Keeping active and healthy

[Tony uk]

 After taking early retirement (late 50's) at the end of last year. This was as a result of health and physical issues. I have trying to remain fit and active since the start of this year. Daily, I walk a 1 to 2 mile walk at pace, also, adapted my eating habits, to a more healthy standard. My next area of improvement, will be what I drink. I am hoping for suggestions, to healthy drinks to have. If anyone of the board has any suggestions with regards to healthy drinks, I will be very welcoming of this 

[teddyaware]

5 hours ago, Tony uk said:

 After taking early retirement (late 50's) at the end of last year. This was as a result of health and physical issues. I have trying to remain fit and active since the start of this year. Daily, I walk a 1 to 2 mile walk at pace, also, adapted my eating habits, to a more healthy standard. My next area of improvement, will be what I drink. I am hoping for suggestions, to healthy drinks to have. If anyone of the board has any suggestions with regards to healthy drinks, I will be very welcoming of this 

I’m a 77 year old male who’s in excellent health and in prime athletic physical condition (for example, my resting heart rate is presently 36 beats per minute). I achieved this present state of good health and high level fitness by means of a rigorous 6 day per week program of weight resistance training and aerobic exercise. Quite honestly, I don’t enjoy my workouts but the benefits derived therefrom far outweigh any of the discomfort, ‘muscle burn’ and heavy breathing. In all honesty, I feel as I did in my mid-30’s

As we age, one of the biggest health problems we humans face is the process of muscle atrophy and deterioration called sarcopenia. In order to stave off the debilitating scourge of sarcopenia I need to be sure I’m getting sufficient protein in my diet. That’s why I drink the following protein shake concoction every day: 1 raw organic egg, 1/2 cup of quality whole milk plain Greek Yogurt, 1 container scoop of high quality protein powder, a handful of frozen blueberries, 1 container scoop of Black Forest brand high flavanol cocoa powder, 1 heaping teaspoon of Navitas brand raw cacao powder, 2 teaspoons of freeze dried pomegranate powder and 10 ounces of purified water. Mix in a blender. And don’t hesitate to throw in whatever else suits your fancy.

A final note: The only way to truly arrest the onslaught of incapacitating sarcopenia is to do at least a moderate amount of weight resistance training. Walking isn’t enough. Even if you can only manage to regularly do some squats, pushups and sit-ups, these 3 calisthenic movements will do you a world of good. Personally I started out very slowly, and now, in addition to all the other exercises I do, I can easily do 100 pushups, 100 deep knee bend squats and 100 bent leg sit-ups a day in 5 sets of 20 for each movement. Like I say, it’s no fun but it’s so much more than worth it! In fact my doctor recently told me I’ve succeeded in turning back my biological clock 20 years! Good luck and best wishes.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 05:07 PM by teddyaware

[Pyreaux]

I'm not very old but I'm getting there. I attend a physical therapy gym. It's a very cheap membership and they are open to 8pm. So, I've been going at random times when I'm free 3 or 4 times a week for an hour. I use the weight machines because it keeps me engaged but I should do more easy but long duration aerobics and keep taking fish oils. You see, my trygliserids are high by genetics and because most foods have bad oils in them. You can only absorb so much fat, so picking to consume a good, easy released, fish oil will compete with other oils to be absorbed in a day. You can only get rid of the already stored trygliserids is slowly after 30+ minutes of aerobics, ideally 1 hour on a treadmill or bike. My ADHD often rebels against it at 10 minutes, but I'll do all the strength training machines too, so maybe it adds to keeping my heart rate up.

Edited 21 hours ago by Pyreaux

[Tony uk]

26 minutes ago, teddyaware said:

I’m a 77 year old male who’s in excellent health and in prime athletic physical condition (for example, my resting heart rate is presently 36 beats per minute). I achieved this present state of good health and high level fitness by means of a rigorous 6 day per week program of weight resistance training and aerobic exercise. Quite honestly, I don’t enjoy my workouts but the benefits derived therefrom far outweigh any of the discomfort, ‘muscle burn’ and heavy breathing. In all honesty, I feel as I did in my mid-30’s

As we age, one of the biggest health problems we humans face is the process of muscle atrophy and deterioration called sarcopenia. In order to stave off the debilitating scourge of sarcopenia I need to be sure I’m getting sufficient protein in my diet. That’s why I drink the following protein shake concoction every day: 1 raw organic egg, 1/2 cup of quality whole milk plain Greek Yogurt, 1 container scoop of high quality protein powder, a handful of frozen blueberries, 1 container scoop of Black Forest brand high flavanol cocoa powder, 1 heaping teaspoon of Navitas brand raw cacao powder, 2 teaspoons of freeze dried pomegranate powder and 10 ounces of purified water. Mix in a blender. And don’t hesitate to throw in whatever else suits your fancy.

