# Nutrition/Dieting tips for old geezers



## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

I was wondering if anyone on this forum has any particular nutrition/dieting tips that they want to share with the rest of us "senior citizens" . I'll start with the things I have learned on my own via trial and error, and a lot of reading. By way of background in 2010 I weighed 235 pounds on a 5'11" frame, and was in horrible physical shape. Thanks to exercise in general and MTB in particular, I am now 185, and feel and look much better. So here are my tips:

1. Water, at least 2 liters a day. 
2. No soft drinks of any type, including diet ones.
3. Fruit juice is a rare treat, and normally 3-5 oz. and only on riding days.
4. Beer (my favorite beverage) has now been reduced to a once or twice a month affair, and only on riding days.
5. I avoid sugar, and rarely indulge, perhaps one or two teaspoons with my espresso and milk once a week.
6. While I am not a vegetarian or vegan, I am convinced that plant based foods are really where it's at. 
7. No white grains of any type-although I will allow myself a slice of real pizza with a beer as a one off treat ever so rarely.
8. No junk food, period.
9. No deep fried food as much as I love it, my body hates me for it within an hour or two, and a whole lot more the day after. 
10. No processed foods of any type.
12. I do eat beef and chicken, but only a couple of times a month, and when I do, I keep the portions fairly small, meaning 4-8 oz. (120 to 240 grams) at a time, and have learned that like my beloved beer, it is more something to be enjoyed occasionally, and not frequently. I do eat fish (grilled/baked) a couple of times a week. 

I don't think I am offering anything that is not fairly well accepted nutrition advice. I have noticed that now that I have hit 60, that I am far more sensitive than I ever was to the effects of whatever it is that I put in my body. I am also starting to believe that wheat products, including whole wheat are not good for you. I tried not eating anything with wheat for 10 days about a month ago, and I really noticed a difference in my energy level, and I seemed to have lost a lot of bloat. My overall body weight did not change much, other than the usual week to week variation of a pound or two more or less. My abdomen looked and felt much flatter, and I seemed to have more energy. Has anyone else had a similar experience involving wheat products? I would very much want to hear about others experiences with wheat products. Also, please post any nutrition/dieting tips. I am off to the shuffleboard court now.


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## Summit Ridge Guy (Aug 16, 2010)

I think you nailed it. My wife and I did a month long cleanse/detox and followed you basic outline. We both feel WAY better and plan on sticking with it.


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## pikeman (Jun 24, 2009)

Hard to add much to what you are doing. Diet is always the largest component to fitness. As we get older our bodies age as much inside as out. Look at your skin. Realizing that the same thing is happening on the inside and we need to take care of it too is important. I do add juicing to my regime. I do a week long juice cleanse twice a year.


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## BR46 (Nov 15, 2015)

Galeforce5 said:


> 1. Water, at least 2 liters a day.
> 2. No soft drinks of any type, including diet ones.
> 3. Fruit juice is a rare treat, and normally 3-5 oz. and only on riding days.
> 4. Beer (my favorite beverage) has now been reduced to a once or twice a month affair, and only on riding days.
> ...


  This is what pretty much what my wife and I do as far as nutrition.

6. While I am not a vegetarian or vegan, I am convinced that plant based foods are really where it's at

We cut out meat by about 60 to 70% and do as much clean eating as possible.
My rule is if it comes out of a box with a bar code you don't eat it. If it has ingredients you can't pronounce you don't eat it.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

You can't out train a bad diet


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

I've done pretty much of what you listed a couple of years ago.

In the grocery store, I stick to the non processed foods sections. Lean meats (Fish, chicken and a little beef) and the produce section.

No sodas (I was never one to drink a lot of them anyways)

Water is my preferred drink aside from coffee in the mornings and a carb additive while cycling.

I have not eaten wheat or anything that has gluten over the last few weeks which IMO has helped my slight joint pain in my knee. (Arthritis thread) For breakfast, quick steel cut oats from Bob's red mill is pretty good (great value for a large bag!) as you can prepare them in a variety of ways. I just soak them overnight and it just takes a few minutes to warm up in the AM. The carbs that I have been consuming is Rice, Quinoa, Corn and Potatoes. (I used to eat cereal, pasta and bread every week so I was a flour/wheat addict)

Just be as active as you can to burn calories throughout the day. I got a Fitbit for X-mas and can see how many steps per day that I am taking....and when I am LAZY!


