This was a last minute idea for a diary while sitting at my desk under a pile load of work yesterday evening. I was very busy and it was raining outside making it difficult for me to go for my usual walk/run. On such days the only way I try to take control of health is by being conscious about what goes into mouth. This diary is going to be short and quasi open thread on healthy food recommendations. I am writing it more to keep the community in the alive mode. The driving spirit of this group is Sheddhead and she has gone AWOL but I hope whatever is keeping her away is good.
WHEE (Weight, Health, Eating and Exercise) is a community support diary for Kossacks who are currently or planning to start losing, gaining or maintaining their weight through diet and exercise or fitness. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are working on your weight or fitness, please -- join us! You can also click the WHEE tag to view all diary posts.
The WHEE diaries have been very useful to me in terms of differentiating between the perceived healthy food and unhealthy food. I am a vegetarian and my diet is a mixture of two cultures-American and Asian Indian. Thus, I combine salads, soups and sandwiches with rice and curry often with an occasional evening of pasta. In the past 6 months grocery shopping has dual purpose- health and sustainability i.e. attempt to support local farmer. I am confused by some of the comments and diaries written here in regards to some of the foods. Like in yesterday's diary of username Albatross, it was mentioned that some vegetables have high carbs and hence are not recommended under low carbs diet. Here is a list of foods that I perceive as good. More information/recommendation are welcome.
- Bread (I use the Sarah Lee 45 calories whole wheat ones - 2 slices make about 18 g of carbs)
- According to me any vegetable except for potatoes is good and I don't bother with how much I eat of a particular vegetable. The other day I bought some fresh cauliflower from a farmer and promptly ate about a quarter of it in the raw form without any dip since it was so delicious.
- Any fruit is good- Amongst the fruits I like the only ones I eat in limited amounts are 1 banana a day and no more than 20 grapes. Berries are my weak point and I can finish a standard grocery shop based strawberry box in a whole day. I am not a big fan of apples but force myself sometimes to eat at least one a day.
- Oil consumption is something that is very confusing to me. I have read some reports that say canola oil is good but at the same time olive oil is also perceived as good. I use olive as a salad dressing. I am also not sure if we should have oil in some form every day or not.
- Rice- no more than 3/4 cup
- Beans and legumes are good according to me. I find these extremely filling and they have high fiber and protein content. I use them extensively in soups, salads and curries. Again, though I think you can eat more of them, because of high fiber content the most I can eat at one time is about 1 cup (cooked).
- Eggs and tofu in limited amounts for proteins.
- Milk and yogurt. I drink about 1.5 cups of 1% fat organic milk everyday. Yogurt is used by me in shakes or as a dessert with fruit in the nights.
As a side note- I know that excessive amounts of anything is bad and portion size is the key to eat healthy. But I try to make up for my glutinous sin by eating more of the healthy stuff rather than donuts or ice creams.
Upcoming WHEE diaries
Aug 21:
Fri PM - jbdigriz
Aug 22:
Sat AM - Edward Spurlock (9 AM CDT)
Sat PM - ???
Aug 23
Sun AM - louisev
Sun PM - jiffykeen
Aug 24
Mon AM - NC Dem
Mon PM - ???
Aug 25
Tues AM - ???
Tues PM - creekobear
Aug 26
Wed AM - Edward Spurlock (8 AM CDT)
Wed PM - ???
Please reply to my Tip Jar if you want to take an open diary slot or want me to update the schedule with the time you expect to post your diary.