Nutrition & Fitness

[MRS]

Talk about nutrition and fitness.

[Pete C]

This has to be the most boring thread topic I've ever come across.

[Scott Dolan]

I normally eat a very healthy diet and exercise daily (though, usually not on weekends).

[claude]

It's the diet and fitness silly season, I can't wait until January is over and everyone has given up on their New Year's resolutions.

I personally eat whatever is appealing at the time and exercise most mornings in my home gym.

[Gentle Giant]

Tastes bad, feels bad.

[Scott Dolan]

Originally Posted by claude

It's the diet and fitness silly season, I can't wait until January is over and everyone has given up on their New Year's resolutions.

I personally eat whatever is appealing at the time and exercise most mornings in my home gym.

I gave up the home gym years ago. It's nothing but yoga for me these days. And walking a couple of miles a day, which I've slacked on since before Christmas.

I feel stronger now, and I'm in the best shape of my life.

[jesus marion joseph]

I've been walking nearly every day, mostly because my dog goes bonkers if he doesn't get exercise (Terrier mix), but also because I have several hundred acres of conservation forestland out my back door.. Anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes each morning. I'm like the old man of the Punkhorn!

[Sand]

Originally Posted by Pete C

This has to be the most boring thread topic I've ever come across.

One of the most boring and one of the most interesting and essential topics we can deal with.

[tippy]

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

I've been walking nearly every day, mostly because my dog goes bonkers if he doesn't get exercise (Terrier mix), but also because I have several hundred acres of conservation forestland out my back door.. Anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes each morning. I'm like the old man of the Punkhorn!

Very NICE for you!! I would totally love that.

I love to walk and hiking in nature rules.

[clinthopson]

This looks like a very skippable thread.

[claude]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

I gave up the home gym years ago. It's nothing but yoga for me these days. And walking a couple of miles a day, which I've slacked on since before Christmas.

I feel stronger now, and I'm in the best shape of my life.

For me my home gym consists almost solely of my Concept 2 rowing machine that has been a godsend for me. I have a 3 week rotation of different workouts, mostly interval work but with some distance rows mixed in, and that keeps it interesting. I believe it was Jimmy Cantiello who turned me on to the Concept 2 and I have to thank him for that. I'm closing in on 1,500,000 metres on my machine over about 2 years which really isn't that much compared to some rowers.

These days it's funny to see the crowds of people running past the front of my house in the -20 tempuratures with their faces red from the combination of cold and exertion that they aren't used to. Within another 3-4 weeks they will have dwindled down to the true hard-core runners that are always out and the rest will have retired to the couch for the rest of the winter. The worst thing with the New Year's resolution crowds is that they always set out gung-ho with programs that just are not sustainable and they inevitably can't keep it up.

[tippy]

June 30, 2008, 8:50 am

The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
Maybe you should be eating more beets, left, or chopped cabbage. (Credit: Evan Sung for The New York Times, left
(This post was originally published on June 30, 2008, and recently appeared on The New York Times’s list of most-viewed stories for 2008.)

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?

[Sand]

Dieting makes you fat. Then it makes you fatter. In the end your metabolism is destroyed. I'm talking about starvation diets. Doesn't everybody know that by now?

Everybody is on a diet. Everybody makes choices about what to eat.

Damn, this is boring. I'll have to take a look on my workout plan. I don't have a plan yet, but it's so fun to train on saturated fat that I hardly need a plan.
Still, I may look into it.

[tippy]

This isn't the dieting thread. This is the nutrition and fitness thread.

[Scott Dolan]

Originally Posted by claude

For me my home gym consists almost solely of my Concept 2 rowing machine that has been a godsend for me. I have a 3 week rotation of different workouts, mostly interval work but with some distance rows mixed in, and that keeps it interesting. I believe it was Jimmy Cantiello who turned me on to the Concept 2 and I have to thank him for that. I'm closing in on 1,500,000 metres on my machine over about 2 years which really isn't that much compared to some rowers.

I've been looking to get into rowing, but I'm thinking about getting a kayak and doing the real thing.

The guy who owns the IT-based company that Kelly deals with in St. Louis is 60 y.o. and uses nothing but his rowing machine which he's been into for years. He looks like he's in his mid 40's. Really healthy cat.

I'm going to look into that Concept 2 just for shits and grins.

[Sand]

Originally Posted by tippy

This isn't the dieting thread. This is the nutrition and fitness thread.

Yeah, right! And "Men's Health TNT Diet" arrived in my mailbox today.
The timing is perfect.

[tippy]

I know but why do we have to have two threads where your agenda is omnipotent? It is more fun to have a discussion where one side listens to the other and vice versa. You never answered any of my questions in the other thread about what people who already have clogged works should eat.

[Sand]

Originally Posted by tippy

I know but why do we have to have two threads where your agenda is omnipotent? It is more fun to have a discussion where one side listens to the other and vice versa. You never answered any of my questions in the other thread about what people who already have clogged works should eat.

You mean clogged arteries?

Generally I'm talking about low carb and high fat food that are a cure for number of illnesses and it is ideal with regard to health and weight control. The book I referred to is about that as well. This time also about training and fitness. It's also interesting for women.
Earlier I have linked to a number short and consice articles about what I am talking about. For a short introduction to what to eat, have a look here

Eating more saturated fat lowers the risk for heart disease.

Inconceivable for most people, it seems.

[sonic1]

I think this is such a simple subject. Stay physical and eat according to your activity. I can't seem to gain wait. But I also can't seem to hold still either: my job is physically demanding, I run, I hike, I play on stilts, I ride a road bike...

