From my side of the start line...

2008



2012

Ok so it was a post from a relative (cuz Melanie many thanks) that prompted me to this post...I was a bit bigger than i am today. At my biggest I was 190lbs...try stacking that on a 5'6" frame and I was, well...fat. I was playing Ice Hockey at that time, something I had done for a good portion of my life, and for me I felt I was healthy. i never went to the gym, i just skated 3-4 days a week and felt that as long as i could play my position well (goaltender), win games and generally gain the respect from both teammates and opponents...I was ok. Well for a long time i had achieved that, there came a time though when the reaction time slowed, the technique was poor and in general I was just not as good as I had been, could have been due to age, more than likely it was my weight (again about 190). So, motivated by my loving and beautiful wife, who was running regularly at that time and looked fantastic (not that she has ever looked anything but!). She also said, you are getting unhealthy...i think that was when my size 34 waist pants did not fit and i had to go to a 38...So I started riding my bike, stopped the fast food and junk eating, and began to think about what I ate...that cut some of the weight, but not enough, so i started to run as well. At that point the weight just dripped off, and in the meantime, this was something i could share with my wife and with Brenna.

Now, I weigh a comfortable 147lbs, and I run more out of the enjoyment than for weight loss. On my frame, any thinner and i would begin to look unhealthy, in my opinion. I have also done regular core exercise, usually 3 days a week and I eat smarter, although the full on healthy routine is more difficult here in Penang, as i have not followed through on locating the things i would normally eat and, its just not that easy to find everything. I, or rather we do our best though. So where is this walk down memory lane going you say and what does all this have to do with cuz Melanie...I will tell you.
Overweight is not necessarily unhealthy and its important that we teach our children and ourselves good healthy eating habits, not teach them that looking like "barbie dolls" is what health means. the media processed images of what is healthy or good looking are often manufactured and not realistic. So what is healthy/healthy weight?? Well I will attempt to pass on what I have learned, from educating myself through reading, both on the Internet and real books (yes they still make those). Webinars, and info from learned colleagues who have helped me along the way. Healthy weight has long been debated by the nutrition experts. For a long time, BMI (Body Mass Index) was the all important number, more significant than the number you see when you step on the scale every day, however most of the current research that is being done has begun to see BMI as more a starting point than an end all save all number. The main reason is that muscle is denser than fat, so a healthy person could be considered overweight by their BMI score.UGH!! so what I do is use that number as a start point, make sure and get a physical yearly, and do the best I can to practice a healthy life style. For me, the best, and simplest definition of "healthy lifestyle" is,"Move more, eat less, turn off the TV and skip the sugary drinks." along with that, 1) Ban strange diets...there is always something new and extreme that promises "quick results" so you can get in "bikini shape in 6 weeks!". they might be great in the short term but they are doomed to fail, so a good practice to take it off and keep it off (weight mind you) is to eat healthy foods, smaller portions, and take your time! 2) Be more active, find some form of exercise you enjoy and do it every day for at least a 1/2 hour...oh so you cant find a 1/2 hour in your busy day, i will bet you can find it to watch the new episode of your favorite TV program! find a friend and exercise with them if it keeps you motivated and on track. (go to www.hsph.harvard.edu and search "staying active" for tips and suggestions) 3) Skip the sugary drinks...Water water water, drink it!! 4) Think before you eat, I read that most snaking is done when a person is actually dehydrated, and not necessarily hungry. the brain cannot differentiate the two easily so the craving begins. Before you snack on something unhealthy, drink a glass of water and see if that does not curb the craving. Ok the last part of this is what is "healthy food"?? Some experts say avoid grains, and go gluten free, your stomach will thank you. So will your waistline, as grains tend to be more calorically dense than other carb rich foods like say, fruits or veggies...For me I do still eat grain its whole grain and its much less than is "recommended". Thankfully, I don't have difficulty with gluten and have been able to find gluten free whole grain bread. Then there is the fat debate and then you have to wade through the viable protein conundrum.I tend to follow the food pyramid/plate pretty closely with some exceptions, i tend to lower the grain consumption, and increase fruits and veggies. I do intake beef protein (grass fed) and i do eat bacon, because bacon tastes good (and if its not processed its not bad for you). I have discovered that as a runner i need fat in my diet although generally it is good fat. I do cows milk sparingly, and tend to use Almond milk if i can find it. I drink ALOT of water. I tend to follow (most of the time) a simple rule of thumb, "whole natural foods, prepared with a minimal added sugar and saturated fats. I think the best thing i can do for my daughter is show her that healthy eating does not have to be boring or flavorless, show her that exercise can be fun and rewarding. I can also teach her that there are many different body shapes and sizes in the world and the pencil thin actress she sees on TV is not necessarily "Healthy" while the full figured one is "Fat". I don't need my daughter to be an athlete to be proud of her...i need her to be happy, and healthy. So to the guy who wrote the email to the New anchor woman to tell her she was fat and a bad example to female children...Get off the computer, shut off the TV an go be an example for your kids...That news lady is there to deliver the news, not be an example to my kids, that's my job, and yours!! That's just my take from my side of the start line, Thank you loyal reader! Run Happy!!