Health and Fitness, April 2018

Share healthy living habits.
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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:14 pm

I agree about fat but, for instance, today fat will make up 38% of my calorie intake. That's because my fats are balanced except for dinner. Dh is cooking and I know he'll add a lot of olive oil to the pan when he cooks up our stirfry. So I'm getting fat from my milk, cheese, dark chocolate, yogurt, meat AND oil. With less oil, I'd still be getting about 25 - 30% of my calories from fat which is amazing compared to my diet before starting this WOE (when I went back and looked and the macro nutrients I was getting between 15 - 20% fat.)

Restaurants use a ton of oil for cooking. It makes cleanup much easier. While I use none for my egg omelet, I'll see at least 2T added when I got to an omelet making station at a restaurant. So that's 200 calories more than the same food prepared at home. That's why eating out 3 meals a day is such a mine field. And that is just with fat.

Even the roast chicken at Subway has sugars added and breakfast potatoes are commonly dusted with flour seasoning in restaurants. So no sugar and flour is a real issue even if you avoid the obvious (no croutons or salad dressing on your salad, no sandwiches, no desserts or candy.)

Given the first rule about weight loss is calories in are less than calories out, when I'm traveling the goal is to find the lowest calorie options period. Adding in other restrictions (no sweeteners, no flour, no potato) is one step too far for me. I do keep macros in mind but out of habit, not as a rule to follow. I just keep asking myself if I'm hungry. If I am, I go with nuts unless I crave sweet in which case I go for raisins. Both travel very well (if you aren't crossing international borders) and I have 'dime bags' for them so they are in reasonable serving sizes within my purse.

Having my Vector protein bars is another real help since at the very least I might save a 200 calorie impulse choice, such as a roll while waiting for my main course to arrive or best case, make better choices while ordering and not having any interest in dessert. But that has sugar so wouldn't work for LadyM.

My final travel strategy is carrying my decaf tea (and a kettle if we are driving) so I can often put off a dessert at a social dinner by promising myself some licorice or mint tea when I get back to the hotel room. That is often enough to make me feel not deprived. We don't usually eat dessert so if it is just dh and I there's no temptation with regards to dessert. With him, onion rings is my Achilles heal since he'll order them and he isn't on an eating plan so can have them.

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Harriet
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Harriet » Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:16 pm

7 out of 24, yes, Lynlee. The name of the checklist (and app) from Greger I go by is called "Daily Dozen", but there are actually 24 squares to check off. One is for exercise - the only one about something NOT going in your mouth/tummy. 5 are for water drinking, a 12-ounce glass for each. So 18 are loosely "foods" although one is flaxseed, period - no substitutions. And one is "spices" with a special preference for turmeric since it has the most data showing health benefits. Obviously, those are easy checks compared to exercise, so it's not a perfect scheme to motivate. But it keeps consistent daily emphasis on the most nutrition.

Variety makes my eyes light up - this is possibly a reason that weight loss is not speedy for me. :lol: I've heard that eating the same meals is more likely to go along with weight loss. But I'm very drawn to concept of the variety of phytochemicals in produce all being beneficial to creating immunity, and a strong gut biome for that matter, so why wouldn't we try for as many as we could in whatever our own circumstances. I've found a few I just don't like, and a few that don't like me. Otherwise, positive.

I have bought a couple tiny-bladed fruit knives, and a serrated triangular cutter for melons/kiwi. Set came with a circular-ended utensil that is supposed to cleanly scoop out halves of fruit such as dragonfruit, etc. That's interesting, although not necessarily something I'll ever use. Bought a pineapple to play around with, too, since I have no experience cutting and serving a pineapple in any interesting way - just slicing 'em.

oily chat - :) Restaurants do splash oils into recipes without regard for their customers' needs - no one requires them to explain how much, the way packaged foods manufacturers (hopefully) do. Those at risk of heart disease especially deserve good info. In studies, people have a hard time discerning whether there is more or less oil in look-alike recipes, just by taste. Any one tablespoon of oil is always going to be 120 calories, but knowing that isn't much help when you're just looking at an Italian sauce, or a Lo-Mein, and wondering.

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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:59 am

I just realized I'm overweight!

And I have been for over a week.

I have a note of the BMI markers in the back of my bullet journal and misunderstood that at 174 I'm overweight. It is at 175 I'm obese. I thought I had to be below 174. Today was my first day of weighing in at 173 which caused me to double check but I require three days at a weight before I consider any weigh-in official. I hit 174 on April 14 but didn't count it until the 18th, and didn't remember to change the entry in MFP until this week.

