I was told in January by my GP, my cardiologist and my gastroenterologist that if I did not drastically change my lifestyle, I would die a very premature death. I am 54. Obviously they would not put a time on it, but I could read between the lines and those lines told me by the
end of the year.
I had a choice: drink and smoke my way to oblivion, (I have no family), or pull my head in and try to save my own life. I chose the latter.
If the medical professionals were willing to help well then the least I could do was help myself.
The cardiologist made it quite clear that I would not get a new aorta if I continued smoking.
I was allowed to smoke at at home from the time I was 12, so now 42 years. In the latter years I was smoking 2 50gm packets of White Ox a week. I smoked these because two packets of Benson and Hedges a day was cost prohibitive.
I began drinking seriously from the time I was 17, and have been a functioning alcoholic for most of my life. For the last twenty or so years I could not function as a human being without alcohol in my system. It was routine for me to consume either a bottle of whiskey or a carton of beer on a daily basis.
I opened up some spreadsheets earlier this year, and decided to keep diaries on my smoking, drinking, and sleeping habits.
Since February my drinking has been reduced to 2 standard drinks per day. I often go several days without a beer.
I have no desire to give up completely. I am on a medication called Baclofen, and see a counselor on a regular basis.
Over the last 8 weeks I decided to give up smoking. I am now down to 3-5 cigarettes a day. I chew gum and am on Champix.
One thing I have noticed going through this exercise. Everybody tells you how much better and fitter you will feel once you give up all the poisons. Well I am here to tell you that is utter crop. I am lucky to get 2-3 hours sleep per day and even then it is broken. I have never felt more run down an demotivated in my life.
Anyway, what started this novel, was all the talk about diets. I am only a little bloke and have never had a weight problem. Have always been around 64/66 kg. I have always been active having worked outside on ladders every day and physically working out on building sites etc. I crushed my heel about 3 months ago so have been pretty sedentary since then. I have been eating a lot more than I have in the past due to boredom. But my weight has ballooned out to 72kgs. I do not like this as when I look in the mirror I can see it has all gone to my gut. Very ugly.
I am due back at work next week as that should help. Also I cannot give up eating as it takes the place of the vices I have kicked. My GP even told me to give up caffeine! Like that's gonna happen. So what do you guys suggest I can do to reduce this unsightly bulge in my tummy? Exercises?
