I Need Advice on Living Healthy

[Genersis]

I know diet and exercise are the two important things.
I'll split the two up for convenience.

Food wise, I've always been picky and unhealthy in what I do eat.
This is something I probably don't need much advice with, as the answer seems to simply be; eat more things on the healthier side that I'm not keen on.

Exercise...well...that's the hard one.
I have never, ever, gone out of my way to perform physical activity for health benefits.
I find it incredibly embarrassing.
Oh, right, probably relevant to add I don't leave the house at all.
Clinical depression, CPTSD from bullying and weak joints on the one hand.
Being lazy, scared of being mugged again, and not really enjoying nor feeling the need to go out unless I have a good reason to, on the other.

Of course, being picky when it comes to food and an assortment of fears will seem all rather stupid when I die from a heart attack. Which seems like the way things are heading as of now.

Any tips?
Suggestions?
ETC.
Would be appreciate.
I'm considering joining a group of some kind, but I really can't think of one I have interest in as of now that would include some physical activity...

I'd rather the non-constructive criticisms stay on the rare side.
I already have to put up with enough from myself...

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Push-ups, squats, sit-ups. If you can get one of those door-jamb bars and you are not too tall you can do pull ups. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produc...d=11769203

Aim for one each per day to start - yeah I know that doesn't sound like much. But its a start. Each week or each fortnight add 1-5 depending on your physical fitness and how fast you are progressing.

All this is really aiming to do is to increase caloric burn while giving you a little more muscle. Do that for three months and you will be up to 25-50 of each per day and pushing them out without a problem. Then you will feel more able and up to increasing your exercise routine to include things like possible gym time.

As for the joints. My right knee is frakked - in order to be able to stay upright without a cane I have a set of exercises I do to strengthen the muscles around the joint. - half squats, leg beds (I also have a 2 pound ankle weight I use). This is all through Physical therapy and 'in theory' keeps my knee from getting worse damage. There are exercises like this sort for every joint of the body, the trick is knowing which joints are in need of extra muscle and getting the right low weight, high rep exercise that you can do without shredding the joint.

For instance, I can't do jogging - while it would strengthen the muscles around the knee it would totally thrash the knee proper.

I would strongly suggest you get your doctor to send to Physical Therapy to get a list of exercises you can do at home which are low impact and are aimed at strengthening the muscles supporting those joints.

As for diet, you can sneak in more veg into stuff by adding it to stuff. Like Mashed potatoes? If so add a bit of well cooked cauliflower before you mash. There will only be a hint of taste. I use about 1/4 cup of cauliflower (mashed) to 3/4 cup mashed potatoes.

I also use the butter-buds over butter: http://www.bbuds.com/ I do use about a tsp of butter then a lot of the butter-buds. My picky 46 year old child will eat the cauliflower when 'hidden' in the mashed potatoes.

I have a food processor and finely chop things like carrots, broccoli and other veg which I then add a bit to ground beef. I season my own with salt and pepper and my picky child's I add a few dashed of Cheyenne pepper to his patty (he loves spicy - fine). About 1/5th of the mix is veg, a bit of bread crumbs, an egg (to hold it all together) the rest is ground round.

I do the same trick with pea soup and spaghetti sauce - always adding finely chopped veg to his food.

Also consider taking up baking.

Most of the sweet breads, like muffins you can greatly reduce the calories by substituting the oil/shortening with no sugar added apple sauce or prune puree. you can also reduce the amount of sugar by at least half - most likely reduce down to 1/4 the measurement.

Oil has between 100-120 calories per tablespoon, if your recipe calls for 1/4 cup oil then you are looking at 4 tablespoons - which can be 400 to 480 calories which you can remove and replace with only 50 calories from the apple sauce.

If you reduce the sugar from (usually 1cup for a recipe) of sugar (774 calories) reducing it to 1/4 of that then yo have only 186 calories, cutting out 558 calories - all total you are looking at cutting out 908 to 983 calories. Which if you made a dozen muffins would be 75.66 to 81.92 less calories per muffin.

I mix half whole wheat with half white flour for things like bread, cinnamon rolls, etc. One still gets the goodness of the whole wheat with the lightness and texture of white bread. Whole wheat is better for you.

There are really a lot of minor things you can do to adjust your diet to reduce calories without cutting out the bulk.

Again, Fat and Sugar are where the higher calories are. Deep fat fried foods (soaked in oil) have higher calories than roasted, steamed, baked foods. Cutting out excess oils in your diet can lead to hundreds of calories cut - without cutting flavor or cutting the bulk. Using a pump to spray a pan with a bit of oil over pouring a tablespoon or more of oil.

Use half the sugar you use in your tea/coffee. Or use something like honey which has a stronger flavor thus you need less of it.

Stay away from the NutraSweet and other artificial sweeteners. They have been found to lead to obesity, and since you have joint issues you may issues with artificial sweeteners. While snopes says that its 'false' I have read enough to where I have to wonder if there isn't some truth to the claims that NutraSweet/aspartame may be an underlying cause of some issues with some people.

