Tips and Tricks of Maintaining Healthy Living

Ithinkimtheking on 10/03/2018 - 08:59
Last edited 10/03/2018 - 09:28 by 1 other user

Hi ozbargainers,

Wanting to keep this short as I'm about to start work.

Having an issue keeping healthy and looking for opinions and ideas to assist in being moderately healthy.

My short term goal is to lose some excess weight. Long term to maintain a healthy diet and exercise.

Understanding commitment and perseverance is key. Wondering what helps you guys stay on track.

Been thinking of visiting a dietician due to my unhealthy eating lately.(have gained roughly 15kg since I've started working)

Looking forward to hearing all the replies and I'll also add in more info after work!

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • snivy on 12/03/2018 - 01:22
    +4

    A bit of background; I was rather chubby teenager but managed to lost the excessive weight during my uni years and maintained a healthy figure since. I think it was since I had my own independence on deciding what to eat that I lost the weight, my family has this funny belief that "eating solves everything." You're sick, eat more. You're tired, eat more. You're on travel, eat more. Then they wondered why they struggled to lose weight.

    So from my personal experience:
    1) I weight myself everyday. This keeps track on which food makes me gain weight more than others, also good to keep track and maintaining my weight.
    2) Switch soft drinks with water, or generally reduce the amount of sugary drinks I take.
    3) Cut down on junk food and fried food.
    4) I don't do excessive gym or rigorous training, I prefer swimming or brisk walk. Sometimes I choose to take stairs instead of escalators, or do the longer route.
    5) I decide on my food and my portion. I find it super annoying when people just dump food on my plate and expect me to eat it. Don't be pressurised to eat something you don't want to eat, it's ok to say no.
    6) I have a bit of everything but never too much of anything.

    I actually can't believe all the bashing I got from not eating as much as I meant to, not liking certain food, refusing second serving, not finishing my meal, etc. But after years I finally got used to it and made jokes instead, in the end I'm the one who's benefited, my blood results always came back generally good.

  • garetz on 12/03/2018 - 07:59

    Increase your vegetable intake while decreasing beef, also eat less white bread and bread in general for more legumes and leafy greens.

    Cut out 99.9% of sugary and processed foods, no more potato chips, sugary snacks, sugar laden sodas, its good to have a cheat day maybe once a month for a small chocolate protein bar.

    Cut out alcohol for 3-6 months, then have 1 drink a week or so maximum.

    Cut out all fast food, and always cook your own meals.

    some exercise daily, even walks will help tremendously.

    • montorola on 13/03/2018 - 17:12
      +1

      I just read your comment while eating Burger Rings lol

      Now I feel bad :(

    • pformag on 13/03/2018 - 18:12
      -1

      um, reducing protein will = muscle loss = weight loss, but you will still be fat with less muscle tone than before.

      • garetz on 14/03/2018 - 02:07

        I said decrease beef, you can still have chicken and lamb, its about variety, also legumes is iron rich as is leafy greens.

  • bocca on 12/03/2018 - 10:10
    1. Track your calories for a week
    2. Eat 300 calories per day less then what you were eating before
    3. Lose weight
    4. Profit?
    • lostn on 12/03/2018 - 12:27

      That might not be enough. If what he/she was eating was already well above the recommended intake, 300 cals less is still going to be above the recommended daily intake. He just won't gain weight as quickly as before but will still gain weight.

      • bocca on 15/03/2018 - 15:45

        ah yes good point. this assumes that they're maintaining their weight.

        if they're putting on weight then try this first, retest after 1-2 weeks and re assess.

  • frewer on 12/03/2018 - 11:39
    1. Be consistance and use common sense often.e.g diet soft drink's calories > water's calories
    2. Be tough on your self sometimes to maintain 1.
    3. Keep your mind strong as well in order consistancely maintain 1 and 2.
    4. Have short of rountine or plan
  • realfancyman on 12/03/2018 - 12:03
    +1

    Hey, this is what worked for me.
    Stop eating fast food

    Cut down your food intake so you are full but not overeating - try not to have any snacks if you can avoid it. If you are not hungry, don't eat anything.

