Yet Another Diet and Exercise Thread - need help

Parent Cafe
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<p>I understand what you say about the EKG, jonri. I’m just going to hope for the best. I have been innundated with doctors lately, and still have more that I need to see, and cannot bring myself to add yet another. I am going to have to assume that since I just had a physical, and my doc’s office called and said to diet and do weight-bearing exercises, that I am good to go.</p>

<p>I am not diabetic, but have had blood sugar troubles (swings) in the past. I try to follow a typical diabetic diet. I used to work a lot with diabetics back in my nursing days. I like that diet because it is balanced, healthy, and controls the ebbs and flows of blood sugar. I also like it because I just have to judge portion sizes rather than count calories. It is something I can do anywhere. I have trouble when I eat out or travel, and have to eat things other people prepare for me (since I usually use sugar subs and low fat where practical.) </p>

<p>When my enthusiasm flags, the one-thing-at-a-time mentality helps. But while I am currently trying to get my head around everything, it’s better for me to try to line it all up at once - take advantage of the momentum. I already have a diet I am happy with. Now I need to learn how to further cut bad fat and increase calcium.</p>

<p>I did decide that I will try to have a vegetarian meal once a week - at least for me. I went grocery shopping today and bought some soy milk and bananas (and strawberries!) and will try the smoothie tomorrow. (I also discovered an old blender I’d forgotten I had! Figured I could make the smoothie with my mixer, and found this old blender hiding behind it.) </p>

<p>I also went to the library. I came home with “Younger Next Year” - a book recommended earlier on this thread. (Also looked for the Greene book or a Dummies book, but they didn’t have those.) And I got two DVDs - “Women’s Health: Total Workout in Ten!” and “Dance Workout for Dummies.” Anybody familiar with either of these? I figured that alternating types of workouts was important. If I don’t like these, they have a bunch more!</p>

<p>I will look at other fitness clubs around here, but free is better!</p>

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<p>I’d like to stress the benefits of having an exercise partner.</p>

<p>Four years ago, I attended our neighborhood Christmas party. An acquaintance and I got into a conversation about how our joints were starting to ache and we just weren’t as toned as we used to be. She said, “Let’s go for a walk tomorrow”, and I agreed.</p>

<p>We went for our walk, and we’ve walking/running every day since. A half-mile each day soon became one mile, then two, then three, and now we’re up to 5-7 miles every day. The best part is that we went from dreading our morning walks to absolutely loving them. We make all our plans around our morning walks.</p>

<p>The benefits of having an exercise partner? Well, my acquaintance is now my best friend. She motivates me to get out of the house on the days I don’t feel like walking and vice versa. We’ve both pushed ourselves to achieve goals that we likely wouldn’t have done individually. </p>

<p>My friend has lost a significant amount of weight since we began walking. I’m not overweight, but we’ve both toned our muscles considerably. My borderline high blood pressure is now in the normal range. Our formerly achy knees and feet don’t bother us anymore. And we’re happy. I can’t even begin to tell you what a high we get from walking every day.</p>

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<p>I don’t think any one has recommended them but you might try the “Walk Away the Pounds” tapes/DVDs. They have easy/starter ones and then you build up to longer/tougher workouts. I used them 5 years ago when I lost 40 pounds. I hate exercise but I didn’t mind this at all. I did it in the comfort of m own living room. I didn’t like the weight balls that they sell (they can be bought with the tapes) so I bought 1 pound weights to use and then worked up to 2 and then 3 pound weights. </p>

<p>Once I had lost most of my weight (and had some physical problems disappear!) I started doing treadmill and working out with a personal trainer to build muscle strength and flexibility. But I still go back to those DVDs on occasion.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Oh, Binx, can’t wait to hear if you like your smoothie. I actually had two today - a chocolate one for breakfast and a blueberry/mango for lunch. </p>

<p>I wish I had a walking partner. DH and I go out at the same time, but he runs and I walk. Yesterday he biked twenty miles and then joined me for my walk on his bike. It made the time go so much faster.</p>

