Food...

zebano

Semi-Pro
Hi all,
Questions are at the bottom...

BACKSTORY
2.5 years ago
weight 230 lbs (I'm 5'10" and yes, that was fat, not muscle)

1 year ago
weight 200 lbs (all loss was due to cutting pop out of my diet).
blood pressure: 230 (LDL 168, HDL 32)

Naturally I needed to get that blood pressure under control and I thought an entire lifestyle overhaul was in order. So I went for a couple of simple changes (phased in over time):
0. No pop (not a new habit)
1. Eat veggies and/or fruits at every meal, and eat them first. Then eat (whole) grains, then meats and then maybe snack/dessert. Portion size is still a problem, but this has helped ensure I eat healthier food in larger quantities than the unhealthy foods.
2. Only drink water between meals
3. Cut out snacks between meals in favor of cottage chess + pineapple, yogurt or a piece of fruit
4. Bicycle to work 4x/ week (7 miles each way low intensity on the way in, high on the way home) and play tennis once a week

The results so far:
Weight: 180 lbs
Cholesterol: 212 (HDL 42, LDL 156, Triglycerides 68 )


NOTES
I am seeing a doctor about the high cholesterol, and he thinks it's best that i continue to try and control it naturally. I will be tested every 6 months and any backsliding will result in medication.

QUESTIONS:
1. I would love some suggestions for meals, or variants on my favorites.

a. Breakfast is almost always 1/2 whole grain bagel + natural (no sodium) peanut butter, a four once yogurt and a small glass of milk.
b. Lunch: Is usually a spinach tortilla wrap (salad + sliced almonds + grilled chicken, usually marinated) .
c. Snack (at work): I usually bring grapes, a hard boiled egg, and a small ziplock of baby carrots.
d. Snack (at home): yogurt, fruit smoothie, low fat cottage cheese w/ pineapple chunks or any from c.
e. Dinner: My worst meal of the day. With two kids, my wife and I are going with any easy to make meal (i.e. frozen dinners, hamburger helpers etc).

2. Any suggestions for new and easy to implement habits to help me reach my goals?
Weight: 170.
Cholesterol <200 (HDL > 40; LDL < 150)

3. Is fasting good for you? I play tennis and chess against an older gentleman who fasts for 24 hours once a week. He's in far better shape than me, but I wonder how starving your body regularly could be good for you.

Thanks for your help.
Shawn
 

chess9

Hall of Fame
I don't know anything about chess, so I can offer no help there. ;) (NB: You don't want me to start on that topic)

Why aren't you lifting weights? Lifting burns calories for about 10 times longer than most aerobic exercises. It will also make you strong.

You've made excellent progress and have your weight down, so now is also the time to think about running. Start with a long period of base training-8 to 12 weeks easy-then add in some intervals one day per week.

You can change about 1% of your cells with each workout, so, keep that in mind every time you train. It's only roughly right, but it's a good motivator.

Quit eating a lot of crap for dinner. Good food IS simple to prepare and most of that frozen stuff is loaded with salt and fat. Just the name Hamburger Helper should be enough to turn you off, although the stuff is not the worst food you can eat. Once you add hamburger loaded with fat and eaten it you've just downed a heart stopping meal.

This is about you LIVING, right? High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and extra weight put you at high risk for a variety of diseases that kill more and more people in their 30's and 40's these days. Do you know how many guys are walking around with erectile dysfunction because they got too fat? It's an epidemic. I'm not kidding. If one kid reads this and gets the message that eating junk food will KILL his testosterone levels (true) and his sex life (also true), then I'll be happy.

1. d4

-Robert
 

chroix

Rookie
Good progress, Congrats.

Like chess9 said, the dinners are a killer for you. I was wondering why your cholestorol was so high till I got to the bottom lines. I am not a fan of prepared foods, but there are some healthy options available at health food stores... or you can just take a day or two a week for you or your wife or your whole family together to prepare healthy and tasty meals that can be frozen and reheated later.
 

zebano

Semi-Pro
Thanks to both of you.

