How's your diet?

warrior-cat

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Had 3 games last night so...too tired and too sore to go fishing this morning. At 63 the games take their toll if you play more than normal. Upside...we won 2 of them. Came back after giving up 16 runs in the first 2 innings only to lose by 2 in the third game. 2 on base with a power hitter in the box with 2 outs. Pop up. He was a youngster so, he let his frustrations out on his bat and bat bag after the game.
 

catlanta33

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I think it's 100% diet. You could sit on your *** all day long and not consume more than you need to survive and still lose weight.

Exercise is more about keeping your body healthy and preparing yourself to fend off illness, heart disease while having positive impacts on your mental health. Clean dieting will also likely improve mental health.

I think too many people bog down because to change a diet drastically and start exercising is a lot of work if you've been sedentary for years prior.

If people start with their diets and begin eating a lot healthier, it makes the transition into exercising that much easier because that good diet is helping your metabolism and you're gaining energy back from your body not overworking trying to process your **** food.
 

_ukcat

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I had lost 101 pounds down to 170 5 years ago and held that until Covid hit and I gained 20 pounds. Though I was still walking 5-6 miles each day I was just snacking too much and weight started coming back. Now back on diet I did before. Banana while walking in Morning, cereal after walk, Celery, Apples, Yogurt during day then Baked Meat and Vegetables for Supper and no food after 6 pm.
 
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Despite the weight gain, that level of exercise dedication is freaking impressive.
Lol… I manage the results on my Apple Watch and I have to close the Activity ring (which is 1.010 move calories) and Exercise ring (which is 45 minutes). I would say at least three days a week I’m out running to close that **** out at like 11:30 PM - many times I close it out at like 11:59. So yeah, there’s dedication. But it’s still total procrastination.
 
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LineSkiCat14

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Yeah it's mostly diet. It's so much more difficult and time consuming to burn 300 calories, than it is to eat 300 calories.

And we're also capped at how little we can consume: 0 calories. Yet there's no cap at how much we can take in. A bad morning breakfast and BBQ could wind up being 5,000 calories. Now looking at more reasonable numbers: how many days have you eaten only 1,000 calories? Now how many days have you taken in 4,000 calories? A lot more of the latter, I'd say The number to lose weight varies, but it'll be somewhere around 2,000 calories. That number is so much closer to the bottom than it is to the top.

Eating a donut will always be easier and faster than going for an hour run, and that's exactly why diet is so important.
 

warrior-cat

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Problem with most diets (not diet food but everyday diet) is that if the food you choose to make you healthy does not make you happy it is hard to stay the course. I guess the 2000 -2500 calorie a day way to go would be better if you could keep the numbers that low. Eat what you want but stop when you hit your number. For me with my activity level, I could probably go the 2500 calorie a day limit and lose weight. Right now, I know I am not even close to that. But today I am and not by design. I actually decided to go fishing instead of resting and only ate 200 calories for breakfast (quick snack before going) and right at 1000 calories for lunch so, I am well under 2500 for the day. Wife is firing up a burrito casserole for dinner. My normal intake of those large burritos is at least 2 sometimes 3 with a dessert to follow. Tonight... 1😓 maybe.
 
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awf

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This thread got me wondering: how healthful is your diet?

I eat pretty well, I guess: not a lot of net carbs or fat, plenty of protein and nutrients. I stopped eating fast food a few years ago and don't miss it at all. Except for a rare Coke or Root Beer I've also long given up soft drinks, but for the last few months I've drank probably half a dozen sugar-free energy drinks a week, which sucks (I don't know why I even started drinking them).

Anyway, you?
I eat what I want in the quantities I want......I am 6'-4" 215.......I drink lots of beer and I love fried food.......I can count on one hand the times I have had fast food in the last five years........and I am addicted to salt water taffy......
 

berniecarbo

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I am 5'9 and have weighed about 165 to 170 for the last 50 years. Always active with a mediocre diet, but food is not that big a deal to me. I mostly eat because one must eat to survive.
 