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## Eric Malcolm (Dec 18, 2011)

Pretty good list. I too have been trending down this road of diet. Though I still eat wheat based breads, I am no sugar and have replaced sugars with milk and raisins for the high energy efforts. They have enough of the right sugars to help in energy depletion and recovery. Oh, and sometimes I'll use Malt extracts for 'on the ride' boosting. Keep completely away from cane sugars.

Eric


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

For me it's all about portion control. My dad grew up on a farm, and my mom lived on the farm for the first couple years of their marriage. They ate whatever vegetables were in season, and the thing is, whatever is in season is cheapest because of supply, and is of high quality. Consequently, I grew up eating lots of vegetables. There is almost nothing in the veggie case I don't like. Fruits too. So my diet is pretty good. Could be better, but it's not bad (except I love Oreo cookies). But again, it's all about portion control. I love food more than is good for me. If I didn't ride, I'd be chubby.


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## mudge (May 15, 2010)

Pretty much on board with everything you're saying, except I'm not concerned about wheat. What I've discovered is I can control cravings by having cut all refined sugar from my diet. Like you, no junk food, no processed food... but I can't have any refined sugar in any form or the cravings, mood swings, blood sugar highs/lows all come back.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

I'm a pescatarian, have been for about 25 years. I mostly drink water and coffee, beer varies but maybe once a week on average, soft drink very rarely. My wife usually cooks fresh vegetables and doesn't buy packaged foods. Rarely eat fast food and if I do, it is of the Tex/Mex type. I do eat a good bit of pizza, cereal for breakfast with fruit, and bread. And I do have a great big sweet tooth but hopefully not drinking soft drinks offsets that somewhat. I exercise enough (trail running and biking) that weight is not a concern, I have to watch that I don't drop too much weight in the summer.


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

Awesome thread OP. Subscribed.

I lost six or seven months last year to what has tentatively been determined to be an inability to properly digest wheat gluten. I am 66. Never had a problem with wheat before, and have been active as a runner, and then a cyclist, for most of my life. I spent most of last year not riding or doing much of anything other than sitting on the couch or sleeping. Acted and felt like I was half asleep all the time. Thank God I am retired and no longer have to work to support myself, because that would have been tough. On a hunch, I cut way back on all wheat products, sugar, and fats last November and have noticed a huge difference, but now I am working on losing the 15 lbs I gained during that time.

You can develop a reaction to certain foods and situations as you age that would not have fazed you when younger.

Another, but non related issue (to this thread) is recovery. A long hard ride in hot temps, or a couple hard days in a row can put me down for a week or more now. Years ago I might be dragging for two or three days, but was usually ready to go again after that. Not anymore.

Our bodies ability to adapt to stress, including a poor or inadequate diet, decreases as we age. We have to be more careful. Am learning this the hard way.


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

+1 Cutting out processed foods in favor of fruits and veggies. If you haven't found it yet, also check out the nutrition forum just below.


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## The Tedinator (Sep 4, 2012)

I eat and drink what I want. I'm only cutting off the final years at the Nursing Home!


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

The Tedinator said:


> I eat and drink what I want. I'm only cutting off the final years at the Nursing Home!


Or hastening them.

Just sayin.......


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## The Tedinator (Sep 4, 2012)

Centurion_ said:


> Or hastening them.
> 
> Just sayin.......


_From the Urban dictionary:
Just Saying

When saying "Just saying" any where in a sentence, the beginning, end or the middle, it justifies your sentence as redundant, but in your mind you think its concise._

But hey, I'm just sayin...........


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)




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## The Tedinator (Sep 4, 2012)

Centurion is probably right. I ride so I can drink beer. Guilty as charged!

Besides, at 61 them years are hastening whether I eat steak or tofu.