First off I've never enjoyed weightlifting. I much prefer outdoor sports of almost any variety but it's worth considering.

I've tried running but I get killer shin splints which also sidelines my tennis :(. I am going to head to a running store to see if better shoes help.

Blood Pressure is fine, but the cholesterol is very worrying. I got to this point by being very lazy my last couple years of college and living off of junk food (frozen pizza, doritos etc.) and continued living that way until about 2 years ago. I always buy lean ground beef though the salt in Hamburger helper is concerning.

I had no idea fat affected testosterone levels..

1. d4 Nf6
 

chess9

Hall of Fame
Run on grass or the treadmill. Don't run the streets for a few weeks. If you do run the streets, run short distances on the street. Don't do any intervals on the streets. Find a soft track or use the treadmill.

Weight lifting is a better option than running for you at this point, I suspect. But, get good supportive shoes and you should be fine. $130 for running shoes, if that's what you need, is money well spent. This from a man who has spent probably $50,000 on running shoes.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Resigns

-Robert
 
when one goes fasting for one day a week during this period not only do they not eat but they drink lots of water. why? when doing this, it will help your body will rid itself of toxins. so yes fasting is healthy, but only once a week to help detoxify your system.
 

Ano

Hall of Fame
Why aren't you lifting weights? Lifting burns calories for about 10 times longer than most aerobic exercises. It will also make you strong.

Quit eating a lot of crap for dinner. Good food IS simple to prepare and most of that frozen stuff is loaded with salt and fat. Just the name Hamburger Helper should be enough to turn you off, although the stuff is not the worst food you can eat. Once you add hamburger loaded with fat and eaten it you've just downed a heart stopping meal.

This is about you LIVING, right? High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and extra weight put you at high risk for a variety of diseases that kill more and more people in their 30's and 40's these days. Do you know how many guys are walking around with erectile dysfunction because they got too fat? It's an epidemic. I'm not kidding. If one kid reads this and gets the message that eating junk food will KILL his testosterone levels (true) and his sex life (also true), then I'll be happy.

1. d4

-Robert

I agree with all of your statements.

To the OP, I recommend you to increase your intake of Omega-3 & Omega 9 (salmon, fish oil, ground flax seed, flax seed oil & Extra Virgin Olive Oil). And at the same time, stop consuming saturated fat and trans fat at dinner. Instead of frozen dinner and hamburger helper, eat salmon, steam brocolli, spinach and tomato for dinner.

Try to avoid processed, pre packaged, fried foods. Only eat foods at their natural state.

EDIT : drink plenty of water, and try to drink 1-3 cups of green tea per day (without sugar).
 
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zebano

Semi-Pro
I agree with all of your statements.

To the OP, I recommend you to increase your intake of Omega-3 & Omega 9 (salmon, fish oil, ground flax seed, flax seed oil & Extra Virgin Olive Oil). And at the same time, stop consuming saturated fat and trans fat at dinner. Instead of frozen dinner and hamburger helper, eat salmon, steam brocolli, spinach and tomato for dinner.

Try to avoid processed, pre packaged, fried foods. Only eat foods at their natural state.

EDIT : drink plenty of water, and try to drink 1-3 cups of green tea per day (without sugar).

I am working on removing the pre-packaged foods from my diet.

As to weight lifting, what do you recommend? Unfortunately the Gym which is 1 block from work is prohibitively expensive right now.

Why do you recommend green tea? I have currently removed all caffeine from my diet, though I do like green tea.
 

Ano

Hall of Fame
I am working on removing the pre-packaged foods from my diet.

As to weight lifting, what do you recommend? Unfortunately the Gym which is 1 block from work is prohibitively expensive right now.

Why do you recommend green tea? I have currently removed all caffeine from my diet, though I do like green tea.

Weight training : I recommend the basic exercises using barbell or dumbell, such as : squat , stiff leg dead lift, calf raises, bench press, row, overhead press, curl and tricep extension. Do a full body routine 2-3 times / week (on a non consecutive day). Do each exercise for 1-3 sets, 8-12 reps per set.