LineSkiCat14

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Problem with most diets (not diet food but everyday diet) is that if the food you choose to make you healthy does not make you happy it is hard to stay the course. I guess the 2000 -2500 calorie a day way to go would be better if you could keep the numbers that low. Eat what you want but stop when you hit your number. For me with my activity level, I could probably go the 2500 calorie a day limit and lose weight. Right now, I know I am not even close to that. But today I am and not by design. I actually decided to go fishing instead of resting and only ate 200 calories for breakfast (quick snack before going) and right at 1000 calories for lunch so, I am well under 2500 for the day. Wife is firing up a burrito casserole for dinner. My normal intake of those large burritos is at least 2 sometimes 3 with a dessert to follow. Tonight... 1😓 maybe.


I always tell people "find what things you can do without or are easy to add" and start there. Soda and energy drinks were easy to just cut out completely. Sugar and cream in my coffee were next. I learned my sandwiches (mostly) don't need mayo. I found that ordering one of those supermarket veggie platters for $6 bucks was an easy way to up my veggie intake.

Some things are easier than others. Theres a million little "food hacks" you can employ. Have to find what ones work.
 

MegaBlue05

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My diet is garbage, but improved over the last decade. Too much snacking and a love of red meat, pork, potatoes, cheese and bread.

I’ve cut back on fast food significantly. I recently moved to a rural town with 4 fast food restaurants - all bottom of the barrel quality. I used to live in a bigger town with dozens of fast food options within 3 miles of my home. Now, I cook at home 5-6 nights a week and have been eating a lot of grilled veggies recently.

I was a heavy soda drinker, but I’ve cut back to a 2-liter a week, usually a small glass for lunch. I used to drink 5-6 cans a day. Replacing soda with water has been great.

I don’t exercise enough, but I’m trying to walk a little more each day. I took up kayaking a few years ago and spent a lot of time on the river during COVID.

I’m down 14 pounds from this time last year. It ain’t much, but it’s better than going the other way.
 
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MrKentucky

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Answering the original question, it’s ****. Too much fast food, and even cooking at home, we fall into the “grill a meat, throw some bag veggies in the microwave and call it close enough” trap.

Every day feels like the “rat race” between the two of us working high stress/hours jobs, taking the 3 y/o to and from daycare, working out ourselves… and cooking at home is the thing that goes. We’d probably be better off cutting the exercise at the cost of a better diet, but.


Dammit this is what it feels like getting older, isnt it?
 
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LineSkiCat14

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Dropped from roughly 207 to a flat 200 in about 14 days. That 200lb weigh-in was Friday morning. Clean eating, added another 5k steps/day (averaging about 16,000 steps a day), plus weight lifting. No alcohol during the week.

But then Friday night hits. Had a few drinks. Saturday was good, but met some friends at the local pub around 9, also had a few beers. Sunday was our wedding tasting, so a good deal of food and also.. some more drinks. Still.. was fairly diligent to not really overdo it, while still being pretty active over the weekend.

The weigh-in today? 203lbs. It took just 2.5 days to erase nearly HALF of what I worked for over 2 weeks. And I could have EASILY hit this weekend much harder.

That's how much we generally have to work to lose weight and get in shape.
 

lex cath

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My diet is not good, lots of seafood, all kinds of beef and pork, and lots of Miller Lite 🍺 but it tastes damn delicious 🇺🇸
 

LineSkiCat14

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My diet is not good, lots of seafood, all kinds of beef and pork, and lots of Miller Lite 🍺 but it tastes damn delicious 🇺🇸

Honestly, nothing about that diet is THAT bad.

For starters, seafood is good for you. Try not to fry it, and limit the fish that are high on the food chain (as that's what causes high mercury levels). But we should eat fish regularly.

Miller Lite might as well be a healthy beer. Even compared to Bud Light, at surprisingly 15-20 less calories IIRC.

Red Meat and Pork? Meh.. I'll never get on board the "red meat is bad" train. Sure, don't eat Ribeye 5 times a week. But steak and pork are generally fine.. and I'd argue that those meats often come with a side of vegetables and complex carbs like a potato. A strip steak with Asparagus is always gonna be healthier than a fried chicken sandwich.
 