<p>MofWC - I was talking about running. I am sure you don’t bother to go to masters (senior) events because you can always find road races. I have a much harder time finding race walking events. I have done the state and national senior games and I will be doing our state games in about three weeks in order to qualify for Nationals in San Francisco next summer. I occasionally race walk in 5k events but I am not too keen on walking with the slow runners who alternate between jogging, walking slowly, then jogging again.</p>

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<p>^^ Excellent! I really admire race-walking. I am NOT a good walker- most fitness walkers can bury me.</p>

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<p>binx–</p>

<p>Just make sure you don’t overdo it in the beginning. </p>

<p>One thing nobody seems to have mentioned–believe it or not, there are several excellent websites about walking, which will give you some tips. I’m not supposed to link, but just google walking and you’ll find lots of them. One illustrates the correct way to do race walking, if you are interested in that.</p>

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<p>binx- you might pick up a Bullet at Linens and things with a coupon. They also have them at our Costco.
I was skeptical but it works great for smoothies. I used to use a blender but find the bullet is less work if your making just for 1 and does a better job blending the frozen fruit. It works quickly and you drink out of the same container you blend in so less to clean up. It also is small so fits nicely in any cupboard. Like the blender it works best if you have sufficient liquid.
My D uses it almost daily. She uses lots of frozen fruit and pineapple juice and some ice. She doesn’t like dairy but sometimes I throw a small carton of plain or vanilla yogurt in. You could also use flavored yogurt. It is a nice way to get a bit of dairy in and not really taste it. My D’s are both allergic to soy so we can’t throw soy milk in.</p>

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<p>worknprogress, Have you asked around to see if any of your friends/neighbors might be interested in walking with you? I agree–it makes the time pass SO much faster when you have a partner.</p>

<p>My walking partner and I have had several neighbors approach us to ask if they can walk with us. We always say, “Sure!” They walk once, then realize they can’t keep up with us and don’t come back. I’ve suggested to a couple of them that they get together and walk to build up their stamina and then we can ALL walk together. They try, but they always stop walking when the temps outside start dropping. </p>

<p>My friend and I walk when the temps are in the teens, when it’s pouring rain, and when there’s a foot of snow on the ground. The only time we don’t walk is when the wind is blowing hard (danger of falling limbs) or there’s a thunderstorm. If I didn’t have someone to walk with, I would definitely stop when it starts getting cold outside.</p>

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<p>Exercise is great, but I think in order to keep weight down permanently, one has to change one’s diet, and I mean the foods you eat that are not good for you.</p>

<p>I know it is difficult to change the foods that you have been used to all your life, but you have to learn to like seafood, vegetables, and tofu because these are the types of foods that you can eat bigger portions of to satisfy your food cravings and won’t pile on the pounds so easily. Exercising to lose weight while maintaining old eating habits won’t work.</p>

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<p>I love vegetables. I will try tofu. I cannot stomach seafood. Ain’t gonna happen. I cannot imagine having to eat it for dinner, let alone for the rest of my life. Let’s not make this harder than it has to be or I will quit too soon.</p>

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<p>I am crazy about tofu, as is my whole family, but its texture and bland taste can be off-putting to those trying it for the first time. Rather than trying to prepare it yourself, it might be a good idea to order it in a low-fat veggie dish at a Thai or other Asian restaurant, where the spices and preparation method will make it delicious. At Thai restaurants there’s almost always some version of “vegetable delight” with lots of vegetables in a light sauce, and they will add stir-fried tofu upon request. Yum. (My favorite dishes are the curries but the calories and fat in the coconut milk make them a guilty pleasure.)</p>

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<p>I’d be careful about soy protein(tofu for example). It can screw up the thyroid hormone mechanism in some people, which won’t help with weight loss. I think the further you stay away from processed food the better.</p>

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<p>Oh my goodness, this is so hard! </p>