Don't try to cut out all of the 'bad foods' - that is a bad idea. Instead aim to eat healthy most of the time and allow yourself 1-2 days to have 'junk' foods like fry-up, pizza, and the like for one meal. Let those 'bad' meals be your 'reward' for sticking with better eating behaviors the rest of the week.

[Counselor]

Diet- use simple rules, like "no sugar, low calorie, low sodium, low fat, fresh fruit and veg". Designate a cheat day, and make it a goal to make it until then to not break your rules.

Exercise- my favorites are maneuvers that utilize multiple muscle groups instead of focusing on just one group at a time.

[pellaz]

food
eat what your want; if less than 2000 calories your loosing weight. If your not eating a lot on a diet, might pay attention to the nutrition. for a few days write down what you eat. There is a ratio of carbs, fats and protein ( google ).

exercise
kill your self with exercise and your used up 666 calories, thats two candy bars. If you must, find a group of like thinking people, yoga, or stationary bike.

[Rawr]

Could purchase a few things to workout in your own home. If you have the money of course.

Buy a cross trainer and perhaps a pull up bar. Start of slow and try and do better each day. 5 minutes today, 10 tomorrow, and so on until you find a nice routine. If you can't afford any equipment, then there is plenty you can use within your home. You can do step ups on your stairs for instance! Google may have a few more creative answers.

As for the food wise, try to cut down on pop, crisps and sweets. Swap pop for water and crisps and sweets for fruit. Perhaps try and buy what you need for the week. therefore if you only have what you need and no more to indulge. If it's there then you're going to eat it. Of course, I don't know if you do eat crisps, sweets and drink pop. Talking from personal experience I swapped from Pop to Water (and coffee) a few month back. Do drink the occasional drink, but I actually prefer water now.

[MisterTinkles]

Ah, right up my alley.

I DESPISE exercise, but I have too....but there are certain things you CAN do to burn calories....

*Treadmill (get your own, join a club, or if you live in an apartment...do they have one on premises?)
*Bicycle (I LOVE to ride a bike....you can get stationary bikes for indoors. This is also low impact for your joints)
*Sit ups and Push ups (as many as you can do or feel comfortable with...even if its only 10 a day)
*Hot shower (supposedly gets your circulation going a little faster, which helps burn calories)
*Vacuuming (this action is supposed to be the best for muscle movement and burning a few calories)
*Cleaning house - or Spring Cleaning (if you do this every three months, its quite a workout, plus you get ALL muscles worked and get your place cleaned! This includes cleaning, organizing, and scrubbing EVERYTHING in the apartment or house! I like to move furniture around a few times a year, helps me from getting bored with one look)
*Mall walking (if you are not in a good neighborhood, the mall or shopping center is a good place for walking)
*Deep Breathing exercises (its said that we only use 10% of our brains, and same has been said for breathing. If you breath more and more deeply, you have more oxygen circulating in your system and this is supposed to help burn fat out of your bloodstream)


Foods -

I love onion, garlic, and peppers. If you eat these, try to eat them raw or under cooked. They are much better for you this way.
Onions and garlic have enzymes in them that are good for your blood. Peppers such as raw jalapenos are good for keeping your blood in good shape - fighting against colds and flus. (dont eat the seeds, those are killer hot)
NO fried food! Eat it boiled, baked, braised, or on the grill. If you have a craving for fried food, such as fried chicken...use 'Shake n Bake' or crushed whole wheat breadcrumbs with seasoning in it...dip the chicken in buttermilk or soy milk and then roll in bread crumbs, then bake. Gives the illusion of fried, without all the fat and calories.
Try to only eat veggie meals, no meat at all. If you do use meat, use it as a flavoring additive, not a main part of the dish.
Go online or to the library and look through some vegan and vegetarian cookbooks. Find some recipes you might think you will like and try them. (I love broccoli, spinach, and squash)
DONT eat 4 hours before you go to bed. If you do, make it a small piece of fruit or a handfull of popcorn and a big glass of water, about 1 hour before bedtime.



My problem is I hate eating in the morning....it makes me feel sick to eat anything in the morning. I have had to adjust this since getting diabetes. I eat a little bit of oatmeal or scrambled egg with my medications.


Stay off or cut down:

Starchs
Sugars
Oils


I have cut my soda intake down to three cans a week. More treats than staples.
Same goes for chips and candy.
I eat sugar free chocolate, dark chocolate. The darker the better says my Dr.

Pick one "cheat day" and stick with this.....make it a busy day too, one where you may clean house, go shopping, and visit friends in one day. And eat your cheat meal for lunch, not dinner. You can have anything you want, as long as you dont over do it.

[pellaz]

reference:
-realjck.com its a US gay muscle building sight. If you can filter their self homophobic and republican talk there might be additional resources on this forum. For some reason the site is 99% functional even if you dont log on.
-I posted a free iPhone apps that might help. Notice the concept drove right past the >44year old crowd and took some unexpected people with it as well. But it really helps to make a list of what you eat, on paper, on an iPhone or on a desk top. Look for some way to track and evaluate the foods you eat and the exercise you do. This stuff is well under stood, with out mystery, that if you dont loose weight you ate too much.

diet if you want but success is keeping it off so for example:
-eat old shoes, your body is very successful in extracting protein. What does it matter? so pick a vegan life style. Put a big label on (vegan) it may cover up the desire and you can eliminate lots of bad habits.
-consider eliminating all forms of alcohol. There are plenty of bad habits, pick the ones that are low calorie.
-go through your kitchen and toss out food, dont buy them again so your not tempted to eat them.

