Let's Get It Started! with chrisbowers mentor group - CLOSED and ROLLING! (Page 5)

I travel a lot and when I was on the road, my meals consisted of: Breakfast- McDonalds, Lunch- What-a-Burger, and Dinner- Jack in the Box.  When I got on a kick to get more healthy the first thing I got rid of was fast food.  Then I cut to a fraction of the sodas that I was having a day.  I had tried several times before, but usually they all ended the same way; my secretary would bring me one and demand that I drank it (so that I would stop yelling at her).

I still have one or part of one in the mornings since I do not drink coffee. 

Signed up for lap swimming.  Going by after work.  Now I just need to find a coach.

As far as diet, I try to follow the 80/20 rule. Although, during the holidays it gets difficult. I probably drink five sodas a year; Coke only. I probably do not drink enough water during the day. When you are a teacher, it is tough to say, "hang on, I have to go to the restroom" in the middle of a class.

My biggest diet problem is snacking at night. I eat breakfast, lunch, and supper and snack in between, but for some reason when I'm getting my lunch ready for the next day I start to try out what I'm packing for the next day. 

That sounds like it could be really good news! The best part, like you said is no surgery involved!! My daughter has had shoulder issues for the last year(she's a year round swimmer), and we finally decided her best and only option is for orthoscopic surgery.  Doesn't sound too intrusive and the Dr. said her recovery time should be 4-8 weeks.

LOL, before you know it you won't even worry about one soda a week.  I've been on a strict diet since the beginning of November and I used to drink 2-3 per day and now I can't remember the last time I drank one!

Good to see everyone is limiting soda. Since August 14, I have had maybe 3 sodas. I used to drink 3 per day and Mountain Dew was my favorite. I just read today something about a mouse being dissolved in a mountain dew can. I stopped snoring (after 12 years of sleeping in separate rooms) after about 1 month of eating good and no soda. I lost 36 pounds through mid November, maintained through holidays and now am back on the really good eating plan. Fast food is not an option. I feel so much better than I used to. I know every pound I lose is one less pound I have to carry on a swim, bike or run.

Today was my first day of swimming and bike class in the same day. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Jay

I grew up in a house where one of my parents was diabetic.  So there was never any alcohol in our house.  I have continued that in my house.  As a result, I probably have not had a beer in over 20 years.  I drink the "hard stuff" maybe 4 times a year (at some conference).

Swam for 30 minutes today.  I thought that I was going to die and yes I did stop a lot.

I used to drink around 2-3 a day.  One year I decided I could only have one soda a day, then about 2 years later went to 1 a week.  Did great for over a year but got strep-throat and nothing feels better than soda on a sore throat.  Now back to one a week!  Have a Dinner/Dance benefit this weekend, not sure what I am going to do without my Captain & Coke!

One thing that helped me was I started cooking on the weekends.  I would cook our favorite meals and then make them with  lower calorie ingredients and then I would freeze individual servings in plastic bowls and each day I would take my lunch to work.   Another thing that helped was crock pot meals.  You can start this on the way to work and then it is done when you get home.  Left overs are put in plastic bowls and frozen for future lunches. 

I think weaning off slowly is the right way to do it.  I tried to go from 6-8 a day and stop cold turkey.  I thought I was going to kill someone.  I remember having an important meeting where I was going to be told just what I did not want to hear and everyone was so afraid of how I would react tha they sent 3 people to tell me.  It was like they were ready to restrain me if I did not react well.  Ha!

I wish I had a way to warm food for lunch, I'm on the road most of the time and don't have access to a microwave.  I do like the idea of cooking on the weekends and freezing meals though.

Well you need to decide what it is you want to eat. I have been cooking for myself since I was 11 years old. I have been through it all, good and bad, and now I pay close attention. I also fall off the wagon at times. I eat everything that is real food. I drink beer and wine and whiskey. I eat sweets and chocolate. But heres what I do usually. 

Greens, Broccoli , Spinach, Cabbage, green beans, courgettes, carrotts... are my main veggies. I also eat pumpkin fried in olive oil. 

Olive oil is the only oil I use. 

I try to stay away from white food if I can and If I can't I try to limit it, meaning Potatoes, Rice Pasta cheese and yogurt. 

I do eat wholemeal pasta, only on training days, I eat wholemeal rice. I eat Boulgur,( might be spelled wrong) couscous, any other non wheat grain. 

I firmly believe refined wheat and sugar to be as close to poison as there is. 

I have starches for breakfeast oatmeal, and fruit... or fruit juice. I drink green tea and water about 4-5 pints a day.. 

I eat a lot of protien, chicken, turkey fish eggs, beef, liver ( pork or calve liver) I stay away from mutton usually as it's very hard to digest. 

I eat practically nothing that has been frozen, or tinned, (unless its whole vegetable or tuna). ... 

The way to eat healthy is not actually cut down a little at a time. It can be difficult but make radical changes. and Stick to them. Increase the water intake first, then cut out different foods rapidy one each week... The fluid intake helps wash out the poisons...  There are tons of books and literatures out there.. but basically the carbo loading is a big myth. We don't need so many carbs in our day to day lives... if we are training it's a different story. .. 

I eat nothing with additives , I drink no sodas, my juices are pure juice.... 

Because I eat this way, I can afford to indulge once a month in binge for my sweet tooth. It's not a trial or tribulation, it's wonderfully cleansing to eat fresh real food. Once you do it, you feel great. 

I also usually prepare meals the day before....so I can eat good food at work ... Salads are great in summer time... cold meats too. In winter time I use the microwave and only to heat up what was cooked the night before... 

Usually the evening it's protien, veggie, some cheese... glass of wine.. NO PASTA that late in the evening.. 

I am not freaky about it... I have pizza maybe 4 times a year, sushi maybe 6 times a year.. it's as close as I get to fast food. 

My diet is Italian/French I guess, not quite Paleo but heading that way... I have a ton of recipies if anyone  wants

Wow! All this talk of diets has made me hungry.  I have kids in the house, and they do like a bit of the sweeter things, so that makes it a little bit harder to avoid temptations.  I don't want my diet to be 'work', so I keep things pretty simple.  I don't drink soda-at all,  Skim milk,  lots of fruit on-hand (good variety with some out-of-the-ordinary selection), use smaller plates for your meals, fruit/veggie snack between meals and, most important, I follow the "Rule of 1".  I can only have one serving; one slice of pizza, one beer (on most occasions), if I break down and eat chips/crackers I dole out a serving-NEVER eat from the box and NEVER, EVER eat standing up in the kitchen.

Goals:  I will work out 5 times in the next week. 

Well I am supposed to do the following... 

Swim 2:30 - Bike 4:25 - Run 3:00, Assuming I start on Monday, ( because I on off sick now).. it's doable.