Starmen.Net

Good topic, NKing! I really need to get back into taking care of myself again. I just moved and got a new job and, luckily, can bike to work now. Outside of that, though, my habits have gotten pretty bad. I eat when I want, my job provides free snacks, and I really love munching on something while I work. I’ve got to stop eating anything from work except for my daily bowl of granola with strawberries (which is amazing).

Also, I’ve always wanted to get into a 15 – 20 minute workout routine to help build a little more muscle and promote general well-being, but I want to find something that doesn’t involve weights. Like push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc. Just want to keep it balanced and efficient and quick.

InsanityMax

Lean, shredded, insanely ripped bodies.

Yeah, something like that! >_< I’ll have to check it out.

I don’t know the level credibility that Dr Oz has to the medical field, but he said that rubbing peppermint oil on the temples sooths headaches.

And if you aren’t taking them yet, consider taking pain relievers like Advil.

smokinthekraken:

Great thread idea. I do have a fitness/eating plan system that I’d like to share that has worked for me well… But first, NKing—I’m curious about the way in which you ween yourself from energy drinks. Any tips that you’ve found to be successful?

The way I stopped is very similar to the way a smoker would stop. I took little steps. For example I was a two Monster a day guy, dropped down to one, then switched to one Amp each morning, then went from Amp every other morning and OJ on the off mornings. Now I’m down to just OJ, which I still want to slowly come off that to wear unless its fresh from the juicer, its just water. So the act of drinking stayed a habit, but the substance changed for the better. With doing that, I went from feeling terrible at night, waking up every two hours while trying to sleep, and anxiety disorder was hard to manage, to sleeping a full 7 (waking up maybe once or twice), anxiety went WAY down, and I don’t have any withdrawals.

As for the caffeine withdrawals, that sadly will still happen a little, but managing it should be easy. Just make time in your morning for just 10 minutes to stretch out your whole body, relax and massage your jaw and temples (where headaches stem from), then maybe do a few pushups or situps or anything to get your juices flowing.

I’d like to add though, this is a very much “to each their own” situation, playing with how and when you execute change will effect each person differently.

On a side not and an update for this morning, I had pizza last night BUT I didn’t eat a Large one to myself and stopped when I was actually full. No soda just water as well. Even small changes have started to make me feel a lot better.

A_bee_I_am_not:

Some mornings I still feel hungry though. Today I ate maybe around 1/4 cup beef jerky to try and fill me up more.

You should try some pistachios or other nuts, those are great protein substitutes

A big problem I’m having is sweet craving.

I’m having an issue with this too, but i found that those healthy trail mixes with the small amounts of chocolate and no sodium is working pretty well so far. My wife and I both think the sweets in the evening while we watch our shows, is gonna be the hardest habit to break, lol.

NKing:

A_bee_I_am_not:

Some mornings I still feel hungry though. Today I ate maybe around 1/4 cup beef jerky to try and fill me up more.

You should try some pistachios or other nuts, those are great protein substitutes

Yes! It’s a great idea! I always forget about how good nuts are for you. That would be a lot lower in sodium too. Pistachios are a good suggestion because shelling them forces one to eat slower. I’m totally going to buy some when I go to the store this weekend.

Also, I’d contribute to t-shirts.

And yay for everyone who’s posting here! Making a decision to try and changes things is the first step to success!

Yay! Way to have will power NKing!

Yesterday I almost got my step count up to 5k. I’ve started walking up the stairwell in my building every hour. There are 11 floors, but right now I can only go from my floor (2) to floor 6. It’s a quick and easy way to get some exercise throughout the day.

I tried to make an almond milk hot chocolate yesterday and it was AWFUL. I don’t like almond milk much on it’s own. I’m trying to cut milk/cream with it though and that works well.

Oh, that is too bad. Along the lines of simple healthy snacks: one thing that I have sometimes is and little stack thing held together by a toothpick. From bottom to top, it is sharp cheddar cheese, drop of balsamic vinaigrette, half a dried apricot, drop of balsamic vinaigrette, and a dried cherry on top. I am not sure if you are going crazy healthy, but this is much healthier than most modern day snack foods. May not be absolutely the most healthy, but it is pretty good.

EDIT: Sorry, balsamic glaze. I get mine at Trader Joes.

