Is Your Diet Aging You?

This is a great post that we could all take advice from. A poor diet can age your body because you're not getting enough nutrition from your food.

Simple strategies to keep you young, inside and out.

WebMD Feature

What you put on your plate might affect what you see in the mirror. But a few tweaks to your dining habits can go a long way to keeping your skin youthful and your body healthy.

The key approach? Eat better.

"Poor-quality foods, like trans fats, cause inflammation -- and aging is basically a chronic inflammatory state," says Timothy Harlan, MD. He's assistant professor of medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine. "Can you look older because you're eating crap? Absolutely."

For example, eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (like pasta, bread, and baked goods) can lead to damage in your skin's collagen, which keeps your skin springy and resists wrinkles, says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD. She's a policy analyst for Beach Cities Health District.

What's more, these foods put your overall health on the line. They are tied to diseases like heart disease and diabetes, she says.

Other foods, like fruits and vegetables, are good for your skin.

Foods to try and cut-out

Potato chips and french fries. Anything that's deep-fried in oil can add to inflammation throughout your body. Especially avoid trans fats. It can raise your LDL "bad" cholesterol and lower HDL "good" cholesterol, which increases your risk for heart disease.

Check food labels on baked goods and crackers, and avoid "partially hydrogenated oils" and "vegetable shortening."

Donuts and sugary pastries. They're packed with sugar, which Giancoli says may be linked to the development of wrinkles.

Hot dogs, bacon, and pepperoni. Processed meats are usually high in saturated fats and have nitrates in them. Both of those can lead to inflammation.

Fatty meats. These are also high in saturated fats. The key with meat is to keep it lean. Tenderloin cuts tend to be leaner. Look for ground beef that is at least 95% lean. Ground turkey breast and chicken breast are other lean options.

Alcohol. Moderate drinking may be good for your heart, but heavy drinking can rev up the aging process. "Moderate" is one drink per day for women (such as a 5-ounce glass of wine or 12-ounce glass of beer) and two drinks for men.

Foods to Favor

Go for a Mediterranean-style diet, Harlan says. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein can help fight inflammation and keep you looking your best, he says.

Eat whole foods that are closest to their natural state as possible, says Giancoli. For example, instead of apple sauce, try a fresh whole apple.

Try eating more of these foods:

Romaine lettuce. It's high in vitamins A and C, which curb inflammation. Also, try broccoli, spinach, arugula, watercress, escarole, kale and endive.

Tomatoes. They're rich in a nutrient called lycopene. So are watermelon, grapefruit, guavas, asparagus, and red cabbage.

Salmon. It's high in omega-3 fats, which fight inflammation. Tuna is another good choice.

Lentils and beans. These are good sources of protein and are loaded with fiber and nutrients. Try black beans, split peas, limas, pintos, chickpeas, and cannellini beans.

"Your skin is essentially made of protein, so if you don't get enough healthy protein in your diet, your skin will reflect that," Giancoli says. "Along with fish, beans are a great way to get it."

Oatmeal. Whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat breads and pastas, brown rice, and quinoa help curb inflammation.

"These also have B vitamins in them, like thiamine and riboflavin, which are important for  your skin as well," Giancoli says. If you don't get enough. Go for a variety and make this way of eating a habit. Look at your food when you're buying and think about what you'll get out of it. Your paying for the food, you want to get something back.

"If you're not getting enough of the good stuff on a regular basis, you won't be able to produce healthy new skin cells in the way that you should," Giancoli says. Eating the good stuff will give you the nutrition to stay healthy. If you're not feeling healthy or you're tired all the time, we often blame a cold or virus but the first thing we need to look at is our diet. 

I know this post talks a lot about your skin, and what most people don't realize is that your skin and your eyes will tell the story of your bodies health. Skin problems like an ache or any sores or rashes can all be caused by your diet. Your eyes should be clear and white around the pupil. And if you're using an eye wash every day, maybe you should see a doctor, you might have a bigger problem.

Losing body fat should be your goal. Read up on weight loss and losing body fat. It doesn’t cost money to lose weight. The internet is full of free information.

But the quickest way and cheapest way is to buy an ebook online and get everything you need in one short read. I have two ebooks on Amazon:

How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight

Getting To A Healthy Weight

Check out one of them, I think you can find all the info you need and plenty of tips on how I lost my body fat. 

Look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find these e-books. These books give you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my books at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com,

 iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Why Do I Eat So Much At Night?

