Are you health conscious?

cormie

As a male, I'd consider myself to be pretty health conscious in that I'd make an effort to use as much organic or wild products as possible and avoid using synthetic and artificial, not just food but most everything. That doesn't mean I don't have the odd pig out eating a bag of half price Tesco Maltesers, curled up crying in the shower.

A little observation though is while I'm in health shops, organic supermarkets and health related buffets and events, the majority of the clientele seem to be female. I don't know if that just coincidence and only the case when I happen to be shopping, but it seems to be a reoccurring situation. Maybe it's that it's mainly the females in a family who do the food shop and although the female may be the one shopping, it's being consumed by their male kins too.

So, after hours, is this an illusion or are the female of the species more concerned about their wellbeing and that of their families?

Pherekydes

I'm conscious at the moment, which is a start, I suppose.

The Big Red Button

I'm quite conscious of the fact that I'm quite unhealthy ...?

df1985

I make a big effort gym wise but my diet lets me down. work hard, waste it all at the weekend kinda thing. Muscly with a bit of belly ha!

cormie

I know what you mean, I used to be 16 stone, over 100KG when I was only about 14 years old, got down to 12 stone when I was around 20, then went back up to 15 about 2 years ago, have it back down now since I made some permanent changes to my lifestyle and diet but that little fat fúcker still comes out to tempt me and I give in too. It's all about balance though. Don't be too hard on yourself and as long as you're balanced more in the right direction you'll be lead that way

fonecrusher1

Chips & choc ices beat healthy eating. The chips are more funner.


x

cocoshovel

I dont exercise but I do make an effort to not eat much shíte on weekdays

cormie

cormie wrote: »

As a male, I'd consider myself to be pretty health conscious in that I'd make an effort to use as much organic or wild products as possible and avoid using synthetic and artificial, not just food but most everything.

Women are more likely to shop.
Women are more likely to look to diet for health while men are more likely to turn to exercise.
So yeah I'd say it is a trend.

Organic food and non-organic foods both have their pros and cons, but I've never understood this "natural=healthy" attitude. Of course, I'd always prefer healthy food over supplements, and I prefer meat without added gunk, but I think words like "organic", "wild" or "natural" are over hyped, while words like "synthetic" and "artificial" are villianised unjustly.

tassajara

I am of the female variety and am fairly health conscious. I work an active job teaching kindergarten and do loads of exercise. I run three times a week, do push-ups, sit-ups, squats, abs work, bit of weight-training and yoga on the other days.

My diet probably wouldn't be the best due to my love of crisps and soft drinks, but I try to balance it out with three healthy meals everyday. You also won't catch me on any sort of diet cutting out sugar or carbs, or giving up cake by any means. I love cake.

brummytom

Where are these maltesers?

cormie

true-or-false wrote: »

Organic food and non-organic foods both have their pros and cons, but I've never understood this "natural=healthy" attitude. Of course, I'd always prefer healthy food over supplements, and I prefer meat without added gunk, but I think words like "organic", "wild" or "natural" are over hyped, while words like "synthetic" and "artificial" are villianised unjustly.

Well wild would be generally considered the best, wild should be organic in itself but with it being wild, it's probably in better soil with far more nutrients, also, the quicker you eat it from the time it's picked, the more nutrients will be in it, so local is always best. Although pesticides etc aren't around long enough to do sufficient study and tests on their effect on us, if I have the choice of organic, I'll definitely take it, it just doesn't sit right with me knowing I'm eating something that has been sprayed with chemicals no matter who has approved them for use on foodstuffs.

Novella

I suppose I'm quite health conscious. I go to the gym five days a week, eat pretty well. I do eat the odd takeaway but everything in moderation I say.

ItsAWindUp

I like to think so yes. I go to the gym regularly, often early morning, walk everywhere and am vegetarian.

cormie

cormie wrote: »

Well wild would be generally considered the best, wild should be organic in itself but with it being wild, it's probably in better soil with far more nutrients,

More nutrients than fertilised soil? If something's growing in the wild the soil is more likely to be nutrient depleted. Even if tactically planted plants are around it (eg. growing legumes nearby to fix nitrogen), it's not going to have as many nutrients as plants that have been given fertiliser and feed with minerals in it.

it just doesn't sit right with me knowing I'm eating something that has been sprayed with chemicals no matter who has approved them for use on foodstuffs.

