What have you done for your health lately?

I've given up sweets and it's a miracle, since every tooth in my head is a sweet tooth.  I've dropped 7 lbs. since the first of May.  I'd like to lose about 28 more by the end of the year.  But I've found that giving up sweets makes it sooooo much easier to eat right.  I was in a bakery last weekend and all the lovely cakes looked pretty, but not delicious.  I can't believe it's me typing that!

Sugar has the same addictive power as cocaine and keeps you hooked and craving food all day long, not just sweets, but any food.  I think that's due to the peaks and valleys your blood sugar levels experience from that "s***....tuff."  lol.  It's something the food manufacturers don't want you to know.  But it really works.  It's easier to cut portions too if you're not feeling the false "hunger" that sugar causes you to feel. 

Most of us in this forum are, well, older than Chris and Sarah, lol!  We're at the lose our use it stage of life folks.  Maybe we can all share a few (easy?) tips about what we've done to help with the maintenance of the old bods, not just weight managment, but health in general - exercises, nutritional supplements, healthy recipes, etc.

Here's to your health!

Good for you Ruth! It's not an easy thing to do!!

I joined a gym, became a vegetarian and cut back on sugar...as much as possible!! Oh and stopped using plastics as much or anything chemically based. Going as green as possible!

After watching my mom suffer so much and die pretty horribly, I vowed to take much better care of myself. 

I doubled up on the medication Ruth! Lol

But the truth is we should all be looking for a healthier way of living, well most of us maybe?

Nice to hear from you ladies, take care.

I'm eating peanut M&M's as I type this.

I got my blood work results yesterday, and my cholesterol is a whopping 270. I was on Statins last year, which got it under control, but also caused terribly muscle pains, so I went off it, and it went right back up.

I have to change my eating habits for sure.

I actually eat very healthy food, it's just that my portions are too large. I cook everything from scratch, I use as much organic as I can (or can't) afford, I just need to learn to eat less.

I also walk three miles every day, at least five days a week, and go to Cruves three times a week, so I think I'm on the right track with exercise.

I will definitely give your ideas on sugar serious thought, Ruth. It sounds like good wisdom.   

This is a great idea for a thread.

Oh, and congratulations on the weight you have lost. I'll try and match that in June, and report here.  

Thank you Sue. But I don't really feel much like I have been inspiring. I certainly did not move more from choice! lol But it has been a nice reward in the process. And it is inspiring me to keep it up. 

Ruth is right, sugar is such an addiction especially for me. I wish I could get to where she is now where it looks pretty but not appetizing! I was there once before in my life and had so much energy at 140 lbs. 

Sue, I think you are an inspiration with all the walking you do and Curves to top it off. If you lived nearby I would join you on both occasions! It would be fun to have someone to walk and exercise with.

Ruth, you are doing fantastic! Remember the slower you lose it the less likely you are to put it back on. The max is 2 lbs. per week. Keep up the good work.

Hugs for both of you!!  

Thanks Sue and Cathy.  When you think the time is right, try to give up sweets.  You'll be amazed at how much different you feel.  Now when I get hungry, it's just a pang in the stomach, not that jittery, "I need food now, anything goes" feeling.  Mind you, I've not given up all sweets completely.  I still put honey in my coffee or on my oatmeal, I'll have a treat of one of those 40 calorie ice pops after dinner, but the amazing thing is I don't think about or crave or miss candy, pastries, cake, pie, cookies, chocolate, etc.  Everyone who I know who's gone off sweets told me, once you get over them (and this takes a week or two), you won't miss them.  My answer to that was always, "yeah, right."  But it's absolutely true.  If you do it long enough, sweets no longer are irresistible, and it will be OK to have the occasional piece of birthday cake, or Thanksgiving pie and not be overwhelmed by it.

I truly believe that the excess sugar in our diets (and its in EVERYTHING) is the single most factor poisoning our health and contributing to the obesity problem and all its associated health issues.

And you're absolutely right, Cathy, about not going crazy trying to lose too much too fast.  I wanted to lose 35, so I set a goal for 20 in the first three months, then 15 more by the end of the year.  I know weight comes off easy at first if you put your mind to it, but then your body says, "I like it here."  lol

Sue, congratulations on the exercise routines.  I'm not that much of a trouper yet.  But I am having Denzil take me on longer walks.  :-)

Would that be brandy, Ron?  Brandy is medicine, you know.  :-)