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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,530
120,959
I had a healthy dinner tonight.

A philly cheesesteak and 5 wings combo with fries, and a diet Coke.. Seven layer caramel cake after that

For dessert I'm having Reese's Cups and Hi-Chew.

View attachment 161461
Hell yeah! I went with four double beer cheese burgers with steak fries and some lime cheese cake.
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,980
58,904
52
Spain - Europe
My wife is a type 1 diabetic. So my daily diet is what she eats, not in the same quantities, for me. Occasionally, we eat out to break that severe food monotony. And we eat fast food or "junk" food. One of the ways to maintain a certain balance is daily physical exercise. You know that a sedentary lifestyle is brutally catastrophic, even if you have an excellent diet. If I don't exercise, especially with weights and my one hour run, the problems start, cholesterol, hypothyrodism, high blood sugar. I simply eat a Mediterranean diet. I use a lot of pure extra virgin olive oil, to dress or season many dishes, salads, etc. Although I love cow's and goat's milk and animal butter, I have to be careful not to overdo it. They say that you have to take care of the intestinal flora, it seems that from there, come many problems, one of them fibromyalgia and other imbalances. It is difficult to be 100% healthy on a planet where everything is polluted. At the moment I do not suffer any discomfort, but only for the moment.
 
Dec 6, 2019
5,222
23,971
Dixieland
When I was 18 I weighed about 300lbs. I decided to lose weight. So I ate only raw food and drank 150oz of water everyday, for the first 2 months. After that I tried to keeping calories down to under 1500, for about another year. That worked, I was down to 190lbs in that year.. I'm 6ft, so 190lbs is about an ideal weight.

I went back to my old ways and strangely the weight never came back.. I think within the 10 years that had passed I had worked my way up to about 210lbs. Still an acceptable weight in my book.

12 years after losing over 100lbs and keeping it off, I took a strange medicine called Humira. It was for a skin condition. My energy dropped.. I was never hungry, and I gained about 80lbs. This happened in less than six months, and I ate less. Right back to where I had started from, 300lbs.

I took the medicine for about a year.. Doctor said it couldn't be the Humira, as he received the kick-backs for peddling it. The stuff cost $5000 a month. I've been off it a year, and my energy and metabolism still haven't recovered.

Diet and exercise are important.. It's also important to be careful about what kind of new freakish medicine you allow yourself to be the test subject for.

And by the way, after a year of taking it I had seen no improvement. I mentioned this to the doctor and he re upped my prescription and told me we should give it a chance to work. I threw script away and never went back to that doctor.
 
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Jul 26, 2021
2,423
9,834
Metro-Detroit
Never heard of it, but I looked it up after you mentioned it. They have a few in Ohio, but the closest one to me is over two hours away in Columbus. Too bad, I'd try it.
Blaze Pizza is the same concept with 4 locations in Ohio.

I don't know my Ohio geography well, so can't tell if this will help, but may as well pass it on.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,926
42,432
Iowa
Only encouragement to offer here. COVID "allowed" me to take a shortcut to losing 19 pounds in a very short time I had needed to lose for years and years. But I realized I didn't want to go back and have lost 5 more and 8 to go to meet the goal I've set (and we'll see after that). A lifetime of developing certain food "patterns" doesn't go quietly, lol. So changes in diet, some things out, some things in and moderation overall. I'm a little complacent at the moment, so this is a good reminder. Wishing nothing but good luck with managing the issues and I'm sure that any positive results will only lead to more positive results!
 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,391
70,254
61
Vegas Baby!!!
Here’s a pizza crust I love.

8 ounces of cream cheese, 18 eggs, 3 cups shredded Parmesan and 3 cups Mozzarella

Let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temp. Then mix all ingredients together. It’ll make a “batter”.

Pour the batter on a two parchment lined half sheet pans.

Bake at 425 F for approximately 12 minutes.

Take out and put Rao’s Marinara on it and the a little more cheese and whatever toppings you want. I’m a pepperoni whore. So that’s all I put on.

Bake at 425 F for approximately 25 minutes. I like mine crisp and almost burned. I know, I’m weird.