While I agree that definitive testing can't be done on pesticides without life-long studies (and century long studies if we're taking the environment into account also), I'm actually the opposite. It just doesn't sit right with me that something could have harmful viruses/bacteria/parasites growing in/on it. When you peel/rinse vegetables before eating them, it's highly likely you'll have gotten most of the pesticides off it, whereas peeling/rinsing won't get rid off stuff living on the inside of it. When it comes to raw veg that just doesn't appeal to me.

I do understand the merits of both arguments though. I'm just throwing the other side of it out there.

Latchy

I'm fairly health concious with a balanced diet and a variety of foods including fresh veg and fruit but not obsessive and have always been around 10...11 stone weight .I sometimes top up with supplements like ginseng , cod liver oil.

TanG411

Give me microwave dinners all day and I'll be sorted.

Abi

Could do with a little improvement, definitely. I was very strict with exercise up until about a year ago, events since then meant I have very little time to myself and it annoys me. With regards to food, I don't eat rubbish. I don't have a sweet tooth, so sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes etc have no appeal to me at all. Fast food wise, the odd Chinese or something. I've a few things I need to cut out of my diet that doesn't agree with me, but it's tough because I love the likes of pasta, bread, and cheese. Gluten and dairy are my enemies, but the alternatives taste like shoite. Wine > Monster > water is probably not the best set up either.

HazDanz

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

I like to think so yes. I go to the gym regularly, often early morning, walk everywhere and am vegetarian.

I actually gained 3 stone being a vegetarian for nearly two years. Found it pretty hard to vary my diet with proper stuff so ended up being lazy and having a pasta sh*t diet.

Logical Fallacy

Abi wrote: »

Gluten and dairy are my enemies, but the alternatives taste like shoite.

Same, gluten free bread is pure bollocks so i don't bother eating bread anymore.

Biggins

I don't put a put of greasy crap down my throat that others do - mind you, I avoid a lot of the rabbit food also.

Where To

If humans were meant to be healthy they'd be born without taste buds and .. . . err a .... noses. . . . I think I'm gonna flip.. . . ..

Abi

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Same, gluten free bread is pure bollocks so i don't bother eating bread anymore.

I did have it cut out of my diet for a long time. The problem is, I have to eat on the run a lot, so for handiness sake I might nab some toast or a sandwich. I'm not sure what to replace this with tbh, any ideas? =/

TheyKnowMyIP

I eat nothing apart from meat, coffee, and water. Served me well so far. Avoid all processed crap without fail. The health police profess that one should eat a "balanced" diet? What the **** is a balanced diet? I eat what I feel like, not what these "doctors" and their questionable research state.

cormie

true-or-false wrote: »

More nutrients than fertilised soil? If something's growing in the wild the soil is more likely to be nutrient depleted. Even if tactically planted plants are around it (eg. growing legumes nearby to fix nitrogen), it's not going to have as many nutrients as plants that have been given fertiliser and feed with minerals in it.


While I agree that definitive testing can't be done on pesticides without life-long studies (and century long studies if we're taking the environment into account also), I'm actually the opposite. It just doesn't sit right with me that something could have harmful viruses/bacteria/parasites growing in/on it. When you peel/rinse vegetables before eating them, it's highly likely you'll have gotten most of the pesticides off it, whereas peeling/rinsing won't get rid off stuff living on the inside of it. When it comes to raw veg that just doesn't appeal to me.

I do understand the merits of both arguments though. I'm just throwing the other side of it out there.

Not too sure on the wild thing myself, just going on the basis of eating things like wild dandelions and from what I've heard, it probably doesn't apply to all wild things as in your description.

