I've gained 5kgs and want to lose it ASAP :(

[robblok]

I heard fruits contain 'natural' sugar, which is different from processed sugar. I'm guessing this is false?

Its different and less bad for you but in the end it is still sugar so you can't eat it in unlimited numbers.

[chiang mai]

Ever thought about planting a vegetable garden, seeds are readily available? Also, look around the market for spinach, probably best to get the Thai name for it since it doesn't look like the spinach in the West so not real easy to identify. Spinach is super healthy/friendly

[kirstymelb101]

I ate half a small watermelon for lunch today.

It was either that or a bowl of krapao moo with rice, which I obviously chose the healthy alternative.

The veggie garden is a brilliant idea! I might make it a new hobby of mine, since I have so much free time on my hands.

My aunt has a small veggie garden of her own, but only grows red/green chili to sell at the local market.

I'll ask her advice on how to set everything up

Edited August 21, 2013 by kirstymelb101

[hanno]

Do not eat too little either. Otherwise your body will go into survival mode and not shed weight (and you will feel crap to boot). You really need to figure out your calorie needs and start logging what food you eat (people tend to underestimate what they eat). Plenty of website but I use Caloriecount (I don't thing I can link, PM me if you want the link).

[Kalbo]

Do not eat too little either. Otherwise your body will go into survival mode and not shed weight (and you will feel crap to boot). You really need to figure out your calorie needs and start logging what food you eat (people tend to underestimate what they eat). Plenty of website but I use Caloriecount (I don't thing I can link, PM me if you want the link).

This 'survival mode' is a well perpetuated myth. It takes a long time and a very low bodyfat level before the body goes into 'survival mode'. A very low carb diet will make you feel shitty, and you will crave carbs, so unless you have a strong will, then just eat normally, just less of it. A lot of people read the 2,000 calorie /day part, but a great many people don't actually realise how small a quantity of food it really is. Also, it is a lot easier NOT to put 400 calories in your mouth than it is to burn off 400 calories through exercise.

[hanno]

This 'survival mode' is a well perpetuated myth

For every article that says it is a myth, there is another article that says it i not. I do agree that eating too little for a day will not have any effect and I do agree that you will not gain or maintain weight if you eat too little for a long time. However, eating too little will slow down the metabolism, it is not a health way to diet, and you would fee; pretty average.

[ChrisB87]

Eat only two vegetarian meals per day, before 12 noon, for a month or so.

I understand a veggie diet is not easy to maintain in Thailand, especially in Isaan. If you must eat meat, okay, but it does ramp up calories, especially when fried in oil, and eaten with sticky rice (high sugar/calorie content).

If you must eat in the evening, just try to limit it to fruit and nuts, and not within two hours of going to bed.

[MilesofSmiles]

Go to the local Muay Thai gym 2-3 times a week.

[Jingthing]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jingthing

[robblok]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

Loads of people count calories and it works. I have done it and it gives you a good insight in how much calories (energy) there is in certain foods. Its a great tool and you learn a lot from it after a while it helps you make the right choices.

JT just because you can't do something does not mean it can't be done. Remember i lost 25kg and kept it off still while relaxing on what I eat. But with the knowledge of calorie counting I keep things in check without really counting them.

Diets do work JT to loose weight where they fail is that once you stop you go back to your old habits. But if you diet and then after that change to a healthy lifestyle it will work.

You are Mr negative and Mr I want to be thin but not do a thing for it it has to be easy ect ect.

[impulse]

Last time I lost 5 kg real quickly was right after I ate some funky smelling eggs that were put in front of me at a banquet. "Cultural sensitivity" vs my nose. Should have trusted the nose.

I don't recommend it.

[chiang mai]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

I diasgree with so much of what you've written JT:

If you don't begin to understand caloric values you'll never get anywhere, it doesn't mean that you have to practise it for life, in reality much of it becomes second nature after a while.

Diets have been proven scientifically to be ineffective!! Where do you get this stuff from, that statement is not even worth a rebuttal.

I'm the same weight now at 63 that I was at age 18, I made it so and haven't allowed my diet to get the better of me!

Sounds like you're allowing your inability to adhere to diets and inability to calorie count to interfere with your judgemnt about what is possible or not for the rest of us!

