Apr 022013
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I like food. How am I going to stay healthy?
Here are few thoughts about health and weight loss for the older, more cuddly (tough, grizzled, big-boned, triple chinned…) male person. Women are welcome to join in, and the cuddlier the better. Age is no barrier. This written from my perspective as a chunky man.
I said I like food. That means the occasional recipe will creep in.
Health Warning
I accept no responsibility for anyone who decides to take a similar journey and recommend the usual, see your doctor, advice. If you decide to take it up I hope you’ll get in touch. We can swap notes, jokes and support each other. I bet we can have some fun.
The Obvious Truth
‘How’s it goin’ big man.’
‘Good, thanks.’
Big Man. Big Man! If you could look into my heart (literally and figuratively) you’d know I don’t want to be just ‘big’, big/lean maybe. Big on its own doesn’t do it for me, certainly not with the well publicised prospect of diabetes, heart disease and loads of other.
Fresh air — who needs it?
Me. On the first of November, as part of a spiritual growth programme, I started regular exercise at least five times per week. Nothing flashy, just a rugged walk over fields and an old drovers’ road for forty-five minutes at a time.
That still happens without fail and now with the addition of walking sticks to work my upper body and reduce strain on my knees. It feels good, great in fact. Even thought the weather has made the going muddy, icy cold, gale-blown and slippery.
What about weight loss?
Eat what you like, when you like with only one catch … fasting. In the summer I saw a BBC documentary on the Intermittent Fasting (IF) approach to weight loss sometimes called 5+2. It means fasting on a 600 calorie regime for two days a week, eating normally for the other five.
It seemed like a good idea (still does) … and easy to understand. Seeing something and doing it are two different things. On 20th November last I decided to start IF and started to lose weight, quite quickly as a matter of fact. Now, in April I’ve lost 2 stone (or 28 lbs or 12.7 kilos).
What about flavoursome food?
Being a Scot I started with porridge. After a while it get’s boring. Recently I branched out into more tasty eating on the fast day. The first step is to brighten up the porridge (oatmeal). Watch this space.
What about attitude?
The two day approach means limited misery or, to be more correct, live for 24 hours on 600 calories (women 500 calories) twice a week. That’s a short time frame and the goals are attainable, at least for me.
My next post will share a programme like the one I follow. Please remember the health warning. Medics and their nurses seem to be a good place for encouragement. Save the NHS! Get healthy!
© Mac Logan
Mac Logan lives near Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the author of The Angels’ Share thriller series. You can see Mac talking about his writing.The Angels’ Share and DarkArt, are available as are two back-stories Fumble and The First Battle. All are published by Fantastic Books Publishing.
Mac will soon be releasing series non-fiction books on the human aspects of work. Find out more here.
You can contact Mac here. Follow Mac on Twitter: @MacLogan_writes