Healthy Eating

[Viking]

Hello fellow slap heeds

As some may be aware I'm looking to make some lifestyle changes, mainly to shift some bulk but I'd also like to become healthier along the way. Now I've tried dieting in the past to pretty much identical outcomes, I'd loose around 14lbs in about a month then fall off the wagon. I'm looking to make permanent changes to what I put into my system for a healthy future not just an impressive weight drop followed by putting it back on, hence why I'm looking for healthy eating tips NOT diet tips, diets are temporary I want long term.

I've never been into fad diets, I've allways been of the opinion that to loose weight all I'd need to do eat less and exercise more, or is that too simplistic? Obviously eating less would involve eating foods that are healthier, cutting down on fat and carbs etc... but is essentially depriving your body of food, causing it to create pain really a good long term solution.

I came across a peice the other day about Paleolithic diet's, which essentially seemed to have the idea that wheat and grains are evil and cause spikes in blood sugar that trigger fat creating insulin. It seemed to make sense in what it was saying in that the human body hasn't evolved enough to cope with grains, especially GM grains of the last 50 years or so.

The same article also seemed to be of the opinion that the reason the world is getting fatter is because of low fat dieting and that they don't work, that didn't seem right with me as I dare say the vast majority of the obese people out there have never dieted in their lives.

Anyone out there made any significant changes to the way they eat and what were the results.

I have to say I'm still of the opinion that eating less fat, less carbs, less sugars and more good foods along with exercising more is the way to go but my ears and mind are open!!

[Switchy]

 I would agree, eating less, drinking alot of water, excercise, but I eat what I like just do not over indulge , but when you get older that is what happens. 

[MarkusToe]

I would recommend those sites

http://eastwesthealing.com/the-metabolic-blueprint/
http://www.functionalps.com/
http://180degreehealth.com/
http://www.dannyroddy.com/

[JT16]

I don't consume very many grains and I eat a high-fat diet. I eat a bowl of oatmeal (one serving) every morning along with three eggs for breakfast, but that is the extent of anything like that.

When I first started running, I actually lost a lot of weight eating nothing but homemade bread and hummus. I then switched to a high-protein/fat diet and have been eating like that for several years now. My reasoning is that store-bought bread is some of the most processed food there is and homemade bread is not very filling for the amount of calories you're actually consuming.

Cutting out processed food and junk food was a gradual process, and something I'm still doing -- I really enjoy ham (provided it isn't preserved with anything nasty and soaked in water first) which is my only kitchen vice at the moment. I did food items one at a time. The very first thing I cut out was soda, but I was still eating pizza, deli meat, cereal, etc. Then I cut out fast food, then certain cereals, then other types of cereal, etc, etc. I think the important thing to keep in mind is your overarching goal (such as reduce grains and processed breads or whatever) and then make smaller goals, which could be, "I won't eat any bread this week." Or whatever you want to do.

Just to play devil's advocate, I think that most of the world consumes a lot more grains than America does, and most countries don't have nation-wide weight problems. I think a large part of the problem is that corn is in everything -- corn oil, xanthan gum, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Whether it's a thickening agent, a flavor, a preservative, or whatever, corn is everywhere.

But regardless of diet, the most important thing is calories in / calories out. You can eat McDonalds and only McDonalds, but if you're consuming fewer calories than you have been, you'll lose weight... but that isn't recommended. I think the real key to eating right is figuring out what works for you, what you like, what's nutritious, what's accessible, what fills you, and eat those foods. In my opinion, if it comes from the Earth it's probably pretty healthy even in small amounts, even if it could be high calorie.

I think you're right in saying that relatively low fat/low carb may be the all-around healthiest diet. With the way I eat, I consume maybe 8-12 eggs every day. I work out a lot, but that is a ton of cholesterol. I don't know if I could suggest that to someone who wasn't as active. Best way to find a good diet is to experiment in my opinion.

[slyjoe]

If only I could eat healthier!

[Beardman]

If only I could eat healthier!

It's hard when you are living at home. It's a long road, but I was able to re-educate my mum, it took many... I wouldn't say heated, but frustrating (maybe) discussions before she started to understand that I wasn't insulting her cooking, just that I was trying my best to lose weight and improve myself, and my diet (and food intake) was holding me back.

[MarkusToe]

If only I could eat healthier!

It's hard when you are living at home. It's a long road, but I was able to re-educate my mum, it took many... I wouldn't say heated, but frustrating (maybe) discussions before she started to understand that I wasn't insulting her cooking, just that I was trying my best to lose weight and improve myself, and my diet (and food intake) was holding me back.

what did you change?

[MarkusToe]

hey, take a look at this http://eastwesthealing.com/high-protein-diets-good-or-bad/?fb_source=pubv1

what do you think about it?