[Lunar]

I would highly recommend getting some medical advice or a complete physical to determine where you stand on the physical activity spectrum. We don't want a medical emergency to take place.

Once that is established you have to commit yourself to a lifestyle change. You can revert years of dietary abuse, so long as your willing to stick to that change. It's a lot of hard work, but the benefits of a healthy lifestyle make it all worth it.

Once your committed and your physical limit is established, find a routine that caters to your needs.

Don't be afraid to explore new things. Your goal should be to find a routine that interests you and is enjoyable. If at home, blast some music to get you going and motivated. Make it so it's less of a burden and more of a goal in life.

In terms of dieting, there is no way around it. You have to change what you put in your mouth. The amount of processed foods that are consumed are not only toxins to your body, but a detriment to your long term goal. So try to eat whole foods that are unrefined and unprocessed.

Start off with some foods that are great at burning fat.

I would highly recommend brown rice since it contains vitamins and minerals that convert fat into lean muscle. It's great at controling blood glucose levels too!
Here's a few facts about brown rice, the unrefined kind:
(a) Contains unique variants of Vitamin E that lower excesses of fat and cholesterol in the body.
(b) Contains fiber, a great way of controlling blood glucose levels.
© Gamma-oryzanol, which strengthens the musculature of the body and converts fat into lean body mass.
(d) Coenzyme Q10, which burns fat into energy and reduces obesity. Also great for combating heart disease.

Another great fat burner is tea!

Start off slow, implementing a few changes and build your way up to it. It's definitely worth the effort!

Note: I would not recommend taking supplements with the above mentiioned enzymes/chemicals. Excesses of anything can be harmful and toxic!

[Hayden]

I got so excited when I read your post. I feel I might have a bit to contribute.

I relate a lot to what you wrote: embarrassed to exercise, weak joints, terrified of leaving the house, etc.

I lost 70 lbs. in the last year and half and I have serious joint problems in my knees and ankles due to a congenital condition, so I know that sucks.

I haven't read all the other posts, so I apologize if I'm being repetitive. I won't try to give you particular advice on dieting techniques and exercise tips (I only know what worked for me, and we're all different), I'll just try to give some mental advice by telling you how I got started.

First of all, exercise sucks. It just does. When people say it doesn't, they're lying, or they're already in great shape and don't understand what it's like starting to exercise when you're overweight. It's not going to be fun when you first start. But that's okay. Not everything has to be fun. Sometimes we do things for other reasons.
It's especially a lot harder to find "fun" things to do when you're an indoorsy person like you and I.

I'll tell you how I started working out/eating better.

A couple years ago I ran into a guy I went to middle school with. He was my first crush. I was really in love with him and I always felt like he might've felt the same way. Anyway, when I ran into him by chance at some restaurant I was very elated, but also very embarrassed. He turned into this tall, gorgeous charming guy, and I was this short, fat guy who gets accused of having a fake I.D. when he buys cigarettes because he still looks 14. The guy said he was leaving for Germany for a year. So after much crying and hating my self, and in a single moment of madness, I angrily walked out my front door and sprinted around my block, before getting winded after about ten seconds of course. It must have been quite a sight. I can imagine some neighbor thinking "Hmm, I wonder who's that fat kid with the tears and snot all over face and the ranch stains on his theatre camp shirt who just collapsed on the sidewalk."

I'm really getting lost here....

The point is, I had some genuine motivation. Now granted, it was largely due to vanity, but that's an okay place to start. Also, I had a concrete goal, a deadline. And that made a lot of difference.

Because of my joints I couldn't run too much. So what worked really well for me was buying a rebounder, a little trampoline. It's great. It's soft on your joints, and despite the stupid shit I said above, it is a little fun. In terms of food, all I did was eat less, tried to throw in some veggies as much as I could, and stopped eating after 7pm. Three meals a day, and that's it, no snacking.

The main thing I'm trying to say (and doing a poor job) is that exercise and eating right is work. But that shouldn't deter you. Feeling hungry is okay. We have a tendency to think that if we're hungry than it needs to be taken care of immediately. Feeling hungry (up to a point of course, be smart) means you're losing weight. And to be honest, I exercise about three times a week, and I still don't like it. But you know what I do like (beside that awesome moment when I'm finally done working out and I can sit around the rest of the day guilt free) is the feeling of being healthy, which is amazing. Fuck the vanity thing too. That's something I've seriously learned. After growing up fat and unhappy and blaming all my problems on my weight, I've learned that at the end of the day, fat or thin, people treat me basically the same.

So do it for the benefit of you're health. It's hard but it is truly worth it. Stick it out even in the times that you feel the worst. That's when it's most important.