I remembered my N3DSXL today, so pedometer and earning coins is a go. I start my veterans 20 week health program today as well. Gives me a health informational work book and a weekly phone conference with a specialist. Did some push-ups this morning, and I started slow with ten perfect form ones.

Got great a great lunch and dinner packed, and I’m ready to tackle today!

AWESOME BroBen! I’m glad people are actually jumping on board the H&W train. That is some great advice too.
Yea, I’m starting to get to know some people here a little. I’m just super picky when it comes to friends.

Good start to my morning; more push-ups, healthy meals packed again, and hopefully made a little more time after work to get a bit more exercise in. Pedometer on the N3DSXL says im only averaging about 2500 steps a day, so I gotta pick it up. Maybe I can squeeze something in at lunch.

Anybody have ideas for having exercise be more fun? When I exercise, I can only stand doing things that actually accomplish things, like riding my bike to the library. I don’t know. I cannot exercise just to exercise.

I second Nking’s sports comment. Even something as simple as 1v1 basketball, kicking a soccer ball around, or throwing a football. My friend and I used to try and make crazy kicks/throws which would end in us chasing the ball and running around. It’s not heavy exercise, but it’s fun.

Thanks Nking! You have good self motivation too! I’m glad there’s activity in this thread. Y’all are helping me stay focused. I feel like I can make better choices this week!

As a student nurse, I kind of feel obligated to get in on this… (as I stuff another chocolate caramel pecan thing in my mouth)

yeah, so Hostile’s shortlist of healthy things:
Diet wise, I think it’s good to keep it simple. Try to avoid excessive salt, never skip breakfast, eat veggies as often as you can, cook for yourself (not out of a can or box… like make pasta and rice and sausage and stir frys and stuff, drink tea, and NEVER jump into a fad diet unless it actually follows some kind of government supported food guide.

In home exercises are good. Be that as simple as wall sits, push ups, lifting things for weights, that kind of thing if the weather is crummy.

Get your vaccinations, remember your meds, cough into your elbow rather than your hand, wash your hands, and keep your dishes washed.

And you know, keep on top of your mental health too. Treat yourself when you need to, socialize often, do what you enjoy, and don’t be afraid to reach out for help from family, friends, or experts if you are having trouble. It’s okay, nobody not even yourself should expect you to be perfect all the time. Take a step back when you can and evaluate where you’re at and if you’re going in a direction you like, and push yourself to your limit. Even if that just means having a shower and getting dressed to look nice for the day, do that.

There’s no big secret to being healthy I’d say. Just try your best and work to your limits. Eventually your body will work towards its unique ideal point.

I sit at work at a cubicle staring at a computer, everyday 9-5. I don’t drink soda or anything sweet, and 5/6 times I cook my own dinner and lunch. But I am definitely towards the higher end of the “healthy” bmi range.

How do you guys stay motivated to keep working out? I get home from work and I am exhausted and want to just relax.

Key:

I sit at work at a cubicle staring at a computer, everyday 9-5. I don’t drink soda or anything sweet, and 5/6 times I cook my own dinner and lunch. But I am definitely towards the higher end of the "healthy" bmi range.

How do you guys stay motivated to keep working out? I get home from work and I am exhausted and want to just relax.

I have the same problem! I’ve started getting up from my cube every hour or so and taking a 5-10 minute walk. Usually around the office floors or in the parking garage. It’s nice to get away from my desk. I bring my 3DS with me and strive to take around 5k steps a day now. It helps me stay motivated. I also tell myself a lot of the same things Nking said.

Speaking of Nking, I bought pistachios and cocoa roasted almonds last night. So far those have been helpful with cravings and they really fill me up. Great suggestion!

@Hostile, thanks for posting all that! The mental health thing is very important and something people don’t usually think about.

^Hey Marietta. I can find some simple healthy recipes for you if you would like. My mother is a dietitian and I am sure that she would love to send me pictures of some of her recipes.

I agree, I would love to see what simple recipes you have! It would be great for everyone in this thread.

