And so as to not clutter up the other thread with this stuff....

Those of you who have had to change your diet b/c of heart related things/cholesterol etc... can you share your experiences with us? List the types of things you're eating, and possibly recipes for those of us like me who are clueless.

I am now at the ripe of almost 33 having to take fish oil supplements in hopes that I won't have to go on cholesterol reducing meds. I go back in Feb. to have my numbers rechecked to see if I have to go on meds. They have been rising over the past 6 months... I have really crappy family genes and have super low HDL 19 at last reading and triglycerides were 191. Total cholesterol as 196. At least I am told that is part genetics as my father had the same issue. I don't have problems with blood pressure or sugar just cholesterol apparently.

I have been trying to make gradual lifestyle changes, eating tuna sammiches for lunch instead of whatever else. I've practically eliminated red meat, caffiene, trans fats, changed butter, eat oatmeal for breakfast, etc. I've also seriously gotten off my ass and started exercising but I find myself eating the same stuff repeatedly and I know there has to be other things out there besides tuna, broccoli, chicken breast, and salad. I like salmon but have no frigging clue how to make it. Are there other fish that taste as good? What things should I absolutely at all costs avoid besides the obvious fried crap, fast food?

Thanks in advance! :)

One thing to be careful about is eating entirely fish, as the mercury levels is pretty rough and can make you "as mad as a hatter" if you eat too much of it. Tuna is sadly especially harsh in the mercury department. That being said, I love the stuff and with a varied diet its not that bad. Canned tuna tends to absorb some of the plastic coating they use to make the can air-tight, the pouches are much better for you.

Egg white omelets are WONDERFUL to keep the cholesterol down, put some onions and peppers and even a little (very little) bit of ham is ok. Cheese can be rough here, but low fat cheese products are alright. Add some whole grain toast and half a grapefruit and you've got a breakfast of champions there. Of course, you could always go the Cheerios route which is probably a little better for ya over all :) (but put strawberries or something in the cereal to get the vitamins you need!)

Our bodies aren't absorbing as much sun as we used to, so a vitamin D suplement is important for almost anyone. If you got your vitamin D checked you'd be surprised how low it is. Having the appropriate levels of vitamins helps to combat cholesterol and keeping your body running like clockwork. Add in a daily vitamin and 8 glasses of water a day and your body will work a lot of dietary problems out on its own. I probably don't need to tell you to ditch soda and caffiene for water or fruit and vegetable juices (but be careful with sugars here, lots of fruit juices are jam packed with sugars).

If you buy the leanest ground beef you can still do spaghetti and meat sauce (whole grain pasta, mmm) or anything that would normally use ground beef, but ground turkey works just as well and doesn't taste *that* differently. Poultry is great, and stuff like hummus and falafal and tasty vegetable "substitutes" are not only trendy but awfully tasty!

The American Heart Associations recommends:
less than 5 oz lean meat / fish
less than 2 egg yolks, but unlimited egg whites daily
2-3 low fat dairy servings
greater than 6 servings of grains, particularly whole grains
3-5 vegetable servings daily
2-4 fruit servings daily

What you see there is small ammounts of meats and dairy augmented by tons of vegetables. Salads and soups will be a big part of the diet, but there are TONS of types of salads and soups out there!

Vegetables are really easy to cook. A little garlic powder, a little low/no fat butter substitute, and a few teaspoons water - put em all in a ziplock back with a small hole and nuke it in the microwave OR put them in a pot w/ the lid closed and steam away.

Salmon and other fish (Tilapia is a personal favorite, Cod can be nice if you season it well, Scallops are delicious) can be done in similar fashions. Put them in a pan that you sprayed with PAM or some other no stick thinger. Some lemon juice, some parsley, some paprica, cover the top w/ tin foil, and throw it in the oven. 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Can try tons of other ingredients too: garlic powder, pepper, onion, orange juice, tomatoes, parmesan cheese sprinked over top,

You can of course grill most fish too, but you will need to put tin foil down because fish flakes a lot easier than a chicken breast or a burger.