A final note: The only way to truly arrest the onslaught of incapacitating sarcopenia is to do at least a moderate amount of weight resistance training. Walking isn’t enough. Even if you can only manage to regularly do some squats, pushups and sit-ups, these 3 calisthenic movements will do you a world of good. Personally I started out very slowly, and now, in addition to all the other exercises I do, I can easily do 100 pushups, 100 deep knee bend squats and 100 bent leg sit-ups a day in 5 sets of 20 for each movement. Like I say, it’s no fun but it’s so much more than worth it! In fact my doctor recently told me I’ve succeeded in turning back my biological clock 20 years! Good luck and best wishes.

 

 

Many thanks for that information. Very much appreciated.

[Tony uk]

4 minutes ago, Pyreaux said:

I'm not very old but I'm getting there. I attend a physical therapy gym. It's a very cheap membership and they are open to 8pm. So, I've been going at random times when I'm free 3 or 4 times a week for an hour. I use the weight machines because it keeps me engaged but I should do more easy but long duration aerobics and keep taking fish oils. You see, my trygliserids are high by genetics and because most foods have bad oils in them. You can only absorb so much fats, so picking to consume a good easy released oil will compete with other oils to be absorbed in a day, and you can only get rid of them after 30+ minutes of aerobics, ideally 1 hour on a treadmill or bike. My ADHD often rebels against it at 10 minutes, but I'll do all the strength training machines too, so maybe it adds to keeping my heart rate up.

Many thanks, very welcome information. I turned 57 this year, I think my body has aged out aged my body. Apart from a health issue that I have with my blood since childhood. I have managed to pick up a hernia, operated on. And the onset of arthritis in various parts of anatomy. It would seem that I am a walking disaster at times. 

[teddyaware]

8 minutes ago, Tony uk said:

Many thanks, very welcome information. I turned 57 this year, I think my body has aged out aged my body. Apart from a health issue that I have with my blood since childhood. I have managed to pick up a hernia, operated on. And the onset of arthritis in various parts of anatomy. It would seem that I am a walking disaster at times. 

One of the things I’ve learned is that the body has a remarkable ability to renew and repair itself if you eat right and consistently push it to work beyond your comfort zone. In your case, you may have to start out very slowly and cautiously, but once you get your blood really cascading through your body good things will begin to happen, Another benefit I’ve noticed is that adequate exercise not only strengthens the body it but also toughens the mind. Constantly pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone (within reason) will cause you to be far more emotionally resilient. It sure worked for me! Things that used to throw me for an emotional loop now leave me unfazed.

[Tony uk]

2 minutes ago, teddyaware said:

One of the things I’ve learned is that the body has a remarkable ability to renew and repair itself if you eat right and consistently push it to work beyond your comfort zone. In your case, you may have to start out very slowly and cautiously, but once you get your blood really cascading through your body good things will begin to happen, Another benefit I’ve noticed is that adequate exercise not only strengthens the body it but also toughens the mind. Constantly pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone (within reason) will cause you to be far more emotionally resilient. It sure worked for me! Things that used to throw me for an emotional loop now leave me unfazed.

Apart from my walking exercise. I've been taught to do press ups from a wall, on two sets of forty reps. The reason for the 'wall' press ups, is to ease the pressure of the repaired hernia in my abdomen. Also have a pedal machine to help with circulation. A slow start but aim to pick up. Also have stretching exercises to help with ligament issues. Hopefully I will be able to pick from there. 

[3DOP]

13 minutes ago, Tony uk said:

Many thanks, very welcome information. I turned 57 this year, I think my body has aged out aged my body. Apart from a health issue that I have with my blood since childhood. I have managed to pick up a hernia, operated on. And the onset of arthritis in various parts of anatomy. It would seem that I am a walking disaster at times. 

I have a friend about my age, 70, who happily mentioned that he broke a personal record on "the elliptical", (whatever that is) of burning over 600 calories in either a half hour or an hour. When it isn't religion or sports, we talk fitness.

