I grew up in an overweight family. We never ate anything fresh or real. My parents both worked and meals were things like hotdogs and mac and cheese. Snacks were chips and ice cream and pop was a staple. We NEVER drank water. Little wonder I developed hypothyroidism (it also runs heavily in our family.) So, I wish I could I've lost weight with my lifestyle changes, but I haven't. But, my husband has, and my children are perfectly normal weights and very healthy. I've made it my mission to make sure they aren't raised the way I was and all their meals are made up of real foods, mostly grown and made by us. Snacks are fruits and veggies and we all drink water, constantly. As for me, I may not be as healthy weight-wise as I would like to be, but I have managed to avoid the other health problems that wreak havoc on my family. Things like diabetes and heart disease, and I'm hoping I'm breaking their cycle completely in the way that I raise my children.
Your Physical Self
- Thread starter FarmerChick
- Start date
tortoise
Wild Hare
Congratulations for getting yourself out of the medical system! Thats a difficult challenge! I want that for myself too.
Daisy
Almost Self-Reliant
Goodluck! I hope you can too. Life is certainly easier without so many appointments and medications to manage.
flowerbug
Super Self-Sufficient
i know for me that gardening is my main motivation for improving and being more able to do things. injuries have happened since i've arrived here that are providing me with more challenges but i'm not going to give up i'll just have to find new ways of doing things and whatever i can't do i'll have to find some other way of managing that space (even if it means i have to bring someone else in to do the brush hogging or trimming). so far i'm able to keep up with an acre here of gardens and decorations with some help here or there from Mom. i'll have a friend take some dead trees down for me soon and the back field can be brush hogged at any time.
the hardest stuff for me now is managing the edges of the large ditches where it has been overgrown and made a real mess and some erosion issues that have to be dealt with somehow. i'm not sure when those are going to happen... next year i hope. we'll see...
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
I have lived this way for so long, even when I didn't keep a garden or animals, I was always frugal , and made things from scratch, shunned processed foods etc. i wouldn't know but I assume I am better for it. I am 41, only slightly overweight, don't have high blood pressure or cholesterol. I do have rheumatoid arthritis (since I was 18), but it has always been under control, with rarely a bad flareup (and no crooked joints!!!!!).
I definitely know my kids are better for it. My dh also has no medical issues (cholesterol or BP)
I definitely know my kids are better for it. My dh also has no medical issues (cholesterol or BP)
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
None of us has had to take antibiotics for around 10 years now. No colds, stomach viruses, intestinal complaints, etc. I'm 42, overweight but active. No health problems here. Need to lose a whole human being off this body of mine, but everything else is fine! 
No colds, stomach viruses, intestinal complaints, etc. I'm 42, overweight but active. No health problems here. Need to lose a whole human being off this body of mine, but everything else is fine! punkin
Don't Quote Me
We just recently (about 4 months ago) cut out refined sugar and most processed foods. We also cut back on the carbs and yeast products. I wasn't overweight to begin with, but my DH has lost about 25 lbs. now. We are sleeping sooooo much better, more soundly and restful. Six months ago I was at my wits end because I could not sleep well at all. I was considering getting some kind of prescription sleeping aid. I'm glad I didn't.
Enjoy the ride - I hope you continue to recover. Alot of people would have just sat down and gave up.
My dad is 83. Every year he puts out a monsterous garden. In the spring he is always so excited to plant way too much of everything. And each fall he says "Next year I'm going to cut back." Yeah, right. But, it keeps him going and active. I've always told my DS "If your Papaw dies with a gun, fishing rod or hoe in his hand, he will die a happy man."
Enjoy the ride - I hope you continue to recover. Alot of people would have just sat down and gave up.
My dad is 83. Every year he puts out a monsterous garden. In the spring he is always so excited to plant way too much of everything. And each fall he says "Next year I'm going to cut back." Yeah, right. But, it keeps him going and active. I've always told my DS "If your Papaw dies with a gun, fishing rod or hoe in his hand, he will die a happy man."
Nuggetsowner:)
Lovin' The Homestead
I guess I am different from many of you...
We had always been very busy working folk. I worked three jobs, DH worked two. We had strange hours and found ourselves eating out way too much and depending on junk food and prepackaged foods to make our lives alittle easier. About 8 years ago now we made some changes...I now work only two jobs and so does DH but our hours are different and allow us way more time!! That is about the same time that we began to be more frugal and stopped the junk food and the eating out. At least we don't do it as much, my hubby and I still enjoy our "dinner dates". Then about 3 years ago we made a huge effort, and continue to get better, at becoming more self sufficient. I do notice a big difference. I feel that It has been a work in progress and as we continue to make changes our health seems to improve as well. One of my children had really bad asthma, now he only carries an inhaler and uses it rarely - about once every week or so. This is a huge improvement!! Also my DH has intestinal problems and we have seen great improvement there as well. I am still what the medical field calls overweight but I am healthy. I get migraine headaches and I have went off my medication to control them now. I do have them still but I am able to control them through watching my diet and getting the proper amount of sleep, and that kind of thing.
So I do feel our change in lifestyle has really changed our lives!
We had always been very busy working folk. I worked three jobs, DH worked two. We had strange hours and found ourselves eating out way too much and depending on junk food and prepackaged foods to make our lives alittle easier. About 8 years ago now we made some changes...I now work only two jobs and so does DH but our hours are different and allow us way more time!! That is about the same time that we began to be more frugal and stopped the junk food and the eating out. At least we don't do it as much, my hubby and I still enjoy our "dinner dates". Then about 3 years ago we made a huge effort, and continue to get better, at becoming more self sufficient. I do notice a big difference. I feel that It has been a work in progress and as we continue to make changes our health seems to improve as well. One of my children had really bad asthma, now he only carries an inhaler and uses it rarely - about once every week or so. This is a huge improvement!! Also my DH has intestinal problems and we have seen great improvement there as well. I am still what the medical field calls overweight but I am healthy. I get migraine headaches and I have went off my medication to control them now. I do have them still but I am able to control them through watching my diet and getting the proper amount of sleep, and that kind of thing.
So I do feel our change in lifestyle has really changed our lives!
me&thegals
A Major Squash & Pumpkin Lover
You have got to be kidding! Doesn't he read recent medical research, or what? The docs I work with understand that at least half are caused by viruses and need to run their own course anyway. Yikes!heatherv said:
By the way, I bet a few more pounds put on because of homegrown and homecooked food are better than a few less pounds on restaurant and other food
Thanks me&thegals! I really enjoy those moments when my little ones reject pop at my parents house or candy at my MIL's. A few weeks ago my MIL gave the kids twizzlers, and after one bite my 4 year old says "Yuck! Mom! What is that? That is NOT food!" LOL! I must be doing something right!
