Author Topic: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.  (Read 31598 times)

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #100 on: July 22, 2013, 09:48:30 AM »
Quote
It seems like a bit of contradiction that you used to eat 3000 calories and not gain weight and now you eat a pb&j sandwich and a dinner and are at a low weight. I don't think you have a fast metabolism. I think you just don't eat enough.

Drinking those shakes was when working out regularly in high school - my guess is the exercise cancelled out the extra calories, and the lack of exercise now goes with the lack of calories now?  I'm sure if I sat on my duff and drank those shakes all day I'd gain weight, but that's not what I'm looking to do.

it may prove illuminating. It could identify whether you truly have a fast metabolism or just undereat.

I undereat.  (Was that not clear earlier in the thread a page or two ago?)

I don't snack (we don't buy "snacks").  I just eat when I'm hungry, until I'm full.  That consists of the stuff I said in the OP and earlier posts.  I'm not sure what it would illuminate - I admit that I don't have a large appetite and only eat two meals a day, neither of which are large.

I just don't feel like force feeding myself when I'm not hungry.  And I'm perfectly happy with my eating, and have plenty of energy (my students would say that I have too much energy), I was just wondering if I should eat a little "better" (not being as clear on what that meant before I started this thread).  I don't plan on eating more.  That would make me unhappy (having been forced to "eat more" as a child at times.)  If and when a doctor tells me that I have to put on weight and recommends a plan for that, I'll go that way.  Until then, I'm okay with my weight (that has been stable +/- 2 pounds for over half my life), like I said, just wanted to see about eating better, but gave the info so everyone had all relevant information.  :)

Again, appreciate the thoughts everyone.  Have made some minor changes in the immediate term (i.e. already done at the last trip to the grocery store) and am thinking over some others.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

DoubleDown

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2075
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #101 on: July 23, 2013, 02:50:33 PM »
I am going to disagree in this case with the advice being given about "finding an exercise you like." I did all kinds of exercise I liked when I was skinny, and remained skinny. I was very healthy, but skinny. It was not until I took up weight lifting that I gained weight, in a healthy way. The results were pretty dramatic for me at least, it happened quickly without me even setting out to gain weight. I just wanted to lift weights, and the weight gain happened as a side effect.

On a similar note, yesterday a physical therapist gave me some specific exercises to do for lower back problems that started a while ago. I do not anticipate enjoying these exercises at all, but I'm going to do them because it's the prescribed solution for the targeted problem. Hiking and biking and swimming are not going to help Arebelspy put on weight, they're likely to have the opposite effect if anything. Arebelspy's prescribed exercise is weight lifting.

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5961
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #102 on: July 23, 2013, 03:03:09 PM »
Prescriptions come from doctors for medical problems, not from talking heads on the internet for perceived but unproblematic ones.

anastrophe

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
  • Location: New England
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #103 on: July 24, 2013, 07:18:09 AM »
Prescriptions come from doctors for medical problems, not from talking heads on the internet for perceived but unproblematic ones.

Indeed. And for unperceived but problematic ones--if I had relied on the internet for health advice in the past, I'd be dead now. Real doctors at least have some actual science behind them.

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #104 on: July 24, 2013, 09:09:59 AM »
f I had relied on the internet for health advice in the past, I'd be dead now.

That's quite dramatic and sounds like a fun story!
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

anastrophe

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 560
  • Location: New England
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #105 on: July 24, 2013, 10:28:58 AM »
f I had relied on the internet for health advice in the past, I'd be dead now.

That's quite dramatic and sounds like a fun story!

It was dramatic and not at all a fun story.

Tony_SS

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 59
  • Location: MO
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #106 on: July 24, 2013, 02:06:51 PM »
I became somewhat obssesed about diet years ago. And upon my research, the caveman/paleo lifestyle is not a diet, it's called eating healthy. I wasn't fat or sick, but wanted to eat healthier. So far in 8 months I've lost over 20lbs on diet alone. I dont starve myself and I dont exercise outside the normal routine of life.

1. Grains. Read the book wheat belly. Modern wheat is horrible for you. And it's in EVERYTHING. It a profit driven consumable that is junk. Don't eat it.