I retired over a year ago and have put on weight. I have started walking, and like Teddy, my friend says that we need more. I don't think it is realistic to do an elliptical. I just want to see my grandkids grow up, and not die early because I have abused the Lord's temple.

I  have returned one notch on my belt. I have a way to go and we can do it. I am only walking regularly and fasting one or two days a week. I count mowing my overgrown big lawn as a walking day too.

I am looking for some reasonable way to start with the goal of feeling like Teddy and my friend do...after 70.

I know God gave us bodies that endure a lot of mistreatment, and have amazing recuperative responses as well. I think I need to add some form of resistance training like Teddy said. 

Let us begin by being encouraged. Not waiting, figuring out the right way to start to add what's needed to what we are already doing. I don't recommend the 36 hour Friday or Wednesday fasts that I try to practice, unless you know how to break that long fast. But the benefit is great.

I chose those days as a Catholic because they have become a custom over the centuries, as it corresponds with the betrayal of our Lord on Wednesday and His Passion on Friday. We can offer up our fasts to the Lord as a spiritual penance as well as pleasing Him with taking regard for "our body" which he gives to us as "His temple" to glorify Him.

But Catholics should not fast unless we feast! After 1st Vespers for Sunday around five, Saturday evening, we can enjoy a special beverage, and on Sunday as well, with our best healthy feast of the week. 

With a freely chosen resolution, we can rejoice in every waking hour of the next week as we do our physical and spiritual exercises, which support each other. We are encouraged by our knowledge that if we keep our resolutions until the Vigil on Saturday, we will rejoice more than ever as we restfully enjoy the Sunday feast, the Day of the Lord.

The above is my ideal. I don't always make it. Pray for me, Tony. We can help each other! God bless.

Rory

 

 

 

 

[Tony uk]

You are in my prayers Rory. 

I was 14 stone for over twenty years, my weight the dropped to 12 stone (sorry not familiar with other metrics). Earlier this year, my weight went to 13 stone. I think this was body responding to retirement, managed to get to 12 stone 6, which my doctor thinks is about right for my size and natural body shape. Hopefully, I can get the right diet, food and drink wise, for my ongoing health. Also back to a regular sleep pattern, as I worked shift/rota system for a number of years.

17 minutes ago, 3DOP said:

I have a friend about my age, 70, who happily mentioned that he broke a personal record on "the elliptical", (whatever that is) of burning over 600 calories in either a half hour or an hour. When it isn't religion or sports, we talk fitness.

I retired over a year ago and have put on weight. I have started walking, and like Teddy, my friend says that we need more. I don't think it is realistic to do an elliptical. I just want to see my grandkids grow up, and not die early because I have abused the Lord's temple.

I  have returned one notch on my belt. I have a way to go and we can do it. I am only walking regularly and fasting one or two days a week. I count mowing my overgrown big lawn as a walking day too.

I am looking for some reasonable way to start with the goal of feeling like Teddy and my friend do...after 70.

I know God gave us bodies that endure a lot of mistreatment, and have amazing recuperative responses as well. I think I need to add some form of resistance training like Teddy said. 

Let us begin by being encouraged. Not waiting, figuring out the right way to start to add what's needed to what we are already doing. I don't recommend the 36 hour Friday or Wednesday fasts that I try to practice, unless you know how to break that long fast. But the benefit is great.

I chose those days as a Catholic because they have become a custom over the centuries, as it corresponds with the betrayal of our Lord on Wednesday and His Passion on Friday. We can offer up our fasts to the Lord as a spiritual penance as well as pleasing Him with taking regard for "our body" which he gives to us as "His temple" to glorify Him.

But Catholics should not fast unless we feast! After 1st Vespers for Sunday around five, Saturday evening, we can enjoy a special beverage, and on Sunday as well, with our best healthy feast of the week. 

With a freely chosen resolution, we can rejoice in every waking hour of the next week as we do our physical and spiritual exercises, which support each other. We are encouraged by our knowledge that if we keep our resolutions until the Vigil on Saturday, we will rejoice more than ever as we restfully enjoy the Sunday feast, the Day of the Lord.

The above is my ideal. I don't always make it. Pray for me, Tony. We can help each other! God bless.