9A04899E-3583-4F8D-BA35-1206A50035C9.jpeg
 

makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
771
2,015
Central Florida
I was vegan for several years. I wanted to try it out of curiosity, and because the doctors were always on my back about high cholesterol, and because I could not tolerate the statins and other drugs being prescribed.

It helped--a little--with cholesterol, but not enough to satisfy doctors. And in the end I felt total vegan wasn't best for me. I do not feel good if I don't eat meat/animal products in small to moderate amounts. That said, by U.S.A. standards, I still eat very little meat.

My general rules for eating are:

Avoid restaurants whenever possible. They pour on the worst fat, salt, preservatives. It really can be toxic. In some places--most European countries--it's easier to eat well in a restaurant, but here, I avoid them. And this includes supposedly "good" or expensive restaurants. I've found they can be worse than a greasy spoon.

And then I try to avoid highly processed food and pre-prepared foods. I basically just follow that old diet pyramid they used to teach to kids back in the 1970s.

I stick by those rules pretty firmly, but beyond that, I feel like too much emphasis is put on diet nowadays, and not nearly enough on general well being. I'm not saying diet isn't important. It is. There just seems to be much more to feeling well, and I feel modern medicine neglects a lot of it.
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,980
58,904
52
Spain - Europe
Here’s a pizza crust I love.

8 ounces of cream cheese, 18 eggs, 3 cups shredded Parmesan and 3 cups Mozzarella

Let the cream cheese and eggs come to room temp. Then mix all ingredients together. It’ll make a “batter”.

Pour the batter on a two parchment lined half sheet pans.

Bake at 425 F for approximately 12 minutes.

Take out and put Rao’s Marinara on it and the a little more cheese and whatever toppings you want. I’m a pepperoni whore. So that’s all I put on.

Bake at 425 F for approximately 25 minutes. I like mine crisp and almost burned. I know, I’m weird.

View attachment 161487
That looks very good, Sir. I don't know why, but I knew you liked it too crispy, oh yes, very crispy. I think I would end up taking several walks, at night, looking for fresh water in the kitchen, like a BBC explorer. hyena-animal.gif
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,926
42,432
Iowa
I was vegan for several years. I wanted to try it out of curiosity, and because the doctors were always on my back about high cholesterol, and because I could not tolerate the statins and other drugs being prescribed.

It helped--a little--with cholesterol, but not enough to satisfy doctors. And in the end I felt total vegan wasn't best for me. I do not feel good if I don't eat meat/animal products in small to moderate amounts. That said, by U.S.A. standards, I still eat very little meat.

My general rules for eating are:

Avoid restaurants whenever possible. They pour on the worst fat, salt, preservatives. It really can be toxic. In some places--most European countries--it's easier to eat well in a restaurant, but here, I avoid them. And this includes supposedly "good" or expensive restaurants. I've found they can be worse than a greasy spoon.

And then I try to avoid highly processed food and pre-prepared foods. I basically just follow that old diet pyramid they used to teach to kids back in the 1970s.

I stick by those rules pretty firmly, but beyond that, I feel like too much emphasis is put on diet nowadays, and not nearly enough on general well being. I'm not saying diet isn't important. It is. There just seems to be much more to feeling well, and I feel modern medicine neglects a lot of it.
I think the last time I had "fast food" that wasn't an occasional sub sandwich was my oldest dog's last hunting trip to South Dakota - there was a place I'd always stop to wash the truck (the last time I had my Jeep) and there was a gas station and Arby's next door and we would stop there after leaving the fields for gas and takeaway for the way home (and I told myself he liked Arby's). Off fast food for good now. Restaurants in general, unless out of town, we've given up since 2020. Sorting out the regular meals and urges, lol, was still a challenge. Here's the boy on arrival that year (he still hunted a bit around here after, but is retired and sleeping on the floor by my chair as I type).

8C2B87C0-36BE-4966-AC2C-608021A7EF68_1_201_a.jpeg
 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,248
57,310
67
Sarasota Florida
MSO, tell your doctor he is an asshole for putting you on Metformin. That shit is the worst thing you can do to your kidneys. I take a shot of Lantus every day for my type 2 diabetes and it works fine.

