Have you let yourself go?

[Cypress Hill]

Even if you're obese and a whiny bore in Thailand, you're still "hansum makmak" to the ladies. Money talks.

Given your moniker, I'm going to assume you're biased.

Being in shape means you're "hansum" to the non-hookers too.

[Linky]

I was 86kg in oz and had a girlfriend half my age.we went out for 3 years.

Was the same weight in Thailand and had a girlfriend half my age, went out for 5 years.

Now in Malaysia and 72kg and my girlfiend is more than half my age, been living together for 2 years.

I fear losing more weight as I may end up going out with a girl older than my grandmother.

?

[VBF]

I did sort of let go. But got my shit together and now weigh the same as I did 20 years ago. Cut down carbs by 80 percent and started exercising more. Target is to come off hypertension meds. Only slight blood pressure problem. BTW stopped drinking alcohol altogether. This has all happened in the past 6 months.

Keep it up Garry - my doctor wanted me to go on BP meds and Statins (for high Cholesterol) a year ago. I decided to attack the CAUSE, not the symptom. I changed my diet, almost cut out beer and do several 2 hour walks a week. Net result - BP down to within the recommended limits, cholesterol falling and 6kg weight loss. Plus I FEEL so much better.

[VBF]

It's far too hot to move /exercise , walk.

Not at all. Especially if you get up early in the morning.

Might I suggest swimming?

[Cypress Hill]

It's far too hot to move /exercise , walk . Sitting inside all day in aircon with fillers like rice & noodles ..... yes I let myself go.

Many gyms have air conditioning too

[smokie36]

It's far too hot to move /exercise , walk.

Not at all. Especially if you get up early in the morning.

This is why I use the pool every day.

True about diet too....moderation there and with beer from time to time.

Careful excess and you can live a good life!

[ignis]

Depends on what you call 'let yourself go'

born in the UK at 18 was 21 stone, my Mother, Sister and myself just about tried every diet with yo-yo effects from early teens, myself not to bad as 6'3" size 13 shoes etc... at aged 24 went overseas to work in no time without trying was down to around 90 kg, many year later went back to UK and weight went up over 7 years... no idea why ?

I moved here end of 2003 my weight was 132 kg, Hospital here 2005 = 122 kg, couple of months ago weight on same Hospital scales 99 kg, not tried to diet, so weight now is about the same as 50 years ago.

alcohol has nothing to do with it, as don't drink

[ttthailand]

I have always been in decent shape but the older I get the more attention I pay to my body. I go to gym and pool more often now but with lift less weight and perhaps spend less time each workout.

I see that it's not just the guys putting on weight, the girls are doing a fine job putting on the kgs and keeping up with the boys.

[NoshowJones]

Nope. I saw that road opening up ahead of me and took the other path. I still like a beer - but I eat well and exercise so that I can enjoy one without the belly that goes with it.

I am just like you where this topic is concerned, except I never drink any alcohol, I used to do cycling, but I felt I was not getting enough exercise as the roads for miles around are all flat.

I now want to get another bike as I miss the cycling, I just make sure I don't go much over 75K which is probably about right as I am tall.

[NoshowJones]

I dig the buzz... and girls are easy to get here even if you're fat.

Yes, but only if you have very deep pockets, if you are fat and don't splash the money around it will soon be bye bye.

[NoshowJones]

I dig the buzz... and girls are easy to get here even if you're fat.

Well if you are in good shape and add 20-30 kg you are still in good shape for USA or Australia and get the girls there as well

If you add 20-30 kg to the average guys weight for his height, for a Farang, that is about 5ft 8ins, you are not going to be in good shape as you would be very overweight

and you cannot be fat and fit.

[NoshowJones]

No - but sort of recently.....usually 106-107k which is OK for my height....

But the last month and a half - now up to 111k = pulled tweaked a groin muscle and it hurts like b---h but had started to calm down some restressed it thinking it was good enough to help our daughter work on her basketball game/fast twitch muscle = mistake....Then went to help moving some furniture and tweaked my back twisting with the weight.....Try moving one without relying on the other to help each "fortify" one another - hasn't been fun recently....

Hopefully another couple of weeks and things return to normal....

OP original question - I weigh less than I did in the states.....even though more active there the weight was needed......

Your first sentence, you must be about 6ft 8ins tall, I would not like to fall out with you.

[NoshowJones]

Jim Fixx died in the 80's.

