Diet for a healthy lifestyle

[JohnnyJazz]

I'm in my 50's. Fit, it's not about weight problem. An important point is I exercise regularly, one to two hours a day six days a week (practice Muay Thai, run ...), I need a minimum intake of "fuel", we 're talking about a diet for an active lifestyle.

I've given up eating outside, too unhealthy, but my cooking skills and my imagination in the kitchen are limited.

So what I'm looking for is simple recipes with ingredient easily available (at reasonable price) in Thailand for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. Also as everybody I'm not always in the mood for cooking so the idea is to do a little bit of planning, make a shopping list for the week and prepare in advance readily available meals.

Your ideas and suggestions are most welcomed

Also, as it is always good to eat out from time to time, your addresses of restaurants that serve healthy food in or around Bangkok will be very much appreciated.

Cheers,

JJ

PS : Sorry Mods, I started this thread in "General" because I don't really know where it fits. It's not strictly about health or food or sport but a bit of the three ... up to you if you think you should move it somewhere else.

[robblok]

I find 70 grams of musli .. some low fat yoghurt (got them in 500gram tubs that stay good for weeks) and a scoop of whey protein and 20 grams or ml of flax seed oil (get 1 liter bottles at villa) a healthy and real easy meal.. does not go much planning in because all ingredients can be kept for ages. (its just one meal others should contain veggies). Just add some slices of apple too.

[JohnnyJazz]

I find 70 grams of musli .. some low fat yoghurt (got them in 500gram tubs that stay good for weeks) and a scoop of whey protein and 20 grams or ml of flax seed oil (get 1 liter bottles at villa) a healthy and real easy meal.. does not go much planning in because all ingredients can be kept for ages. (its just one meal others should contain veggies). Just add some slices of apple too.

I try to avoid muesli because there is usually too much sugar in it. Instead I mix rolled oats with nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, add some low fat milk and fruits : berries, kiwis, banana whatever available in the kitchen.

Same I do my own yogurts for the same reason, too much sugar in the brands available in Thailand. It can't be more simple : Take one yogurt, add milk, eat up at 40 degree for min 6 hours or over night. Done .

[robertthebruce]

A good healthy Restaurant in Bangkok, is called Khun Churn, beside Ekami BTS Station.

It's a Vegetarian Restaurant , With the emphasis on Healthy eating, as in Low in Sugar and Sodium...

I love it....

[robblok]

I find 70 grams of musli .. some low fat yoghurt (got them in 500gram tubs that stay good for weeks) and a scoop of whey protein and 20 grams or ml of flax seed oil (get 1 liter bottles at villa) a healthy and real easy meal.. does not go much planning in because all ingredients can be kept for ages. (its just one meal others should contain veggies). Just add some slices of apple too.

I try to avoid muesli because there is usually too much sugar in it. Instead I mix rolled oats with nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, add some low fat milk and fruits : berries, kiwis, banana whatever available in the kitchen.

Same I do my own yogurts for the same reason, too much sugar in the brands available in Thailand. It can't be more simple : Take one yogurt, add milk, eat up at 40 degree for min 6 hours or over night. Done .

To be honest im not too bothered about sugar in Musli .. i take the stuff without added sugar. If you exercise a lot some carbs in the morning are never a problem. That is my take on it anyway. The brand that i use has no sugar in it its almost like the Dutch "Kwark"or quark quite firm and higher in protein.

I do make my own probiotica (kefir)

[joeyg]

Even if you don't have diabetes the American Diabetes Association has a great frame work with recipes and meal plans. Of course if your blood sugar is stable you can give yourself way more latitude.

Still a very healthy "launch pad" with lots of good info.

http://www.diabetes.org/?referrer=https://www.google.co.th/

[JohnnyJazz]

The main problem I have with sugar is a few years ago I start reducing sugar in my diet, I got used to it and now a lot of food, especially in Thailand, are too sweet for my taste. Same problem with salt. The advantage is to be much more sensible to the "real" taste of food.

