So Many Different Diets - Where To Start?

[simon43]

I'm turning into a fat b*stard:) - need to do something about it. I also want to to ensure that I have a diet that will help me to maintain a healthy lifestyle etc.

So what are the suggestions?

I'm 49 years old, 173cm tall and weigh about 77kg, average body build, don't smoke, drink maybe 2 units of alcohol per day. I cycle about 6km each morning. I get up at 6am and go to bed at 11pm or later, fairly hyperactive but have normal blood pressure for my age, not really stressed out! I tend not to get regular sleep, (often have to get up in the night for guests at my hotel or working late doing volunteer work etc). So trying to establish a good sleep pattern is not easy. I'm physically healthy (I think!).

My father died of a heart attack last year, (as did his father before him). My mother had a disabling stroke several years ago. I want to minimise my risk of a similar event.

I usually eat only Thai food, no fatburgers etc.

Where to start? My main aims are:

- Reduce risk of heart illness/attack, strokes, cancer

- Reduce my body weight/amount of fat to a more acceptable level

- Maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle

Any suggestions most welcome.

Simon

[jumnien]

I'm 49 years old and struggle with weight also. I'm about 165 cm and 68 kilos. Sometimes, I'm 62 kilos or othertimes I'm 72 kilos. No balance. It's tough as we get older to realize we don't need a whole lot of food to keep going. But food is pleasureable and we eat for pleasure. And food is everywhere!

I do best when I'm exercising and sleeping enough. Mostly, I find weight control to be diet oriented. Eating Thai food can be tough because of the oil and sugar. I do best when I switch to western salads and proteins and most of all a very high percentage of carbohydrates like vegetables and a bit of fruit.

[wolfmanjack]

Eat 5 times a day instead of the usual 3 but smaller meals each. make sure you eat when you first get up in the morning to jump start your metabolism. Your largest meal should be breakfast not dinner. Drink enough water where your urine is clear after the first time in the morning.

You are not very fat so simple things like these will take care of what you see as a problem.

[dclaryjr]

Eat 5 times a day instead of the usual 3 but smaller meals each. make sure you eat when you first get up in the morning to jump start your metabolism. Your largest meal should be breakfast not dinner. Drink enough water where your urine is clear after the first time in the morning.

You are not very fat so simple things like these will take care of what you see as a problem.

Does that Thai food you eat include a lot of rice? If so, I'd recommend cutting back on that a bit (or better yet, eliminating it all together.) I've lost over 40 pounds over the last 9 months by backing off the carbs, and concentrating on eating REAL FOOD. I don't use the term "low carb" because it has a lot of bad connotations but my daily intake is less than 80 grams while I'm losing fat. I eat A LOT of big, tasty salads with lots of veggies, some protein, and healthy oils.

I don't buy into the "gotta eat breakfast" dictum. There is a lot of evidence that intermittent fasting has lot's of benefits, and can help us turn to fat burning for energy. Google "intermittent fasting" and "paleo diet" and you'll find lot's of good information.

[wolfmanjack]

Eat 5 times a day instead of the usual 3 but smaller meals each. make sure you eat when you first get up in the morning to jump start your metabolism. Your largest meal should be breakfast not dinner. Drink enough water where your urine is clear after the first time in the morning.

You are not very fat so simple things like these will take care of what you see as a problem.

Does that Thai food you eat include a lot of rice? If so, I'd recommend cutting back on that a bit (or better yet, eliminating it all together.) I've lost over 40 pounds over the last 9 months by backing off the carbs, and concentrating on eating REAL FOOD. I don't use the term "low carb" because it has a lot of bad connotations but my daily intake is less than 80 grams while I'm losing fat. I eat A LOT of big, tasty salads with lots of veggies, some protein, and healthy oils.

I don't buy into the "gotta eat breakfast" dictum. There is a lot of evidence that intermittent fasting has lot's of benefits, and can help us turn to fat burning for energy. Google "intermittent fasting" and "paleo diet" and you'll find lot's of good information.

