A couple of question....

[ArizonaBeauty]

I drink a lot of cranberry juice which is supposed to be good for you but it has a lot of sugar...I've been diluting it with water to cut back on the sugar since I drink about 6 glasses a day. Is there another healthy alternative juice drink I can try?

On my excerise bike, there are sensors on there for my heart rate but I don't know where my heart should be ate while excerising, does anyone know? Or is it individual to each person?

I bake all of my foods, or if I fry them I use olive oil. Is there any meat that no matter how prepared is still bad for you? Some told me pork chops should be avoided...

[elle simple]

Hey AZB I dont have any definitive answers but this is what I think I know (heh)

- All juice is gonna have sugar in it unless it is artificially sweetened. Watering it down seems like a good idea, or, just drink water. You could also try & make a cranberry ice tea and see if that satisfies your cranberry craving? Is there a particular reason ur taking so much cranberry, or you just like the flavor? cuz if it is for health, you can get it as a supplement too.

- IDK about target heart rates and all that, BUT a personal trainer told me yesterday that those built in sensor dealies are very, very, imprecise. You need to wear a sensor to get accurate info on your actual heart rate, according to this guy

- re meat, I personally dont eat much, but at the same time, I dont think any one animal's meat is unconditionally foul. Everything in moderation, right? What's good for one person may not be good for the next, like red meat. Lotta bodybuilders swear by it, but it a leading cause of heart disease in other, less active ppl. Or for me, I'm anti-factory farmed meats cuz I think the hormones and cruelty are unhealthy, but would bite on a free-range chicken leg, given the opportunity.

[Shaolin Temple]

I drink a lot of cranberry juice which is supposed to be good for you but it has a lot of sugar...I've been diluting it with water to cut back on the sugar since I drink about 6 glasses a day. Is there another healthy alternative juice drink I can try?

Diluting might work to a certain extent, but I wouldn't drink a lot of juice even when intaking a lot of water. Juice should be taken in moderation because it is heavy in calories. So, I would suggest cutting back a bit, but continue to plenty of drink water.

On my excerise bike, there are sensors on there for my heart rate but I don't know where my heart should be ate while excerising, does anyone know? Or is it individual to each person?

The HR readings on the bikes and other cardio machines are crap and can be way off. They read the HR from the pulse from the palm, which is a horrible source. I value the HR monitors because their readings are from the source itself, the heart.

I've stated this about 3 or 4 other occations. If you are serious about your cardio purchase the Polar HRM. (http://www.polar-usa.us/google.html) Yeah, I know, I sound like an ad. But as an owner of one, they are real good. I spent only $60 for mine. Didn't need the fancy ones.

This site gives a good understanding of the HR zone (http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/hrm1.htm) which is very important. Depending on age primarily (and overall health), 100% is between 192 - 200. If out of shape or old, I would consider 100% to be 180 or something like that.

I bake all of my foods, or if I fry them I use olive oil. Is there any meat that no matter how prepared is still bad for you? Some told me pork chops should be avoided...

Do not use olive oil to fry. It loses its molecular characteristics at high temperatures and becomes hydrogenated. Use coconut oil as an alternative. Olive oil is great for salads or on bread, a great source of Omega-9. I believe sunflower oil is fine for frying (do not remember), but it is a great source for Omega-3 and Omega-6. Do not avoid fat, just the saturated version. It is solid in room temperature, whereas unsaturated is liquid.

As for pork, it is fairly high in saturated fat. So yes, I agree, you should avoid pork.

[7:30femmefatale]

isn't peanut oil also a healthier alternative in terms of frying?

AZ, i'm surprised that you've even been able to use olive oil to fry.. you must not fry at a very high temperature? or fry at like med-hi and then turn it down low right away? i always thought oilve oil scorched if used for frying. i dunno though b/c i've never tried it.

[ArizonaBeauty]

isn't peanut oil also a healthier alternative in terms of frying?
AZ, i'm surprised that you've even been able to use olive oil to fry.. you must not fry at a very high temperature? or fry at like med-hi and then turn it down low right away? i always thought oilve oil scorched if used for frying. i dunno though b/c i've never tried it.
I dries up fast and I just pour more in the pan. If I'm frying it, its cut in the thin pieces, like butterfly pork chops which aren't to thick. I've learned to back crispy chicken in the oven so I only fry it on the stovetop if im rushing or using it for a sandwhich.
I have coconut oil but I use it on my hair, I've never thought to fry with it because I thought it would add a unwanted flavor to my food. I'll try it though.

@Elle- I'm not actually sure why, but I just crave cranberry juice. Back in the day I use to smoke weed and when I wanted to clean my system before a drug test I'd drink cranberry juice for like a week straight. Now its my favorite. I've drank the light kind which has reduced calories, reduced sugar and glutton free-whatever that means but I don't like the taste. It tastes more sugary then the regular one...I guess they use splenda or something but I don't like the taste. All fruit juices seem to be high in sugar so I though diluting it would help with that...I can not just drink plain water all day. I've tried putting lemons in it but I just can't do it. I try to drink at least 4-5 glasses a day and then I do about 4 glasses of cranberry juice.

@Shaolin-Thanks, I'm a chicken freak but sometimes it gets boring so I've been trying to change up. I think I'm a chef so im always making and trying different things. I made some chili last week with ground turkey, it was pretty good so I'm going to try subbing some of my receipes with ground turkey and see how they come out. I'm trying to lose like 20 lbs before November. I got down to a size 4 then started getting lazy and I gained 20 lbs since early this year. *sigh*
I've been getting on a bike for a hr a day. I;m trying to stay under 1400 calories a day and as soon as the weather cools off (we are still in the 100's here) I will start backing going on my walks 3 times a week. 2 miles a day.

