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All for one and one for all

Old 07-20-2011, 01:24 AM
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It's so much easier for me to get motivated to exercise and eat right when other people in my household are doing it too. My boyfriend and I are doing this together - and even our dogs are on a diet - so this is probably the easiest time I've had with sticking to a routine.

What about you - do you prefer to do it with a friend, or do it on your own?
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Old 07-20-2011, 01:33 AM
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I prefer to have someone to talk about it with. I don't really have any one local to exercise with though. My family is very supportive and for the most part they are eating healthier too. My hubby is a tougher one since he requires snacks at night.
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Old 07-20-2011, 01:55 AM
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It took my husband about a year after I started to really get into eating better and exercising. It is much easier with him than without him in regard to eating and I love to exercise with him, but he has knee problems, so when we go out together, I am at a slower pace than I am when I'm on my own and I have to be sure to compensate in other workouts. It's worth it, though, to see him getting out there.

FitDay's boards help a lot when you're doing it on your own. The folks can't physically exercise with you, but posting exercise and goals and questions really does make it seem like a bunch of people are in it together!
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Old 07-20-2011, 07:33 AM
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I like to exercise with other people, but I don't depend on other people to get my exercise in. I swim, bike, run and do some exercise classes. I swim with a group that meets several times a week. Sometimes, I make all the workouts, and sometimes not. I also have friends in my exercise classes. For running and biking, sometimes I do it with a group and sometimes on my own.

I wish my husband would join me. He is in the overweight BMI, has high blood pressure and eats too many sweets and not enough fruits and vegetables. I like to exercise first thing in the morning, but he refuses to. He says he never has time to exercise. He sometimes suggests hikes on the weekends, but they never happen, although he seems to find plenty of time for video games.

I hope you and your boyfriend continue to do this together. I think it will make your relationship stronger.
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Old 07-20-2011, 07:55 AM
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Hang in there, rmdaly. Like I said, it was a good year before my husband caught on. He was the same as yours, except for instead of high blood pressure, he had high cholesterol. The stronger and longer your habits are, the more it rubs off. Coincidentally, we did start by hiking together . I hope it works out for you.
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Old 07-20-2011, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by rmdaly
I wish my husband would join me. He is in the overweight BMI, has high blood pressure and eats too many sweets and not enough fruits and vegetables. I like to exercise first thing in the morning, but he refuses to. He says he never has time to exercise. He sometimes suggests hikes on the weekends, but they never happen, although he seems to find plenty of time for video games.

I hope you and your boyfriend continue to do this together. I think it will make your relationship stronger.
I have found that the only way I can get DH to change his ways in any permanent manner is by "leading by example". It takes longer, but he is super nag-resistant, so even minor reminders tend really irritate him. When I sit back and think about all of the habits and changes he has adopted (and visa-versa, BTW) will little or no fighting or aggavation it is really rather remarkable.

The down side is, as Cassie and other will attest to, is that one has to be pretty committed to your goal at first while you go it alone. But that too has its benefits.
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Old 07-22-2011, 06:29 AM
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Originally Posted by cjohnson728
Hang in there, rmdaly. Like I said, it was a good year before my husband caught on.
Unfortunately, we are going on about 15 years now. I cook good, healthy, vegetarian meals and keep healthy food in the house. He doesn't eat it and instead tells me to get hamburger, potato chips, sugared cereals, candy and chocolate at the grocery store. (I always wondered who really bought the Cap'n Crunch cereal when there are so many healthy choices and now it turns out to be me. )

I try not to nag him because he never commented on my weight even when I was much bigger. But I worry about him especially as we are getting older and I think he needs to stop eating like a teenager.

Over the years I have found a large group of friends that I run, bike, swim and take exercise classes with instead.

Thanks for the nice words though. Cassie, you and Pam are amazing based on the posts I have read from you!
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Old 07-22-2011, 06:59 AM
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I'd been married for about 22 years, DH growing bigger each year. He generally did the grocery shopping, and neither of us was big on planning dinners. I was in a work out habit since about 2004 (I can tell you the date I first joined a gym!), and have tried to keep an eye on my calories, but I was alone in that game.

I got pressure from my family, who believe that a wife should be able to control her husband's eating.

In fall of 2008 some switch in his brain flipped (he had some difficult medical news, and obesity was the first thing to treat), and he got with the program, our food at home changed overnight, our planning got good, and his health improved in every way, and my family and I are getting along much better!

So, my take home lesson is, you can't cause these changes in anyone else, you can provide support when they are ready.
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Old 07-22-2011, 08:06 AM
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I'm sure it would be easier to do it with someone else, but I'm pretty much alone. BF is very supportive -- he cheers me on with my eating and exercising, weighs food when I ask him to, saves labels, hides treats when I ask him to, etc. but he simply doesn't want to join me right now. We try to compromise on meals. I'm fairly lucky in that he likes "good" meat (turkey, chicken, seafood) and isn't too keen on burgers and such (he has them once in awhile, usually while at a restaurant) so we can have a similar entree or protein for dinner, and I will just make him a different side while I prepare my veggies etc. It works out well. We're probably lucky we don't have kids

I wish he would join me 100% on eating and exercising, but it's okay that he doesn't. From my own experience, I've learned that the only one who can "flip his switch" is him, and he's 1000% nag-resistant, so my chiding and/or cajoling does no good. Once in awhile he'll be tempted to try new foods, so that's good enough for now.

I have caught him sneaking on the scale a couple of times to check it out, but the results don't seem to change him one way or the other, and he eats middle of the road -- not terribly, but not good and healthy either. I hope one day he joins me for his own health (he's overweight, borderline obese), but the support is the important thing.

I wish he'd quit smoking, too, but that's another topic entirely! I think leading by example is the only thing I can do.
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Old 07-23-2011, 04:56 PM
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Hi. I just signed up for fitday about five minutes ago and honestly, my savvy for such things is lacking. I wanted to reply personally to Wildbeanerz with a question, but can't figure out how, so....

I noticed we are close to the same age and starting weight. I'm 32, 5'9'' and currently at 310lbs. I am wondering what you are doing as far as exercise and diet cuz your progress is commendable to say the least!

I have a chiari brain malformation, among other health issues, and I've not yet found something that works that I can maintain doing. Just curious. Please feel free to contact me. Thanks so much.

ET (chiarichick)
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