The totally off-topic thread

[medhead]

Timely notice at work - Today is world health day, apparently. We get a small morning tea.

I did weight watchers years ago and lost 25kg without much effort. These days though counting points no longer works for me.... 5:2 is the first thing thats made a decent dent in years.

Yes, I shouldn't have been so blanket in my statement. The concept of points seems really easy when starting out, but of course everyone changes over time

Ditto, lost around 20kg when I stopped the Coke, made lunch a fruit salad (instead of sandwiches) and walked each day.
Attempting to do it again now 15 years later.

The problem I have is living out of a hotel, sandwiches are the go to combination of low cost and convenience with minimal facilities. I try to get a heap of fruit to have for breakfast, morning and afternoon tea - avoiding biscuits. If I feel like going to the drink machine at work, I get a cup of water.
But the coffee shop is hard to avoid. And I love beer.

 

[RAM]

My step count per day isn't too far from yours, but my core issue is diet as to why I don't lose weight.

Spot on!

Think of the analogy with a car. You can get it tuned up weekly, have the tyres pumped up to the ideal pressure etc. But if you don't fuel it correctly it will not perform to its potential.

A program that has IMHO harmed Australia's health is "Biggest Loser".

Sure exercise is a necessary part of maintaining health - but it is only a small component relative to your food intake and composition.

In the first season or two - that point was emphasised but then coincidentally as the sponsors of the program became sports stores or food chains or fitness groups - the focus on intake changed and the bulk of the program became how long they were training (or not).

Currently training for the Ironman Triathlon once again. Used to be super fit, compete in 12-15 triathlons and do over 1,000 hours training a year. Then made a mistake and mucked up a race and went to under 100 hours training a year (mainly panic training leading into the last 10-15 weeks before the Australian Ironman).
Did my weight soar when I cut exercise (serious exercise) by 90% - virtually went 9 months starting the day after the fateful race without ANY exercise?
No.
Why?
I cut back what I was eating. Breakfast went from 5 weetbix, two pieces of toast & topping to 2 weetbix. Snacks went from banana + apple + mandarins to banana or apple or mandarin. Weight fluctuated over the last 20 years from 80 to 84kgs. At absolute fittest was 78kg. Admittedly ratio of fat to muscle is somewhat different...

If you reduce even by 1 biscuit per day (with morning tea/coffee) and last a year of having cut 1 biscuit then you will drop weight (range from around 1 kg to 2kgs depending on how good/evil the biscuit is).

Exercise is good - restraint is better!

A small win is still a win - like saving money, you start with small amounts and get better at it.

 

[blackcat20]

Timely notice at work - Today is world health day, apparently. We get a small morning tea.

Yes, I shouldn't have been so blanket in my statement. The concept of points seems really easy when starting out, but of course everyone changes over time

It's a lot easier to lose weight when you're 18....

Ironically we have having massive burgers for lunch today, outside in the sunshine. Gym session planned for after work.

 

[bismarck]

As they say, you can't out-run a bad diet.

The scale of the numbers make it clear. Look at the number of hours exercise required to burn off 1 beer or tim tam or big mac.

I'm a big believer in 80:20 as a principle, and it's clear that most of the result are achieved on the intake (eating) not the output (exercise).

Eat less move more is a good principle....but the former is probably more important than the latter in achieving wait loss.

 

[JohnK]

I'm a big believer in 80:20 as a principle, and it's clear that most of the result are achieved on the intake (eating) not the output (exercise).

Eat less move more is a good principle....but the former is probably more important than the latter in achieving wait loss.

Eating less is fantastic advice. Exercising would be possible if the are no other health issues.

Struggle to play golf with bad left hip and knee and both ankles. And that's not including disc degenerations (5-6 discs) and sciatica caused by severe inflamation.

Very difficult to run without pain and I wouldn't put myself through that. I see people with huge hips/thighs running but gets them nowhere. They still have their 2-3 designer coffees a day and then add a cake /sweet or 2. Give up the designer coffee and go back to instant coffee would be much easier?

And then factor in the effect of certain medications on the metabolism.

Eating less would be the easiest to do for now.

 

[RooFlyer]

All this talk about dieting and food is making me hungry.

The traditional method - is still the best!

<snipped graphic re step counter>

Ha! Reminded me of an experience recently. We were driving over quite rough roads in a 4WD, and a guy with a step-counter watch reported at the end of the trip that he was very pleased with himself. His watch reported that he had done something like 5,000 steps while just sitting there. Now that's my type of exercise counter

 

[blackcat20]

All this talk about dieting and food is making me hungry.



Ha! Reminded me of an experience recently. We were driving over quite rough roads in a 4WD, and a guy with a step-counter watch reported at the end of the trip that he was very pleased with himself. His watch reported that he had done something like 5,000 steps while just sitting there. Now that's my type of exercise counter

Unfortunately the step counter built into the iPhone is not fooled by escalators, so refuses to add it to my step/stair count.

 

[Pushka]

This weight thing. A few weeks ago I was put on Xarelto which is a medication to prevent clots forming. At the same time I decided I would see if I really needed hypertension medication as my BP was really low, too low, while in Hospital and I am a lot fitter than when I was first put on it many years ago.