I have to watch everything I eat besides the diabetes I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease recently. The menu is pretty much the same for the kidneys as it is the diabetes. I only eat fresh fish, chicken, pork, turkey, and beef. No sauces no preservatives, lots of veggies and salads and the right fruits . Very few carbs like rice and potatoes which sucks as I love both. i treat myself once or maybe twice a week with something not great for me but my sugar rarely spikes to 200.

While I was a member at my tennis club I was 6"4" and weighed around 190-200. I was one of the better 50 and over singles players in the city. Then the back surgeries came one after another( 3 in total). The last was a fusion with all kinds of metal and it wrecked me. I developed a bad case of Neuropathy(nerve damage throughout your body(, my spinal stenosis has been severe for many years, I have to wear a neck brace when I go out to doctor appointments. I have to use a walker and a wheel chair.

I played sports my whole life except for a time when I got lazy when I was in the cigar game. I was a good snow skier, went scuba diving to some of the best reefs in the world. Travelled with friends, then with kids and my parents and life was great.

There was also a time when my habits like drinking and other stuff was a huge part of my life but it never stopped me from making good money, owning my own businesses, but sooner or later I knew it would catch up to me. I never thought I would see 50 never mind becoming 65 this next December. I had a blast, I worked hard, partied hard and now it is time to pay the piper. I am grateful that I have 4 great kids that all understand sometimes life can be so great and other times it kicks you in the nuts and you have to deal with it.
My kids watch what I eat pretty closely so if I try and do something stupid they tell me to cut the shit.
My doctor told me I need to get off the caffeine. I only get it in my coffee and I would rather die tomorrow than give up my favorite drink. There are somethings that are not worth living without. If my doctor knew I smoked pipes she would tell me to quit, I would say sure we will work around it and I paint a full picture of bull shit that will keep her happy. No fucking way am I giving up my pipes, again somethings I am unwilling to give up even it if kills me.
 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,235
Austin, TX
I also have fibro, so does my mother. My mom has it much worse than I do, she can be bed ridden for days at a time. What I’ve struggled with most of my adult life is the debilitating fatigue, I’ve tired everything, including legal and illegal drugs, nothing helps. I’ve tried just about everything under the sun. Good diet and exercise helps, but take it easy on the exercise if you don’t want to wake up everyday feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus. The best advice that I can give you that I’ve learned over the years is, know your limitations. I’ve accepted that I’m not like other people in that I can’t keep up. Also, the majority of people will not believe you, it’s just human nature. If you look healthy (which I do), it’s just natural for people to assume that you feel just like they do, don’t take it personal. I don’t talk about this much, fibro is highly misunderstood, even among medical professionals, it’s essentially medical jargon that mean, “we have no fucking clue what is wrong with you”. A lot of people seem to think only woman can get it, I’ve had people laugh in my face when I told them I was diagnosed with it, even my general practitioner thinks it’s all in my head, my lab work is always good, on paper I’m perfectly healthy. For years, I was convinced I had Lyme Disease and maybe I do, it’s very hard to test and the symptoms are very similar. Also, I need more sleep than the average person, if I don’t get at least 8 hours, I feel sick the following day. It takes longer for our bodies to recover and quality sleep is absolutely essential, and sleep does not come easy for me.

Anyway, it’s different for everyone, just find your limitations and try to live within them, you can still have a very fulfilling life.
 
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El Capitán

Lifer
Jun 5, 2022
1,174
4,848
34
Newberry, Indiana
I have binge eating disorder from ptsd, ocd, Bipolar 1, and generalized anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder. My doc has me on a strict diet as well as vyvanse to counter act my other medicines side effects. I've so far lost 9lbs and dropped into the obese range from morbidly obese. The healthy eating has also affected my mood in the positive.
 
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Servant King

Lifer
Nov 27, 2020
4,926
28,766
39
Frazier Park, CA
www.thechembow.com
My eating habits were pretty poor most of my life. Various events over the course of several years led me to what I call the Biblical diet some years back. My health, energy level and weight level has never been better, and I literally never get sick.