Lastly, going on a "diet" sucks because you're removing stuff you enjoy and eating stuff you don't like. Eating can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day - so don't force yourself to eliminate your favorites, just cut back into moderation and augment the meals. Instead of a steak every night, have a smaller steak once a week with a lot more vegetables than you used to - and fill up on the veggies instead.

(Thank "The Daily Apple" from the Retirement Living Network, working on that show even just once a week has filled my head with all sorts of healthy eating crap)

Good info, thank you :)

One question Leah and I both have is that most ground turkey in the stores we see says 85/15, is that really better for you than say 90/10 ground beef?

We've been doing lots of ground turkey, I'd forgotten that and the whole grain pasta stuff.

I have never had hummus, what is that and how should I eat it?

Over my EQ1 days I put on considerable weight. Over the past few years I've played with various diets and exercise regimens, on and off. I've been losing gradually, but only last July did I settle on a system that really pulled off the pounds. It's a little different in winter, since I work out in an unheated garage -- this time of year I get lazy about that sort of thing, not wanting to freeze to death when NC decides to get chilly.

My guiding philosophy is to eat sensibly, not deprive myself of too much, and engage in regular activity (a nutritionist friend always couches "exercise" in that term).

Things I regularly eat include:
*Baby spinach. Low fat dressing good, and a splash of parmesan. I'm not a fan of green veggies, but this stuff is fine. I also learned to eat broccoli (not enjoy it, just eat it).
*Tuna. Mercury shmercury. I like the flavored packs that Starkist puts out. They offer recipe ideas, but I eat them out of the bag.
*Oatmeal! Again, I mostly eat the flavored stuff from Quaker, but if you can enjoy the plain, go with that for the fewer calories. Add berries if that's your thing.
*Whole wheat bread. Not multi-grain, go with "whole wheat/grain" for your sandwich making needs.
*For snacks, I usually rely on the Quaker granola bars, 90 calories each. I also like the South Beach Diet bars -- more calories (140) but pretty filling.
*Soup. It's winter, I eat a lot of it; find a low calorie option that works for you.

And get exercise. Er, "activity," at least once a day. Sounds like you've got a good start -- keep at it and results will follow.

I run between 20-25 miles a week, cycle over 100 and while my HDL's are really high, I still needed to get on a low dose of Lipitor.

I have bad genes :(

I do take the fish oil though.

WOW...a conversation that is close to my heart!!!

Fild,

Some great foods are Lentils, any type of Legumes actually, Salmon, Tuna, any "oily" type of fish is great for you. Limit your red meats and eat fish 3 times per week. I snack on things like blueberries, strawberry's, tomatoes, etc... I've gone 95% organic.

I cook everything from scratch, eat no processed foods except some Boars Head cold cuts that are extremely low in sodium (like 2-4% of daily allowance)

Cook with Olive Oil (extra virgin) or canola oil when you need a higher heat or no flavor of oil.

If you want I can email you some great recipes that even my kids love.

And get exercise. Er, "activity," at least once a day. Sounds like you've got a good start -- keep at it and results will follow.

I *hate* the gym, I *hate* running, I *hate* working out in general. Playing sports or activities are fine (I'm in the DC summer kickball league and stuff) but anything repetitive and my ADD sends me screaming. I need to get a stationary bike and attach it to my computer or something.

Whats worse is my job is sometimes behind a desk editing, but sometimes in the field carrying around all sorts of heavy equipment. My arms go from toned to flab and back almost every week, but I'm sure I'm just ultimately putting a shit ton of stress on my joints :(

I saw Bise mentioned Baby Spinach, Here is a great recipe for a Baby Spinach Salad.

1 Bag Fresh Baby Spinach

A bunch of Grape Tomato's

Slice and Chop some Red Onion

Sprinkle with a Good Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Sprinkle on about 1 or 2 teaspoons sugar

Squeeze Juice of 1 lemon on Spinach

Drizzle with a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toss the Mixture and you have a 5 star spinach salad.