    Have a good breakfast - this made a big difference to me. Before I usually had no breakfast which made me want to snack a lot throughout the day but now I have a smoothie and it makes you fuller throughout the day and gets you through till lunch.

    In my smoothie I have Spinach, frozen mixed berries ($8/kg at woolies), one banana and 30g of protein powder.
    The protein is optional but I like the flavour and consistency it gives to the smoothie.

    That's diet which is the most important part, but I also go to the outdoor gym for about 30minutes most days, and make sure I hit 10,000 steps everyday. I want to start running more often soon, right now I'm running 2kms a week and I want to step this up to 3km at least 3 times a week but my stamina isn't quite there yet.

    Hope you can take something from this

  • lostn on 12/03/2018 - 12:26
    +1

    All those dominoes codes that get posted every few days probably doesn't help.

    I don't have magic bullet advice. You just have to resist the temptation. Eat smaller portions and count your calories. But you also have to combine it with rigorous exercise. And you have to understand this is going to be a very long term project.

    You can reward yourself once every 2 weeks with your favorite food in order to stay motivated, but every time you see something tempting, you're just going to have to say no. It's easier said than done, but just pretend you're quitting smoking. It takes a lot of willpower.

    A big tip is to drink only water. Avoid all sugary drinks. They have hidden calories. It doesn't look like they'll do much to you, but over a year they definitely will. A year of drinking only water vs a year of someone drinking fizzy drinks every day is a difference of about 5kg in weight. And this is really quite easy to resist. It's much easier to turn down a drink than a cheesecake or pizza.

  • Rawr_ on 12/03/2018 - 14:25

    I find avoiding shopping at coles/woolies etc, and just shoping at fruit and veg places really helps.

    I tend to buy a lot of crap food at the supermarkets. At the fruit and veg places not only is there less junk food, but the stuff they do have is much more expensive, so it's easier for me to restrain myself.

    Pre-planning a few meals each week and buying all the ingredients on Sunday, then making at least Mondays meal is helpful too, as sometimes I get too tired after work and can't be bothered going to the shops or cooking, thus get takeaway. I usually make a soup/stew or the like every now and again so I can stick a few portions in the freezer, for when I am feeling lazy.

    Hope you find what works for you :)

  • DiscoJango on 12/03/2018 - 14:29

    "Wanting to keep this short as I'm about to start work"

    sounds like op is someone who wants a quick fix approach to life. loosing weight takes time.

    • Ithinkimtheking on 12/03/2018 - 15:08

      troll?

      • Ithinkimtheking on 12/03/2018 - 15:18
        +1

        But anyhow in response to your statement, sure I would love a quick fix! :) Be a lot easier than fighting the hard yards, but i am also sure we all know that's not how this will work..

  • greater mimic on 12/03/2018 - 14:45
    +2

    Controversial, but in the words of Michael Pollan - "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants"

    Basically eat a plant based diet with no meat and dairy (i.e. a healthy vegan diet). It's what I do, but like I said it's very controversial to claim meat and dairy being bad for your health.

    • ihbh on 14/03/2018 - 14:15
      +1

      Not controversial at all. I'm trying to get there. Still a small bit of meat, and some fish, now and then.

      • greater mimic on 14/03/2018 - 15:13
        +1

        Nice mate that's awesome! Sometimes you can't avoid eating a little bit when you're eating someone else's cooking or catering for someone else.

        I would say it's controversial because it goes against many people's beliefs on what's healthy and against strong industries and cultures. The amount of people here suggesting to go on a keto diet is definitely concerning. Giving up carbs? No thankyou haha.

  • Relaxing265 on 12/03/2018 - 16:22

    Try intermittent fasting… If you don't have any pre-existing medical conditions

  • Hirolol on 12/03/2018 - 18:21
    +1

    Probably avoid the smoothie for breakfast…
    Better off just eating the price of fruit as you go to work.
    Even a small bowl of oats or something.
    Cut out the sugars and just concentrate on portion control.
    Go for 30 min walks every day.

