3 years away and all new Seannannigans are coming.
Look at this guy. He survived a pandemic, a kidney stone (I’d take lockdown over a stone ANY DAY), 2 strongman competitions, and way too much time not focusing on his physical and mental health. As I write this, I need to make changes, and fast. I need to do the things that fuel me, so I can do the things I need to do for others.
Baseline: I’m generally ok. Usual depression/anxiety stuff; nothing worrisome. Clinically obese, but my numbers are in range. I’m digging a hole, and realize I can still get out if I stop digging. So here’s me doing just that.
My rules:
No discussion of weight as a bad thing. 35 years of being in the gym, and the ONLY weight that should matter is what’s on the bar; not the scale. I’m not gonna tell you how much a weigh. It doesn’t matter.
No discussion of good vs bad foods and no ‘Disordered Eating.’ No Keto, no Paleo, no nothing. Ideally, I’m getting about 200 grams of protein a day, and plenty of fruits and veggies. Pasta? Sure. Wings? If they come down in price. Wine? In moderation. This is about making changes that last for my next 50 years; not 3 months till the beach.
Clear, demonstrative goals. No discussion of weight; I’m showing wins. A certain shirt is too snug? Un-snugging it is a win. Struggling with a bike ride? No long struggling will be a win. Less heartburn, less anxiety, better sleep….all are wins. Also, progress pics are a must.
No Blame: Yeah, I control every piece of food that goes in my mouth and every moment I spent watching YouTube instead of painting or working out or reading or doing things with the family. I’m 100% to blame. Where does that get me?
This week, I’m putting the shovel down. I’m not expecting total success in everything. But I’m prioritizing it; something I haven’t been doing. Here’s where I start.
200 grams seems like a lot of protein. I’m concerned about kidney and heart health with that much protein. The average man only needs about 58 grams per day. I know more may be needed if lifting weights, but you might want to look into that a bit. It could impact your weight loss efforts as well. My husband put on a lot of weight a few years ago in his midsection from consuming too much protein and he’s struggled to get rid of it ever since.
Just a concerned friend! Best to you in your health journey!
Thanks Michele! I appreciate the concern.
200 may be excessive and I’ve seen advice for 80-100g. Since my plan is to do this without protein supplements, we’ll see how it goes. The plan is ALWAYS adjustable.
I’ve read a lot SPECIFICALLY about kidney and heart issues. With weight training you need more protein to ensure you have the aminos to synthesize muscle. If you’re drinking enough water and have healthy kidneys (which I do), there shouldn’t be a problem. Heart issues tend to be due to the source of the protein; red meat, nuts, etc. Also, high protein does not equal Keto, and I just saw a study talking about those heart risks.
And you just gave me a topic for another entry! Thank you!
Glad to give you a topic! And it’s nice to see you writing again! I am overdue but seem to somehow not get to it unless there’s a crisis or something! LOL I’m glad to hear you are doing your homework on the protein, which tends to be a bit over-glorified in the US, in my experience. I agree that the source of the protein matters, too. And don’t get me started on keto! 🙂 I look forward to the next post!
Nice to see you are posting again, as I’ve always enjoyed your work. As for the posting itself, well, I’m no one to judge anyone else’s rules, mostly because in this case I am woefully unqualified. I will say this much though: Being comfortable with you are (“you” in a general sense) is something that I think is a challenge for many of us. Where’s the line between self-respect and a healthy desire to get/be better? I don’t know, but there is a certain nobility to be found in always trying to find out.