...I generally eat well (not vegetarian but mostly veg., lots of fresh food from the garden, etc).

My one vice is caffeine. Well, I do drink beer in accordance with my caloric needs, it does not seem to be a problem, and the alcohol seems to be good for my nerves.

I did a test a few years ago and it said I need thousands more calories than I was taking in...that explains a lot actually. Point is: though most of the nation is overweight, overnourished, and lacking in activity, SOME of us have other problems.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

I'm really old-fashioned when it comes to nutrition and fitness. Most of my adult life I've paid attention to my diet and made sure I engaged in some type of physical activity on a consistent basis.

Although I've gone to public gyms in the past I now have a little set-up in my basement. It consists of a treadmill, a stationary bike, a stack-machine and some half-assed free weights and a weight bench. I also have a TV set up at eye level with the treadmill which I watch while I do my cardio. Makes the cardio a breeze. I'm done before I know it.

As I've said many times here, I eat sensibly Monday through Thursday, most of the time. I try not to miss my daily workout routine on those days. On the weekends (Fri., Sat., Sun.) I eat whatever I want. This system has worked for me for years. The key is consistency.

My "training" diet consists of the usual suspects. I eat lots of vegetables, lean meats and chicken as well as fish. I also limit my fat intake. I try not to eat too many simple carbs such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. My biggest challenge during the week is portion control. I have to consciously limit my self or I will easily overdo it. No alcohol either. That's pretty much it.

My weekend diet? All bets are off!

[Mike Schwartz]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Cantiello

I'm really old-fashioned when it comes to nutrition and fitness. Most of my adult life I've paid attention to my diet and made sure I engaged in some type of physical activity on a consistent basis.

Although I've gone to public gyms in the past I now have a little set-up in my basement. It consists of a treadmill, a stationary bike, a stack-machine and some half-assed free weights and a weight bench. I also have a TV set up at eye level with the treadmill which I watch while I do my cardio. Makes the cardio a breeze. I'm done before I know it.

As I've said many times here, I eat sensibly Monday through Thursday, most of the time. I try not to miss my daily workout routine on those days. On the weekends (Fri., Sat., Sun.) I eat whatever I want. This system has worked for me for years. The key is consistency.

My "training" diet consists of the usual suspects. I eat lots of vegetables, lean meats and chicken as well as fish. I also limit my fat intake. I try not to eat too many simple carbs such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. My biggest challenge during the week is portion control. I have to consciously limit my self or I will easily overdo it. No alcohol either. That's pretty much it.

My weekend diet? All bets are off!

Besides.......the simple act of lifting a Cantiello *weekend* plate becomes one helluva workout in it's own right!

[claude]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

I've been looking to get into rowing, but I'm thinking about getting a kayak and doing the real thing.

The guy who owns the IT-based company that Kelly deals with in St. Louis is 60 y.o. and uses nothing but his rowing machine which he's been into for years. He looks like he's in his mid 40's. Really healthy cat.

I'm going to look into that Concept 2 just for shits and grins.

Kayaking is a completely different animal since your legs really aren't part of the propulsion. That's what makes the rowing work for me, you get the full body into it.

I started out rowing on the river that is a five minute walk from my front door. We have a rowing club where I've had a membership, for about $120 a year I have the use of any equipment I need during the rowing season. Unfortunately, our rowing season only lasts about 4 months so for the rest of the year it's the Concept 2. It's amazing how closely the machine approximates the feeling of rowing on water. The only part you don't get is the feeling of having to hold your balance when you're on the water so you do miss a little of the additional core workout that that gives you.

[Scott Dolan]

Good point about kayaking.

I'd actually love to have a row boat, but they are monstrously expensive.

Perhaps I will have to look at a rowing machine this year. I've seen firsthand what they can do.

[Sand]

Maybe I should let my old man inspire me. He built a kayak in the summer of 1945 - almost drowned out on the fiord - and obviously survived since I was not around at the time.
Kayaking around the lakes in the district/region in summer and autumn months is something to consider. I wonder if it is monstrously expensive?

1945:

[Scott Dolan]

Depends on what you mean by monstrously expensive.

When I said that about rowing boats I was talking about boats that cost $2000-$4000. That's bigtime money to this boy.

You can get a decent kayak for well under $500.

[jesus marion joseph]

I have a sea kayak, with a rudder that used to be a rental unit from The Goose Hummock in Orleans for about $500.I've never actually used in on open ocean water, though, just large ponds and saltwater marshes.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

I have a sea kayak,

Do you ever take it to Quincy or Nyack?

[tippy]

Originally Posted by jesus marion joseph

I have a sea kayak, with a rudder that used to be a rental unit from The Goose Hummock in Orleans for about $500.I've never actually used in on open ocean water, though, just large ponds and saltwater marshes.

You mean a Freedom kayak, right?

[Tom Storer]

Home gym, hell. I'd have to put it in my living room. I have room for push-ups but that's about it.

I go to the gym around the corner from the office three or four days a week, with periodic no-gym cycles where I gain weight and lose energy until I can't stand it anymore and start back at the gym.

I eat healthily and deny myself nothing.

Result: I'm pretty healthy. I could be stronger and slimmer, but I could also be weaker and fatter. I have low cholesterol, thank goodness. I'm content where I am.

[Sand]

Originally Posted by Tom Storer

. I have low cholesterol, thank goodness. I'm content where I am.

And all that while you're eating fat and delicious French food along with vegetables and wine, I assume?