I remember the days when my metabolism allowed me to eat anything in sight. I was staying busy playing outside without the draw of electronic devices. Jump ahead 30 years and life catches up with you. I’ve struggled over the past 30 years with the roller coaster ride of weight gain/loss. There are times when my head is straight and I can workout multiple times a week and eat healthy foods. Contrast that with loafing on the coach and downing a back of chips in one sitting; this is my struggle.
The good news is I have the foundation for change, I just need to make sure and utilized the correct pillars. There are folks in the SQL Server community that have written about there own journey and I’m using them as motivation. Thomas LaRock (b|t), Jason Hall (b|t), Brent Ozar (b|t), John Morehouse (b|t), and Andy Leonard (b|t) have written about what works for them and they have inspired me to create my own list of success factors.
My first pillar is making sure I bringing lunch into work. I’ve found that if I don’t bring something in from home I tend to head out at lunch and end up eating a heavy lunch. As you can imagine, the afternoon is harder to get through, and that causes me to go grab some soda (trying to limit) for a caffeine boost. Planning ahead when cooking dinner at home enables you to set aside a few portions for lunch later in the week or freezer bags for the following month.
My second pillar is getting the family on board. Without family support, you’ll find yourself coming home after a long day with takeout waiting for you. Eating healthier is easier when everyone in the house is doing the same thing. Instead of frying some chicken, spend the time and fire up the Weber and grill the chicken. Simple changes can pay dividends on the scale.
My third pillar is fitness. I’ve been a member of our local F3 workout group for almost 4 years. Even though fitness is not the main ingredient for weight-loss, it keeps me active. The men of F3 keep me motivated on a daily basis. There are different types of workouts each day that pushes me physically. I’m looking forward to getting back into running and using the fitness to help me drop some additional weight. The FIA organization is just like F3 but for women. I recommend both organizations for a different take on exercising and service to your community.
My first small win is bringing lunch into work each day this week and not having any soda for the last 24 hours. I’m working on keeping those going and treat each day as a new opportunity/challenge. I’ll keep you posted how this goes.
Doug Purnell
@SQLNikon
sqlnikon@gmail.com
https://sqlnikon.com
Congrats! Being active has been the toughest one for me. Even in sunny San Diego, I don’t get out and move around as much as I should.