pinkie Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 (edited) Hello all, I am currently in a relationship with a wonderful, hardworking, older man. I myself have some serious health issues already, he does not (that we know of). However, he drinks probably 4-6 sodas a day, has a serious sweet tooth, is a smoker and has a bit of a belly. Unfortunately, these bad habits have influenced me quite a bit as I use to never drink soda or eat sweets. I have a thin/athletic build (always have) but I am a smoker. I am at a point in my life that I really can see the benefits in other people of being healthy (foods, excercise, etc). I do not work and tend to be somewhat sedentary during the day. I joined a gym 6 months ago and never walked back into it. A complete waste of money. I also have absolutely no motivation to do anything, probably because I don't do anything.... What/How can I introduce a healthier beginning for me and my beau? We've talked about quitting the smoking, drinking less soda (it's all sugar), taking walks of the evening after dinner... But nothing has happened. He's tired after working all day and I just feel lazy.. Any suggestions? Edited August 2, 2012 by pinkie Heading Link to post Share on other sites
MCMLXXXIX Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Smoking is unhealthy, yes, but it also is an expensive habit. Think about it. Soda doesn't only make you fat, it can damage your teeth. Dental care is costly. Think about that also. An healthy lifestyle doesn't just make you healthy, it also saves you money. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
tman666 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Your diet starts at the grocery store. If you do not buy crummy food, you are much less likely to eat it. If it comes in a wrapper or can, it's probably bad for you. Go through your fridge and cabinets and throw out the obvious junk/snack foods. Start buying whole foods (raw meats; whole, uncooked vegetables; eggs) and figure out some good recipes that you make at home. With regards to activity, simply try to move more. Incorporate a half hour to an hour walk into your day, every day. Start using your gym membership, even if you don't know exactly what you're doing yet in there. Park far away from the entrances to buildings and walk. Take the stairs. Cancel your cable service and find something else to do in the evenings. Join a recreational softball league. Basically, think about how a typical American approaches any situation and do the exact opposite... I wish I was kidding about the last statement, but it unfortunately has an element of truth to it. The bottom line is that there are no easy or fast ways to get in shape. If you apply yourself earnestly and with dedication to the goal, you will see the results. Nobody ever got strong or in shape by thinking about it-they did it. (Jim Wendler) 2 Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Don't throw away any food. Donate to your local church, charity, Salvation Army or food bank. For exercise why not take a ballroom or any type of dance class? Then once you learn how to dance, you will want to go out instead of staying home sitting on your growing ass. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
pink_sugar Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I can understand the difficulty you're going through. I thought getting my husband to stop drinking one soda a day was bad. 4-6 sodas is very damaging to your health. Diabeties, dental decay, belly fat, overall weight gain. Unfortunately you cannot force him to change, but you can suggest to change some of your daily habits. Try and get him to limit the soda intake to just a few times a week as a treat. Get yourselves to quit smoking...health insurance is higher for smokers. May I ask how old both of you are? It's amazing what happens to our diet when we're with someone. My dad put on a bit of weight with his ex wife because she had quite a sweeth tooth, but since she was 20 years younger, she didn't pack on the pounds like he did. Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Your diet starts at the grocery store. If you do not buy crummy food, you are much less likely to eat it. If it comes in a wrapper or can, it's probably bad for you. Go through your fridge and cabinets and throw out the obvious junk/snack foods. Start buying whole foods (raw meats; whole, uncooked vegetables; eggs) and figure out some good recipes that you make at home. With regards to activity, simply try to move more. Incorporate a half hour to an hour walk into your day, every day. Start using your gym membership, even if you don't know exactly what you're doing yet in there. Park far away from the entrances to buildings and walk. Take the stairs. Cancel your cable service and find something else to do in the evenings. Join a recreational softball league. Basically, think about how a typical American approaches any situation and do the exact opposite... I wish I was kidding about the last statement, but it unfortunately has an element of truth to it. The bottom line is that there are no easy or fast ways to get in shape. If you apply yourself earnestly and with dedication to the goal, you will see the results. Nobody ever got strong or in shape by thinking about it-they did it. (Jim Wendler) Excellent advice. Gradual lifestyle change to the exact opposite to how you are living now OP. It worked for me and I have to say I'm saving money as well short and long term. Link to post Share on other sites
Author pinkie Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 Wow!!! Thanks everyone for all the great responses! @Tman... u are exactly right about the groceries.. it starts there. @Fitchick thanks for the donating idea! @pink sugar... I'm 40 and he's 52. I think the most I'm getting out of this is that I need to lead by example and hopefully he will follow suit. @mcml and emilia... saving money too, excellent, I never thought much about that! Thanks to you all! Link to post Share on other sites
RiverRunning Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I really think that blowing money on joining a gym or on expensive exercise equipment out the gate is a waste of money. Invest in some fitness DVDs instead to start, OP. In my own 'library,' I have Zumba, Taebo, Jillian Michaels' DVDs, Walk away the Pounds, dance videos, etc. I use the work-out videos on SparkPeople, too (those are generally 10 minutes). Tell yourself when you begin a work-out that you will just do 10 or 15 minutes. Reassess after that point: can you keep going? Then do it! Building in a lot of variety is very helpful (thanks, DVDs!) in getting you going. I started my path to healthier eating years and years ago just by calorie counting. Besides that, I didn't change my diet (oops!). For the first few months, I'd still eat like I usually would - just in smaller quantities (if it was fast food, I'd downgrade to a medium or a small from the large meal option). From there, it was replacing one meal a day with something healthier. Bananas, nonfat yogurt, strawberries and blueberries for a morning smoothie. Simple. Then it was replacing things like cookies, cakes, etc., with carrots/broccoli with hummus, apples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries mixed together, etc. I allow myself treats daily if I have 200 - 300 calories left. It keeps me going. I've lost almost 90 pounds so far, and I have about 40 more to go. Link to post Share on other sites
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