You stick to your diet all day and eat healthy well-balanced meals. Then the evening comes and you find yourself making repeated trips to the refrigerator or pantry to eat food that you don't really need. Sound familiar? If it does, you're not alone. Nighttime calories are a struggle for many dieters who find that they continue eating after dinner. If you're serious about losing weight, use these tips to stop eating so much at night.

You're normal if you like to snack and graze after eating dinner. But if you are trying to lose weight, the calories you consume from snacks in the evening could easily undo a day's worth of smart food choices. So the first step to eating less is to find out why you eat when you don't need to.

For most of us, the reason we overeat is related to the fact that we are less busy at night and we are near food. We like to relax and enjoy more leisurely activities and food is a common source of comfort. Without the distraction of work or other daytime activities, it's easy to grab for snacks that are nearby. If you can find other ways to unwind, then you'll be likely to eat less at night. You can also use these strategies to curb nighttime eating.

How to Stop Eating After Dinner

The best way to curb your nighttime eating behavior for good is to use short term strategies to break the habit. If you can replace snacking with a healthier habit, then you won't feel the urge to overeat in the evening.

Use one of these tips (or all three) to change your night-time snack habit.

Move away from the food. You're more likely to eat too much at night if you are always around food. So after dinner, move away from the kitchen. This might mean that you postpone clean-up tasks so that you aren't tempted to eat leftovers. Or better yet, delegate the job to someone in your house who isn't on a diet.

Another great way to get away from food is to go for a walk after dinner. I walk the dog after dinner. I get in extra activity to burn more calories. At the same time, I'm breaking the habit of snacking after dinner. But the real plus for me is I can sleep better. I'm not stuffed full and the walking has made me little tired. Even if your walk is just 15-20 minutes long, physical activity helps to break up the eating momentum. It also gives your body a chance to feel the sensation of fullness so the urge to eat is less strong. After I got use to walking at night, I stretched out my walk to 45 minutes.

Use a "meal-ender" to curb your appetite. Some dieters use mint-flavored gum to diminish the desire to eat after dinner. Most of us don't like the taste of food when we have a mint flavor in our mouths. Brushing your teeth after dinner provides this same benefit - along with a dental bonus. That's true but I still like mint flavored gum when ever I have a craving to eat something.

You can also use MealEnders to stop eating so much. These small candies reset your taste buds so that you don't feel the urge to eat. MealEnders contain no stimulants and are regulated as a food product so they have to follow strict guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration, unlike many diet and weight loss supplements.

Be a smart television watcher. Most of us eat too much at night when we snack mindlessly in front of the television. Some researchers even believe that certain action shows make us eat too much food. Regardless of your show preference, however, you can create healthy eating habits in front of the television to eat less and lose weight.

One way to eat less is to keep my hands active. I do simple chores while I watch TV. Sometimes I read while I watch TV, my brother taught me that. And sometimes I stay on the internet at night and that keep my hands busy.

Remember, snacking isn't bad for your diet. But eating when you're not hungry is never a good plan. Learn to eat a healthy (not hardy) dinner and then create habits to stop eating  at night. You'll reach your goal weight faster and keep your weight off for good. Most diet gurus will tell you not to eat the 3 hours before bed. There's a good reason for that. Late night food won't have time to be properly digested and will end up being stored as fat.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you'll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.

The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide.

Can I Skip Breakfast and Still Lose Weight?

Is skipping breakfast really a big deal? What's the difference? 

If you're trying to lose weight, I think that breakfast is important. It all goes back to the basic reasons for eating. If you want to stay healthy, you eat for the sake of your body. In other words, I eat the first thing or the first hour I’m up to give my body the fuel I need to concentrate, to give me strength to workout or to get to work and to be productive.

When I was younger, I didn’t think about those things. When I was younger I still had the stored up nutrition that all of us are born with, but as you age you use up that nutrition and you start to lose your edge. You're not as sharp, you're not as quick.

It happens over many years and most people don’t realize it until they’re in their 40’s. By that time, they caulk it up to aging or the fact that their out of shape, but the truth is they have spent their adult life eating wrong and not replacing that nutrition (vitamins and minerals) that they use up every day. 