My original weight goal plan had me at 174 on April first so I'm well off that plan now.

I think all women have a goal weight and a secret goal weight. My weight goal plan has me at healthy weight (145) for September 10. That would be 28 pounds in 18 weeks so not achievable. My secret goal weight is 140 and at that point I'll stop with low calorie and start working on maintenance.

I'm guessing the end of the year will be my new goal date. That would be a pound a week, much more doable especially since there isn't a lot of travel this summer. At least not yet.

The lowest I've been as an older adult is 132 and I got complaints of being too thin the last time I was there from people hugging me (although I felt wonderful at that weight and it is well within the healthy range.) My mother was always overweight, but my father was quite thin until his 60s so where I fall naturally is a mystery but I'm guessing 140 is probably the best I should shoot for.

I was 124 when I was married the second time (age 24 but dieted to get there), 118 the first time (age 19 but lost 5 pounds before the wedding from stress) and my lowest adult weight ever was 105 after my jaw had been wired shut for 6 weeks due to jaw surgery. That was too thin! And my calves were still fat. I have my Dad's calves, Mom had lovely shapely ones!

I've was 128 between kids, 132 after ds and have been 132 at times in the 90s and 2000s, that last time being 2003. I spent the first half of that decade in the 140s but then started traveling with dh. There's a direct line up at that point and I haven't been below the 160s at all in the 2010s.

I should probably enter this data and correlate with my age although it only goes back to 2003. My WW card, if I still have it will show the journey from 1998 to 2003. The chart wouldn't show external factors, though, but my book does since I'd often make notes ("after cruise" or "after colonoscopy".)

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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Thu Apr 26, 2018 10:06 am

I have a doctor's appointment today and that's what had me looking at my weight records. I was roughly 4 pounds heavier last October when I was there so he'll not see a difference in me. I gained 14 pounds and have lost 18 in between but none of that will show on my medical records.

The appointment is to figure out what's the deal with my breathlessness. It isn't asthma, it isn't heart so I think that leaves blood. Ds and I are wondering if there's something up with my blood that it doesn't carry oxygen to my body as it should which triggers the heavier breathing and faster heart rate. I know in the hospital they complained all the time about my oxygen readings and said I wasn't breathing properly. Maybe I was and maybe I have something else wrong with me.

On the other hand, arthritis has improved dramatically since losing the weight and I'm much more pain free than I was in January and February. My toe is a mild ache at all times but the foot pain that woke me up at night is over and my knee pain is almost non-existent. Hips bother me but mostly when I'm 'bad' (doing things like dancing or running.)

My knees were sore the other day on the way home from the store but then I realized I had 16 pounds of food on my back and over my arm. No wonder I had reverted to the pain I had while in Australia!

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DeeClutter
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby DeeClutter » Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:34 am

arthritis has improved dramatically since losing the weight
Have to agree with you there, Kathryn. Know my knees are hurting every time I go out to walk. I'm sure that it's the weight. Think I remember that there's 4# of pressure on the knees for every pound of weight gain (and conversely for loss). Think that's right? Now I'll have to go check. Reason enough, as if my heart wasn't enough, to get this weight off! It's true that the older we are the harder it is.

I know that the 10,000 steps a day isn't 'magical' but know I need to get worked back up to that. I've been out twice today so far for walks (and it's a beautiful day for that). My top has been 7,000 so need to work harder at that. Also have a 'stepper' machine that I definitely need to get on more. The most I can do right now before my legs burn too much is 110 steps. Hope to slowly increase that. Toying with the idea of taking it home with me. The upright part unscrews so it wouldn't take up much room in the car. Dh would kinda like me to bring it.
Begun is half done -SO! JUST BEGIN!!

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Twins' Mom
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Twins' Mom » Sat Apr 28, 2018 11:19 am

Harriet, just googled your "greger" app and realized that a dfriend of Dh's had ordered Greger's book and sent it to him. And btw, this dfriend looks great, slim, trim and healthy, about to retire. I had put the book on the bookcase to eventually give away to the library since dh obviously wasn't going to read it :lol: but have pulled it out now to take a look. :shock:

In other news, I am trying to gear up for a 1 May restart to goals, one being fitness and health. I'm thinking of trying for two workouts a week, plus trying a yoga class once a week plus daily stretching and eating goals. I can't find my Fitbit One and realized it has been discontinued, so I ordered the Fitbit Zip - still a clip on tracker because I don't like wearing a watch or something on my wrist. It's on backorder at the Fitbit site and more much more expensive on Amazon so I'll wait a bit for it.