No a thai sized bowl of rice 5 times a day would not be a good idea. When i go into this mode of eating it is mostly fruits and vegetables. Around 250 grams of meat a day. A lot of salads with red wine vinegar. Maybe some olive oil added on the salad. Whole wheat sandwiches. I do not eat rice more than once a day. It tends to make my excrement like glue.

For me the eating when i first get up works. If i do not then I can not lose weight even when cutting the calories.

[tracker]

I'm 47 and stopped eating rice, as a main dish, for 2.5 years now. Eat it sometimes though, but not more than 2 plates/month. It really makes a difference if you decrease those "fast carbos" (rice, noodle, potatoes, bread, etc).

One thing is very important though, 6 billion people, with 6 billion different diets and ideas. Read up upon the subject from different sources or/and at least from sources not attached to some product.. www.naturalnews.com is a good start. This "healthranger" has good info and I follow this website for several months already. He's free from any sales and therefore the info can be trusted a bit more...

good luck!

[Zodiac]

One view is that diet's don't work:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_an...icle4256687.ece

[juehoe]

One view is that diet's don't work:

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_an...icle4256687.ece

It is true that these diets you see in women magazines don’t work. You need a diet that is adapted to your metabolism – and time.

I am 47 year old and 171 cm high. A year ago my weight was just 90 kg and I could loose about 16 kg within 8 months. I made this diet in Switzerland with the aid of a specialist – but I could keep my weight during my last 3 months stay in Thailand.

Because this type of metabolism-adopted diet is not cheap, I ask my specialist for hints for friends with a weight problem. I got following rule of thumb:

• Carbohydrates are good for your brain and for concentration but you should only eat it in the morning: high-value products as crisp bread, cereal bread or a rice soup.
  
• In the morning avoid white bread, butter, jam etc. Many cereal products like Kellog’s contain a lot of sugar. Eat proteins like eggs or cheese.
  
• Good proteins are fish, chicken and tofu. Don’t eat too much beef and seafood like shrimps.
  
• Avoid carbohydrates in the evening. Eat a lot of cooked (!) vegetables and light proteins like eggs, fish or tofu.
  
• Don’t eat too much and too late in the evening (no later that 4 hours before going to bed). This is a problem in Thailand where the people like to eat late and a lot in the evening. Avoid cheese and uncooked vegetarian food in the evening.
  
• Avoid alcohol and diet products; drink a lot (3 l) of water or tea.
  
• Avoid instant products because they contain a lot of products, which are not healthy for you body.
  
• Don’t eat too much fruits because they have a lot of sugar.
  

My diet was not for starving! My daily diet contains al lot of proteins and vegetables – about 0.6 kg vegetables and 0.3 kg of proteins like chicken or with fish even 0.5 kg!

[Steele404]

Another note for Juehoe..

- Your morning meal should be the biggest

- Little thngs that you choose your food and groceries matter. For instance, buy no fat cheese, 0% fat milk, 0% fat yogurt, 0% fat ice cream sherbet, etc.

Some of the Thai food are HUGE in fat and calories count, so be careful. One might think all Thai food are healthy, but have you seen the amount of oil and assortments of coconut milk they put in to give the shine and taste?

[eggshen]

My two cents:

Do large cucumber and tomato salads, no vinegar, but use some form of olive oil based dressing, for 2/3 alt 2/4 of the meals per day. That will help you "alkalize" (google it).

Drink lots of water with lime squeezed into it, preferably add a couple of teaspoons of concentrated wheat grass to 1.5 liters of fluid.

Eat carbs and protein separately (2-3 hours apart).

Eat fruits completely separately (2-3 hours apart from eating anything else).

Go for low GI carbs. Buckwheat and millet = good, wheat flour = bad.

Eat lots of:

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Tomato, Avocado, and raw greens etc (alkaline).