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lex cath

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Honestly, nothing about that die is THAT bad.

For starters, seafood is good for you. Try not to fry it, and limit the fish that are high on the food chain (as that's what causes high mercury levels). But we should eat fish regularly.

Miller Lite might as well be a healthy beer. Even compared to Bud Light, at surprisingly 15-20 less calories IIRC.

Red Meat and Pork? Meh.. I'll never get on board the "red meat is bad" train. Sure, don't eat Ribeye 5 times a week. But steak and pork are generally fine.. and I'd argue that those meats often come with a side of vegetables and complex carbs like a potato. A strip steak with Asparagus is always gonna be healthier than a fried chicken sandwich.

LSC14 is my favorite poster 🍺
 

Backer cutter

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Mine is terrible, but has made me feel better (healthier?). Hurt my knee almost 2 years ago to the point I couldn’t walk for over 6 months. Lack of exercise led to lack of appetite. Long story short, I’ve lost over 40 pounds and feel much better but still don’t have any appetite although I’m working full time again now, just different kind of work. I usually drink a breakfast drink for breakfast, a small lunch, whatever leftovers are in the fridge, and I usually drink my supper. Maybe a healthy snack (fruit etc.) before bed. I’m 6’1 and now weigh 190. Feeling pretty good.
 

BGCATFAN2012

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Well since summer is here I start my all natural weed, water and ice cream diet. Can't say it's a good idea but works for me during these hot summer ky days were it's to hot to cook outside til after sun goes down and I damn sure not going indoors to cook. Got 14 rolls of kandy corn out 100 ft long, 200 tomatoes of every variety, peppers, cucumbers, and all the summer favorites so vegetables are in my diet alot but not so much this month. Mostly weed n water and calorie cram when I'm off work.
 

jlynn323

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Wife just came home from work and brought McDonalds. My daughter likes the Mcnuggets and the wife brought me a Quarter Pounder with cheese, fries and a coke. The bad diet continues.

I guess since I am now retired I need to take an interest in the culinary arts and try to learn how to cook better dinner for us since my wife will be working for years to come.
Do whatever you can to avoid the sickcare industry later in life.
 
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berniecarbo

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This chart is for running at 5 mph, which is slow for someone who runs regularly. I went one year running a minimum of 8 miles everyday without missing a day just to see if I could do it. Often it was more than 8. Another year, I did a minimum of 1000 ab reps every day just to see if I could do it, while also running 4 miles a day. My weight stayed the same, but I gained a half inch around my waist. I used to like my beer, so I was always doing crazy stuff like that to maintain my weight.
 

KingOfBBN

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Balanced. I offset beer with fasting and eating healthy until around 8 pm when I start devouring snacks.

I woke up sweating in the middle of the night because I ate a pint of ice cream before bed so had to get up earlier to burn it off.
Yeah, that’s my main issue. Beer and snacks (sweet). But if I get into a routine, I can stick to it. It’s just a matter of getting to it.
 
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LineSkiCat14

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In Newport RI for the week, absolutely wrecking my diet. I've had 3 different clam chowders so far, going to a half dozen.
 
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Jan 28, 2007
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This chart is for running at 5 mph, which is slow for someone who runs regularly. I went one year running a minimum of 8 miles everyday without missing a day just to see if I could do it. Often it was more than 8. Another year, I did a minimum of 1000 ab reps every day just to see if I could do it, while also running 4 miles a day. My weight stayed the same, but I gained a half inch around my waist. I used to like my beer, so I was always doing crazy stuff like that to maintain my weight.
Did you take any breaks on the 8 miles, or did you really crank 365 * 8 plus? Did it f up your legs at all?
 

berniecarbo

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Did you take any breaks on the 8 miles, That's how I tried to work itor did you really crank 365 * 8 plus? Did it f up your legs at all?
No breaks. I became a fitness nut when my average sports skills became better when other folks got tired and I didn't. I could take an easy pace a do the route in a little over 7 minutes per mile or do a hard mile in around 5. I wasn't fast, I just didn't get tired. The old boy scout adage for running says run at a pace where you can carry on a conversation. I kind of used that to prepare and 8 miles was easy. A person who wasn't already running quite a bit would probably have to work up to 8 miles. After the year was up, I cut back to 4 miles though.

