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Post by bjd on Nov 11, 2015 7:24:22 GMT
Years ago in Toronto I went for lunch with a friend. He didn't order any dessert but I had a very chocolatey piece of cake. He said, "No thanks, I'll just sit here and listen to your arteries crack."
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Post by chexbres on Nov 11, 2015 8:49:55 GMT
Special K cereal in France is sold with either dried "red fruits" or dark chocolate shavings mixed in. I'll let you guess which is the more popular...and yes, the total calories for a recommended serving does make this cereal qualify as "diet food". Good for you bixa! I'm with you - the more food I have less to do with, the more likely I am to actually eat it (or words to that effect) After seeing a very depressing film yesterday (Une dernière leçon), I consumed an entire bottle of Beaujolais over a period of a couple of hours. Only had oatmeal and a banana for breakfast, and didn't eat anything else - which was a mistake - but at least did not go over my calorie limit. Today is looking much brighter, though - figuratively and literally. Unlike most things I like to eat, I have found that I am able to keep my consumption of dark chocolate down to only 2 squares per day (10 g each). I guess I've fooled myself into thinking that this really is for "medicinal purposes". I've always got about 7 bars of the stuff handy, and haven't felt the urge to "go rogue".
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Post by chexbres on Nov 11, 2015 8:55:41 GMT
mich - good work on your exercise bike! Do you know about those underwater bikes that some gyms have? That's the big thing in Paris, but joining the classes is a little too expensive for me.
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Post by rikita on Nov 11, 2015 12:37:29 GMT
the problem with calories per serving is, that some of those recommended serving sizes are tiny. and very coincidental. for example, the last package of oat flakes i had, the serving had 44 g. now i have a different brand, and the serving is 50 g. the flakes (and the calories per 100 g) are basically the same ... and then sometimes the servings don't work out even per package - like, we had some ice cream with 750 g per box, and then it said a serving (with a specific amount of calories) was 200 g, or something like that ... i think they just make up those servings so it sounds good and like less calories - the only things were serving size makes a difference to me is prepackaged portions ...
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Post by mich64 on Nov 11, 2015 15:59:32 GMT
Chexbres I have never heard of these underwater bikes! I love being in the water and as soon as the lake is warm enough I begin walking my laps of my lake frontage. The resistance makes walking more challenging and is a good and a very pleasant way to get exercise.
I can imagine this must be an expensive exercise class!
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 11, 2015 16:24:30 GMT
Rikita, you said in another thread that you preferred cooking the oats with milk rather than water. At the time, I didn't realize you were using instant oat flakes. Those taste somehow dusty to me, nowhere near as good as regular oat flakes, so I'm sure milk would hide that flat, dusty flavor. Well, even instant oats are great because of the fiber. I did read, though, that if we don't drink enough water, all that nice fiber can turn into an unmoving mass in our intestines -- the opposite of the scouring, cleansing action that it should provide. My attitude toward calories is bang for the buck. In other words, one vanilla wafer (.1 oz, Keebler brand) = 18 calories, without providing anything useful for the body. On the other hand, a dried apricot (.2 oz) = 16 calories and you get to eat twice as much plus getting 81mg of potassium. sourceI have not tried this recipe since I just found it, but it uses a winter squash and could be made for Thanksgiving by anyone trying to provide luxurious but low calorie food on that day: cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015421-roasted-butternut-squash-and-red-onions(The caveat about onions seems simple-minded since it didn't seem to occur to the recipe author to not put the onion tray on the top rack.)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2015 17:33:47 GMT
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Post by mich64 on Nov 11, 2015 18:38:54 GMT
I would do this!
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Post by chexbres on Nov 11, 2015 19:35:56 GMT
Maybe you can! Looks like fun to me, but I'll probably never go in Paris. Besides the expense, the classes are always booked up far in advance. The packaging in France is easier for me to decipher, because there is always a listing for "100 grams = XYZ calories", as well as the number of calories in a "suggested serving". Since I'm no good at math, but can at least divide by 100, I have an easier time figuring out what's what. But I agree with you that those "suggestions" can be tricky and don't seem entirely fair
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Post by lagatta on Nov 11, 2015 21:17:25 GMT
chexbres, don't you ride a regular bike (Vélib or your own) in Paris? I'm happy that it is still relatively mild here in Montréal, and no snow in sight. The worst thing for my "forme" is months of little exercise in the wintertime.