Rory

 

 

 

 

 

[3DOP]

23 minutes ago, 3DOP said:

I have a friend about my age, 70, who happily mentioned that he broke a personal record on "the elliptical", (whatever that is) of burning over 600 calories in either a half hour or an hour. When it isn't religion or sports, we talk fitness.

I retired over a year ago and have put on weight. I have started walking, and like Teddy, my friend says that we need more. I don't think it is realistic to do an elliptical. I just want to see my grandkids grow up, and not die early because I have abused the Lord's temple.

I  have returned one notch on my belt. I have a way to go and we can do it. I am only walking regularly and fasting one or two days a week. I count mowing my overgrown big lawn as a walking day too.

I am looking for some reasonable way to start with the goal of feeling like Teddy and my friend do...after 70.

I know God gave us bodies that endure a lot of mistreatment, and have amazing recuperative responses as well. I think I need to add some form of resistance training like Teddy said. 

Let us begin by being encouraged. Not waiting, figuring out the right way to start to add what's needed to what we are already doing. I don't recommend the 36 hour Friday or Wednesday fasts that I try to practice, unless you know how to break that long fast. But the benefit is great.

I chose those days as a Catholic because they have become a custom over the centuries, as it corresponds with the betrayal of our Lord on Wednesday and His Passion on Friday. We can offer up our fasts to the Lord as a spiritual penance as well as pleasing Him with taking regard for "our body" which he gives to us as "His temple" to glorify Him.

But Catholics should not fast unless we feast! After 1st Vespers for Sunday around five, Saturday evening, we can enjoy a special beverage, and on Sunday as well, with our best healthy feast of the week. 

With a freely chosen resolution, we can rejoice in every waking hour of the next week as we do our physical and spiritual exercises, which support each other. We are encouraged by our knowledge that if we keep our resolutions until the Vigil on Saturday, we will rejoice more than ever as we restfully enjoy the Sunday feast, the Day of the Lord.

The above is my ideal. I don't always make it. Pray for me, Tony. We can help each other! God bless.

Rory

 

 

 

 

Thanks Tony. I will be praying for you as well.

 

1 hour ago, teddyaware said:

I’m a 77 year old male who’s in excellent health and in prime athletic physical condition (for example, my resting heart rate is presently 36 beats per minute). I achieved this present state of good health and high level fitness by means of a rigorous 6 day per week program of weight resistance training and aerobic exercise. Quite honestly, I don’t enjoy my workouts but the benefits derived therefrom far outweigh any of the discomfort, ‘muscle burn’ and heavy breathing. In all honesty, I feel as I did in my mid-30’s

As we age, one of the biggest health problems we humans face is the process of muscle atrophy and deterioration called sarcopenia. In order to stave off the debilitating scourge of sarcopenia I need to be sure I’m getting sufficient protein in my diet. That’s why I drink the following protein shake concoction every day: 1 raw organic egg, 1/2 cup of quality whole milk plain Greek Yogurt, 1 container scoop of high quality protein powder, a handful of frozen blueberries, 1 container scoop of Black Forest brand high flavanol cocoa powder, 1 heaping teaspoon of Navitas brand raw cacao powder, 2 teaspoons of freeze dried pomegranate powder and 10 ounces of purified water. Mix in a blender. And don’t hesitate to throw in whatever else suits your fancy.

A final note: The only way to truly arrest the onslaught of incapacitating sarcopenia is to do at least a moderate amount of weight resistance training. Walking isn’t enough. Even if you can only manage to regularly do some squats, pushups and sit-ups, these 3 calisthenic movements will do you a world of good. Personally I started out very slowly, and now, in addition to all the other exercises I do, I can easily do 100 pushups, 100 deep knee bend squats and 100 bent leg sit-ups a day in 5 sets of 20 for each movement. Like I say, it’s no fun but it’s so much more than worth it! In fact my doctor recently told me I’ve succeeded in turning back my biological clock 20 years! Good luck and best wishes.

 

 

Teddy hi.

Do you recommend the same calisthenics every day? Is your six day the same every day?

I don't know if my knees could handle deep squats. I know you are not a therapist, and I'll do more research, but would you recommend going down as far as my knees permit, or would some other substitute accomplish the same thing?

Thanks

 

 

[Calm]

If you need to up your fiber, an easy fun way of doing it if you like the texture and don’t mind them sticking to your teeth too much (I use the GUM soft toothpicks these days), chia seeds in flavoured water or tea works well.  Just start small and work up as with any fiber as your gut needs time to adjust.