We get in the habit of eating when you’re hungry, instead of eating to avoid getting hungry. This is why I eat breakfast. Some people who aren't eating breakfast ate too much at night and the food is still sitting there like a lump in your stomach and your full and can't think about eating. Don't eat the last 4 hours before bed. You want your food to digest before bed, give it some time. If you're hungry at night think about the food your eating for dinner and those snacks you ate in the afternoon. If you're filling up on carbs and not real food you'll get hungry quicker and want to eat more often. 

 I usually eat a large bowl of oatmeal with fruit or Greek Yogurt with berries if I’m in a rush. Greek Yogurt is my go-to snack when I need something small and filling. 

So after I changed the way I was eating, that’s when I started to make changes in my body. Now I eat to avoid hunger. Yes, you have to get custom to eating more often, but now when I eat a meal I fill up very quick. I never eat those big meals anymore. And I don’t get hungry or have cravings. 

I got use to listening to my body. I only eat what my body needs. I don’t eat processed foods, I don’t eat food  from a can, I don’t eat already prepared foods like carry-out. 

Of course, I eat in restaurants but during the months I was trying to lose body fat, I tried to avoid eating out and if I had to I only ate salads with olive oil and lemon juice that I added. 

You can bend the rules a little after you lose that fat, but you can never return to your old diet. The weight will come right back. 

When you eat several small meals a day, you want to space them about 3 hours apart. Remember to eat your first meal early, no matter how small, eat something nutritious. Something that will hold you for 3 hours. Your body needs some protein the first hour your up. 

Try never to eat empty calories. And at first, you’ll have to count your calories. When your not use to eating like this it’s easy to overdo it. Even if you’re active, 1500 to 1800 calories a day is all you need. So be picky about the things you eat. 

When I first started to eat this way, I did some research, put on paper the things I wanted to eat and the number of calories, don’t forget to count the drinks, and I had all my choices of food and drink written down, in a small notebook that I kept with me. 

I basically ate the same things over and over until I had time to research more food choices. Over a period of weeks, my menu started to broaden.

The food pyramid will give you the choices you need. Stick to the pyramid; I did add black coffee and ice tea black in moderation. You can find examples of the "Food Pyramid" chart on the internet.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you'll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.

The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide.

Which Diet is Right For You?

Trying to lose weight? If you’re a more-meat-than-potatoes kind of person, two new studies should encourage you.

That’s because both concluded that a low-carbohydrate diet appears to be at least as effective as a low-fat diet, challenging the long-held notion that eating fat is what makes you fat. That's a broad statement, actually, I believe eating "animal fat" is what make you fat. Of course, you don't have to stop eating all animal fat, but if you want to do a little research, diets like The Mediterranean diet, and The Dash Diet almost completely eliminate red meat. I'm in the camp of those nutritionists that believe low-fat diets are best. Diets like those of the Mediterranean people will make you a much healthier person and when you follow that diet you will lose body fat over time.

One study, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, randomly assigned 148 men and women to follow either a low-carb or low-fat diet. After a year, the people on the low-carb diet had, on average, lost nearly 8 pounds more than those on the low-fat diet. The low-carb dieters also saw more improvement in their blood cholesterol levels than the low-fat dieters.

The other study, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, pooled the results of 48 randomized trials, involving nearly 7,300 people, of brand-name diet programs, such as Atkins, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and the Ornish diet. It found that all of the diets, whether low-carb, low-fat, or somewhere in between, led to weight loss, and differences between them were small.

Writer Rita Rubin asked obesity expert Ken Fujioka, MD, who was not involved with either study, to help sort out the low-carb vs. low-fat research. Fujioka, an internist, treats people with weight problems at the Scripps Clinic in California.

Q: Were you surprised by what these new studies found?

A: I wasn’t surprised at all. Believe me, I was on the low-fat bandwagon for eons. You get twice as many calories from a gram of fat vs. a gram of carbs or a gram of protein. But it’s clearly more complicated than that. The type of fat also is an issue. I would agree a lot of saturated fat may not be a good thing. But if you look at olive oil and canola oil, these are clearly not bad things and, if anything, can be very good.

Q: Besides what kinds of foods they prefer, are there other factors people should consider when trying to decide what kind of diet will help them lose weight?

A: There are certain groups of people who clearly do better on a low-carb diet. They’re pre-diabetic, they’re patients with polycystic ovary syndrome — what we call the insulin-resistant diseases. Patients with insulin resistance do better on a low-carb diet and will lose more weight on a low-carb 1,300 calories [diet] versus a low-fat or balanced 1,300 calories diet. But not everybody can follow a low-carb diet.

