What is your diet like now?

[Skip]

To begin this class, I'd like to find out what our student's diets are currently and the overall condition of your health. Please include any dietary restrictions you might have due to medications or allergies or other reasons.

Also indicate why you want to change your diet, like health reasons, economic, ecological, social, whatever...

[Autentique]

I've recently became a vegetarian, so Im kinda still figuring things out for me, also I just moved out of DR and there I ALWAYS had someone to cook for me, so I dont really know how to make myself a lot of stuff, so I end up eating basically the same.
Things I consume regularly are yogurt, this bean and chickpeas salad I make, pita wraps (with mozzarella and avocado, stuff like that) I eat a lot of bread, because it's easy to make myself a sandwich, also veggie bugers (Amy's California Burgers, love them). I eat a lot of pizza, cereal (Oats and honey) with milk, hmm what else, granolas. I drink a lot of Juice and Green Tea. I mean I dont drink water (I know that's bad). I try to eat fruits the most I can, like bananas, apples, tangerines, green grapes.
I guess that's basically it. Oh I LOVE cheese.
I dont really eat breakfast, I usually have like one real meal a day and then I just eat something light like a bagel, a granola and some juice. I know that's bad too, but Im trying to eat better.
The reason why I would like to change my diet is for it to be healthier.

[Skip]

Hi Autentique, welcome to the class! :)

Congratulations on being a lacto-vegetarian. (you didn't mention eggs)

I notice right away that like so many vegetarians, you have a heavy reliance on dairy products for protein in your diet. I will discuss the pros and cons of dairy later.

Do you consider yourself overweight?

Have you ever tried fasting?

(Everyone should answer the last two questions in your responses - thanks!)

[Autentique]

Thanks :)
\I'm like 5'6 and my weight last time I check was 117lb, I think that's just normal weight for me. I've always been very skinny, now I'm just like normal
I've tried fasting since very young. I kinda didnt like eating, so would just not eat sometimes. Not in an eating disorder kind of way, just you know, for a day or two , it's something very easy for me to do. I dont get hungry if I dont want to get hungry.
Eggs, I really try not eating them, I RARELY do, and it's becoming more close and close to not eating them. I dont feel I need them or like them particularly.
I say rarely because Im pretty sure there are things I eat that contain eggs.

[jo_k_er_man]

I just recently started to eat better in general.. i stopped drinking soda over 2 years ago.. recently quit smoking and hoping to cut meat out of my diet completely(or rarely).. i dont' eat much if any red meat.. maybe once or twice every 2-3months.. mostly a poultry person myself.. im gonna start by cutting meat down to 1-2 times a week.. still probably gonna continue eating eggs and drinking milk.. with a heavy increase in fruits/veggies/multi-grains... personally im aiming for something between the Mediterranean diet and fruitarian diet.... but not limiting myself to those guidelines

[HoneySuckleBlue]

My diet, since I got married and had children, is less than admirable. Lots of carbs, sugar, caffine...processed crud, etc.


Leading up to the kids and the hubby my diet was excellent and I would run tirelessly. I have never had any thing worse than a flu...but I guess fourteen years of goofing off has taken it's toll and I am begining to show signs of congestion and am mildly overweight now. The caffine gives me heart palpitations so I switched to decaf...but other than that I am still abnormally healthy.

Nothing serious has developed yet but I am quite certain that if I continued the way I was something would develop, so last month I began eating more dark leafy greens and less meat. Whole grains, not so much dairy. Lots more water and I began walking four miles a day with our dogs. Just that small shift has increased my energy level and I am so encouraged that I am on the lookout for new things to incorporate that will enhance the shift back to a healthier me...this class looks great.

This spring I did a one week master cleanser fast, if that counts and it sure changed the way I thought about food. Took the neediness I felt if I missed a meal right away. I'll live if I don't eat :tongue: Now it's not so big a deal and I savor my food so much more for the experience.

[Advaya]

I am currently vegetarian, and have been off and on for years (around eight years). I have been diagnosed as having a wheat and dairy intolerance. I don't feel very healthy, and I would consider myself overweight. I eat more sweet things than I should, but otherwise I *try* to eat a whole foods diet. I try to avoid buying packaged foods, we store a lot of grains and dry beans, lentils and such in glass mason jars.

I recently quit smoking and want to become more active with hiking and stuff like I used to be before my lungs were dead from cigs. I'm hoping to detox and start anew. I am considering either going vegan, raw, or follow a wild foods and wise woman method of eating as Susun Weed often recommends.

I forgot to mention fasting, which I feel is very important.

Although my reasons were not too admirable, when I was 15 I water fasted (with occasional senna tea) and lost tons of weight. It was the only time I lost weight, even with excercise. This is what led my doctor to the conclusion I have food intolerances rather than a problem with my thyroid or anything, because when deprived of food I do lose weight easily. I lost probably 30 lbs, although I have slowly gained it back. I definitely have a better view of my weight and health now, but even with the negative reasons I fasted back then, I think it benefited me greatly and gave me a greater appreciation of what food is really for.

