How To Die Healthy

Well, it is now two and a half months since I started to try to lose weight. My problem was I had too much visceral fat which was not leaving enough space for my lungs to fully expand. For that reason, I was getting easily out of breath and suffered from sleep apnea. Not good.

I set myself a target weight of 80 to 82 kilos, which meant I needed to lose about 10kg. At one point my weight was 92 kg, with those extra kg centered around my abdomen. Fat belly skinny limbs.

I soon figured out that the key was to increase my burn rate of calories and at the same time decrease my caloric intake. So out went my favorite pistachio nut biscuits, cheesecake pudding, white bread, and hot buttered scones.

In came low-calorie pasta and rice, lots of veg, reduced portions of all meals, and brown whole wheat bread. The thing to remember is that those lovely treats are not gone forever. I can treat myself a little when I reach certain targets.

The next thing I looked at was liquids. Lots of water and green tea, with the odd small glass of red or white wine, or a ginger beer. Of course, I still drink about three or four coffees a day. Everything else is off the menu for the time being.

Next, exercise. I have been regularly cycling for quite a few years now anyway, but I needed to be more disciplined about distances. Now I aim to do a minimum of five km twice a day, and if it is not too hot I try for fifteen, or twenty, km even.

I also do a bit of walking on a regular basis, even if it is only a local air-conditioned Shopping Mall. There are a few parks we like to visit, weather permitting, but they involve a longish drive in the car.

The good news is that today, after two and a half months I have hit 83.50 kg, which is a loss of almost 9.0kg, not too far off my target weight. I am not going to say it has been easy, but neither has it been too difficult. One thing I wanted to ensure was that I could still enjoy life. I am determined to enjoy the process without getting obsessed about targets or rates of weight loss. It is not a race and never will be. I am in it for the long haul, it is a marathon, not a sprint.

Having said that, I am looking to hit my target of about 80kg by the end of this month. After that, it will be a simple case of maintaining that weight. Yes, there will have to be a few sacrifices, but hopefully not too many.

As for health benefits, I am now breathing a lot more easily and sleep soundly. What's more, a recent health check and blood test at my local private hospital has shown that my health is now tons better than it was three years ago!

In 2020 I was the poster boy for old age and ill health. A routine full health check revealed I had suffered a silent heart attack, a mini-stroke, COPD, PMR, GCA, blocked arteries, high blood pressure, you name it I had it.

This got worse in 2021 when I fell off my bike in the rain and broke my left hip and leg, and as a result of being bed bound for three months, I had collapsed lungs and nonfunctioning bowels. Thankfully all was resolved and I have been getting better every day.

Hopefully, the health trajectory I am presently on will continue upward as I get ever closer to my optimal weight for my age and height. And that should see me moving into a purple patch during the Autumn of my life. None of us know how long we have left, but the important thing is to enjoy what time you have left, even if it is only a few years. I might be knocking on seventy years of age, but I do not want to be old and crotchety, ever. As the late Liverpool Football club manager once said, I want to die the healthiest man alive.

Final reminder:

To lose weight you have to… 

1.Decrease calory intake by cutting out junkfood and eating reduced portions.

2.Increase calory burn by taking up, or by, increasing regular exercise.