Healthy Lifestyle / Nutrition

[bright lights, big city]

And being 6'3" and 235 lbs doesn't hurt either

dude you make me feel like a goddamn anorexic wimp. i'm 6'5" and 185 lbs.

[alvarezbassist17]

dude the fucking awesome thing about being tall is you can pretty much eat whatever the fuck you want and can just be huge and muscular with really not a whole lot of effort.  You don't really do a whole lot in terms of lifting, I'm guessing?

Another great thing I've found about lifting is that it really helps take a lot of stress off of your joints and bones, I rarely get clicky or sore joints at all since i started.  I feel like it's helped my immune system a lot too, or at least combated some of the damage I do from smoking.

[derekautomatica]

i eat vegetarians so i know i'm good

bwahahahaha

[weakcure]

To echo what others have said, it can be very pricey to completely transition to a hormone/pesticide-free, low sodium diet. Our society has become so accustomed to convenience - when we go to grocery stores, we expect everything to be available, whether or not it may be in season, and with tons of alternative options. Fast food is everywhere because it's quick, filling, and cheap.

I've found the most effective, manageable, and affordable ways to change to a healthier lifestyle is:
01 - Cutting sodium, or minimizing your intake as much as possible. Reading labels will be a huge eyeopener: you'd be surprised how much sodium is packed in what you'd think of as the unlikeliest places.
02 - Drinking water instead of sodas. This is the cheapest and one of the most important.
03 - Figure out what you can make that can substitute for what you'd buy. I stopped buying salad dressings/marinades forever ago because I realized how easy it was to make my own; it's just acid and oil. My favorite dressing is freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Pasta sauce is another example; there are good premade ones out there, but I've found it's so easy to buy a can of crushed tomatoes and add it to garlic that's been sauteed in olive oil and chili flakes.
04 - Drinking hormone-free milk. This is huge for me, especially since I'm a girl.

I'm a full-time college student, so I barely have the funds or time, but I loooove to cook. Suggestions for meals and snacks:
-- Breakfast: Cut any frozen/pre-made pastries, like frozen waffles, Pop-Tarts, etc. Even most "granola" bars are just sugar; you're better off having fruit. I like eggs (though in moderation) with/without sauteed vegetables (on a budget, think canned mushrooms or slices of tomato). For longer days, when I need something to last me a while, I like using whole wheat, multi-grain bread for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Just use real peanut butter, and not peanut butter spread.
-- Lunch/Dinner: Minimize meat, and focus on eating hearty vegetables, legumes (lentils, especially... so, so cheap and packed with nutrition), whole grains, and fruit. Canned tuna that's packed in water is a good option, pastas (you can find plenty of good canned sauces in health OR specialty stores, and it's criminally simple to make your own), deli sandwiches that have more vegetables than meat/sauce, etc.
-- Snacks: I like Kashi granola bars, whole unroasted almonds (roasting actually draws a lot of the essential oils out), hummus (omg so good with pita), or fruit.

I think the most important aspect to any lifestyle change - diet, included - is that it has to be realistic. If you like meat, don't deprive yourself completely of that. Start gradually, or eat in moderation. So many people have this misperception that, to be healthy, you have to be some outlandish vegan yuppie who walks barefoot everywhere. You want to keep yourself motivated to eat well, and not hate a minute of it.

If you want any recipes, I'd be more than happy to share.

For myself, I do all that, plus I don't drink alcohol (vanilla of me, whatever) and I do pilates regularly. I'm also trying to ride my bike more often, but I, unfortunately, don't live in the most bike-friendly of all places.

[Vesanic]

Lol imma just go to McDonald's.

[chick de la lynch]

its funny how so many vegetarians are horribly unhealthy...

It's a diet for people with money. I was 16 when I became a vegetarian and I'm 21 now so I know personally how a good vegetarian diet can put a hole in your pocket.

not true unless you are talking about processed vegetarian food (which is an unbelievable racket). If you buy fresh produce (or better yet, grow)and make your own meals it is actually incredibly cheap to be a vegetarian. fresh produce (and i am not talking organic) and beans are some of the cheapest items in the store, even at a place like Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

As for red meat, substitute lamb or pork instead. or try replacing meat altogether with beans or a soy based product (although they tend to be expensive).

