Nutrition is a topic that has never interested me. I eat what I like, pretty much, and have been lucky because not only is Mrs. Noob an excellent cook, but she does pay attention to nutrition, and cooks healthy meals. So my weight has never been the problem that it could be. I’m just heavy.
But I’m at the point where I’ve decided that watching what I eat has to be an integral part of my overall fitness regime. I jogged for 28 years before my knees gave out and I took up biking. During that time pounding the pavement, I learned that it doesn’t matter how much you exercise, if you eat like a pig, you’ll still gain weight.
My weight is probably 30 pounds higher than it should be. I can’t seem to crack the 200-pound threshold, although I came close while training for the century last summer.
The problem is, that in my late 50s, I need to bring down my weight. I’m already taking pills for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I know that if I embark on a regular exercise program — not just riding the bike when I feel like it, and the weather looks good — I will be able to bring those things back to their normal levels. What’s sad is, I’ve done it before, and then backslid.
Lately, I’m getting inspiration from my son. He’s set himself a goal of losing 150 pounds, and has already lost 60. He combines daily workouts with careful eating habits, and aims to drop only a couple of pounds each week. It’s working for him. Now, if I really put my mind and effort to it, maybe it can work for me, too.
When my father was diagnosed with diabetes he gave a determined effort to lose weight. His method: no ‘bad’ food, much less beer, and more biking. It worked. He’s lost about 80lbs and his health is so much better now. (And he was 62 when he started)
If you’re the analytical type, check out the calorie consumption / burn tracker on LIVESTRONG. You can find it at http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/. Good luck with your weight and nutrition goals!
I second Jeff’s recommendation for the Daily Plate, it’s a good app for tracking your calories. For me I cut back on eating out to once a week, then once a month. Now I never eat fast food and only eat out on special occasions.
Food is the crabgrass in the lawn of weight loss. The best advice I can give is to emphasize quality over quantity. You say that Mrs. Noob is an excellent cook – that’s a great start. The wildcard is what you consume when you’re away from the house.
Food is my downfall too. I like it way too much but didn’t give it much thought until I got put on BP meds last Spring. With me the way it works is pretty simple, when I’m stressed I eat more. When I cycle a lot the stress goes away…when the stress goes away I eat less. So for me, cycling actually suppresses my appetite with two exceptions: 1. the first meal after a long ride and 2. breakfast. Good luck Noob! I’ll be doing it with you.