I’m definitely not in shape, but I’ve been losing some weight with this one weird, simple trick. (Sorry, couldn’t resist)

I’ve been keeping an eye on what I drink. While I’ve been trying with mixed success with giving up any sort of non-water beverages, I’ve at least been keeping an eye on the caloric intake that I drink, so more often than not, I’ll take a diet if I feel like I have to have some flavor in my drink. With this method I’ve lost 10 lbs over the past few months. I haven’t changed my diet all that much, but a small change like that has made a huge difference. I’m currently at a healthy 235 lbs, but I want to be closer to 200 lbs (which is still a bit on the heavy side for my body type, but I’d be happy with it.)

I want to start running again, which is something I’ve never been really good at. If anyone else is interested in taking up running, I would suggest this “Couch to 3K” app that I had on my phone. It’s a slow workout plan for running that is supposed to take you from being completely sedentary (couch potato) to being able to run a 3K without stopping by the end of the program. I did it for about 3 weeks and felt great, since it really paced me in the beginning. It starts off with a 1 minute running, 2 minute walking cycle for half an hour and then slowly ramps that up as you go on. The problem I run into is that I can’t find the time to work it into my schedule. I used to do it in the mornings, but I hate waking up early. I could do it at night, but by then I’m already engrossed in a game, book, homework, TV, or just hanging out with my wife.

My wife wants to get in shape too. (Actually she needs to, as anyone who’s read the “Save Rabid’s Wife” thread knows) But she’s severely limited on the kinds of cardiovascular exercises she can do. Does anyone know of any good exercises for someone with severe persistent asthma?

MariettaRC:

If anything, I think I’ll need some good recommendations for healthy food purchases.

I’m no dietician but I’m happy to share what I know! Maybe it will help.

My mom always used to say that the key to eating healthy is to eat lots of different foods. I mean, if you ate nothing but peaches for the rest of your life, you probably wouldn’t be super healthy, and you’d get super sick of peaches, so switching it up is healthier and more fun.

I’m a lowly college student, but my dietary staples tend to be pasta and meat, with frozen veggies on the side. If I were you, I’d invest in a big box of elbow macaroni and some Campbells soups (or other soups, just whatever you get, make sure there isn’t a crap ton of sodium in it- that’s bad) to try putting on top. I’d also recommend chicken or maybe lean beef to cook and mix in with it, because protein is good, and frozen veggies because they’re cheap and easy to prepare and healthy. You can get a lot of different meals with different combos of pastas, meats and veggies. If you get tired of pasta, try switching it out with rice. Same thing. You might also try some meat/sauce combos on mashed potatoes- that’s worked out well for me in the past.

One of my favorite practices is to make a dish that’s 2-3 times as much as I plan to eat, and then I IMMEDIATELY package the extra portions in the fridge and then go eat dinner. That way it lasts for multiple days. I say put the extra portions in the fridge immediately because I’ve accidentally eaten the extra portions with dinner before o_o haha oops. If I’m still hungry after that first portion, I’ll usually just have an extra serving of veggies. At some point my stomach either a) gets full or b) realizes it just wants to eat for the sake of eating, which becomes a little less fun when the food is veggies haha.

The sad thing about healthy eating is that it can cost a lot to eat healthy. Buy things in bulk when possible, use coupons if you can, etc. I also recommend checking out the canned goods part of your grocery store. Sometimes you can find canned fruit for good prices (but make sure it’s stored in water, not high fructose corn syrup! that stuff’s awful for you). Canned veggies are less my thing, I prefer frozen or especially fresh if I can afford it, but canned stuff is pretty cheap too. Also, fish is probably the healthiest meat you can get, so if you like fish and see it for a good price, go for it!

Also check the food labels of stuff! Sometimes a food looks like it’ll be really healthy (like some of those kits that have pre-made pasta and a sauce or whatever), but is loaded full of sodium or sugar or fat or something, so it’s important to stay vigilant. Fat is what makes food taste good in a lot of cases, so manufacturers like to load food full of it so people will buy it more. I’m not saying completely cut fat out of your diet- you still need to eat a little bit of fat- but be wary of how much you’re eating without realizing.

…Man that got a little longer and ramble-ier than I realized. Sorry about that. Hopefully something in there is helpful! Also if I got stuff wrong please tell me so I can correct my own eating habits haha

Thanks for the info!

I had a nice smoothie this morning. I was still hungry though so I ate so pistachios and they totally did the trick.
I’m not breaking 4.5k steps per day yet.

