Post #100: a simple summary

It's post number 100 at Healthy Living (by an unhealthy guy)!

I wish I had something really good to post but I'm not sure that anything posted by a struggling unhealthy guy would really be worthwhile. Since you are reading this, you are one of a very few that take the time to stop by and take a glance at the nonsense that I post.

The most difficult thing about trying to find good, healthy information on the internet is there is so much crap that you have to sift through. There are a lot of fad diets, fad workouts, bad science and outright lies when it comes to healthy living, weight management and fitness.

In my struggles to lose weight and get healthy I've pretty much stayed with the basics.

For diet I've tried to go easy on the fried foods and use coconut oil for frying at home. I've never been big on the sweet stuff, so sugar management hasn't been a big deal. I've made the move away from pre-packaged foods and try to eat more real food like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and meats. I eat cheese, butter and yogurt, but have pretty much quit drinking milk. I have increased my protein and think that protein is a good base for any diet goal.

Protein and carbs for bulking up.
Protein and fats for maintenance.
Protein and vegetables for losing weight.

My personal, uneducated observation is that most good, long-term diets are focused on insulin management. Keep an even and sustainable level of blood sugars that do not trigger an insulin dump and weight management is much easier.

I am follower of the "Eat for weight management. Exercise for good health," line of thinking. I don't think that everybody needs to be a runner or a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) kind of person. I'm a simple walker. Walking is pretty easy to do. Most of us are already experts at it. I walk pretty fast. You don't have to. I lift weight on occasion. Sometimes I do yoga.

I think it is important to realize that it is very possible (and often likely) to be thin and unhealthy.
There is a balance that must be met between diet and fitness. Most of us in the US are someplace between being inactive gluttons and overactive dieters. Some are too busy to eat well and others eat very healthy foods but get little activity. Once again, we need to find a balance.

I am not too strict when it comes to diet (Thank you, Mr. Obvious), nor am I an exercise or fitness freak. I'm just trying to stay active and eat well. What that has done for me is that I am now in the best health that I have been in for a number of decades.

Find a balance. Be a little bit better today than yesterday. Don't beat yourself up over a minor failure. Enjoy your indulgences and get back on track quickly. I believe that you can't out exercise a bad diet, but I also believe that you can help balance those occasional indulgences by remembering the balance.

Eat well.
Be well,

John <><