what was your health & fitness lightbulb moment?

Mrs_P_Pincher

When the demotivator thingy on here told me that I was working until the end of January every year just to buy my fags!

Day 11 of my Quit - not enjoying it one bit, but I am the best part of £50 richer already...(very MSE)

Mrs P P

Ruthie5

Mine has been looking after my Mum, who's 76 and has terrible osteoporosis (and dementia). I'm 43 now, but I want to have good bones when I get older. So I'm now makng sure I do 5x30 minutes exercise a week. I do a bit of yoga in the mornings, walk to work, play a bit of tennis with my husband. But now I just always make sure I do that minimum.

I never used to do any, so it's a big improvement.

lessonlearned

Hi Ruthie

Just a quickie. Sorry to hear about your mum - my aunt suffers with osteoporosis but so far seems to have bypassed my mum (86 on Monday).

You are dead right about the exercise - apparently we need weight bearing exercise to maintain bone density so walking, dancing etc. Calcium and Vit D are also recommended, so don't go too low on the dairy when trying to lose weight;).

murphydog999

Ruthie5 wrote: »

Mine has been looking after my Mum, who's 76 and has terrible osteoporosis (and dementia). I'm 43 now, but I want to have good bones when I get older. So I'm now makng sure I do 5x30 minutes exercise a week. I do a bit of yoga in the mornings, walk to work, play a bit of tennis with my husband. But now I just always make sure I do that minimum.

I never used to do any, so it's a big improvement.

Ruthie, well said. 'Health' tends to get forgotten where diet and fitness is concerned, when REALLY that is the MAIN reason we should watch what we eat, drink and do.

I really fear for the future of young girls (mainly, although boys are just as bad) who abuse their bodies, are already overweight in their teens, and are setting themselves up for a future of disease and ill-health. Osteoporosis is a good example, because unlike weight gain you can't see the effects until it's too late. (I really think this should be taught in schools.)

I've been a Fitness Instructor for 18 years, and in that time I have seen many people come and go with varying degrees of success; that success depends on your state of mind, and is the same mind-set as giving up smoking.

If you are sporty, had parents that always had you doing various activities, or were encouraged at games in school, this follows on, and being active is seen as a way of life.

If you have a friend like this they may well, at some stage, have dragged you kicking and screaming into a class/gym/out for a run. You know, and I know, 99% of the time this will never work.

To be successful - for whatever reason - you have got to want to do it.

The best thing about exercise (and eating well) is you know - 100% fact - that if you feel down, if you are tired, if you can't be bothered, you WILL feel SOOOO much better afterwards.

Your self-esteem rises, (because you somehow found the will power to actually get off your back-side and do something), you have more energy, your skin starts to glow, your eyes sparkle, people notice and you start to feel good, and smile more, your posture improves and you walk taller. If that's not motivation I don't know what is.

I've just watched the 'inside our bodies' programme on BBC1, and think it is absolutely criminal that we are content/or allowed to do, what amounts to pushing a self-destruct button on what is a superb piece of machinery. It is an incredibly selfish act, as any illness/disease is also borne by the people who love you, and that's not on.

cyclingyorkie

mine was july last year - my sister had swapped from WW to SW and was raving about it and a work colleague started SW and I began to think i HAD to do something:-

my dad died of a heart attack at 69, my mum (a PE teacher in her youth) struggles with her back and has had 2 hip replacements and has done nothing exercise wise apart from walk to the car for 40 years.

I had reached 48 and was 17 stone 9llbs - my hips and knees hurt and I felt run down...

I joined SW - and am now half a pound off 3 stone! I haven't weighed this low for 7-8 years!

I am now walking before breakfast every day - I love it - my legs are a lot better and i can run upstairs now! My target weight is another 3-4 stone off...but I will keep on with it cos I feel so much better!

My dress size now starts with a 1 - which is fntastic!

But best of all I feel like new person - I smile constantly!

I am so glad I have done this!

nzmegs

For me, looking at people around me who are twenty years older and who have had weight loss issues for many years. they are verging on diabetic, slightly depressed, refuse to exercise, constant aches and pains, under medication for blood pressure, hormone imbalances and goodness knows what. I just do not want to be like that. I want to enjoy my retirement, looking and feeling healthy.

Why work all these years to just be ill when the time comes to relax and really enjoy life?

I have completely overhauled my diet. I have always exercised so that hasn't been an issue, but I did start pilates to improve my flexibility and keep my back strong and I have now started to lose weight. I gave myself 6 months to get healthy and i am nearly there. I refuse to be old and ill. or worse still - young and ill!

SandC

I'm with the Cat, it was a series of things.

Approaching 40, had given up smoking but my blood pressure hadn't returned to normal and then I was declined for critical illness type health cover. Health had never crossed my mind so much in the past. My thirties was a downward spiral in the middle and I think there was an element of depression there (undiagnosed) too, judging by what my life became at one point, but I digress.

You can get away with a hell of a lot in your 20s, you can probably get away with it in your 30s if you remain active (which doesn't have to mean structured exercise but if you've a sedentary lifestyle then you need to make the effort in other ways) but getting into your forties you really need a change in attitude or a kick up the bum.

For me, I really do need to work hard at exercise, but when I do, I enjoy it. I call the thing in my thirties for 5/6 years a blip. This is the real me, which includes keeping fit and paying attention to diet. I think the key to lasting healthiness and all that goes with it is not to look at anything as temporary, or even to have a goal. Or if you do need a goal, keep shifting the posts. The gym is full of slim and fit people because it's part of their lives. They don't stop going when they get to a size 12, they keep going to stay a size 12. Or 10 or 8 or 14 or whatever size is right for them.

coco1980

My Dad died at the age of 53 from heart disease, my brother and i were told to get tested for high cholesterol and blood pressure, my cholesterol came back high and i kind of ignored it but made small changes to my diet, after xmas my brother at the grand age of 27 was told he had high blood pressure is now on medication for life for high cholesterol and has diabetes, this gave me the kick up the back side i needed, not sure how much weight i have lost but i am down 2 dress sizes, completed a 5k run in March and doing another next month and i love going to the gym.my motivation is doing my best to keep healthy for my son, so he doesnt have a sick parent to look after, oh and i stopped smoking 20 months ago