Trader Joe's has a tendency to get pricey even with non-organic vegetables. Every time I get veggies I'm spending $3-$4 on just one vegetable. If I didn't get bored easily when I eat, then yeah it would be incredibly cheap. But vegetables all the time doesn't cut it, especially for a former meat eater.

I think the one thing that people automatically assume when you're a vegetarian is that you're a light eater and constantly eat vegetables and salads and that's not the case. Vegetarians want meaty meals too even if we don't eat meat.

[bright lights, big city]

dude the fucking awesome thing about being tall is you can pretty much eat whatever the fuck you want and can just be huge and muscular with really not a whole lot of effort.  You don't really do a whole lot in terms of lifting, I'm guessing?

you got me buddy. basically i just go for a run once in a while, and the occasional push-up or sit-up. haven't really done any strength training in like 4 years.

[wheresmysnare]

its funny how so many vegetarians are horribly unhealthy...

Trader Joe's has a tendency to get pricey even with non-organic vegetables.

My ex girlfriend was a biochemist and she worked for Syngenta who develop and sell biochemical products to enhance crop/vegetables. She started out thinkin they were evil but a lot of the work they do is very ethical and looks at the impact of any treatments and processes on the environments. From doing the research work in the lab she had concluded pretty fast that organic is a complete rip off and yields inferior produce.

fuckkkkkk i meant organic = inferior

[blixa]

i'm a smoker, i drink beer and coffee - sometimes at the same time and in excessive amounts although i've learnt to drink more responsibly the last few years, i'm secretly addicted to creaming soda, and i would be exceptionally happy if i could eat potatos for the rest of my life. i hate chocolate (except for hot chocolate) and sweets so i don't find myself gaining weight via those things. i eat lots of vegetables. i set up these really impossible things to do monthly like i give up bread for a month, i eat only steamed vegetables and drink water for a month, i go raw for three months etc.

heaven, i don't agree that being a vegetarian is expensive. if you eat out all the time, whether you're a vego or not, it's going to cost you shitloads of money. plus faux meat is expensive, i agree (this has been the biggest reason as to why some vego's forego their beliefs and end up eating meat - cheap and convenient) but if you go to asian groceries you can find that stuff really decently priced. or you can buy lentils, breadcrumbs, and vegetables and make your own patties. they would last you for ages. asian groceries are usually a godsend for me. whenever i eat something when i'm out, it's usually thai or indian.

it also depends on how you were brought up. if it was kfc most of the nights then you do get into that habit. my mum is really against take out so i never really eat it unless i'm out with my mates and they always end up eating vegan food with me so we never feel bad about eating what we eat. my family does eat some take out but it's so rare that it's nothing to get worried about.

also pasta is very good. it has low gi so it keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

or try replacing meat altogether with beans or a soy based product (although they tend to be expensive).

Soy products aren't really healthy though...

too much soy isn't good, but too much of anything isn't good either.

[chick de la lynch]

heaven, i don't agree that being a vegetarian is expensive.

I don't think I am making myself clear when I say I get bored very easily when I eat, so yes, if I could eat vegetables and rice all the time I would. It would be cheap as hell. There are many vegetarians who can do that with no qualms, but I'm not one of those vegetarians. I grew up in a family where I ate heavy food constantly and I had a lot of variety when I ate and as much as I love bok choy, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. it's not going to keep me interested or keep me very full. I'm a former meat eater, so that's where the veggie meat comes into play (As well as the $) to make my meals more interesting than they are. I don't eat them all the time, but if I am making pasta or I'm just in the mood for a veggie burger I have that option.

Essentially it comes down to how you eat. For some vegetarians it's going to be a cheap diet. For others, like myself, it's going to be rather expensive.

