Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and diet

Help me peak as an athlete.

vito90 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:24:43 -0800

I'm looking for tips on how to peak for an athletic performance. I'm 38 years old and soon to go head-to-head against more talented and athletic foes. I've been playing recreational baseball for the last 9 years every summer, and for the last two years at a highly competitive level.

I've mostly performed as our backup catcher but was just informed that our starter is taking the year off and I'll go into the season as the first-string catcher. In other words, I've been called up to the show.

I'm very motivated to take my game to its highest level this year, and want to start preparing now to be completely at my best by mid-season, which will be around July. I want to take a comprehensive approach to my training, in fact I'm looking a little bit less for advice on workouts than other aspects of improvement. I would especially love to hear tips on how to improve my vision, hand-eye coordination, reflexes, ability to recover, mental approaches, leadership tips, diet and supplements, anything you can think of. Anything that can help a slightly older, yet still pretty durable body to withstand some punishment this season.

I would love to hear old crafty baseball tips too...most of my opponents will be in their twenties and I know that just knowing a few things the kids don't will give me an advantage.

Really any kind of advice is welcome. How did you prepare for the competition of YOUR life?

carbs or protein

leotrotsky — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:03:56 -0800

Dean Ornish vs Gary Taubes. Ornish claims through clinical trials to have reversed the effects of heart disease. Taubes argues that there's evidence high carbohydrate, low fat diets increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer, etc. Surely they can't both be right. Is there a unbiased opinion out there? What do the plurality of clinical trials seem to indicate?

I like it raw.

blackcatcuriouser — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:46:54 -0800

Any suggestions for a 14-day raw food detox diet? What can I expect to feel like? I've been in the process of losing weight (via eating better and exercising) and have lost about 20 pounds since early summer. I fell off the health wagon in early November due to work/school stress, started ordering takeout more often, missed the gym for weeks at a time. Throw in a few weekend birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving - all of which involved indulging heavily in fatty foods and quite a bit of alcohol - and I gained about 4 pounds back.

I'd like to get back on board and continue to lose the weight I started losing. (I'm about 10-15 lbs to my goal.) I've started going to the gym again, and lighter eating began the day after Thanksgiving. But I still feel sluggish and generally gross from a month of face-stuffing and boozing.

I've developed, based on various internet articles, a plan for a 2-week raw (or mostly raw) cleanse. It's a variation of the vegan raw food cleanse in that it's not as super strict as some of the ones I've read about online. I plan to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and drink water and herbal teas. (Which is pretty much what I normally drink anyway.) I'm allowing occasional oatmeal with raw honey and fruit, maybe 1 or 2 mornings a week. I'm also thinking of throwing a teaspoon of olive oil per day into the mix, for salad dressing. Maybe some light salt and pepper. No meat, dairy, eggs, pasta, bread, alcohol, candy or processed foods. I am going to allow myself avocado and canned beans, but no tofu.

Anything else I should avoid? Any cool raw recipes I should consider feasting on or advice in general? I've never done this before. What can I expect to feel like? (Some background, I'm a mid-20s female of a healthy weight, and I usually eat everything.)

Is Green Tea Good for You even when it's cold?

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:17 -0800

I heard Green Tea is extremely good for you. If I drink it cold, will it give me the same benefits as hot green tea? I like the Snapple Green tea drink you can get in a glass bottle and you drink it cold. Thanks, Lynnie-the-pooh

FUNNY HEALTH TITLE

Team of Scientists — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:16:05 -0800

I'd like to lose the bit of fat that has been with me for as long as I can remember. What should I include in my diet/workout regimen? Some background: I am male, 6'0", 25 years old, and I weigh about 180 lbs. I am in decent shape right now, and I feel pretty good about myself, but I think I'm ready to experiment with a highly disciplined lifestyle to see what kind of results I can get.

I have a bit of belly fat that seems as if it won't ever go away. My goal is to drop my body fat percentage to a point at which this pudge finally disappears.

For the first 6 months of this year, I had been eating relatively healthy and lifting weights regularly with no cardio. In June, I dropped the weights and began swimming 5 days a week for 50-60 minutes each session.

I really enjoy the swimming, and I'd like to continue it, but I'm not sure if I should be supplementing my cardio workout with some more strength training. I was thinking of simply adding about 20 minutes of calisthenics to the beginning of each swim workout (think pushups, pullups, dips, etc.) to maintain some muscle mass. Does this sound like it would be more effective than simply swimming every weekday? What kind of workout regimen would/did you adhere to in order to lower your body fat?