Need to flesh out goals and intermediate steps.
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [wo]man. Ben Franklin

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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby LadyMaverick » Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:07 pm

End of the month review.

I am almost astonished how much I am enjoying eating this way. I am 99.9% free of cravings. I now have to be aware of the time so I will remember to eat. Several times this week I have forgotten to eat. I can easily go hours after it is time for me to eat and not be hungry. This is so foreign to me. I can't remember the last time I was hungry. Food is just something that I eat because my body needs it. It would be easy for me to greatly reduce my food but part of the FoF way of eating is eating the right amount - not more and not less. No skipping meals unless medically necessary.

Lab work was done this month. I was fasting so they did Lipid panel (cholesterol & Triglycerides). I was thrilled with results. Cholesterol dropped 140 points and Triglycerides was cut in half. The doc was very impressed with it. He said the only way to get it lower was to go vegan and suggested reading a book called ??China Study??. I haven't looked at it. My blood work is in a normal range so for now I have no desire to give up eating meat.

I lost 6.3 lbs this month. I started with 40 lbs to lose and I've lost 25 so far. I have another 15 lbs to go.

I just tried on the new jean shorts I bought last month for the summer. I wanted to pack them to wear this week. However, I could pull them down without unbuttoning them. Thankfully I hadn't removed the tags from them yet. I will be returning them to exchange for a smaller size.

My sleep is doing awesome (for me). It is averaging between 7 - 8 hours of sleep per night. Falling asleep is easy as laying my head down and closing my eyes. I am asleep within a minute.

Was it here that I heard the saying "Motion is Lotion"? I think of that saying a lot. I try not to sit very long at a time. 15 minutes tops then get up and move. I am r.e.a.l.l.y not going to be a happy person this next week being forced to sit in a vehicle for hours each day. Even if we stop and move around every hour that is still a lot of sitting. ugh.....Where is the transporter that Star Wars uses? I really like that idea of traveling. *Poof* your there.

I am not being successful establishing the early morning exercise habit. I start stop start stop start stop. *sigh*

I read with interest as others are succeeding at exercising and think.....I want to be like them!
1. Know what you want.
2. Go after it relentlessly.

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RunKitty
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby RunKitty » Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:47 pm

Congratulations, LadyM!! I'm so happy about all your success. I've been doing the same with sitting for no more than 10 or 15 minutes before getting up and doing active chores. I think as you get even healthier, you will establish an early morning exercise habit. You won't be able to resist it. :D
Big WTG!!!

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Kathryn-in-Canada
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:19 am

Rosie: I'll be surprised if you get the Zip. The Ones were on backorder until they simply disappeared. I'm boycotting fitbit but did exhaust all other clip-on trackers that report to an app (none are 'new' they are all many years old and towards the end of their product cycle and in some cases the data wasn't useful to me.) I have ended up using just a fancy Omron pedometer with the same tech that trackers have but it doesn't report to an app. It holds 7 days of step count so I write it into my bullet journal and once a week figure out my average step count. It counts my steps differently (only starting after 20 while my fitbit started after 10) so my basic step count dropped dramatically. On the other hand, I own the data. It is straightforward and reliable and still small enough (barely) to fit in my bra.

For outdoor walks I use MapMyWalk on my phone (since I'm carrying that anyway), which feeds the results directly into MyFitnessPal and credits the calories earned to my day. If I'm using the treadmill, I use the data off that and hand enter it. I will probably download MapMyRide if I start using my bike for exercise. Swimming I hand enter into MyFitnessPal. If I swam properly and frequently, I would consider getting a swimming tracker, though.

For sleep tracking, there are a number of apps one can use just on the phone. I use one that records snoring episodes so you can see how bad your snoring is (or if it is your partner's snoring being caught on the app!) and it also 'hears' my movements to guess at my sleep quality. This is all off-line (i.e. I'm not connected to the internet) and it does not store the data on the cloud unless you share it. This is unlike fitbit which stores your data on the cloud and then gives back to you what it wants to give back to you (and stopped giving sleep data to One users unless they paid for it.)

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Twins' Mom
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Re: Health and Fitness, April 2018

Postby Twins' Mom » Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:25 am

Kathryn, it's me who ordered the Fitbit Zip. They are available on Amazon for $99 also but went with the lower price at Fitbit. I do remember your boycott and was interested in how you are tracking now. The website says the backorder is only 1 to 2 weeks so we'll see.

I don't use a sleep app - I assume that with a CPAP my sleep is good enough. The doc checks the chip once a year for sleep issues and CPAP issues. My sleep is generally good so I don't track it.
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [wo]man. Ben Franklin


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