We really want to find what diet that patient can follow. (If they say) ‘You know, I really will do well on Weight Watchers,’ we tell them, ‘Okay, enroll in Weight Watchers.’ Admittedly, we may tweak it a little bit, but in general, we’re looking at what’s going to work.

Q: Do certain people tend to prefer low-carb over low-fat, and vice versa?

A: As a group, men really seem to find a low-carb diet relatively easy to do and actually relatively easy to do long-term. They’re fine eating steak one night, a lot of chicken the next night, and pork loin the next. They’re really happy. A lot of women don’t gravitate toward a low-carb diet. It’s not a diet that they find interesting or fun or something they can adhere to. As a group, they’re more comfortable with a balanced diet.

Q: After people slim down on a low-carb diet, can they stick with it to maintain their weight loss?

A: Typically, just like anyone else, they really would like to have some carbs and pasta and bread. In our practice, I will have them see a dietitian who will teach them how to follow a more balanced diet after they’ve lost the initial weight. There’s one study, it’s called the National Weight-Loss Registry, and they noticed that people who kept off weight for a long period of time do in fact have low-fat diets.

I actually follow a low-carb diet. I find it easier. I can eat more protein and feel satiated, and then I don’t have to have all those carbs. A typical lunch for me is a salad with chicken on top. For dinner, I typically will have at least one starch and meat. I’m very fortunate — I’m married to a dietitian. When I come home, I have freshly cut-up vegetables waiting for me. I think the secret to long-term weight loss is to marry a dietitian.

Q: What does the future hold as far as helping people pick the diet that’s best for them?

A: We’re not there yet, but eventually we’ll be taking somebody’s genetics and we’ll be looking at markers for what’s the best diet to do. It sounds sci-fi: In the next 5 to 10 years we’ll be able to use someone’s genomic information, with just a mouth swab or spitting into a tube, and give them a good idea of the best diet for their genetic makeup.

The conclusion is that all diets won't work for all people. If you're having trouble losing weight, you might be on the wrong type of diet.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you'll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.

The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide. 

Don't Forget To Exercise

Yes, your diet is important, but don’t forget the exercise. Exercise is not the same for everyone; it depends on your age and physical condition. If you’re under doctor’s care, talk to your doctor about exercise for you. If you’re a beginner, the best way to begin is to walk. You don’t need any fancy equipment or a gym membership. Just get a good pair of walking shoes. That’s really important if you’re walking on a hard surface. You need a regular athletic shoe for walking, they’re not really expensive. Don’t spend a lot of money, just get some that are comfortable.

Then start walking every day. At least 30 minutes to start and then build on that. The important thing is to walk the 30 minutes; it’s not how fast you walk. It’s not a race. If you have a weight problem, your doctor will probably say the same thing. You see at the beginning you’re only trying to condition your heart for exercise and that takes time, a different amount of time for everyone. You want to excerpt energy walking but you must be careful to watch your heart rate or heart beats per minute. Your heart should not exceed the amount of beats per minute recommended by your doctor. That’s your Max.Heart Rate. For those of you not under a doctor’s care, in order to build strength in your heart, the strength you need to actually workout, you want to estimate your “target heart rate” which is approximately 220 minus your age = target heart rate. Then plan to walk 5 minutes at a slower warm-up speed, 20 minutes at your target heart rate and 5 minutes at a slow speed to cool-down. It’s that 20 minutes at your target heart rate that’s important. Less than 20 minutes and you’re not doing any good.

Now, if you have trouble walking 20 minutes at your target heart rate then slow down and walk slower and build-up to that target rate. If you’re walking every day it should only take 7 or 10 days to get your heart rate up to your target.

As weeks go by, hopefully, you will be walking 1 hour a day. And again isn’t not a race. Yes, people in good condition will walk much faster, but speed takes months to build up to. And remember not to exceed the recommended beats per minute. Exercising can cause permanent damage to your heart if but done properly. Once your gaining strength and your heart can handle regular exercise then you’ll want to speed up the walk still doing 1 hour a day. This can be the proper amount of exercise to lose weight. After a time, it may be difficult to get your heart rate up to the target rate so swinging hand weights may be necessary.