While I'm vegetarian I don't rely on milk or dairy, I try to avoid it. However, I also try to avoid soy especially in things like veggie burgers or where it's heavily processed. I don't mind it as much when minimumlly processed such as tofu or tempeh.

[Skip]

Hey, really good responses so far! :)

I'm impressed with the way you all are becoming more conscious of what you are eating and its effect upon you.

As we age, we can learn a lot about what foods keep us balanced and what upsets that balance. Like those bad eating habits we develop over the years that come back to haunt us, affecting our health in various ways.

The negative side effects of things like caffeine and sugar, manifest more over the years. I can only drink one caffeinated cup a day, or two half-cafs. In my early 20s I was drinking 6 cups of coffee black, no milk, no sugar, every day. It helped me cope with work & school together everyday for years!

I liked Authentique's quote "I dont get hungry if I dont want to get hungry." I think that's a great attitude and indicates good mental control over one's diet.

That is something I hope this class will impart to everyone, if you haven't already got it. Some call it will power, but that's not quite right. It's really just awareness of your physical being. And that awareness empowers you to access your body's control panel.

I don't mean a literal panel of course, but a mental one. We can control many, if not all of the on-off switches that are involved with our body's processes. This is one of the goals of Yoga. To unify mind and body and spirit.

It was Yoga that got me in tune with my body. Starting with the breath, then body, then thoughts themselves, eventually leading to my whole lifestyle. I was able to tune into my body like never before, as I became aware of every ache, every underused muscle, every thought running thru my brain.

After my first couple of Yoga classes, I quickly lost my appetite for certain foods, meats especially. Then the stimulants that I used every day (coffee, chocolate, even cocaine) would not really get me high, but would temporarily energize me, only to drag me down and take me away from the high I experienced doing Yoga.

It seemed that the consciousness I had gained enabled me to understand the real, lasting effects of food and drugs on my body. I began to listen to my body and the subtle signals it sends when you abuse it slowly over time.

My whole lifestyle changed as I became a vegetarian, and got rid of the stimulants. I was entering the healthiest phase of my life! :)

[Fedora]

Hi Skip,
I'm 5'11" and weigh about 202lbs.
My diet: I usually eat two meals a day, lunch and supper. For lunch it is usually macaroni and cheese, chicken bologna (2x) and cheese (2x) sandwich with 7 grain bread, a yogart, banana with peanut butter, sometimes a pudding, barely sweet tea, coffee or water. For supper it is whatever wifie cooks. Usually 1 meat, 2 vegatables, coffee, tea, or water, a dessert: pie or ice cream. Don't really think I am overweight but could stand to loose a little weight. I also drink a pot of coffee (8 cups: black) a day. Sometimes at night I drink hot herbal tea (usually chai or green tea with red antioxidants. I do not drink sodas hardly ever maybe 1 every three or four weeks. No beer, liquor, or drugs. Looking forward to this class. I just purchased the book about organic foods (To Buy Or Not To Buy Organic - Cindy Burke). Hopefully it will arrive before long. My wife and I have talked about eating more healthy I reckon it is time we started.
Thanks for teaching this class. Peace be with you!!!

[YrahcazSivad]

This class really sounded interesting. Diet and nutrition is a personal passion of mine, and this looked like a great place to explore it. First of all, I would consider myself a healthy weight, I am 6'3" and weigh 165-170. I have never fasted before, although I have considered doing so for religious reasons. I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, and have been so for about two years. I eat lots of fruit and vegetables, mostly raw, three servings of fermented dairy products daily (I read in a Chinese nutrition text that fermented dairy products were better for your digestive system.), some whole grain bread, nuts, and take a multivitamin. I consider my diet a fairly good one, although I sometimes have trouble integrating grain products into my daily meal plans.

[Free_love_peace224]

Good Day Autentique!!!!
I only read the sentence about becoming a vegetarian and not eating right. Really, you HAVE got to eat!!! There are so many simple things you can do. I used to live on bread, ramen noodles, and like microwavable things. But i too have become a vegetarian in the last year. First of all, you have to have good reasoning to not eat meat. Meat is really kind of bad for you even though society makes it seem NEEDED. its not.
Dude. Salads, pastas, rice, bagels, eggs (if you do dairy) soups. ITS SO EASY! lets see. i spend probably 15 dollars for veggies and rice and pasta and stuff that will usually last me a couple of days. I wanna share with you some easy ways to eat. for pastas...boil noodles. any kind will do. you can make the sauce by boiling water, milk or vegetable stock. add a couple table spoon fulls of flour (any kind preferably none bleached or whole wheat) add pepper, parsley, any kind of spices you like BE CREATIVE!) you can even chop up broccoli or asparagus or squash. really anything you want. just experiment with food. also tofu. you get alot of protein from avocados too and some people dont like them but mash em up and add some pepper and salt! you just need to eat. so this was just a quick tip. i guess really not quick though huh? I just want to help out because not eating right sucks. and cooking is fun! it's totally where i find my zone. any who.
catch ya later! ask for more if you'd like!
Peace and Love always, Renee

[Greengirl]

Right now i eat nothing but fruits and vegetables. Nothing with sugar or salt in it, no meat,no alcohol, no coffe. Just weed, fruits and vegetbles.

