Risks associated with obesity include:
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- diabetes
- heart disease
- stroke
- metabolic syndrome
- cancer
- sleep apnea
- osteoarthritis
- gallbladder disease
- fatty liver disease
- depression
- anxiety
There are risks when you are overweight, but here's what I can promise you. Living a healthy lifestyle is rewarding in ways that I can't even begin to describe.
I know what you think...
because so did I. Do you think that the road to change is just too difficult? You don't want to give up the things that you enjoy? Have you ever seen someone and thought, "I'll never let myself get like that"? Have you ever said, "That will never happen to me?" Are you saying that right now? Do you think it just doesn't matter because life just isn't that great anyway?
Even if you are not obese right now, if you aren't making fitness and healthy eating a part of your daily life then there is a good chance that you will end up exactly where I was, or worse. I have known people in their 30's have dropped dead from heart related issues. These people were not even as overweight as I was. I didn't even realize how my diet was effecting me. I assumed that the things I was feeling were a normal part of getting older. Being tired all day, not being able to sleep, aches and pains, breathing heavier, and high blood pressure were things that I just accepted. I was so wrong.
Who am I?
I'm not a doctor. I'm not a physical trainer. I'm not a dietician. I'm not even thin yet. I'm just a guy who had an experience that changed the way I think, eat, and live. I've been getting positive results consistently and believe with all of my heart that if I continue down my current path it will lead me to a life that I once thought was impossible for me.
I knew I was overweight, but the pain just wasn't great enough cause change. Being really fit seemed as possible as winning the lottery. I too saw people who were heavier than me and thought, "I'll never be like that guy." Knowing that my weight fluctuated, the day that I hit 300lbs I kept thinking that it would change. Well, it did. The next time I went to the scale I weight 314lbs. I began to picture myself not being able to get out of bed. I started to wonder what it would be like to not be able to fit through a door. Finally the pain of being overweight was strong enough to push me to take action.
Not long before this I watched a video on YouTube about a guy who was eating only raw fruits and vegetables for 20 days. What impressed me the most was that this guy (Shay Carl) had a very large following and since he made this commitment on camera and put it up on YouTube for the whole world to see, he had to follow through. If he didn't make it he would look like a jerk.
I'm excited about the possibilities and I want everyone to experience what I have. The reality is that I'm just like you but I changed my mind. Let me tell you how.
The 20 Day Challenge
In order to begin my weight loss journey, I had to take the first step. The truth is that at 314.4lbs I needed to lose about 100lbs. That's a task that seemed impossible. Punishing myself continuously with no end in sight was no motivation for me. What I needed was a short term plan; something I knew I could do. Twenty days of consuming nothing but raw fruits and vegetables and water seemed like something I could do. I mean, it's only twenty days. Here's how I lost 30lbs in 20 days.
Preparation
Starving myself was never part of the plan. Actually, it was quite the opposite. The first thing I did was get my hands on a juicer. Although I'd never used a juicer before it certainly provided a welcome diversion to what might have otherwise been long and wearisome.
On my first trip to the market I picked up any fruit or vegetable that I thought might be good raw. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, carrots, bananas, apples, strawberries, pineapples were some of the obvious items that I picked up right away. Then I read the labels of many dressings to find a natural, uncooked dressing for my salads.
What I Ate
I usually began each day with some fruit. Apples, oranges, bananas were usually on the menu and I loved that I didn't have to spend any time preparing my meal. Many people skip breakfast and some people think that if you are trying to lose weight that skipping a meal somehow helps. What really happens when you skip is you body naturally begins to store fat. Since you are really hungry at your next meal you end up giving your body more than it needs.
Lunch was usually my biggest meal. If my body needed any fat (like from avocados) I would try to eat those in the middle of the day. As I got farther into the diet, my salads were getting bigger and bigger. I found that I had the most success by eating more. Raw fruits and vegetables will clean your system out and give you energy so if you are skimping, you're cheating.
For dinner I would get out the juicer and make really big smoothies. Always trying new combinations of fruits and vegetables, my meals were never boring. Sometimes I would cut up some pineapple, strawberries, and bananas to make fruit salad. I can't stand nuts. They are normally part of the vegan diet but they weren't for me. Sunflower seeds and raisins would carry me between meals if I needed to snack.
Water has to be a large part of your 20 day challenge. As the fiber cleans your system out its important that you stay well hydrated. I not only used water to stay hydrated, I also used it to stay full. Each time I felt hungry I would fill my stomach with water and my cravings would pass. Also, because I stayed well hydrated, I never had the headaches that usually accompany such a diet.
Exercise
I'm not a trainer or an athlete so like with anything else, I listen and learn and use common sense. While changing the way I ate was an easy task, becoming an active person who exercised regularly is something I still struggle with. Everyone has to begin somewhere. For me, keeping the steps small not only made it easier for me to talk myself into following through, it also kept the body aches and energy at a level where repeating the action was something I could endure.
Earlier in the year I joined 24 Hour Fitness thinking that if I had a gym membership I might go and work out regularly. Like many people, I went a few times. Then for one excuse or another I traded work outs for something else. It seemed like after a few trips to the gym I would get sick. I guess it's possible that going to the gym exposed me to more germs. However, my lifestyle wasn't premium for fighting bacteria. After I got better I had to start the process all over again and each
time it was more difficult to commit to what I was doing. Each time it was easier to make excuses about how I was too busy to go.
Motivation for change is driven by the need to avoid pain. Ultimately, you have to associate more pain with the way things are than with the action that begins your transformation. Sustained effort is driven by the desire for pleasure. The bottom line is that if you don't like something, you won't go out of your way to have it. The pain of being fat became so strong that I finally got rid of all my excuses and took action. The pleasure from the results fueled my desire to continue.
I am on a continuous mission to find physical activities that I enjoy doing. I love to ride bicycles and decided to make that a part of my life again. I also love basketball and baseball. Of course with some things you have to rely on others to participate. So it's important to also have things that you can do by yourself. You can also spice up an activity that isn't your favorite by listening to your favorite music or watching your favorite TV show. There's nothing wrong with setting up a quicklist and getting your YouTube fix while doing some bicep curls. You have to make exercise something that you enjoy or you just won't return daily to meet your goals.
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