December 5, 2008 at 8:42 am
Laurie Dunn (12/5/2008)
Just the mentioning of Diet Dr. Pepper caused me to go get one. I am weak for its fizzy goodness.
A case a week. I am also quite a perfectionist about my work -- the opposite of those who would forego testing, I would kick it back a dozen times after it's already passed user and validation cuz it's just not 'finished'. Fortunately, I have learned to compromise, and a good manager knows how to get the best out of me and then cut me off with a shiny, new, more interesting priority.
I am overweight and I smoke, but both in somewhat moderation. Nor am I a drinker. My biggest personal vice that I would like to change is staying up till 2 am and skipping out on a good night's rest. Doesn't matter if I'm on a CBT, a good book, a tempting Netflix, or Disney's toontown, I just can't get to bed on time! Changing this would make my health, my weight, quitting smoking, everything else less of an issue.
PS a word to the caffeine addicts - I've quit several times for other health reasons, and I've learned that the headache is from low blood sugar. If you need to cut the caffeine, keep some hard candy handy for the first few days, or try herbal tea with honey or even some hot chocolate to scale it back, especially if you just miss the coffee feeling.
😎 Kate The Great :w00t:
If you don't have time to do it right the first time, where will you find time to do it again?
December 5, 2008 at 8:49 am
I've tried Atkins, didn't like it. Felt tired, missing some energy. Tried South Beach, with better results, but it didn't fit me.
We have done the Body For Life (http://bodyforlife.com/)diet a few times, usually for 8-10 week stretches, and after a very, very hard couple weeks, it's one I like. I have lots of energy and the meals work well for me.
That being said, preparing 6 meals a day and getting some variety is hard for me after a few weeks. It takes a long time to do it and doesn't fit my lifestyle that well. So now we're on, or at least I try, for a modified BFL diet. Doesn't work as well, but isn't a huge impact on my life, which is part of the deal. I need something that will last me my lifetime, not for weeks or months.
December 5, 2008 at 8:49 am
Manie Verster (12/5/2008)
Smoking is my problem. I have tried numerous times already and after say 3 months I start again. . . . Give me some nice tips on quitting smoking
Manie,
I work at one of the top respiratory hospitals in the US. I just attended a talk last month about Clinical trials of different methods to quit.
They showed that the Patch has the highest compliance rate of the different methods, and it also has the highest rate of success at staying smoke-free one year later. Also, it is a myth that it is dangerous to be using the patch and smoke a cigarette. Not true. If you slip up, it's not a problem.
They also stressed behavior modification. Figure out what activites you do during the day where you automatically smoke a cigarette, ie. when you drink cup of coffee - drink tea instead, when you are at the pub - go to a movie instead, etc.
Also, have a toothpick or a cut-off soda-straw to handle in your hand whenever you feel like you want to hold a cigarette.
Finally, celebrate your successes (even the little ones, like "I didn't smoke all morning.") and give yourself lots of positive self-talk about your progress.
Good luck, and keep trying!
p.s. My weakness is chocolate! In the afternoon, I want to raid the junk food machines. Lately I have been challenging myself to eat an orange instead. It's working! 🙂
December 5, 2008 at 8:51 am
It is the excesses that make life interesting and enjoyable. It is also what makes life potentially shorter. I would rather enjoy an excess of something now even if it means I die earlier.
It would be a completely horrid life if I followed every diet, health, and social norm. I may live to be 100 but it would be a miserable 100.
If I had to pick something to change it would be my procrastination. My motto is don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow. I'm even procrastinating on a project to write this. Somebody slap my hands. 😉
December 5, 2008 at 9:02 am
I had the same experiences with Atkins. One thing they fail to emphasize, additionally, is the bad things that diet may do to some people's cholesterol levels. Mine shot through the roof, so I have cut way back on meat.