2. Sugars. See Grains. Over processed, horrible on your body.

3. Factory Dairy. Feed with grains. Shot up with antibiotics, growth hormones and just horrible living conditions. (I took myself off store milk and started drinking raw milk and my chronic ear infections were gone!) Turns out, many people are allergic to dairy and just dont know it.

Cut out those 3 things and you're on your way. No fads, no products to sell, just good clean eating. This includes animal fats, veggies, fruits, nuts, eggs, raw milk - all organic if possible. Only dairy should be from grass fed cows and should be raw.

Good luck! I know its easy to get cheap food, but its the cheap food that's the worst for you. Its one area in my life that I'll pay for more now, otherwise we pay a LOT more for it later. Have you priced out cancer lately? It aint cheap!

DoubleDown

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2075
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #107 on: July 24, 2013, 02:42:14 PM »
Prescriptions come from doctors for medical problems, not from talking heads on the internet for perceived but unproblematic ones.

Oh come on now, why always so harsh? I didn't advise 300 mg. of Lovastatin 3x/day, I advised weight lifting to gain desirable weight. The word prescription has other uses than those that come from a doctor. I doubt you're actually arguing that weight lifting is not a healthy and proven way for just about anyone to put on desirable muscle weight, and that running or hiking are likely to have the opposite effect, are you? You don't need a doctor to tell you that or to "prescribe" it.

And you say "perceived or unproblematic [problems]" -- Arebelspy is specifically seeking advice from talking heads on the internet on an issue he'd like to address, whether or not it's a "problem", and you're going to harsh on someone for offering (or prescribing) a solution?

grantmeaname

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 5961
  • Age: 31
  • Location: Middle West
  • Cast me away from yesterday's things
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #108 on: July 24, 2013, 03:18:57 PM »
He never asked how to gain weight.

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #109 on: August 08, 2013, 06:17:04 PM »
Honestly, the OP should go see a doctor not an internet forum on this issue.

Well I've had maybe 3 or 4 physicals and overall comprehensive exams, including bloodwork, since I've been this "BMI" (aka since I've stopped growing taller and been this weight), the most recent maybe 2-3 years ago.  All have come back completely fine and healthy, multiple different doctors have had no concerns whatsoever about my health.  (That being said, that doesn't mean I couldn't be eating better, thus the point of this thread).

I'll be going again soon, and wouldn't expect anything to differ from the last few times this exact thing was done.

Followup: I went to the doctor last week.  He thought everything looked great, I mentioned the concern some had over my height to weight issue and he said it was one of the lowest BMI's he's seen, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.  Blood pressure, etc. all normal.

Had blood work done, everything came back great except I had high calcium.  Due to this, had more blood drawn this week, got the results today and that came back as normal calcium, normal thyroid.  Everything looks great according to blood tests and I was told to, quote, "continue your healthy habits."

Thanks for those concerned (who were the catalyst for me making the appointment, always good to go check every few years, but it's one of those things that tends to slide), I just wanted to follow up that everything seems to be A-OK, physically.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

savingtofreedom

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 247
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #110 on: August 08, 2013, 07:42:41 PM »
Sounds like you got a lot of great feedback.  One thing I may caution and it may have no bearing on you but being underweight can have an impact on your fertility (both male and female). I lost weight and lost my appetite - in the process I messed up my fertility (I was trying to get "healthier" before I got pregnant - woops).  Just something to think about - not sure if you had any hormonal tests as part of this checkup.  Again this may not apply to you and feel free to ignore.

Otherwise eating a varied, colorful, whole foods as much as you can is probably the best bet. 

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23129
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: I know nothing about food - Help me choose a diet.
« Reply #111 on: August 15, 2013, 06:58:20 AM »
Followup: I went to the doctor last week.  He thought everything looked great, I mentioned the concern some had over my height to weight issue and he said it was one of the lowest BMI's he's seen, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.  Blood pressure, etc. all normal.

Had blood work done, everything came back great except I had high calcium.  Due to this, had more blood drawn this week, got the results today and that came back as normal calcium, normal thyroid.  Everything looks great according to blood tests and I was told to, quote, "continue your healthy habits."

Thanks for those concerned (who were the catalyst for me making the appointment, always good to go check every few years, but it's one of those things that tends to slide), I just wanted to follow up that everything seems to be A-OK, physically.

That's good to hear!