This I know so it's no big surprise.
Then my company had a wellness fair last week. A bit late for my liking but it's right there and it would be foolish to not use the facilities at your disposal, right?
Anyway, first I went to the Herbalife stand because of a HUGE sign that said, "lose weight now!". This woman got me onto her scale and I was slightly horrified at how much jeans weigh because I weigh myself at home in the mornings, in underwear.
Her scale told me I have the stats of a 50-year-old.
Of course I'm cynical and think their scales are rigged to make everyone seem worse so that they can sell us thousands of rands worth of product.
By the way, I was the 4th person on that sheet of paper and we all had the stats of 50-year-olds, despite us all having very different physiques. In fact, I think I was the thinnest.
However, the marketing machine worked on me (and I'm desperate) so I ordered one of her R330 milkshakes and very politely declined her other two recommended products (R256 plus R300).
Moving on.
I got the usual stuff tested with the proper medical professionals. My blood sugar is perfect, blood pressure is perfect but my cholesterol was 5.7 (it should be 5 or lower).
The lady wasn't that concerned but that was a yellow flag for me.
I'll get myself tested again in a month of eating better and see if it moves down.
And then I went to input my stats on the computer.
My Discovery age (an age based on how healthy you are) was 41.
I'm 38 and every single previous year for the last 9 years I've been two years younger than my actual age.
Big wake-up call.
I don't know what their rating engines look like but I know I'm heavier so my BMI is out of whack (27,5 where I should be below 25).
All other stats were great so is the slightly elevated (!) BMI plus the cholesterol enough to increase my age by 3 years?
(As you can see, I don't take the Herbalife lady seriously at all)
I don't know but it's enough of a wake-up call for me.
And so I've decided to make a few changes:
- I will force myself to go to gym at least twice a week until it feels easy again. And just generally move more.
- I need to eat more prunes (!), drink at least 1 mug of herbal tea and more water every day. Of course the office is a fridge so it's going to be challenging.
- I'm going to start watching my diet like a hawk again.
- I'm really doing my best to not eat a thing after supper. But those Christmas mince pies call my name...
This week I've been taking the stairs all the time (except when I have the ginormous laptop bag with me - I really don't want to fall down those beautiful stairs) and last night I went to gym, pretended I'm 18 and danced my heart out (as if I was auditioning). I sweated like crazy and it felt good. Both during and afterwards.
I even took these very embarrassing before pictures.
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| the last little dip is a mistake - I jumped off the scale too quickly. And my next reading wasn't taken into account. |
By the way, the Herbalife shakes make me feel a bit weird so I'm not sure I'll continue beyond this jar but for now, I'm on one shake a day (no change to my weight yet).
So how's your health and fitness?
Does anybody have similar goals? What are you doing that's working for you?
I am not a huge fan of those shakes or any other meal replacement thing. I firmly believe a balanced healthy diet will work and is sustainable!!
ReplyDeleteAfter my hip replacement I had to go to gym to work with the bio every day and now on the days I don't go I actually feel like it is missing. You just need to get into the habit!
And trying my wedding dress on and seeing the big fat roll over my boob tube style top was all I needed to take action on my diet!!!
I can actually see the difference in my body now - my weight seems to be staying the same but I am definitely loosing cm :)
It would appear though that wine is my food enemy :( I have lost 2kgs in the last month but had 2 days of wine over indulgence and 1kg is back :-/ It makes me sad - lol!
Davids cholesterol was also the same as yours which we found odd - he had almost no fat in his diet at that stage, was gyming daily
I can imagine what kind of wake up call you had. I remember mine 2 years back. Good luck with your goals and I love them. It will become easy again. What do you do with the kids when you go to the gym?
ReplyDeleteI'm also not someone for those shakes. After I read their labels and saw how much sugar/aspartame they have in them, I did not buy them. They do more harm than good.
I'm sure that you will get that cholesterol down with some healthy eating. You will do good, I'm sure of it. You're motivated enough.
Marcia, I understand how this can feel...but I don't really give a twig about these kinds of things, you know me. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI do like that you're dancing and having fun in thr process. I'd much rather be dancing than spending half an hour on a treadmill, that's for sure!