I purchased a quality BP measuring system. The GP was ok with all this as long as I kept in touch with him.

Within 3 weeks I have gained 3 kilos yet I was eating less, what the heck is this about?

Initially I blamed the Xarelto but I had to keep taking it. Then I realised I 'felt' heavier. Checked BP - very normal. But I went back onto the BP medication which also has a diuretic. Within the week of resuming I had lost those kilos.

So I am gaining fluid when not on diuretics; kidneys are perfectly OK (I have had multiple tests in the last 7 weeks! ). Weight gain is more than being about food intake. But these days I wonder if anyone is actually 'Healthy'.

For what it is worth this fluid thing is another indicator of lupus. I have most of the symptoms and waiting on blood tests which take a while.

Blackcat, I have long wanted a tattoo like your avatar - still do in fact. Next weird thing, the butterfly is the symbol for Lupus. It is the shape of the 'blush' colouration or even outright rash that people with lupus get on their face. From time to time, that is what I have. It pressed the button on my GP last week to get tests done asap. Sigh. I thought 2016 was the start of a better year. Heck, I am starting to sound like JohnK!

 

[blackcat20]

Blackcat, I have long wanted a tattoo like your avatar - still do in fact. Next weird thing, the butterfly is the symbol for Lupus. It is the shape of the 'blush' colouration or even outright rash that people with lupus get on their face. From time to time, that is what I have. It pressed the button on my GP last week to get tests done asap. Sigh. I thought 2016 was the start of a better year. Heck, I am starting to sound like JohnK!

My avatar is my tattoo

 

[whatmeworry]

All this talk of dieting reminds me of my prowess as a dieter.

I am so good at dieting, I once undertook a 60-day diet. I was so good at it that I finished all the food in just 30 days!

I have learned that the best way to diet is to go on two diets at once ... there is never enough food in just one diet!

I am on a diet too, the seefood diet. I see food and eat it.

 

[whatmeworry]

For you it might be?

Play golf 2 days a week and walk enough the other days. Walking does nothing for me.

How about incorporating some light weights or resistance exercise to build up some muscle mass?

 

[JohnK]

I thought 2016 was the start of a better year. Heck, I am starting to sound like JohnK!

What do you mean starting? :mrgreen:

I have been waiting for a better year since I was born. This could be the year.

P.S. not sure blood pressure is related to your weight. My blood pressure is usually 110/65. Any higher and I start to worry.

 

[Pushka]

What do you mean starting? :mrgreen:

I have been waiting for a better year since I was born. This could be the year.

P.S. not sure blood pressure is related to your weight. My blood pressure is usually 110/65. Any higher and I start to worry.

Yikes. Thats really good!

 

[whatmeworry]

Just saw this on Reddit. Apparently in Mulgrave on police rd opposite Wellington secondary college, the price of fuel at this WW is 83.9c.

 

[JohnK]

How about incorporating some light weights or resistance exercise to build up some muscle mass?

Exercise is difficult. Painful and long lasting.

Can't exercise in morning as that would tire me and couldn't function at work. Can't exercise at night as I am too tired from work.

And to be honest with you I have this suspicion that the more you exercise the more you need to burn. That's not what I want. I want to eat less. It should be possible. I have done it before. I can do it again.

 

[blackcat20]

Just saw this on Reddit. Apparently in Mulgrave on police rd opposite Wellington secondary college, the price of fuel at this WW is 83.9c.

Bugger! Need petrol today but dont have enough left to make it there... the one near work is 119c.

 

[feezable]

Ditto, lost around 20kg when I stopped the Coke, made lunch a fruit salad (instead of sandwiches) and walked each day.
Attempting to do it again now 15 years later.

It's nice to see so many of us sharing the same mindset/goals. I reduced my carb intake dramatically in February, no bread, pasta, sugar and have now lost 7-8kg. I plan on continuing with this diet method because my body is feeling and functioning much better. My goal is 20kg, it is difficult and slow, but incremental results are better than none. I think different diet methods work for different people. I found that carb reduction works for me about 12 years ago, but for others it is 5:2, whatever works go with it

 

[anat0l]

Bugger! Need petrol today but dont have enough left to make it there... the one near work is 119c.

Yeah well, where's a crystal ball when you need one?

Bought some GBP on behalf of Mum yesterday.

Now the AUD has gone up. With Qantas Cash having a special rate sale, even the Qantas Cash rate is better than what I bought it yesterday (and rather good for Qantas Cash, only 3.2% margin against the midmarket).

 

[blackcat20]

Yeah well, where's a crystal ball when you need one?

Bought some GBP on behalf of Mum yesterday.

Now the AUD has gone up. With Qantas Cash having a special rate sale, even the Qantas Cash rate is better than what I bought it yesterday (and rather good for Qantas Cash, only 3.2% margin against the midmarket).

Cheap petrol is in the opposite direction to work so wouldnt have helped much. Woudlve been perfect before I changed jobs.

Eyeing off the QF special rate, its not bad for locking it in.

 

[penegal]

Went to a "diversity" event for a large Telco last night, and then onto dinner with the New Zealand manager of one of the companies which share our building. Great night.

But way too much grape juice. Definitely getting "too old" for all this partying now.