[Jingthing]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

Loads of people count calories and it works. I have done it and it gives you a good insight in how much calories (energy) there is in certain foods. Its a great tool and you learn a lot from it after a while it helps you make the right choices.

JT just because you can't do something does not mean it can't be done. Remember i lost 25kg and kept it off still while relaxing on what I eat. But with the knowledge of calorie counting I keep things in check without really counting them.

Diets do work JT to loose weight where they fail is that once you stop you go back to your old habits. But if you diet and then after that change to a healthy lifestyle it will work.

You are Mr negative and Mr I want to be thin but not do a thing for it it has to be easy ect ect.

Back off on the personal attacks, dude. I am talking about scientific evidence. Not your anecdotal experience of one. Evidence shows definitely that diets do not work! I have posted the links many times. Losing weight is not the goal. Lifetime health is the goal. When I say they don't work, I mean when you look at the LONG TERM, like 5 years later, the failure rate is MASSIVE. I am not Mr. Negative. I am Mr. PRO HEALTH. All you've got is your tired old cliches you probably learned in your Calvinist culture. I'm talking about science and evidence.

Yes diets work and crash diets work to lose weight initially. But again, SCIENCE. If you are going to lose weight just to regain it again and again, HEALTHWISE you are much better off not even losing the weight AT ALL.

This is the health forum so yes my focus is on long term health and long term POSITIVE outcomes for the most people possible. Dieting is the wrong approach for that. You need to go deeper and change your entire relationship to food. If you want lifetime results or even 5 year results.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jingthing

[thaicbr]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption. 

 

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

 

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

 

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

 

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

 

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

 

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

 

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight. 

 

I diasgree with so much of what you've written JT:

 

If you don't begin to understand caloric values you'll never get anywhere, it doesn't mean that you have to practise it for life, in reality much of it becomes second nature after a while.

 

Diets have been proven scientifically to be ineffective!! Where do you get this stuff from, that statement is not even worth a rebuttal.

 

I'm the same weight now at 63 that I was at age 18, I made it so and haven't allowed my diet to get the better of me!

 

Sounds like you're allowing your inability to adhere to diets and inability to calorie count to interfere with your judgemnt about what is possible or not for the rest of us!

 

So at 18 you were 150 kg and your still that now .. well done!

Just kidding

Are you saying you have NEVER fluctuated in weight?

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

Someone who has never been obese doesn't have a serious ssue with food. Their experience with food has no relation to the experiences of people who have ever been obese. People who are overweight might become obese and they might not. This is more individual.

Edited August 21, 2013 by Jingthing

[poanoi]

Fruit is not the answer, that is sugar also, aka steroids for fat.

An occasional fruit is ok, but the shift should be towards those dreaded green stuff

[chiang mai]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

I diasgree with so much of what you've written JT:

If you don't begin to understand caloric values you'll never get anywhere, it doesn't mean that you have to practise it for life, in reality much of it becomes second nature after a while.

Diets have been proven scientifically to be ineffective!! Where do you get this stuff from, that statement is not even worth a rebuttal.

I'm the same weight now at 63 that I was at age 18, I made it so and haven't allowed my diet to get the better of me!

Sounds like you're allowing your inability to adhere to diets and inability to calorie count to interfere with your judgemnt about what is possible or not for the rest of us!

So at 18 you were 150 kg and your still that now .. well done!

Just kidding

Are you saying you have NEVER fluctuated in weight?

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

At age 19 I was 76 kgs, today at age 63 I am 77 kgs and with the exception of a six month period starting two years ago I have always been the same weight, plus or minus two kgs and this despite trying several times to gain weight, sometimes consuming up to 4,000 cals a day but without sucess. During that six months my weight soared for no apparent reason and I gained 13 kgs, seemingly out of thin air, the only thing that changed in my life was a relocation from Phuket to Chiang Mai hence a cooler less humid climate. Doctors were seen, tests were done but everything showed to be normal and since my new found weight put me more in line with my height, the weight gain was seen as normal.

But then after six months (and a complete new wardobe of clothes) my blood tests showed metabolic syndrome and high blood glucose levels, as a consequence I dropped that 13 kgs in real time, it took under two months, too late to reverse Type II Diabetes but soon enough to be able to control it easily with diet and exersise and no meds.

