Really?? You want me to give some advice?

Yes, those were words spoken by me recently. I was asked on two separate occasions my advice on exercise and weight loss. My first inclination was to answer with usual sarcastic/self deprecating joke about how I am still fat wearing size 38 pants and still weighing over 200 pounds. But, I could see these people were serious and were really interested in what I had to say. I figured it would translate into a decent blog.

Exercise:
Find something you like to do and do it often. Whether it is running, playing a sport, weightlifting, etc… Do something you find fun, get your heart rate up, and enjoy sweating. I choose running because it was a cost benefit analysis for me. Running does not require a membership and the equipment you need is relatively inexpensive. All you need is clothes that you probably already own and some shoes. I do recommend visiting a store that specializes in running to get the proper shoe for your body. I started running in shoes that were not right for me and let to horrible shin splints. Running has also been a great stress relief for me. As will any exercise program.

Nutrition:
I hate the word diet. To me the word screams short term/fad. I prefer to think of it as a lifestyle change. To be honest, the nutrition has been my biggest obstacle. With our lives being so fast paced and loaded with activities, it is very easy to fall into the pitfall of fast food and pre packaged meals. I have been guilty of this and it is hard to break the cycle. I try to do my best to buy healthy choices and eat better quality food. When we are out, I try to stay away from fried foods and desserts. Even if you have a fast paced life you there are a few steps you can take and they have worked well for me.
1. Limit sodas. I have one a day and that is my kick start for the morning. For the most part, I never touch a regular soda. I go wit diet Dr. Pepper or Lipton Diet Green Tea. Downing a 6 pack of soda, even diet, is not good for you. I know diet drinks have no calories, but take a look at all the sodium that is in a single can. Moderation is key.
2. If you have to eat fast food, skip the value meals. If the government wants to help and protect the American people, then they should go after all the fast food restaurants and super value meals – (KFC Double Down, need I say more). Sorry for the side rant. I prefer to eat salads with minimal dressing of just grabbing a sandwich (sans mayo) and a drink (diet or tea). Limit the fries. They have practically no nutritional value.
3. Don’t forget the water. Drink as much as you can. After my morning caffeine, I will drink at least two 32 oz bottles of water while I am at work and another 32 oz bottle before bed. Drinking water can starve off hunger pains and limit over easting. Two reasons to drink before bed. Having water in your belly before bed will help digest any food left in your belly and it will make me get up around 5:30 or 6 AM to go to the bathroom. That will set me up to get out the door for a morning run.
4. Don’t eat after 7pm. If you must eat after 7, make it something eerily digestible like fruits, yogurt, whey protein shake, etc… If you are stuffing your face with ice cream, cookies, junk food, etc.. your body will not have time to digest much if any of the food and your body cannot process it and it will turn into what we are trying to get rid of.

When it comes to nutrition just use some common sense when it comes to food and you will see some results.

These are tips from me. I have no medical degree nor nutritional experience. These are things that I have used to some success and have picked up from nutritional magazines and websites. I hope this helped the people that have asked and maybe some one reading this will pick up something that will help them.