Ohhh and an easy easy snack is any uncooked nut. Almonds, pistachios etc etc are EXCELLENT forms of oils that will help your ole ticker;)

Hint to you to Rover, eat'em dammit we have years of arguing ahead of us /grin

Ah, and pick up a few copies of Men's Health magazine. It's chock full of good eats/excercises and hell sex tips to help you down that ole road of life.

I have never had hummus, what is that and how should I eat it?

Hummus is ground chick peas, its great as a dip on pieces of Pita bread. Many good flavors available in stores or you can easily make your own.

I feel a bit guilty replying to this, but I guess there may be others like me so here goes: I am 55, 6'1' and 200lbs, with all my cholesterol tests over the last ten years being perfectly healthy (my doctor is amazed, btw). I do have a heart condition, and have had Hepatitis C since I was 22 years old.

I enjoy drinking wine with meals, and the occasional brunch, and also enjoy my Leinenkuegel Original Lager. I eat whatever I am in the mood for, which might be sitting down and eating 10-12 pancakes with 4 strips of bacon and a screwdriver, or may be snacking on some cheese curds and beer salami with some Archer farms Sea Salt and Olive Oil potato chips (not the pita ones!). In other words, my diet is not predicated on health, but on what appeals to me atm.

I am a mail carrier, but have been driving a route now for the last 11 years. This is also the period that has seen me go up to 200 pounds from my previous 170. I maintained a 30 inch waist from high school until i was in my lower forties, largely due to the exercise of walking 8-10 miles a day carrying mail.

I quit smoking in Jan. '96, and strongly suggest to any smokers to stop. It is not just your heart and lungs that suffer, but also the eventual dental bills will scare you.

So, as for getting older and thinking healthy, my thoughts are think healthy, but don't get carried away with it. Eat healthy, but don't give up entirely on your favorite foods. Moderation is the key. Feel like sitting down with some Brie and bread and olive oil and wine, then by all means do so. Just balance it out with your next meal, and some exercise.
If you worry too much about a healthy lifestyle, you may forget to take the time to enjoy life. Again, moderation is your friend. Grow old, and have fun doing it. Otherwise, what is the point?



I am also a strong proponent of olive oil, and fish, particularly salmon.

I *hate* the gym, I *hate* running, I *hate* working out in general.
Get a dog!
He makes me walk at least 1 hour per day, it's not alot, but it's a good easy start. :)

(not to mention his education which is taking its toll of energy on me! :p)

For me i found out in September I was diabetic and if i lost 100 lbs i would be able to stop the 2x a day insulin shots. I have lost 50 so far. Almost completely cut out sugar that doesnt occur naturally aka fruits and the like. Also, I eat 4 times a day, but sensablie meals with the last one being more of a snack, in the 4 months i have been doing this i have noticed a marked improvement in my metabolism. Lastly, drink water, i didnt think it would matter but i try to do 12oz bottle every hour or so while i am active during the day, its takes a little effort but its do able.

Good stuff in this thread.

I know it's a little obvious, but watch what you drink. I cut out all soda from my diet, and noticed an immediate change in my weight. I've almost quit all sources of caffine, relying instead on getting up early to walk the dog in order to wake up. Look at the diet information on most drinks, especially sports drinks - lots and lots of bad calories, not to mention the other destructive elements.

When I lost most of my weight, I went almost strictly vegeterian, and cut out all meat, carbs and sugars out of my diet (I left in cottage cheese).
I worked out moderately, walking about a mile and a half, every day, and strength training on abs, while alternating arms, and legs every other day.
I took 1 day off a week, and did no exercise, to allow my body to repair the muscles, and after about 2 months I was down from 189 to 151.

I'm currently back up to 175, but my gut is gone, and I think I'm in the best shape since leaving the Army. I'm also back to eating a moderate amount of sugar, carbs, and protien, including whey protein shakes after my workouts.
I don't freak the heck out if I miss a few days working out. Muscle is a furnace that burns calories, even at rest.

Oh, and GET PLENTY OF SLEEP! Your body needs the down time, to repair the damage done to it while working out.