[JohnnyJazz]

Even if you don't have diabetes the American Diabetes Association has a great frame work with recipes and meal plans. Of course if your blood sugar is stable you can give yourself way more latitude.

Still a very healthy "launch pad" with lots of good info.

http://www.diabetes.org/?referrer=https://www.google.co.th/

Very good source of information. Recipes easy to prepare and what I like is they plan for snack. One of the main complain of people who try to control their diet is they are hungry most of the time and that's distract them in their daily life. It doesn't have to be like that. You can eat up to six meals a day if they are carefully planned. I usually have my breakfast at 6:00 am which means around 9:30 I'm feeling hungry. Often the same around 22:30. Then I have a snack. Of course not a doughnut or a gallon of ice cream but a fruit or some cheese.

Here is the recommended meal plan for the day. Enjoy ! http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/meal-plans/?loc=hottopics

[AlQaholic]

Additional advice regarding morning yogurt and the Chia, Flax seed and flax seed oil. Chia do not need to be ground, the body can assimilate because seed shells are thin. However the Flax seeds must be ground for the body to benefit in anyway from the flax seeds, if not ground they will just pass through your body.

For the flax seed oil, you need to mix the oil thoroughly with the yogurt using an immersion mixer, the oil form chemical bonds with the proteins in the yogurt making it possible for the body to benefit from the omega stuff, if not mixed the omega remains mostly ignored by the body. Google "Budwig" for more info.

Kefir, Quark and cottage cheese are all better than standard yogurt for this purpose, I make my own but use lower temperature of about 27 degrees for 2 - 3 days, just mix milk with Betagen.

[does]

Johnny,

My advice is to keep it simple. I was forced to do so.

I recently developed an allergy for wheat (grains), so I cut out all foods containing it (bread, cereal, rice, etc.).

It is not easy to cut out grain, but it is an eye-opener. My digestion improve, my skin got healthier, and the joints of by bones seem to be better "lublicated".

I can eat potato, so that's where I get my carbohydrates. Simples dishes: boiled egg(s) in a salad; boiled potato with based spinach or red cabbage. I try to avoid combining dense protein like meat with carbs and use vegges instead. Combining protein with carbs sees to bloat the stomach.

Goo luck.

[Oxx]

Poached chicken breasts are incredibly versatile and low fat. Put into boiling water. Simmer gently for 3 minutes after the water returns to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave the breasts in the water for 16-18 minutes according to size.

I find them great for quick, healthy sandwiches. Slice thinly. Put on top of a slice of dense, wholegrain bread (I make my own) and add pretty much whatever you like: tomatoes, cucumber, raita, lettuce, avocado, raw mushrooms, baked beetroot, onion slices, arugula, capsicums. If you're not too worried about a little sugar, then a smear of mango chutney or cranberry sauce (both available here) is nice. Butter and mayonnaise are also nice, but (of course) not so healthy.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Oxx

[Bob12345]

While I do not have specific recipes for you, I would recommend you to buy a huge collection of "tupperware" (or any other brand).

Nowadays I cook 1 day a week and make 4 different dishes in huge quantities. I divide it over the tupperware boxes and put half of them in the freezer and the other half in the fridge.

When I want to eat I just pop one in the microwave for 2.5 minutes and I have a complete meal with brown rice, vegetables, and meat.

Because I now always have a complete and healthy meal within reach with minimum effort I don't have cravings or trouble figuring out what I should eat when I get hungry.

(that makes a huge difference for me as I eat 3-5 warm meals a day)

[Lammbock]

I can recommend you PaleoRobbie food delivery.

My wife is out at work all day and I can't cook. So these guys deliver me 2 meals a day.

They also offer online groceries shopping on their website.

Everything is very healthy and fresh.

