I use to be extremely healthy, I made sure I got enough sleep, I ate right (mainly because my food was prepared for me), and I had more than enough exercise and sun exposure. Im 3months into my first year of living on my own and sadly things are not going great. I get to bed in the early hours of the morning, my eating consists of 2minute noodles, packet pasta's and baked beans. My exercising is still pretty good, I walk everywhere instead of taking the bus, so its a good 2hours of hard out walking a day, but this has its disadvantages as I know my energy intake doesn't match what I burn in a day. I know its a problem because Ive lost quite a bit of weight.
I'm really trying though, doing the whole 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away", so I would like to know if anyone has some 'real' advice on how to become more healthy. Ive googled it, but most of that advice seems very extreme.
How are your protein levels? Grilling chicken breast is easy to do. Also fresh and dark green vegetables i.e. spinach, brocolli and salad vegetables etc...variety in food helps because your body gets used to eating the same things all the time. Try change your food routine so say have fish and toast for breakfast one day , then oats the next day
okay I personally love smoothies and they are easy to make and a great way to include dairy(I dislike dairy) and fruit in your diet if you have a small food processor(I use a braun hand blender)
Strawberry smoothie
-Strawberry Low fat or fat free yoghurt
-Strawberries 200g
-50 ml low fat/fat free milk
Mix it all together with your food blender
You can do the same for blueberries and raspberries
Also most stores sell already cooked chicken breasts and salad bags if you can't cook or are lazy (smiles)
Lazy chicken salad
Chicken breast sliced
Bag of mixed green salad leaves or baby spinach leaves
Cucumber sliced
Cherry tomatoes(because they don't need to be chopped and can be thrown straight into the salad)
croutons(which can be bought from most stores or I used toast chopped up or fry the bread into garlic and margerine until croutonlike)
I add some avocado to this as well but it is what you like personally so it is not neccesary
then add a bit of salad dressing(I don't eat the stuff but there are plenty nice ones out there which are low fat)
I like to make sure we've got a good supply of fruit, yoghurt, and carrot and celery sticks in the fridge for snacks.
There's nothing wrong with baked beans, but you could always keep some veggies in the freezer to throw into your pasta packet dinners. That'll help add some extra vitamins to your daily meals.
If you keep small tins of tuna on hand, they're great for quick sandwiches or for throwing into a salad, too.
And eggs don't take much effort to boil or scramble.
Just a couple more ideas!
If you are concerned with weight loss, the easiest remedy for this is to buy some quality protein powder (or whey supplements) and add this to your morning smoothies or yoghurt. I used to do this years ago when I was heavily into dance performances and competitions and had trouble keeping weight on after gruelling rehearsal schedules. This is definitely preferable to loading up on carbs to prevent weight loss.
While at the health food store, I would also pick up some additional supplements like Spirulina - this is a very iron rich food, 10 times higher than common iron foods. It's also the richest source of B12. A lot of women are B12 deficient, and unless you ask your doctor to check your levels, this won't show up on a normal blood test. The only time they check for this is when a woman is much older, but B12 deficiency has a genetic component. I used to have issues with iron and B12 a few years ago when I went strict vegan and it does throw your energy levels out of whack.
I also live alone, and cooking is not my forte (more so because I am too lazy to bother to cook for one person). Usually I will pick up healthy pre-made meals from Whole Foods or grocery/deli stores.
One idea might be to cook a few healthy options (in bulk) on the weekend and then eat the leftovers during the week so you don't have to worry about lengthy meal preparations every day when you're busy.
If you're not sleeping well (sleep is so important to health), then it could be you're taking in too much caffeine with your coffee during the day. One idea might be to alternate one regular coffee, and then one decaf coffee... just to reduce overall caffeine load.
One of the healthiest foods that I find gives me great energy is the McCann's steel-cut oatmeal first thing in the morning (I know it sounds like an acquired taste... but if you add some honey, a bit of brown sugar and raisins it really is quite delicious).
If you're concerned about not being able to sleep, you could try doing some cardio in the early evening and/or hot shower before bed. That usually works for me.
You could by a small piece of lamb or beef at the weekend and kept in the fridge after cooking will last for three days, and then you all you need to do when you come in is cook a jacket potatoe, 10 mins in the microwave and another 10 mins or so in the oven to crisp it up, and eating the skin is good for you, then just add salad or some veggies.
You can also cook the meat and freeze it into several portions.
Another way if your busy is to cook a load of tuna casserole with mash and a cheese sauce and have that with your baked beans. then get them foil trays, and fill about 4 up and you can freeze them in advance and cook from frozen.
Let me know if you want the tuna cass recipe, It's really easy and it was handed down from my mum, even my kid's love it ha ha.
Oh, yeah one more thing, is there a possibility that your subsituting coffee for food, as coffee can fill you up. I bet if you stopped drinking the coffee you would be so hungry.
Oops, I forgot to mention... "the joy of Nuts and Seeds"....
There are huge health benefits (heart, blood pressure, vitamins, lowering cholesterol).
