Oddbean new post about login | logout Best advice?
Bloodwork first. If you have any glucose metabolism issues( higher A1C or fasting glucose) even if you aren’t yet diabetic, then you need to drastically cut carbs. Otherwise it’s calorie reduction. Also find an exercise you love with a goal as your carrot. Mine was completing my first sprint triathlon and grew from there. It can be completing a 5k, winning a tennis tournament, etc. It doesn’t matter what is as long as it motivates you.
Have you found a particular approach to eating has worked for you both? I find my digestion is better when I adopt a more paleo like approach
Well I have tried them all I think. Cutting calories never worked for me. I was vegan for almost 3 years which was actually a pretty easy lifestyle for me, but I developed pretty significant anemia and craved red meat. I do credit a plant based diet with reversing my diabetes. I was full carnivore for a couple of years which was also pretty easy because it eliminates cravings if you are strict about it. My blood sugar has been stable for years now so I eat very low carb and smaller portions. My husband gets way too skinny on low carb so I just add things like potatoes, homemade protein ice creams to his diet. We both eat pizza he makes at home 1-2x/month with no issues.
It’s corny to be the centrist but I think vegans and carnivores have it right on both ends. We should be eating lots of plants but we also need good quality meat. Proper nutrition is exciting!
Cut carbs and eating frequency. Exercise is somewhat helpful, but not necessary. Work to get to one meal a day, then one meal every other day. Monitor your blood glucose to confirm it’s above 70 when you feel weak. You will feel different and that’s ok.
I disagree that exercise is unnecessary especially when you get to be my husband and my age. Sarcopenia is an issue as you age.
Exercise for well being sure, exercise for blood glucose reduction through glycogen use, no. I’ll bet I’m at least twenty years older than you. Pervasive insulin is the root cause of adipose tissue accumulation and the only way to reduce insulin presence is to reduce blood glucose levels as many hours per day consecutively as you can.
I’m in my 50’s. Muscle mass plays a significant role in insulin metabolism and glucose regulation.
Yeah, I’m much older. lol. True, but insulin presence in the blood blocks the metabolism of lipids entirely, making it literally impossible for adipose tissue utilization no matter how much you exercise. This is why starvation in a person with metabolic syndrome causes the body to utilize muscle and leave fat reserves behind, also why there are middle age people exercising consistently and experiencing “stubborn” fat. It’s important to first clear both metabolic pathways, then exercise for wellness and vitality. By age fifty most Americans are experiencing a rising A1C and the associated weight gain, few know how to fix it, and the medical establishment is no help at all. I quit medical school decades ago because of the AMA. It’s criminal what they’re doing to the population.
To some degree sarcopenia is part of the aging process. Seventy is not twenty, I’m reminded of that every day, but still I’m no slouch physically. Activity is certainly an important component of vitality into old age.
Sarcopenia is preventable as you age with weight training (exercise).
Preventable, no. Mitigated to some degree? Yes. Hormones are a symphonic entourage that changes with age. Adding ten trumpets won’t fix the overall tune! I do appreciate you and enjoy the discourse.