Trying to eat healthier

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Staying properly hydrated does not mean drinking 6-8 cups of water a day. If that was the case, our ancestors would've never made it in the dry savanna that is Africa. People like the 6-8 cups thingy because it's easy to do and it makes them feel like they're doing something about their fat asses.

Isn't that what I said? The amount is dependent on the person. The idea behind it (getting people to drink water) is laudable.

Originally Posted by Shazam

I have never seen a study that said it was better. I have seen a ton of articles by nutritionists touting the "benefits" of more frequent, smaller meals. I trust nutritionists about as far as I can throw them.

Well if you aren't going to trust a lot of nutritionists, I have this sneaking suspicion that you probably aren't going to trust some random people from the internet either. To each his/her own. Personally, I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I don't have as rigid a schedule for when I can eat as some people do, though.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Superfraggle

Isn't that what I said? The amount is dependent on the person. The idea behind it (getting people to drink water) is laudable.

Well I'm glad we agree

Well if you aren't going to trust a lot of nutritionists, I have this sneaking suspicion that you probably aren't going to trust some random people from the internet either. To each his/her own. Personally, I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I don't have as rigid a schedule for when I can eat as some people do, though.

The problem with nutritionists is that they do no research of their own. They simply repeat what the latest scientific research suggests, which may or may not be correct. They also tend to provide advice with no provable basis, such as the 6-8 cups of water.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Well I'm glad we agree

The problem with nutritionists is that they do no research of their own. They simply repeat what the latest scientific research suggests, which may or may not be correct. They also tend to provide advice with no provable basis, such as the 6-8 cups of water.

They do say if you drink a glass or two before a meal you will feel fuller and utimately eat less. Instead of snacking late at night I fill a glass with ice cold water and add a little lemon juice. It works for me.

[fanforever1986]

I made the decision to get healthy about 3 months ago, and I've never felt so good in my life. It's all about routine IMO.

Once you start eating healthy (the tips that have been mentioned are exactly what i've done), you'll want to eat healthy. The thought of any fast food now is really gross.

The exercise routine is hard to get into, but after a week or 2 you'll feel like you need to get to the gym or the running track...then you're off and running. pun intended.

The third aspect of the routine, and the most important is sleep. Getting enough sleep gives you the energy to do the above 2 things properly.


A lot of good info at www.menshealth.com

[Shawnski]

A staple of mine used to be a green drink each morning. Yes, you can gag now Normal reflex, but if you make them right, they are pretty good.

I took some apple juice ('bout a cup), with a banana, a few frozen strawberries and a big handful of spinach. Blended it all up with some protein powder. Tastes pretty good, actually. And quite healthy.

As you get used to it, you can add "All Greens", kale, celery, kiwis, carrots (although they are better juiced separately) etc. I also liked to snack throughout the day on sliced turkey breast and pollock (that imitation crab... zero fat)

I lost 65 net pounds in five months (while adding about 30 in muscle) through that (and rollerblading my arse off....and weight training when I could)

One thing that I did read and followed is that once a week, you can have whatever you like. Six good days, one so-so, did not cause any problems for me. Might even have helped me keep up on the six more stringent ones.

Unfortunately, after all that training, and getting into the best shape I had ever been in... I blew a knee out skiing, Refocused on it, but got lax on everything else.... got sloppy in the regiment. Lost my mother and then lost my edge on training. Never got it back again.... yet... but in the mean time, I am back were I was to start. Not good.

Whatever you do, or others that read this do, stick with it. It is far too easy to fall off that wagon than to jump on and continue to ride.

Good luck.

[shoestring]

Drink lots of water.
Never at one sitting ; eat more meat than the size of the palm of your hand.
or too much of any one thing.
Every time you eat big make sure there are five colors on your plate.
Start out your day with citrus.
Followed by fruit ,more fruit and a banana.

Chew /Eat five meals a day,or six,who cares.
Let your body absorb what you are consuming.

Try other ,more spartan diets, greek or moraccan or icelandic,lol, to vary your intake of foods or fish.

Have fun ,learn something.

