people who have no clue about nutrition/calories

[blas87]

I didn't say anyone had to. I get tired of the "carbs are the enemy" bandwagon that so many people are on. I get sick of hearing about it. It's imparative that I have enough of them before I attempt to jog several miles, just as I do feel I need a pound of chicken if I'm going to be lifting weights for 30 minute intervals.

Carbs are in just about everything, anyway. And not all carbs are "bad" carbs.

All in all, no one should be flapping gums about other people's food choices.

What really burns my ass is that I don't keep sweets in the apartment (save for a rare treat I might buy a slice of cheesecake when I'm getting other foods) no cookies, no ice cream, none of that, and do my best to not eat a lot of sweets, and when we have our monthly potluck dinner at work, some of the guys I work with make comments when I go gaga with the dessert line. I once snarled back at one guy that at least I spend my mornings doing several miles and lifting weights while he sits there chugging beer and eating chips.

[AdminAssistant]

I have to keep a few sweets in the apartment, or Fiance would be making DQ Blizzard runs every night. I was agreeing with your previous statement, I don't think carbs are the enemy. Or gluten or starch or fat or whatever. Eat less, move your ass, lose weight. Ta da! Now if I could just get around to doing that myself.....

[Andara Bledin]

The "move your ass" part is far more important than the "eat less" unless the person is massively overindulging, too, but exercise takes effort, and who wants to do that.

^-.-^

[blas87]

I'm beginning to think a working out regimen after work is part of the reason I mellowed out so much while at work and dealing with the people I deal with. That, and taking one morning a week after work to just nap and do "fun" errands, like window shop or get a treat, in lieu of the gym.

If I didn't have exercise, namely weight lifting, I probably would have punched someone by now.

Exercise is something you need to work up to, and sometimes you have to make yourself want to do it, but it's an amazing stress reliever. No matter how bad of a night I have, I know I can just go walk it off and then lift some weights.

[IDrinkaRum]

I've been doing the mall walking thing. My knees are shot. (Back in 1992, was in car accident, passenger side of car was t-boned, and I was the passenger. Knees hit dash board as car was doing 45(?) mph).

This past week, I had to stop mall walking (I'd done it from Jan. to March, then got super depressed and stopped for a month and a half, then started again). So anyway, I re-start, and my feet in the arch/heel area started to hurt so badly I thought I was going to have to crawl out of the mall! Back 4 years ago, I had plantar facitis(sp?). So I'm figuring I'm getting that again. So rather than damage my feet more, I'm going to stop and see my podiatrist.

Whilst talking to my BiLs and SiLs this weekend, BiL#1 was like "It's only because you're so overweight! You just keep on walking, your feet will be fine. Haw haw haw." (Umm ... no! You're not a doctor so shut up). Just pissed me off ... really pissed me off.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Swimming's good for that. I put on a bit of weight after a motorbike accident where I hurt my back and therefore couldn't walk loads. So I swam instead. I usually try and do forty or fifty lengths then chill in the jacuzzi.

What bugs me is when I get a lecture from my mum, who eats really healthily and exercises and is a nonsmoker about losing weight. I'm trying to up my healthiness, thanks very much, but I'll do it MY way. I know full well that if I completely cut out all fatty and sugary foods, that I'll have a binge. So instead, I'm just cutting out all between meals snacks, cutting back on fizzy drinks and going out on the piss. And it's working; I've lost some fat off my tummy.

[muses_nightmare]

My mom drives me crazy sometimes, she's always been a healthy person, but she likes to nag at me about my weight every time I see her. I'm well aware that I'm overweight, I don't need to be told that I am. Really. I also don't appreciate being told that if I lose weight I might have an easier time finding work. That one is the worst of it, I know people judge on appearance but really? Besides which, what am I supposed to do? Stop looking for work until I lose 100lbs? I think not.

I'm just trying to eat less, although, I don't actually eat a lot in one sitting. I do snack though, so that's one of the issues, and me and the bf eat out more than we should. I'm rather sick of fast food at this point though.

[Boozy]

The "move your ass" part is far more important than the "eat less" unless the person is massively overindulging, too, but exercise takes effort, and who wants to do that.

If weight loss is the goal, then

1. Exercise is usually more important than calorie reduction, and
2. Strength training (weight lifting) is usually more valuable than aerobic exercise.

For general health, it's important to eat a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and do some cardio every day to get your heart pumping. Everyone should do that, regardless of their weight.

I have one friend who has been on a calorie restricted diet for months and has only lost ten pounds. If she'd been exercising a bit too, she'd have lost at least twice that by now. I also see people at the gym doing 30 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical every single day, and they never look any thinner.

People who have been overweight for a long time usually have slow metabolisms. That's why they can eat less than a thin person and still pack on the pounds. They can fix it, but it takes work. They need to build some muscle and start eating smaller meals more often.

[Boozy]

I'm decidedly not active, but you will pry my carbs from my chunky, dead, hand. I love bread and pasta and rolls and did I mention bread?

To be honest, I've never seen any evidence that low-carb diets are helpful for anyone with normal blood sugar levels.

Diabetics can benefit from low-carb diets, but most people (even most overweight people) do not have serious blood sugar issues.

Besides, cutting carbs out of your diet can lead to, um.... bowel issues, to put it nicely. Breads and pastas are the easiest way for most people to get their soluble fiber.

[Andara Bledin]

Swimming's good for that. I put on a bit of weight after a motorbike accident where I hurt my back and therefore couldn't walk loads. So I swam instead. I usually try and do forty or fifty lengths then chill in the jacuzzi.

Swimming is actually the most effective form of exercise you can get, and it has an added bonus of being the easiest on the joints and organs. The big issue is that it drops your body temperature, so most people end up eating after swimming, but if you do a stint in the jacuzzi right after, that would negate that problem.

I'm just trying to eat less, although, I don't actually eat a lot in one sitting. I do snack though, so that's one of the issues, and me and the bf eat out more than we should. I'm rather sick of fast food at this point though.

It's generally considered better to eat a lot of smaller meals over the course of the day than to eat just a few large ones.

^-.-^

[XCashier]

There were two women in line waiting on their items, and they commented on my HUGE caloric intake.

Why is what you're eating any of their damned business? They should've kept their opinions to themselves.

[muses_nightmare]

It's generally considered better to eat a lot of smaller meals over the course of the day than to eat just a few large ones.

Oh when I say snacking, I don't mean healthy snacking or light meals throughout the day. If there are sweets or chips in the house I have to keep them out of my sight so I don't eat them too often. Sweets especially.

[blas87]

I've boughten boxes of Cheerios and just had a few handfulls here and there of dry Cheerios when I wanted to snack.

[muses_nightmare]

I've boughten boxes of Cheerios and just had a few handfulls here and there of dry Cheerios when I wanted to snack.

That's a good idea. I always have a lot of cereal :P though, I don't actually buy Cheerios that often, I'll have to start. I suppose I could do it with other cereals as well, we don't usually have the sugary kinds anyway. Thanks!

I'm planning on putting together a healthy snack section, in a container or something that has servings of different healthy items (nuts, fruit etc), if there are things that are easy to grab I'll eat those. No use in buying those 100 calorie packs of stuff when you can just make your own

[Greenday]

My solution to stop snacking was to just stop buying snacks. If I don't have them, I can't eat them. It seems to work pretty well.