Best way to lose weight, and get healthy? Eat less, and exercise, more..... :(

Aye definitely some good info in here!
Sadly the Men's Health magazine will not help me Fandros ;) /giggle

I thought nuts were kind of bad for you, or is it certain nuts? Also not sure anyone answered my question about turkey at 85/15 and ground beef at 90/10.... is the beef better?

I already drink tons of water every day, and the only soda I do drink is diet ginger ale. My problem is finding good healthy stuff that is simple to make in the evenings that everyone will like. So, I'm looking forward to Rover's recipes :)

recipes :)

Giada De Laurentis ......primarily Italian recipes. The best!

Good, healthy food. Again, eat in moderation and get a balanced exercise regimen. She is 37 with the body of an athletic college girl, and she eats all this pasta and good stuff. It is all in portions, and not being a pig in your eating habits.

Aye definitely some good info in here!
Sadly the Men's Health magazine will not help me Fandros ;) /giggle

I thought nuts were kind of bad for you, or is it certain nuts? Also not sure anyone answered my question about turkey at 85/15 and ground beef at 90/10.... is the beef better?

I already drink tons of water every day, and the only soda I do drink is diet ginger ale. My problem is finding good healthy stuff that is simple to make in the evenings that everyone will like. So, I'm looking forward to Rover's recipes :)

Nuts are actually really good for you, that I am sure of, I think you are correct in it being certain kinds, Fandros would probably be best to answer your nut questions. You can get good info about nuts, legumes etc by looking at Deepak Chopra's website. Remember he is an actual MD, he's not a whacko. Or you can go here: http://www.nutnutrition.com/ lots of good info

I believe that 90/10 beef is actually really good, you just need to find the best way of cooking it so it isn't dried out. I actually eat Buffalo meat as it is definately very heart healthy.

Recipes will be on the way shortly, I'll send a decent variety.

Here are some tips and tricks I use for my food culture Fild:

- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store and try not to go down the isles as much as possible. The perimeter of the grocery store has things like fresh veggies, fruit, meet, cheese, really all the basics you need to cook a healthy meal.

- The foods down the isles are processed and processed = perservatives = not good for you. Perservatives are designed so that food will not succumb to bacteria. In order to do that most of the good stuff that your body needs is taken out of those processed foods so that they can sit on a shelf for a year. Instead of buying spagehtti sauce try making your own.

- Find recipes that use only fresh ingredients and get in the kitchen and start cooking. Finding an extra 30 minutes a day to do some healthy cooking can do a lot for your over all health. Recipes from product sponsored sites are not what you are looking for. Start by visiting your local big box book store and going to the food section. There are a bazillion recipe books and it can be a little over whelming. I suggest you start by buying one book that is of a cusine you like (i.e. - Italiean), one book that has "quick healthy" recipes (for those quick meals) and finally one recipe book that is geared to specifically healthy or even vegetarian foods.

- Make a part of your Sunday dedicated to cooking a good meal or for cooking a large quanity of food that can be divied up and stored in the freezer. Vegetarian Lasagna, chili, soup, etc are all good and easy meals you can make ahead of time, freeze and then whip out of the freezer for quick and healthy meals. Plan ahead and you will be amazed at how fast it is to cook healthy.

- Get in the kitchen and start to cook fresh meals! If you are not a whiz in the kitchen don't worry, time and practice are what make a good cook. I have a lot of cooking background but when I met my wife she did not. Over the years I have seen her become a fantastic cook in the kitchen. It just took some practice for her and patience. If a meal doesn't work out one night don't be discouraged, write down in your recipe what you think you did wrong and try it again in a few weeks. Over time with practice you will be amazed at what you can whip out of the kitchen and the number of meals you can create will grow.

- This one will seem like I am your mother nagging at you but it is SOOOO true. Chew your food COMPLETLY and take as many bites as possible before swallowing. Relax your jaw and sucummb to the fact that your eating time is going to slow down. The more relaxed you are during meal time and the longer you take to chew your food the better ability your tummy will have to send those signals to your brain that you are full! North Americans are in such a hurry to shovel down their meals that our tummies don't have enough time to send the proper signals to our brains that we are full. When we eat too fast the tummy realizes its full and sends its signals that is full but in that time we have shoveled down another pork chop and now we really, really full.