I too wanted a life change that basically led to a better BMI, so I stumbled onto SparkPeople. Not that the SP site is any better than the myriad others on the web, it did help a lot. There are many other sites like SP, and they all do similar things: enable you to track your eating and exercise. I started out walking the big dog 1-2 miles 4 times a week for all of my exercise and I began to lose weight immediately.
You also have to be honest with yourself, which I have found is a very difficult thing for anyone to do. I quit smoking about 500 times before I finally walked away from cigarettes. I had to listen to my body and get honest, which was something like finding the right "attitude" (which is what I tell people).
I am also a big DIY kind of guy, which means I tend to think that support groups are useless. For me, they don't do much, but others find them very helpful. The online dieting/life-changing sites like SP really do have the right tools for someone who knows they need to change their habits, but aren't sure where to begin.
December 5, 2008 at 9:10 am
For the dieting areas, might I suggest "The Zone Diet". I haven't looked closely at Atkins, but as I understand it, one of the "phases" that you go into is really using the Zone diet.
Briefly put, you determine your protein requirements, which then is used to detemine the carb. and fat numbers. There is a lot more to it than this (types of carbs and fats, etc) but even if you are not closely watching everything, you can still approximate.
Beer's Law: Absolutum obsoletum
"if it works it's out-of-date"
December 5, 2008 at 9:17 am
skjoldtc (12/5/2008)
It is the excesses that make life interesting and enjoyable. It is also what makes life potentially shorter. I would rather enjoy an excess of something now even if it means I die earlier.It would be a completely horrid life if I followed every diet, health, and social norm. I may live to be 100 but it would be a miserable 100.
If I had to pick something to change it would be my procrastination. My motto is don't do today what you can put off until tomorrow. I'm even procrastinating on a project to write this. Somebody slap my hands. 😉
I am going to have to seriously concentrate on giving up smoking. But i have learnt there is no 'giving up'. the term makes it seem like there is a timeline to it, which there isn't. If you have a cigarette your a smoker if you don't, your not there is no 'giving up' in between.
If dying from smoking related diseases was a bit cheaper it would be useful to our population (UK). As of summer this year we now have more over 65's than under 16's and we are truly becoming an aging nation. The fact is our populations age distribution may come to rely on smokers dying early to ease pensions and provide more funding for educating the young, would be a perfect system without the healthcare costs.
December 5, 2008 at 9:27 am
I used to go through 2 bottles of Diet Mountain Dew per day - 2 liters each. For those outside the US Mountain Dew is lemon and lime flavored carbonated caffeine. :w00t: I work wired even for a wireless company. Oh, the diet version has the extra boost in that the body does not have access to the sugar normally in the soda. Sort of like trying to put out a brush fire by spraying it with petrol.
Durk Pearson says that this is a good way to burn out your supply of brain chemicals. I used some of the stuff he designed to put the good stuff back. That's like giving the fire an endless fuel supply AND an after burner.
I've slowed down in recent years. I've converted back to slower burning proteins, cutting fat intake, curtailing the all day desert buffet. Hey they said I should limit to 1500 calories per day. That's roughly 1/2 of a chocolate cake. I cut the half into 3 pieces: Breakfast, Lunch, Supper. Look a the ingredients. I took my advice from Dr. Bill Cosby - yes that Bill Cosby.
My biggest vice - Humor.
I guess I just think funny.
ATBCharles Kincaid
December 5, 2008 at 9:29 am
My major issues are diet (I hate veggies and love chocolate), procrastination, and eating out. I'd go out for every meal if I could afford it.
Jack Corbett
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December 5, 2008 at 9:39 am
There are two things that I would like change about myself: which one is my number one vice seems to change daily. The first is being arrogant. I am a careful thinker, very high on the intelligence scale (at least as measured by the psychologists), and have been practicing programming for a long time. I have the habit of assuming that I already know the answer and not giving others a serious listen. This habit runs throughout my life and my children remind me constantly (sarcasm mode on --and with great respect of the parental role-- sarcasm mode off) to be a good listener. The other vice I struggle with is a short attention span; it is too easy to get distracted by every little shiny issue in my line of sight, or to get bored with my current task and look for something NEW to focus on.