More info here: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/the-man-on-a-mission-to-get-bangkok-healthy/

Website: http://paleorobbie.com/

[dcnx]

Depending on where you are, some cities have healthy meal delivery services that put together prepped meals, all healthy and cheap, around 70b per meal or so. It makes eating so much easier for guys like us who don't like to spend too much time in the kitchen.

[Mansell]

I only eat two times a day and exercise. I go for muesli and fruit for breakfast, sometimes a boiled egg. And dinner is usually a salad with occasionally a boiled egg, chopped banana, and raw cashew nuts. I am 72, and I dropped 20lbs after I arrived here last year and now down to 150.... Though the wives cooking has added 2 kilos....frustrating. Before breakfast every day we have a mug of hot water with table spoon of honey, and apple cider vinegar, and a squeezed lime. This creates an alkaline system and we tend not to get sick because of this.

[oxo1947]

Don't forget the juicing in your life Johnny, can replace meals --or supplement them, gives you a ton of energy, IMO the cold juicing That the Asians invented easily beats the other brands----here is a clip on one of them, but it isn't the best brand on the Thai market.

About Salt /Sugar in (MSG) Thai foods, yes every-time I do eat out with the wife---find myself waking up half way through the night to drink at least 1 bottle of water.

[JohnnyJazz]

^ The problem with juice is you just extract the water and throw away the fibers. Actually fruit juices are not recommended, they contain too much sugar (too concentrated for the same volume as the pulp and fiber are removed), you should eat the whole fruit instead.

Edited June 6, 2016 by JohnnyJazz

[puukao]

I think we can only guess what is a "healthy lifestyle". maybe 1 glass of red wine is good for your heart, maybe not. stuff like that....

but that won't stop me from giving you bad advice:

beet juice and beets in salad.

less milk, unless you really crave it

lots of spinach, less rice

i think it's called "blood soup".

oranges right after exercise for a sugar fix, with your whey or whatever else you take

dried fruit for your sugar fix, better than candy

maybe try to make your own bread, if you eat gluten

i really like a decent breakfast, massive lunch, exercise, then smaller dinner

when you exercise a lot, your body just burns about anything...

remember to get blood tests to figure out a baseline maybe your potassium is really high but you don't eat bananas???

i'm sure this advice will put you on the wrong path for years!!!! 55555

[JohnnyJazz]

i really like a decent breakfast, massive lunch, exercise, then smaller dinner

Agree with the decent breakfast but a "massive" lunch is a killer for the organism. I actually believe in up to six balanced meals during the day

[oxo1947]

^ The problem with juice is you just extract the water and throw away the fibers. Actually fruit juices are not recommended, they contain too much sugar (too concentrated for the same volume as the pulp and fiber are removed), you should eat the whole fruit instead.

No Johnny you don't juice fruit----Green power is the situation that detox clinics etc try for.

And as it must come from raw Vegetables then you can not eat it. Look the mistake most people seem to make is that fruit is good for you---I am not saying it is bad for you but compared to Green juice----its miles behind

The ANDI

(Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) is the best comparison to measure this, The very best nutritious fruit (Fresh Cranberries,) barley makes 200---while Kale / Watercress etc are really to high to be measured (They stop at 1,000)

take a look at how fruit ---doesn't compare---------

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthy-eating/andi-guide

[lungnorm]

The healthiest diet is a plant based diet. This does not mean no animal protein it just means a lot less of it. Eat lots of green vegetables maybe stirfry them or lightly steam the veggies. Eat lots of fat mono or poly unsaturated. Stokeup your protein intake with whey protein avoid soy altogether. Whey protein can be obtained from health stores and make shakes using milk cows or rice milk not soy or just use fruit juice. You can also google LCHF diet to get more info. Just avoid fried foods and anything in a packet or a tin. Fresh is best. Eggs are the best food available as they contain everything you need and its not true they are cholesterol bombs a healthy person (liver working fine) can eat as many eggs as they like.

[Brahmz]

Go to http://www.ibsexplained.com/palaeo_diets.html and download the Tropical Palaeo Diet

Really simple, high performance, extends your lifespan.

