Getting Real

I had lunch today with a friend who lost 35-40 some pounds in the past several months.  I believe that's in addition to about 30ish pounds he'd lost a couple years ago.  We talked about what keeps him 'on track' and motivated.  He says he reminds himself that he didn't get extremely overweight really fast, so he's not going to lose it really fast.  He also keeps track of his calories and exercise everyday with an app on his phone (MyFitness Pal).  He actually told me about that app a couple of years ago and I use it, too, when I get off-track.

My friend is in his 40s, doesn't really like to exercise outdoors, so he gets his time in on the treadmill at home in the basement, where he watches the shows he loves.  He can ONLY watch while he's on the treadmill -- extra motivation!  That's the deal he made with himself.  He also allows himself to have his two PopTarts every night, because he LOVES his PopTarts.  And Sundays, he eats whatever he wants, but still keeps track of what he's consuming.  Studies have consistently shown that not making it feel like you're 'on a diet' makes a huge difference in the success of a lifestyle change for the better.  They've also found that having a partner on the endeavor to living better is more likely to bring the results you want and my friend's wife is on that same path with him, too.

I asked him what got him started on the path of taking better care of himself in the first place and he said it was the day he bent over to tie his shoes and he was out of breath.  He decided he didn't want that to be the reality for the rest of his life.

He's no longer pre-diabetic and feels a lot better than he used to feel.

I also recall my friend telling me that when his dad was diagnosed with diabetes and started taking the meds a few years ago, his dad said, "I never realized how bad I felt until I started feeling better."

Over the weekend, I again had the pleasure to announce the winners of the Hawk Island Triathlon in South Lansing.  People come from at least a dozen states and Canada to compete in this event and it's SO inspiring.  There are people of all ages and fitness levels competing.  There was a 72 year old man there again this year who finished with a better time than many of the racers younger than him.  We are never too old to start feeling better.

Here's another motivating story about a 91 year old woman who just finished a marathon this past weekend -- awesome!