Quick side note, @brian64 is correct about organics. Certain things are more important to be organic than others--bell peppers, for example, receive heavy pesticide spray (very toxic) whereas something like garlic or yellow onions, not so much. With grains, however, there is no flexibility there--these absolutely MUST be organic. The sheer number of lawsuits against Monsanto (I bet Bayer is really loving their decision to buy them out) for glyphosate a.k.a. RoundUp use should illustrate my point amply.

60 or 70 percent of what I eat is fresh fruits and vegetables, weighted more towards vegetables. My daily salad with lunch is a must. 20% or so of the remainder is organic grains, followed by a little bit of dairy, and the rest is a minimal amount of fish and organic poultry. I rarely eat red meat, but when I do, I don't mix any dairy with it.

NEVER:
-pork
-shellfish
 

El Capitán

Lifer
Jun 5, 2022
1,174
4,848
34
Newberry, Indiana
My eating habits were pretty poor most of my life. Various events over the course of several years led me to what I call the Biblical diet some years back. My health, energy level and weight level has never been better, and I literally never get sick.

Quick side note, @brian64 is correct about organics. Certain things are more important to be organic than others--bell peppers, for example, receive heavy pesticide spray (very toxic) whereas something like garlic or yellow onions, not so much. With grains, however, there is no flexibility there--these absolutely MUST be organic. The sheer number of lawsuits against Monsanto (I bet Bayer is really loving their decision to buy them out) for glyphosate a.k.a. RoundUp use should illustrate my point amply.

60 or 70 percent of what I eat is fresh fruits and vegetables, weighted more towards vegetables. My daily salad with lunch is a must. 20% or so of the remainder is organic grains, followed by a little bit of dairy, and the rest is a minimal amount of fish and organic poultry. I rarely eat red meat, but when I do, I don't mix any dairy with it.

NEVER:
-pork
-shellfish
I will die before I give up bacon.
 

edger

Lifer
Dec 9, 2016
3,040
22,836
75
Mayer AZ
Nothing “official” but a couple years ago i was at about 317lbs, one day after seeing a picture of myself at a cigar event and not realizing it was me, how’s that for lack of self awareness, i decided to lose weight, i had a couple friends that did keto so decided to give it a try. I read up and went all I’m, no carbs at all, 5-10 carbs a day just from veggies mainly. After about 19 months i was from a size extra lard to normal fitting clothes, a lot of odd pains and random areas of numbness all disappeared, i went through a bottle of Tums 1000 a week, i constantly had heartburn so bad it would keep me up at night, haven’t had a Tums since, 317 to 180 them up to 190. Not only didn’t the heartburn vanish and the random circulation problems but my mental health improved dramatically. You have no idea how happy i was to walk into a store and buy any shirt or pair of pants i wanted and not have to either walkout with nothing because they didn’t have my soze or choose between two ugly poorly fitting shirts. I actually went to target for a belt on a trip once and they didn’t have one my size, that will put you in a sad mood trust me.

as an example i went from 6-8 cups of coffee a day with extra cream and a table spoon of sugar each to drinking it black, ok that took months to get used to Amy you can actually have heavy cream on keto but i needed sugar with it lol
Yeah, keto is my choice too!
 
Jan 28, 2018
14,119
159,950
67
Sarasota, FL
Sugar is evil. I've cut way back on it and need to muster up the discipline to get rid of it altogether. I used to drink one cup of coffee per day and now it's a cup of Earl Gray, much easier on my stomach. Other than that, I have a reasonable common sense diet with variety. I mostly avoid processed and fast foods. I comfortably stay at 195 to 200 lbs which is reasonable for my frame. We're I to cut out sweets completely, I bet that would drop 5 to 10 lbs.

My issue with all these diets is sticking with them. I believe they do what they advertise but sticking with them long term is an overwhelming challenge for most. I have found minimizing sugars and processed foods combined with moderation and having an essentially healthy diet works reasonably well for me. My weight, blood pressure, heart rate and blood work seems to support that theory. More importantly, I don't suffer with this practice. This thread though has alerted me to cut back almost completely on sweets.