[blixa]

but it's not just rice and vegetables. all you're doing is taking away the meat, which isn't as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. you do learn to eat lighter meals, which you should be eating anyway. my entire family and extended family are completely gross with their intake of meat and i was once apart of that so i know heavy meals and i don't think i would ever want to stuff myself with so much food ever again. my mum has been amazing though. she has taught me to cook some awesome meals that once contained meat, which she substituted with other stuff. i'm not a fussy eater. i love eating my steamed vegetables and whatever carbs i'm having. you should invest in a book or look online, there's loads of easy recipes for vegetarian meals. when i was vegetarian for the first year it was actually the easiest thing. the ball definitely stepped up when i became vegan because everything became impossible because the world doesn't cater to my lifestyle until i worked at it and catered for my own.

like i said, it doesn't have to be expensive. maybe it's your eating habits that should change. i think you should just cook your own food.

[alvarezbassist17]

So wait, I'm confused.  Are most vegetarians/vegans that way because it's healthier or for ethical reasons?  Because I'm very not convinced that completely eliminating meat from an omnivore's diet is entirely healthy.

dude the fucking awesome thing about being tall is you can pretty much eat whatever the fuck you want and can just be huge and muscular with really not a whole lot of effort.  You don't really do a whole lot in terms of lifting, I'm guessing?

you got me buddy. basically i just go for a run once in a while, and the occasional push-up or sit-up. haven't really done any strength training in like 4 years.

Well get on that shit, duder.  Height is like the best natural advantage for being strong and toned.  And it really doesn't need to be a whole lot; I go for like an hour, 90 minutes maybe like twice a week, 3 if I'm feelin frisky.  But yeah, it doesn't need to be like 2 hours daily to see and feel its effect.  Plus just step it up with the protein and you'll be puttin on weight and moving easier in no time.  Plus, bitches love strong tall dudes, and you'll be able to tear up the little pussies in the pit just that much more efficiently haha

[bright lights, big city]

dude the fucking awesome thing about being tall is you can pretty much eat whatever the fuck you want and can just be huge and muscular with really not a whole lot of effort.  You don't really do a whole lot in terms of lifting, I'm guessing?

you got me buddy. basically i just go for a run once in a while, and the occasional push-up or sit-up. haven't really done any strength training in like 4 years.

Well get on that shit, duder.  Height is like the best natural advantage for being strong and toned.  And it really doesn't need to be a whole lot; I go for like an hour, 90 minutes maybe like twice a week, 3 if I'm feelin frisky.  But yeah, it doesn't need to be like 2 hours daily to see and feel its effect.  Plus just step it up with the protein and you'll be puttin on weight and moving easier in no time.  Plus, bitches love strong tall dudes, and you'll be able to tear up the little pussies in the pit just that much more efficiently haha

haha what a great post. and will do. i'll get into some of that protein shake bullshit.

[alvarezbassist17]

haha yeah I do have a bit of a different perspective than the other conversation going on in this thread.  Oh and I've never tried those protein drink shits, I bet they probably help, but I just eat LOTS OF ANIMALS.

[defskull]

If you want any recipes, I'd be more than happy to share.

I'm interested in some recipes. I've been wanting to eat healthier forever but I just don't know what to make.

[Starz]

Being a diabetic, it is essential that I eat healthy and luckily I don't have a sweet tooth so not eating chocolate or sweets isn't a problem (the insulin I'm currently taking theoretically allows me to eat pretty much anything I want though). I have no routine like some people on here. I just eat what I eat regardless if it's healthy or not... I think I'm one of those people that could just eat and eat and still not put on any weight. My mother let's me know how skinny I am all the time but i don't think so.

"I give bread up for a month" comments kinda make me laugh. One month of no bread and then carry on again after. That's real healthy...

If it were possible and if I wasn't a diabetic I would eat Indian food every day for the rest of my life. Unfortunately here in London they like to put a shit load of sugar in the Indian food so it's not so healthy for me. It's more about the amount of exercise you do. There's no point eating healthy but doing fuck all exercise...

[chick de la lynch]

but it's not just rice and vegetables. all you're doing is taking away the meat, which isn't as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. you do learn to eat lighter meals, which you should be eating anyway. my entire family and extended family are completely gross with their intake of meat and i was once apart of that so i know heavy meals and i don't think i would ever want to stuff myself with so much food ever again. my mum has been amazing though. she has taught me to cook some awesome meals that once contained meat, which she substituted with other stuff. i'm not a fussy eater. i love eating my steamed vegetables and whatever carbs i'm having. you should invest in a book or look online, there's loads of easy recipes for vegetarian meals. when i was vegetarian for the first year it was actually the easiest thing. the ball definitely stepped up when i became vegan because everything became impossible because the world doesn't cater to my lifestyle until i worked at it and catered for my own.

like i said, it doesn't have to be expensive. maybe it's your eating habits that should change. i think you should just cook your own food.