Any other suggestions?

[Priest B. Pimpish]

Back in the day I use to smoke weed and when I wanted to clean my system before a drug test
:hmm: We don't do that here, miss.

[Priest B. Pimpish]

If you really love your juice, you could look into Odwalla and Naked Juice http://www.nakedjuice.com/

They only contain the natural sugar from the fruits. Pretty expensive though. I suggest buying a good juicer.

[ArizonaBeauty]

:hmm: We don't do that here, miss.


I said past tense, use too. :laugh: And thanks I'll look into a juicer, actually I was going to get one from walmart but I was being lazy thinking why make my own when I can just buy it. They werent that expensive either.

[khalid a.k.a Genocide]

I drink a lot of cranberry juice which is supposed to be good for you but it has a lot of sugar...I've been diluting it with water to cut back on the sugar since I drink about 6 glasses a day. Is there another healthy alternative juice drink I can try?
On my excerise bike, there are sensors on there for my heart rate but I don't know where my heart should be ate while excerising, does anyone know? Or is it individual to each person?
I bake all of my foods, or if I fry them I use olive oil. Is there any meat that no matter how prepared is still bad for you? Some told me pork chops should be avoided...

If you're serious about losing weight, then you'll have to sacrifice some of the goodies that you've always enjoyed. Try and cut fatty(trans fats) foods, high sugar drinks, high cholasterol. concentrate on taking moderate to high protein, moderate fiber, moderate to low fats, low sugar. Like folks have mentioned already, one of the crucial points about dieting or just having a healthy life is moderation and balancing.

It will be difficult for you to adjust your existing eating habits at the beginning. however, you don't have to drastically change your eating habits, you just have to balance what you eat and be more watchful of calories, fats, sugar and so forth.(see first paragraph)

Do not be discouraged by what we are saying, at the end of the day we all want to live a healthier life.

There're tons of info out there on General nutrition, fitness and exercising.

www.fitday.com
www.bodybuilding.com(has good info on general nutrition, don't be afraid of the title of the page)
www.nutritionlistings.com
http://exrx.net/ (has really good info on exercising, setting up workout routines and so forth)

these are just a few.....

[ArizonaBeauty]

If you're serious about losing weight, then you'll have to sacrifice some of the goodies that you've always enjoyed. Try and cut fatty(trans fats) foods, high sugar drinks, high cholasterol. concentrate on taking moderate to high protein, moderate fiber, moderate to low fats, low sugar. Like folks have mentioned already, one of the crucial points about dieting or just having a healthy life is moderation and balancing.
It will be difficult for you to adjust your existing eating habits at the beginning. however, you don't have to drastically change your eating habits, you just have to balance what you eat and be more watchful of calories, fats, sugar and so forth.(see first paragraph)
Do not be discouraged by what we are saying, at the end of the day we all want to live a healthier life.
There're tons of info out there on General nutrition, fitness and exercising.
www.fitday.com
www.bodybuilding.com(has good info on general nutrition, don't be afraid of the title of the page)
www.nutritionlistings.com
http://exrx.net/ (has really good info on exercising, setting up workout routines and so forth)
these are just a few.....


How do I know what are trans fats? I know with some things they have it on the label but in general what types of food have trans fat?

[7:30femmefatale]

How do I know what are trans fats? I know with some things they have it on the label but in general what types of food have trans fat?
most things that are processed or pre-packaged have trans-fat.. anytime you see partially hydrogenated ____ oil in the ingredients, that's what trans fat is.

now they're making lots of that stuff, esp snacks, in packaging that boasts it as being low trans fat or NO trans fat.

[elle simple]

:hmm: We don't do that here, miss.

speak for yourself homes, that ish keeps me sane :smoker:

I fry (saute not deep fry) with olive oil all the time, this site (http://www.oliveoilsource.com/cooking_olive_oil.htm) says its okay :huh: Sesame oil is my fave for stir-fry tho, just cuz of the flavor.

[ArizonaBeauty]

speak for yourself homes, that ish keeps me sane :smoker:
I fry (saute not deep fry) with olive oil all the time, this site (http://www.oliveoilsource.com/cooking_olive_oil.htm) says its okay :huh: Sesame oil is my fave for stir-fry tho, just cuz of the flavor.


Right, I don't deep fry with it either. I don't deep fry anything actually since I learned how to make my chicken crispy in the oven. I'm going to try the peanut oil Femme was talking about and maybe buy a bigger container of coconut oil and put one some in the kitchen and some in the bathroom. I try to use it but I don't care for the taste of coconuts so I hope it doesnt make my food taste like coconut.


@Femme
Sounds good. I'm not a big junk food eater...I have a little problem with Ms Fields cookies. I'm working on that though :laugh: I have been eating salads I make at home, and then I cut up turkey and ham meat, boil some eggs and add tomato and use itatlian dresing for lunch. Honey nut cheerios for breakfast with whole milk, I know its a mind thing but I can not drink skim milk and then for dinner I'll either have a sandwich and a piece of fruit or I'll bake some chicken and eat some kind of veggie (like brocolli or green beans) Then a hr before bed I'll eat some peaches or mixed fruit cocktail.