Now to perhaps the most important part: my diet. I have recently been eating well (lean proteins, veggies, fruit for the most part), but I have no set routine. This results in me occasionally settling on some Panera or Qdoba for meals. I'd like to structure my diet so that I know what I am eating at what time each and every day. One caveat: I don't want to drive myself insane by eating the same bland crap every day. Is there any way to do this? I think I'd be satisfied with the same lunch/breakfast/snacks every day, and if I could just have a different dinner each day of the week, that would be just fine. Also, in the interest of saving some time, I'd like to stick with the three main meals of the day with snacks in between instead of, say, 7 small meals throughout the day.

How many calories should I be consuming, factoring in my workout regimen? What kind of foods should I include in my diet? High protein? High/low carbs? Any healthy and delicious entree suggestions?

I enjoy omelettes for breakfast as a cheap source of protein. I think I could go on a spinach and feta omelette or something similar every day for a while. I love asparagus, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, cheese, cottage cheese (these are many of the staples of my current diet). I'm sure I can work most of this into my diet, but how? Also, I currently drink a smoothie consisting of a banana, 5 strawberries, 3 spoonfuls vanilla yogurt, a scoop of whey, and some milk after every workout. Should I keep this?

Is there any other advice AskMeFi can offer that I might have overlooked? Apologies for the long post, but I know you MeFites are a generous source of health information.

Can I eat my way to happiness and fufillment?

jon1270 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:57:09 -0800

What constitutes a healthy diet when excess weight is not an issue and reasonably high calorie intake is necessary? Late 30's male, going through a bit of a midlife crisis and thinking about aspects of my life that might need adjustment. Though I can't say exactly why, I've been wondering whether my diet couldn't stand some improvement.

I'm 6' tall and have been 160#, give or take a pound or two, ever since high school. I think I'm more physically active than average, but I seem to be able to burn through no end of calories whether I'm moving around a lot or not. I have no major health problems that I'm aware of.

I taught myself to cook, cutting my teeth on the butter- and cream-laden fare of James Beard. Over time, my cooking habits have continued leaning towards what I think of as decadent and restaurantish cuisine -- a bit heavy on meat and fat -- largely because this is an easy way to get calories and avoid feeling hungry again half an hour after a meal. Last night it was penne with a Bolognese sauce. The night before it was ribs and succotash with a rich dessert (dinner party). Before that, a chicken and vegetable curry with coconut milk. In the fridge are ingredients for a risotto with sausage. I like vegetables and fruit, but they are generally accessories to the meal rather than the main event. This is all very tasty, but I sometimes have the sense that I've consumed more grease than is good for me.

I have a drink on as many evenings as I refrain (typically only one) which is pleasantly relaxing but muddies my thinking for the rest of the day. I'm not sure it's worth the tradeoff.

I also have a moderate caffeine addiction. If I don't have a couple mugs of strong coffee every morning, I get irritable and can't think straight by mid-afternoon. If I have coffee after noon, I don't sleep well and the diuretic effect wakes me up at 3 in the morning.

I'm wondering if I can do better, but I've been living this way for so long that my imagination is constricted by habit. What are my options for tasty foods and good eating habits that can deliver calories and general well-being without the long-term health implications of the animal-based fats? Should I consider cutting out caffeine and/or alcohol entirely? If I were to make such changes, what benefits might I experience?

Do Bananas constipate??

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:07:12 -0800

Do Bananas constipate or do they do the opposite? My daughter needs to eat foods that make stool soft. Some people have told me to feed her bananas and others say to stay away from them. Which is the truth? My daughter is five years old. Also, my daughter takes Miralax to make things soft. Is there any alternative to this? Like an herb or some natural vitamin/herb/spice combo that she could take instead?

Thanks,

Lynnie-the-Pooh

Are there any major downsides to becoming a human garbage disposal?

mrgrimm — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:24:08 -0800

Are there any downsides to becoming a human garbage disposal? I'm tired of composting and/or throwing out vegetable material. Would there be any seriously ill effects if I just started eating all of the vegetal "waste," i.e. peels, rinds, seeds, myself? What about egg shells?

Nutritious Water Additives?