[BlackEleven]

Its already been said, but just don't eat preprocessed foods. I used to eat some boxed food, but now have cut it out completely since I've found out what's in it.

If there's any doubt as to why just look at the side of a box of hamburger helper, for example. The amount of sodium is insane (remember the box will typically list the sodium in one portion, usually you have to multiply by 4 or so to get whats in the whole box).

[Captain Sensible]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Staying properly hydrated does not mean drinking 6-8 cups of water a day. If that was the case, our ancestors would've never made it in the dry savanna that is Africa. People like the 6-8 cups thingy because it's easy to do and it makes them feel like they're doing something about their fat asses.

I have never seen a study that said it was better. I have seen a ton of articles by nutritionists touting the "benefits" of more frequent, smaller meals. I trust nutritionists about as far as I can throw them.

Our ancestors also didn't drink copious amounts of coffee, pop, juice and eat food drowned in sodium either!

[troutman]

My Dad avoids white foods - rice, bread, sugar, potatoes, pasta. Not sure about that advice.

5-10 servings of vegetables per day. If you hate veggies like me, drink a V8 every day. Drink fruit smoothies, not pop.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-gu...t/index_e.html

Eat nuts, not chips. Oat bran. Fatty fish twice per week. Lean meat.

Do a cardio work out at least 3 times per week.

I'm trying to watch my cholesterol:

http://www.thehealthyheart.net/

And the good news - 1-2 ounces of alcohol per day is good for my heart (especially red wine). You can't bank it though and drink it all in one night each week.

[Cowperson]

The more you exercise, the more you can keep insidious, odious, delicious food in your life.

The less you exercise, the more you have to cut those same insidious, odius, delicious food out of your life.

Seriously though, if you are a couch potato your metabolism is pretty much zero and your ass is just getting fatter.

If you are out jogging two or three times a week, biking a few times, going for a walk a few times and extending those distances as you become more fit, always challenging yourself . . . . . you'll find your metabolism will help you burn off a lot of your bad eating habits.

I also know, personally, that the more I run, the less I'm inclined to feel like eating . . . . . and the less I run, the more my appetite for mindless garbage picks up.

Simply controlling your eating in terms of volume or content isn't enough . . . . you have to be active as well.

My thoughts.

Cowperson

[ernie]

It seems antiquated but the Food Pyramid really does work and it will make you feel better. There's no secret to weight loss or anything like that. There's no need for gimmicks. Eat healthy according to the food guide and if you want to lose weight burn off more calories than you take in.

For a guy, if you want to lose weight aim for about 1600-1800 calories a day. In this way you should lose about 0.5-1 pound a week without going out of your way to exercise (atleast at the beginning). If you do exercise the weight will come off quciker and enery levels will increase. To maintain weight the average is about 2000-2100 calories for a guy. If you are more active you'll want to up that to maintain.

If you actually place the amount of food for day a proper food pyramid diet has on a table most people are absolutely shocked on how much food it is. 3-5 servings of veg (5 for most males)....that's 5 Cups of raw veg. Tack on a couple of pieces a fruit, 2 cups of cooked rice, a bowl of cereal, 2 cups of milk and 6 ounces of meat (for very lean meats such as chicken breast you can actually increas it to 10 ounces) and you have a heck of a lot of food. And a diet that if you exercise a bit will allow you lose weight.

Just eat healthy and properly and you'll feel better. If you feel the need for a snack have raw veg or a whole grain product.

And I will say this...just because one eats this way does not guarantee them a healthy cholesterol number. Cholesterol is tied heavily to genetics. And it is the ratio they look at now more than anything and a proper diet will raise the good cholesterol levels even if the bad cholesterol doesn't decrease.
__________________________________
Following is a description of each group and the recommended range of servings of each group.
Grains and Starches

At the base of the pyramid are bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. These foods contain mostly carbohydrates. The foods in this group are made mostly of grains, such as wheat, rye, and oats. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, and corn also belong to this group, along with dry beans such as black eyed peas and pinto beans. Starchy vegetables and beans are in this group because they have about as much carbohydrate in one serving as a slice of bread. So, you should count them as carbohydrates for your meal plan.
Choose 6-11 servings per day. Remember, not many people would eat the maximum number of servings. Most people are toward the lower end of the range.