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

I'm a big believer in the plant based diet. I've seen the transformation in myself since becoming a vegetarian over 5 years ago. I do eat fish once in a while. Cutting back on sugar is good too. I also stopped drinking coffee about 1 year ago and now just drink tea. You certainly don't need the junk food etc. But, nothing wrong with a little moderation.


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## RIDESLOW (Dec 21, 2007)

I finally lost the weight i've been trying to for ever.My fitness pal dot com helped me loose 15 lbs since Jan 1 .6'1" 60 yo , from 195 to 180 lbs.Shooting for 175 .


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## SteveF (Mar 5, 2004)

Bacon and eggs every morning, beer every night. Cause who wants to live forever anyway? 

Seriously, when I started enjoying 1 slice of good quality (butchershop/meat market) bacon and one egg for breakfast, along with some oatmeal, a little plain yogurt with berries, coffee and OJ, I lost weight over a carb/cereal-based breakfast. Plus I feel full longer so I'm not snacking an hour later. Protein and fat are necessary parts of your diet. (I eat plenty of whole grains, nuts, fruits and veg's too.)


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## Fuzzle (Mar 31, 2015)

This is a great thread. I lost some weight these past few months which I hope can make me faster. I would like to dump about 3 to 5 lbs more which is the hardest.

I agree a plant based diet is the way to go. For me it's hard because of blood sugar issues which cause migraines. I do follow the diet tips above which is great. Being a busy working mom I do buy a lot of ready made processed food. I try to cook as much as I can when time permits.

My oldest son is a picky and my youngest and husband love rare bloody flesh. I just try to get as many veges in as possible.

I recommend Paleo for Athletes. It has some great info if you just skim through the boring stuff and focus on what can benefit you.


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## tomparker (Mar 1, 2013)

I think it is a combination of lifestyle, diet, calories burned, and individual metabolism.

I am 50 years old. I own a consulting company with several employees, have teenage kids, and my hobbies are mountain biking, gardening, telemark skiing, yoga and Brazilian jujitsu. I still weight the same as when I was a high school wrestler, but it is probably more from an overall active lifestyle than from any intentional dieting or exercise regime. In some ways I feel lucky, but on the other hand I don't have a choice--if I sat still, I would go nuts. 

That said, my wife and I (and kids by default) have been inspired by local Community Supported Agriculture and eating mostly vegetable based meals with very small amounts of grains, and we use meat as a condiment more than as a main course. I eat Amaranth flakes for breakfast every day--for the last 12 years or so. Lunch is left over dinner. I don't eat snacks, except when dinner is still cooking and I can't wait to eat something. I drink as much beer as I want--IPA's. I sometimes think I should write a book--the IPA diet...but it's probably more like the never sit down diet. Which is more of a lifestyle than a diet. I know I am sitting as I write this. But I am about to go load up the skis and snowboards for tomorrow, I promise!


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Regardless of whatever diet turns your crank....

It is still very important have your blood work checked every so often...

Many people have diets they think are good but are lacking in certain nutrients....

It is a surprisingly common problem.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Good thread. The OP pretty much nailed it. I've never had a problem with weight. I've weighed the same as I did in high school for the past 35 years and we've always eaten a pretty healthy diet. 

However, my cholesterol was creeping up over 200 often and I started to get a bit of a belly roll and I started to realize it was the sugar and carbs that were killing me. I had to face the fact that I was addicted to sugar. 

Over the past 6 months I've made a determined effort to cut way back. I never drank a lot of soft drinks (maybe 2-3x a month) but I've cut those out completely along with fruit juice except maybe once in awhile immediately following a ride. 

No jam or honey on my whole wheat toast (although I do use a little fruit spread occasionally). Dessert only once a week or less is my goal. 

We're trying to cut back on all white grains too but bread is still a mistress I can't completely shake. I'll have a piece of home made whole wheat toast with my eggs and I try not to use bread as a snack anymore. I'll have a wrap with a whole wheat tortilla stuffed with spinach and peppers instead of a sandwich at lunch.

Breakfast five days a week is rolled oats cereal with blueberries, walnuts, coconut oil, cinnamon, topped with unsweetened almond milk. Eggs (often stuffed with sautéed peppers and spinach) twice a week. No more cold cereal and rare pancakes and waffle blowouts. 

