Wednesday, November 7, 2007

FOOD AND DRINK - WHAT TO CONSUME FOR GOOD HEALTH AND WEIGHT LOSS

Here's my list of what to eat and drink, rated by:
HOW OFTEN TO EAT IT / HOW MUCH TO EAT

This food list (not a fad diet - never fad diet - what you eat IS your diet though!) allowed me to lose 20 lbs in 6 months without being hungry, but keep in mind that I run and I workout. I ran 600 miles in these 6 months, averaging from 10 minutes a mile at the start to 8.5 minutes a mile at the end of 6 months. This may sound daunting, but it is only about 3 miles a day (every single day I run at least 1 mile). AND, walking counts! Whether you run or walk or a combination, 1 mile = 1 mile; both burn the same amount of calories!
This food/drink list also lower my Triglycerides from 169 to 57, my total cholesterol from 220 to 203, and my Glucose from 149 to 99, in 6 months!

VERY OFTEN / AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE UNTIL YOU ARE FULL
  • Seltzer water, club soda, tonic water, water
  • Tea, unsweetened
  • Coffee or Espresso, black only
  • Popcorn, air popped plain
  • Kale/kale greens/collard greens
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Corn
  • Potatoes
  • Apples, berries
  • Kidney beans
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Squash, eggplant
  • Mushrooms
  • Cabbage (not cole slaw)
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Salsa
  • Tofu
  • Citrus fruits
  • Melons
  • Peas
  • Peppers
  • Whole wheat bread - 5g/slice fiber
  • Peanut Butter - natural - only contains peanuts
  • Oats, rolled, plain
  • Salad - lettuce, veggies, olive oil dressing only
  • Pickles, dill
  • Pepper, hot sauce, mustard

OCCASIONALLY / 1 SERVING
  • Peanuts, almonds, nuts
  • Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, seeds
  • Avocado
  • Brazil Nuts
If a food is not on the list, avoid it. If you can't avoid it, eat a small portion of it and don't dwell on it or make a habit of it. There were many times when I had a piece or 2 of pizza, or a hamburger, or even a few fries. But seldom. And I quite often worked out a bit harder afterwards. Eating is a joy and a big part of life, especially as you age, and there's no sense being too anal about it. The keys here are portion control/self-control, common sense and being honest with yourself, exercise, and consistency. Work at it and play at it, have fun!

AS SELDOM AS POSSIBLE / AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE
  • Trans fats, hydrogenated oil
  • Oil - AVOID ALL OIL
  • Seafood - AVOID seafood
  • Meat: - NEVER BEEF NEVER PORK NEVER POULTRY. EVER.
  • EGGS - AVOID EGGS
  • CHEESE - AVOID CHEESE
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Processed foods
  • White bread
  • Bagels
  • Bread, low-fiber
  • Fried food
  • Ribs
  • Pizza
  • Ice cream, cookies, cakes
  • Candy, gum, mints
  • Artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Saccharin, Acesulfame K, Sucralose)
  • Sugar
  • Coke, cola, flavored soda, flavored water
  • Vitamin water
  • Gatorade
  • Energy drinks
  • Diet Soda
  • Sweetened Tea
  • Processed food
  • Chocolate
  • Frozen foods (most)
  • Milk - NEVER MILK
  • Mayonnaise
  • Butter
  • Canned fruit
  • Cole slaw
  • Macaroni salad
  • Potato salad
  • Alcohol - NEVER ALCOHOL

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