Whole foods?

[Adalida]

I think that's a pretty good meal! I know some people are really anti-carb but personally I think carbs are just fine. If I cut back on carbs, I have a lot less energy...which means half hearted work outs or no work outs...I tried substituting spaghetti squash for noodles, but I didn't like it at all.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Okay so I've been trying to eat healthier for a while (okay, haven't really been trying, simply want to eat healthier) but it doesn't seem to be working. It's like too daunting and hard to start and I am too addicted to sugar...

SO.

I came up with this great new idea today...

Maybe I could simply try eating only whole foods for a week?

Would that be harder? Finding and eating enough variety of whole foods and especially no processed foods at all might be hard.. maybe start just less processed foods?

But my diet has gotten progressively worse. I've eaten a lot of tortilla chips and ice cream lately and fast food. Lots of worst of the worst type stuff.

But enough rambling and complaining about my diet.

I guess what I would like to know are what are some examples of whole foods besides the common ones? And what are some good recipes?

Because all I can think of is like salads and peppers, tomatoes, carrots, etc., basically just the veggies & fruits they sell at the grocery store and that gets boring... are there any other foods I'm missing here? Or even just recipes to use said boring foods so they are not boring. Or perhaps I shouldn't be buying from the grocery store either?

But let's just work on healthier for now and I can find a farm stand later lol

I did manage to eat a salad today though and buy lots of kale, spinach, blueberries, and strawberries.

But I want more I guess.

Like for example, can you make your own pasta sauce? Obviously pasta is processed as are a lot of good grains so I guess it might not be possible to go 100% not processed? But I at least want a start.

Thanks in advance and sorry for the rather rambly and unsure nature of this.

But the basic premise is PLEASE HELP ME EAT HEALTHIER AND ALSO FIND WAYS TO MAKE HEALTHY TASTY AND NOT BORING.

I went three months without eating sugar or simple carbs. No bread or grains of any kind. It took about three weeks to get over the cravings.But you really do reduce the sugar that you crave. When you get a craving eat something salty like a pickle or an olive, that really works especially at night. Eat whole grains like oatmeal or brown rice in the morning instead of processed cereal. Cooked brown rice with a little milk butter and pure Maple syrup YUM! If you want sugar eat some whole fruit, never fruit juice, you might as well shoot sugar up your arm veins. I eat my oatmeal without sugar. I cook it with a pinch of raw spinach, the spinach is tasteless but healthy. I also chop up an apple and cook it in there, or dry cherries. Don't forget your eggs, healthiest food out there. Your brain runs on cholesterol. Unless you have a problem with blockages. One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn to bake your own bread, so many chemicals in store bread. Only whole wheat of course, actually I eat mostly Rye bread, our American wheat is crap.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I think that's a pretty good meal! I know some people are really anti-carb but personally I think carbs are just fine. If I cut back on carbs, I have a lot less energy...which means half hearted work outs or no work outs...I tried substituting spaghetti squash for noodles, but I didn't like it at all.

I agree I couldn't handle the sub. pasta for spaghetti squash either. Although I like it with butter.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Wow thank you so much for all the wonderful help and advice everyone! It's all very useful. Appreciate the support too as I thought surely there'd be someone mad at my choices thus far LOL

I'll definitely be using the advice and recipes and the bit about the milkfat is interesting too.

As for farm stands/farmer's markets, yes, I think there are some around. There are probably several actually. There's one not too far that I think has one every month or every week or some such thing, I will have to look for a schedule and start going down there. There's also a garden place just minutes down the street that also has a little store that has vegetables, mostly in the summer, but they might be a little expensive. I'll have to start looking for the farm stands.

I never thought about smoothies like that either. Well, I've actually made some a few times, but with a regular blender and with some yogurt and milk. Not sure that part is healthy? And of course no veggies lol or at least not many, I usually make it with some spinach and kale and then like strawberries and blueberries. I'll have to start mixing it up and adding more veggies and fruits. That's a good idea.

I mostly drink water anyway since soda started giving me a headache a few years ago. But then I started drinking it again and now Coke doesn't so I do get that when I go out to like Subway or something. But I don't drink it at home. But I've been eating out a lot lately and Coke is like the worst soda of all so I need to stop it.

Thankfully I don't drink or smoke or anything but my parents do and they've mentioned the sugar in alcohol. It's amazing.

My dad is actually going to PT for a hip replacement he had I guess maybe 2 months ago now? And has to do exercises at home too. So I was thinking maybe I should start doing some of the exercises with him and/or we should start eating healthy together lol

My dad is especially big on the carbs, he usually has an English muffin every morning, either as a sandwich with egg, or with jelly on it.

I actually just had my physical today and I had blood work before it a few weeks ago. Apparently my blood sugar was a little bit high but he does think it was probably just a fluke or something so I had it retested. I did fast before it (12 hrs) so it's weird it was still high but I'm not too worried because like he said, it was probably a fluke, plus that week I had also eaten horribly, way worse than normal haha

But it does mean that I do need to start being more conscientious of what I eat and of exercising because even if this one was just a false alarm or fluke or whatever maybe the next one won't be.

