Group support in health goals

[Yogidog]

Hello all

I am starting a thread where we can talk about diet and exercise goals and how we are meeting them or in my case what is holding me back  it came to mind when in the woman section we were talking about clothes, then turned to carbohydrates As usual we have more in common to unite us than differences to divide us

Any ideas on how to do this are very welcome.

I know for me if I am accountable to a outside source for a month or so I can establish a routine where I don't need to give it a lot of thought I just do it. Not so in the beginning, will power and focus

When I lived on the road for three years a while back, it was awesome but my eating was not.  Eating has never been a big priority for me, so I put in no effort and got what I sowed mcdoubles, doughnuts, coffee and diet pepsi primarily!

I have worked really hard to set up my life for maximum independence and self determination, if I don't change the eating I could be handing over my fate to the medical establishment, heart, diabetes, ect.

So my primary focus is to cut out sugar and processed foods. Pretty simple just eat real food. whyyyyyy is that so hard?! Lived on little Debbie's most of my life? Grew up on captain crunch, tab was cool as a teenager? None of that is cool at 50:

So I need to set aside money (I look at it as I am saving if I don't spend it on food),
shop, 
protein, veggies, fruit. 

Wishing all good fortune on this journey :heart: :heart:

 

[Canine]

Yogidog,I applaud anyones efforts to be healthy.Our health is the our greatest asset.Actually,you won't save money by eating healthy foods.Just the opposite.Fresh fruits and vegetables cost more and take longer to prepare than canned goods.Food is one of our biggest expenses but we consider it an investment in quality of life.Our first change was cutting out red meat,then we read about all the growth hormones and anti biotics fed to chicken and turkey so that went out too.We usually don't eat anything white,since it is made with processed flour.Limit the sugar and salt intake also.Most of weight loss comes from changing our diet.To be healthy and not just slimmer,you also need some regular exercise.Good Luck and don't get discouraged,it takes time to swing the pendulum back..

 

[Yogidog]

Bob, thanks for support, that is great you both were able to make thoughts healthy changes, especially the don't eat anything white! I like that clear no wiggle room! Yes carb addiction is my problem, I am hyper, exercise comes naturally, when I got home last time, I was under what I should have been.

I forgot being in the woods may solve it, unless I want to drive 30 miles for doughnuts, it is withdrawal! I also have my money in the bank through the weekend! Great to hear u can make these diet changes on the road. Thanks!

 

[Raven+Squid]

The ADA (American Diabetic Association) guidelines are a great start. Helps guide portions and food choices. And its backed by nutritional science. Whats cool too is that its healthy for diabetics and non diabetics. Watch out going cold turkey on the carbs...the craving will be relentless. Cutting back but not eliminating the carbs increases success with the overall healthy lifestyle.
Those fresh unprocessed foods talked about above are another key component.

Consistent and gradually increasing exercise is the other half. Within 3 months you'll definitely start to feel overall healthier.

You can do it, this will happen.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

good luck,

 

[Yogidog]

Raven and squid,
Knew I would find a similar soul on here! Thank u, you got it. I am going to follow the Ada. This is exactly what I am worried about, runs in family. Thanks for validating the relentless cravings make it though yesterday only because I had no choice. I will increase the fruit and veggies, good call. 3 months gives me perspective, of course I want it now! This is super helpful! Good day to u.

 

[Gunny]

Interesting thread! I am trying to follow the diet the nutritionist at The VA worked out for me, really trying but sometimes backsliding. My Physical therapist gives a workout once a month and has shown me the types of exercises I need to do and can do, with my physical limitations. He even prescribed a stationary peddler to help regain the strength in my left leg. I realized I was favoring my left leg but I didn't realize how quickly muscles lose their tone.

I am 20 pounds overweight and in two months have lost a whooping 6 pounds. But I try. There are a lot of diet foods I can't eat, salads and such because they interfere with one of my meds. And I hate fish but am trying to think of creative ways to cook the fish flavor out of fish. Deep frying works but sort of defeats the purpose. Such is life.

 

[Raven+Squid]

Raven and squid,
Knew I would find a similar soul on here! Thank u, you got it. I am going to follow the Ada. This is exactly what I am worried about, runs in family. Thanks for validating the relentless cravings make it though yesterday only because I had no choice. I will increase the fruit and veggies, good call. 3 months gives me perspective, of course I want it now! This is super helpful! Good day to u.