So I learned to measure my food intake and now I know it off by heart and it's second nature, I also test my blood glucose levels several times a day and I weigh myself frequently, if I've gained more than a kilo, a simple adjustment to a meal is easily managed. I check my blood at the hospital every month, lipids, liver panel, A1C etc and they are now all spot on, never felt better. Moral of the story, be careful when you move from Phuket to Chiang Mai.

[robblok]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

Loads of people count calories and it works. I have done it and it gives you a good insight in how much calories (energy) there is in certain foods. Its a great tool and you learn a lot from it after a while it helps you make the right choices.

JT just because you can't do something does not mean it can't be done. Remember i lost 25kg and kept it off still while relaxing on what I eat. But with the knowledge of calorie counting I keep things in check without really counting them.

Diets do work JT to loose weight where they fail is that once you stop you go back to your old habits. But if you diet and then after that change to a healthy lifestyle it will work.

You are Mr negative and Mr I want to be thin but not do a thing for it it has to be easy ect ect.

Back off on the personal attacks, dude. I am talking about scientific evidence. Not your anecdotal experience of one. Evidence shows definitely that diets do not work! I have posted the links many times. Losing weight is not the goal. Lifetime health is the goal. When I say they don't work, I mean when you look at the LONG TERM, like 5 years later, the failure rate is MASSIVE. I am not Mr. Negative. I am Mr. PRO HEALTH. All you've got is your tired old cliches you probably learned in your Calvinist culture. I'm talking about science and evidence.

Yes diets work and crash diets work to lose weight initially. But again, SCIENCE. If you are going to lose weight just to regain it again and again, HEALTHWISE you are much better off not even losing the weight AT ALL.

This is the health forum so yes my focus is on long term health and long term POSITIVE outcomes for the most people possible. Dieting is the wrong approach for that. You need to go deeper and change your entire relationship to food. If you want lifetime results or even 5 year results.

Dude

You lack understanding, diets work if you change your habits after your diet. Do you have any studies to counter that please give some reference.

Exercise works in combination with diet to keep weight off.. Plenty of studies showing that (please counter)

Calorie counting does work and it gives you a great insight (please counter why not with reason and arguments)

I hereby state that you are just reading stuff to make you feel good and not wanting to put any effort in it. I think most members here agree about your attitude.. I wonder what that says about you or me.

You don't even come back with arguments just nonsense.

[Jingthing]

Fruit is not the answer, that is sugar also, aka steroids for fat. An occasional fruit is ok, but the shift should be towards those dreaded green stuff

A moderate amount of FRESH FRUIT daily is definitely health promoting. I agree, not too much and of course avoid juices that have strained out fiber/added sugar, etc.

[robblok]

Why exercise and diet works

http://prowellness.vmhost.psu.edu/change-diet-exercise-habits-together-for-best-results-study-says

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130422101300.htm

Mayo clinic on calorie counting

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calories/WT00011

Fact its simple if your fat you eat more then you burn. I don't understand why people don't see that.

[Jingthing]

I hadn't realized the OP has such poor access to a variety of healthy foods. That does present a special challenge. Sorry if I made another assumption.

My opinion is to IGNORE the advice about obsessive calorie counting.

That's not something you'd be able to do for life.

The very idea of "DIETS" have been proven scientifically to be almost totally ineffective.

Your focus should be on making better FOOD CHOICES that are health promoting, delicious, and you can sustain for your entire life.

Also keep in mind it is NORMAL for people to gain some weight as they get older.

To expect to be same thin weight you were at age 18 is not realistic and being somewhat heavier than that as you age is NOT unhealthy.

I suspect the OP might be really be fat at all; rather going for an super skinny ideal based on cultural factors. Just a guess. It's common. I think many Thais are way TOO THIN. It is actually much more unhealthy to be TOO THIN than to be mildly heavier than a youthful thin weight.

Loads of people count calories and it works. I have done it and it gives you a good insight in how much calories (energy) there is in certain foods. Its a great tool and you learn a lot from it after a while it helps you make the right choices.

JT just because you can't do something does not mean it can't be done. Remember i lost 25kg and kept it off still while relaxing on what I eat. But with the knowledge of calorie counting I keep things in check without really counting them.

Diets do work JT to loose weight where they fail is that once you stop you go back to your old habits. But if you diet and then after that change to a healthy lifestyle it will work.

You are Mr negative and Mr I want to be thin but not do a thing for it it has to be easy ect ect.