[Autentique]

Good Day Autentique!!!!
I only read the sentence about becoming a vegetarian and not eating right. Really, you HAVE got to eat!!! I know, I mean I go through different periods of eating really well. Eating lots of beans and grains and fruits. To other times where all I eat is sandwichs and cereal, because I havent got the time (or the will?) to get myself to the supermarket, so I just get myself whatever I can get at the store downstairs. It's kinda of a hassle to go to take the bus to go to the supermarket, you REALLY have to be in the right mood. But when I do go, those days where I have food, I eat really well :tongue:

[wyldwynd]

I dont take any medications so i dont have any dietary restrictions or allergies, I consider myself to be in good health, i rarely get sick, i did however become sick a short time ago, i have fully recovered,,overall though my health is good, i am well more then i am sick.( i may get sick once a year maybe less) I don't eat meat, i do however eat seafood on occasion, i don't drink milk by the glass but i do put milk in cereal and coffee,,i am a coffee drinker, about three cups a morning,,so i do dairy(luv cheese), i dont eat eggs, i luv fruits and i luv vegetables i luv beans,,, i never eat artificial sugar, i do use real sugar,,,i dont drink soda pops, i luv lemonade,tea and water,,,and fasting,,,,,yes i fast, usually for at least a week when i do,,and often longer,,,, i do not fast to lose weight, i fast for spiritual reasons,,,right now today, my diet is like so, i ate some cabbage, some rice and some black-eyed peas,,,yumm,, to me eatting and also fasting is a beautiful experience, it ignites smell taste touch sound and sight, both in body and in spirit.

[Scarlet101]

I am a student, and to be honest, food is the last thing i think about spending my money on!! I usually have one full meal a day, inbetween lunchtime and late afternoon. Its usually not that substantial i have to admit, the main meals being baked beans and rice, a microwave meal, or jacket potato and salad. Then whenever im off to the shop i'll usually buy chocolate or crisps to snack on, and then after a night out drinking or smoking i will usually come home and devour several slices of toast before passing out.


Its awful, and i really need to start handling my diet beeter-hence why im hoping this course will help!!! Im not vegetarian, but its an idea i've been toying with for a while, so if i could incoperate that into it, that would be great.

[IlUvMuSIc]

sorry i didnt read the rest...

Um.. I want to change my diet because
I am NOT overweight. I want to be a counsellor for people with eating disorders because i cant stand it when my 5/6 stone friend stands there and says she fat!! I really cant stand it. SKIN IS NOT FAT.
Bear in mind Im not thin either... Just not overweight.

I have never fasted but my mum has and i have done things like Navratrai (sp?) which is now (what are the chances??) It seems alluring to give my stomach a rest cos i dont think its very well :(

I want to change my diet because although i know i am healthy i still have the bags under my eyes to prove it NEEDS to be better... Plus i normally skip lunch and thats not good... actually theres a number of things bad about my diet.

By the way i have never dieted. I dont plan to - I just wanna be healthier. If you ask me Diets dont work.

[squawkers7]

While growing up my parents (mostly Dad) loved gardening & had to order every strange new veggie seed packet that he could find just to try it out and be more different then all the other gardens in the neighborhood. For the first 17 yrs of my life, we were only allowed candy for holidays~valentines day, easter,halloween & christmas and just 1 day during Summer vacation (probably 4th of July.) The only soda pop, my parents ever bought was orange sunkist & ginger ale. Other kids at school thought it was "terrible" that my parents didn't buy junk food more often, but then I could remind them that I had no cavities at the time (got my very first cavity when I was 16 1/2~now I have a mouthful).
...I didn't get addicted to coke cola until after I got married to a sugar-holic. During that first year of marriage I got to pig-out on every junk food imaginable, some I still eat today.
Different members of my family have different medical problems...high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, strokes, cancer, kidney failure....which can all be controlled and/or prevented by what they eat. A cousin that was just 1 month older then me died recently...and it sure brought back all my dad's food advice back & made them hit home more then any dumb TV commercial.

as for a summary of my eating habits thru the yrs~
as a youngster....usually healthy mixed with prolonged bouts of fasting, got interested in vegetarianism in Jr. High School

during marriage....found junk food! candy, processed crap, & pre-mixed stuff...food mixed with every unknown chemical disguised in pretty cans & boxes.
Then when back to vegetarianism for 1 1/2-2 yrs straight just before getting pregnant with 6th kid(was not a good thing for the sugar-holics/junkers...people addicted to junk) in the house.

