Can someone help me prioritize my health targets?

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meggs9605
meggs9605 Posts: 55 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
First, I just want to throw out there that I am following a ketogenic diet. Not "keto" as in I eat a pound of bacon and a tub of cream cheese every day; "keto" as in i am trying to eat whole foods, get about 6-8 cups of veggies (usually raw), and avoid processed /prepackaged crap.

That being said, I still have a number of adjustments to my lifestyle that I would like to make eventually. I know if I try to make all the changes overnight I will likely become overwhelmed, feel deprived, and go backwards on my healthy journey. So I want to make 1 small improvement every week or 2. I'm just not sure if the order of my targets matters. And if it does, what targets should I focus on sooner rather than later. Below are my identified targets.

- cut out artificial sweeteners
- extending my IF periods
- introduce structured work outs
- cut out alcohol (I can't seem to let go of my 2 Mich Ultras in the evenings)
- cut out dairy
- smoking (I know this should be #1, but realistically will be the hardest. I feel like I may even need it to be last since it helps me handle all of the changes I have already made. 😕)

Admittedly, my motivation primarily is weight loss. I have about 60 lbs to lose. I have done it before, but not in a healthy manner. I want to lose the weight! But I also want to do it in a healthy and sustainable way. I have found that the ketogenic lifestyle is good fit for me. I am also encouraged by research that has been coming out in the last few years. Finally, I am hoping to motivate my husband to join me if he can see my progress. He has epilepsy and is on a number of meds that have adverse effects on his health. He has gained about 70 lbs in the last 5 years, and has basically turned into a couch potato.

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Replies

  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    edited August 2018
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    This may be a bit of a deep psychological dive, but in general, I find my unhealthy behaviors stem from unhealthy or misguided thoughts, and so getting inside my head can help me sort out what's going on in there to cause the behavior that I don't like.

    So a couple of approaches:

    When setting priorities among goals, I find it helpful to ask myself:
    * if I knew I was going to die 5 DAYS from today, which one would I regret not doing?
    * If I knew I was going to die 5 YEARS from today, which one would I regret not doing?
    * if I knew I was going to live until I was 100, which one would MOST improve the quality of that future life?

    Sometimes one of those questions will shed some perspective on things that I didn't have before.

    Of the things you list, I probably wouldn't do any of it if I was going to die five days or even 5 years from today, but if I were to live until I was 100, I would want to be as active and healthy as possible in those later years as I could, and wouldn't want to be imprisoned by COPD, a respirator or an oxygen tank, OR confined to a bed or wheelchair because of weakness and inactivity. That would make quitting smoking and regular exercise my highest priorities.

    --
    A completely different way of looking at it is the "snowball" approach-- e.g., to start small and then gain momentum through success (think of Dave Ramsey's debt snowball where you pay off your smallest debt first so you get a sense of victory and accomplishment before tackling your really big debts).

    The whole point is to set yourself up for some "Atta Girl" and "Yay Me!" moments to motivate you towards the harder stuff.

    So which of the things you list do you think would be easiest for you to do?

    Would starting with dairy or artificial sweeteners help you build momentum to some of your others?

    Also, maybe there are ways to scale some of your goals- e.g., do you have to give up dairy all at once, or could you start by cutting your consumption in half? For example, I switched to almond and soy milk with no trouble, and butter and yogurt were easy because I never really consumed that much, but it took me several months to work my way off of cheese until I found some satisfying alternatives I could live with. Maybe you could approach exercise or even smoking the same way: commit to a 10-minute walk around the block and one less cigarette today than yesterday. Then once you've had some success, that 10 minutes can be increased to 20 to 30 to 40 over a period of weeks or months. Depending on how much you smoke now, one less cigarette a day can become two less then five less then half a pack or a pack less until you get to the point that you have enough momentum and success to take the plunge to quit entirely.


    Work with your brain to help your body!
  • elsie6hickman
    elsie6hickman Posts: 3,864 Member
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    It sounds like you are describing a psychological addiction as much as a physical addiction. Find something else to help with your stress - like meditation. My husband quit smoking in 1980. He did it cold turkey because there wasn't any real help back in those days. He said the thing he had the hardest time with was the habit -i.e., have a drink, light up. hang up the phone, light up, etc which is a psychological addiction.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    meggs9605 wrote: »
    First, I just want to throw out there that I am following a ketogenic diet. Not "keto" as in I eat a pound of bacon and a tub of cream cheese every day; "keto" as in i am trying to eat whole foods, get about 6-8 cups of veggies (usually raw), and avoid processed /prepackaged crap.

    That being said, I still have a number of adjustments to my lifestyle that I would like to make eventually. I know if I try to make all the changes overnight I will likely become overwhelmed, feel deprived, and go backwards on my healthy journey. So I want to make 1 small improvement every week or 2. I'm just not sure if the order of my targets matters. And if it does, what targets should I focus on sooner rather than later. Below are my identified targets.

    - cut out artificial sweeteners
    - extending my IF periods
    - introduce structured work outs
    - cut out alcohol (I can't seem to let go of my 2 Mich Ultras in the evenings)
    - cut out dairy
    - smoking (I know this should be #1, but realistically will be the hardest. I feel like I may even need it to be last since it helps me handle all of the changes I have already made. 😕)

    Admittedly, my motivation primarily is weight loss. I have about 60 lbs to lose. I have done it before, but not in a healthy manner. I want to lose the weight! But I also want to do it in a healthy and sustainable way. I have found that the ketogenic lifestyle is good fit for me. I am also encouraged by research that has been coming out in the last few years. Finally, I am hoping to motivate my husband to join me if he can see my progress. He has epilepsy and is on a number of meds that have adverse effects on his health. He has gained about 70 lbs in the last 5 years, and has basically turned into a couch potato.