Yep,whole foods. Recipes with two three ingredients. Very little processed foods. Very little deep fried foods. 

Way more fresh vegetables and fruits in moderation. 

It'll be interesting to see where my cholesterol numbers are next time. I think they'll be down.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

KRob said:


> However, my cholesterol was creeping up over 200 often and I started to get a bit of a belly roll and I started to realize it was the sugar and carbs that were killing me. I had to face the fact that I was addicted to sugar.
> 
> It'll be interesting to see where my cholesterol numbers are next time. I think they'll be down.


Big hammer for cholesterol is eat greens (salad) just before eating any meat....there is a absorption site blocking effect.....

I eat spinach two eggs and bacon every morning....Cholesterol tests come back excellent for a women (women's are typically better than a men's numbers).


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

Agree on the diet, but, what do you eat when on a ride?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

thecanoe said:


> Agree on the diet, but, what do you eat when on a ride?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Gorp

Energy bars

Gatorade

sugar candy

maybe a light sandwich lunch for full days.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

jeffscott said:


> Big hammer for cholesterol is eat greens (salad) just before eating any meat....there is a absorption site blocking effect.....
> 
> I eat spinach two eggs and bacon every morning....Cholesterol tests come back excellent for a women (women's are typically better than a men's numbers).


Good tip, thanks. Green salad before dinner. Got it. 
I should add that we probably still eat too much meat and dairy fat but I've come to believe that saturated fat is not the biggest enemy in my diet. We try to replace as much vegetable oils and partially hydrogenated fat as we can with "good" fats like olive oil, coconut oil, Omega 3 fats like those found in avacaodos (I forgot to mention avacados. I put them in my wraps almost every day and eat them on salads and with my eggs pretty often), and nuts, but we are definitely not on a low fat diet. We do buy all our beef from a friend who raises it mostly all grass fed and organic. We eat a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breast, and need to add more fish in place of both.


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## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

thecanoe said:


> Agree on the diet, but, what do you eat when on a ride?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I make it a point to try and eat something with carbs (fruit usually) and some protein about 3-4 hours before the ride. During rides, I take dates or figs, or some other dried fruit (no sugar added). I also have electrolyte mix in my water bottle when the weather gets warm. The most helpful thing has been to try and take in some nutrition 3-4 hours before the ride that will be available once I get going.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

Galeforce5 said:


> I was wondering if anyone on this forum has any particular nutrition/dieting tips that they want to share with the rest of us "senior citizens" . I'll start with the things I have learned on my own via trial and error, and a lot of reading. By way of background in 2010 I weighed 235 pounds on a 5'11" frame, and was in horrible physical shape. Thanks to exercise in general and MTB in particular, I am now 185, and feel and look much better.
> 
> ...I have noticed that now that I have hit 60, that I am far more sensitive than I ever was to the effects of whatever it is that I put in my body....I would very much want to hear about others experiences with wheat products. Also, please post any nutrition/dieting tips. I am off to the shuffleboard court now.


Congrats on dropping the 50 pounds!!!

I love to include as many super foods and immune boosting foods in my regular diet that I can: spinach, mushrooms, garlic, avocado, salmon, chicken soup, leafy greens, beans, walnuts, almonds, blueberries, dark chocolate, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, yogurt, sweet potato, green tea, red wine, red bell peppers, oats, tuna, chicken, etc.

That being said, fueling myself with whatever I eat by trying to avoid eating excess calories has been the key to keep my weight in check. This means estimating and counting calories in terms of what goes in and what gets burned on a daily basis. I need around 2000 - 2055 calories a day to maintain my weight (before exercise). Knowing your daily number and making sure I don't _underestimate_ the calories of what I eat and _overestimate_ what I burn in exercise is the thing that works the best for me - no matter what it is I eat.:thumbsup:

So, no 16 ounce rib eye steaks for me....:nono: I will eat the 8 ounce cut though.


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

I think BruceBrown nailed it with avoiding eating excess calories (he's been lecturing me on this in another thread, LOL).