    Put some balsamic vinegar on the salad or squeeze some lemon
    Acvoid any dressings.

  • points4life on 12/03/2018 - 19:23
    +2

    Bulletproof coffee in the morning and you'll be good for the majority of the day.

    • bobwokeup on 13/03/2018 - 16:24

      Yeah I love the bulletproof coffee although you should still eat lunch :)

    • [Deactivated] on 15/03/2018 - 16:14

      Goes well with a teaspoon full of snake oil.

      • points4life on 15/03/2018 - 17:36

        Actually, you add MCT oil ;)

        • [Deactivated] on 16/03/2018 - 10:23
          -1

          And Dave Asprey is the King of snake oil sales.

  • scbrother on 12/03/2018 - 20:28
    +1

    My tip after moving out of home last year…
    Minimise the amount of food you buy from Coles/Woolies
    Maximise the amount of food you buy from market, fruit shop etc.
    The amount of crap in supermarket aisles is insane.

  • jar-unit on 12/03/2018 - 20:51
    +2
    1. Drink water throughout the day - aim for 2 bottles of 600-800ml
    2. Minimize processed foods e.g breads especially white, high sugar foods, cereals
    3. Push ups every morning before showering, push ups before bed (at the very minimum if not doing other exercise)
    4. Switch from coffee to tea (good quality loose leaf tea you wont miss the coffee)
    5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator
    6. Eat roast vegetables with dinner and some meat - very satisfying and fulfilling yet very good for you
    7. Snack clean - almonds, fruits, carrots etc.
  • jar-unit on 12/03/2018 - 20:53
    1. Have boiled eggs for breakfast. Very filling, healthy and cheap
    2. Have canned tuna with microwave brown rice cup - very easy bring in lunch for work lunch
    • freemoneyhunter on 12/03/2018 - 21:48
      -4

      You are giving out dangerous advise. Eggs are not filling and they are unhealthy, they have 0 fibre and 1 egg has as much cholesterol as 4 bigmacs.

      • jar-unit on 13/03/2018 - 06:48
        +3

        This is a myth. Eggs are certainly much healthier than cereal which is generally made with highly processed wheats and lots of sugar.

        https://www.goodfood.com.au/good-health/you-can-eat-eggs-eve…

        • freemoneyhunter on 13/03/2018 - 19:13
          -3

          1 egg can raise your total blood cholesterol by 12%. Cereal for breakfast is a much better choice, of course a healthy cereal, not cocopops or other similar cereals and along with low fat soy milk.

          70% of the calories in eggs are from fat. Eggs have no fibre, no carbohydrates, 185mg of cholesterol in each egg the american heart foundation recommends keeping dietary cholesterol under 200mg. Eggs are not a health food, they are a disease promoting food.

        • jar-unit on 14/03/2018 - 06:59
          +1

          @freemoneyhunter:

          I have had at least 3 eggs most days for the past 5 years and sometimes more, and I feel great. Not recommending that to everyone, but my doctor thinks my cholesterol levels are perfect. Eggs are a nutrient dense source of protein and a gem of a food.

          Most cereals even healthy ones are still loaded with processed ingredients and added sugar.

          If anything common cereals are the disease promoting food. Eggs are a health food. Do your research of the latest studies, not outdated 10 year old information.

  • rappy68 on 12/03/2018 - 21:09

    So many things to think about but a few key things I follow are this:

    Water only - if I need a bit of flavour add lemon juice - this become alkaline (which is a good thing), if fresh is not possible then get concentrate (still better than other additives)

    I do drink alcohol but only on weekends, have my coffee black with a tiny, tiny bit of raw sugar at best. Get used to drinking mixes with low sugar/low carbs eg: low carb beers, vodka/soda/lemon.

    Avoid starchy carbs if you can after 2-3pm (this includes things like pasta, potatoes, corn, breads) - this just sits in your stomach overnight depending on your metabolism and adds weight.