The antioxidant in green tea (catechin) have many health benefits.
 

EricW

Professional
Hi all,
Questions are at the bottom...

BACKSTORY
2.5 years ago
weight 230 lbs (I'm 5'10" and yes, that was fat, not muscle)

1 year ago
weight 200 lbs (all loss was due to cutting pop out of my diet).
blood pressure: 230 (LDL 168, HDL 32)

Naturally I needed to get that blood pressure under control and I thought an entire lifestyle overhaul was in order. So I went for a couple of simple changes (phased in over time):
0. No pop (not a new habit)
1. Eat veggies and/or fruits at every meal, and eat them first. Then eat (whole) grains, then meats and then maybe snack/dessert. Portion size is still a problem, but this has helped ensure I eat healthier food in larger quantities than the unhealthy foods.
2. Only drink water between meals
3. Cut out snacks between meals in favor of cottage chess + pineapple, yogurt or a piece of fruit
4. Bicycle to work 4x/ week (7 miles each way low intensity on the way in, high on the way home) and play tennis once a week

The results so far:
Weight: 180 lbs
Cholesterol: 212 (HDL 42, LDL 156, Triglycerides 68 )


NOTES
I am seeing a doctor about the high cholesterol, and he thinks it's best that i continue to try and control it naturally. I will be tested every 6 months and any backsliding will result in medication.

QUESTIONS:
1. I would love some suggestions for meals, or variants on my favorites.

a. Breakfast is almost always 1/2 whole grain bagel + natural (no sodium) peanut butter, a four once yogurt and a small glass of milk.
b. Lunch: Is usually a spinach tortilla wrap (salad + sliced almonds + grilled chicken, usually marinated) .
c. Snack (at work): I usually bring grapes, a hard boiled egg, and a small ziplock of baby carrots.
d. Snack (at home): yogurt, fruit smoothie, low fat cottage cheese w/ pineapple chunks or any from c.
e. Dinner: My worst meal of the day. With two kids, my wife and I are going with any easy to make meal (i.e. frozen dinners, hamburger helpers etc).

2. Any suggestions for new and easy to implement habits to help me reach my goals?
Weight: 170.
Cholesterol <200 (HDL > 40; LDL < 150)

3. Is fasting good for you? I play tennis and chess against an older gentleman who fasts for 24 hours once a week. He's in far better shape than me, but I wonder how starving your body regularly could be good for you.

Thanks for your help.
Shawn

Here's a simple suggestion: Get rid of your breakfast and replace it with a big bowl of oatmeal made with water (the stuff from the cylinder, not that crap from the instant packets) and top it with fruit (i put cut up bananas, flax seed, and raisins on it), and maybe an apple or something on the side. Maybe a glass of orange juice+water

I recommend you don't fast.

Also drink a lot of water, **** any other drinks except maybe some orange juice, grape juice (REAL), etc.

Cut down on dairy+meat, because it's not good for you, favor fruit, vegetables, beans, etc over them. Why the hell do you think you have high cholesterol? Too many animal products!

**** anything processed like the frozen dinners, you're killing yourself!
 
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Bottle Rocket

Hall of Fame
Cut down on dairy+meat, because it's not good for you, favor fruit, vegetables, beans, etc over them. Why the hell do you think you have high cholesterol? Too many animal products!

Besides cholesterol, do you have other issues with dairy products?
 

EricW

Professional
Besides cholesterol, do you have other issues with dairy products?

Read my post in "Is muscle milk bad for you"

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=141428

Cholesterol... all the excess (unneccessary protein) causes many problems, some which i've pointed out in that post. Has too much fat.. etc. It's just unnecessary, you'll be healthier cutting it down and favoring things such as fruits, vegetables, beans, rice, anything else unprocessed

One of the biggest problems with dairy+meat(animal products) nowadays is that it's so processed, f*cked with, added hormones, contamination, etc
 
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