I take my chia seeds in overnight oats every morning with a cup of blueberries or raspberries (they are frozen, so I thaw in the microwave which makes a nice hot, cold mix to eat.  I don’t like oatmeal, but love this stuff.  Sweetened with a touch of maple syrup (me and honey don’t get along and regular sugar is blah in flavour imo).  Add a 1/2 scoop of vanilla (I can’t eat chocolate) protein powder to it, between that and the Greek yogurt, got enough protein to satisfy me.  Make 5 at a time in smaller mason jars, sometimes six.   Probably shouldn’t do more than four, but as long as I don’t sense any fermentation and my gut doesn’t get upset, I assume they stay good that long and so far no issues.

I also have a massive bowl of spring mix with a serving of shrimp or tofu or chicken and some fruit (grapes or mandarin oranges) on top to replace a dressing and then spray olive oil over it.  I think that helped my gut too, but I mainly do that to satisfy my chewing need.  Trying to satisfy that need with popcorn made my stomach unhappy and blew my calories over the limit.  If I want ‘croutons’ I crack a corn tortilla on top…I can eat sourdough bread, but not regular and am too lazy to make my own sourdough croutons.

I use sweet potatoes/yams a lot as my starch for my main meal as they aren’t as dry as potatoes, add sweetness to my diet while still being more low calorie comparatively speaking to other sweet things and very nutritionally dense.  Just roast up a tray or two of chunks every few days and then heat them up for a meal.  I meal prep other veggies to make it easy to put together decent meals, mainly carrots and green and red peppers because of my restricted diet (and I don’t like tomatoes so get that in tomato paste which flavour I do like).  Cucumbers go bad faster, so I cut those fresh as needed.  I keep meal prepped stuff in glass containers as they last much longer.  For smaller bite size or sauces or soups stuff I use mason jars as they take up less room and are tons cheaper than the specialized stuff.  
 

The easiest way to get your nutritional balance in terms of fruit and veggies is to eat the rainbow daily.  Something from each colour group.

Edited 15 hours ago by Calm

[Tony uk]

9 hours ago, Calm said:

If you need to up your fiber, an easy fun way of doing it if you like the texture and don’t mind them sticking to your teeth too much (I use the GUM soft toothpicks these days), chia seeds in flavoured water or tea works well.  Just start small and work up as with any fiber as your gut needs time to adjust.

I take my chia seeds in overnight oats every morning with a cup of blueberries or raspberries (they are frozen, so I thaw in the microwave which makes a nice hot, cold mix to eat.  I don’t like oatmeal, but love this stuff.  Sweetened with a touch of maple syrup (me and honey don’t get along and regular sugar is blah in flavour imo).  Add a 1/2 scoop of vanilla (I can’t eat chocolate) protein powder to it, between that and the Greek yogurt, got enough protein to satisfy me.  Make 5 at a time in smaller mason jars, sometimes six.   Probably shouldn’t do more than four, but as long as I don’t sense any fermentation and my gut doesn’t get upset, I assume they stay good that long and so far no issues.

I also have a massive bowl of spring mix with a serving of shrimp or tofu or chicken and some fruit (grapes or mandarin oranges) on top to replace a dressing and then spray olive oil over it.  I think that helped my gut too, but I mainly do that to satisfy my chewing need.  Trying to satisfy that need with popcorn made my stomach unhappy and blew my calories over the limit.  If I want ‘croutons’ I crack a corn tortilla on top…I can eat sourdough bread, but not regular and am too lazy to make my own sourdough croutons.

I use sweet potatoes/yams a lot as my starch for my main meal as they aren’t as dry as potatoes, add sweetness to my diet while still being more low calorie comparatively speaking to other sweet things and very nutritionally dense.  Just roast up a tray or two of chunks every few days and then heat them up for a meal.  I meal prep other veggies to make it easy to put together decent meals, mainly carrots and green peppers because of my restricted diet (and I don’t like tomatoes so get that in tomato paste which flavour I do like).  Cucumbers go bad faster, so I cut those fresh as needed.  I keep meal prepped stuff in glass containers as they last much longer.  For smaller bite size or sauces or soups stuff I use mason jars as they take up less room and are tons cheaper than the specialized stuff.  
 