    Eat plenty of fibrous carbs - dinners can be meat/fish and 3 veg, add plenty of herbs/spices.

    Get your metabolism going with exercise and make it a habit that is part of your day - ride to work, walk from 1 extra bus/train stop, walk after meals helps and add chili as often as possible.

  • Ithinkimtheking on 12/03/2018 - 21:41
    +3

    Thanks everyone! I am overwhelmed by the amount of helpful responses.

    I am taking on some new ideas and very happy about the different suggestions that you all have mentioned.

    Some of the main things I am going to strive towards and put into practise are;

    -eating moderately 1 qtr meat 3 qtr veg for dinner.
    -healthy breakfast with no sugars unless I am having a fruit smoothie.
    -lunches I will aim for healthy salads and meat to start off with and hopefully ease off the meat as time goes on. (today I dramatically changed the amount of meat I put into my salad adding more veggies.)
    -moderate weekly exercises, including sleeping schedule to help with this. Depending on the times I need to work I will aim for 30-45 minute walks in the evening some nights. With walking/jogging in the weekday mornings.

    I am roughly 84kg at the moment with goals aiming towards 75kg. I will keep posting monthly updates and hopefully see a dramatic change from all these new tips. I don't feel I will talk to the doctor, as I feel I can accomplish these goals. How long it takes will be a different question but I do aim to cut down on sugary food, excess meals and maybe have once a fortnight or monthly cheat days.

    Again appreciate all the comments and please feel free to continue adding in your suggestions as I am still learning and hopeful others may be too!

    Tldr; Trying out a healthier life style with food, sleep and exercise changes.

    • bluesky on 12/03/2018 - 23:08

      In case the program I mentioned in the other thread might be of benefit to you as well … feel free to check it out. Cheers.

    • greater mimic on 12/03/2018 - 23:09

      Since you're interested in easing off meat, I recommend reading up on adopting a plant based diet and how that's beneficial to your health. There's a couple good documentaries such as 'In Defense of Food' and 'Food Choices'.

  • freemoneyhunter on 12/03/2018 - 22:15
    -1

    You need to eat a low fat diet. Eat whole foods, avoid meat and dairy. Brisk walk 3-4 times a week is perfect for health. With you being overweight or obese, you should go on a low fat low cholesterol diet for a few weeks to lower your total blood cholesterol before beginning exercise to avoid a heart attack. By the time someone is in their 20's, they already have major narrowing of the coronary arteries by 50% or more and 1-2 of their major arteries have 100% occlusions.

    "-eating moderately 1 qtr meat 3 qtr veg for dinner.
    -healthy breakfast with no sugars unless I am having a fruit smoothie.
    -lunches I will aim for healthy salads and meat to start off with and hopefully ease off the meat as time goes on. (today I dramatically changed the amount of meat I put into my salad adding more veggies.)
    -moderate weekly exercises, including sleeping schedule to help with this. Depending on the times I need to work I will aim for 30-45 minute walks in the evening some nights. With walking/jogging in the weekday mornings."

    That is not good, don't eat any meat. Don't drink smoothies, just as bad as a can of soda.

  • ego22 on 13/03/2018 - 00:12
    -1

    with no effort?…take moringa, chlorella and spirulina tablets regularly. sometimes replace a meal with it. you will feel great.

  • Mysterious on 13/03/2018 - 01:22
    -1

    Easiest way that I've found to lose weight and stay healthy is a high carb, low GI, low fat diet. You'll stay fuller for longer, have energy and you'll be more likely to not exceed your daily calorie limit.

    Meals involving brown rice (or white if you're like me and cant stand brown rice), potatoes, stir fry meat, tofu, fish, lean chicken and beans really fill you up and are low in calories. Try to cook these without oil using a non-stick frying pan.

    You can get a healthy amount of fat from nuts, avocado, eggs, seeds and fish if you're concerned about fat intake.

    Obviously incorporate a good amount of greens and fruit in your diet.

    Just stay away from processed food, especially those with high fat content, and dairy.

