Fitness talk

[Dharma Police]

He got the benefit of aging well i think (although yes, the hair and the fitness helped). i think i look better too after losing about 23 kg in the past three years (and maintaining it). Better skin also is a welcomed benefit. I didn't even do Keto...just moderate carbs and avoiding five major things: White rice, cakes/breads (unless it's homemade/low carb/no sugar), pastas/noodles, potatoes, and of course added refined sugar.

Fitness wise I'm not pushing myself as hard as before after a hemorrhoid surgery back in 2019. So I'm just doing 'easy' pushups (at most maybe at 45% degree angle and wall pushups), lighter dumbells and homemade barbels...at least so that i don't look as scrawny...trying to rebuild the shoulder and pecks area...it's getting better now compared to last year.

Hair definitely a battle for me and never thought it would happen...i think it was a combination of stress and mostly diabetes that made me start losing tons to a point i got bald spots...now luckily it has filled up a bit after taking control of the sugar although overall my hair is easily 25-30% thinner. I have been trying to maintain my calorie level but it's hard now since i haven't been logging/measuring my food. Read somewhere that if you unknowingly eat under the minimum calorie for a long time, your body can sustain itself but it started to reduce the maintenance of hair, skin, nails, etc as the body considers it less essential compare to other organs.

I have a "fivehead" and an oily face so I doubt that changing my diet would work. My wife got me several bottles of biotin and fancy schmancy hair tonics but they also didn't do much. Biotin made my existing hair mildly thicker, but it didn't result in new hair growth. My finger nails are like steel though. A couple years ago I went in for a consultation for one of those hair surgeries where they'd take hair from the back of my head and replant them by the roots to my front hairline. 5 thousand USD for 1,5 cm.

Steep price and I was actually tempted to do it but oddly enough the embarrassment of having everyone know I got a hair transplant outweighed a procedure that'd boost my self-image. What a bizarre form of vanity I have.

 

[Banana72]

This can be dealt with by planning a meal or two a week (ideally within the same day) where you eat a lot. I would take it easy on the carbs if you have diabetes but you can easily add calories by adding more fat. Think of cream in your coffee/tea, fatty meat, bacon, cooking eggs in butter/bacon fat. This signals your body that there is plenty of food around so there is no need to spare calories.

I was hovering at a plateau for a couple of weeks despite exercising and then I had my first cheat meal in 2 months (which included alcohol, bread, french fries and sweets) and I reached a new low within days after it.

yep i've made my own version of 'bulletproof' coffee or at least adding coconut milk, bacon, etc and eat eggs with cheese, fatty rib eye....although i've never gone full keto. The lowest I got was around 70 grams/day carbs and i didn't like losing too much...so now I have adjusted quite a bit. One of my major 'carbs' is from nasi merah/red rice...pretty much it (at about 100 grams/meal) and I've checked my sugar within 1 hour post-meal...usually it's pretty good at around 100-130ish (although I've passed through it usually cause of the sauces...mostly chinese food or javanese food to blame which i dont eat that often). Believe it or not I'm trying to actually GAIN weight maybe just another 1-2 kilo and after that maybe I'll dial back a bit on the nasi merah...my gauge actually is my blood meter more than anything rather than the carbs...i usually just guestimate based on past experience.

 

[Dharma Police]

yep i've made my own version of 'bulletproof' coffee or at least adding coconut milk, bacon, etc and eat eggs with cheese, fatty rib eye....although i've never gone full keto. The lowest I got was around 70 grams/day carbs and i didn't like losing too much...so now I have adjusted quite a bit. One of my major 'carbs' is from nasi merah/red rice...pretty much it (at about 100 grams/meal) and I've checked my sugar within 1 hour post-meal...usually it's pretty good at around 100-130ish (although I've passed through it usually cause of the sauces...mostly chinese food or javanese food to blame which i dont eat that often). Believe it or not I'm trying to actually GAIN weight maybe just another 1-2 kilo and after that maybe I'll dial back a bit on the nasi merah...my gauge actually is my blood meter more than anything rather than the carbs...i usually just guestimate based on past experience.

I don't buy into the low carb diet. My people have eaten rice with sides for thousands of years and they were not fat. It's all about the quality and quantity of carbs, and not living a sedentary lifestyle. Rice is fine. I simply don't eat bowls and bowls of it. Red or brown rice however? It's fine. I can gorge on the stuff, if I balance it with proteins, fats, and vegetables.

 

[Banana72]

I don't buy into the low carb diet. My people have eaten rice with sides for thousands of years and they were not fat. It's all about the quality and quantity of carbs, and not living a sedentary lifestyle. Rice is fine. I simply don't eat bowls and bowls of it. Red or brown rice however? It's fine. I can gorge on the stuff, if I balance it with proteins, fats, and vegetables.

For me personally it was not about losing weight... More about avoiding (refined) carbs due to me being a diabetic. With what i eat..my daily intake for sure doesnt classify as low carb... Like you said.. Red rice for me is fine.. But black rice isnt even though some studies say it's diabetic friendly etc. My meter doesnt lie.. I eat a plateful of red rice im fine.. But couple weeks ago wife ordered a really tempting and fragrant fried rice. I succumbed and ate five tablespoons mixed in with my red rice. 1 hour glucose jumped to 185 vs the usual 110-130. So not all carbs are equal for me at least.

 

[Vanhelsing]

At 6'3, 87kg and 54 years of age, I feel in good-ish shape these days. Could do with some strength training for bone density and maintaining some muscle mass going into older age,I guess, but I like the feeling of being light and wiry.

Up at 7am with a cup of tea then 10km walk at around a 5 - 6kmh pace. Walking every day is non-negotiable and now I feel anxious at the thought of flipping it off.

Breakfast is an egg on high fibre bread/toast then some fruit.
Lunch is a salad with tuna or chicken breast.
Dinner is usually pasta with a couple of vegetables.
I'll eat hummus with dry crackers for snacks or nuts.

It seems I don't get bored or need variety so it's the same every day, and although not a perfect diet or exercise regime, I feel energetic, my resting heart rate sits at 60bpm, I don't carry much fat, my blood work is spot on...

Eighteen months ago I was over 100kg, drank, ate poorly and felt awful. I've learned anything has the potential to become a habit if you do it long enough - eating healthily and exercising included.

 

[nosox]

I did a push up the other day and have twisted something in my wrist

 

[Dharma Police]

At 6'3, 87kg and 54 years of age, I feel in good-ish shape these days. Could do with some strength training for bone density and maintaining some muscle mass going into older age,I guess, but I like the feeling of being light and wiry.

Up at 7am with a cup of tea then 10km walk at around a 5 - 6kmh pace. Walking every day is non-negotiable and now I feel anxious at the thought of flipping it off.

Breakfast is an egg on high fibre bread/toast then some fruit.
Lunch is a salad with tuna or chicken breast.
Dinner is usually pasta with a couple of vegetables.
I'll eat hummus with dry crackers for snacks or nuts.

It seems I don't get bored or need variety so it's the same every day, and although not a perfect diet or exercise regime, I feel energetic, my resting heart rate sits at 60bpm, I don't carry much fat, my blood work is spot on...

Eighteen months ago I was over 100kg, drank, ate poorly and felt awful. I've learned anything has the potential to become a habit if you do it long enough - eating healthily and exercising included.

I can eat the same things every day too. Savory oatmeal, for example. I ate it every morning for months following this and other recipes: