Diet/Exercise/Health/Wellness Support Thread

Parent Cafe
48601

Bromfield, if it’s an option I would switch a personal training session with a Pilates training session, one on one. I was initially adding Reformer classes to my training but found I got far more benefit from the one on one sessions. Adding circuit training once a week has also really improved my stamina. Next week I am trying some doubles - Pilates followed immediately by Barre - we’ll see how that goes.

I came across this article today - thought it was relevant in the discussion of the need for structure and discipline and how to bounce back when life interferes - as we all know it will!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/how-to-turn-a-fitness-goal-into-a-lifetime-of-good-health-fluctuating-weight-included/2016/02/08/2ebf983e-c476-11e5-9693-933a4d31bcc8_story.html

48602

“There are about 120 calories in a cup of 2% milk (150 or so in whole milk. 20 calories in 1T half and half). And of course, the calcium. I think the milk is ok and actually maybe a good thing to have. It amazes me how many adults don’t drink milk!”

I actually craved milk yesterday. Poured myself a nice big glass of 2% organic milk that our Costco finally began to stock and had it with a chunky slice of cheese and a tiny sliver of sourdough bread for lunch. :slight_smile:

48603

@mom2and –
You’ve gotten some wonderful advice about diet. I’d (of course) like to add my two cents. I’ve lost 57 pounds in three-and-a-half years (and I’m 60, and thoroughly post-menopause) by trying to create habits that lead to a mild calorie deficit. (My nutritionist suggested that the most successful way to lose weight is to “sneak up on it.” It’s good advice.)

Some of the habits I’ve established:
*track my food, every damn bite, every single day. I use the Fitbit calorie tracker but there are lots of good ones.
*exercise, mildly or vigorously, every single day. Walk the dogs slowly, run with the fast dog, swim, bike. I track that too. (Written journal, but I also use the Fitbit tracker, for steps and for logging my exercise.)
*eat consciously: “am I enjoying this food?” (if not, why am I eating it?) “do I really want to eat this food right now–or should I wait and have it tomorrow?” “is this a reasonable portion size?”
*weigh myself every morning (this is controversial, but it works for me)

Over those years, I’ve also come to enjoy running again (I ran with a club back in the 70s, but had (clearly) abandoned the habit) and have found that running provides me with a lot of intrinsic rewards AND provides serious incentive to lose weight, as I am definitely just a bit faster with every pound I lose.

I almost forgot: also–avoid foods that come in crinkly plastic!

48604

Read food labels. A lot of low fat foods have more carbs and/or sodium than their allegedly “unhealthy” counterparts. Totally agree about eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Eating out, even with healthy choices (I check nutrition info online before I order), is probably my biggest problem.

I do a lot better when I journal my intake, too – and when I’m reluctant to do so, there is usually a reason!

48605

Good article, sabaray.

I’ve decided to keep a running outfit at work (shorts or skirt, running bra, tech shirt, socks and shoes) for those times I get a break in the afternoon and want to sneak off to the company gym and do a mile or so and some weights. I certainly have some shoes that can live at the office. I took stuff today and really enjoyed the 30 minute break- especially since we were snowed in at lunch.

Pancake dinner at church tonight for Shrove Tuesday- and Lenten discipline begins tomorrow. My hand went in the candy bowl on my admin’s desk too many times today. Last day of that!

48606

Well, I made it up the entire hill today starting at about the sea level. 35 floors - yup, that’s about right. :slight_smile: The step count was not that great though, only 6,000 steps, so “shopping is my cardio” sounds like my motto for tonight.

48607

Oh, I almost forgot: The Clymb is a Portland (OR) company that specializes in overstocks of past-season athletic clothing. You’re unlikely to see brands like Athleta or Lululemon there, as those have their own stores. I’ve bought many things from them. You do have to register, and they then send you a daily email as to what their current sales are. They are especially good for finding stuff in weird sizes (right now my favorite walking shoes–Skora Core–are available in size 5 and 5.5, but not any other sizes).

48608

I miss being able to drink milk. I didn’t drink it for a few years because I was misdiagnosed as being lactose intolerant (turns out I had gallstones… I don’t have that doctor anymore) and now it makes me sick when I drink it :frowning:

Little over 4k steps so far today. Will probably be higher than that by the end of the day.

Off to my PCP tomorrow and then I have 3 new specialist appointments (so far) before the end of the month. At this point, I’m fairly positive I can fill out health forms in my sleep :slight_smile:

Speaking of food… I think I’m going to reach out to a nutritionist this week. It’s free for students and I know I’ve been really eating like crap since starting my new meds and I know that’s contributing to my weight gain.

48609

It is a luxury to be able to take those mid work day exercise breaks - be it something formal or a walk outside for fresh air.