I wouldn't be confident a quick rinse would rid of the chemicals but I'd be happier knowing I swallowed a few tiny insects myself

HazDanz wrote: »

I actually gained 3 stone being a vegetarian for nearly two years. Found it pretty hard to vary my diet with proper stuff so ended up being lazy and having a pasta sh*t diet.

Cutting out meat doesn't automatically make you healthier, for a lot of people it's a moral issue but you really need to make sure you're getting enough nutrition from the alternatives you choose to eat and a lot of people unfortunately don't and end up thinking it's the lack of meat making them unwell and go back to eating it.

Mindkiller

I try to be. Like a lot of other people ITT I eat healthy and work out. I try to make all my own meals and avoid fast food and take outs where possible. I don't eat any junky food anymore.

cormie

Abi wrote: »

I did have it cut out of my diet for a long time. The problem is, I have to eat on the run a lot, so for handiness sake I might nab some toast or a sandwich. I'm not sure what to replace this with tbh, any ideas? =/

Fruit, nuts, a smoothie or a quick salad? Part of my job is to drive for long periods of time, I could be driving 10/12 hours a day on a schedule. If I know I'm going to be on the road, I'll grab a load of fruit, prepare a big salad and maybe some home made bars from nuts/seeds/dates etc. If you were able to control yourself not to eat them all once made, you could probably make and store a few healthy bars and the likes.

..Brian..

I try to eat healthy, I find myself reading the indigents and nutritional info on food packaging a lot but wouldn't be over the top.

Adamantium

best thing ever was cutting out wheat and bread, stopped the my dermatitis,acne and rashes......... a LOT of people seem to be allergic to gluten, makes you wonder if humans are really mean to be eating grains at all

Logical Fallacy

Abi wrote: »

I did have it cut out of my diet for a long time. The problem is, I have to eat on the run a lot, so for handiness sake I might nab some toast or a sandwich. I'm not sure what to replace this with tbh, any ideas? =/

I get these gluten free Pitta bread things that are actually very tasty. I tend to fill them with peppers, onion and turkey bacon and call it a meal.

I eat supper strict though...because my system is stupidily sensitive to wheat and gluten. If i ate a slice of normal bread it's be in bits.

Abi

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I get these gluten free Pitta bread things that are actually very tasty. I tend to fill them with peppers, onion and turkey bacon and call it a meal.

I eat supper strict though...because my system is stupidily sensitive to wheat and gluten. If i ate a slice of normal bread it's be in bits.

Thanks for that, I'm sure I'd be able to get a hold of some of those pittas. I'm the same re normal bread, my stomach does be in bits after eating it =/

whydoibother?

I don't crave junk food generally, I just end up eating it when I'm disorganized (stuck for time to cook or need to do a grocery shop) as a lot of convenience food is a bit rubbish, though the situation is improving. You can now get a lot of healthy stuff to go too.

cormie

Abi wrote: »

Thanks for that, I'm sure I'd be able to get a hold of some of those pittas. I'm the same re normal bread, my stomach does be in bits after eating it =/

If you want a really nice alternative, you can make your own wraps very easy, blend 4 parts carrots to 2 part apple to 1 part flaxseed, blend until well mixed together, then spread flat and dry them out in a dehydrator/low oven for about 10 hours, not really convenient but if you make a lot in one go they'll keep and will be great with some veg inside or even just to snack on by themselves.

eirn

I never gave my health a second thought, never had to worry about my weight, and just lived on typical student food.

Then just over a year ago I had a succession of health problems that hit me like a ton of bricks. I could barely get out of bed in the mornings, and would fall asleep again as soon as I got home.

So over time I had to totally change my diet, and I am now quite conscious of the type of food I eat, and how it's produced.
I would usually try and go for local produce when possible, I'm not too obsessed with it being organic.

I take supplements and excercise whenever I can too. I wouldn't say I feel 100% better, but at least I feel my age again and not like a little old lady:)
I think women maybe equate nutrition and supplements with looking well. If I lost weight instead of gained when I got sick I probably wouldn't have been as bothered, I know thats really stupid, and I'm just talking for myself here not women in general!