Serving sizes are:
1 slice of bread
¼ of a bagel (1 ounce)
½ an English muffin or pita bread
1, 6 inch tortilla
¾ cup dry cereal
½ cup cooked cereal
½ cup potato, yam, peas, corn, or cooked beans
1 cup winter squash
1/3 cup of rice or pasta

Vegetables
All vegetables are naturally low in fat and good choices to include often in your meals or have them as a low calorie snack. Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This group includes spinach, chicory, sorrel, Swiss chard, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, peas, and lima beans are counted in the starch and grain group for diabetes meal planning.

Put the food pyramid to work for your busy lifestyle. Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy helps you learn about the new diabetes nutrition recommendations and master the intricacies of each food group in the new pyramid.

Choose at least 3-5 servings per day.

A serving is:
1 cup raw
½ cup cooked

Fruit
The next layer of the pyramid is fruits, which also contain carbohydrates. They have plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This group includes blackberries, cantaloupe, strawberries, oranges, apples, bananas, peaches, pears, apricots, and grapes.
Choose 2-4 servings per day

A serving is:
½ cup canned fruit
1 small fresh fruit
2 tbs dried fruit
1 cup of melon or raspberries
1 ¼ cup of whole strawberries

Milk
Milk products contain a lot of protein and calcium as well as many other vitamins. Choose non-fat or low-fat dairy products for the great taste and nutrition without the saturated fat.
Choose 2-3 servings per day

A serving is:
1 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
1 cup of yogurt

Meat and Meat Substitutes
The meat group includes beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, tofu, dried beans, cheese, cottage cheese and peanut butter. Meat and meat substitutes are great sources of protein and many vitamins and minerals.
Choose from lean meats, poultry and fish and cut all the visible fat off meat. Keep your portion sizes small. Three ounces is about the size of a deck of cards. You only need 4-6 ounces for the whole day
Choose 4-6 oz per day divided between meals

Equal to 1 oz of meat:

¼ cup cottage cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp peanut butter
½ cup tofu

Fats, Sweets, and Alcohol
Things like potato chips, candy, cookies, cakes, crackers, and fried foods contain a lot of fat or sugar. They aren't as nutritious as vegetables or grains. Keep your servings small and save them for a special treat!

Serving sizes include:
½ cup ice cream
1 small cupcake or muffin
2 small cookies

[ernie]

Originally Posted by troutman

My Dad avoids white foods - rice, bread, sugar, potatoes, pasta. Not sure about that advice.

Actually it's not a bad suggestion if you take it to mean eat whole grain products instead of processed stuff. Eat rown rice istead of white. Whole wheat bread instead of white.

But there is no need to extend it to potatoes etc. The problem people have is that they don't know what a proper serving size is. Read box labels on proper serving size for a month and you'll know exactly how much of what is considered fine. Treat the pasta and potatoes as a side dish instead of the main course.

[troutman]

High Five!

[Crazy Flamer]

It depends what your goal is. If you want to eat healthier simply because you want to feel healthier, then there is plenty of good advice in this thread. Eating a balanced diet and making sure you eat every 3-4 hours are some simple rules.

But if you want to eat to gain muscle mass or to loose weight your diet is going to have to be more specific about what you pu in your body. For weight loss, cutting out white foods is one of the best things you can do. Keep your diet to lean protein and vegetables and you will drop weight like crazy. It's a pretty bland diet, but it really works. And because you are still eating a lot of protein, you won't loose muscle.

[J pold]

Well most of what I was going to say has already been mentioned but I will say this, if you are currently going to gym to stay in shape or gain some muscle mass DON’T STOP GOING

I had been going for 5 months straight and I was in great shape and things where great, but when school started I just didn’t couldn’t find the time to go, I went to the gym for the first time in 2 months last night, it ridiculous how much I have gone down, I can lift half of what I used to be able to now, I can last only a 3rd or what I used to do on the bike

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Cut back the amount of meat you eat a day.