The easiest way to get your nutritional balance in terms of fruit and veggies is to eat the rainbow daily.  Something from each colour group.

Many thanks. 

[Calm]

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eat-the-rainbow-for-good-health/

[Tony uk]

6 hours ago, Calm said:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/eat-the-rainbow-for-good-health/

Many thanks for this Calm. Fruit and vegetables are on my list of 'must eat foods'. I am managing to move away from the more fat based foods that I have eaten over the years. Also started drinking fruit juice as a point to move forward from. The local supermarket, is starting to get more correct foods in.

[Calm]

Just be careful with fruit juice as it can pack a lot of calories.  Plus sometimes they stake out stuff that is good for you like the skins.  

[Tony uk]

Just now, Calm said:

Just be careful with fruit juice as it can pack a lot of calories.  Plus sometimes they stake out stuff that is good for you like the skins.  

Thanks for that. Never been to sure about the drinks side if things. 

[Calm]

2 hours ago, Tony uk said:

Thanks for that. Never been to sure about the drinks side if things. 

Nutrition wise, it’s always best to eat fruit whole. I can’t remember any fruit that is better to eat cooked like there are some veggies that are easier to absorb nutrients from.  
 

If you can tolerate milk and don’t like yogurt, you can always add some quality cacao to it (I think our favorite is Guittard) for a treat.  I also like hot Golden Milk (turmeric and some other spices, doesn’t need sweetener for me).

If you like yogurt, try kefir.  It has even more variety of bugs in it than store bought yogurt so great at helping to build a healthy gut  some come with a lot of sugar, but you can always use your blender to add your own fruit flavor.  If you can’t handle milk, kefir and yogurt are good substitutes for many as the bugs digest a lot of the lactose for you (same with sourdough bread, though that varies…I use a tarter version and that seems to prevent the sugars in wheat from exploding my gut).

Water is best.  If the quality of water you are getting from the tap ain’t great, invest in a filter.  I would search online for the best in your area.  Even a Brita type can make a difference.

I had a really hard time drinking lots of water, it would slosh in my stomach and give me headaches.  Adding a bit of salt helps balance the electrolytes for me and I add a bit of sugar as well as that helps the sodium get absorbed. Apparently I am very sensitive to changing electrolyte levels and more than a cup of water in an hour makes my head woozy, etc   I can guzzle it down just fine with the addition.  I started out using electrolytes capsules, but the cost goes up so much and the amount of anything but sodium isn’t worth the cost, I can get supplements cheaper if I actually need those.  The homemade stuff works just as well, if not better as it mixes better.  Adding a small amount of fruit juice (how much depends on your calories for the day) if you dislike the straight salt/sugar mix is good.  I also use powdered raspberry, my daughter uses mango.  You can also throw in frozen fruit to keep it cool as well as add flavor.

 If you are interested in the nutrition side of things, but don’t know where to start, my dietician recommends using Chat to come up with recipes and meal plans if you need help, especially if you are picky about food (I am not, but my body really is and I feel soooo much better with staying within the lines on this).  My experience is always double check the math, especially when it’s dealing with teaspoons and tablespoons.  Sometimes it increases when it’s supposed to be decreasing or the reverse.   You want chat to calculate the macros (protein, carb, fats…maybe fiber, can’t remember what category that falls into) as well as keep an eye on the micronutrients.  

There are some free or not too expensive decent food tracking apps as well that would even be better if you don’t mind using them.  Let me know if you are interested, I can point you to the ones recommended for me, but you can also use AI to find one that fits what you want best  

And when cooking something the first time it is very important to follow a recipe as described. Once you know what it is supposed to taste like, then one can fool around with it changing spices, cooking process (bake rather sauté) etc.  

There are lots of good videos out there.  It can be a fun hobby to get involved in.  Even if you don’t want to invest much time or money, looking into meal prep techniques and how to use different variations with meal planning is well worth the time investment.  
 

I would keep stuff simple as you start using apps and tracking nutrients and calories.  Maybe even figure out 3 days of meal plans and repeat them until the tracking becomes natural.  That way there is not as much calculation.  Another thing is to pick your favorite breakfast and have that daily (assuming it’s pretty well balanced, I use overnight oats with fruit and protein powder to hit the protein, fiber and rainbow for that meal) and maybe even the same lunch or a very simple to calculate lunch (few items or maybe even a healthy prepackaged meal) and then put  creativity into your main meal.  

