Hello Steemit!
Brand new to the platform and am in love with the supportive community
Looking through the content and i see a lack of self improvement blogs. I am 24 years old and 480 pounds. (YIKES). This needs to change. I understand that diets are doomed to fail and i need a lifestyle change! I want to blog about it here to keep me accountable. My goal is to do a 5-8 mile hike in October, making small steps along the way in incremental changes to not burn me out and change my habits for good.
I have started with basic ideas several months ago such as cutting out craft beer, which at first was a struggle because nothing is better than a solid beer after a long day. Then i cut out soda unless it has liquor in it which i only have once a week. After starting to feel the effects of that alone i started with portion control, such as ditching the side of fries and finding a love for cooked spinach which can add flavor and nutrients to almost any dish.
I have forgone eating out as much and started to look up recipes to add variety to my plate. The money saved is going straight into a savings account for larger purchases and emergency funds.
Lastly i have made sure to get in at least 30 minutes of dedicated walking daily with a paltry work out set to acclimate me to physical activity again. I used to do wrestling, football, hikes, and other outdoor activities and want to be able do so again.
I don't aim to be skinny, i aim to be healthier. I will become more and more active throughout the year starting here. I would love to hear suggestions down below and look forward to hearing advice and encouragement from this vibrant community. Every journey starts somewhere and mine is already going and is just getting started!
Man, good for you! Setting goals and having them in a place that you can see them often is an important step. You are on the right track by setting the goals that you mentioned. I have found more than just counting calories is what chemicals are in your food and where it sourced from. The ingredients list on the container only tell you so much, it's the omissions that need to be considered. Was the grain that was used to make your crackers doused in pesticides prior to cultivation? Do you live in an agricultural area where pesticide sprays may linger in the air for long periods? Or rain runoff cause contamination of your living situation? There are far more chemicals that we are exposed to everyday that most of us are just not aware of. I grew up between several refineries in an area that as you might expect is having all kinds of issues related to abnormally high cancer rates, that of course are not the fault of the companies that operate there; never is.
Anyhow, hiking is a great outdoor adventure that can help to really appreciate the effort that you are putting into your changes. More importantly than simply dieting or exercising is a lifestyle change altogether. We've been conditioned to not be mindful of our connections to nature, keep searching, you will find yours.
Best of luck
7L9R
Thanks for the information, yeah agriculture is pretty big in my area. I want to be able to go out and do a 5 miler with no preparation again . Spending time outdoors was a huge part of my youth through the boy scouts. So small changes in habit will effect me positively over the long run. For instance, tonight's dinner was a baked potato with grilled chicken breast, corn. There was pie, and i simply took far less than i normally would to satisfy that craving . but not overindulge which was my biggest issue in the past. I know most people shy away from sweets and such immediately but that leads to burnout and relapse into old habits. Small steps in the long journey.
Great goal you have to achieve!
working on it! I'm fed up being limited in choices of clothes, cars, and life experiences because of my size. I know i could go on a diet and get "faster results" but risk taking it back on eventually. So i'm making small changes week to week to compound on each other and see long term results.