- Drink a glass or two of water before you start your meal. You will find that you may not eat as much during your meal.

- PORTION SIZE, PORTION SIZE, PORTION SIZE. If you have to buy a book on portion size then go for it. North Americans load up the plates in massive quantities of food and sometimes go back for seconds and thirds. Learn how to portion your meals correctly and resist the temtation to return for seconds. I find if I plate my meal in the kitchen before taking it to the table my portion size is much more correct than if I set everything out on the table I am eating at. All that food on the table is just too much of an incentive to take more. Out of site, out of mind.

- Buy and learn some recipes for a CROCK POT. These things are amazing for making healthy meals. Prepare all your ingredients the night before and shove them in the fridge. On your way out the door to work load up the crock pot and turn it on. When you get home dinner is all ready for you and some of the stuff you can make in a crock pot is AWESOME!

- To answer a couple of your questions: Ground turkey is much more healthy than ground meat. The fat marbling in ground meat is extensive and don't think that the meat grinders throw in a few extra prizes into the mix as well (i.e. - fat laden left over parts of the carcass). My recommendation is to avoid ground meat AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Its ok to use it for Chili and Shepards Pie but try and use something different for your pasta. Turkey has no where near the fat marbling that red meat has. Its a leaner meat so your overal fat intake will be reduced. Try and view ground red meat like hot dogs. Sure it tastes good but do you really want to be eating ground lips all the time?

Nuts: Nuts are very, very good for you as long as they are NOT SALTED! I prefer to buy a container of mixed nuts (non salted) and throw them in with salads. Nuts have the good oils that our bodies need and they taste ooo so good when incorporated into the right recipe.

Here is a quick recipe for a salad we make a lot in the summer time. I called it a salsa salad but its really not like salsa at all. The main idea with the salad is to cut all the incredients small: 1/4 inch cubes. Your knife work will really start to improve too if you make this salad enough.

Ingredients:

2 Stalks Celery
1 Tomato
A bit of Red or Cooking Onion (enough to give the salad a bit of zing)
1 Carrot
1/4 Cucumber (I prefer the English cucumbers)
Feta Cheese (I take one 1/4 inch slice off the feta block and then cube it)(Feta in a brine is the tastiest feta, maybe not the most healthy though ;))
1 handful of Nuts (non salted!)
A sprinkling of fresh parsley

I prefer to lightly dress the salad with a nice vinegrette of some sort.

The above recipe will feed about 2-3 people. I can have this salad prepped in under 10 minutes usually.


Just remember Fild, its not just what type of food you buy its how you prepare and eat it as well. Proper food culture is an important part to a healthy lifestyle.


Cheers,

Giada De Laurentis She is 37 with the body of an athletic college girl,

Translation...I would lay down 2 miles of comm wire through a gator infested swamp if I knew she was on the other side.

I am the exact opposite, I eat to put on weight. Although I try to keep it as lean as possible so that I don't gain any flab, just want muscle!! Every year I get in two local power lifting competitions, and at 36 I still put up some decent numbers.

I stick to basics which at times are boring but they keep me healthy.

Peanutbutter, Almonds, Green Beans, Oatmeal, Eggs (lots but 4 whites to one yolk), Tuna, Chicken, Flank Steak, Broccoli, Fish, Venison, Whole grain breads and rice, some cheese, and fair amount of cottage cheese.
Its easy to shop when you just by bulk of each.

I keep starchy carbs way down and only consume in the morning to noon area. After noon its strickly protein and green vegs. I keep the fats and carb only meals way donw, those are killers. I "try" to stick to 40% Protein 40% Fat (all from good fats) 20% Carbs. I'll fall off those ratios through out the years but those are optimum for me to stay lean and strong.

Tasty variation on a salad we fix frequently, lokase. Thanks for that recipe.

