The past six months or so, I’ve shared weight loss ideas and my journey over the past ten years. I started out with 3-hour workouts about ten years ago, with my ‘Simple Healthy Fresh’ Cookbook and Lifestyle. It was that exercise program that almost destroyed my health, leaving me with significant health issues, from plantar fasciitis to heart issues to chronic fatigue syndrome. I lost weight everywhere but my waist. I had stick arms and legs, shallow chest and butt. The exercise was temporarily boosting my endorphins but over time, I was wearing my body out. I paid over the next four years until I had to see a podiatrist and cardiologist to help put my body back together. That took another two to three years.
I’m older now, almost 50 (next March) and cannot do three hour workouts anymore. I’m also allergic to more foods now than I was at 40, leaving a shorter list of what I can have (explained and explored on a few older posts). My exercise routine is far shorter than three hours, using my exercise pedals 30 minutes a day, sometimes yoga for 20 minutes and 30 minutes light weight lifting. Next year, i’ll buy the ‘Gold’s Gym Mini Stepper’ to add to my cardio routine, when finances ease up. Also, I’ll add some 10 pound Neoprene Bone Dumbbells to my 2- and 3- pound dumbbells (after another abdominal hernia surgery I need-my third).
Onto what I eat. I’ve discovered that I’m allergic to any type of grain and rice. I’ve tried oatmeal for breakfast (steel cut has such a terrible texture, that I eat rolled) but that leaves bloating and painful intestines in its wake. Much like all breads, pastas and grain-based foods. I tried skipping breakfast but that leads to overeating at lunch and dinner.
The only meal plan that actually helps me lose weight is the aforementioned Veggie and Fruit Breakfast Shakes I’ve blogged about previously. On that meal plan, a shake for breakfast, small lunch, snack and dinner, I lost 21 or so pounds in a three week period. I stopped and went back on my regular healthy eating and ballooned back up 10 pounds. Since I’m older now, my goals must change. I need more low-carb, low-starch healthy vegetables and fruits. An easy way to get those is in my breakfast shakes.
I use all natural vegetables like broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, kale, romaine and fruits like dried blueberries and figs, fresh like apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, keeping in mind vegetables and fruits that won’t trigger the rosacea or be harmful for the diabetes or kidney transplant. I’ve posted allowed foods on a previous post. This increases my vitamins and minerals, as well as my fiber count per day. This will have to be a permanent lifestyle change and can be committed to, by changing the foods I put in each morning’s shake.
Through trial and error, we all most discover what works for us in keeping healthy, a healthy weight, healthy fat percentage and healthy body statistic.