Last 2 yrs~while criss-crossing the country, I will try just about anything new in whatever region I'm in just to see if I like it and also to know what the locals are talking about. Now I'm either to busy, to poor, or don't have a really kitchen to eat the way I would like....and just my luck I'm sharing a dorm room with a junk-food person.

[Autentique]

which can all be controlled and/or prevented by what they eat (no I didn't say diet....what's the first 3 letters of diet?) what we eat IS our diet. everything we eat, everyday makes our diet, some people follow a specific one, with specific directions, others just eat what they like, people who consume junk food are on a diet, like everyone else. There are people on good diets and bad diets, it's all about a balanced one and getting all we need to keep us healthy.
I dont understand why people think diets are a bad thing, or how what we eat doesnt make our diet.

[Bilby]

I am a whole foods person. This largely out of necessity. Bananas and skimmed milk are two extremely toxic substances for my body. Bananas are reasonably easy to avoid. BTW they are one of the most polluting crops on the planet. But skimmed milk usually in its dried form often known as SMP is found in all sorts of junk food. It is because it is a cheap extender and there is plenty around because it is a by-product of the cream and butter industry.

Whole foods to me means butter ( and lots of it!) not margarine, whole milk (preferably bio-dynamic), although these days I prefer to use coconut cream as a milk substitute for cooking.Also the best bits of a veg diet such as hummus but also leg ham not sandwich ham.I would eat a home made meat pie but not a factory one. If you are going to eat vegetarian why not eat real vegetarian food such as falafels or tabbouleh, not meatless bolignaise. I also make my own mayonnaise from olive oil and free range eggs bought straight from the farmer.

I also eat some oily fish each week for the long chain omega 3's. Not only is it good for your sex life, it improves mental function.

I am also a connoisseur of the good hard animal fats such as ghee, dripping, butter, lard and duck fat. Olive oil and non hydronated coconut oil is also good.BTW there have been many studies linking low fat diets with depression.

There is a long survey thread elsewhere on HF that sis not even ask about being a wholefood omni. There is a whole world of difference between a wholefood omni and a junk food omni.

I have tried being a vegetarian but it did not work for me.

[Willy_Wonka_27]

i pretty healthy, but im looking to become a full time raw foods eater. im 75% raw vegan... transitioning the next 25% cooked food out next week.

[Peterness]

To begin this class, I'd like to find out what our student's diets are currently and the overall condition of your health. Please include any dietary restrictions you might have due to medications or allergies or other reasons.

Also indicate why you want to change your diet, like health reasons, economic, ecological, social, whatever...
I've been vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for about a year and a half.

I think my diet is okay but there is definitely room for improvement. I am by no means fat but I think i've been putting on a little weight recently (not all of it muscle). At the moment I have a very active physical job working in a factory , I burn a lot of calories and use a lot of muscles in both my lower and upper body, there's a lot of very heavy lifting and pulling involved.

I'd like to modfy my vegetarian diet so I put on more muscle and less fat. At weekends i'm very lazy with food and will eat pizzas and vegetarian chinese/thai/indian takeaways, and I do like my chocolate a bit too much at the moment too!
So I think i'd like to be able to learn how to make decent vegetarian snack food especially so I cut out the processed junk (crisps) and chocolate.
I'm quite a good cook but with my job i'm feeling too exhausted to spend loads of time cooking a decent dinner.

I'd also like to try some of the detox diets on offer.

On weekdays I generally eat:

Breakfast: Toast with chickpea pate or mushroom pate.

Lunch: Egg and mayoniase sandwhiches (homemade and free range) and 4 wraps with rocket, lettuce, kidney beans in a mild chilli sauce.

Afternoon snack: Pasta with green and black olives, tomatos, cucumber, in a sauce like pesto. Sometimes also a chocolate bar and/or paket of crisps.

Dinner: Really can be anything (from nutroast to mushroom rissoto). But usually includes 3 portions of vegetables. Often includes potato, mashed or boiled.

Pudding: Usually don't bother, but sometimes have a cake or chocolate.

Supper: Again usually don't bother but if I do i'll just have something very light like a banana or some toast.


My overall health condition:

I'm over 11 and a half stone, my height is 5'10. Generally feel quite healthy and fit. But there are a few health problems:
One underlying medical problem is tinnitus in my left ear. This is made worse with stress or tiredness or with stimulants like caffiene (Only caffiene I now drink is from green tea). Generally it's a well managed condition though. Buddhist meditation has had the advanatge of helping with the stress and thus the tinnitus.
Another problem I have is poor circulation. I feel the cold very easily (my sister is the same so I assume it's genetic) and this doesn't help with my joints (family has history of both the forms of arthritus).