    • pformag on 13/03/2018 - 18:29
      -3

      You are just losing muscle tone, not fat. Need to keep your protein right up.

      • Mysterious on 13/03/2018 - 19:15

        Can you pinpoint the lack of protein in my post?

  • movieman on 13/03/2018 - 07:23
    +1

    I've stopped eating sugar this year, and have already seen tremendous results.

    It's so surprising the Humber of foods with 'added sugar's.

    I've probably lost about 7kgs in 10 weeks only cutting out one ingredient.

    Try it for 2 months and see how you feel. (-:

  • Stevecro on 13/03/2018 - 08:04

    Eat less, reduce the quantity of food. We are so obsessed about what we eat (which is important) yet many people who eat very well are still eating too much. The amount we eat is rarely discussed compared to what foods should be avoided etc. I lost 25kg just by reducing the quantity of food and nothing else.

    • kimmik on 13/03/2018 - 10:35

      Did reducing intake make you more hungry more often?

      • Stevecro on 13/03/2018 - 11:10

        It did at first, but then the body adjusts to a lower volume of food. I am not saying we should be starving ourselves, but portion control is a big problem. Some advise to eat 6 'small' meals a day, which in my opinion doesn't work for many, as they don't know what a 'small' meal is. I think it's OK to be a little hungry sometimes.

        • freemoneyhunter on 13/03/2018 - 19:17

          It's called portion control disorder, it can effect some people, usually the weight gain is from the type of foods eaten not the quantity of foods.

        • [Deactivated] on 15/03/2018 - 16:12

          @freemoneyhunter: Christ I've heard it all now. Do you believe the world is flat too?

  • JUSTINO on 13/03/2018 - 08:18
    +1

    Lite and easy and start walking to work if you haven’t

  • auna on 13/03/2018 - 09:43
    -1

    Download Myfitnesspal and get an Apple Watch if you have an IPhone or a Gear Fit 2 Pro if you have a Android phone. Answer the profile questions honestly and set the deficit to 500 a day or 1000 a day if you are keen.

    Get Youfoodz or Freshmeals2u/Thr1ve/Lite N Easy and have it for dinner only. Do Intermittent fasting for as long as possible after waking up. The aim is to make the eating done in 6-8 hours for the day.

    For the rest of the day eat snacks such as a Protein Ball, Yoghurt, Cereal or muesli whatever you like. You no longer have to really have a breakfast or a real lunch.

  • [Deactivated] on 13/03/2018 - 11:23
    -1

    Clean the pipe regularly

  • stig on 13/03/2018 - 13:12

    Not sure if this has already been said, but amongst all of the advice to cut back on sugary drinks and food, I HIGHLY recommend finding 5-10 very simple recipes that are low calorie and cooking these.

    A chickpea and lentil dahl takes literally five minutes and is delicious (depending on your tastes. But seriously, it's gooooood). Cauliflower rice can be pulsed in a food processor and flavoured with whatever the hell you like.

    I have a few of these recipes in my repertoire and it helps immensely when trying to decide on an easy dinner. Don't knock cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles before you try them; I'm not a fan of these vegetables on their own (at all - cauliflower is pretty disgusting), but if you add spices and flavours, these turn out delicious. I also abhor cooking, so I make sure recipes I find are super simple - minimal prep, minimal ingredients. I use a lot of spices.

    Also: drink lots of water! Helps keep you a tiny bit more full throughout the day and is obviously wonderful for you.

  • pformag on 13/03/2018 - 18:17

    I recommend watching some of these videos. No holds tells it like it is.

    https://www.facebook.com/JamesSmithPT/videos/140051564672004…

    https://www.facebook.com/JamesSmithPT/videos/139542275722933…

  • fourofjacks on 13/03/2018 - 19:00
    -1

    Stress less, all this stressing out over what to eat and what not is not good for you.
    No need to jump on the latest fad, ie currently there is a big bad sugar fad - as evidenced by many responses in this thread.