<p>I am willing to try soy because my doc had recommended it a long time ago, when hormone replacement therapy was first being discouraged. It didn’t appeal to me then, but I will try it again, in different ways. </p>

<p>I’m glad everybody is posting their advice, because even if it doesn’t help me, it might help someone else. But it is so hard figuring out what is and isn’t okay. Everything has risks, but having to weigh them all at once is daunting. There is no way I can do it all, all at once.</p>

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<p>Hey, Binx, see what our poor kids put up with after we relay all the advice we have heard on CC :)</p>

<p>Seriously, about the tofu. </p>

<p>Tofu really varies. For the newbie I highly recommend the Nasoya extra firm cubes. They are usually available in the produce section and the cubes are floating in some water. If you want to make the texture chewier, drain the liquid and freeze the little suckers. Then when you put them in a stir fry, they have a little substance. I use the cubes for virtually all my cooking. </p>

<p>Anyway, Binx, I promised a recipe a day so you wouldn’t be overwhelmed so I will have something new tomorrow. As for all the relative risks - I have read about the thyroid/soy thing. I eat very little soy that is processed like fake meat or take any soy supplements. Zip, please don’t bring up green curry. I love that stuff. We have an amazing Thai restaurant that makes the best green curry. I limit myself to once a month because I figure the coconut milk is pretty rich, but with all the vegetables I get with it, it can’t be too bad.</p>

<p>Mapesy - if you think your friends and neighbors have trouble keeping with you, can you imagine anyone wanting to come along with me with my arms up and my hips dropping down?? Occasionally some neighborhood kids will giggle and try to follow me for awhile, but they can’t keep up. Someday I might find a fellow racewalker in the area, but until then I will continue to go out and make a fool out of myself alone.</p>

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<p>My h and me have been doing fruit smoothies every morning for 10 years now (he makes them most of the time…I’m so lucky!). We use frozen mangoes, bananas, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, a bit of water and ice and a few scoops of plain greek yogurt. Really good. We’re both addicted.
Regarding soy, I sometimes make a “meatball” sandwich using Trader Joe’s “meatless meatballs” (made from soy protein). Warm the up in the mike with some tomato sauce - put them on a whole wheat toasted bun with a little sprinkled cheese (reg or soy if you like). Really good… I don’t miss the beef.
We also get brown rice from Trader Joe’s. They come in two-serving bowls that you put in the mike for 2 minutes - great with stir fries! I also eat the rice with black beans…a nice vegetarian choice that gets you the protein you need.</p>

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<p>I used to not particularly care for fruit and I have found it helpful to add cinnamon. I cut up a fresh apple, orange, peach, bannana, pineapple, or whatever and sprinkle cinnamon on it. It is really easy, makes it taste like a dessert to me, and becomes a fulfilling snack. </p>

<p>A cheese-spinach quiche is a good no meat entree: 1 onion, 10 oz of frozen spinach thawed and drained (I use 28 oz can sometimes or substitute frozen broccoli for more crunch), 1 c. fat free ricotta, 1 c. ff shredded cheese, 1 c. ff cottage cheese, 3 eggs (I use egg beaters), 1 tsp oregano, pepper to taste (recipe calls for salt but I don’t use salt anymore). Mix together and put in 9-inch pie pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes (until knife comes out cleanly). Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. You can substitue other cheeses, like feta or blue cheese but I only use the fat free cheeses and have trouble buying those.</p>

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<p>Ditto, ditto the advice re: workout partner. I have about 4-5 of my neighbors that I alternate running or walking with (some in evening some in morning, depends on schedules). The best was for about 3 years I ran 2X a week w/one neighbor at the exact same day/time. Nothing like having someone standing by your mailbox by the curb waiting for you to get you out the door.</p>

<p>Also–for soy, BBQ soy chips are better than potato chips, if you like the salty/spicy thing.</p>