Very cool!

 

[Raven+Squid]

Interesting thread! I am trying to follow the diet the nutritionist at The VA worked out for me, really trying but sometimes backsliding. My Physical therapist gives a workout once a month and has shown me the types of exercises I need to do and can do, with my physical limitations. He even prescribed a stationary peddler to help regain the strength in my left leg. I realized I was favoring my left leg but I didn't realize how quickly muscles lose their tone.

I am 20 pounds overweight and in two months have lost a whooping 6 pounds. But I try. There are a lot of diet foods I can't eat, salads and such because they interfere with one of my meds. And I hate fish but am trying to think of creative ways to cook the fish flavor out of fish. Deep frying works but sort of defeats the purpose. Such is life.

Hey this sounds like steady progress to me, that's the name of the game! Good luck!!


Try blacking the fish Cajun style or making fish tacos and use cilantro and lime. Both are gooood and aren't really fishy. Fish with the whiter flesh seems to be less fishy.

 

[cognitive dissonance]

I wouldn't be surprised to find out the ADA guidelines were more a result of lobbying than science, just like the FDA's absurd food pyramid. (If you want optimum health, grains are not acceptable, period. ADA says whole grains are ok, and that's all you need to know about their "science".)

Over the years, I perfected a program of diet and exercise that gave me the health and strength I wanted with the least amount of work. Once I figured it all out, it was far less demanding than you'd think. The bottom line is that you don't have to work anywhere near as hard to be healthy and in shape if you aren't constantly overcoming a crappy diet!

The gist of my diet is NO grains or starchy foods, NO processed sugars, NO machine processed vegetable oils, NO dairy, NO processed foods of any kind and NO artificial flavors or sweeteners. (Stevia products are acceptable sweeteners...)

YES to grass fed meat, YES to wild caught fish, YES to organic or free range eggs and chicken, YES to fresh or frozen green vegetables in unlimited quantities, YES to nuts, YES to vegetables of other colors/less sugary fruits in modest amounts, YES to spices, chiles/peppers, YES to a drink or two when you want it as long as it's red wine or occasionally Scotch, and even YES to dark chocolate if it's over 75% cacao with no added sugar! (And triple YESSS to red wine and dark chocolate together!!!!)

I'm very picky about the quality of meats I eat - if you care about what you eat, then it matters what your food ate! The "factory" versions of these foods are fed grains and processed junk and consequently the Omega fatty acids in them are so far out of whack that it will seriously compromise YOUR health over time. (Garbage in, cancer out!)

Factory eggs have the same problem with Omega imbalance, whereas organic or pastured eggs are VERY good for you! 

If you're trying to protect or regain health, you can't skimp on this. 

On the exercise side, work up to five 30-40 minute sessions of modest cardio every week.  (I'm talking brisk walking, for the most part. Walk the dog! Take a hike!) Then, get a bike, or use the one you have, or use a stationary bike at the health club. Swimming is ok now and then as well, but most of your exercise should be weight-bearing to maintain bone density.

You can now learn everything you really need to know - what to do and what to avoid, in one book. It's "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson.  This book is the whole enchilada, diet and exercise, and the only book I've seen that pays adequate attention to food quality AND explains why.  If you've ever looked at Atkins or Paleo, a lot will be familiar. Just as much will be new, and it's what he teaches about the quality of food and the importance of not overdoing exercise that will really open your eyes!

 

[Canine]

CD,I agree with most of what you said except the meat.To each his (or her)own.I'm having a hard time picturing the eggs running around in a pasture.

 

[ggwoman]

I wouldn't be surprised to find out the ADA guidelines were more a result of lobbying than science, just like the FDA's absurd food pyramid. (If you want optimum health, grains are not acceptable, period. ADA says whole grains are ok, and that's all you need to know about their "science".)

Over the years, I perfected a program of diet and exercise that gave me the health and strength I wanted with the least amount of work. Once I figured it all out, it was far less demanding than you'd think. The bottom line is that you don't have to work anywhere near as hard to be healthy and in shape if you aren't constantly overcoming a crappy diet!

The gist of my diet is NO grains or starchy foods, NO processed sugars, NO machine processed vegetable oils, NO dairy, NO processed foods of any kind and NO artificial flavors or sweeteners. (Stevia products are acceptable sweeteners...)