The scientific jury is still nowhere close to decided on things like gluten and so-called paleo diets (paleo diets in particular have been seriously debunked—partly because it's been proven that "paleo humans" often ate terribly!)

The cumulative total of all evidence I've seen suggests that humans are supreme omnivores, period. We've evolved to consume a huge variety of things, in a huge variety of mixes and ratios.

And it is absolute fact that the #1 thing that has changed in humans over the past several thousand years is our activity level. As a species, we have become sedentary. The typical human today is not even remotely as active as the typical human even 200-300 years ago who often walked 100% of their lives and had to do physical labor to achieve pretty much anything.

Which is why I've always believed the ultimate answer to fitness is MORE PHYSICAL WORK!  But given that I have a job like many that keeps me in front of a computer, I think portion control is the best way for me to go.

I simply don't want to give up some of the things I love, but I can definitely cut back on the amounts of those things I consume.

And let's face it—you can eat gluten-free and paleo all you want and there's still a good chance you'll die of cancer anyway. (Or get Alzheimers, or any number of other ailments.) Which goes back to another huge change in humans: we live too damn long.

It is inevitable that as lifespans lengthen, we're gonna be suffering more in the latest years (without some colossal breakthroughs in medical science). Look at wild animals—you don't see a lot of them hobbling around gray-haired and crapping themselves. We should be no different.

Scott


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## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

SWriverstone said:


> I think BruceBrown nailed it with avoiding eating excess calories (he's been lecturing me on this in another thread, LOL).
> 
> The scientific jury is still nowhere close to decided on things like gluten and so-called paleo diets (paleo diets in particular have been seriously debunked-partly because it's been proven that "paleo humans" often ate terribly!)
> 
> ...


I agree with quite a bit of what you said. I don't believe in extreme dieting, as I've tried it, it worked for a while, and then I ended up back in spiral. I have found that eating healthy, and cutting out sugar, processed foods, and leaning towards a mostly plant based diet works for me. I still eat a broad variety of foods, but keep it towards the "good stuff". I do cheat a little from time to time as noted in my initial post. But, cheats are just cheats and no more, meaning that I will get ice cream once a month, or eat a small bag of chips once in a while. However, those types of foods are far removed from being a regular item on the menu. Physical exercise coupled with a sound diet seems to be the key.


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## panchosdad (Sep 21, 2008)

SWriverstone said:


> I think BruceBrown nailed it with avoiding eating excess calories (he's been lecturing me on this in another thread, LOL).
> 
> The scientific jury is still nowhere close to decided on things like gluten and so-called paleo diets (paleo diets in particular have been seriously debunked-partly because it's been proven that "paleo humans" often ate terribly!)
> 
> ...


Well the reason they're not grey and hobbled is that they have short life spans.

As someone who's done construction work for 30 years, I'm going to call bull on your romantic version of physical work. I'm in much better shape now that I've cut back my physical work, for the simple reason I have more time and energy to actually do aerobic things like biking and backcountry skiing.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

panchosdad said:


> Well the reason they're not grey and hobbled is that they have short life spans.
> 
> As someone who's done construction work for 30 years, I'm going to call bull on your romantic version of physical work. I'm in much better shape now that I've cut back my physical work, for the simple reason I have more time and energy to actually do aerobic things like biking and backcountry skiing.


As always life is a balance


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## EddieZ (Oct 9, 2014)

BruceBrown said:


> That being said, fueling myself with whatever I eat by trying to avoid eating excess calories has been the key to keep my weight in check. This means estimating and counting calories in terms of what goes in and what gets burned on a daily basis. I need around 2000 - 2055 calories a day to maintain my weight (before exercise). Knowing your daily number and making sure I don't _underestimate_ the calories of what I eat and _overestimate_ what I burn in exercise is the thing that works the best for me - no matter what it is I eat.