You see..thats strange. The Atkins diet promotes eating ONLY meat. As much meat as possible...just to stay away from the carbs.

I don't agree with it...I would rather just stay away from pastries...and junk food.

[Nicole]

I just had to add something to the issue of how much water a person needs everyday. It is something that depends on your weight and you do have to get a certain amount everyday. Our bodies our 70% water and when you don't get enough of it, your body has to hold onto what it has - which causes bloating and depletes water from the other areas of your body. Brain function actually decreases when a person is not hydrated enough.

The reason water is so beneficial for losing weight is b/c when a person is dehydrated obviously their kidneys are not going to be functioning 100% due to the fact their kidneys aren't doing what they are meant to be doing since not enough water is being taken in. Therefore the liver has to start to pick up some of the slack of the kidneys; rather than metabolize fat like it is supposed to do (one of the many functions of the liver). Once a person who is struggling with their weight adds 8 - 10 glasses of water a day to their diet not only do they tend to eat less but all systems of the body start to do what they are meant to do. I met a man at my gym who lost over 200 lbs and one thing he said to me that really stuck was that water was a "magic elixer for weightloss". I would trust this advice coming from someone who used to weigh 400 lbs, who is now under 200 and totally fit .. you would never have known he had been obese at one time. Obviously he exercised as well and had to watch his calories but he said that drinking enough water was the most important thing he did for himself to lose the weight. It helped him control his cravings, it helped him have the energy to exercise and in return he was able to shed an extraodinary amount of weight.

I know when I am not drinking enough water that I get headaches and I am more lethargic. When you first start drinking more water than you are used to, of course all that is going to happen is that you are going to be runnning to the bathroom every 10 minutes but eventually your body adjusts after a week or so and you don't have to pee as often.

As for the 5 or 6 small meals a day, I think it is quite beneficial if you are trying to drop weight. It keeps your bloodsugar levels from dropping (as long as you aren't eating simple carbs - cookies, crackers, anything "white" basically) and eating at those intervals does increase a persons metabolism. It's not for everyone though and if eating 3 times a day is what works for someone then that's what they should do. My dad was a bodybuilder and eating at regular intervals is very important if you train. Of course the amount of calories for each "mini meal" depends on what your golas are. If it is to lose weight all a person has to do is cut out 500 calories a day which can be as easy as cutting out 250 calories from food and burning the other 250 through daily exercise.

Anyway .. that said I think most people have offered some great adcie to eating healthier. I think the biggest thing is stay away from fast food, highly processed foods and sugar (that's a hard one for me). Drink how ever much water is right for you (I personally don't think anyone should have less than 6 glasses a day) and lay off the salt. On a persoanl note .. I started to cut sugar out of my diet and I could not believe how much better I felt and how much more energy I had .. it was night and day. Unfortuantely I got back into my old ways after my dad tragically passed away earlier this year but I'm trying to get back on track again and I can tell you that it makes a world of difference, regardless of if a person needs to lose weight or not. Sugar is bad news and doesn't benefit our bodies in any way, shape or form.

[return to the red]

I'm Lactose Intolerant as well so I stay away from the Cheese, Milk, etc unless I have an uncontrollable craving.

My wife is a calorie counter and a fitness freak...my advice to you is get one of these.

She hauls my ass to the gym, keeps me from the McDick's and such, subtitutes my pop for Juice and puts a leash on my drinking. Since I've been with her I've never felt better

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by return to the red

I'm Lactose Intolerant as well so I stay away from the Cheese, Milk, etc unless I have an uncontrollable craving.

Hard cheese such as cheddar have very little to no lactose. You should try those. Same with yogurt.

If you still have problems, you may have an allergy to milk proteins.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by return to the red

My wife is a calorie counter and a fitness freak...my advice to you is get one of these.

She hauls my ass to the gym, keeps me from the McDick's and such, subtitutes my pop for Juice and puts a leash on my drinking. Since I've been with her I've never felt better

So, is your advice to get a calorie counter, a personal assistant or a new mom?