If you’ve advanced enough to use hand weights, you might want to alternate walking with a day of free weights to build muscle. As a person ages, they lose muscle and to keep that from happening you should do some weight training. Weight training will benefit people of any age. If you’re new at weight training you might want to use a “trainer”. Personal trainers will help you tailor exercises just for your body and condition. If you’ve used a “Physical Therapist”, they can help you with exercises that are just for you. Try and get recommendations from friends or your doctor.

If your still having trouble losing weight, then it’s time to look at your diet.

—————————————————————————————————–

My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you’ll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.

The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide.

Why Do We Eat?

Food provides our bodies with fuel, but that isn't the only reason you might eat. For many people, emotions play a strong role. For example, you might eat because you are:
          
You're out with the kids and they want pizza; or sometimes you're out with your friends and they want coffee and something sweet; or maybe eating can bring you pleasure or at least, you think it might. Eating for emotional reasons often leads to overeating, since you weren't hungry in the first place. An occasional binge isn’t a serious problem. If it happens all the time, you might have Binge Eating Disorder. You can talk to your Doctor about that.

Signs That You’re Eating Because of Emotions

Something stressful happens, and you immediately want to eat.True hunger isn't affected by things like getting into a fight with your spouse or having a bad day at work.

An overwhelming urge to eat comes on suddenly. Real, physical hunger builds up slowly. You shouldn't go from "fine" to "starving" in an instant. That's a food craving and that's more of an addiction.

You only desire one particular food. When you're hungry, you might have a preference (you're in the mood for a burger, for example) but you know other options would be OK. If you'd only be satisfied by chips or ice cream, assume the urge to eat is emotional.

Still not sure if your desire to soothe your feelings with food has crossed a dangerous line? Here are some misconceptions about emotional eating and binge eating disorder.

Myth No. 1: Eating because you're upset or anxious means you have binge eating disorder.

It's true that people who binge often do so to numb emotions such as upsetting, painful, or sad feelings. But most people who turn to food because of how they're feeling do not have binge eating disorder. "We all have our comfort foods," says Randy Flanery, PhD, program director for Webster Wellness Professionals in St. Louis, MO.

If you binge, you eat much more than others would in similar situations. Those with this disorder also feel like they have no control over their eating during a binge. They usually feel very upset, guilty, or shameful about their eating. If that sounds like you, see a mental health expert for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Myth No. 2: Eating a lot of food in one sitting means you have binge eating disorder.

Eating a significant amount of food in a short amount of time is, indeed, defined as a binge. But you can binge from time to time and not have a disorder. "A lot of people -- some estimates say 80% of people -- binge occasionally. Just think about Thanksgiving," says Russell Marx, MD, chief science officer for the National Eating Disorders Association. Everyone indulges every now and then, especially at the holidays. But if you do it all the time, especially if you eat alone because you’re embarrassed about it, see a doctor. These are signs of binge eating disorder.

Myth No. 3: People with binge eating disorder overeat because they're too focused on food.

Actually, it's often the reverse: People who binge tend to not focus enough on what they're eating. They don't realize how much they've eaten until after they've finished. "Many times they're eating almost automatically without paying much attention," Flanery says. "Then later, they stop and say, 'Oh my gosh, what am I doing?'"

If you’re worried about your eating habits, keep a journal. Write down in detail how you feel before, during, and after a meal. Note what you eat and how much you ate. This can help you become more mindful about your eating.

Another tip: "Don't watch TV or read a book while you're eating. Instead, prepare your food, sit at a table, and really savor the flavors and aromas," Flanery says.

Myth No. 4: You should wait until you feel your stomach growling to eat.

Belly growling is a sign of physical hunger. But for a lot of people, the body doesn’t signal it is time to eat until many, many hours after the last meal. "A rumbling stomach can mean that it's been too long since you last ate, which makes you more vulnerable to overeating," Flanery says. It also makes you more likely to choose unhealthy foods, like those with a lot of sugar, fat, and salt.

If you are prone to binges, eating healthy food at regular mealtimes (scheduled every 3 to 4 hours) is usually a good idea. Following a schedule removes some of the decision-making (Am I really hungry?) that can be stressful, Flanery says.

Yes, bingeing is a serious problem and can be the cause of your weight problems, but I define Bing Eating Disorder as an addiction similar to alcoholism. Overeating with friends or relatives like Sunday Dinner isn't Binging and isn't a disorder, but when a person is alone and depressed and then thinks by stuffing themselves, food can make them feel better; and then hating yourself for doing it. That generally starts a cycle of bingeing and then starving yourself for a time until you binge again.