YES to grass fed meat, YES to wild caught fish, YES to organic or free range eggs and chicken, YES to fresh or frozen green vegetables in unlimited quantities, YES to nuts, YES to vegetables of other colors/less sugary fruits in modest amounts, YES to spices, chiles/peppers, YES to a drink or two when you want it as long as it's red wine or occasionally Scotch, and even YES to dark chocolate if it's over 75% cacao with no added sugar! (And triple YESSS to red wine and dark chocolate together!!!!)

I'm very picky about the quality of meats I eat - if you care about what you eat, then it matters what your food ate! The "factory" versions of these foods are fed grains and processed junk and consequently the Omega fatty acids in them are so far out of whack that it will seriously compromise YOUR health over time. (Garbage in, cancer out!)

Factory eggs have the same problem with Omega imbalance, whereas organic or pastured eggs are VERY good for you! 

If you're trying to protect or regain health, you can't skimp on this. 

On the exercise side, work up to five 30-40 minute sessions of modest cardio every week.  (I'm talking brisk walking, for the most part. Walk the dog! Take a hike!) Then, get a bike, or use the one you have, or use a stationary bike at the health club. Swimming is ok now and then as well, but most of your exercise should be weight-bearing to maintain bone density.

You can now learn everything you really need to know - what to do and what to avoid, in one book. It's "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson.  This book is the whole enchilada, diet and exercise, and the only book I've seen that pays adequate attention to food quality AND explains why.  If you've ever looked at Atkins or Paleo, a lot will be familiar. Just as much will be new, and it's what he teaches about the quality of food and the importance of not overdoing exercise that will really open your eyes!

I also follow a similiar diet - a combination of AtkinsPaleo. My DIL and Son follow strictly Paleo and  I can tell you that this type of diet is the one we have all benefited from tremendously over the past few years. My A1C is now normal, and  no more pre-diabetes symptoms.  We all have experienced natural weight loss, high energy, clear thinking, as a bonus, depression/anxiety (for me) has disappeared.  I enjoy the low glycemic index, monitor the slow carbs (vegies and fruits) of this diet although I do use a bit of honey as a sweetener now and then when making a cheesecake or something special for a party.  

NO processed food and organic is essential to good health.

 

[cognitive dissonance]

I also follow a similiar diet - a combination of AtkinsPaleo.  My DIL and Son follow strictly Paleo and  I can tell you that this type of diet is the one we have all benefited from tremendously over the past few years. My A1C is now normal, and  no more pre-diabetes symptoms.  We all have experienced natural weight loss, high energy, clear thinking, as a bonus, depression/anxiety (for me) has disappeared.  I enjoy the low glycemic index, monitor the slow carbs (vegies and fruits) of this diet although I do use a bit of honey as a sweetener now and then when making a cheesecake or something special for a party.  

NO processed food and organic is essential to good health.

It's GREAT to hear other people's success stories!

Congratulations!

cd

 

[cognitive dissonance]

I'm having a hard time picturing the eggs running around in a pasture.

You should see them. Sometimes they race each other!

Something for your bucket list....

cd

 

[wagoneer]

clench your fist this is the size of your stomach fill it with wise selections. Undercook Love Adrian aka "wagoneer"

 

[East]

25lbs gone since February with calorie restriction.. still have another 25lbs to go until the target weight, but I'm never going to stop counting calories. I'll do anything to keep myself from reaching the weight I was or anything close to it ever again. I'd like to hone my diet more, will check out the primal blueprint.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I think this thread is a great idea.  Obiously, your health is the main factor affecting your quality of life.  For me, eating desserts increases my quality of life, but I've stopped eating them because I know they'll make me fat.  My decision to not eat sugar, desserts, soda, is still payig dividends as I'm still losing about 2 or 3 pounds per month.  I'd like to lose another 40 pounds.

 

[Yogidog]

Very cool all I wasn't sure about this thread, meant to make it clear it was about individual goals and maybe make them into group.goals a team building thing I did a very poor job at that! So I am doing better on carbs, but need to make myself spend at least five dollars a day on food and now that I cut the carbs , salt is an issue. Congrats to us all!

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I'm against drugs, and doctors.  The only thing I do to deserve my great health is I play harmonica, which has created great pulmonary function.  Its cheap, fun, and effective.  Harmonica pkayers have the best pulmonary function of any group of people.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Just in the news yesterday, medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer.  Google "third leading cause of death".