It's very easy to tell someone to eat lighter, but if you grew up that way it's 10x harder to do. I don't eat heavy heavy, but I enjoy a filling meal and as a Mexican  you're taught to eat everything on your plate, not to mention Mexican food is already heavy (Which is food I grew up eating). I'm eating a lot better than I was six months ago and the proof is in my jean size. I eat well proportioned meals, splurging every once in a while and I do cook my own meals. I eat out maybe once a week, but these days I can't even afford to do that (Which I consider to be a blessing). I do have a vegetarian cook book, unfortunately I have no idea what the hell I did with it.

[blixa]

So wait, I'm confused.  Are most vegetarians/vegans that way because it's healthier or for ethical reasons?  Because I'm very not convinced that completely eliminating meat from an omnivore's diet is entirely healthy.

there are vego's that eat that way for ethical reasons and some that eat that way for health. i'm vegan for ethical reasons but the only reason i would go raw vegan is for health.

It's very easy to tell someone to eat lighter, but if you grew up that way it's 10x harder to do. I don't eat heavy heavy, but I enjoy a filling meal and as a Mexican  you're taught to eat everything on your plate, not to mention Mexican food is already heavy (Which is food I grew up eating). I'm eating a lot better than I was six months ago and the proof is in my jean size. I eat well proportioned meals, splurging every once in a while and I do cook my own meals. I eat out maybe once a week, but these days I can't even afford to do that (Which I consider to be a blessing). I do have a vegetarian cook book, unfortunately I have no idea what the hell I did with it.

i grew up with heavy meals. i come from a middle eastern family. all they do is eat. that's why i became vegan. i wanted to know what it was i was eating and when i found out i didn't like it one bit. i promised to make a change and i was going to stick with it no matter how challenging. my first year of being vegetarian was just trial and error. i learned a lot and i ate healthy. i lost lots of weight and at the same time my belief in animal rights was getting stronger. a lot of people think you do it to lose weight but that was the last thing on my mind and a lot of 'vegetarians' who do it for weight reasons usually give up after a short period of time. i know how hard it is, that's all i'm saying. i'm not being condescending but i grew up in a family that eats way too much so i know how rewarding it is when i learnt to eat enough. that has been the best thing - knowing my limit.

steer clear of fake meats, they're processed. that's all the advice i can give you.

"I give bread up for a month" comments kinda make me laugh. One month of no bread and then carry on again after. That's real healthy...

i wasn't doing it to be healthy. i just wanted to know if i could go without bread, and i did. i felt better and focused on getting more muesli and oats into my food regiment as opposed to just eating bread all the time. i eat a lot less bread now.

[chick de la lynch]

I'm glad you brought up how some people become vegetarians to lose weight. It's a healthier diet, but you can still eat very badly while following an animal friendly diet. I gained 30 lbs by eating out on a daily basis. I think becoming a vegetarian should be more than just losing weight--there definitely needs to be more of a purpose. The only way you're going to stick to a vegetarian diet is if you truly want to be a vegetarian. Whether it's the taste of meat or your beliefs on animal rights, the purpose needs to be substantial otherwise you'll never stick to it.

[Necrocetaceanbeastiality]

I'm glad you brought up how some people become vegetarians to lose weight. It's a healthier diet, but you can still eat very badly while following an animal friendly diet. I gained 30 lbs by eating out on a daily basis. I think becoming a vegetarian should be more than just losing weight--there definitely needs to be more of a purpose. The only way you're going to stick to a vegetarian diet is if you truly want to be a vegetarian. Whether it's the taste of meat or your beliefs on animal rights, the purpose needs to be substantial otherwise you'll never stick to it.

I know a buttload of vegans that are extremely overweight because all they eat is bread and all the drink is beer. It's unbelievable. If you're going to make a statement about what you believe in, at least try not to kill yourself in the process.