Before and After

• Tags: health,
• Written on: July 31, 2013

• 
  Before
• 
  After

New years eve 2011 was spent celebrating with friends it was only a few minutes before midnight and I was looking forward to watching the fireworks. Earlier I asked my friends for their new years resolutions as in past years better health, saving money, improving employment where all popular choices.

As someone who has struggled with a growing waistline I have made many resolutions and making matters worse the passing year had been particularly bad. It was a perfect storm, working two jobs overtime and long travel. I snacked and binged on takeout regularly and by new years I was at my worst.

From my friends front porch we could see the tips of harbor bridge, my watch clicked onto midnight bringing the fireworks. 2012 had arrived and it was time to get serious but where to start? I decide at that moment looking up at fireworks that I would begin by breaking the grip sugar had on my life, my mood and my waste line.

Soft drinks a bottle with lunch a can with dinner it was too much but to go cold turkey would invite failure. I would step down buying smaller sizes, going a day a two a week without and eventually I could break the habit for good.

I would succeed in breaking many bad habits by taking control of my diet (luckily I never took up smoking) through learning to cook healthy meals and regular exercise.

I did suffer many food phobias, I disliked steamed vegetables, would not eat eggs and mushrooms, I would never touch yogurt, had an aversion to processed ham and refused to drink tea. Now I have eggs and mushroom and yogurt for breakfast. I enjoy all vegetables, a ham sandwich is common lunch and I drink 2-3 cups of tea (no sugar, I like it bitter).

By the middle of 2013 I had lost 40kgs going down from about 120kg to 80kg. That equated to 30cm off my waste line. I was replacing pants every 4-5 months with a smaller size.

I am in training to take on a 8km harbor run called the `bay run` by end of 2013, I currently complete 3.5km 4 days a week and am building up every month. When I started I could only jog 500m.

With a continued commitment to healthy living and regular exercise I endeavor to keep my good health for many years.