Fitness guru, actor and model Greg Plitt has died after being struck by a train in LA. 2015

It's like this. One may die at any time. One may be fit and die. But there is absolutely no excuse to be so crude and rude and disrespectful to your elders to write, "You just can't do it so many times before your heart gives out and some poor girl has to wriggle out from underneath your sweaty mortal remains."

Fat and polite is better any day than in shape and crude, rude and disrespectful.

I'm not playing this game with you again.

Aw go on SB, us posters want some entertainment.

[lostoday]

I dig the buzz... and girls are easy to get here even if you're fat.

Yes, but only if you have very deep pockets, if you are fat and don't splash the money around it will soon be bye bye.

Deep is in the eye of the beholder. I'd say pocket change. I have a friend who is a fat dwarf he used to work for the circus in Hungary he wears red shoes (in case you see him say hi) and even he says pocket change.

[Loptr]

I am going the other way... Since I have been back in Thailand full time, I've dropped 5 - 6 kilos... Healthier food, fresh fruit every day, playing golf 3 - 4 times a week and when not on the golf course either cycling or in the gym... I enjoy a few beers every week but am hardly a bar hound... It's the beers that will get you, after all it is just liquid bread...

[NoshowJones]

I dig the buzz... and girls are easy to get here even if you're fat.

Yes, but only if you have very deep pockets, if you are fat and don't splash the money around it will soon be bye bye.

Deep is in the eye of the beholder. I'd say pocket change. I have a friend who is a fat dwarf he used to work for the circus in Hungary he wears red shoes (in case you see him say hi) and even he says pocket change.

I bet if he came to Thailand he would get the girls if he was very rich. Deep pockets is just a saying.

[sammygood]

came here many moons ago

first thing i did was try to lose 30 kg & i did

tought, this would be the best investment in thailand .... so you can avoid the expensive hospitals

[YeahSiam]

Nutrition is pretty much 80%

of the equation but the

discipline required to stick to

it demands that eating

become joyless most of the

time. Unless, of course,

you're Gordon Ramsay and

can make a red kidney bean

taste like a feast.

[Katipo]

I regularly run outdoors, cycle, and work out at the gym. I rarely drink during the week, but enjoy a good binge in the weekends. My weight is more or less the same as when I arrived in Thailand 10+ years ago,

Being in good physical shape helps open doors, even more so in a country that places too much emphasis on such things. More importantly however, I like being a healthier, stronger, version of me.

[timmyp]

I have always watched my diet and exercised, but I got much more careful once I hit 40. I quit drinking when I moved to Thailand (backwards compared to many), and I eat at home for almost every meal. Healthy food tastes great, so I don't find this a culinary sacrifice. I exercise regularly, etc.

Seeing farang here who can't write their own address in Thai tickled with the social rank their money and white skin gets them here in Thailand is all the more pig-like when they are fat.

Edited August 25, 2015 by timmyp

[glasswort]

No - but sort of recently.....usually 106-107k which is OK for my height....

But the last month and a half - now up to 111k = pulled tweaked a groin muscle and it hurts like b---h but had started to calm down some restressed it thinking it was good enough to help our daughter work on her basketball game/fast twitch muscle = mistake....Then went to help moving some furniture and tweaked my back twisting with the weight.....Try moving one without relying on the other to help each "fortify" one another - hasn't been fun recently....

Hopefully another couple of weeks and things return to normal....

OP original question - I weigh less than I did in the states.....even though more active there the weight was needed......

So for the acceptable BMI of 25 you are 2.07m tall ?

[NoshowJones]

I regularly run outdoors, cycle, and work out at the gym. I rarely drink during the week, but enjoy a good binge in the weekends. My weight is more or less the same as when I arrived in Thailand 10+ years ago,

Being in good physical shape helps open doors, even more so in a country that places too much emphasis on such things. More importantly however, I like being a healthier, stronger, version of me.

A "good binge" is going to ruin all the weeks good work, I assume you mean you drink to get drunk at the weekends, a social drink is fine, but IMO

getting drunk is a big no no.

[louse1953]

The exact opposite for me.Now i have time to train and do other things as well.Fittest i've ever been.Work was a burdon on my lifestyle.

[klauskunkel]

I date fat ladies...it keeps me in shape!

[duanebigsby]

Sure, you can still get laid here if you're old and fat.

You just can't do it so many times before your heart gives out and some poor girl has to wriggle out from underneath your sweaty mortal remains.

James F. Fixx, who spurred the jogging craze with his best-selling books about running and preached the gospel that active people live longer, died of a heart attack Friday while on a solitary jog in Vermont. He was 52 years old. I'm 70.