Phyltre — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:05:44 -0800

Are there any good nutritional/metabolic water mixes out there for sedentary desk workers who are perhaps over-reliant on fast food? I consume several bottles of water a day at work. Normally I use Propel mix in the water, since it only has 20 calories per serving and it makes the decidedly plasticky water more drinkable. My diet is probably a little more reliant on fast food than it should be, especially with the economic crunch lately, and I was wondering if there is anything on the market to mix in the water to help me with nutrition or metabolism. I'm working two jobs, which means on 3 weekdays I work straight from 8AM to 9:30PM with just a lunch break. This also predictably lowers my will for exercise.

I know that there are lots of snake-oil products out there on the market, but I'm curious if there's anything to help me along health-wise without jamming in too many calories. I certainly don't feel ill, but I know my lifestyle isn't necessarily optimal and I'm wondering if I'm missing an opportunity with all the water I'm taking in.

Food me.

Nonce — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:11:46 -0800

Imagine you are an alien with a pet human. Now tell me the simplest, quickest, and/or cheapest mix of commonly available in America foodstuffs and/or supplements that will provide this pet with all necessary and potentially helpful nutrients, with no attention wasted on things like variety, taste, or any other aesthetic factors. I want to be able to purchase (metaphorically) 50 lb bags of pure, scientifically validated, lifespan-increasing, healthy coat producing humanfood.

(In other words, I'm a bachelor low on time and fridge/freezer space. Tell me how to min/max my way into an uncomplicated but amazingly healthy eating regimin that I don't have to think about, but that covers all the bases that scientific consensus agrees may be helpful to have covered.)

Reverse veganization

zenofthefrisbee — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:10 -0800

How can I incorporate animal protien and supplemental iron in my vegan diet? That sounds contradictory, I know.

But my doctor just told me that I am protien deficient and anemic, and that I must eat animal protiens and more iron. Every body is different, and apparently mine can't survive on a strict vegan menu alone. Now I am having trouble imagining how to incorporate meats in my meals. I've looked into whey protien mixes, but am interested in ways that I can hide meat (and extra iron) in my diet without, you know, tasting it. Basically I'd like my diet to remain as vegan as possible on the surface, while satisfying my body's protien requirements.

Fish is out; I can't palate it. Chicken, pork, and beef are better.

So, what are some good recipes to hide animal protien in?
Are there any prepared foods (like I'd buy at Whole Foods on my lunch break) that might work?
What are my other options outside of meat? Do eggs count?

Explain my gain (weight) and my loss (motivation/sanity).

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:49:57 -0800

I gained 6 lbs. overnight. WTF! I am a committed runner and healthy eater who lost 50 lbs. over the last year by changing my lifestyle and eating habits completely. I am now at a weight I am happy with and work to maintain it.

On Saturday night I snacked A LOT because I was, heh, a tad inebriated and stopped policing myself so damn vigilantly. I ate chips, bean dip, salsa, carrots, grapes, even some m&m's. A LOT of all of it especially considering I'd had a big, indulgent dinner.

All the stuff I ate was from Trader Joe's and so it was mostly the not so bad for you kind of bad for you food--flax seed chips, blue corn tortilla chips, bean dip, salsa and crackers with good ingredients, etc. However, I ate a ton and I felt totally manic while doing so. Having lost a lot of weight and becoming somewhat obsessive about maintaining not just my weight, but my commitment to eating mindfully (I used to be a wicked bad emotional/bored/anxious/angry eater), it feels horribly bad to overdo it like this.

I guess my question is how did I gain 6 lbs in one night? Will this weight stick or is it water retention weight from salty snacks? I'm already 2 lbs. lighter, so I guess it's already showing itself to be not "real" weight gain. I am trying to think of this as "relapse is part of recovery" and use it as a good reminder to not go crazy like this. My other question, if it's kosher to ask something related, is can you help me see this in a different way and not be so down on myself about it that I lose motivation or beat myself up? Obviously I need to lighten up a bit on myself and not let it run the rest of my weekend (which, yeah, it did) because I'm obsessing about what I ate or what I should eat/not eat to "compensate" for the binge.

Thanks, a lot, hive mind. I'm going a little crazy.

