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There is an epidemic that no one is talking about. It's more contagious than Exercise only represents about 10 to 15% of weight loss. The rest is intake. So, I
covid. It’s more contagious because we get it from ourselves. Type 2 diabetes, stopped eating lots of stu . I like to tell people that I cut out vitamin K. What is
obesity, heart problems, high blood pressure, strokes, and all kinds of other vitamin K they ask? Knishes, kugel, kreplach, karnatzel, kishkeh. I didn’t deprive
issues. It’s caused by unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. Just look at pictures myself. I eat a danish occasionally. I cut out a lot of the garbage and started
of weddings, l’chaims, dinners etc and you’ll see what I am talking about. eating healthier. One thing I did not do is go on a “diet”. Did you know that the
You’re at a wedding. You grab some nger food at the smorgasbord. If you’re diet industry was valued at $192.2 billion in 2019? Do you know what it is built
like me 7 years ago you got to the women’s side because that’s where the good on? One word: FAILURE. 95% of people who go on a diet will gain back all the
stu is. You are careful. Maybe you only have 3 or 4 small portions. Or you use lost weight and then some. Be honest. How many diets have you been on? If
one of those small plates and feel good about yourself because you’re not you are one of the 5% then kol hakavod!
eating that much. Then you go to the chuppah and an hour later you go to the How did I do it? I cut down on portion size. We really don’t need to ll our plate
ballroom. You wash. After all, it’s a seudas mitzvah. You eat a roll or two and with food. Instead of eating a dinner plate size portion I eat an entrée plate size
then you have the entrée. Usually, it’s sh or a blintz or maybe both depending portion. The brain only registers fullness 15-20 minutes after eating. You think
on how much the baal simchah spends. Then you eat some of the salads that you are not full, but you really are. In fact, The Rambam says (Hilchos Deos 4:2)
are on the table and the soup with croutons or with a bread stick. Maybe the that you should only eat 75% of what you now eat. Now you know why. You
bread stick is whole wheat so it must be healthy. Oh, I forgot. Chances are you don’t have to ll the plate. I also eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dried fruit.
probably ate something at home before the wedding. After all, who knows That’s where I go when I want a snack.
when they are going to serve. And let’s not forget about the sweet table. I was Slowly the weight came o , my running increased, and my overall health
at a wedding recently where there was a sushi spread as part of the sweet greatly improved. It took a long time, and it wasn’t easy. There was a point in
table. So, now you’ll probably load up on those little cakes, the hot apple the process where I reached a plateau and the weight stopped decreasing no
strudel etc. And sometimes they put out all kinds of hot food for the people matter what I did. That was probably the hardest point in my journey. It lasted
who only come for the simchas choson v’kallah. What’s the harm in having about six months. I persisted and then the scale started to move down again. I
some of that, after all, you’ve been burning calories dancing. So, tell me, why got rid of 75 pounds. My current weight hovers around 150, my acid re ux
are you eating the main dish? You’ve already eaten too much! disappeared completely, and I don’t have gout attacks. I’m 65 but I feel much
Six years ago, in March 2016, I had a wakeup call. I was 59. I was overweight. My less. BH, I can honestly say that I feel better now than I did at 40. Aging is
doctor put me on blood pressure pills. I didn’t want to take pills; one pill begets inevitable; being old is a choice.
another. I embarked on a health journey. I changed my eating habits, took up And the pills. I stopped taking them a long time ago. I kept them as a
running and slowly weaned myself from the pills. Along the way I got rid of 75 motivator. If I wasn’t in the mood to run, I looked at them and was out the door!
pounds, gout, severe acid re ux from a hiatus hernia, and got my blood I recently met my doctor. I thanked him for prescribing them! On November 7,
pressure under control. 2021, I threw them in the garbage at the nish line of the New York City
Was it easy? No. Did it take time? Yes, a long time. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Marathon!
I’m not going to give you advice. I’m not a doctor or nutritionist. All I can do is You can do what I did. It takes time. It takes patience. It’s not easy. Don’t get
tell you about my experience and hopefully you will be inspired to do discouraged. I walked the walk, so can you. You don’t have to run marathons.
something for yourself. Because you can! Exercise 3-4 times per week for half an hour each time. A brisk walk, bike, swim,
I did two things. I started exercising and changed the way I eat. treadmill, whatever. Anything that gets the heart pumping. Eat better. There is
At the time I was doing some walking so I decided that I would try running no such thing as “I can’t”! It can be done. I did it, so can you! I call it the 3 P’s.
because I read that running revs the metabolism more than walking. When I Persistence, Patience, and Perspiration! The weather is good; get out there!
started, I couldn’t run more than 200 yards without stopping to catch my If you have any questions e-mail me at health@richler.org.
breath. I would start out walking and then run a little and then walk some Stay healthy and have a wonderful summer!
more. Over time I started lengthening my running time until I was running a
3-mile route without stopping for a walk break. It took many months until I was Shmarya Richler
able to run that distance but once I did, I kept adding mileage in small Montreal
increments. And in June 2018, I ran my rst full marathon. That’s 26.2 miles.

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