    Look to eat in moderation and use common sense. If it looks unhealthy to you, it probably is. But don't stress if its just once in a while, and then just consider eating a smaller portion.

    If you do end up exercising a lot, I find being able to eat junk food whenever I want without having to worry great motivation to keep up the exercise.

  • jpee on 13/03/2018 - 19:20

    Can personally vouch for macro diet and exercise. Lost 30kgs in 10 Months

  • PabloHorteg on 14/03/2018 - 10:12
    +2

    The golden rule for losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise.

    It doesn't matter of you exercise an hour a day — if your diet is still bad, you will not lose weight. Exercise just helps you speed up weight loss. It's the main mistake many people make, they jump into exercise, it kick starts their metabolism again and they binge on bad foods, never losing weight.

    Fix the diet first. You don't have to go on a crazy diet, just eat a lot of vegetables (broccoli, carrot, kale), whole grains (brown bread, brown rice, wholegrain rolls), legumes, nuts, lean protein, and some fruit.

    Limit sugar, alcohol, and avoid anything processed — especially commercial diet foods as they usually have a ton of sugar. It will take a couple of weeks for the cravings for those items to go away.

    Maintain portion control, but if you eat a ton of vegetables and foods with healthy fats (avocado, eggs, oily fish), you will feel satisfied after eating.

    edit: also, yes get a lot of sleep and reduce stress. Lack of sleep and stress release hormones that make it very difficult to lose weight

  • lostn on 15/03/2018 - 17:27
    -1

    I remember a question like this before on the forums, and I gave this same advice last time, and I'll repeat here.

    The hard part about going to the gym to burn calories is that no one is there to make sure you don't slack off. You have total freedom to go home early or miss a few days. If you're going to go to the gym, go with some friends, preferably friends who were already regulars. That will make it less likely for you to slack off. They'll keep you going regularly, and give you a target to try and keep up with.

    What I did though, was I got a PT job working as a pick packer in a warehouse in the evenings. It was 2-3 hours a day (on busy days 4+), but it involved a lot of lifting, of up to 25kg. It did not take long before I bulked up and lost all of my fat. During this time I continued eating at Nandos and HJ's, and ate well above the rec daily intake, and still lose weight. After a few weeks, I noticed my trousers kept slipping off, and I kept needing to pull them up. I started needing to wear a belt which I hadn't in years. This kind of just crept up on me. I wasn't expecting it. I got the job because I needed extra money, not weight loss.

    After 2 months of this, I was back to normal weight. After 6 months, I was under weight. And I never felt better! It meant I'd have a buffer before getting overweight again.

    This job worked out well, because it was a paid workout (as opposed to you paying the gym), and because I had a tough boss who could fire me, there was no chance of me slacking off. Motivation was never an issue, unlike for people new to the gym. An evening's work was longer than a typical gym session but not so long that it would kill me. I thought it was just right.

    This is worth considering for you. Though I don't know enough about you. If you're a woman, lifting 25kg might not be doable. The place I worked was a supplier of food for restaurants, many pizzerias and all Nandos stores. Unlike people buying 2KG of sugar or flour at woolies, a unit of this stuff is 25kg, and each store orders dozens. A can of pineapple or tomato is not 500g but 3 or 4kg, sold in a box of 6. It was easy to get a job there — they hire anyone who asks, because it's also easy to lose your job. That should help with your motivation. ;)

    If your day job involves sitting in an office the whole day, you won't get any natural exercise from work, compared to someone who has to be active and moving about. Though you will probably be paid more, which means you will have to spend extra time out of your day on exercising. With my PT job, I did not watch what I ate, and continued eating the stuff that got me overweight in the first place, because the calories I was burning at work was just that effective. But this will also depend on genetics. Some people just don't burn as much doing the same activity. If I looked after both ends of the equation (calories IN and calories OUT) instead of just OUT, I would have lost weight even faster. But I enjoyed being able to continue eating the food I loved.

    If you don't live too far from work, consider walking instead of driving. I never found this to be a difference maker for me, but health and wellbeing advisers say it's good for you and keeps you active.

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