[AZT]

For men particularly age related Testosterone decline is the biggest factor where we lose the so called "Youth". This is completely reversible and I suggest everyone to read up on that.

As Viper mentioned above the goal should be including more Protein, less carbs and cutting out the sugar in your diet, be it veg or Non-Veg. Alcohol is fine in moderation and I don't buy we need to give it up completely. Strength training, Cardio and taking a Vitamin D supplement would be much more beneficial than anything else you can do. Cutting your fat % gets tougher as you age and is probably the single best thing you can do to live a better life long term.

[KGS]

Great thread at a great time.

We need to inculcate the habit of healthy living in India. As per my observation and my personal life experience, I was a carefree kid playing almost every day for 2-3 hours and almost 8-10 hours on weekends. Life was easy and stress less. Thanks fully it was pre-mobile era and landline phones were also a luxury that time at least in my area.

But as I grew up studies and now job took almost all the time. Only option to exercise was gym or once in a year friendly cricket matches organised by my account in the company.

I rarely saw anyone jogging or running in my area. Once I moved to UK, I can see people running/ jogging almost anytime of the day. Even during lunch time, my English colleagues used to change quickly in the office, go for a quick 30 mins jog and come back to eat a sandwich. This was like a huge shock to me.

Every saturday was a parkrun day on a hilly terrain. While I was huffing and puffing and panting to complete it walking, my manager aged 50 years was finishing that race in under 20 mins (If I remember correctly).

In short there is a huge focus here on fitness and 80% population is fit and healthy because of that. I hope we all bring a similar culture in India as well. Jogging, running, cycling, meditation, gym , sports should be promoted at all levels. We should all start with us and inculcate this good habit in our next generation as well.

[COMMUTER]

I started having chest pains a few weeks after my 32nd birthday and went for a checkup. It was especially daunting after a 29year old friend of mine had died of heart attack a while before that time. I was overweight and was diagnosed as having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high sugar levels and fatty liver. I was prescribed a host of lifelong medications after a number of checkups the following year. I was dejected because I had been a teetotaller and a non-smoker with a good dose of curiosity about health all through my college years. I knew very well that these prescriptions will lead to a string of happenings I have been witnessing in my family ending in suffering and death.

I was repeatedly suggested that I must avoid fats and oils to ward off all the evils in my life. Some doctors went ahead with accusing me of being a closet drinker and smoker too and asked me to 'stop drinking' too.

First attempt-
I tried taking a diet which predominantly had egg whites and oats. It had a lot of fibers and protein. It had zero fats. After being reasonably adherent to this diet for three months, I had a blood test. I was shocked to see they were still just as worse as they had been earlier.

Final attempt-
I had a good friend of mine mentioning IF(Intermittent Fasting) as being effective. I read bit more and found the following unchallenged facts too strong to ignore.

Carbohydrates in diet trigger insulin release as a firefighting mechanism to rid the blood of the excess sugar which will damage the eyes , kidneys and nerves among others and cause inflammation.

The amount of insulin triggered by fats is negligible when compared to amount triggered by Carbohydrates .

Protein does trigger insulin to an extent too.

Regarding the cholesterol, dietary fats don't contribute to blood cholesterol.

Liver secretes over 3000mg of cholesterol every day.

Cholesterol is required for many important functions like assimilation of vitamins, maintaining fertility, healing etc.

Human Body doesn't require Carbohydrates.

Brain can function on Ketones too.
Insulin helps body store fats in cells for future use.

We have stopped the fats from being used by improperly frequent intake of carbohydrates.

With abnormal quantities of carbohydrate intake we have triggered abnormal insulin intake.

The cells' ability to be made to take in a quantity of carbohydrates by a quantity of insulin diminishes with sustained abuse of carbohydrate intake. This is insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance causes the blood sugar level and triglycerides level to raise resulting in all the lifestyle issues.

The insulin resistance leads to abnormal levels of insulin in blood triggering frequent hunger pangs. It causes electrolyte imbalance and triggers thirst too.

The increased insulin leaves the body devoid of carbs leading to muscular degeneration because proteins can act as fuel.

Protein being used for fuel places additional load on kidneys and causes muscle loss too.