[mrzed]

This thread deserves a long response, and i'm rushed today, but i'll pm later in the week.  Starting a return to healthy eating diet this month. I've been off the band wagon too long and regained too much.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

One source that shares an idea with the previously mentioned paleolithic concept avoiding spikes is the Sugar Busters.  Let me say up front, one of the authors is a long time friend and doctor of mine, Dr. Sam Andrews.  The Sugar Busters' site is: http://www.sugarbusters.com/  .  Both are essentially low gylcemic diets--encouraging you to chose foods with a lower gylcemic index.  This has also been called the complex carbohydrate diet concept.  Google glycemic index and you'll find many sites that provide the index for almost everything you eat.  Basically, low gylcemic index or complex carbohydrate foods result in the sugars entering your blood stream more slowly, hence avoiding your body's response to have spikes of insulin, etc.  Once you're familiar with several low index foods, it becomes easier to prepare your own food, but importantly for all of us who have to eat on the run, also to chose foods from a menu at a restaurant, etc.  that will stay closer to what you need to eat. Also, since most complex carbs are not "white" --think rice, mashed potatoes, french fries--they're pretty easy to identify. Then, calories, as mentioned in--through the old pie hole, have to be expended by exercise.  So depending on your size, and the number of calories necessary to maintain your current weight--and that can be calculated--eat 100 or more calories less in a day, do 100 calories worth of exercise in that day also--and you'll lose weight.  Walking is exercise--so when you go to the Mall, don't waste gas driving around trying to get close to the store you're looking for, park far out--and you can work on your waist with a walk--waste-waist (sorry really bad pun--but diet's are kind of grim so anything to get a grin guys).  Finally salt--cut your salt intake, almost everyone uses too much and you can avoid retaining fluid.  Fluids--they weigh a lot--each pint, that's two cups, weighs one pound--you don't often think about just how heavy fluids can be.  So, retain less fluid--weigh less.  Less salt--less potential for fluid retention.

[Bensen]

I have to say I'm still of the opinion that eating less fat, less carbs, less sugars and more good foods along with exercising more is the way to go but my ears and mind are open!!

Saintc explained it very well not much to add, but I want to add, for me it’s a change of Lifestyle when it comes to weight loss, right eating and such. Lot’s of people change diet, lose weight and turn back their old unhealthy habits of eating. Finally back to gain weight. There is just a way to eat right or wrong.  No weight loss diet.
And there is balance. The right amount at he right time. Even with low carb stuff. It all start in the Head. IMO.

[Beardman]

If only I could eat healthier!

It's hard when you are living at home. It's a long road, but I was able to re-educate my mum, it took many... I wouldn't say heated, but frustrating (maybe) discussions before she started to understand that I wasn't insulting her cooking, just that I was trying my best to lose weight and improve myself, and my diet (and food intake) was holding me back.

what did you change?

She was kind of got into a habit of cooking lots of processed foods, or deep fried foods, because they were "quick" and "minimal effort" foods. If it could be cooked in about 10-15 min with little to no effort required she'd cook it. She is a great cook, and when we were younger used to cook really good meals all the time, I think she just started getting lazy.

Now it's curries, stir fries, meat and veg or salad, stews, casseroles, that kind of thing.

[Viking]

Been really on the healthy foods this month and I feel good, it's funny really as I was munching on some blackberries yesterday I thought "there isn't a chocolate bar that tastes better than these!", when your doing right it just seems the most obvious thing in the world, I hope to keep it up!!

I'm lucky that the girlfriend is also up for changing our lifestyle so it makes things easier if we are both aiming for the same goals and eating the same food. As there is only the 2 of us in our home what we do is make a meal for 6 as it is more cost effective (and most recipes don't cater for 2), eat 2 portions that evening then freeze the other 2x 2 portions in foil containers (looks like a takeaway then!!  ) for later consumption. We found that making for 6 then not freezing it wasn't good as the next day you may not fancy eating the same again and by the 3rd day your bored of it, you've got nothing else in, it's too cold to go to the shop, takeaway is very easy......y'know how it goes!!

So for those living at home, maybe you could make up a few batches of food for the freezer then it isn't going to be a load of extra hassle for whoever makes the family meal as you can just chuck something like a healthy curry or lasagne in the oven and eat at the same time. There are some real good healthy recipes out there and I'm guessing once the family have tried some they'll be up for cooking them also as most people want to shed a few pounds or feel healthier!!

I've said this before but I will get round to putting some healthy recipes up on here!

[slyjoe]

Maybe its just that im growing..... Probably but im still overweight.

[Viking]

I try not to see it as overweight, just if I am happy or not, I'm not happy at the moment so am doing something about it. I'm guessing when I get to where I am happy with the way I am I will still be considerd overweight by health professionals!