How fit (or fat) are you?

[Lady41]

Okay, so the moment of truth, spill!

How much exercise do you get on a daily/weekly basis and how healthily do you eat?

Now, for me, being a bit of a shorty & quite slim, I didn't think I was too bad. I've just rejoined the gym and nearly killed myself this morning with a lengthy workout - DO NOT PANIC - I didn't do this straight off the cuff, I've worked up to a longer workout over the week.

But I hadn't weighed myself recently and forgot to do it at the gym (not that I'd expected to lose any weight, but simply so I could gauge a starting point) so decided to use the Wii for that as I don't have any scales at home.

Anyways, after putting me through a few stupid exercises it told me my BMI was fine, as was my weight, which it calculates to be slightly under - both deemed to be more or less correct for my height and age - well, that's the Wii's opinion, I hasten to add, not mine! I like to be a little less than my 'ideal' weight just cos that's what I'm comfortable with.

I've digressed again. It then went on to tell me that it calculated my fitness to be that of a 79 year old! It's bad enough that it says "ouch" when you step on the balance board (the heavier you are, the louder it says it - happily it said a very tiny "ouch" for me, but gave a real yelp of pain when my house-mate stepped on it ) Now this surprised me cos I'd probably be dead if that were really the case but it got me thinking. It hadn't really done sufficient tests to get this figure and was probably being sarky as it's welcoming comment was "well it's been 465 days since you've been here, but don't worry because I have a good memory and can just about recall your name" - in truth its memory is pretty crap because I haven't even owned the thing for 465 days, so it needs a boot up the derriere anyway.

However, how seriously do we really take our health, exercise, sensible eating, moderate drinking, smoking etc., etc., Or do the majority of people just wait until they get a wake up call, do you think?

Any thoughts?

[arcademannequin]

I'd like to think that I'm a fairly healthy bloke! - I walk about a mile and half before and after work (once I get off the bus) everyday, and my job itself means I'm continuously on my feet with a fair bit of heavy lifting thrown in! - Throw-in walking the dog, walking for pleasure on my days off, and a total lack of eating fried food, high-fat and high-salt content food. - I do take what I eat very seriously, and although there may be a few ready-meals in there, I make sure that they are healthy ones and accompanied by some fresh veg.

I don't smoke. Never have........and despite the impression I may give on here ( ), I don't overdo the booze! Probably no more than six pints of beer during the course of a week, that is unless we eat out, then that total may rise by a few pints!

Physically, I feel as good as I've ever done. - I was about two stone heavier when I was a teenager.

[Teddynonose]

I wish I exercised more. Its difficult to find the time on a work day as I leave home at 6:30 AM and got home knackered at 9PM.

I only weigh around 10 stone however with all the good food now avaialable at home I know that if you're a bloke it all goes to midrift and is difficult to shift.

I do some canoeing but not as much as I used to do and I occasionally get on my bike.

Maybe these Olympics will inspire me.....

Good post Sharon

[Lady41]

I wish I exercised more. Its difficult to find the time on a work day as I leave home at 6:30 AM and got home knackered at 9PM.

I only weigh around 10 stone however with all the good food now avaialable at home I know that if you're a bloke it all goes to midrift and is difficult to shift.

I do some canoeing but not as much as I used to do and I occasionally get on my bike.

Maybe these Olympics will inspire me.....

Good post Sharon

I know what you mean about the early starts. I leave around 6.50am but I'm home before 5 so have time to go the gym.

But you'll be fine with all those courgettes you're eating!

Seriously, what you eat isn't the only factor, is it? It's about the exercise you get as well, a combination of both. I've noticed a difference just by cutting the 20 minute walk to the car from the office and not having a dog any more. My weight isn't affected but I've been feeling less energetic. Going to the gym has helped that.

[webman109]

I try to average 200/250 miles a week on my cycle in the winter bit less in the summer as i race.My diet isn't fantastic as i like to much of the things that are bad for you but i don't smoke and have cut out the Beer so am not in to bad a shape.

[bez]

Probably not very fit at all and I have a bit of middle aged spread.

Smoke 20-30 Marlboro Reds per day, 40 on a bad (good?) day, drink too much and have slightly raised blood pressure.

The medical professionals tell me that all of the above is bad for me and I guess in a techincal sense it is. But, you have to live your life and I live mine the way I want to.

To counter balance the above I don't eat rubbish.

[Lady41]

Smoke 20-30 Marlboro Reds per day.

oooh! Marlboro reds ... not had one of those in far too long! Far too expensive and far too strong for me, but now and again, I indulge and buy a packet. Takes me a few weeks to smoke them, though and haven't bought any for a long time.