In conclusion recently i've really started listening to and being in tune with my body a lot more and I do value my health a lot more than I used to as a result.

[Divinaeon]

Well, to begin, I'm vegetarian - mostly because meat just doesn't taste very good to me, but also for political reasons (i.e. animal cruelty, etc.). I don't really watch what I eat, but it definitely depends on what kind of mood I'm in...when I'm stressed, I tend to eat a lot of junk food, but I also have moments where I feel very health conscious and will only eat organic, locally grown vegetables, eggs, etc. I don't really consider myself overweight (I'm 6' and 210lbs.), but I could definitely lose a bit...and the love handles. I'm a big sucker for chocolate (mostly when it's in the house), but equally for leafy green vegetables.

Basically, I'm vegetarian all the time, but aside from that - it all depends on what mood I'm in, and where I am.

[Pharoah]

My diet really varies from one day to the next. I eat alot though, mostly after 6 pm, I get the insatiable need to eat. I can eat a little all day but after 6 I am starving. SO for an example when I wake, I have 1/2 milk 1/2 espresso coffee, sometimes I have 2 cups but usually one. Then I drink a large glass of water and then I usually have a cigarette and more water. For Lunch I love to have soup or salad or both with sourdough bread and butter. Or whatever is left over from last night. For dinner I'll eat potatoes rice or beans some meat and/or veggies, I love seafood mostly. I like to drink herbal tea at night or hot cocoa. Throughout the day I snack on raw fruits, veggies, nuts, and the occasional peice of chocolate (ok lots of chocolate) I also drink lots of water all day, and %100 juice. I don't like soda, colored or "flavored" things either. (Reeds extra ginger beer is an exception, but I don't drink em often)

[Skip]

I want to change my diet because although i know i am healthy i still have the bags under my eyes to prove it NEEDS to be better... Plus i normally skip lunch and thats not good... actually theres a number of things bad about my diet.
Bags under the eyes is a reflection of poor blood circulation and/or genetics. Do other ppl in your family have similar bags? Do you get regular exercise? Those are more likely causes than what you eat! :)

So don't expect to see changes there by changing your diet only.

As far as skipping lunch, I do that everyday now, and it's helped me to lose weight and increase my energy levels!

We are brainwashed and programmed into eating certain things at certain times of the day. This is mostly consumer marketing that got drummed into us and our parents.

Young kids are far more aware of when it's really time to eat than adults. I remember when I was a kid being forced to sit down and eat a whole meal, even if I wasn't hungry. And at other times I was so hungry I would get headaches but either it wasn't time to eat or we were traveling and food wasn't available.

So your body KNOWS when you are ready to eat. You need only pay attention to it. So if you're not hungry at lunchtime, don't eat!

Everyone's body is different, but everyone's body is also SMART enough to know when it needs more fuel. Trust your body! :)

[usfcat]

My diet is pretty all over the place. Some days I eat very healthy, and other times i find it really hard to find time to get healthy foods. I love to cook when I can. I make Indian vegetarian dishes over rice at least once a week and I also love to make tacos with black beans and such. I rarely eat a dessert...maybe twice a week. My naughty vice is soda. I drink soda every day almost. And beer a few times a week with dinner.
I gave up red meat 3 months ago. I'd eventually like to go vegetarian but I am easing my way into it.
Lately I've been eating a lot of candy...only because it's Halloween time, lol.
I'm also on a very intense workout schedule. I do high-intensity workouts for 45+ minutes 4 times a week. This is how I keep from getting fat from all that damn soda and candy.

[Skip]

My diet is pretty all over the place. Some days I eat very healthy, and other times i find it really hard to find time to get healthy foods. I love to cook when I can. I make Indian vegetarian dishes over rice at least once a week and I also love to make tacos with black beans and such. I rarely eat a dessert...maybe twice a week. My naughty vice is soda. I drink soda every day almost. And beer a few times a week with dinner.
I gave up red meat 3 months ago. I'd eventually like to go vegetarian but I am easing my way into it.
Lately I've been eating a lot of candy...only because it's Halloween time, lol.
I'm also on a very intense workout schedule. I do high-intensity workouts for 45+ minutes 4 times a week. This is how I keep from getting fat from all that damn soda and candy.Congrats on giving up the red meat! That's a good thing for many reasons.

Easing your way to vegetarianism is a good thing, because you're changing your eating habits gradually, which is more effective in the long run than a cold turkey approach, which can turn some people off entirely if they don't know what they're doing...

Some people will go cold turkey if they've had a recent experience that turns them off to meat - forever. Visiting a slaughterhouse is a good way. Getting very sick on some bad meat is another. Having a mind-expanding LSD trip or getting into Yoga are a couple of others (those two did it for me!).

