blood pressure

Hi RR, Iwas just at orientation last week in Phoenix. took the physical and all was well. BP,urine,etc..then the doctor says he wants a copy of a stress test !!! Yes I had heart heart surgery in 02 but have passed all physicals since. So in case any of you have had bypass or whatever be prepared to show a stress test or EKG for your next physical. This is a great forum to learn from...you don't get all this good stuff in school. Be safe and eat well....Rob

 

Lying or sitting will give a lower reading , not an accurate one unless you sit or lie around all day .

 

True Rick, which is why some clinics do a "lying and standing" BP comparison.

But my point was that running round wallyworld just seconds before doing a reading is never gonna achieve medical accuracy!

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00016/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Maybe they know?

There's also an article in Senior Health. Naaah, I won't go there!!!

 

omg...so many responses...what to believe anymore...lol...the first thing i need to do is lose some weight...it just seems so #### difficult out there on the road..

 

Yeah but its not impossible. Cut out the buffets, eat more fruits n veggies...chug that water like crazy so you stay full. Eat more, but smaller meals...like five small meals each day. Cut out the pop (aka liquid sugar, lol).

I've been losing quite a bit of weight recently. I haven't felt like eating since before turkey day but I think that's due to a change in one of my meds that I take. Ive already tightened my belt twice in the last 3-4 weeks. I know I lost 8lbs in one 3 week period and actually it was probably more because I was wearing a jacket and some heavy boots when I got weighed the second time.

One thing to do is just to simply write down what you eat and drink each day and try to write down the calories in each. I used to stop at the Pilot and get 2 2-liters for 3 bucks. Well if you buy the regular 2 liters...thats like 800 calories right there! Plus if you buy the 2 for 2 king size candy bars....thats another what...600 calories or something probably? My doc said for me a good goal would be to hit 1800 calories a day. However just the other day I saw something from Taco Bell from a new promotion they have with their fresco menu. A gal said she reduced her diet down 500 calories a day to 1250 calories...which seems fairly low to me.

Either way, keep in mind that you are maybe eating over 2-3 calories a day, so make gradual changes. Id say start with cutting the pop out...switch to diet. Its zero calories (aka...400 less calories per liter).

 

well i've already mentioned that i've cut 90% of my soda intake...i might have one once a week...the rest of the time its water but it doesnt fill me up and leave less room for food...when i see a food that i like and i realize how much is in the pot (when im cooking at home) i tend to take a larger portion..and as far as keeping track of my calories, i have no clue how to do that...(dont meant to make myself sound ignorant) and does it also count for the random snacks throughout the day?...lol
if i go to subway at the pilots the only sub i like is the meatball parm....
seriously, im over 350lbs and im like 6'. FAR more then i was in HS 12 1/2yrs ago...lol tho most of my weight has come from when i quit smoking 5yrs ago and from depression and stress.....or at least that's what i'm blaming it on...lol

 

Well first, my suggestions weren't aimed at you, per se, but general suggestions for truck drivers. So dont feel like i was attacking you or anything, lol.

Second...I too am a Big Daddy, lol. Last I weighed in, about 3 weeks ago...I was 338, but that was down from 346 a few weeks before. Hopefully Im around 325ish now...going to doc tomorrow.

As far as calories...that suggested daily intake is 1800 calories...but I believe that is for someone who is already at their ideal weight. For you, for example, when I found a couple online calculators...it said you should eat 2,800 calories! To them, that would be a Decrease in what you are already consuming. ie...fat people eat a ton of calories...hence why they are fat...so if you 'only' eat 2800 calories...you will start losing weight...in theory. Each 500 calories less you consume each day, adds up to a 1lb average weight loss each week.
Anywho...for counting calories...simply just keep track of what you eat...as truckers we eat a lot of packaged food...so just check on the package what you eat as far as calories. If you eat 1 candy bar and that is 300 calories...well thats 300 calories. There are lots of stuff you just can't really know for sure...such as going to a restaurant..they dont tell you the calories in each menu item.
But for lots of stuff you eat, there IS a nutritional value guide available at the restaurant or at least online. For example...Im eating a subway club, each 6incher is 320 calories; since I have a footlong, thats 640 calories. They include cheese in their numbers, but not the lite mayo...so add just an extra 40 calories? I also dont think that veggies are added, but either way...veggies are good, lol. 700-800 calories isn't too bad for a dinner at all.

The meatball marinara is 580 calories per six inch...or 1060 for the footlong.

Now with that in mind, lol...keep in mind you want to look out for other stuff too such as fat and sodium. I don't watch out for fat as much s i should, but I look out for sodium. As Big Guys, we need to watch out for our salt intake as that is a big issue in regards to cardiovascular stuff.

Along with that fun stuff is what you eat. I won't go too much into this because this reply is already long, lol. But some foods don't fill you up as much as other foods. For about a month a couple of months back...I was on an oatmeal kick. Id have oatmeal for breakfast in the morning...two pouches. I dont remember the calories offhand...but I noticed after a few days that I wasn't hungry at all until lunch time.

Counting calories does count for snacks, because you are trying to figure out how many calories you take in each day; but that doesnt have to make it a bad thing, just watch what you snack on. Some snacks are good, others aren't.

Water should fill you up if you drink lots of it. Your stomach gets full and says to the brain "hey...Im full...stop sending stuff down here"...so keep chugging that water.

As far as depression and stress...I hear ya there; right now...I don't have much of an appetite at all...I think its due to an uppage of one of my meds, the wifey poo thinks its anxiety. Either way...Im not eating nearly as much as I did, say a month and a half ago. But they say that one of the best ways to cope with stress and depression is to do stuff like exercise...getting out and walking helps take your mind off stuff. Now heres somethign to think about...when you smoked...what did you have in your hand? A cigarette. The reason lots of people gain weight is that the cigarette is a coping mechanism...strees..smoke...bored...smoke...wakeup, smoke...etc. That person deals with whatever by smoking. When you take away the smoking aspect...that person finds other ways to deal and cope with stuff...often by eating. Ie...picture a trucker smoking...then take away the cigarette and you will find them with a bag of chips on the dash...always reaching in for another bite.

Sorry for the length.

 

oh wow what a long reply..lol...but still. helpful none the less...thats what im looking for...but sometimes i feel i may not even be eating anywheres near 2800 calories....tho i'm sure i burn off less then i eat..lol..now lets take subway for ex. if i eat there i get either the meatball with cheese (ft long) and i have them wrap it seperately so i eat half b4 i hit the road and the other half i eat about an hr or 2 later, or i get the sausage egg and cheese with mayo....i try to stay more wiht pretzles rather then chips if i can...but once in a while i still get my craving for sour cream and onion ruffles...lol..and i drink mostly water..now on the packages of stuff it says the calories per serving...but their serving is never the same size as mine...lol