Fructose is processed in the liver alone and clogs it if the body already has loads of fat leading to visceral fat storage.(beer belly)

Insulin resistance is the cause of elevated blood sugar leading to the myth of diabetes.

Insulin resistance must be reversed by taking fats, maintaining protein and avoiding carbohydrates.

The diet prescribed to the diabetics by the current medical fraternity is deadly.

All significant advisory bodies call for high carbohydrates diet which worsens the insulin resistance and finally makes the patient succumb to it.

They make the person avoid fats which depletes vitamin assimilation and hastens their demise.

Sugar(white brown yellow or any other) is 50%fructose and 50% Sucrose and 100% poison.

Current conditon-
Switched to Keto lifestyle. This diet is mostly fats, moderate protein and negligible carbs with a lot of veggies. The hunger had waned. Weight had stabilized at a much lower level. Waist dropped enormously.

Cooking is essential to be on keto. I cook non veg with ease nowadays but am struggling with veggies but I will be solving that in a short while.

I do have cheat meals because of the forced wandering I have been subjected to often.

I fall especially when I fail to have a proper meal in the morning.

Today, I cycled 40kms in the morning, missed breakfast and lunch without hunger pangs but fell to cravings after 5pm and gorged on vadas and bajjis

These are my before after in a span of three months. I lost 27kgs and waist went from 46inches to 38.

Aiming to achieve the elusive healthy six pack before my 35th birthday.

[vishwasvr]

Originally Posted by COMMUTER

I started having chest pains a few weeks after my 32nd birthday and went for a checkup. It was especially daunting after a 29year old friend of mine had died of heart attack a while before that time. I was overweight and was diagnosed as having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high sugar levels and fatty liver. I was prescribed a host of lifelong medications after a number of checkups the following year. I was dejected because I had been a teetotaller and a non-smoker with a good dose of curiosity about health all through my college years. I knew very well that these prescriptions will lead to a string of happenings I have been witnessing in my family ending in suffering and death.


Aiming to achieve the elusive healthy six pack before my 35th birthday.

Oh man! These two photos are surely not of the same person! Keep it up!

The idea is to lead a healthy lifestyle. My wake up call was when I had fatty liver, thanks to crazy binge drinking and eating days when I was in my 20s. I'm now in my mid 30s fitter than ever before! I gave up meat and dairy and I have never felt better! Do what works best for you!

[TAHR]

I can personally testify to the difference a health-conscious lifestyle brings to one's quality of life. Not in the sense of a gym-going, calorie-conscious, smart-watch obsessed, indulgence-denying lifestyle. but just a holistic change in your approach to health, fitness and life.

I spent two and a half decades in a high-stress, deadline-oriented industry as an advertising creative, with bad-lifestyle practices such as skipping meals, junk food, alcohol and late-nights. It was compounded by a job profile that demanded being seated at a computer 8-10 hours a day.

By the time I reached 40, some of the effects were beginning to show, and gradually in the next 5-6 years reached critical levels. Issues like obesity - especially abdominal, breathlessness during simple activities, acidity, migraine, sleep apnea, moderate hypertension, borderline diabetes and acute arthritis of the knees and shoulders.

Predictably, this entailed many trips to various specialists at many expensive corporate hospitals, frequent medical tests and a fistful of pills three times a day. The worst was being told that these were to be continued lifelong and there could be dangerous consequences for organs such as the liver and kidney.

As I neared a personal milestone of 50 years, I decided to do something drastic and systemic to totally overhaul my health, instead of the incremental pain management regimen. The magic cure was surprisingly simple, inexpensive and highly effective - Yoga.

Not simply as a physical exercise routine as most people practice it, but the way it's meant to be - a holistic mind-body synergy that contributes to a new way of life (that includes all the points mentioned at the end of this post). I could see amazing changes in physical pain relief within a month, and with regular practice for the past 4 years, a complete transformation in health and even outlook of life.

Today, I no longer take any regular medications (restricted only to injuries or infections), and annual medical tests consistently reveal numbers within the normal range.

Adopting a yogic lifestyle naturally weans you away from the excesses of a consumption-oriented lifestyle to a spartan, need-based and harmonious world-view. So everything is in moderation and in sync with the ecosystem of life. In fact, this led to giving up a corporate career and adopting a vocation that supports and nurtures this kind of existence - in my case, nature and wildlife conservation.