The joy of not eating junk food

miss lynnster — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:29:05 -0800

What are your favorite simple, healthy, flavorful and totally delicious recipes? Fresher the ingredients, the better (ie, few or no preservatives). Meals, snacks, treats, beverages, lay it on me! I have allergies to preservatives (especially sulfates). Back when I was living super healthy I used to cook a lot and keep my meals as close as possible to the source. I also had lost my love for sweets... but alas, this year I stopped paying attention to all of this and starting eating junk again. I can tell my poor diet has affected me both emotionally and physically, so I'm trying to get back into my old healthy ways. Mainly, been forcing myself to work out and return to my old eating habits (ie, cut down on sweets, avoid white flour, don't eat out much, no canned/processed foods, lots of veggies).

Moral of the story... I'm looking for new, good, easy recipes that are deeeelicious and will make my new diet more exciting and fun. I have a tiny kitchen so it's always good if the meal doesn't take *too* many pans. I tend to use my electric grill a lot, and I recently inherited a food processor but I've never used it.

I do have a relatively sophisticated palate so don't hold back. I love foods from different cultures and I'm all for recipes that use a lot of flavor-filled spices. Last night for dinner I had stir fried chicken and veggies in green curry spices. Today for breakfast I made a nice egg white omelette with zucchini, onions and spices, and a little skim mozzarella on top. For lunch I pureed some broccoli soup in the blender a la Gordon Ramsay's recipe (although I'm sure his soup is better -- he probably would've called me a donkey for not having goat cheese and walnuts on hand). I tend to eat a bit high on protein, veggies and/or fruits. Low on carbs. Omega 3s are great. More vitamins and minerals the better (I try to avoid empty calories -- things like iceberg lettuce that are all water).

Thanks!

Oh, and if you have any simple recipes for little treats that aren't too unhealthy that's good too, 'cuz this sweet tooth of mine isn't going to go away overnight!

Hummus goes with what veggie?

reenum — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:44:20 -0800

I want to find veggies I can dip in hummus instead of chips. Suggestions? I like to snack on hummus and crackers, but I am trying to get healthier this year. I'd like to replace the crackers with some sort of veggie. I tried carrots and did not enjoy the combo.

Can you suggest another veggie (or fruit) that might be a good sub for crackers and allow me to keep up my hummus habit?

Weight loss plateau normal?

paulg — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:11:23 -0800

I lost thirty pounds since September by calorie control (about three months), but I haven’t lost any weight in the last two to three weeks. I’ve heard that weight loss plateaus are normal, but what is the best way to continue my weight loss? If I continue the same calorie count, will I begin to drop weight again, or do I need to mix it up? I’m a 5’ 8” male who began at over 280 pounds. I’m under 250 pounds now, but I want to get to a healthy BMI. To do so, I need to drop at least another 40-60 pounds. I got to this point by reducing my calories to 1200-1400 per day. I haven’t begun any serious exercise regime, although I have been walking slightly more (20-30 per day). Do I need to further lower my caloric intake to restart my weight loss? Do I need to add exercise?

I’ve read some of the previous questions along this line (googled “site:ask.metafilter.com weight loss pleateu”) but most suggest that calorie count is more important than exercise. I was pretty heavily into weight lifting in high school and college, but was never into organized sports. I’m eating healthy foods now. I feel like--once I drop the weight--I can keep it off. I know exercise is important for cardiovascular health, but I feel like (at this point) I could easily get discouraged if, as a fat slug with no prior sporting experience, I had to join a soccer team. How far below 1200 per day can an adult male reasonably go?

Am I on the right track keeping to the 1200-1400 calories per day and little to no additional exercise, or do I need to refine my plan? What’s the normal time frame for a weight loss plateau? Maybe be I just need an “at a by; stick to it.” Thank you all.

Help me stop being so OCD about my eating habits.

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:11:56 -0800

I've reached my goal weight. Now, please help me stay sane with diet and nutrition. Sorry this is long. In a bit under a year through dietary changes and exercise, I've lost about 50 lbs. and am at my goal weight. I now love exercise, mostly running, and am really excited to do it every day. I love the way I look and feel have so much confidence that I never had.

