Getting really healthy, quickly

Getting really healthy, quickly

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Discussion

rovermorris999

5,195 posts

188 months

Friday 19th December 2014
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Stevanos said:
Also, should I pay attention to any of this talk about "Super foods". Is there things that I can eat that will have a good boost?
No, it's bks. Plenty of good sleep, varied diet, reasonable amount of exercise, no excesses of anything and don't worry about it. That's it.

Stevanos

Original Poster:

700 posts

136 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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Some really great advice everyone, I'm looking forward to taking this on. I have quite a strong will, so I am just on the hunt for effective methods.


davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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Cut the alcohol completely. I was only a moderate drinker, and cutting alcohol was worth a stone in 12 months with absolutely no other changes.

Mobile Chicane

20,735 posts

211 months

Saturday 20th December 2014
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Stevanos said:
R8VXF said:
Why cut out the dairy?
I get eczema and I don't think it helps.
Shea butter is brilliant for eczema. OH suffers quite badly from this on his face in winter. Since I started greasing him up with shea butter every night there has been a dramatic improvement, to the extent that he only needs to use steroid cream twice a week rather than splat himself with it daily.

CrouchingWayne

682 posts

175 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Eat balanced meals - BBC good food website has loads of free recipes and lists all the calories/macros.

Set up a MyFitnessPal account and track food.

Find something you enjoy exercise wise - walking in your case? I enjoy weightlifting so look forward to it. It then drives me to eat better to improve.

jonah35

3,940 posts

156 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Water.

Multi vitamin.

Art0ir

9,401 posts

169 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Cut out all sugar.
Drink only water.
Try to reduce carbs and avoid starchy foods.
Eat lots of fresh veg, legumes and nuts and a moderate amount of fruit.
Keep protein intake high.
Avoid all processed foods.
Lift heavy things.
Go for a 30 minute walk in the morning before work and another in the evening.

crossy67

1,570 posts

178 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I lost 3 stone in about 6 months by changing my diet. No processed foods and absolutely no wheat. Turns out I am wheat intolerant and the only way of ensuring you don't eat any at all is to prepare all your food your self. I was and am again on Lansoprasole, if I ate even the tiniest amount of wheat without taking the morning tablet I'd be feeling sick for days after. I'm back on wheat again now because in France it's almost impossible to avoid unless you want to go shopping every other day (30 minute drive to shops).

Regarding the eczema, where do you get it? Are you sure it is that and not an allergy to a chemical? I am really sensitive to washing powder, soap and shampoo perfumes. We have to use Surecare and the blandest scentless soaps, if I use a shampoo with scent in I come out in rashes. These were diagnosed as eczema.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Cutting out the crap and doing more exercise are the obvious ones.

My tips:
-as well as yoga, try various related things if you don't enjoy yoga as you probably need some kind of stress management solution: tai chi, Buddhist meditation (mindfulness), pilates, even Body Balance
-drink more water or "herbal" teas eg green tea, peppermint
-I wouldn't cut out the coffee/caffeine completely as you may end up with massive headaches - instead, taper off the caffeine eg half the number of cups you drink over several weeks to months
-introduce exercise. If you just go batst crazy with Body Pump, spinning, HIIT and weight lifting, you'll probably injure yourself, knacker yourself beyond motivation or get bored. Try a new sport you've always fancied. Tennis? Kung fu? Fencing? 5k runs?
-go to bed early. Leave your phone downstairs so you're not tempted to check it at 4am. And to avoid the 4am piss break, don't drink 2-3 hours before. Leave a cup of water by your bed in case you wake up feeling thirsty. When I have to get up at 6.30-7am, I make sure I'm in bed by 11.30pm.

crossy67

1,570 posts

178 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I don't tend to sleep well unless I drink a pint of water just before I go to bed. Okay, I wake for a wee but go straight back to sleep as soon as I'm in bed.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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crossy67 said:
I don't tend to sleep well unless I drink a pint of water just before I go to bed. Okay, I wake for a wee but go straight back to sleep as soon as I'm in bed.
Lucky. If I wake up at 5am with a 7am wake-up, chances are I will feel st all day.

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I've done this over the last two years, and I'll be a partial echo. In order,

No alcohol.
No sugar.
No wheat.

You would be amazed how much weight you can lose simply by stopping all alcohol and doing nothing else different for three months. Push it further with no sugar, fruit juices, colas, etc. Finally, get off the animal feed. This does take a bit of effort, as wheat is cheaper than dirt so it is stuffed into everything as a filler, but prepare your own food from raw ingredients and even more flab just falls off you. Sub 15% body fat quite easily.

I refuse to give up my morning coffees, but none in the afternoon. Sleep is important, but there are limits. biggrin

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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redcard

He said healthy not lose weight. If you want to lose weight, ignore my previous post. wink

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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Apologies, I re-edited that until it looked more one-dimensional than I intended.

The end result of those three changes over two years is that I am down several stone of Fosters fat, have a clearer complexion, and blackheads I thought would outlast me are closing up. I sleep well, and wake up easily at 6am feeling great.

I would spare you the two years experimentation, and recommend you just go for all three from the off. thumbup

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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I hope we're all seeing the pattern here; it's very simple and those of us who've been successful are saying the same thing.
Quit junk food (including starchy carbohydrates) & alcohol.
Increase real food, preferably prepared from scratch; high quality meat, fish and dairy; fresh vegetables and fruit.
Reduce or limit caffeine based drinks.
Exercise and rest well.

There are no magic bullets, all supplements, including vitamins and oil caps are a wonder of 'science' and marketing - we need nothing more than a healthful, balanced diet, exercise, rest and sunshine. Good friends and family helps too. smile

Nothing new, pretty much everyone knows it - they just choose not to do it.

BTW, there's a lot of guff about drinking more water - just drink when you're thirsty - no need for any more. Drinking x litres a day is stuff and nonsense.

crossy67

1,570 posts

178 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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LordGrover said:
BTW, there's a lot of guff about drinking more water - just drink when you're thirsty - no need for any more. Drinking x litres a day is stuff and nonsense.

I'd really disagree with that one. I have to force my self to drink water, I just don't feel thirsty and can go days with just a cup of tea for breakfast. It causes me lots of problems with head aches and really bad sleep. The rest is gospel wink.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 21st December 2014
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LordGrover said:
BTW, there's a lot of guff about drinking more water - just drink when you're thirsty
Chances are he needs to drink more water anyway as he's probably dehydrated like you if you only drink when you're thirsty.

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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That's exactly the kind of rubbish I'm taking about. Based on absolutely nothing diagnosed as dehydrated. Jeez, expected better from you, hoofy.

ETA. Sorry Hoofy, I wasn't awake and shouldn't have been so terse.

Still think my point stands - there is no evidence that I or the chap above are dehydrated - that's a medical term. To say 'probably' is just ridiculous, but we see it said everywhere these days. It's rubbish.


Edited by LordGrover on Monday 22 December 08:47

grumbledoak

31,499 posts

232 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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I do believe that an Olympic level athlete can be off their peak by just one glass of water. That could cost them a medal. But the waddling majority are a little bit further from their genetic potential than that. The would do better to simply drink when they feel thirsty. And lay off the biscuits.

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
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As said already, no quick fixes

Diets don't work, you need to choose a lifestyle not a diet

Whatever pathway you go down, make sure you can still be doing it in a year+ time, changes take ages to pay off

I would choose an exercise/sport you enjoy, cut the crap out of your diet, drink lots of water and minimal booze : Job Jobbed!