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Post by rikita on Nov 11, 2015 23:00:27 GMT
how are non-instant oatflakes? i don't think i know them, really ... the instant ones are the common ones here, no idea where to get the other ones ... ah and i drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres per day, not counting the liquid in food and soups. these days, usually 1.2 litres of fruit/herbal tea, a glass of sauerkraut juice, and then random glasses of water, the occasional coke, or other drinks. most people i know seem to drink less ...
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 11, 2015 23:13:54 GMT
Oh, I wasn't directing that water comment specifically at you, Rikita. I only recently read about how not drinking enough could make eating fiber do the opposite of what we'd like. So, I need to remind myself, too. The regular oatflakes, also called rolled oats, are usually found at the end of the cereal aisle in US and Mexican supermarkets. Health food stores always carry them. They don't take all that long to cook. Is this any use to you? www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/194703-what-to-use-for-porridge-in-germany/
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Post by chexbres on Nov 12, 2015 8:02:31 GMT
la gatta - unfortunately, my bike riding days have been over for a long time Too much arthritis, too many cobblestones, too much traffic - and if I fall over, I'll probably end up in a wheelchair. I used to ride an awful lot when I was younger, though. Guess those memories will have to do! I have to remember to keep drinking water, too. My trick is to drink one big glass of water before I eat anything. Many times, I discover that I was only thirsty, instead of starving to death. I cut out anything with bubbles, except for an occasional glass of mineral water with gas.
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Post by rikita on Nov 12, 2015 8:43:10 GMT
thanks for the link - they all seem to use the same thing i do what i use: haferflocken. and when i picture search for rolled oats, it also looks the same ... i suppose you can only eat them well cooked though? how long would you have to cook them? haferflocken you can eat uncooked, just soaked in milk, if you want - or cooked ... they are also in most müsli ...
my trick for drinking is to make a big can of fruit/herbal tea in the morning (1.2 litres) and have it right at my desk while i work - it is basically right in front of my eyes, telling me to pour some more into my cup and drink ...
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Post by breeze on Nov 12, 2015 20:26:30 GMT
I blame the recent surfacing of the pie and cheese threads on the popularity of this, the Losing Weight thread. There are saboteurs among us!
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 13, 2015 7:16:25 GMT
Good idea about the tea, Rikita! I see what you mean about the regular & the instant haferflocken looking the same. It takes @15 -- 20 minutes to cook the regular stuff. I think you can see the difference between the two in these photos. Cooking times here. (although I think it really takes a little longer)
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Post by lagatta on Nov 13, 2015 13:42:47 GMT
I definitely prefer the steel-cut, and cook them in my crockpot. Remember that some other grains also come in flakes for porridge; I particularly like rye flakes.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 13, 2015 22:32:25 GMT
Went to the organic market this morning & got arugula, mustard leaves, fennel fronds, & cucumbers. Also aged goat cheese, which could be like crack if I'm not careful. At the neighborhood store I got broccoli, carrots, and apples. That store also has the best & the best variety of bananas, which I didn't buy because I thought they were less fibrous and less nutritious than apples. Wrong! For one thing, they're high in pectin. Who knew?! Guess I'll have to trot back over there. www.expertrain.com/blog/health/reasons-to-eat-more-bananas.htm
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Post by rikita on Nov 13, 2015 22:51:51 GMT
problem is i don't like them all that much (well if they are still a bit green and very firm they are okay - or occasionally in müsli or in a grilled cheese sandwich). my mom used to pack me a banana for my school lunch every day, because bananas are so nice and she loves them. she says it took her ages to realize i didn't actually like them.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 14, 2015 0:26:21 GMT
Guess you'll just have to eat apples, then.
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Post by chexbres on Nov 14, 2015 14:23:39 GMT
I wish I had gone to the grocery yesterday, because the stores are closed today and the open-air markets are supposed to be closed tomorrow. I'm down to a can of sardines, a handful of mostly brown lettuce and half a cooked beet. Gazing longingly at the jar of dog biscuits...