It didn't bother my legs, but I set an easy pace with top of the line cushioning in the shoes. Later on, I was in a wreck and messed up a leg though.
 

LineSkiCat14

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5 Chowdah's down. About to hit Block Island, hoping to cram down another few.
 
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No breaks. I became a fitness nut when my average sports skills became better when other folks got tired and I didn't. I could take an easy pace a do the route in a little over 7 minutes per mile or do a hard mile in around 5. I wasn't fast, I just didn't get tired. The old boy scout adage for running says run at a pace where you can carry on a conversation. I kind of used that to prepare and 8 miles was easy. A person who wasn't already running quite a bit would probably have to work up to 8 miles. After the year was up, I cut back to 4 miles though.

It didn't bother my legs, but I set an easy pace with top of the line cushioning in the shoes. Later on, I was in a wreck and messed up a leg though.
In my 40's and I've been running almost every day for 16 months. I can do a 10K at a 7.30 clip, but I'm not carrying on a conversation. My "talking" pace is like a 9-minute mile. A 5-minute pace is fast, I don't care who you are. Ha!
 
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Catsfan29

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This thread got me wondering: how healthful is your diet?

I eat pretty well, I guess: not a lot of net carbs or fat, plenty of protein and nutrients. I stopped eating fast food a few years ago and don't miss it at all. Except for a rare Coke or Root Beer I've also long given up soft drinks, but for the last few months I've drank probably half a dozen sugar-free energy drinks a week, which sucks (I don't know why I even started drinking them).

Anyway, you?
I used to eat healthy with a diet that consisted of plenty of fruit and veggies each day plus some chicken, fish, beans & lentils, and nuts. As for drinking, I'd drink water and that's it.

Last fall I moved back to Kentucky after being in Chicago for almost 10 years and stopped eating veggies/fruit on the regular and turned to processed foods. I stopped eating fish/chicken and started to eat pork and frozen meals. I reduced my water intake and substituted it with lots of coffee.

Needless to say, I went from 155 to 175 (5'9")in less than a year, got put on high bp meds (boo genetics), and essentially feel like poo, lol.

Now that everything is opening up I'm likely moving back to the city so hopefully, I adopt my healthy habits but it's going to be tough because junk food is great. Plus being near family down here makes it easier to enjoy good ole southern food.
 
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Catsfan29

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I am a bit over weight at 5' 9" and 222lbs. According to the experts I should be around 185lbs at the most. As I said earlier, I eat basically whatever I want but, do exercise 6 mornings a week and play softball and fish a couple of times a week.
I think I read somewhere that being active as you are and overweight is much better than being inactive and a healthy weight. Like the latter was equal to smoking a pack or two of cigs a day.
 

Catsfan29

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Started working from home a few years ago and my Monday-Friday diet has been pretty stellar ever since. About 40 pounds lighter in my late 30s than I was on my late 20s.

On weekends I don't really follow any kind of diet, but generally eat pretty well because I know I will feel like **** if I don't.
Yeah WFH can lead to better dietary habits as you don't have the lure of the breakroom or nearby restaurants if you live in a metro area. I think the one negative I found from wfh is I wasn't getting my 10k/day steps just from walking to the train and walking from the station to work. Also worked in an 18 story building and would go up and down a few times during lunch. Now I doubt I can go up a flight of stairs, lol.
 

berniecarbo

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In my 40's and I've been running almost every day for 16 months. I can do a 10K at a 7.30 clip, but I'm not carrying on a conversation. My "talking" pace is like a 9-minute mile. A 5-minute pace is fast, I don't care who you are. Ha!
No, the 5 minutes was a single mile hurry up mile, not an average pace. I was not fast.