Patience! (and being healthy)

[easyguy]

In today's society, it is natural to always want things immediately. You want to download a song as fast as possible, get somewhere quickly, juggle a million different tasks. And if you're a student, like myself, there comes the task of doing well in school and getting things done.

 

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires patience. It is a long-term commitment. And healthy doesn't just mean eating the right foods, or exercising on a regular basis, but also being mentally healthy. The brain cells in our body die out over time, though the rate at which you lose them slows down if you give them a work out so to speak. Reading, writing, etc.

 

But it is the eating healthy and losing weight part that really requires you to have patience with yourself. The key is to not cut out everything, but to balance what you eat, and to watch how much of it you eat. I was once on the strict Atkins diet for a 2 month span, then slid into a balanced diet. If you cut out fats, carbs, and/or proteins, you are depriving yourself of the essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly. It wasn't until very recently that I started eating vegetables either in raw, individual form, or through salad on a regular basis. When you eat healthier, you feel better after you have eaten it.

 

It is more of a gradual shift in habit than a dramatic change in the foods that you always eat. For example, if you go to a restaurant once a week and order a hamburger and fries, instead of just getting the hamburger and fries, order a salad on the side. It is not the entre, so if you don't like the salad, then you don't have the guilt of not eating your main meal.

 

A few years ago when I was a young teen, I used to weigh about 240 pounds. My mom's side of the family has always had problems with weight, going back to my great grandfather who died of heart disease. But just because genetics says one thing, doesn't mean you can't control it. It is just more difficult. Through ups and downs, I have dropped my weight down to the 180-190 lb range. I have never felt happier in my entire life, and I do not plan on ever being severely obese again. That is because over time I have adapted myself to different eating habits. What I eat now is the polar opposite of what I used to eat years ago. They say that what your parents eat in your household greatly influence what you eat. That is very true, especially when you are young.

 

If you want to lose weight and be a healthier person, YOU have to take control of things. Sometimes you will not like the change at first, that is why it is more of a gradual shift rather than a dramatic change. It is like an alcoholic cutting cold turkey. Of course it's going to be mentally distressing! That is why it is sometimes better to just consume less and less over time until you find yourself not drinking anymore. The same applies to foods. For the first time in a long time, I actually ate a bowl full of vegetables today. That would have been unrealistic years ago. But because my eating habits have changed over time, it wasn't such an out of the ordinary meal.

 

Just thought I'd offer some advice to those out there who are struggling to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle. I know the feeling, because I have certainly gone through it myself.

[JynX]

Well said

[robowarrior]

I love to eat a bag of chips when reading these kinds of threads. Im surprised that atkinson diet worked for you.And your right patience is a virtue. Being skinny also isn't a garentee that your in a good 'condition'. Do you also use Pump it Up Or DDR? That stuff works hella good for me.