    Since you've only been ketogenic for a couple of weeks, I would consider easing into exercise. Maybe start with going for walks. It will take another month or so for you to be fat adapted, and until then you may lack some energy for weights or more explosive movements. On the other hand, if you start now, it may be one suddenly easier for you in a month or so. ;)

    Artificial sweeteners you could cut at any time. Or not. Some stevia in coffee is often not a problem for people.

    If dairy is a problem for you, cut it out now. If not, keep it. If you suspect it is a problem I would cut it out once you are comfortable with keto and know how you feel eating that way, so you will be able to recognize improved symptoms that you can attribute to dairy being eliminated.

    Many keto'ers find they naturally fall into IF due to reduced appetite. I did after a few months. Perhaps just listen to your hunger cues and go with longer IF when it is warranted.

    Alcohol... If it is a problem then cut it back or out. If not, just choose lower carb drinks.

    I'll just wish you luck on the smoking. I would do that one once you are stable in your diet too. I know a few people who gained when they quit do being comfortable and steady with your diet could help prevent that.

    Good luck with your hubby. I'm surprised he won't try keto with you since it is often a successful treatment option for epileptics. Is he aware of that? There are a number of keto'ers around here, and in the Low Carber Daily and Keto MFP groups who use keto to control their seizures.
  • meggs9605
    meggs9605 Posts: 55 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    meggs9605 wrote: »
    elsie6hickman wrote: »
    It sounds like you are describing a psychological addiction as much as a physical addiction. Find something else to help with your stress - like meditation. My husband quit smoking in 1980. He did it cold turkey because there wasn't any real help back in those days. He said the thing he had the hardest time with was the habit -i.e., have a drink, light up. hang up the phone, light up, etc which is a psychological addiction.

    I agree with you completely. I have a very compulsive personality. Ironically, when I was exercising regularly and quit smoking, my cardio performance got worse. My trainer actually told me that he wasn't surprised. He said smokers have better lung capacity because they are used to taking such deep breaths. (I have no idea if that's true. ) He said he even smoked 2 or 3 cigarettes the morning of a big race. Obviously that piece of info has stuck with me, and I have used it as a way to justify the nasty habit. But I agree with all of you. I. Need. To. Stop. Smoking!

    What your trainer told you is absolutely and utterly untrue. Smoking *damages* lung capacity: https://www.verywellmind.com/smokers-lungs-vs-normal-healthy-lungs-4107829
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944281/


    Someone who usually doesn't smoke deciding to smoke a few cigarettes the morning of a big race is so unusual and counter-productive, I have to wonder if this guy knows anything about anything. It's semi-deranged. A PT providing encouragement for clients to keep smoking by providing false information is such a violation. I thought I'd heard everything when it comes to stories of terrible and misinformed PTs, but this is a new one.

    I agree with you completely. I own my faults and hold ONLY myself accountable for MY poor choices. But looking back on it now, I am upset that he ever even planted that seed in my head. He never actually said that I SHOULD smoke, but he never passed along any info relevant on smoking other than, "people shouldn't smoke...but I do..." I hope that he is no longer a PT, or at least has stopped sharing such information.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
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    meggs9605 wrote: »
    elsie6hickman wrote: »
    It sounds like you are describing a psychological addiction as much as a physical addiction. Find something else to help with your stress - like meditation. My husband quit smoking in 1980. He did it cold turkey because there wasn't any real help back in those days. He said the thing he had the hardest time with was the habit -i.e., have a drink, light up. hang up the phone, light up, etc which is a psychological addiction.

    I agree with you completely. I have a very compulsive personality. Ironically, when I was exercising regularly and quit smoking, my cardio performance got worse. My trainer actually told me that he wasn't surprised. He said smokers have better lung capacity because they are used to taking such deep breaths. (I have no idea if that's true. ) He said he even smoked 2 or 3 cigarettes the morning of a big race. Obviously that piece of info has stuck with me, and I have used it as a way to justify the nasty habit. But I agree with all of you. I. Need. To. Stop. Smoking!

    OMG, this is so wrong. I'm a runner. My friends are all runners and triathletes. Never ever heard of this. You don't see a lot of cigarette butts at the track.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    If you dare, ask yourself if you're really setting up many small and insignificant goals to overwhelm you, so you can avoid tackling the big and important ones. In my opinion, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake comes first.

    To lose weight, eat less. Eat keto if you like, but eat less.
    Yes to be more active - it doesn't have to be structured in the sense of planned and scheduled exercise, but a structure in the sense of linked to another activity, like walking to the store, or doing jumping-jacks while the water boils.
    Then I would cut out foods that give a tummy ache - if it's cheese, cut the cheese, or do you have reactions to yogurt, milk and sour cream too?
    Then I would investigate if artificial sweeteners is a big problem. If you're eating a lot of foods that contain artificial sweeteners, or requires sweetening, maybe you should restructure your meals instead?
    Then I would take a long and hard look at meal schedule. Maybe the idea of IF is redundant already, by now. Why would a narrower "feeding window" help you? Can you think of any reason it could possibly backfire?

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