I like eating healthy--low fat, whole grains, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, lean meat and fish. However, I go through periods of being very obsessive about what I eat and how much and/or how much/hard I am exercising. I know that with an active lifestyle and healthy diet I don't need to obsessively count calories, and I'd love to stop doing it, but I can't really help myself. Like, I really like this non-fat vanilla/granola/fruit parfait at a local coffeeshop but I never let myself have it because since eating healthily and getting familiar with nutrition, I know how full of sugar and fat most granola is and how carb-y and full of sugar most nonfat yogurt is. I wouldn't get a fruit smoothie I really want because of how full of (natural) sugars and simple carbs it has. Or I'll get a salad with no cheese because of the added fat. Is this totally crazy? I mean, these are healthy indulgences, right? It's also very difficult for me to do anything impromptu because I plan my eating so much. For example, I love going out for drinks and small plates/tapas with friends and it's the kind of thing where the more you drink, the less inhibited you are and you end up ordering all kinds of stuff you normally wouldn't and then I'm utterly guilt ridden the next day even though I want to be able to say "I eat well 99% of the time and exercise regularly so that I can enjoy this kind of indulgence." I just can't get there mentally.

I stopped using my online diet tracker for a few days to see if it would make me less obsessive, but it actually made me more obsessive because I couldn't be sure I was staying within caloric/fat/carb/protein boundaries. I rarely let myself have desserts or an extra helping of something I really want. I know that when I really want something I should just have it because if I deprive myself, I will only end up gorging later (this hasn't happened yet--I generally have incredible self control, but I fear it will). However, it's really difficult for me to give myself allowances as I am afraid that it's just a slippery slope to going back to my old ways. I feel like I need a "system" because that is sort of what keeps me sane in most areas of my life. Like, once per week I can indulge in something relatively, well, indulgent. Like, not an extra large pizza with all the fixings or a whole ice cream cake, but, say, something I used to love that I never let myself have anymore, like frozen yogurt with nuts or a burrito or a vanilla latte or some Thai food. My cravings are not for hugely unhealthy, fatty, fried, yucky stuff but more for stuff that is higher in simple carbs and fat than I'd normally have.

My main concern is that if I feel continue to control myself so strictly I will one day just break and gorge on all the stuff I've been missing and gain all the weight back. I rarely miss a lot of stuff, but when I miss something, it kind of builds and builds and builds.

I'd love some practical advice about how to utilize a "steam valve" type thing where I can eat some delicious, not-so-healthy stuff every once in a while so I don't feel so deprived. If people have read books that address this kind of stuff, I'd love to get recommendations. Or, feel free to reassure me that I'm not totally nuts.

Please be gentle :)

And, yup, I'm in therapy and I have begun discussing this.

Thank you.

p.s. Feel free to contact me at this.is.a.throwaway.2008@gmail.com

Has anyone ever truly lost weight and kept it off?

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:17:37 -0800

What kind of hope is there for the average person to lose weight and keep it off when someone like Oprah who has personal trainers and personal nutritionists and personal chefs and personal minders and more money than God can't manage to do it? I never used to be a heavy girl. I ate terribly, but I exercised at the gym every day, and I was slim and fit regardless. But then I moved, and I got older, and I put on close to 80 pounds in a decade. I have watched people all around me struggle to lose weight and then they put it all back on plus more. I can't even motivate myself to try because it looks like I'm just setting myself up for disappointment--I'd have to radically change how I eat (learning to cook, for a start, which is a whole other hurdle). I keep reading that none of it works anyway, and everyone has a "set point" or something, and only 5% of people manage to keep weight off after losing it.

Canned milkshakes are gross. I sat in on a Weight Watchers meeting once and I felt like I was in a cult. I'm at my wit's end.

Has anyone here managed to lose real weight and never gain it back?

Share your slow carb recipes

sid — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:50:34 -0800

Give us your slow carb recipes! We are attempting a slow carb diet, which for us means cutting out or severely reducing all flour, rice, potatoes, and bread. Our carb sources would be pulses, legumes, and sweet potatoes. It's going pretty well so far but I think we are going to soon grow tired of hummus! Please share any delicious recipes that would fit the stated parameters.

How does a 19 year old couch potato lose 50 pounds?

BoldStepDesign — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:07:24 -0800

Ok I’m an overweight college student here. I’m a male coming in at 6’2” weighing 275 pounds. I want to lose 30 in 30. Ideally I want to shed 50 pounds and get down to 225 lbs, which is what I was back in highschool. According to my BMI I need to lose 70-100 pounds.
I’m allergic to all nuts, fish, turkey and oranges.

