I have a very specific sort of healthy tip question -
How are you managing to get enough fiber? We are a gluten-free household (DH/S2 are celiac). I have been put on a new-for-me low fat diet with directions to also watch salt, get enough fiber, and am still trying to get enough calcium. It’s a lot to process. Oh, and the new cardiologist (new, as in, I did not have one four days ago) wants me to lose 6-10 pounds (I am normal weight, but okay dude). So counting the calories, too.
We already don’t eat red meat or processed breads. I eat a bowl of oatmeal nearly every day of my life. Yes, I get my 4-5 servings of fruits/veggies and my new food tracking app says I am a whopping 12 g short for fiber, yikes. (DH says maybe the app sucks). Today I had brown rice, oatmeal, black eyed peas, carrots, green beans, 2 apples. Not enough.
In any case, looking for specific foods to aim for. Thanks!
I take Benefiber every morning to add fiber to my diet. Other grains I enjoy are bulgar, millet, farro and teff. In warmer weather I make a grain salad that I add veggies, low fat cheese, nuts and seeds to with a vinaigrette dressing.
As your cardiologist gets to know you and you have some follow up visits, you’ll hopefully be able to discuss managing your condition with diet. Did you follow a Mediterranean type diet previously? My pcp and cardiologist have both recommended that and while it hasn’t cured me, it definitely hasn’t hurt!
Cardiologist , as much as I would love to put it on him, is not at fault in this. The diet isn’t specifically high fiber, it’s just that a “healthy” amount of fiber turns out to be quite a bit more than I thought I was getting. With the calorie limit for now, it just is like putting together a puzzle every day and my brain just hurts from going from “I think I’ll eat that” to “Wait! What’s in it! What is left for the day!!”
Ironically, inspired by the BlueZone series I had a Mediterrean cookbook on order, so that should help some. Biggest problem with that is hating tomatos (a lot. I hate them a lot) and navigating the grain situation (we swap brown rice or quinoa in for whatever he can’t have)
I like shrimp for calcium and protein, few calories. For more calcium ideas, see “HealthyHabits Calcium” thread (link in first post).
A few years ago I made an effort for more fiber, based on nutritionalist recommendation. Per MyNetDiary, I averaged 27g/day in past month. (Darn - not sure why I can no longer get longer reports… posted a question in the Tech Support). Some days 35g or more.
My biggest discover for increasing fiber is Fiber One Original Cereal. I eat it for breakfast about half the time. Since you are not GF, you could keep a box for yourself. A 2/3c serving has 18g of fiber, no sugar, 90 calories
Other sources of fiber - chia seeds, avocado, beans (my ham/bean soup was a fiber booster this week), steel cut oats, banana, harvest pea snack when you want a salty and crispy snack,
I eat a lot more berries now (fresh and frozen). They make a nice addition to my cereal (Fiber One Original of course… love that 18g morning jump start on my fiber stats) or oatmeal. Berries are also good in plain yogurt, with nuts or coconut for a bit of crunch (or in a pinch you guessed it… Fiber One Original cereal.)
I have never heard that tidbit about drinking coffee on an empty stomach! I’m just a one-cupper but often don’t have food before I start drinking it. That said, it’s not a substitute for breakfast for me.
Protein bars have never been a draw for me. And I have not explored tofu much!
I have never been a breakfast eater much to my mother’s frustration as I was growing up. The thought of food makes me nauseous in the AMs, so I usually just had a cup of coffee, maybe with a slice of plain toast, but I eventually started eating breakfast later in marriage because DH would make generous veggie scrambles or omelets every morning and wanted me to eat with him. I started gaining weight, not solely due to the addition of a morning meal, but it didn’t help. A few years ago, I lost 30 lbs and have kept it off. The first thing I did was stop eating breakfast, pay more attention to my hunger patterns, stop lying to myself about my food choices, and dissociate my eating habits from DH. So now, because I don’t start feeling hungry until about noon, lunch is my first meal, I eat mostly unprocessed, heavily plant-based, carb-aware, no snacks/cheating, and nothing after 7PM (very hard for me). DH tries to follow along as best he can, and he has lost some.
I don’t talk about eating/weight with anyone because I know how hard this struggle is, and there is no magic formula, just discipline with what we know works, and skipping breakfast goes against the conventional wisdom.
Thanks for the link. I knew most but a few were new. I had the understanding that smoothies weren’t as good as the whole fruit or vegetable. Yes, I know smoothies with added sugars aren’t good.
I’d like to try adding tofu to our diet. Any good suggestions as to how to introduce to someone (husband) who doesn’t like the texture.
For many years I drank black coffee in the morning, exercised and didn’t eat till noon. Several years ago I had an odd episode that was never diagnosed. Since that time I have to eat before exercise or my blood pressure drops and the room spins.
My exercise routine went wayside this past year due to a bad knee. I gained weight and for the first time my A1C is high. Knee replacement was in December. Goals for the year are getting back to the gym. I think with that my diet will improve as for me I find that it all goes together.
If you have an air fryer, it’s a good way to prepare tofu. Pressing out the extra moisture before cooking is a step often skipped but can significantly improve the texture.
I’ve stuck tofu inside chilaquile casseroles and there’s so much spice and other stuff you don’t even notice the tofu! I have no problem eating tofu, but, why would you, is my feeling most of the time.
Crispy tofu is the only way I like mine (other than small bits in miso soups). To crisp it, moisture needs to be removed, and a dusting of starch completes the trick.
I like tofu but don’t buy it at the store very much because my husband hates it. (Years ago in desperation for a family entree I cut some up and put it in stove top stuffing… when asked, I said it was “stuffing stuff”. It did not go over well.) So sometimes when tofu is a “protein” option at a thai restaurant or elsewhere I will pick that. But… if same price for shrimp I pick shrimp
For me, the takeaway re: tofu is that it doesn’t cause cancer or fertility issues as soy products were previously believed to do. If you like it, eat it. If not, don’t force yourself. We’re all different. I choose tofu when a fish option isn’t appealing.