Here's an excellent recipe that everyone (even my son Frank) loves:


Penne with Roast Tomato Sauce

12 plum tomatoes or any type of medium sized ripe tomatoes, halved or quartered (I quarter mine)

2 onions, chopped (medium sized)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup of olive oil

penne pasta or other type

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss into a casserole dish and roast until the tomatoes shrivel and begin to brown a bit, about one hour. The tomatoes will caramelize and become very tasty. You'll know when it's done because it will look awesome and smell wonderful!

When you cook the pasta be sure to use lots of well-seasoned water. Taste it. It should be pleasingly briny and remind you of a day at the beach. Remember: as the pasta cooks it will absorb the seasoned water and in turn be properly seasoned. A pinch or two of salt is not enough! When the pasta is done DO NOT rinse it. The starches that would rinse away will help the tomatoes stick to the pasta.

Toss the hot pasta with the hot sauce in a large bowl.

I don't season with salt as Salt is my enemy and this is very flavorful still.

Feh, Lokase I know my way around the kitchen :) I'm Southern and that's the problem all my recipes are typically comfort foods and bad for you. I'm trying to get ideas and recipes for things that the picky teenager will eat and that's healthy too :) Not to mention with our schedules we need stuff that is semi-quick so I don't want to spend forever in the kitchen.

The pasta and salad look interesting I may have to try those. The hummus stuff I think I might try as well, sounds like it could be a good snack food.

Keep the info rolling, this is good stuff! Thanks all.

I thought nuts were kind of bad for you, or is it certain nuts? Everywhere I read report almonds as the nut of choice. Wish it were cashews, dammit.
The hummus stuff I think I might try as well, sounds like it could be a good snack food.Hummus is great, though the carb count on pita bread might be more than you'd care for. Maybe there's whole wheat pita?

Giada has an enormous head.

Here is a must read article from the Harvard School of Public Health:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramids.html

Extremely enlightening.

I'm Southern and that's the problem all my recipes are typically comfort foods and bad for you..

Being Southern, maybe you have run across "Louisiana Cooking" by Justin Wilson. One of my favorite cookbooks, along with Giada's. While much of his food falls into the comfort food area you want to avoid, there are also many good recipes for stuff that is both tasty and healthy.

One of my favorites is the Marinated Shrimp.

Oh, Sixee mentioned getting a lot of sleep earlier, and I'll reinforce that point. Consistent lack of sleep correlates with weight gain.

Fil, I'm sorry I had absolutely no idea you were a woman after all these years ;P

Women's Health is the female version, I buy it for my girlfriend and she loves it.

Oooo my special add for simple and great for you.

Instant oatmeals with real blueberry's thrown in along with a few almonds and sprinkle it with real cinamon (spelling).

Giada's head is unnaturally freakishly large. Especially in High Definition. That is all.

Giada's head is unnaturally freakishly large. Especially in High Definition. That is all.

Camera angles, you blasphemer!

I suppose I'll throw in my experience here. At the end of my EQ days I was almost 23 years old, 6'2", and about 275lbs. Needless to say, I didn't exercise and my diet consisted of a lot of fast food and sodas. Within a year I was down to about 210 by cutting back on eating out and running on a treadmill about 4-5 times a week for 30-45 mins each session.

This past July I moved to a very green town that's running and biking friendly. With the fresh start, I decided to make more changes to my eating habits, including ditching all fast food, cutting out all sodas, cutting out all red meat, and cutting out almost all sugar. I started running more and have been averaging about 25-30 miles a week. I've run two half marathons since then, which seemed impossible for me just six months ago. I'm now training for a full marathon in the spring and I'm down to about 175 lbs.

My point is, it's a gradual process that you have to be committed to, but there's many small things you can start with to get you on the right path. ANYONE can cut out sodas and start with a 30 min walk/jog 3x a week. Stick to that for at least a few months and that alone will allow you to see improvements in your heath and well being and encourage you to keep making small changes in lifestyle that you stick to.

Sugar really adds up to a ton of calories that are useless. Just cutting back on sugar alone will make a huge difference on your weight. Starchy carbs - (non whole grain with HFC) Breads, Rice, Pasta, Noodles, Potatoes...get rid of them, they are no good if you really want to make a difference. Anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup...bad bad bad!!