I have struggled with these my whole life, and I guess that what I have learned is that I must be constantly sensitive, because they are not going away.
December 5, 2008 at 9:42 am
david.murden (12/5/2008)
skjoldtc (12/5/2008)
It is the excesses that make life interesting and enjoyable. It is also what makes life potentially shorter. I would rather enjoy an excess of something now even if it means I die earlier.It would be a completely horrid life if I followed every diet, health, and social norm. I may live to be 100 but it would be a miserable 100.
If dying from smoking related diseases was a bit cheaper it would be useful to our population (UK). As of summer this year we now have more over 65's than under 16's and we are truly becoming an aging nation. The fact is our populations age distribution may come to rely on smokers dying early to ease pensions and provide more funding for educating the young, would be a perfect system without the healthcare costs.
That is a very interesting if not cynical take on diseases and ailments; that if it wasn't so expensive to take care of sick elderly people that it would be a financial boon to the country to have life expectancy be lower. They say that 90% of healthcare costs occur in the last 1 year of life.
But I disagree that living certain excesses allow more fun in the short term. A cleaner lifestyle should make us feel healthy, more energetic the rest of the time. Seems like a small sacrifice to make. I suppose anyone can get hit by truck, but by playing percentages we can hope to live a longer, productive life. End of speech 🙂
December 5, 2008 at 9:49 am
Charles Kincaid (12/5/2008)
I used to go through 2 bottles of Diet Mountain Dew per day - 2 liters each.
In 2004, I worked on a project where my boss and I travelled to London, UK to work 2 weeks every 2 months. He was addicted to Diet Mountain Dew, and he couldn't buy the diet version in London, so he literally would pack one full-sized, hard-sided suitcase full of bottles of Diet Mountain Dew every trip!
December 5, 2008 at 9:50 am
Laurie Dunn (12/5/2008)
Just the mentioning of Diet Dr. Pepper caused me to go get one. I am weak for its fizzy goodness.
I really loved the Diet Berries & Cream Dr Pepper, but they dropped it saying it wasn't selling. Heck, our neighborhood Safeway couldn't keep it on the shelves!
December 5, 2008 at 9:59 am
My biggest vice is chocolate. (I was surprised I had to reach the 3rd or 4th page before anyone even mentioned chocolate!) I love chocolate. I consume waaaaay too much chocolate -- candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, muffins, scones, tortes, etc. The more chocolate-y it is, the better. In fact, if it is a dessert and it is not chocolate, it is just not worth the extra calories to me, so I won't even eat it.
December 5, 2008 at 10:05 am
My worse vice is sometimes I answer a question honestly without thinking how my answer will affect the other person. Not that I am totally insensitive at all times, just sometimes I blurt out what was the first thing I thought when they asked the question. So I need a bit better "white lie" filter.
Re: diet - the thing that worked for me was one month of Pure Protein under a doctor's care (to make sure no adverse effects), alternating the next month with a standard low calorie diet, then back to Pure Protein, etc. With Pure Protein you can eat as much as you want of low-fat meats, but no cheese, fats, veggies, starches, sugars. Literally you can each steak followed by chicken and you will lose weight. This can put a strain on kidney function and blood pressure, thus the reason for monitoring by a doctor. The problem is that once you are off the diet you haven't really learned the right way to eat. Which is what I am trying to do now.
Re: smoking - a study came out about 15 years ago which proved that the chemicals in smoking stimulated the endorphin center in the brain, which is why it is so hard to kick the habit. Although food can taste weird, which is why some smokers don't have much of a weight problem, the other sensual pleasures are enhanced by smoking. Personally I was never interested in smoking because my Dad was a heavy smoker and I saw what it did to him. He died of emphysema at age 64 after about ten years of declining physical ability, including numerous small strokes.
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