Words of Wisdom

SteveT59

Not sure if this is the right section for this, but I'm putting it up anyway. This is meant as a bit of advice for you youngsters out there, I'm not saying it's suited to everyone, but this is my bit.

In my youth, I was really active. Football (Soccer to out friends across the pond) was my life, it's all I did at any spare moment I had, even if there was no one else around I would be found kicking a ball against a wall somewhere.

After leaving school I was quite fit, I joined the Royal Navy and my fitness increased, but so did my penchant for what you may consider to be an unhealthy lifestyle.

It was common for me and my colleagues when not at sea to be intoxicated on a regular basis, a typical night would see us consume in excess of 10 pints of beer and on the way back to the messdeck, stop and buy some fish and chips or some such. Next morning we would be up and down the gym or off for a run, still I was "fit", or so I thought.

After a few years I left the navy, still continuing to go jogging every other day; still unfortunately consuming rubbish foods, but thankfully not the alcohol.

Then, all of a sudden, I stopped jogging. Big mistake, because I was still eating "junk food" the pounds piled on. In two years my weight increased by 5 stones (70lbs), but because I was so young, I could cope physically with this increase in weight so subsequently didn't realise just how much it was increasing.

Fast forward 30 years, sporadic dieting had my weight fluctuating between 220 and 280 lbs (around 16 - 20 stones). Then last November I suffered a heart attack, obviously I survived (thank you NHS, you're brilliant) and have rejoined the ranks of MFP.

The lesson I've learned that I would like to impart is, despite having a six pack on the outside, you could well be overweight on the inside. Do you really need another KFC, McD's, Pizza Slice?

Please, please, please, think about what you are eating, a heart attack is not nice for anyone. It's not just the physical occurrence of the attack, it's afterwards, all the meds, the constant mood swings from elated that you're alive to absolute depression for no reason whatsoever. I implore you, just take these words from an old (ish) man and learn from MY mistakes, and make sure you don't make the same.

Goz

WhileIStillCan

Very glad to hear that you are doing well now. You write well, and your words of wisdom ring true. I have always been a great procrastinator about my weight, which seems to go higher with each passing year. I am almost 62. My wakeup call came in the form of cancer, for which obesity is a definite risk factor. Having to tell my daughter I had cancer was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I NEVER want to have to do that again. Ever so thankfully, I also have come through with good results, and now want to remove as many risk factors as I can and nurture new habits that will allow me to stay as healthy and active as possible.

Best wishes to you, Goz.

Becky