Lots of good advice here.

Whole foods are your friend. Avoid processed food as much as possible. Avoid foods with a high glycemic index. You want foods that digest slowly and release their goodness all day long from your intestines. This will give you all day energy, keep you alert and prevent your blood sugar levels from getting into a peak/crash cycle. Oatmeal and other whole grains are great for you- they will release carbs into your body slowly, all day, and keep you from feeling hungry.

Don't get hungry. If you're hungry, you've waited too long to eat, and it makes you more prone to over eating. Eat lots (six or so) of little meals all day long if you can. Take what you normally eat, and spread it out over the day. Instead of eating your two eggs, two toast and two sausages at breakfast, eat one egg, one toast one sausage at your normal breakfast time, then eat the rest two hours later. Likewise, don't eat your whole lunch at lunch. Eat half at lunchtime and the rest a couple of hours later. If you're eating the right kinds of food, you won't feel hungry at any point during the day once you're used to the smaller meals.

Fil, I'm sorry I had absolutely no idea you were a woman after all these years ;P

Women's Health is the female version, I buy it for my girlfriend and she loves it.

Oooo my special add for simple and great for you.

Instant oatmeals with real blueberry's thrown in along with a few almonds and sprinkle it with real cinamon (spelling).

haha it's ok, I've never really felt the need to broadcast it but alas I am a woman :) Thanks for the tips, I actually did buy some "natural" almonds today for salads I must admit putting it in oatmeal never dawned on me. Anything to spice up the bland plain stuff sounds like a plan though :)

Sugar really adds up to a ton of calories that are useless. Just cutting back on sugar alone will make a huge difference on your weight. Starchy carbs - (non whole grain with HFC) Breads, Rice, Pasta, Noodles, Potatoes...get rid of them, they are no good if you really want to make a difference. Anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup...bad bad bad!!

Ok hold on a minute, I thought whole wheat pasta and brown rice was ok. I also thought that yams/sweet potatoes were better than your regular tater. The conflicting advice is what confuses me :(

I don't drink soda, I used to drink only diet soda, then about a 1 year ago I switched to diet caffiene free now I just drink water or diet caffiene green tea. I've been taking Ambien for about 6 months for insomnia, hence the no caffiene in my diet anymore.

Fast food isn't a problem for me, my problem is making the easy quick fix crap for dinner... b/c it's easy and fast. This is why I need to learn healthier recipes that are also quick and easy. :D And, is stuff everyone will eat, I have a very picky teenager.

Keep the advice rolling! It's great to hear about some of you and your experiences too makes me think you guys really don't just debate everything all the time ;)

And, is stuff everyone will eat, I have a very picky teenager.

Mind you I basically grew up in a restaurant, I was making my own dinner from 12 years of age and on. Around 16 I had no choice but to literally make all of my meals at home because when the restaurant is in full out service there isn't anytime to feed your son!

That being said and taking into consideration we are talking about a teenager its about time he/she starts to help out making meals and in the kitchen in general. I know this is probably more of a task than making food he/she will not be picky over. But there really is no reason to not get your teenagers involved in food prep for the family (maybe this already happens in your house Fild but I am talking in general here).

Maybe your teenager will have ideas of what could be made for dinner that is both healthy and they won't pick through. Plus getting teenagers off their duffs and engaged is always a good thing. Parents trying to do this for the first time will have to put on their patience cap as teenagers in the kitchen tend to get in the way. Start by asking them to help cut stuff up or to find a simple soup recipe that everyone can help make. Soups are the EASIEST things to make, your teenager HAS to like at least one of them. Be prepared for injuries and please, please show them the proper use, cleaning and storage of knives, plus how not to burn the skin off your bones when dealing with the oven and stove top.

Start them early on the cooking path and they will be more food concious throughout their lives instead of subsiding on pizza, ding dongs, pop and chips in college.