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<p>Lots of good stuff here. The hardest part for me is to keep motivated. Three years ago I got into the best shape I’d been in for decades. An injury sidelined me from the gym and it’s been downhill ever since. I’m back at the gym now but without a workout partner and no support from the home front. It’s sooo boring at the gym sometimes. Did a 90 minute 700 calorie workout this morning …but it’s hard to go every day.
I definitely would try to find a partner…I keep looking and asking people but so far no bites.
One other tip: we had a friend visit recently who was on weight watchers…I discovered their recipes are all available online for free. Some good recipes on there…</p>

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<p>TheAnalyst- Unfortunately, one thing that really took the weight off me was cutting out cheese. I LOVE cheese, but now it is just an occasional treat instead of the mainstay of my diet. I used to eat most of a wedge of baked brie at my sister’s house, now I just have a couple pieces. I cut out cheese from sandwhiches (you can’t really taste it anyway) and burgers. I miss it, but the results can’t be denied.</p>

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<p>Yes, I like cheese, too - much more than meat. It is a great source of calcium. But the non-fat kind tastes like plastic to me. There is also a possible connection with hard cheese and migraines. I am not a huge fan of beans, but I’m afraid I have quite a bit in my future.</p>

<p>I am a queen of making plans; something less for sticking to them. However, I am trying to take things from this thread, various links, etc, and plan some attainable steps:</p>

<ol>
<li> Try to cook vegetarian at least once a week.</li>
<li> Look for ways to cook family favorites in healthier ways.</li>
<li> Try something new once in awhile.</li>
<li> Exercise 6 or 7 days a week. I am hoping to walk at least 3 or 4 days per week, and rotate various other exercises 4 or 5 days a week (yes, there will be overlap). I have my exercycle and the two library DVDs, plus my hand weights.</li>
<li> Weigh myself daily, same time. My scale is accurate, but my weight tends to fluctuate up and down a bit, and the only way I can get a reasonable handle on it is to have enough numbers to average.</li>
</ol>

<p>I did the Dance for Dummies DVD yesterday. My D locked herself in her room when she heard the music start. Mother dancing was a little bit much for her to witness. I like the program. There is a dance step tutorial that I did first. There are two routines, and I did the first one. I am a klutz and I spent most of the time trying to get my feet going the right direction, so I didn’t get much arm and upper body movement, and therefore, didn’t really get the cardio workout that was intended. That will come. But I did enjoy it. The lady leading it says encouraging things like get over yourself, forget that you “can’t dance.” etc. As I get more coordinated, I can add arms/upper body. And they have places where you can up the routine as well. Don’t know that I’ll ever be there! There are two routines, so it seems like this program shouldn’t get old for awhile. I didn’t break as much of a sweat as I do when I’m walking, but that may be the difference in exercising indoors and out in Atlanta!</p>

<p>I took a walk this morning, and am hoping to try the other DVD later today.</p>

<p>I read about half the “Younger Next Year” book, and skimmed the rest. It’s probably not a good book for me. In general, I do better with diet advice from women. The two authors are a doctor and a 70 year old guy who is quite proud of himself, but tends to write to type A, close-to-retirement males. His relationship advice is “interesting”. He himself married at 19, took a break in his 40s and 50s to play (no apologies) and is now married to “Hillary” who is younger than him but does her best to keep up. He’s also a big fan of fish, which he says he used to hate but now eats 5 times a week. (Kill me now.) </p>

<p>The doctor bases all his medicine on his premise that early man was a hunter-gatherer, and therefore our bodies were designed to exercise all day long. That’s a leap I can’t quite make. Who says the hunter-gatherer’s body was optimally designed, and/or designed for that? Wasn’t life expectancy in their twenties? And again, the book seems directed toward men, with lots of hunting analogies and justifications. And he is adamantly opposed to potatoes as a “culivated” food. Any progress that we’ve made in agriculture or food prep is considered bad.</p>

<p>But the basic premise of the book is exercise a lot and eat right and eat less. Hard to argue with that.</p>