This is important to you - so I wish you the very best luck with it.
I stupidly entered the Half Ironman (1,9km swim, 90km cycle and 21km run)which is on 20 January in East London. So, after doing my qualifying marathon for Two Oceans (and maybe Comrades) on 1 December I am now training like a demon for that. I usually just run 6 times a week but in June started swimming in a squad twice a week and that has done wonders for my tummy and love handles. Cycling started in earnest 2 weeks ago (3 x week with 2 x 40km and 1 x 70-90km) and then swimming (2 x week in pool for an hour and 2 x week in the sea). I hated the sea swimming at first but as everyone said I would am now loving it. The water is so warm and it is just the most invigorating, awesome exercise ever. I am also still running 4-5 x week. But, bottom line is I now weigh 53kg so am eating like crazy to try and not lose anymore as my BMI is now less than 19 as I'm 1,68m tall. I know you don't run but I cannot and don't like to watch my weight and if I didn't have races to train for I wouldn't be motivated at all. I have never struggled with my weight ever (usually 55-56kg) but I am now 36 and in better shape than I've ever been and it's fantastic, so nice to be able to go to the beach and spend all day in a bikini and try on clothes that always fit and look great. So, my advice forget the expensive shakes and just find a sport/race to enter and train for, the best is with a partner or your husband. Chris and I try and train as much as we can together and it's great. (The girls have supper and bath 1 x week at my folks, usually 1 sleepover a weekend there as well and then our nanny sleeps in 1 x week and sometimes 2 x).
ReplyDeleteI've felt a million times better since starting the gestational diabetes diet, and despite being a million months pregnant, on hospital bed rest, and eating three meals a day plus snacks that they provide, I haven't gained a thing. I think I'm going to continue balancing my carbs and proteins after Bacon is born and see if I lose weight once I'm active. Regardless, this diet has forced me to eat way more veggies than I usually do- and I love veggies :)
ReplyDeleteI ate ONE meal that was more carb heavy after they told me I could order whatever from the menu and felt so sick afterwards!
My only goal is to be fit and healthy. Haven't weighed myself in yonks and I have no intention to do so ever again (if I can avoid it). Those numbers make me anxious and quite honestly, the only numbers that REALLY matter to me are things like blood pressure (we have heart disease in our family) sugar levels (we have diabetes in our family) and cholesterol (this is also a genetic issue in our family, even when a good diet is followed - am probably going to have to go on chronic meds for this at some point). Once you are exercising and eating healthily (with the occasional treat), the cm's drop and your shape changes. THAT is what I'm after. I drink lots of water - much easier nowadays that it's so hot, I do try to run though I haven't had time for it lately - starting up again next week along with swimming and I TRY to cut down on carbs - some days it goes well, other days it doesn't. I'm going to get myself allergy tested in the new year - I suspect that there is a wheat issue at play. And then I will take it from there.
ReplyDeleteI think being healthy and fit is wat more important than thin- but I know you agree with that. I want to urge you to do a proper fasting cholesterol test at the pathologists before you worry about it. And those fruit mince pies really get to me too...
ReplyDeleteGood for you for having those goals for your health. I used to sell herbalife, it really is good, lots of vitamins in that shake. You can also mix it in other stuff eg have it on your cereal / yoghurt or don't mix it in milk also if it's not making you feel good.they also sell very nice aloe shampoo and make up. I'm sure they were trying to sell you though.
ReplyDeleteHealth and fitness so so. Used to go to the gym 5 to 6 times a week, but now I only manage to go about 2 to 3, need to work back to going 5 times a week. I just started spinning again and I find that I like it especially the 90 mins classes, so plan to do more of those and my weekend walks/races. Plus I love advanced step classes. For 2013 I plan to go back to boot camp. I did 3 camps earlier in the year. If only I just could just eat better :(
ReplyDeletePlease get your cholesterol checked again at the pathologists. Y had his checked during the vitality day and was told it was dangerously high and immediately put on cholesterol lowering medication, when he got it checked at the GP, it turned out it was not even a tad high, it was normal...