I've been having a great deal of success with keeping an accurate Food Diary these days. I'm going "old school" with a pencil and pad, but there's Apps for your smartphone that can accomplish the same thing. However you decide to roll, it's very eye opening to see how many mindless calories you can consume if you get into "nibble mode" all day. The candy bowls at work, the free samples at the Costco, the leftover cake in the break room, the extra slice of Pizza, the every-15-minute-commercial-break-opening-of-the-fridge, etc. etc. On some of my worse days, I consumed the caloric equivalent of a 4th and 5th meal per day.

The simple acts of keeping the food diary makes me confront everything placed in my mouth. So if I don't want it on the list, then I can't eat it!

I haven't really adjusted my activity level, and I haven't really adjusted my meals (which were already healthy choices). It's just elimination of the crap and my pounds are beginning to melt off. 8lbs came off in 3 weeks!


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

I cut out most grains except for quinoa, oats and rice. Most whole grains are OK if they are first sprouted. No refined sugar. Avoid all processed foods, if possible. Rarely any fruit juice (never, unless I'm "dying of thirst" dehydrated, and there's nothing else to drink), and never any honey or anything with fructose in it late in the day, unless I still have a couple of hours of grinding out energy to do. The body stores any excess fructose that it doesn't burn up in your liver. That is not good.
Margarine, and many vegetable oil are not good for you. Animal fats, as long as not consumed in great excess, are good, not bad. Cholesterol problems do not stem from dietary cholesterol. Chicken skin and chicken fat are what I crave! MMMMMM!

The body prefers carbohydrates from vegetables, instead of from grains.
My 92year-old Dad decided to quit eating grains and wheat last year, and ALL of his 
allergies disappeared. 

I try to eat grass-fed, pasture raised beef, free-range chicken, eggs from free range chickens, and as much fish as I can catch from clean waters, and lots of fruit and veges.

Never any soda pop. Never ever. Also, due to my age (65), I've been cutting back on the microbrews and hard ciders. (Basically, they ain't any better for you than soda pop).

Of course, all the healthy living and diet won't help if your doctor over-prescribes your meds, and you faint, fall over, and break your neck (in the safety and comfort of your own home)! That happened to me.
That could have killed me, but I got lucky enough to survive and be able to appreciate the irony!

People who offer you pie and ice cream, or candy....are trying to kill you. Its OK. Go ahead and eat it. Enjoy! Otherwise, you might die from some freak accident anyway, and those who knew you will be marveling over the irony of it all.


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

A comment and a question:

First, I gotta say, the diets some of you mention sound horrendous! LOL I think life would suck if all I ate were leafy greens, beans, and vegetables. If I cut out 100% of all sugar, all honey, never used butter (even the kind we use that is 100% plant-based), never ate beef, or pork, or chicken...ate oatmeal EVERY DAY for breakfast...drink one or two beers A MONTH...that would be a DRAG! 

And that's not even to mention how EXPENSIVE it is to eat nothing but organic, non-GMO everything, and grass-fed everything from "happy" animals. (I mean seriously, you could easily spend $800-1,000/month to feed a family that way.)

I know—people say "Oh you get used to it" or "Oh as soon as you eliminate everything tasty your taste buds come alive," yada yada.

Well hell, why don't we all literally wear the exact same clothes every day of our lives? (Yes, I'm being tongue-in-cheek.)

---
QUESTION (for the calorie-trackers): how do you accurately track calories from food sources you can't find in the handy little charts?

Example: say you're at work, there's a party, and someone's brought some hors d-ouvres that are a slice of bacon wrapped around a piece of pineapple with a tiny sliver of cheese inbetween? How do you track that? (Yes, I'm sure it's horrendous for you, but let's set that aside.) Do you get all anal about figuring out what percentage of an ounce a 1" chunk of pineapple and postage-stamp sliver of cheese is? Or do you just guesstimate and say "300 calories for each one!"

The few times I've attempted to track calories, seemed like I very quickly started running into scenarios where I had to guesstimate. (Maybe it's not that difficult—guess I should just shut up and do it, LOL.)

Scott


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

SWriverstone said:


> The few times I've attempted to track calories, seemed like I very quickly started running into scenarios where I had to guesstimate. (Maybe it's not that difficult-guess I should just shut up and do it, LOL.)