I’ve decided to follow a dream of mine in the hopes that it will help me get fit. I’m going to take ice skating classes and hopefully get good enough to eventually take hockey classes. I’ve wanted to learn to skating since I was a kid and now that I’m an adult I’m going to commit to it. Class signups start tomorrow. and class starts in March. Hopefully this will be great!

I’m going to try to force myself to go despite being tired and keep going. I think going after work will help, that way I haven’t gotten home and relaxed. It’s going to be hard...but I’m going to try and stay firm. We’ll see. I’m trying to psych myself up.

Sometimes the hardest part is signing up. Maybe if you go to Tae Kwondo and just sign up it will ignite a spark that will make you really want to go.

Today was a chili cook off at work so I ended up eating some chili and lots of brownies. I’m unhappy that I didn’t have better self control. That just means I need to do better tomorrow.

One of the better dieting techniques is avoid saying things like, “I can’t eat brownies anymore.” and replace it with more like, “I eat apples now.”

Adding more healthy things to your diet which will eventually dominate the unhealthy things in your diet.

You’re 100% right rabid. Thank you and Nking both for the encouragement.

@Brobi, congrats for keeping it up! It’s gotta be hard to stick with it when your job is physical.

Today has been good. I’m putting extra spinach in my smoothies and more banana and less fruits/juices. I I wanted something sweet this morning so I thought to myself "okay, good I have cocoa roasted almonds" and ate those. I’m feeling good and back on track with health. Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Y’all help motivate me.

Time for the recipes, get ready for a long post.

Roasted Asparagus:

Ingredients: One bunch of asparagus, olive oil, kosher or sea salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven for 425
2. Wash the bunch of asparagus and cut off bottom inch of the stalks
3. Add asparagus to 13×9 pan
4. Drizzle with 1/2 to 1 tablespoons of olive oil
5. Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 teaspoons of salt of choice (depends on how much flavor you want. No more than 1 teaspoon)
6. Bake for five to eight minutes (5 for skinny asparagus, 8 for fat asparagus)
7. Shake pan
8.Bake for another five to eight minutes
9. Let cool then eat.

Lemonade Chicken
¾ c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/3 c. Lea & Perrins Marinade For Chicken or regular Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
3-4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves (if they are large, I cut them in half again)

Mix first 3 ingredients to make marinade.
Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 1 hour (I sometimes let it marinate all day. It just depends on when I have the time to be in the kitchen)
Preheat oven to 350.
Place chicken and marinade in an 11 × 7 pan. (or whatever size baking pan you can fit it in easily)
Bake uncovered for 1 hour, basting 3-5 times during cooking. (Basting is spooning the sauces over the chicken)

It’s great served with rice or couscous.

I often double it for company and put it in a 13×9 pan (a double batch uses a whole 12 oz. container of frozen lemonade concentrate.

Bruschetta Chicken Pot Pie

1 ½ c. Trader Joe’s Just… Grilled Chicken Strips (thawed, or slightly thawed)
1 ½ c. Trader Joe’s Carrots Rustica (thawed, or slightly thawed) (or any other frozen vegetables)
1 (12 oz.) jar Trader Giotto’s Bruschetta
1 c. Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix
1 TBS. oil
½ c. milk
1 egg

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Mix chicken, carrots, and bruschetta in a bowl and put into a 10” pie plate.
• Mix baking mix, oil, milk, and egg together in a bowl. Pour evenly over chicken mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

Note: If you want, you can cut the chicken into smaller pieces before mixing the ingredients, but it isn’t necessary
(This was all trader joe’s stuff because it was for a recipe contest, doesn’t have to be trader joe’s ingredients if you do not want)

Oven Baked Oatmeal
¾ c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
½ c. brown sugar (can use less)
2 c. quick oats
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ c. raisins
1 TBS. flax meal (optional)

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350
• Wisk together milk, oil, egg, and brown sugar
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Pour into greased 8×8 or 11×7 pan (I use cooking spray)
• Bake 25-30 min.
• Let cool a bit. It can be real hot if you eat it too soon

I hope you guys get to enjoying these recipes. They are not health-nut healthy, but they are healthier alternatives to most modern day foods. Baked oatmeal can substitute waffles or pancakes and so on with the others. If you guys want any more, I can try to find some.

Awesome, thanks CM, now i gotta show these to mah wife!