I wish some of you lived in my neighborhood. You all are so active and eager. Really, all the women in my neighborhood barely peak their heads out of the house. I can only imagine what they think about me. A couple walk here and there, but short walks and no one who lives on the block.

48610

Romani, that is a good thing that you are seeking out a nutritionist’s advice. Get the most out of the services your U offers to students.

48611

Family visit at the beach. Yesterday we drove down, but I got in a 5 mile run in the morning before the long car trip. The beach is sick with a red tide which really irritates my sinuses and lungs :frowning: It’s also chilly. Still, combining the beach and road miles I jogged and walked today for about 7.5 miles. We’re meeting one of our sons for dinner tonight (soft seafood for me)–really looking forward to seeing him. Post dinner edit: I think I ate more tonight than I have in a week after the dental surgery. Gulf snapper piccata , shrimp bisque, french fries, and an adult beverage (new favorite, old drink, the sidecar).

Though I’m no hardcore athlete, I’m always glad and thankful to participate in this forum with the generous, reasonable, and knowledgeable group devoted to healthy and fit living!

48612

Informative high level overview of protein:

https://www.acefitness.org/blog/5297/how-much-protein-do-we-actually-need

A little more detailed explanation:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/maki1.htm

48613

Thought I would do a little analysis of what I ate today to see how it really stacked up to some of the nutrition concepts that I’ve kicked around:

Breakfast - Ezekiel Cinnimon Raisin muffin, 3 Applegate Chicken Sausage patties, spinach, 2 slices Sargento Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese, cup of 1% milk. Calories 584, carbs 49 gms, fat 25 gms, protein 45 gms

Lunch - 3oz grilled chicken breast, 6" Italian roll, 1.5 oz provolone cheese, eggplant and spinach. Quest Chocolate Peanut Butter protein bar. Calories 630, carbs 68, fat 21 gms, protein 63 gms.

Early evening snack - 1 oz cashews, 3 Back to Nature Peanut Butter cookies. Calories 355, carbs 355 gms, fat 20 gms, protein 8 gms.

60 minutes Indoor Cycling wattage intervals - 500 calories burned.

Dinner - 6 oz baked salmon with mushrooms and red peppers, Gabilla Baked Crispy Potato Knisha (a guiltless pleasure, very clean label ingredients), Diana’s Chocolate covered banana. Calories 630, carbs 58 gms, fat 28, protein 36.

Total calories, 2199, protein 152 gms (26%), carbs 210 (36%), fat 94 gms (37%).

Protein .98/lb, carbs 1.36/lb both in target range.

48614

What’s kind of interesting about my meal stats is that the % of fats is higher than the “conventional wisdom” of about 20-25 %. But most of my fats are relatively healthy (salmon, chicken and cashews) and if I lowered the fats to that range, either my carbs or protein would be much higher than needed. I would need to replace the fat calories with about 105 gms of protein or carbs or some combination of both, which would put the protein and carbs way out of target for my needs. When outdoor cycling season hits, my carb amounts will be upped to about 275 - 300 gms/ day but my calories will also be increased by 260 - 360/day depending on whether I’m doing a weekday or weekend ride which is where the carbs will go.

BTW, typo on snack carbs. Should be 35 not 355 lol.

48615

Are you a dandelion or an orchid? This piece comes from a link that got forwarded to me, and I thought our resident attorneys would find it amusing (emphasis in the quoted piece us mine):
IMO even though the piece talks about lawyers, the message is applicable to many others: exercise builds mental capacity and reduces stress. :slight_smile:

http://scholars.law.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1598&context=nlj

:slight_smile:

48616

OK, got my steps in. A trip to Costco is worth 2,000 steps. We forgot cottage cheese, and I gladly went to the back of the store to fetch it. :slight_smile:

My food as tracked by Fitbit Dashboard today:
Calories 1339: 42% from carbs, 34% from fat and 24% from protein.
Fat 53.6 g (had a chunk of smoked salmon and 1/2 avocado - yum!)
Fiber 22.5 g
Carbs144.8 g (kinda high!!!)
Protein 83 g

48617

Thanks so much all. Definitely have been a bit of up and down for me due to letting work take over and getting uninspired with my eating so the pounds creep up again a little at a time. Determined to get back to a healthy space.

48618

The approaching spring and more daylight should make weight loss/eating right a bit easier for you, @mom2and !

48619

No wonder I’m such a good lawyer! :). It’s the running!

48620

I like that article, sabaray. As big a planner as I am, having a fitness Plan B did not occur to me…

I am doing well on getting more active, but need to work on the food end of things. Planning to try avocado toast for breakfast this AM. I need to go through all of the food posts and re-read. I had left over candy fro hosting euchre on Saturday, I through it out this morning as that is the only way I won’t eat it. I also need to get back to logging what I eat.