Believe me when I tell you that your high sugar test is a warning. I wish I had paid attention to it before I came down with Type 2 Diabetes. I had a high test and I was overweight and my Dr ignored it. Start now on a low carb diet and you prevent much pain in the future. Follow the portion control labels for carbs. 25 grams for snacks, 45-50 grams for meals. High sugar tests after fasting means your pre diabetic. Don't fool yourself, this disease is a *****, I wouldn't face the truth and now I'm paying for it. Get a meter for testing your blood sugar at the drug store you don't need a prescription, they don't cost that much and just test yourself after eating to see how you really are. I don't mean to be a nag, but it can hit you quickly, and the drugs and insulin are expensive. The good thing is you should never eat fat free diet. Fat slows the sugar release into your blood stream. Pick up a book on Diabetes, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. God Bless.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think that's a pretty good meal! I know some people are really anti-carb but personally I think carbs are just fine. If I cut back on carbs, I have a lot less energy...which means half hearted work outs or no work outs...I tried substituting spaghetti squash for noodles, but I didn't like it at all.

I agree I couldn't handle the sub. pasta for spaghetti  squash either. Although I like it with butter.

Thanks

Yeah, i dont think i could handle the veggie noodles lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

I went three months without eating sugar or simple carbs. No bread or grains of any kind. It took about three weeks to get over the cravings.But you really do reduce the sugar that you crave. When you get a craving eat something salty like a pickle or an olive, that really works especially at night. Eat whole grains like oatmeal or brown rice in the morning instead of processed cereal. Cooked brown rice with a little milk butter and pure Maple syrup YUM! If you want sugar eat some whole fruit, never fruit juice, you might as well shoot sugar up your arm veins. I eat my oatmeal without sugar. I cook it with a pinch of raw spinach, the spinach is tasteless but healthy. I also chop up an apple and cook it in there, or dry cherries. Don't forget your eggs, healthiest food out there. Your brain runs on cholesterol. Unless you have a problem with blockages. One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn to bake your own bread, so many chemicals in store bread. Only whole wheat of course, actually I eat mostly Rye bread, our American wheat is crap.

Thanks for all great suggestions!!

I'll try them.

Sorry for the stupid question but what are simple carbs? Because in response to your other post, the nurse actually did call back and say it was pre diabetic and to avoid sugar but also carbs like bread and stuff cause it turns to sugar, but i didn't really know what they meant. All carbs or certain types or?

Are tortilla chips okay or no?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Believe me when I tell you that your high sugar test is a warning. I wish I had paid attention to it before I came down with Type 2 Diabetes.  I had a high test and I was overweight and my Dr ignored it. Start now on a low carb diet and you prevent much pain in the future. Follow the portion control labels for carbs. 25 grams for snacks, 45-50 grams for meals. High sugar tests after fasting means your pre diabetic.  Don't fool yourself, this disease is a *****, I wouldn't face the truth and now I'm paying for it. Get a meter for testing your blood sugar at the drug store you don't need a prescription, they don't cost that much and just test yourself after eating to see how you really are. I don't mean to be a nag, but it can hit you quickly, and the drugs and insulin are expensive. The good thing is you should never eat fat free diet. Fat slows the sugar release into your blood stream. Pick up a book on Diabetes, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. God Bless.

Yeah, the nurse called back and told us it was pre diabetic and explained about it but i forgot to add that. Exercise is big too, right? Thanks for the number on the carbs cause I wasn't sure how much was good.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and as for the eggs, plenty of those

Well, if the girls would produce again lol we were getting just 2 then a moment of yay! 4! For a while but now back to 2 :/

But summer we get 5-7 a day (we have 8 hens but one is being bullied and hasn't laid in months so 7 is all of them) so plenty

Although I have been bad about eating eggs lately. Wake up too late to make them before class and/or too lazy to.

I did eat oatmeal last night and today though. Bought good Red Mill I think its called gluten free rolled oats. But I'm bad, last night I put chocolate chips and brown sugar in them and today I put brown sugar and cinnamon...

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Oh and as for the eggs, plenty of those

Well, if the girls would produce again lol we were getting just 2 then a moment of yay! 4! For a while but now back to 2

But summer we get 5-7 a day (we have 8 hens but one is being bullied and hasn't laid in months so 7 is all of them) so plenty

Although I have been bad about eating eggs lately. Wake up too late to make them before class and/or too lazy to.

I did eat oatmeal last night and today though. Bought good Red Mill I think its called gluten free rolled oats. But I'm bad, last night I put chocolate chips and brown sugar in them and today I put brown sugar and cinnamon...

I know it is a shock to us sugar eaters, adjust slowly, but you will have to change or end up on meds. Whats important is your levels 2 hour after eating, so an hour after try to so some exercise, walk the dog to burn that excess glucose. Try fruit and vanilla in our oatmeal.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Thanks for all great suggestions!!

I'll try them.

Sorry for the stupid question but what are simple carbs? Because in response to your other post, the nurse actually did call back and say it was pre diabetic and to avoid sugar but also carbs like bread and stuff cause it turns to sugar, but i didn't really know what they meant. All carbs or certain types or?

Are tortilla chips okay or no?

Simple carbs are all carbs like grains, wheat, rice, white flour and products made with white flour, chips, sugar cookies, cake, ice cream....you get the picture. Fruit juice and soda of course are big no no's. Eat whole fruit, any veggies, lots of protein. I'm supposed to be on salad only diet right now, but thats impossible so I went on insulin. Stick to brown rice, whole wheat. I make my own chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies using the mix of half sugar half splenda. If you eat cake or ice cream, eat full fat, small portions. fat free products are a no no because they put more sugar in them to make them taste good. Roasted nuts instead of chips, sugarless candy. Most important is to follow portion control.