Raw, unsalted almonds are my favourite... I will usually carry a small bag with me at all times (even in my purse) to snack on during the day when I'm a little hungry. I'm a big proponent of all day "grazing" on small meals versus eating 3 large meals). They are a great source of protein and "good fats"
Pumpkin seeds are known to lower blood pressure.
Walnuts are another heart-healthy fave.
Nuts are also calorically dense but if you're having issues with weight loss, this will also help!
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
Hey Necho...I agree with Dancing D about the protein powder drinks...some of the ones in health stores made for people who work out are very high in both calories and protein...and they taste good...
I have a similar problem in that the only way I can really keep any weight on is to work out and build up my muscle mass...
If you are looking for something high in calories, there is a recipe on the net someone sent me for "Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie"...have not tried it yet, but it sounds like an absolute Heavenly way to get extra calories...
A google search will find it.
I try to avoid processed foods in general, anything out of a box is not usually healthy...too many additives...and please skip the instant noodles...
Later,
Alan.
I have to agree with DD about the nuts...they give me loads of energy in fact they normally make me jump around like a crazy thing
Even with the baby, I find an easy way to burn a few extra calories is not worrying and wasting time trying to find a "close" parking spot at the mall or grocery store. I simply park immediately, and WALK the extra, yes, the stroller makes it tougher, as does getting both the stroller and the groceries, packages what have you back to the car, but you DO burn some calories doing it. Before the baby, I also would return my cart to the store, hey, extra fifty yard of walking, that's a few more calories you burn!
Nuts are good, and lately, we've gotten into all kinds of soy snacks. Pretty tasty stuff...although hubby actually asked the girl at the store if they had a soy based whipped cream...for um, non meal purposes.
"A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere." - Groucho Marx
"Being Healthy" is a bit vague. Give us a little more info and we can give you a more detailed answer. Do you want to lose/gain/maintain weight or build/tone/maintain muscle? Or do you just want quick and easy meal suggestions that are "healthy"?
Either way. Canned tuna. It's great. You can stock up heaps, comes in awesome flavours and it's versatile, can be used for bulking and losing weight.
Easy to prepare, either eat it straight out of the can, or sandwich it, or make a tuna salad, or add it to a pasta etc. etc.
"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it you can either run from it...or, learn from it." - Rafiki, The Lion King
When I was a teen, I had a hard time putting on weight, and then when I went back to college after a few years in the workforce, I actually put on 25 pounds of fat my first year in school. Not healthy at all, especially for someone with one kidney and and a family history of diabetes. I had to give up a lot of favourite (fatty) foods, and had to get back to excercising regularly. Now I'm back to a healthy weight, and slowly building muscles, but I miss hamburgers, bacon, and many other fatty foods I either no longer eat, or eat a lot less of now.
I have found time and money to be the biggest issues in eating healthy, especially for a student. As was already mentioned, cooking bulk, and then eating leftovers is a good way to do it. Pasta is a healthy meal with a lot of carbs, and it takes no longer to cook 3 or 4 servings of it than it does one. So I will often save some pasta for a later meal when I'm in a hurry. A cold pasta salad with light dressing and your favourite vegetables, cheese, and cold meat mixed in is a good quick meal.
Thanks for all the help guys, I was/am just really worried, because its gotten to the point when I actually do eat a proper meal I feel really sick afterwards or the next morning it feels like I have slight food poisoning.
I wonder if that is stress. Relax, and it should get better. I know for me it took a bit for my stomach to get used to a different diet.
Water! Really drink more water. Especially if you drink a lot of coffee.
Also, maybe you should see a doctor. Have you ever been tested for food allergies? Maybe you are eating something that doesn't suit you.
I'm sorry, everything looks grim when you don't feel well. It will get better.
I am a huge advocator of water. Drinking lots of it. Also, perhaps after going out on your own, stress levels, while perhaps reduced in some areas, increased in others.
Our tummies have a way of coping with stress by producing more acid. This can leave your stomach uncomfortable all the time. Talk with your Doc. Perhaps something
as simple as an antacid or something like omeprazole (Prevacid) might help. See your Doc! Outside of that, lots of fruits, berries, and vegtables. All the things your Mom would tell you to eat. Get better soon.
1. rest ... preferably with sleep attached to the rest
2. water / hydration
3. fresh air
4. fresh raw foods
put all 4 in your life, little bits continually throughout the day ... every day ... and it will balance you up.
good luck
(oh ... and forget any type of fast foods, even if it's a sandwich - makes sense to eat better real fuel for your body to produce effectively physically, mentally and emotionally)
Thanks for all the advice guys, I actually think I might go round to the doctors and just get a little check up, I don't really have anything to loose (except $100 lol)
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
Hey Necho...I would have added excercise, but you already stated you get plenty of that...
I haven't been in a gym in over a year myself...
Funny, I've been hanging out on story/chat sites for just over a year...hmmm, must just be a coincidence...
I went to see the doctor, he isn't very happy with me...
He thinks, that I'm either malnourished or highly allergic to something,
After grilling me for over half an hour over if I'm sure I'm not pregnant he came to the conclusion that he also thinks I'm getting a stomach ulcer.
Everything will however be revealed when I receive the blood test results on Tuesday,