I think there is a lot to be said for living your life. My father smoked 40/60 Capstan full strength a day for the whole of my childhood. He probably averaged 8 pints a night to boot. He got lung cancer for his trouble. My mum smoked 20/40 ordinary cigarettes and refused to pack them in even after dad's cancer as she was adamant it was her life and she'd make the decisions about how it was lived. She was also a fairly heavy drinker. She got emphysema for hers.

Having stated (what must seem like) a bit of a lecture, it truly isn't. Both are still (thankfully for me) still alive at 71 and 73.

Was talking to friends about it today and one of them was talking about someone he'd read about - apparently the heart has so many (optimum) beats per lifetime and exercising uses a lot of them, which is one of the reasons some athletes keel over and die at a young age - basically, because they've used all their heartbeats (it's a lot more complicated than that, obviously, cos there's a lot to factor in, but you get the picture). Something that supposedly aids long life is keeping yourself permanently hungry but taking enough food to sustain health and life. This is supposed to be the best way to live a long a life. But it would be in abject misery as there's nothing worse than being hungry (apart from being ill). One 'guinea pig' did it for a year - he was supposed to do for life but he couldn't. He said he'd rather die young than live like that, as it wasn't living at all.

I think health is a big issue that too many people ignore. I've never bothered about mine but physically I've been lucky. Few scrapes along the way but nothing serious. As a smoker I sometimes expect to get struck down and know it's a matter of time before I have to quit this as I'm asthmatic and it isn't getting easier as I get older - plus the cost now is becoming ridiculous and it's not worth it, in so many ways. Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-smoking (I'd be a hypocrite if I was) but I don't have this 'stand on the soap box' view that it's my body and I'll do with it as I wish, that some people have. I probably had it when I was younger, but now I'm starting to realise I have to look after it. Eventually, I know my body will over-rule my mind and I'd rather my mind made that choice, than it being forced on me.

All that said, it's still a choice thing. I have two close friends who neither smoke nor drink and never have. Both eat far too much. Both of them (late 40's and early 50's) have both have some serious health scares of late. It was a wake up call for one of them, who's done something about it. Ironically, he's the one that's always been fairly physically fit and has just become complacent, knowing he could eat as much as he wanted and what he wanted as he'd burn it off. He's just learnt it's not about how much he puts into his body, but WHAT he puts into it. The other has done sod all, as he doesn't think it matters what he does as it won't make a difference.

We're all a bit odd, really, aren't we?

[bez]

I think life style has something to do with how you get on in terms of life expectancy, but I am not convinced it is the 'be all and end all'. I've lost a number of friends, as I am sure we all have, to cancer, car accidents, bike accidents and suicide.

I can safely say, having known all of the people involved in the above, I have lived my life far more recklessly than they did with the exception of one, who was on a par with me as we were party buddies.

And I am still here at 44, generally unfit and smoking and drinking too much.

'My advice is, if you maintain this lifestyle you won't reach 30.....'. Well I did and I am still here....

By the way, I know I am not a good advert for healthy living and my children go through phases of guilting me about my smoking, but there are only so many demons you can exorcise.

So in answwer to Lady41's question, I guess we are, each to their own and don't judge, now there is a good place.

[mwelljester]

I don't class myself as fit or fat, suppose i like to think of myself as semi-fit, obviously i used to be a lot fitter 10yrs ago when i done a lot of cycling/mountain biking, but of late i've not had the best of my health. I am on my feet all the time and do a lot of heavy lifting consistantly everyday at my work, i would love to get back to the way i was but my present health does not allow this. All in all i am pretty happy the way i am, i am just me.

[JohnSReid]

I'm not a fantastically sporty person, but I try to be healthy. I enjoy good food and burn off my energy by looking after my children and fretting about The Union.

One thing that has come up in the last few weeks is that I probably have fibrosing alveolitis. It's appeared in a number of my older relatives and from what I understand it seems to be something that appears in clusters in families. Untreatable, but can be stable for years.

I've never smoked and don't go binge drinking (a few drinks and I have the mother of all hangovers). This healthier lifestyle (compared to my grandparents, mother and uncles who have nearly all had it and did smoke) means that I should be able to keep it at bay for a long while. But who knows?

I'm glad that I've done some of the things in life that I wanted to do as a young person - and I'm looking forward to the rest of it. But realistically, I have to expect that I won't be getting a telegram from the Queen (or King) - right now my life is probably approaching its halfway point and I just have to make to most of it.

And the only way that I can do this is by remaining healthy to enable me to enjoy each day as much as I can.