[IlUvMuSIc]

Bags under the eyes is a reflection of poor blood circulation and/or genetics. Do other ppl in your family have similar bags? Do you get regular exercise? Those are more likely causes than what you eat! :)

So don't expect to see changes there by changing your diet only.

As far as skipping lunch, I do that everyday now, and it's helped me to lose weight and increase my energy levels!

We are brainwashed and programmed into eating certain things at certain times of the day. This is mostly consumer marketing that got drummed into us and our parents.

Young kids are far more aware of when it's really time to eat than adults. I remember when I was a kid being forced to sit down and eat a whole meal, even if I wasn't hungry. And at other times I was so hungry I would get headaches but either it wasn't time to eat or we were traveling and food wasn't available.

So your body KNOWS when you are ready to eat. You need only pay attention to it. So if you're not hungry at lunchtime, don't eat!

Everyone's body is different, but everyone's body is also SMART enough to know when it needs more fuel. Trust your body! :)

Most of the time im too lazy to eat... Rather go on the swings :) Im the only one with the bags...

[wildflowereyes]

my current diet is much dependent on whats on sale, sadly. i'm definately a college student with low income.. so although i believe in eating healthy, i have resorted to ramen and cereal, tv dinners (yuck!), mac and cheese and such. Its really hard to afford much...
i try to have a glass of red wine with dinner (not to be drunk!) since its good for the heart ... but i typically dont have time to be drinking.
my health? well the doctor says I'm fine. I am the weight i'm supposed to be. I'm not "in shape" though since I dont like working out (purely because i dont like the idea of making your body overworked like that), though I do yoga when I have time (so not often). I have weak lungs and my hands shake a lot.. not sure why my hands do that. i take multivitamins each day, though. Psychologically, i have anxiety problems that I try to keep under control by going for walks and such. Oh and when its not winter, I ride my bike everywhere.

i dont like writing this out. i know its awful how i currently live :tongue:

[Skip]

my current diet is much dependent on whats on sale, sadly. i'm definately a college student with low income.. so although i believe in eating healthy, i have resorted to ramen and cereal, tv dinners (yuck!), mac and cheese and such. Its really hard to afford much...
i try to have a glass of red wine with dinner (not to be drunk!) since its good for the heart ... but i typically dont have time to be drinking.
my health? well the doctor says I'm fine. I am the weight i'm supposed to be. I'm not "in shape" though since I dont like working out (purely because i dont like the idea of making your body overworked like that), though I do yoga when I have time (so not often). I have weak lungs and my hands shake a lot.. not sure why my hands do that. i take multivitamins each day, though. Psychologically, i have anxiety problems that I try to keep under control by going for walks and such. Oh and when its not winter, I ride my bike everywhere.

i dont like writing this out. i know its awful how i currently live :tongue:It may be difficult to write about one's food failings, but it's therapeutic! You raise your own awareness about your diet, which can only help. :)

Are you drinking caffeine each day? If so, how much? That could be causing your hands to shake.

Also if you spend tons of time online, sitting with your arms in the same position, your hands might be shaking because they need more circulation and exercise.

If you have limited income, that's really not a good excuse for eating poorly. Instead you should devote more time to preparing good meals from scratch, which will always be cheaper than store bought prepared meals, even mac & cheese!

Although I have found it more difficult and expensive to feed just one person rather two or more splitting the costs. This is because buying fresh produce for one person can be wasteful. For instance a head of lettuce might go bad before you consume it all.

[Pharoah]

Right now I don't like my diet, I eat way too much, exersize too little and work more than I should. Not to mention seeing how the world is changing so fast and it just keeps changing faster than we can keep up with on old habits of overfishing, overconsumption of meats, and the depletion of soil.
I also have bad lungs from smoking, but I have cut back to 1-3 american spirit a day and I am hoping to stop completely because I think I actually eat more when I smoke. (something about getting the taste out of my mouth)
Oh and often I am the house cook, and my old man won't eat anything unless I make it. He is 130 lbs at 6' and needs to gain weight. (he's lost 40 lbs in the last year) So I have to put a little more fats in the food~ this is bad for me, great for him.

[Skip]

Right now I don't like my diet, I eat way too much, exersize too little and work more than I should. Not to mention seeing how the world is changing so fast and it just keeps changing faster than we can keep up with on old habits of overfishing, overconsumption of meats, and the depletion of soil.
I also have bad lungs from smoking, but I have cut back to 1-3 american spirit a day and I am hoping to stop completely because I think I actually eat more when I smoke. (something about getting the taste out of my mouth)
Oh and often I am the house cook, and my old man won't eat anything unless I make it. He is 130 lbs at 6' and needs to gain weight. (he's lost 40 lbs in the last year) So I have to put a little more fats in the food~ this is bad for me, great for him.That's odd that you should be overweight and your old man is underweight...esp. if you eat your meals together (the same food). What did he do to lose 40 pounds? (I hope it's not your cooking...lol!)

