Hello everyone, I've been a heavy-set guy for most of my adult life. I was in pretty good condition when I was in High School but in my senior year of high school, the combination of cooking in a kitchen and driving a car (instead of walking or riding a bicycle) packed on about twenty pounds in what seemed like a few days.
Fast forward thirty years and weight loss, then weight gain (rinse and repeat numerous times). Well next year I'm turning fifty and it appears that all my little health problems (thankfully nothing serious) like indigestion, sleep apnea, and high triglycerides have been a direct result of poor eating habits and moderate to no serious excercise.
About a five weeks ago I had to get some blood work for an upcoming physical. When my results were sent to my email (modern conveniences of this computer age) I was looking at one number that actually made me worried. It was a liver enzyme (ALT) count. Over the years it had always been between 4-60 ul (usually around 40 ul or so) but this time it was 93.
I started reading about all the horrible things that could be wrong with me until I actually spoke to my doctor. He didn't seem too shocked, he just said to take the blood test again, maybe it was a beer I had a few days before or "fatty liver". So I took the test a week later and it was still a little high... this time it was 85ul. This was my "Ah-Ha" moment. I decided to quit fooling myself and make a realistic weight loss goal with a sensible plan. I had grown to 243 lbs. and was sticking around there for a few years. My diet wasn't horrible, just too much food and not enough excercise. The biggest change, cut out the beer. I was only drinking beer on the weekends but during the summer all those empty calories were keeping the fat on me and my doctor suspected that I may have a fatty liver from this ("fatty liver"... sounds sexy eh??).
New rules, small portions, drink water (not beer), get to the gym and do some weight training, and finally, go back to riding my bicycle if I needed to get somewhere after work or on the weekend instead of hopping in the SUV.
Long story short, I've followed this plan for about five weeks and it is working great. My ALT went down to 60 ul (and improving) and I've been riding my bicycle about six miles approx 4 times a week. I've been weight training three or four times a week too and besides feeling burned out every once in a while (I had to make time to just kick back), I've been getting better sleep. I'm now 227 lbs. and I will get down to 185 lbs. which is my goal. I don't have a time frame, I'm just sticking to my daily routine and in time I will do it.
Sorry this was so long and drawn out but that's the story so far.
Here's hoping that we can inspire each other and all enjoy better fitness.
Wally
Fast forward thirty years and weight loss, then weight gain (rinse and repeat numerous times). Well next year I'm turning fifty and it appears that all my little health problems (thankfully nothing serious) like indigestion, sleep apnea, and high triglycerides have been a direct result of poor eating habits and moderate to no serious excercise.
About a five weeks ago I had to get some blood work for an upcoming physical. When my results were sent to my email (modern conveniences of this computer age) I was looking at one number that actually made me worried. It was a liver enzyme (ALT) count. Over the years it had always been between 4-60 ul (usually around 40 ul or so) but this time it was 93.
I started reading about all the horrible things that could be wrong with me until I actually spoke to my doctor. He didn't seem too shocked, he just said to take the blood test again, maybe it was a beer I had a few days before or "fatty liver". So I took the test a week later and it was still a little high... this time it was 85ul. This was my "Ah-Ha" moment. I decided to quit fooling myself and make a realistic weight loss goal with a sensible plan. I had grown to 243 lbs. and was sticking around there for a few years. My diet wasn't horrible, just too much food and not enough excercise. The biggest change, cut out the beer. I was only drinking beer on the weekends but during the summer all those empty calories were keeping the fat on me and my doctor suspected that I may have a fatty liver from this ("fatty liver"... sounds sexy eh??).
New rules, small portions, drink water (not beer), get to the gym and do some weight training, and finally, go back to riding my bicycle if I needed to get somewhere after work or on the weekend instead of hopping in the SUV.
Long story short, I've followed this plan for about five weeks and it is working great. My ALT went down to 60 ul (and improving) and I've been riding my bicycle about six miles approx 4 times a week. I've been weight training three or four times a week too and besides feeling burned out every once in a while (I had to make time to just kick back), I've been getting better sleep. I'm now 227 lbs. and I will get down to 185 lbs. which is my goal. I don't have a time frame, I'm just sticking to my daily routine and in time I will do it.
Sorry this was so long and drawn out but that's the story so far.
Here's hoping that we can inspire each other and all enjoy better fitness.
Wally