He had a genetic disposition to heart failure. His father had a heart attack at 35 and died of another one in his early 40's. Jim had a congenitally enlarged heart.

he died in spite of being correct about fitness.

[kannot]

Jim Fixx died in the 80's.

Fitness guru, actor and model Greg Plitt has died after being struck by a train in LA. 2015

It's like this. One may die at any time. One may be fit and die. But there is absolutely no excuse to be so crude and rude and disrespectful to your elders to write, "You just can't do it so many times before your heart gives out and some poor girl has to wriggle out from underneath your sweaty mortal remains."

Fat and polite is better any day than in shape and crude, rude and disrespectful.

But does being fat guarentee politeness? I think not The only thing fat guarentees is the intake of too many calories.

It also guarantees survival in freezing waters longer than skinny runts

[freebyrd]

There is no magic bullet. I was in the fitness business, military and civilian for 30 years and was still exercising 3 times a day 6 days week until age 49 when I had a stroke. I found out later that a heart condition caused that, possibly brought on by too much aggressive exercise in my youth. The weight piled on, then pneumonia nearly took me out. I worked hard at my diet and lost 30kgs, then found out I have Type 2 diabetes.

Churchill (Cigar in hand) to Montgomery: So General, spot of lunch and a drink?

Monty: I don't smoke or drink and I'm 100% fit

Churchill: Well I smoke and drink and I'm 200% fit

Monty died at 87, Churchill lived until he was 90......

Mindful that I'm a touch cynical, ultimately it's whatever works for you. There is a theory that if you do all the right things you will live longer, but perhaps not enjoy life as much as the couch potato who smokes, drinks and eats just about anything. I don't smoke or drink but do humour my sweet tooth. My brother, same background, and I agree. We all have to die of something, so might as well enjoy it while we can.

All that said, one man's meat is another man's poison, so each to their own and bugg*r what anyone else thinks.

[pgrahmm]

No - but sort of recently.....usually 106-107k which is OK for my height....

But the last month and a half - now up to 111k = pulled tweaked a groin muscle and it hurts like b---h but had started to calm down some restressed it thinking it was good enough to help our daughter work on her basketball game/fast twitch muscle = mistake....Then went to help moving some furniture and tweaked my back twisting with the weight.....Try moving one without relying on the other to help each "fortify" one another - hasn't been fun recently....

Hopefully another couple of weeks and things return to normal....

OP original question - I weigh less than I did in the states.....even though more active there the weight was needed......

Your first sentence, you must be about 6ft 8ins tall, I would not like to fall out with you.

Right at about 6'4" now was a bit more but age has filed me down a bit....comfortable at 105-106K/235lb- big framed.....

[mankondang]

Sure, you can still get laid here if you're old and fat.

You just can't do it so many times before your heart gives out and some poor girl has to wriggle out from underneath your sweaty mortal remains.

James F. Fixx, who spurred the jogging craze with his best-selling books about running and preached the gospel that active people live longer, died of a heart attack Friday while on a solitary jog in Vermont. He was 52 years old.[/size] I'm 70.[/size] [/size]

Yes and I get your point and agree.

However, James F Fixx died on 20 July 1984, age 52 (just in case readers to your quote think he died last Friday 21 Aug 2015). If he had lived he would have been 85 today, but he didn't. So that makes you much better off for being alive and healthy today.. His 'estate' is good heath, but what does that do for him?

On the OP, topic, Just read today ( Lancet) , that alcohol is now the highest killer of all legal "drugs" in the world today ( through disease only and not including motor accidents, etc), and is the third highest killer of all drug. I was always led to believe, re the WHO, that tabacci inc nicotine was. Any thoughts ?

PS The WHO, the World Health Organization, and not Kieth Moon etc, who (no pun) had much experience.

Edited August 25, 2015 by mankondang

[Shiver]

Before coming to Thailand I had a shoulder injury that meant I could not go to the gym for a while, and I let myself go. After coming here with a different food and lifestyle habit I've lost a lot (even though I drink a lot of beer). For my body type I find I can put on or lose weight quite easily, but the absolute no no for me is not to mix carbs with fat (other peoples mileage may vary). At the gym I would purposely cycle between 96Kg and 72Kg every 3 months. Now I am close to the lower range of that weight, but without any muscle, so look sort of 'skinny fat'.

Exercise helps to a degree in weight loss, but diet is the major player. If you do go to the gym, the first 6 weeks or so will show pleasing improvements and fat loss. After that it is a real grind to get further improvements and need real dedication with diminishing returns.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Shiver