What usually happens when ppl stop smoking is they end up eating more because they can TASTE the food once again. It also helps with the oral fixation...

I think cutting out/down on butter, sweets and salt (which contributes to water retention), you'll get a good start on your new diet. :)

[Pharoah]

When I got pregnant he drank hard alcohol for 3 years every day non stop, I moved out because he was becoming more depressed and aggressive, it was too much for me to handle having a baby in the house. At the time he was a healthy man but his body started to break down. Now his liver/stomach/bowles and who knows what are very damaged. When he decided it was enough he was bleeding from every orafice and I was taking care of him most of that time. So now he no longer drinks and I still don't live with him. Certain foods will cause him to bleed all over again, like alot of meat, dairy and some other Store Bought foods. He won't eat anyone elses cooking because it usually makes him bleed from his ass (sorry but you asked how he lost so much weight) I have learned what hurts him and what doesnt and I make food based on that. He has learned about how detrimental certain things can be in your body and he is picky eater now. Belive me it is alot better than living with an alcoholic.
As for me, I'm the heaviest I've ever been (except of course during pregnancy) which is 140 lbs at 5'2" tall. I don't really care too much about losing weight, but I want to be healthy, breathe well and enjoy my life.

[Skip]

When I got pregnant he drank hard alcohol for 3 years every day non stop, I moved out because he was becoming more depressed and aggressive, it was too much for me to handle having a baby in the house. At the time he was a healthy man but his body started to break down. Now his liver/stomach/bowles and who knows what are very damaged. When he decided it was enough he was bleeding from every orafice and I was taking care of him most of that time. So now he no longer drinks and I still don't live with him. Certain foods will cause him to bleed all over again, like alot of meat, dairy and some other Store Bought foods. He won't eat anyone elses cooking because it usually makes him bleed from his ass (sorry but you asked how he lost so much weight) I have learned what hurts him and what doesnt and I make food based on that. He has learned about how detrimental certain things can be in your body and he is picky eater now. Belive me it is alot better than living with an alcoholic.
As for me, I'm the heaviest I've ever been (except of course during pregnancy) which is 140 lbs at 5'2" tall.Ok, I would've never figured all that out! Sorry to hear he's in such a state.

You know I completely forgot to mention alcohol in the Not For Human Consumption thread...

I guess I can say something about it now.

Alcohol is a toxic poison as most ppl know. In fact, it's a killer, on a par with tobacco.

Whether alcohol plays any beneficial role is up for debate. It can calm you down when stressed out, and some studies show that a small amount on a regular basis can help your heart, probably by reducing one's usual stressed out state.

It has a depressing effect upon the nervous system, lowering the pulse rate, which of course would be better for your heart in low doses.

But moderate to heavy use of alcohol can definitely have profound negative consequences. Alcohol addiction is a serious disease with no perfect cure. So I can't recommend such use at all.

I'd say more than three drinks a day is overdoing it, especially if done regularly. Even that third drink can be too much for those who weigh under 150 pounds.

The diets we shall be discussing in this class either don't address alcohol or reject it completely.

Since alcohol is made from fruit or vegetables, it can be considered part of a vegetarian diet, however most vegetarians are well aware of its effects and imbibe modestly if at all.

The one diet to definitely reject alcohol is the Ayurvedic diet, which we won't be getting into except when we touch upon its teachings. Ayurvedic and Yogic teachings (from India) clearly state that fermented beverages are not desirable, although yogurt can be (a fermented dairy product) because it doesn't produce alcohol.

Ayurveda and Yoga reject anything toxic or that irritates the body, although in Ayurveda, alcohol is used to create certain herbal medicines.

Modern alcohol is usually industrially grown and processed, which carries its own impact upon our environment. Where I live so much land is devoted to vineyards, driving up property costs and requiring more food to be shipped in that could be grown locally.

Of course the social costs of alcohol/alcoholism are enormous and by consuming alcohol we all support the industry that promotes its use, especially to young people.

[shrooms37]

i'm fairly healthy. i'm already a partial vegetarian. i cheat sometimes. :) i'm allergic to walnuts and cashews. i also don't eat butter, milk, white flour, and probly some other things i cant think of now. i don't eat them b/c white flour is bad but i can't eliminate white sugar yet. my mom doesn't like my eating habits which is why i have to cheat sometimes. oh and i only use sea salt.

[shrooms37]

i eat fairly healthy and i love healthy foods. im obsessed. so i plan on opening a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. anyways, i don't eat white flour or sugar or table salt. i also don't eat a lot of junk food except doritos. i love them with a passion. i usually eat breakfast, an after school snack, and supper. usually cereal for breakfast but today i had pancakes b/c i was bored and woke up early. for a snack it's usually fruit or yogurt, a PBJ sandwich, or doritos. and dinner is whatever me or my mom makes. i've fasted before. i've done a 2 week juice fast to cleanse my body and i also did a detox fast and a green tea fast. and thats about it. i eat alot of raw foods like fruits and veggies. and i also eat alot of bread and spaghetti sauce.

