Ten Foods To Boost Health Benefits

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | January 30, 2009 | Sharyn Alden

[SamAdams76]

Thanks for the article. April 1 will be my six-year anniversary of "eating natural" in which I pretty much only eat foods in their natural form (virtually zero processed foods are in my house).

Basically fresh meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, yogurt, eggs, grains, etc.

I took off over 100 pounds back in 2003 by eating this way (in addition to carrying a pedometer and ensuring I put at least 10,000 steps on it every day) and have for the most part kept it off.

Typical day goes like this:

Breakfast: Brown Cow Strawberry Yogurt with 1 oz. blueberries mixed in, one serving oatmeal w/flax seed and 1 oz. raisins mixed in - Total Calories - 520

Lunch: Banana and tin of sardines packed in olive oil - Total Calories - 260

Snacks: Apple and 1 oz nuts - Total Calories - 280

Dinner: Bowl of salad greens with 1 oz. olive oil; 8 oz. fish fillet with serving of wild rice and healthy serving of green vegetables (i.e. broccoli, spinach, asparagus) - Total Calories - about 800.

Drinks (during entire day): Two coffees, either two beer or two glasses of wine, all the water I can drink - Total calories - about 350.

Daily, my calorie intake has consistently been between 2200 and 2400 a day with the above diet which is perfect for maintaining about 200 pounds in my 6'3" frame. Obviously I don't eat the exact same things as the above every day, this is just a typical daily menu.

Before this lifestyle change, I was consuming 4,000 calories or more with very little exercise. Thus it was no wonder I was over 300 pounds for most of my adult life. I know that counting calories is not something most people want to do (especially men) but if you don't watch them, it is incredibly easy to pile them up and before you know it, your gut is hanging over your belt and you get winded walking up a flight of stairs. It feels so much better when you limit your calorie intake by eating good foods and getting daily exercise (at least 5 miles of brisk walking each day).

Anyway, on a sidenote, do you listen to Coverville podcast? Reason I ask is that the host (Brian Ibbott) mentioned a Diane in Wisconsin on his show the other day as one of his listeners and I'm wondering if you are the same one he was referring to.

[TADSLOS]

It's Super Bowl Sunday. Screw it.

[A knight without armor]

“Eating whole wheat pasta can lower your blood sugar

I'd rather eat the box it comes in. “

I don't mind whole wheat pasta as I find after it is cooked it is just like regular pasta. At least the kind I get at Kroger is. What I find REPULSIVE though, is “whole grain” pasta. I made some of that over the holidays and not only did it taste too earthy for me (but I could get used to that if it's good for me) but the texture was horrid in my opinion. It was not chewy at all. Bite on it and it came apart funny. Like you know how fat-free cookies just sort of come apart. I still shudder thinking about it. And this was a high end brand, too.

[WackySam]

What I find REPULSIVE though, is “whole grain” pasta

You're right- that's the crap I was thinking of.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Banana and tin of sardines packed in olive oil...”

Ya lost me right there. Isn’t that the famous sandwich Elvis liked to eat? LOL!

Just kidding. Great about your weight loss. Husband just gave me a pedometer; I work on my feet all day in a huge warehouse-like building and we both want to see how far over those 10K steps I go in a day.

We eat pretty well, but I confess that there is a frozen pizza on the menu once in a while.

I’m certainly not as buff as when I was in the Army, but I’ve stayed the same size for about 10 years now. I’m sure Mother Nature has something worse ahead for me...everyone else in my family is overweight, though my sister is doing a good job of losing her weight as she’s borderline diabetic when she’s too heavy.

She’s gotten a lot better about eating healthy. :)

[Peace Is Coming]

bttt

[SamAdams76]

Let me know how many steps you get in that warehouse each day. I have an office job so it's a chore to get that 10,000. In fact, I've recently been trying to get it to 20,000 steps a day and in order to do that, I must walk at least three solid hours a day. I've been doing a 3-mile walk with the dog in the early morning, a 4-mile walk at lunchtime and another 3-mile walk with the dog back home after dinner.

The average person uses 2,030 steps per mile (based on 2.6 foot stride) so if you walk at least 10,000 steps a day, that comes to just about 5 miles.

I've been thinking of switching careers to one which requires me to be on my feet most of the day. Even though my desk job pays very well, I would definitely consider taking a cut in pay to be a park ranger or a floor supervisor in a gigantic warehouse.

[Just another Joe]

I bring my own lunches and there's nary a PB&J to be seen.
I make big pots of soup, freeze individual size servings in tupperware (like) containers and store them in my deep freeze.

One container, 8 to 10 oz, some crackers, and a piece of fruit.

It's cheap, I get variety (hamburger vegetable, chicken vegetable, chili, etc), it's filling, nutricous, and it's made from fresh ingredients.

What more can you ask for if you're not on an expense account?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

If I didn’t do physical work each day at work and on my farm, I would be a big fatty, LOL! It runs in my family. Darn genetics!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I love soup. In fact, do a search on ‘Campbell’s.’ We did a recipe thread about home-made soups for those that want to boycott them due to their ‘gay agenda’ or something. ;)

Lots of good recipes there! :)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

What can you do with barley? You can cook it like you would rice or add parsley and sliced almonds for extra flavor or add it to soups and stews.

Or you can malt it put it in water add some yeast and hops, wait a bit and have a tasty health drink

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I'll drink to that!

[SunkenCiv]

edamame (pronounced ay-duh-MAH-may) are Japanese soybeans

Who's the dadday?

Gotta second about the use of hummus as a snack food. Love that stuff. Been getting a cheap tub at the warehouse club (C, not S), hmm, too lazy to check, but the brand begins with B. I think. :')