Edited 6 hours ago by Calm

[Tony uk]

8 minutes ago, Calm said:

Nutrition wise, it’s always best to eat fruit whole. I can’t remember any fruit that is better to eat cooked like there are some veggies that are easier to absorb nutrients from.  
 

If you can tolerate milk and don’t like yogurt, you can always add some quality cacao to it (I think our favorite is Guittard) for a treat.  I also like hot Golden Milk (turmeric and some other spices, doesn’t need sweetener for me).

If you like yogurt, try kefir.  It has even more variety of bugs in it than store bought yogurt so great at helping to build a healthy gut  some come with a lot of sugar, but you can always use your blender to add your own fruit flavor.  If you can’t handle milk, kefir and yogurt are good substitutes for many as the bugs digest a lot of the lactose for you (same with sourdough bread, though that varies…I use a tarter version and that seems to prevent the sugars in wheat from exploding my gut).

Water is best.  If the quality of water you are getting from the tap ain’t great, invest in a filter.  I would search online for the best in your area.  Even a Brita type can make a difference.

I had a really hard time drinking lots of water, it would slosh in my stomach and give me headaches.  Adding a bit of salt helps balance the electrolytes for me and I add a bit of sugar as well as that helps the sodium get absorbed. Apparently I am very sensitive to changing electrolyte levels and more than a cup of water in an hour makes my head woozy, etc   I can guzzle it down just fine with the addition.  I started out using electrolytes capsules, but the cost goes up so much and the amount of anything but sodium isn’t worth the cost, I can get supplements cheaper if I actually need those.  The homemade stuff works just as well, if not better as it mixes better.  Adding a small amount of fruit juice (how much depends on your calories for the day) if you dislike the straight salt/sugar mix is good.  I also use powdered raspberry, my daughter uses mango.  You can also throw in frozen fruit to keep it cool as well as add flavor.

 If you are interested in the nutrition side of things, but don’t know where to start, my dietician recommends using Chat to come up with recipes and meal plans if you need help, especially if you are picky about food (I am not, but my body really is and I feel soooo much better with staying within the lines on this).  My experience is always double check the math, especially when it’s dealing with teaspoons and tablespoons.  Sometimes it increases when it’s supposed to be decreasing or the reverse.   You want chat to calculate the macros (protein, carb, fats…maybe fiber, can’t remember what category that falls into) as well as keep an eye on the micronutrients.  

There are some free or not too expensive decent food tracking apps as well that would even be better if you don’t mind using them.  Let me know if you are interested, I can point you to the ones recommended for me, but you can also use AI to find one that fits what you want best  

And when cooking something the first time it is very important to follow a recipe as described. Once you know what it is supposed to taste like, then one can fool around with it changing spices, cooking process (bake rather sauté) etc.  

There are lots of good videos out there.  It can be a fun hobby to get involved in.  Even if you don’t want to invest much time or money, looking into meal prep techniques and how to use different variations with meal planning is well worth the time investment.  
 

I would keep stuff simple as you start using apps and tracking nutrients and calories.  Maybe even figure out 3 days of meal plans and repeat them until the tracking becomes natural.  That way there is not as much calculation.  Another thing is to pick your favorite breakfast and have that daily (assuming it’s pretty well balanced, I use overnight oats with fruit and protein powder to hit the protein, fiber and rainbow for that meal) and maybe even the same lunch or a very simple to calculate lunch (few items or maybe even a healthy prepackaged meal) and then put  creativity into your main meal.  

Many thanks for the advice, very welcome. Over the last week or two, I have managed to get a fibre based breakfast. I can now get to work on the main meal(s) of the day. Once I get in to a routine, and I am a person who likes routine. I should be able to get along with a better diet.

[Calm]

Feel free to ask me privately if you want to discuss specific details and it feels awkward here (especially if there are foods that cause issues for you).  I am not an expert, but I know where to find some of them.  
 

And given my low energy level, picked up lots of tricks for making it easier.  

[Tony uk]

3 hours ago, Calm said:

Feel free to ask me privately if you want to discuss specific details and it feels awkward here (especially if there are foods that cause issues for you).  I am not an expert, but I know where to find some of them.  
 

And given my low energy level, picked up lots of tricks for making it easier.  

Hi Calm

Just tried to DM you, but wouldn't send. Couldn't find your email on FAIR.