Brahmz

[peterb17]

I only eat two times a day and exercise. I go for muesli and fruit for breakfast, sometimes a boiled egg. And dinner is usually a salad with occasionally a boiled egg, chopped banana, and raw cashew nuts. I am 72, and I dropped 20lbs after I arrived here last year and now down to 150.... Though the wives cooking has added 2 kilos....frustrating. Before breakfast every day we have a mug of hot water with table spoon of honey, and apple cider vinegar, and a squeezed lime. This creates an alkaline system and we tend not to get sick because of this.

Your diet sounds pretty good and if you feel well and energetic - excellent.

But do not get sucked into this idea that what you eat has an effect on blood pH levels - yes blood pH is slightly alkaline and a deviance from this tightly controlled level can be dangerous.

It is controlled mainly by 3 buffer systems and the kidneys.

What you eat has no effect whatsoever on blood pH.

Your friendly molecular biologist

[JohnnyJazz]

I forgot something. A good diet has to taste good and make you feel good. If not you won't stick to it and soon go back to your bad eating habits. That's why all the diets that include eating weird stuff or make you feel hungry most of the time are not good and never work in the long term.

So please, if you have recipes to share, they have of course to be healthy but they have to taste good too ;-)

[nemrut]

When I want to eat I just pop one in the microwave for 2.5 minutes and I have a complete meal with brown rice, vegetables, and meat.

Microwaving food in plastic containers is a bad idea. Despite claims on plastic containers proclaiming 'microwave safe' I would avoid doing so at all cost.

Last thing you want is to eat food with plastic compounds in it.

[thaihome]

I can recommend you PaleoRobbie food delivery.

My wife is out at work all day and I can't cook. So these guys deliver me 2 meals a day.

They also offer online groceries shopping on their website.

Everything is very healthy and fresh.

More info here: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/the-man-on-a-mission-to-get-bangkok-healthy/

Website: http://paleorobbie.com/

Can second the recommendation for Paleo Robbie. It's also amazingly cheap. A small meal (enough for a normal person) is 299 baht delivered to your door every day (but sunday).

TH

[JohnnyJazz]

^ Thanks for the recommendation but I will pass for two reasons :

First, I don't believe in food fads. We all know that the paleolithic marked the highest point of the human civilization and it went downhill from then, right ? So thanks but no thanks I will pass.

Beside it doesn't look "that" healthy to me.

It's not about easy meals for lazy cooks, it's about eating healthy.

But I'm sure if you just want a quick meal for an affordable price, it should be ok.

[Skeptic7]

Eat veggies & brown rice. Pasta with tomato based sauces. C8 food stall @ MBK food court...P8 @ Platinum food court on Petchburi Road...Veg stall in Terminal 21 5th Floor food court and for an exquisite and extremely pricey vegan experience...May Veggie Home on Asoke. Just a few minutes walk from BTS and MRT.

Happy Cow app and website are essential.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Skeptic7

[Bob12345]

When I want to eat I just pop one in the microwave for 2.5 minutes and I have a complete meal with brown rice, vegetables, and meat.

Microwaving food in plastic containers is a bad idea. Despite claims on plastic containers proclaiming 'microwave safe' I would avoid doing so at all cost.

Last thing you want is to eat food with plastic compounds in it.

Put it on a plate first...

And Harvard Medical School indicates that "microwave safe" means no plastic compounds in dangerous quantities can enter the food:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/microwaving-food-in-plastic-dangerous-or-not

Edited June 6, 2016 by Bob12345

[JohnnyJazz]

A simple 3 courses healthy lunch with cost.

Starter : half avocado with home made vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, salt) - 40 Bahts

Main course : Grilled chicked with red rice - 40 Bahts

Dessert : melon - 20 Bahts

Total : 100 Bahts. Everything bought around my house in Bangkok, so "I don't know how to cook" is definitively not an excuse for an unhealthy diet

Edited June 8, 2016 by JohnnyJazz