How to make lifestyle changes?

For me it is finding things I enjoy doing.

I enjoy cooking and trying different foods. So eating low carb is less about being healthy and more about searching recipe books for something new to make.
I enjoy exercise and know it is easier for me if my BG is under control. So I maintain my BG in order to go climbing and hiking.
I want to try flying trapeze but I have a dodgy shoulder. The exercises for my shoulder are boring but it will help me when I get on the trapeze.
I have some expensive hobbies such as photography. So I don't think of cutting back but of saving for a new lens.

Each of us are different and each of us are motivated by something different. You read about parents giving up smoking so they can see their children grow up without the fear of lung cancer. I need a more immediate reward and it seems to help: recently I had surgery and was told it would take a couple of months to recover: by starting healthy and walking every day, I was back at the gym in a month.

What my rambles are trying to say are to find a target and reward that suits you: something that is achievable before you get distracted with a reward that is directly related to that target.

I would add that lifestyle choices do not need to be achieved overnight. Set yourself realistic goals, I would prioritise diet then excercise which doesn't mean mountain climbing! Walking is good excercise to start with and is the only excercise some may need though you are less likely to do an excercise if it is a 'chore'.
Lowering your carb intake will undoubtedly improve your health but have a good read around to find the best approach for you personally. Good luck.

Start with your first meal of the day, and remove any food that contains more then 10% carbs from it, replacing it with high protain and fat food.

If you don't have a blood glocuse meter, get one, as seeeing the effect of eat meal is a great motivator.

B17_Fan said:

I'm in an at risk group for diabetes... I have pcos and reactive hypoglycemia. I'm also overweight.
Today, I think I might have the start of gout, as I woke up in a lot of pain in my big toe. Just waiting for a docs appointment.
I read that gout is a warning sign that you're not living a healthy lifestyle.
I just don't know how to make changes.

I walk my 2 dogs for 40 minutes a day, I have a cleaning job which is 4 hours a week.
That's my activity levels...also anything like walking round the shops etc.

My diet is high carb, which I really need to sort out.
I'm quite sedentary apart from the activities above.

What can I do to live a healthier lifestyle?

Many thanks

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Your activity levels seem fine. 40 minutes a day with dogs should keep you fit.

As you have already realised, the high carbohydrates are probably the issue.

Loads of information around about low carbohydrate living. The main message is to turn your concepts upside down about what is healthy and unhealthy.

For example muesli, fresh fruit and orange juice would be identified as a healthy breakfast. Nope. Too many carbs.

Eggs, bacon, mushroom, tomatoes. Heart attack on a plate. Except it isn't. A very good low carb start to the day.

Take small steps, but try to identify the high carbohydrate things you eat and substitute with low carbohydrate. It takes a while to adapt and for the cravings to go away.

It takes time to embed new habits and lifestyle changes are no different to any other change in habit. Changes that are achievable and most likely to stick are, for many people, small and measurable and can then be built on
http://orlykatz.com/making-the-habit-how-we-can-effectively-embed-new-habits-into-our-lives/

I too have PCOS. I lost 50 pounds not by exercising but getting my BG undercontrol. As my BG stablized I lost weight.
Exercise is good but that alone will not help lose weight.

B17_Fan said:

That is inspirational. When I first started eating low carb bread, I lost a few pounds. I've since put it back on, but I really think sorting out my diet will help

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It certainly has helped my symptoms. Acne is much better, my tummy is smaller and over all tiredness I've felt for years has gotten much better.
I still have 50 pounds to lose but I now have the mental clearity to tackle it.
Keep in mind that any grains for people with PCOS tends to add to the inflammation. I also don't eat corn, Quinoa, sweet potato, and root vegetables spike me as well.
If you have a BG meter you can test for yourself what spikes your BG
I am not in Keto nor do I aim to be. Very low carb is enough to help with symptoms.

Your general lifestyle plays a big role in improving your health. If you follow healthy dietary recommendations but fail to make positive and conscious lifestyle choices, then all your hard work will go to waste. Here are some crucial lifestyle tweaks you should address in this phase

How about picking just 1 thing that will produce results and then nailing it consisyently for at least a week before addimg another? e.g pivk a meal that you make low carb. The piint is to only make a change that you will stick to forever. Otherwise it either feels too much and you don't start or you mske drastic changes then fail to sustain them and feel bad. As others have said the biggest impact will come from dietary change so nail that first and you will naturally feel more energetic as your hormones re balance

My problem is I cannot continue with the “high fat” part of LCHF diet because I’ve been diagnosed with background retinopathy.

The doctors said to avoid high cholesterol foods ie. cheese, fatty cuts of meat, full fat cream, butter, specially eggs which are all high in cholesterol!

What edvidance does the doctor have to base that advice on?

lovinglife said:

You don't have to eat these kind of fats if you don't want to, I don't eat massive amounts of fat I just don't eat low fat if that makes sense. I don't eat much dairy at all as it stalls/gains my weight loss - I don't like cream very much anyway, I eat a small amount of butter as I don't like the greasy feel of it, the only fatty meat I eat is belly pork - but that's a food group all it's own right! Lol - I don't eat eggs as I have an allergy

What I DO eat, avocado, virgin olive oil, a small amount of nuts (be careful peanuts and cashews), oily fish like salmon, sardines. Some full fat yoghurt, I love coconut cream from M&S for my berries etc a little bit of full fat creme fraiche if I want to make a sauce - but it does have a small amount of carbs so I am careful with that

I don't think of the H in HF as high but as healthy it's what works for me

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Thank you for this!

We are the same!

lovinglife said:

You don't have to eat these kind of fats if you don't want to, I don't eat massive amounts of fat I just don't eat low fat if that makes sense. I don't eat much dairy at all as it stalls/gains my weight loss - I don't like cream very much anyway, I eat a small amount of butter as I don't like the greasy feel of it, the only fatty meat I eat is belly pork - but that's a food group all it's own right! Lol - I don't eat eggs as I have an allergy

What I DO eat, avocado, virgin olive oil, a small amount of nuts (be careful peanuts and cashews), oily fish like salmon, sardines. Some full fat yoghurt, I love coconut cream from M&S for my berries etc a little bit of full fat creme fraiche if I want to make a sauce - but it does have a small amount of carbs so I am careful with that

I don't think of the H in HF as high but as healthy it's what works for me

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Can you please message me privately for a private chat?

Andrew

Stop the high carbs is a good start and other things will follow.

NewTD2 said:

My problem is I cannot continue with the “high fat” part of LCHF diet because I’ve been diagnosed with background retinopathy.

The doctors said to avoid high cholesterol foods ie. cheese, fatty cuts of meat, full fat cream, butter, specially eggs which are all high in cholesterol!

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If that is what your doctor recommends then it is not for anyone here to question it as we are not experts on the fat question. We are all different and higher fat does not suit everyone