Trying to make smarter choices

[JDrysdale]

Hey everyone,

Throughout the last year I've been trying to make smarter choices - eat more healthily, develop better sleeping patterns and exercise more. I've had mixed success - for example I did the NHS couch to 5K program (which I highly recommend). I couldn't run for 10 seconds when I first started out and although I did have to repeat a few of the weeks, but the end I was able to run 30 minutes without stopping! Something I never imagined possible. My running lasted for several months and then the dark winter and icy roads got me stopped. I'll probably be back to square one but I enjoyed it when I was doing it and want to get to the point where it's not a stop start thing any more.

I don't think my diet is that bad - at least not in the sense that I tend to cook reasonably healthy meals. I don't live off ready meals or takeaways, I don't eat a lot of greasy foods. The problem is I almost always skip breakfast, sometimes lunch too. So some days I am having only one good meal a day and snacking for the rest of the day.

Snacks are definitely my biggest problem. I don't smoke or drink but I am addicted to sugar. I've tried several times to cut it down, stop drinking fizzy drinks and eating so many sweets and I do for a while but I always go back to my bad habits.

I got my BMI checked today which is the first time in years (possibly ever actually) and it's 29. I'm not proud of that and have long known I'm getting chubby and need to make changes. I just hope this gives me the motivation to make changes that will stick.

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi JDrysdale,

Welcome to the forum, and I hope you'll enjoy being part of this community. It's a friendly and supportive place. It's great that you've been trying to make some smarter choices - and well done for being able to build up to running for 30 minutes without stopping, that is really great! Hopefully once the weather improves you'll find that you can easily get back to that, and I doubt very much that you'd be back to square one, as you will have the memory of those achievements and your body will soon catch up and get back to the previous level. Just pace yourself and you'll be fine.

Have you seen the NHS 12 week plan, as it does offer some good advice and a structure. If you click on the icon in the top of the screen, then you can access the downloadable pages. You could get some ideas for healthier snacks, and begin to work in a more focused way on trying to reduce your sugar content.

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Lowcal

[nhs2015]

You have already achieved something by joining in. I did the 12 weeks plan last year and also the c25k. I can now run 9k and have signed up for an 11.3 run in July. Still working at it.

If I would not have started the NHS I would not be where I am now. so join the two together, 12 week plan and c25k. it works magic. Don't overdo it, pick small goals and aim for them one at a time. You will do well. And go cold turkey on those drinks 😊 You will do fine