Eat less of:

Pork, Mutton, Beef, Vinegar, Soy sauce, High sugar content fruits, Corn, Mushrooms, and of course Cane Sugar (acidic).

Listen to:

Tony Robbins - Living Health.

Read:

Robert Young - PH Miracle (or one of his newer books).

Also, check out Pete Sisco's Static Contraction Training.

Cheers..

[Steele404]

Man..... eggshen, lighten up. your list is too stagerring... not many can successfully follow that on a daily basis especially in Thailand.

[dclaryjr]

Man..... eggshen, lighten up. your list is too stagerring... not many can successfully follow that on a daily basis especially in Thailand.

I'm curious...what part of his post would you consider to be difficult to follow in Thailand? I like some of what he's suggesting (like the cruciferous vegetables) but I also eat beef and pork. I know I ate some good, fresh pork in my wife's village (I know it was fresh because I heard the poor porker protesting the end of it's life). My house is just a short hop from the ChokChai (spl??) Steak House so I know I can get beef. So outside of the wheat grass, what is undoable?

Thanks!

[GaiYaang]

IMO I don't think simon43 and sunrise07 are over the edge with weight. If it's get close to about 90kg may be. I have seen worth and they just keep eating. It's good that's you guy are doing something about it. I'm not the expert, and I'm not over weight. Exercise and eat right.

[eggshen]

Man..... eggshen, lighten up. your list is too stagerring... not many can successfully follow that on a daily basis especially in Thailand.

You're right Steele, it is a bit much to do all at once.

I do a lot of it, most of the time, but certainly not all the time

What I suggest is that you do some of it, and then more as you please, gradually over time.

As you get closer to your ideal weight, and you overall health and wellness improves, it'll be much easier to motivate doing more diet-wise. Like with so many things, it takes a while getting used to.

[tominbkk]

There is a lot of evidence that intermittent fasting has lot's of benefits, and can help us turn to fat burning for energy. Google "intermittent fasting" and "paleo diet" and you'll find lot's of good information.

I agree! I've been experimenting with intermittent fasting how for about two weeks, have lost a lot of weight, and feel great! I'm not going to explain what it is here, just Google the terms. Takes a couple days to get used to and I suppose some amount of willpower at that time but now it's easy peasy for me.

[FITCORPASIA]

Sorry to disappoint you guys, intermittent fasting may help you lose weight on the scales in the short term, but this is NOT a lifestyle!!!

This will DESTROY your metabolism, make your body eat into lean muscle tissue, further decreasing your metabolic rate and your bodies ability to burn fat as a fuel source.

Recommendations MUST be sustainable. Correct, diets DONT work. Your nutritional intake must be balanced - eat light, eat often, combine your foods, yes, bigger meals earlier in the day, less carbs as the day goes on (exercise/training habits must also be considered for this rule)

To make some corrections....

you MUST combine your foods - Combine proteins and complex carbs to force the body to use more energy to digest and absorb nutrients. Combinging also reduced the blood sugar spike which occurs fro eating simple carbs on their own, like FRUIT!!!

This is just to keep it simple, and add some more to the topic - Purely based on results of 100's of clients over the years or operating and working within the fitness and nutrition indutry.

Edited January 16, 2009 by FITCORPASIA

[YagerTool]

Eat wholegrain carbs instead of white. Much better for you. Eat smaller portions, more frequently, and lots of fruit and vegatables. Sound familiar? That's because it works.

[midlifecrisis]

Diets are fads.

Consome more calories than you burn and you gain. Consume less than you burn and you lose.

People who are underweight tend to live longer with less cancer, arthritis and other ailments than heavier people.

Studies have shown all of this.

We get caught up in media hype on dieting. It is a simple process to lose weight over time with discipline in eating and moderate exercise. The problem for me is discipline. I know what to do. I just don't do it.

I lost 5 pounds in two weeks in Thailand on vacation recently. Two meals a day, not western eating habits, walking all day and even drank evenings.