Cheers,

Agree 100% with lokase on that; the kids learning how to help put the meals together is huge! It not only helps teach them to prepare food themselves, but it also provides an extra opportunity for communication and bonding, and I will wager that there are less problems in those households where such cooperative activities are taking place.

I know when the kids were younger (and I was still married) we would occasionally all work together putting supper together, getting the dishes cleaned up, and then takling the dog for a walk. With parents working harder, there is less quality time with the kids, and meal prep is a great way to increase it.

Bought some hummus today and some bake whole wheat chips. Man, this stuff is pretty good! Thank you for the suggestion Kelraz.

Ok hold on a minute, I thought whole wheat pasta and brown rice was ok. I also thought that yams/sweet potatoes were better than your regular tater. The conflicting advice is what confuses me :(

I don't drink soda, I used to drink only diet soda, then about a 1 year ago I switched to diet caffiene free now I just drink water or diet caffiene green tea. I've been taking Ambien for about 6 months for insomnia, hence the no caffiene in my diet anymore.

Fast food isn't a problem for me, my problem is making the easy quick fix crap for dinner... b/c it's easy and fast. This is why I need to learn healthier recipes that are also quick and easy. :D And, is stuff everyone will eat, I have a very picky teenager.

Keep the advice rolling! It's great to hear about some of you and your experiences too makes me think you guys really don't just debate everything all the time ;)

Whole grain rice is good for you, its white rice I would stay away from. Yams as well over potatoes, I just would eat both moderately because they are caloric dense and most of it is all carbs. Now this is for losing weight with moderate levels of activity. If your working out hard and keeping weight off isn't a problem, then less care is needed on exactly were your carbs are coming from.

Fast food isn't a problem for me, my problem is making the easy quick fix crap for dinner... b/c it's easy and fast. This is why I need to learn healthier recipes that are also quick and easy. :D And, is stuff everyone will eat, I have a very picky teenager.

Enjoy the hummus :)

My work schedule sucks the big one at times and is awfully slow at others. This week I've been working 8 am to 10 pm Wed - Sat preparing for a BET award show, so that doesn't leave a lot of time to eat food let alone make it. I could always go with the rest of the crew to the burger place, and sometimes I do, but I always try to have a meal waiting at home for me to throw in the microwave and crash. So on Tuesday knowing I was gonna have a rough week I ducked into the kitchen.

So what I do is on the days off prepare a few meals and put the rest in the freezer or fridge. If you only cook stuff 75% of the way through you won't end up overcooking things when you reheat them - but you need only microwave or warm the stuff up in a toaster oven (toaster ovens are AWESOME, take no time to preheat and cook just as well as a regular oven for smaller things. Can warm up a piece of fish, bake a sweet potato, toast a bagel pizza, etc, etc)

Rover --

Thank you for the pasta recipe that was a hit. I did a slight variation and used whole wheat pasta as well as tossed in some steamed broccoli before serving oh and the kids added some grated parm.

Very flavorful, very good and I used no salt.

If you only cook stuff 75% of the way through you won't end up overcooking things when you reheat them

For non-meat ingredients this is a great way to pre-cook or par-cook your food so that when you re-heat you don't overcook.

But...

If you are doing this with any meat products you are potentially putting your health at risk.

Meat has a "danger zone" where bacteria can grow (even in a very short time) and could potentially end up posioning you with such nasties as botulism and samonila.

If you are undercooking your meats then freezing or refridgerating your meals they could be spending too long in those danger areas as you cool them off then reheat them.

It doesn't seem like you have had any issues so far with your method but that doesn't mean you could have an unlucky day and come down with food poisioning with the method you use. I cheat sometimes with certain foods or if I am in a hurry but I always have the danger zone temperature in the back of my mind if I choose to go down the slippery slope ;).

Here are a couple of links to help you determine those danger zones:

http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sendfile&ft=p&fid=1105567310&sid=

http://www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/foodtemps.htm


I hope the info helps, I hate to see peeps give themselves food poisoning when they can avoid it 100% of the time with proper cool down and heat up methods.


Cheers,

Raw Beef Sandwiches!

/bump

How has it been going Fil?

Cheers,