Back off on the personal attacks, dude. I am talking about scientific evidence. Not your anecdotal experience of one. Evidence shows definitely that diets do not work! I have posted the links many times. Losing weight is not the goal. Lifetime health is the goal. When I say they don't work, I mean when you look at the LONG TERM, like 5 years later, the failure rate is MASSIVE. I am not Mr. Negative. I am Mr. PRO HEALTH. All you've got is your tired old cliches you probably learned in your Calvinist culture. I'm talking about science and evidence.

Yes diets work and crash diets work to lose weight initially. But again, SCIENCE. If you are going to lose weight just to regain it again and again, HEALTHWISE you are much better off not even losing the weight AT ALL.

This is the health forum so yes my focus is on long term health and long term POSITIVE outcomes for the most people possible. Dieting is the wrong approach for that. You need to go deeper and change your entire relationship to food. If you want lifetime results or even 5 year results.

Dude

You lack understanding, diets work if you change your habits after your diet. Do you have any studies to counter that please give some reference.

Exercise works in combination with diet to keep weight off.. Plenty of studies showing that (please counter)

Calorie counting does work and it gives you a great insight (please counter why not with reason and arguments)

I hereby state that you are just reading stuff to make you feel good and not wanting to put any effort in it. I think most members here agree about your attitude.. I wonder what that says about you or me.

You don't even come back with arguments just nonsense.

Dude,

I've posted scientific evidence multiple times on other threads about how diets don't work, and you know it. I know you're not stupid so I know you know it.

Exercise is a wonderful health promoting activity whether you are fat or not. Exercise alone, however, is a poor tactic for losing weight. You must address the food issues.

Calorie counting is much less valuable than LEARNING about which foods are health promoting and which foods you need to limit or sometimes even cut out. For example, learning that broccoli is a food you want to be eating as often as possible in any size portion you like and white rice is something you really do need to limit, is a much more effective use of your time than becoming an obsessive compulsive calorie counter. That's obvious.

I never said effort wasn't required and I think you know that too. IN FACT, changing your LIFETIME relationship to food takes a lot more effort than just following the latest fad diet, that long term will almost always FAIL, unless the person has GONE DEEPER. I've said this again and again. GO DEEPER. Does that sound easy? No dude. That's very hard. But if your goal is a lifetime change in health, that's needed.

[tropo]

Squats and sit-ups will not make you lose weight unless you crank out hundreds.

Running is the most efficient way to lose weight. How much should you run? Simple: enough to have a calorie deficit. Keep in mind that most people vastly overestimate the amounts of calories they burn; a mile is less than 100 calories (or about 50 grams of steamed rice).

I'll agree that jogging (I'm assuming you mean jogging) is one of the best ways to lose bodyweight, but the OP wants to lose fat, not muscle. Running is rather catabolic and a good way to lose muscle too.

[theoldgit]

Nonsense answer to a serious question removed, if you've nothing sensible to add please don't bother posting.

[robblok]

Dude

You lack understanding, diets work if you change your habits after your diet. Do you have any studies to counter that please give some reference.

Exercise works in combination with diet to keep weight off.. Plenty of studies showing that (please counter)

Calorie counting does work and it gives you a great insight (please counter why not with reason and arguments)

I hereby state that you are just reading stuff to make you feel good and not wanting to put any effort in it. I think most members here agree about your attitude.. I wonder what that says about you or me.

You don't even come back with arguments just nonsense.

Dude,

I've posted scientific evidence multiple times on other threads about how diets don't work, and you know it. I know you're not stupid so I know you know it.

Exercise is a wonderful health promoting activity whether you are fat or not. Exercise alone, however, is a poor tactic for losing weight. You must address the food issues.

Calorie counting is much less valuable than LEARNING about which foods are health promoting and which foods you need to limit or sometimes even cut out. For example, learning that broccoli is a food you want to be eating as often as possible in any size portion you like and white rice is something you really do need to limit, is a much more effective use of your time than becoming an obsessive compulsive calorie counter. That's obvious.

I never said effort wasn't required and I think you know that too. IN FACT, changing your LIFETIME relationship to food takes a lot more effort than just following the latest fad diet, that long term will almost always FAIL, unless the person has GONE DEEPER. I've said this again and again. GO DEEPER. Does that sound easy? No dude. That's very hard. But if your goal is a lifetime change in health, that's needed.