The latter would be my suggestion. It's not that difficult and one does not have to be a certified accountant to add up a couple thousand calories.

Can't find your bacon/cheese/pineapple? They are plastered all over the 'net.

You get pretty adept at ounces, grams, etc... after counting. Of course, the only tried and true method is weighing with a food scale, but I personally never do that. I'm pretty good at portion size counting from doing it for a couple of years. If you use MFP (My Fitness Pal), there is a huge data base of foods that have been measured, weighed, and provide close enough calorie counts to keep one honest. There are other sources as well.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

BruceBrown said:


> The latter would be my suggestion. It's not that difficult and one does not have to be a certified accountant to add up a couple thousand calories.
> 
> Can't find your bacon/cheese/pineapple? They are plastered all over the 'net.
> 
> You get pretty adept at ounces, grams, etc... after counting. Of course, the only tried and true method is weighing with a food scale, but I personally never do that. I'm pretty good at portion size counting from doing it for a couple of years. If you use MFP (My Fitness Pal), there is a huge data base of foods that have been measured, weighed, and provide close enough calorie counts to keep one honest. There are other sources as well.


Digital scales are the best.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

SWriverstone said:


> And it is absolute fact that the #1 thing that has changed in humans over the past several thousand years is our activity level. As a species, we have become sedentary.


Absolute fact? A lot of big changes have occurred, diet being one.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

SWriverstone said:


> A comment and a question:
> 
> ---
> QUESTION (for the calorie-trackers): how do you accurately track calories from food sources you can't find in the handy little charts?
> ...


 I had my Basal Metabolism tested and tracked my calorie expenditure....since I was a fairly constant weight for the test period I established a baseline....

Now basically if the pants are getting a little tight....I know to skip the nicely little treat and go for a longer ride....if the pants are getting a little loose I have the little treat and go for a longer ride.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

jeffscott said:


> Now basically if the pants are getting a little tight....I know to skip the nicely little treat and go for a longer ride....if the pants are getting a little loose I have the little treat and go for a longer ride.


I like that method. I use it myself with my jeans, dress pants, and suits all the time.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

Nutrition tips...just in time!! I'm taking a trip to PHX this week to get some riding in and due to the unexpectedly high temps we're expecting, I'll be checking out the local ice cream eateries. Should I stick with the gold standard Dairy Queen or does PHX have Freddy's Custard? Maybe the soft serve at Fosters Freeze or McDonalds will be the most nutritious. I know to avoid the maraschino cherries though. I hear they are bad news.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

k2rider1964 said:


> Nutrition tips...just in time!! I'm taking a trip to PHX this week to get some riding in and due to the unexpectedly high temps we're expecting, I'll be checking out the local ice cream eateries. Should I stick with the gold standard Dairy Queen or does PHX have Freddy's Custard? Maybe the soft serve at Fosters Freeze or McDonalds will be the most nutritious. I know to avoid the maraschino cherries though. I hear they are bad news.


DQ every day, all day...


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## armii (Jan 9, 2016)

just turned 59, doctor said I'm in great shape. 
I eat trail mix or granola bars for breakfast. I drink nothing carbonated except the occasional beer. 
I keep my starch and beef intake low.
Very careful about snack foods, mostly pretzels, veggie sticks, or whole grain crackers. 
I mostly drink green tea with ginseng and honey.
I take 2000mg of vitamin D a day.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

SWriverstone said:


> A comment and a question:
> 
> First, I gotta say, the diets some of you mention sound horrendous! LOL I think life would suck if all I ate were leafy greens, beans, and vegetables. If I cut out 100% of all sugar, all honey, never used butter (even the kind we use that is 100% plant-based), never ate beef, or pork, or chicken...ate oatmeal EVERY DAY for breakfast...drink one or two beers A MONTH...that would be a DRAG!
> 
> ...


I'm with you. Life is too short not to eat all the great food out there. I don't eat a ton of red meat (no special reason) but when I do, I go all out and get the good stuff. I eat a crapload of Mexican food (Mmmm... margaritas) and love my pizza. I had my physical last year and had every blood & urine test on the planet run on me and I had results in the "excellent" range on everything except good cholesterol and that was on the low range of "normal".

