Meat and potatoes

Question
Hi
I am 50. I have always been chubby, with a big belly, since I was a kid. I eat as much or less than other people so I figured I just had a slow metabolism.
My doctor says I have to lose the belly as I now have metabolic syndrome(I have hypertension) and am in danger of developing diabetes.
As I said I do eat low calorie but always had red meat and potatoes in some form every day-just the way most people of my age were brought up.
I stopped eating potatoes a few weeks ago and my belly shrank a whole belt notch-in spite of eating the same amount of calories.
Last week I gave up beef and pork-even the lean cuts I eat-and my belt is a bit looser, and I have much less gas and bloating than before.
It sounds weird, but am I allergic to meat and potatoes?
I seem to be OK with chicken, white bread, rice,pasta-its just the meat, especially beef, and the potatoes.
Also, I have a treadmill, but running even for 45 minutes a day didnt make a dent in my weight.Just gave me sore feet and knees. Is another form of cardio exercise more effective, such as taking long walks?
I have no desire to lift weights however.
Thanks for your thoughts

Answer
Good Morning:


Exercise and weight loss? Diet modification is about 96% of losing weight. Exercise does help, but not in the way you might think. Exercise helps by developing muscle which in turn burns more fat. Exercise is important because it will help you to increase your metabolism. Diet modifications is the key though. You can exercise all day long and gain weight if your body does not have the proper nutrition.

A person who eats healthy and exercises usually stay healthy. Belly fat on a man is the worst kind to have it causes diabetes, hypertension,and cholesterol in most people, and these three lead to heart disease. It is very important that you get your weight down to an acceptable BMI and bring your body fat % into alignment.

You can begin the process by working with a nutritionist who can help you learn more about how food should be used in a diet plan.As for the exercise part of your plan for better health you should be doing at least 30-45 minutes a day of cardio on most days. This cardio should be accompanied by 15-30 minutes of light weight high repititions resistance training, on at least three days a week. Before you start you should consult with your doctor to see if you are healthy enough to begin.

The treadmill is great, but if running hurts your feet then try walking at 3.7 to 4.1 miles an hour for 30 - 45 minutes. I like to combine the stationary bike,treadmill, and elliptical all in one work out, 15 minutes on each does the trick. Swimming is also great if you can get to a pool. If you like you can also take a walk outside and enjoy the fresh air.

Good luck my friend and work hard to stay off that Insulin for as long as possible. Here is some good news, you may through losing weight and exercise be able to get of your high blood pressure medication if yours is not to bad. Remember it usually takes about 1 year for your body to get full results for the good things you have achieved today so be patient.  

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