In fact i see calorie counting as learning about food combined with knowing what is healthy. People should know about foods how healthy they are how much proteins and fats and calories they contain. Once you know that you can change. Id say calorie counting or knowing calories is part of learning about food. (but it certainly isnt the only thing to learn)

That study that i quoted in the post above seems to think exercise alone is important I on the other hand still think that its easier to cut down on food then to burn it away. However combining both is the best thing you can do.

You and I have a different idea about effort, though right now I have no effort in maintaining weight just checking food a bit and exercising.

[hanno]

Calorie counting sure opened my eyes a lot. I am not obese by any means but I always struggle to drop a couple of kilos before a Marathon. Whilst I have always eaten healthy (no McDonalds in Cambodia), I did underestimate the calories in some foods (cheese for example). And I agree with robblok: you automatically learn (more) about healthy eating.

[chiang mai]

I agree with most of what Rob has said when it comes to diet and calorie control et al, but it's worth pointing out to the OP that Rob's focus is on diet and muscle building whilst mine for example is on diet and blood glucose level control. So whilst running for example would be of little value to Rob because it would potentially conflict with his desire to build muscle, I'm perfectly happy to jog and run and I don't care if I do loose muscle as a result. In practise it is possible to run and then do resistance training to help redevelop muscle, it all depends on what the inidividual focus is - the dietary part of either program is however almost identical and applicable to both sets of objectives.

[tropo]

Now an awnser to the OP, you are eating too much you just have to eat less. If you can substitute rice with vegetables you will win a lot.

Its not feasible to expect to burn it off it should be a two pronged approach eat less and get active. Its real hard to burn off a big amount of calories so your biggest win will come from controlling your food intake. The exercise will help however.

One 'trick' I found, (I read it somewhere,can't remember where), is to substitute mash potatoes and rice with mashed cauliflower. I'm a cauliflower fan anyways, so this was a very easy switch.

That's an interesting suggestion. I'm also a cauliflower fan but I've never considered mashing it. I'll have to give that a go - perhaps add in some broccoli too.

[chiang mai]

Now an awnser to the OP, you are eating too much you just have to eat less. If you can substitute rice with vegetables you will win a lot.

Its not feasible to expect to burn it off it should be a two pronged approach eat less and get active. Its real hard to burn off a big amount of calories so your biggest win will come from controlling your food intake. The exercise will help however.

One 'trick' I found, (I read it somewhere,can't remember where), is to substitute mash potatoes and rice with mashed cauliflower. I'm a cauliflower fan anyways, so this was a very easy switch.

That's an interesting suggestion. I'm also a cauliflower fan but I've never considered mashing it. I'll have to give that a go - perhaps add in some broccoli too.

It works really well when used on shepherds pie instead of mashed potato.

[robblok]

I agree with most of what Rob has said when it comes to diet and calorie control et al, but it's worth pointing out to the OP that Rob's focus is on diet and muscle building whilst mine for example is on diet and blood glucose level control. So whilst running for example would be of little value to Rob because it would potentially conflict with his desire to build muscle, I'm perfectly happy to jog and run and I don't care if I do loose muscle as a result. In practise it is possible to run and then do resistance training to help redevelop muscle, it all depends on what the inidividual focus is - the dietary part of either program is however almost identical and applicable to both sets of objectives.

I do rowing as i consider both cardio stuff and muscle building stuff important to keep the body in good working order. I doubt I can build much extra muscle so its now more about keeping it and keeping the fat off and having a healthy body.

But you are right we are all individuals and things need to be tailored to our needs.

I don't see calorie counting as the all important thing, but its good to know how much calories are in certain food combine that with what you know about how healthy they are or how much fiber ect ect and you learn more and more about food. Its not something you learn overnight.

[poanoi]

 

Fruit is not the answer, that is sugar also, aka steroids for fat. An occasional fruit is ok, but the shift should be towards those dreaded green stuff

A moderate amount of FRESH FRUIT daily is definitely health promoting. I agree, not too much and of course avoid juices that have strained out fiber/added sugar, etc.

 

Fresh or not, it is also fat promoting, as is any kind of sugar.

I'm not promoting total misery tho, just be aware that sugar is sugar.

I'm scarcely into sugar myself, so if i wanna sin, i prefer sticky rice or beer