I pretty much do the "clothes" method as well and have been eating *relatively* healthy 90% of the time and all most of my stuff is falling off me. My wife has banned me from wearing a couple pair of shorts because they are so baggy and aren't flattering. :roll eyes:

My sister-in-law and her husband are runners and eat over the top healthy. They are skinny, skinny and quite frankly look 10-15 years older than their age. I guess that's what kale does to you. :eekster:


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

Yep—being skinny is WAY overrated. And 100% of the time—I mean EVERY time—skinny people I've done winter sports with are perpetually freezing their butts off (and whining about the cold). LOL While my "insulation" keeps me warm and happy. 

And then of course there's the "downhill advantage:" the skinny riders may leave me behind on the climbs...but I blow past 'em on the long downhills just coasting—even while they're pedaling furiously!

Scott


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## TurdFerguson61 (Nov 10, 2015)

I've 55, weighed about 232, got down to 228 and nothing happened. But I was trying to outexercise my eating habits. I cut down on soft drinks and sweet tea (I'm from the south). We limit fast food and processed food. I use an app called Lose It which works really well but I don't obsess over it. Also, I cut out a lot of junk food (Reese's, chips, etc.) but I will have birthday cake at a party, etc. By the way, I'm down to 205, goal is to get under 200. Last time I was under 200 was 1988 when I got married. Everything in moderation and have a plan that isn't rigid.


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

Interesting article in the NYTimes about the health benefits of fasting (or a variety of "diets" that involve skipping meals, or eating all you want 5 days a week and almost nothing the other 2)...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/07/intermittent-fasting-diets-are-gaining-acceptance/

Scott


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

i already have fairly good diet, but have been making sure the high quality organic healthy fats are in there: coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and ghee from grass fed cows, yada yada).


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## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

We follow this cleanse a couple times a year and I can feel a difference after 10 days

http://cleanburnshape.com/

For blood sugar issues a little apple cider vinegar in your water helps to stabilize things.

Apple with peanut butter is good for energy levels and cholesterol.


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## velo99 (Apr 18, 2014)

I applaud those who have found a better solution for themselves. My outlook is eat a balanced diet, portion control and lots of exercise. Since I cut out the junk food and sodas I feel tons better. My fiance makes me a dozen cookies every weekend. That and the occasional half gallon of ice cream solve my sweetest cravings. I keep fruit around for snacking do most of my own cooking so I know whats in it. Fish and chicken. Occasionally a good steak or burger. Raw & steamed veggies. Olive oil. Haven't used corn or vegetable oil on several years. 
It's all about your personal beliefs and likes. 
Be healthy and ride on!


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

velo99 said:


> It's all about your personal beliefs and likes.


Actually, it's more about what your body will or will not tolerate.

20 years ago I could eat and drink anything I wanted. Kept my weight in check by running, cycling, and working out in the gym. No problems or issues at all.

After I hit my early 50's, I found I simply could not do that any longer. No matter what I believed or liked, my body started to react negatively to certain foods. Other foods, such as the diet you described (sans the cookies and ice cream), keep me healthier and leaner.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

In years past I could and would eat anything that slowed down in front of me if it didn't bite me first (and even then if she was really cute!). In the past ten years or so I've learned through trial/error what makes me feel better or worse. As a result I've cut sodas, most white sugars, and a lot of bleached/dead flour from my diet.

In case some haven't read, or heard of it, we really liked the book Eat Right for your Blood Type by Dr. Peter D'Adamo. I have blood type O+ and, just as the book confirmed, I do a lot better on a high protein diet. My wife is A or AB and she functions better following a borderline vegetarian diet, which would drive me nuts to try.

Like someone earlier said, I'm not going to give up everything just to get another handful of years. I don't binge on anything, but I do have a beer or glass of wine once or twice a week; and I'll even pick up a box of Little Debbie's sometime (like maybe once/year) and pace myself through them. I used to work with a militant vegan who was on a tirade one time preaching at me to give up meat so I could live to be 100+ .... I said if I can't have BBQ, why the hell would i want to be 100 ?


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