But for those who are not yet ready for this level of change, I would recommend a few general points to support a healthier lifestyle.

Eat healthy
Be active
Sleep well
Resist stress
Avoid intoxicants

Just this should see you bring a semblance of health back into your life. Remember, ultimately it's your health and happiness. There's nothing more important in life. And you owe it to yourself and your family.

[SatyRoy]

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is still to come; today is a gift and that is why it is called as "present".
This is the mantra I thought about seriously and from the 1st of Jan I have seriously taken "quitting smoking" as my top most priority followed by regular workouts / swimming sessions.

[nickatnite]

If half of India's elderly are unwell then i say at least three fourths of India's youths are sick both physically and mentally. A vast majority of them are a drain on our nation and their individual family resources either in wasteful spending, especially foreign education , startups , vehicles and other entitlements, eat unhealthy food falling ill frequently putting tremendous physical, mental and monetary strain on their parents. Mental illness in our youth is a serious problem in this country which isn't being addressed by the powers that be which will be at their own peril.

Everything on this earth has a shelf life and will pass on once that limit has been reached, regardless. So, enjoy each day as if it is your last. Cheers.

[FINTAIL]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

A vast majority of them are a drain on our nation and their individual family resources either in wasteful spending, especially foreign education , startups , vehicles and other entitlements, eat unhealthy food falling ill frequently putting tremendous physical, mental and monetary strain on their parents. Mental illness in our youth is a serious problem in this country which isn't being addressed by the powers that be which will be at their own peril.

As someone who is born after 1999, can I just say how relevant your words are?

India is going through a mental health epidemic, and society is collectively doing noting to fix it.

[IP_Man]

I was kind of frustrated in weight loss journey until I saw following video on youtube during lockdown period.

https://youtu.be/tzR-oqakvnI

I and my wife followed the same and reduced whopping 9KG in first month.

Trick is very simple, just avoid white sugar in tea/coffee. We put crushed ginger and lemon grass in tea and no sugar. Ginger and milk has little natural sugar in it that makes tea tasty.

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by nickatnite

If half of India's elderly are unwell then i say at least three fourths of India's youths are sick both physically and mentally. A vast majority of them are a drain on our nation and their individual family resources either in wasteful spending, especially foreign education , startups , vehicles and other entitlements, eat unhealthy food falling ill frequently putting tremendous physical, mental and monetary strain on their parents.

Lol what? You're telling us that vehicles are wasteful on an automotive enthusiast forum?

[motorotor]

Great thread indeed.

I have always been the kid that preferred to read than to go outside and play. This trend continued right through my childhood, engineering college and throughout my working life until at around age 38 I was diagnosed with dyslipidemia (high cholesterol) and high blood pressure both of which ran in both sides of my parent's bloodline. I was not overweight I guess, due to my genetics but I could not do a pushup to save my life nor run up a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. I was staring down a life filled with medications when my older cousin registered me for a run in some group that he used to run with. I was shocked when he casually mentioned that it is a 5K run (when I had not run 500 meters my entire life!). Anyway race day arrived and as expected I huffed and puffed my way through the race in about 70 mins. But complete I did and that was the beginning of my life as a runner.

It's been over 3 years since that first run and knock on wood, I am medication-free with an ideal BMI and most importantly among a bunch of great people who motivate me to keep doing my best.

Running or for that matter, any form of daily exercise is no longer an option for most of us, given our hectic lifestyles and the stresses and strains of trying to do well in whatever we do.

[evil_grin]

When the lockdown started I made just one major change:

I stopped eating sugar.

That meant I stopped eating most processed foods like biscuits (substituted with khakra), ice creams, chocolate and chai (substituted with black coffee) - all of which were much loved comfort foods for me.
But I ate home made meals freely without any guilt of consuming too much ghee, butter, oil.

The impact exceeded my expectations:

1. I was 86kg. I lost 8kg in 6 months. For reference, I'm 6 feet tall (that didn't change )
2. I stopped having headaches if my meals were a bit delayed
3. I had more energy.
4. Healthy food started tasting better. Junk food started tasting worse.
5. I wasn't hungry every 3 hours

So many of my problems were solved by just one simple, but difficult (only for the first 3 weeks) change.