Simplify, then add lightness

"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake) 09/29/2015 at 16:02 • Filed to: Health

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OK, maybe I haven’t gone from a Bentley to a Lotus, but I’ve definitely gone from a Suburban to a Tahoe.

I’ve lost about 20 pounds in the last 12 weeks mostly through a bit of exercise (not anything extreme) and portion control.

I’m not really that embarrassed by my weight, never have been, but the big thing that got me putting out some effort was the fact that my company offers a health insurance discount if you meet certain criteria. I obviously didn’t meet said criteria so here we are.

I don’t have any specific weight target in mind (though I should if I’m going to meet next year’s insurance discount criteria). I'm mostly just happy to be improving my health, which means a lot coming from a family with a history of heart trouble.

Danger Ranger XLT > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 16:21

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Congrats on the physical weight loss. The family history of heart trouble resonates: both of my grandfathers had vicious heart problems that contributed to their deaths. That, coupled with a bonus family history of diabetes, means I’ve recently been watching my weight and well-being like a hawk. Being healthy is hard and stuff (I’ve got beer to drink and food to consume, damn it).

Edit: I think I read your post incorrectly. Did I read it wrong??? I am not a smart man.......

StingrayJake > Danger Ranger XLT 09/29/2015 at 16:25

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I don’t have a Suburban/Tahoe. It was a (apparently bad) metaphor for my weight loss.

But I grew up riding in mid-to-late 90s Suburbans and my parents still drive a Tahoe. I’m a big fan and my wife really wants one. We’re just not in the market at the moment because we’re a typical young American couple (we broke).

Danger Ranger XLT > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 16:31

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I just realized what you meant! I edited my post, but still. Metaphors are hard, and I am not a smart man....

But still, weight loss, being healty, all that jazz is hard if you’ve gone through a period without. I was coming up on 10 years without a dedicated workout plan before I decided enough is enough. I never had a problem with what I looked like or felt like, but being healthy has its benefits!

willkinton247 > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 16:45

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What insurance company do you have? That’s a really smart program. Incentivize health.

StingrayJake > Danger Ranger XLT 09/29/2015 at 16:47

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Yep. I actually don’t run (yet). I still hate running. But even walking a mile at a brisk pace when I first started felt pretty excruciating (I have a desk job and am on my butt a lot). Now I ususally do two miles 3-5 times a week (depends on my schedule) but I can comfortably do 3-4 miles and not feel like I’m dying. My heartrate has improved enough that I might start trying some 5K training in the near future.

Exercise after doing no exercise for a decade is certainly hard, but perseverance can get you where you want to go.

StingrayJake > willkinton247 09/29/2015 at 16:49

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The company’s plan is with Cigna. Honestly the plan isn’t paritcularly good but it’s better than nothing and I’ll happily improve my health in the name of a discount ($3/check vs. about $43/check).

willkinton247 > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 16:54

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That’s a huge discount. I’d probably work my butt off to get that kind of discount too. What sort of exercise have you been doing?

StingrayJake > willkinton247 09/29/2015 at 17:19

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Walking, actually. And usually with our dog. I started out just doing 1-2 miles a couple times a week before I met with the company-provided health coach. Now I do two miles (takes about 35 minutes) 4-5 times per week. My heartrate has improved quite a bit since I first started but I can still get it into the low 140s with a brisk pace.

I’m starting to reach a point where I’d like to give Couch-to-5K a try. That’s how my brother got started. He lost about 100 pounds in a year and runs 6 miles most days. I have no desire to run 6 miles but once walking doesn’t benefit me as much, I’ll have to pick up the pace.

d15b > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 18:44

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I am an advocate of healthy lifestyles, but not of giving my information to health insurance providers. Call me a little paranoid, but I do not like the idea of monetizing my own healthy by some faceless corporation.

Try to grow the willpower to live healthily intrinsically.

My honest, humble opinion. But congrats on being more healthy!

d15b > StingrayJake 09/29/2015 at 18:49

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If you want to lose weight even faster, start lifting weights.

pip bip - choose Corrour > StingrayJake 09/30/2015 at 05:40

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keep it up!

well done how much weight have you lost?

(if you don’t mind me asking)

or what did you weigh?

i nearly hit 100kg , i’m 5’9.5” tall

currently down to 92kg , just by walking to work and portion control.

StingrayJake > pip bip - choose Corrour 09/30/2015 at 09:19

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Was 287.5 in early July, down to 268 in 11 weeks and 5 days. I’m 6’1” or at least that’s what I’ve told the clinic nurse.

willkinton247 > StingrayJake 09/30/2015 at 10:21

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My wife gave me a fitbit recently, and weirdly, it really encourages me to get up and meet my daily exercise goals. I was skeptical at first but they’ve helped me out.

StingrayJake > willkinton247 09/30/2015 at 11:19

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Yeah I got a Fitbit Surge for our anniversary. Love the thing.