The best way to eat would be to eat several small meals a day and don't let yourself get hungry.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Do You Want To Be Thin?

Some people believe "if I just lose a little weight, I can be thin too". Well, I never found it that easy. I guess I learned the hard way. I was always a little heavy. Even back in High School, I was what my family called chubby. After I finished school I worked as a truck driver unloading the truck by hand at every stop I made, usually about 40 stops a day. After about 5 years I changed to a construction worker. I did heavy construction, steel, and concrete for bridges and tunnels, the money was better and I had a family to think about.

Both the jobs were hard work and I lost about 10 pounds without trying. I was just burning several thousand calories a day. I was 6 foot tall and weighed about 172. After I left construction and bought a small business, I started to gain weight. I was 32 years old and the next 5 years following I gained about 30 pounds, and before I was 40, I weighed about 220 pounds.

Everyone I knew had noticed and I started to feel self-conscious.  I knew I had to lose weight. I had settled into a lifestyle of self-indulgence. Finally, I joined a Health Club. It was a complete gym with machines, running track, aerobics classes, a separate room for weight lifters, a pool, jacuzzi, steam room and expansive locker room with towels provided.

I did get plenty of exercise but I didn't lose much weight and after a few years, I stopped going. Like most people I was pretty discouraged throughout my 40's and then after I sold my business, I finally got serious about losing weight.

So the reason I'm writing about myself is because I want you to know that my battle with my weight went on for more than 20 years. But I did win the battle because I never quit. I weight 165 today after more than 30 years of trying to lose weight. I reached my goal now and just work on maintaining my weight. And even maintaining is a battle, an everyday battle of watching my calories and exercising. I have no regrets, the exercise has made me a healthier person and staying thin in my senior years lets me be active. I ride a bike, swim, walk a lot, I do yoga and weight train twice a week.

Being thin can be challenging, for some people it comes easy. They're born with the right genes and they can process food without absorbing the fat. Others like me have to work at it. But if I would have taken some advice when I was younger it might have been easier.

I always thought I could do it the easy way. "I'll diet for a few weeks and I'll be thin and ready for the summer." That was a pipe dream, it never happened. Sure, it's easy to drop 5 or 10 pounds, but in a couple weeks, it comes right back. I wasn't serious about my weight, oh sure I wanted to lose weight, but doing what was necessary never happened.

I didn't get serious until I started to feel sluggish, I was tired in the afternoon, my joints started to ache and walking became a chore. My whole adult life I was in denial about my weight and maybe that was because it didn't bother me to be overweight. Then you get older and you start to feel the effects of carrying around the extra pounds, but your still in denial and think the aches and pains are because you're getting older but it's not, it's from carrying around the extra weight and because you aren't active enough it's getting harder to carry the extra weight and your heart is starting to strain under the extra work it has to do.

I think I wrote about this before, but being a little overweight isn't going to keep you from living a healthy life. You can be just as healthy as a thin person if you do regular exercise. If you're not exercising your heart will wear down from the extra strain. Extra weight causes extra strain on your heart and at the later years of middle age your heart can start to give you trouble. So actually, if you're an overweight person, exercise is more important.

Carrying extra fat especially in the waistline is the hardest fat to lose,  and it's the most dangerous to your heart. I don't really understand why, but most of us start to put on the extra pounds in our thirties and forties. Like me, though, we don't work at losing it until it starts to cause problems. By that time, you can lose the ambition to lose fat and that's probably why you see so many seniors overweight.

If you truly want to be thin, you want to do something about it when you're young enough to have the motivation to make the hard choices and get into the exercise routine before it becomes too hard on your body. It's only recently that studies have shown us that extra inches around your waist will shorten your life. The bigger your waist, the shorter your life. Do something about your weight now, while you still have the motivation.

I know I wrote mostly about exercise today but the mistake I made was the diet. I thought exercise was all I had to do. If you don't eat the foods to lose weight, you can exercise half a day every day and nothing will happen. You can't exercise away a bad diet.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My new ebook is in online bookstores now. You can go to Amazon.com and type the title in the search bar: How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight? The price is $3.99. I think you'll find it interesting. I write about myself and my battle with weight and all the mistakes I made and how you can avoid the mistakes and lose the unwanted body fat.

The ebook is also at http://barnesandnoble.com and they have a special introductory offer right now $2.99. Also available on iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, and others worldwide.