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Post by htmb on Nov 14, 2015 14:49:02 GMT
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Post by chexbres on Nov 14, 2015 16:14:46 GMT
But wait - things are looking up! I found a bottle of Beaujolais in the back of a cabinet. A liquid diet is just as good as any, I guess - especially given the extenuating circumstances.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 14, 2015 16:23:49 GMT
I wish I had gone to the grocery yesterday, because the stores are closed today and the open-air markets are supposed to be closed tomorrow. I'm down to a can of sardines, a handful of mostly brown lettuce and half a cooked beet. Gazing longingly at the jar of dog biscuits... That describes my long and loving relationship with pasta -- you know in your heart it tastes better than anything else you have on hand, quietly dried and waiting for you to come to your senses and overthrow the twin tyrants of nutrition and weight control.
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Post by htmb on Nov 14, 2015 17:57:54 GMT
Yes, pasta would also have been my go-to food of choice, followed by whatever spirited drink was available.
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Post by chexbres on Nov 14, 2015 19:01:20 GMT
Luckily, one must cook pasta before diving in headfirst... That was just a little too much to think about today, but I confess that I probably could have eaten the stuff raw. The dog biscuits weren't too bad, though...
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Post by rikita on Nov 14, 2015 23:06:22 GMT
i tried out the recipe on the back of a package of soy "fake meat" today (fake köfte with yoghurt dip, rice, and vegetables). it looked really healthy on first glance. only while cooking i realized just how much oil they wanted me to use, and some of the other ingredients had more calories than i expected, too. so not a light dinner today ...
i could mail you some of the food i have hear, chexbres, but i suppose that would take a bit long to arrive ...
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Post by chexbres on Nov 15, 2015 10:19:26 GMT
Thanks for the offer rikita - I'll admit that I'm getting pretty hungry, but probably not hungry enough to eat that fake meat you mentioned! Hope it tasted better than it sounds...
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Post by rikita on Nov 15, 2015 13:11:11 GMT
it actually tasted pretty good, i thought. i put lots of herbs and spices in, so it tasted mainly of those ... but they are all eaten up by now ...
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LouisXIV
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L'estat c'est moi.
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Post by LouisXIV on Nov 16, 2015 1:40:33 GMT
About five or six years ago I lost about 45 pounds. I cam across a video of a CNN special with an interview with former President Clinton and the diet he went on. Here the video is at the bottom of the page that follows, I recommend you watch it. It is about 40 minutes long. www.dresselstyn.com/site/video-2/I purchased the book an read it. Half of the book is recipes and the first half is an explanation of the diet and a number of cases where the Dr. found real improvement from some of his patients. Basically the diet is eat nothing with a mother or a face. No meat, dairy, oil or nuts. I guess you would have to say a vegan. I decided to do it and it was not easy. I loved all the things that I could no longer eat. The hardest part for me was finding things I likes to eat, there were few. But I did it for about five months and lost about 45 pounds. My regular doctor liked the concept, but my heart doctor thought it was a bit to strict. I felt better and had more energy and had to buy new clothes. I feel one of the reasons I lost a lot of weight was that I was not looking forward to eating. I use to live to eat and now I eat to live. After about five months I had a Belgium exchange student and decided to not force him to eat like this. And since then I do eat some meat, very little dairy and a little fish. Since that time I find beef is hard to digest and feels like a lead bullet in my stomach after eating it. I did notice that while doing this my stomach had shrunk and I could hardly eat a third of what I use to eat before I was full. The result is that I have retained the weight loss. I felt that if a former president can recommend it so highly I should try it. I feel it works. Many people try diets, stop smoking, and say they are going to try to do it. I quit smoking over 40 years ago and at the time I was smoking three packs a day, I did it cold turkey, I just made a decision and stopped immediately and have not had a cigarette since. I looked at this diet the same way, I had to change my life style. Just make a decision and DO IT. Many people can't do that, hence, the many stop smoking plans and diets plans. I highly recommend you watch the video, it explains much of what is in the book.
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