What I eat:
3 Scrambled eggs; cheese and or Katchup, or 3 Over easy eggs; 2 pieces of toast
Lunch, Sandwich (usually grilled cheese, or ham/turkey sandwich) or soup with pringles chips
Usually Pasta for dinner, maybe a cheese burger, soup or a steak, salad always with ranch, a veggie maybe jello
Two days a week I get anything from pasta, donuts, chocolate, basically leftovers at work
2-5 starbucks style coffee’s a week have cut down sizes to mediums, some times smalls
Fridays:
Friday night’s are Pizza and a bottled soda with friends, I’m not giving that up. Pizza is home made, usually IBC root beer or cream soda. One thing I refuse to give up.

Exercise:
I work out 3 days a week, usually 30 minutes on the treadmill, 2 miles, then some ab/chest workouts
Realizing how badly I do eat. I need to cut out what I eat, or atleast down 50%, increase my work outs.

That being said, to get where I want to be, what would you recommend for me?
I need diet ideas and work out ideas, plans etc...
Any helpful suggestions would be apprenticed!

How do you manage a good breakfast in the morning?

peanut_mcgillicuty — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:33:03 -0800

I've been eating bagels or instant oatmeal at my desk for almost four years, and it needs to change. First, I'm tired of eating so many meals at my desk (breakfast, lunch almost every day, AND dinner on nights that I have graduate school!). But more importantly, I want something more substantial that's better for me and will keep me full longer than empty carbohydrates. Part of the problem is that I'm afraid if I eat at home, I will be ravenous by the time lunch comes around. As it is right now, I eat at 9 a.m. and am hungry for lunch at 12, to the point of feeling faint by 12:30 or so. If I eat breakfast a full hour earlier, won't I be hungry for lunch that much earlier? Having a snack seems to defeat the purpose of eating breakfast at home.

I should say that I might not get enough protein in my diet in general--I'm just transitioning from being a vegetarian for my entire life to eating a little bit of meat (so far, only chicken and things that aren't exactly meat but aren't vegetarian either, like ramen, soups with chicken or beef stock, gelatin, etc). Suggestions for getting more protein are very welcome.

Mostly, though, I want to hear what you eat for breakfast and how (at home, at work, etc) and what you think I should eat.

Specific criteria:

1. Yogurt is 100% out in all shapes and forms. I can't even tolerate the smell of it. Same with cottage cheese.
2. I don't want to cook meat that looks like meat (so, turkey sausages would be ok, raw chicken not so much).
3. Cold cereal grosses me out--all that soggy stuff floating around in a pool of white liquid...
4. I cannot eat on my commute (packed subway). It's either at home or at work (where I do have access to a refrigerator and microwave, and for the most part, no problems with people stealing food out of the communcal fridge).
5. I'm looking for quick-fix, minimal-dishes-and-mess ideas rather than elaborate ideas. I'm going to have to start getting up earlier to eat breakfast at home; no point in making it more complicated than it needs to be.

Things I have already thought of: breakfast burritos (especially when prepared ahead in bulk, frozen and then heated in the microwave), minute oatmeal with honey and bananas, egg-and-cheese on toast/bagel/roll or egg-in-a-boat/hole/whatever you call it, etc.

What do you eat in the morning?

Blood for Every Limb!

EatTheWeak — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:17:02 -0800

I'm looking for advice on how to improve my circulation. Hi AskMe! I'm interested in improving my circulation, and I'm hoping the hivemind might have some guidance for me in this matter. I know it is best to consult medical professionals in such matters, but doctors cost a damn sight more than a $5 lifetime membership charge.

Now, with my complete lack of medical knowledge, I reckon the most obvious answer is to increase my cardiovascular exercise. If that's the case, are there any workouts better than others for promoting a strong, healthy blood flow to every part of my body? Like, is jumproping better than cycling or what? I'm looking for specific exercises, if possible.

Are there any supplements or dietary changes that I might try to boost my circulation? How significant a role does hydration play? Any and all information you might have on how to get my blood pumping better is of great interest to me.

Thank you very much.

Lose Weight Now, Ask Me How

mippy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:53:30 -0800

How can I lose weight, not through dieting, but through acquiring good and non-punitive habits? There is a lot of diet advice out there - don't eat dairy, don't eat meat, don't eat bread, take up our new diet and spend £70 on supplements each month - and what I want is to know how to have a balanced diet that doesn't involve cutting out most foods I enjoy, cutting out whole food groups altogether, or feeling guilty because I have a square of milk chocolate rather than dark?

