendous benefit to you. You should be very proud of yourself for sticking to it. 👍
I don’t have any health issues and my weight is exactly where I want it to be but my “problem” was chewing tobacco. I chewed for decades but finally decided that if I wanted to take full advantage of my good health I would need to quit chewing. My wife and I just celebrated our 24th anniversary and I want at least 36 more anniversaries with my girl so I knew I needed to quit. A few months back I finished my last can and haven’t bought another one since. I don’t have the benefit of tangible improvements in my health like you have by losing so much weight. Instead I just have the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve gotten that monkey off my back and I have improved my chances of NOT getting cancer which is all the incentive I need to continue to not chew. I should however buy stock in Wrigleys gum, specifically Big Red and Juicy Fruit since I’m chewing gum like a kid that robbed the candy store. 😁
Keep up the good work and enjoy the “new you”!
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
Faced the same situation becoming a Type II diabetic at age 59. The doctor made an appointment for me with a dietician. Best 1.5 hours I've ever spent, learned a simple way to control carbs which is the key to weight loss. Since that time I have been able to lose 60# and keep it off. My a1c is always below 7 and several times as low as 6.0, cholesterol, B/P and other measurements always within doctor's expectation. I walk 1 mile every day and the gym 3 days a week. Look and feel great at age 72, it takes a lifestyle change and a commitment to that change. Along the way my weight has plateaued, sometimes for as long as a year. Can't let that interfere with your resolve, I only get on the scale every 90 days at my doctor visits avoiding weighing more frequently than that.
6'2" 220 pounds 65 years old. Had knee problem start about 10 years ago.... then fell and broke a vertebra (I was to vain to use a cane when I should have been doing so). I swam 3 to 4 days a week.
I started using an Apple watch to track my progress. I pushed to hard and the injection I'd gotten for the knee stopped working. Went back for another shot. It didn't help. Thought I was looking at knee replacement. Ortho doc did an MRI and said it really didn't look that bad. Tried a different kind of injection that required a series of 3 injections....
New meds seemed to be helping but then the pool closed down due to Covid. My over all pain increase to the point I was not sleeping much. I read about older folks using Nortic walking. Bought some fancy carbon fiber poles and gave it a try. I live in the NC Mountains where everything is challenging terrain for mobility impaired folks. I set my Apple watch for outdoor walk and started in again.... I was making great progress until I pushed to hard again and my knee started yelling at me. My wife is threating to take my watch away from me when I leave the house now...
It's been a few weeks of rest now and I'm slowly starting with the trekking poles again. I probably need to get the knee injected again I'm giving it a week of slowly trying to work up distance again.
When done properly (and in moderation) it's nearly a good as swimming was for me. It keeps my back straight over uneven ground and takes weight off joints.
Here are a few You Tube clips. The first one is by an 80 year old MD who sounds like an old Jewish doctor from central casting... you can skip ahead to the research results got following people with pain issues if you like. He makes the point that Western medicine sucks at suggesting adaptive exercise
Short version of how to do it
Congratulations to the OP. Getting older while still staying healthy and fit enough to enjoy the "golden years" takes some real determination.
