Keeping It Fun

ljgadbois

If it isn't fun, you won't do it.

I'm a 30 year old man who spent too many years sitting on a computer chair, and too much money on fast food and marijuana.

I hated exercise. I knew it was good for me, I knew all of the benefits, I knew all of the risks of not exercising. I just couldn't do it. I hated how much it hurt, I hated how I didn't feel any benefits or changes, and I hated how it left me sore throughout the week. I never kept a habit for longer than a few weeks.

Last year I discovered my love of bouldering. It reminded me of how I would spend my recess periods in grade school. I loved swinging on the monkey bars, jumping all over the equipment, climbing up the slides, and even trying to climb on top of the swing sets. I got a membership in Oct. 2024 and I've maintained a habit of climbing at least 2-3 times a week for at least 30 minutes for an entire year. In recent months, I've gotten my frequency up to 5 times a week, usually between 40 minutes to an hour each session.

A year ago, my triglycerides were at 415, my blood pressure was in the mid 130s over high 80s, and my cholesterol while not out of range, was pretty much at the highest point of the tolerable range. I've been getting more and more conscious of my veggie intake as well as my fast food intake, and I recently started counting calories with this app since two weeks ago. At the end of August this year, my triglycerides were cut almost in half to 250, my blood pressure was 112/72, and my non-HDL cholesterol went down about 10 points. Since I started tracking calories 2 weeks ago, I've lost 10 pounds. I was at 225, and my goal weight is 180 so I can be in my healthy range for my BMI. I'm 5'9".

I don't stress about hitting macro goals precisely. Trying to meal plan stresses me out. When I think about my food for the day, I just try to seek higher fiber items and higher protein items. I don't restrict carbs, I love a good fried chicken, or a mac n cheese, or a bagel and cream cheese. I just tend to make the meals I know I like and add a veggie or a fruit to it. I get some recipe ideas from YouTubers who promote the ideas of "What can I add" instead of "what can I cut out". I have a playlist of either simple-looking or tasty-looking (oftentimes both) recipes on YouTube for when I'm struggling to think of what I want to eat. Also zero sugar sodas and stevia sweetened drinks have been huge for me. I simply cannot give up carbonated drinks. I refuse.

Working out and diet adjustment are not supposed to be exercises in self-torture. If it isn't fun, you won't do it. If you don't like it, you won't do it. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Follow your intuition. Life is meant to be joyous. Working out and dieting should challenge you, not torture you. Don't feel bad for not fitting the mold of some ideal healthy person. Running, weight lifting, and eating only salads and rice cakes is not the only way to lose weight and improve your heart health. Find your way. Make it fun. I'm going my way, and it's fun. It's challenging, but it's fun.