Relevant information:
- I work in an office, and at the moment cannot take on the financial commitment of gym membership. I occasionally swim but in practise this is once a month if that. I want to start walking the 20mins to and from the train station during the week rather than taking the bus to give me a bit of activity. I would very much need a sports bra for anything more intensive than this, plus my once-fractured metatarsal gives me gip occasionally. I recently learned to cycle but am not ready for the road yet.

- I've put on two stone this year, partly from a broken foot and partly from taking sodium valproate - if you're unfamiliar with this, the side effects cause weight gain and seem to increase my appetite. Therefore any diet too restrictive (ie. to get rid of the extra weight) would be torture! I am quite tall so can carry extra weight without it having a huge impact on my health, but I don't *feel* healthy and my self-image is pretty sucky.

- I've previously put on weight from taking Depo-Provera a few years back at the same rate, most of which just dropped 'naturally'. I've never embarked on a determined weight-loss program and tend to fluctuate a lot. More gain than lose on balance.

- I eat meat, although not very much. Not a big sweet snacker but I love houmous, cheese and toast (though don't buy as much cheese). I don't tend to spend a lot on my food and know I could up my veg intake. I tend to make my own lunches at home to bring into work, and have museli in the morning and maybe yogurt or a cookie as a sweet snack int he afternoon.

- We get a few chocolates from time to time at work. I also like pizza and fast food, but have this once a fortnight if that. I don't tend to buy ready meals and try and make healthy choices if I can.

What's a reasonable amount of sugar to be consuming in a day?

GilloD — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:50:32 -0800

What's a "healthy" or "Reasonable" amount of sugar for a healthy mid-20's male to be consuming daily? I've recently started to think about my sugar consumption. I make it a point to avoid corn syrup and I don't drink soda or sugar-y juice very often, but I sneak sugar into my coffee and eat more than my shake of fruits (Raisins! So much sugar) and occasionally some candy-ish snacks.

As a result, I'm wondering: What's a reasonable or healthy amount of sugar for a healthy 24 year old male to be consuming? I know the stock answer is "NONE", but that's not really helpful. For example, my box of raisins has thirty grams of sugar. Is that a lot? Is it a third of a reasonable intake? A tenth? Triple what I should be consuming?

What practices have at the most effect on your health, for better or worse?

schroedinger — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:13:26 -0800

What are a few significant things you wish you did when you were younger that you believe would have helped better preserve your mental and physical health? What are a few significant things you did do in the past that you now see paying dividends? I know aging is a complex dance of genetics, childhood circumstances, diet, good habits, bad habits, and myriad other factors. I know where to find hard data about the positive effects of exercise, doing crossword puzzles, maintaining a social network, etc. As I lay out a "healthy life plan" in my early twenties, it would be great to know more personal experiences, whether they're of regret or relief, and to see if there's anything that would make me massively re-prioritize my efforts.

For example, do you attribute your great teeth to thirty years of flossing? Did running end up hurting your knees more than it helped your health? Do you you have inexplicable mental acuity in the face of a family history of deterioration because of a voracious book-reading habit? Do you wish you ate more vegetables or swam twice a week? Did the hip surgery pay off? If you could give your age (or approximate for privacy's sake) and the length of time you sustained the good or bad habits that would also be extremely helpful.

Help me lose the apples and pears - why do I have trouble losing weight?

wingless_angel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:06:16 -0800

Help me lose the apples and pears - why do I have trouble losing weight? I'm nearly 30 and need to do something about the extra kilos I've packed on in the last decade. I am becoming very much an apple shape like the other women in my family - all of the weight I have gained is around my stomach, hips and back. Just like my mother and sister I have a belly.

I've probably gained about 15kg in 10 years (though I was underweight when I was 20). I gained about 7kg of this right after I had glandular fever at 20. I do a lot of walking (several hours per week) and cycling and this doesn't seem to make a difference. Last year I tried a gym, and my weight and size never changed over three months (and I was working out hard!). I was slender when I was a skater, but I don't get the benefits I once did from that as I don't have the stamina for crazy stomach crunching spins and jumps anymore. I don't swim as I'm a very weak swimmer and I find it uncomfortable due to my sinusitis.

I generally eat pretty healthily, drink a lot of water and green tea, but no change. I do get very full and swollen after my meals, and am prone to IBS type symptoms. Is there some non-exercise reason why I find it hard to lose weight? Or am I stuck with my genes?

Not looking for a magic bullet, just ideas on what I should do to be less of an apple!!