[Skip]

Shrooms, seems like you're pretty conscious about your diet, which is great! Having done a long two week fast means you do have a lot of self-control and you shouldn't have much difficulty falling into a new diet if you really commit yourself.

Your current food "handicaps" are still sugar and salt. Yes you are still craving salt in those doritos. And they aren't made with sea salt, either. They're also deep fried, which probably no longer are made using transfats, but still fried foods are unhealthy, esp. one so highly processed as doritos (which are made from GM corn).

Breads and spaghetti sauce are also high in salt.

You can alter your diet slightly to make it MUCH healthier! Instead of PBJ, make it a PBB sandwich, peanut butter and banana (my fave!), resulting in less processed sugar being eaten. You might also want to buy organic, unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter too.

Little changes like that can improve your long-term health (avoiding diabetes for one).

I'm not sure which diet you were thinking of adopting, but I'd suggest the raw food or mucusless diet for you for cleansing out again.

I don't think it's a bad thing if people have one or two exceptions to their diet now and then. We all have something we really like to eat that isn't great for us.

However, it is useful to come to terms with why we crave that unhealthy food. What is there about our diet or lifestyle that has us craving something we shouldn't be eating?

Usually it's a nutritional deficiency because we aren't eating a certain type of food that we could be eating to get what we are missing.

In your instance, the Dorito craving is a sign you may be lacking salt or fats in your diet. It might also be because you eat a lot of processed wheat products primarily, and your body is craving another source of grain protein like corn. In this case you might want to eat a healthier type of corn, like fresh organic corn, or fresh corn tortillas.

Also since you probably eat the doritos alone, the only complete protein you get is from the fats in the doritos, not from the corn which requires a complementary protein like beans to be more satisfying (you might eat less doritos if you used them to eat a bean dip, say).

So you see you can engage in this type of deep analysis of those foods you shouldn't be eating, and then come up with ways to mitigate your cravings or at least reduce your consumption.

You didn't discuss what your mother makes for dinner, so there might be more clues and foods to avoid there too.

[squawkers7]

While growing up my parents (mostly Dad) loved gardening & had to order every strange new veggie seed packet that he could find just to try it out and be more different then all the other gardens in the neighborhood. For the first 17 yrs of my life, we were only allowed candy for holidays~valentines day, easter,halloween & christmas and just 1 day during Summer vacation (probably 4th of July.) The only soda pop, my parents ever bought was orange sunkist & ginger ale. Other kids at school thought it was "terrible" that my parents didn't buy junk food more often, but then I could remind them that I had no cavities at the time (got my very first cavity when I was 16 1/2~now I have a mouthful).
...I didn't get addicted to coke cola until after I got married to a sugar-holic. During that first year of marriage I got to pig-out on every junk food imaginable, some I still eat today.
Different members of my family have different medical problems...high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, strokes, cancer, kidney failure....which can all be controlled and/or prevented by what they eat. A cousin that was just 1 month older then me died recently...and it sure brought back all my dad's food advice back & made them hit home more then any dumb TV commercial.

as for a summary of my eating habits thru the yrs~
as a youngster....usually healthy mixed with prolonged bouts of fasting, got interested in vegetarianism in Jr. High School

during marriage....found junk food! candy, processed crap, & pre-mixed stuff...food mixed with every unknown chemical disguised in pretty cans & boxes.
Then when back to vegetarianism for 1 1/2-2 yrs straight just before getting pregnant with 6th kid(was not a good thing for the sugar-holics/junkers...people addicted to junk) in the house.

Last 2 yrs~while criss-crossing the country, I will try just about anything new in whatever region I'm in just to see if I like it and also to know what the locals are talking about. Now I'm either to busy, to poor, or don't have a really kitchen to eat the way I would like....and just my luck I'm sharing a dorm room with a junk-food person.
I guess I would say I have changed my eating habits somewhat in the last year. I now have a dorm room to myself at the moment, which is also nice.

Breakfast: still drinking coffee (usually straight-up black coffee...I don't even buy sugar for anything) fruit~favorites are oranges, cantaloupe, & strawberries. There are times I will fill a blender with strawberries & melons and just drink my fruit.
I will have a yogurt about once a week now, and my newest thing for breakfast is ~a package of instant oatmeal, spoonful of peanut butter, and 1/2 scoop of chocolate whey protein powder. I have that 2-3 times a week.

Lunch~is usually a salad, but sometimes (like yesterday) I will have an eggplant parmasen sandwich at the cafeteria. About once a month I will get salmon..also from the cafeteria.

Dinnertime~ well I go to bed early and after work I don't feel like making anything, so I will have another salad or just munch on microwave popcorn, larabars, or more fruit.

I rarely have any soda or smirnoff these days.