I try for a minimum of 64 ounces of water a day (two Nalgenes), more if/when I exercise or am more active than usual.
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Down 12 pounds since Jan 1. Gave up carbs and booze. Holding carbs to under 25 grams per day. Lots of green vegetables, salads, grilled chicken. My wife and I eat zero seafood. She is also down some weight and inches (I’ll never know the real #, lol)
Not a sustainable diet. I’ll switch over to a 1200-1500 calorie per day diet soon. Been drinking lots of water, green tea.
Been doing this for 30 years. Fluctuating 15 pounds. Adding it on for winter (helps in my line of work) removing it for Spring/Summer
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The first thing I do in the morning when I come down and walk in the kitchen is get a full glass of water and down it (along with my Vitamin D and calcium). I’m not a good water drinker/sipper so I do better if I just down a whole glass of water at a time. I try to pick a couple other times during the day (while preparing dinner) that I just down a whole glass.
Overall I just don’t drink a lot - I drink very little besides water and one cup of coffee a day.
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I don’t track my water but I do fill a Hydroflask water bottle several times a day. I also take the water bottle in the car with me. I fill it before bed and use it to fill the glass I keep next to my bed. I find with Covid I’m drinking less. I used to fill it when I got to the gym and finish it by the end of my workout. With that routine not happening I have to make a more of an effort.
I also drink black coffee and green tea. I have never been a juice or soda drinker. I’ve been a big water drinker since I was a child.
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Thanks for the feedback. Like @abasket, I do my first big glass of water first thing, along with my multivitamin. (Since it has calcium, I do my calcium/vitaminD tablet in evening). I aim for 60 oz/day, which I thought might be high for winter. But maybe it’s a good goal. I do also have coffee (probably too much) and alchohol (probably too much currently… it is a tough month). I think I read that coffee and alchohol both counteract attempts to stay hydrated… sigh.
@BmacNJ - Good job on the January weight loss! I do agree that 25g carbs/day is not sustainable. Sounds like you have a good plan in place.
@surfcity - I don’t see any answers to your questions about collagen, so I’ll give it a try even though I’m no expert. It gives some extra protein (more info here - Health Benefits of Collagen: Pros, Cons, and More).
I first heard about collagen peptides it on Facebook a few months ago when a relative was lamenting about unfortunate post-covid hear loss, with a frightening photo of lost clump of hair. Another relative suggested possible help from collagen peptide, which she herself used/liked after her coworkers had raved about to combat thinning hair. I ordered some because I saw a sale and had Amazon credit to use. Can’t be sure if it will have much benefit. As you say, it may be just a “trendy” thing. Certainly it makes sense to prioritize good nutrition, which I also try to do.
I’m fascinated by this. Unfortunately, I really enjoy good food and good wine. I’ve never ever been interested in smoothies though I can see they’d be convenient. One of my big fears is that I could be one of those people who gets Covid and loses their sense of smell and taste forever.
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I’m with @mathmom on this one. My big fear: loss of smell and taste. I’m not sure I’d eat much without it.
@Colorado_mom thanks. I don’t see anything compelling for me now for collagen. I’lol mention it at my next physical. Currently I am taking vit D and bergamot for supplements. Wondering about adding in some B vitamins too.
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@surfcity - Sounds like a reasonable decision. (I’m not expecting too much from my collagen experiment, but I’ll report back if any obvious benefits). I take calcium with D (and Centrum Silver multivitamin, open to other suggestions).
Bergamot is a new term to me - per quick googling, it is used to lower cholesterol(?)
If collagen would help my fingernails I’d take it. But I should also be more consistent about wearing gloves when I’m cleaning house. Between winter and the santizers I’m going to be lucky to have any nails left by spring.
@Colorado_mom yes, we are trying it for cholesterol. My whole life I had great numbers until menopause, when my LDL went up (or down? The “bad” way). Everything else looked okay, so I changed my diet and things are getting better but my doc said there are good studies indicating Bergamot can help. Figured I’d try it.
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It’s good to hear that doctors are starting to have suggestions beyond just meds (and diet). … such as Bergamot mentioned above.
I get confused about cholesterol numbers and ratios (although I do seem to remember High HDL is goodness, my situation). If anybody is doing physicals this month and getting back blood work results, there are some handy website ratio calculators where you can plug in your numbers. Example: Cholesterol HDL/LDL/Triglycerides Ratios Calculator 2013
I’ll expand the example with my “high cholesterol” (223) that did not concern my primary care physician due to good ratios (based on High HDL)
Results from calculator link in prior post
Total Cholesterol of 223 is BORDERLINE
Your LDL of 127 is NEAR OPTIMAL
Your HDL of 83 is OPTIMAL
Your Triglyceride level of 60 is NORMAL
RATIOS:
Total/HDL ratio is: 2.69 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 3.5) IDEAL
LDL/HDL ratio is: 1.530 - (preferably under 5.0, ideally under 2.0) IDEAL
triglycerides/HDL ratio is: 0.723 - (preferably under 4, ideally under 2) IDEAL
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Question: Can there be short term diet impact on cholestorol testing?
Looking at my old numbers, I remembered there was one anomaly with cholesterol worse/238 in 2018, including triglycerides 116 instead of prior in 70s. It really surprised me because this was AFTER a year of running and half year of food tracking / eating better (15 pounds lost, bmi 22). My best guess is because we had eaten steak for dinner then night before … but not sure.
Trying to dream of spring/summer things. Has anybody grown their own lettuce? If yes, do you grow by seeds inside and transplant or buy plants?
We have, and we grow it from seed inside. We have the most luck with green and red leaf lettuce.
Seed, planted outside. (In the spring) It’s a cool weather crop.
I did do a lettuce gardening experiment late last summer, since cool weather crop. The green and red plants and the seeds grew pretty well in ground and plant, but the local rabbits got most of it. I will likely try this spring with planters raised up a foot or two. Sounds like I could try planting seeds inside.
Any rabbit-proof plant recommendations? Last year they seemed to ingnore our zucchini and yellow squash and most of the kale (which was part of the lettuce experiment).
I am a big fan of Fiber One Original cereal (2/3c serving has 18g fiber, no sugar, 0.5g fat, 90 calories). I have it for breakfast a few times a week, with milk and usually some fruit on top. Sometimes I mix it with plain greek yogurt and fruit for breakfast or snack.
Today Facebook gave me this link with Fiber One recipes, handy since I always have a box on the shelf (and a spare box in the pantry because our Covid online order method means risk of not getting all desired items) These 10 Fiber-Fabulous Recipes Are Easy to Make and Full of Flavor
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Regarding lettuce, I have some large pots, out of rabbit reach height. I plant lettuce seed mixes in there, and cover the pot with plastic, secured with a large rubber band. After it sprouts, and gets a bit bigger, I remove the plastic. A pot of variegated color lettuce, both is rather attractive. As the soil warms, I take a clump or two, separate the plants and put them in the main garden on the ground, where it lasts longer into the warm season. This worked at the old house anyhow. Here, I need to get a floating row cover to keep the rabbits out.
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