2018 Healthy Habits Challenge!

[Tater]

I haven't had a drink in a month and a half and I've made a commitment to avoid alcohol.

I'm also reducing my intake of carbonated beverages.

In early 2017, I started doing weight lifting and cycling. Around December of 2016, I weighed 200 lbs. By the end of last year, I reached less than 160 lbs and gained more muscle mass.

My routine has changed since I have too much to do, but I'm still doing at least 40 push-ups a day.

Generally, I find it easier to maintain consistency in any activity if food and laziness isn't stigmatized because stigmatization just reinforces whatever complexes you might have, leading you back around to old habits.

I also think that long-term goals become less overwhelming when you break them into smaller pieces. It's ok to start small before working up to larger chunks of an activity.

[Lark]

Apparently we aren't the only people that find it humorous.

Dry January Diary: What Giving Up Alcohol Can Do for You | The New Yorker

Haha Days 14-19.

I never do dry january because most of my actual months are completely dry, I just dont have occasions to drink and because of family members having problems with alcohol and just its strong correlation with anti-social behaviour here in NI I dont usually go in for it, which I kind of think is a shame, I love the building a liquar collection thread that Beorn created for instance.

[Lark]

Guys I recently got a small juice/smoothy blender, does anyone have any good recipes? Maybe you own something similar, I've reviewed it on Amazon recently, it was very reasonably priced:-

Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Breville VBL136 Blend Active Personal Blender, 300 W, 50Hz - Blue

[kyuuei]

Guys I recently got a small juice/smoothy blender, does anyone have any good recipes? Maybe you own something similar, I've reviewed it on Amazon recently, it was very reasonably priced:-

Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Breville VBL136 Blend Active Personal Blender, 300 W, 50Hz - Blue

First jealous! I'm a big breville fan, they don't sell these in the US and that looks super cheap and awesome.

There are recipes pre-existing online as well as general-guidelines for making your own recipes!

Green Smoothies, Protein Shakes and Energy Bars Archives - Betty Rocker

[Lark]

First jealous! I'm a big breville fan, they don't sell these in the US and that looks super cheap and awesome.

There are recipes pre-existing online as well as general-guidelines for making your own recipes!

Green Smoothies, Protein Shakes and Energy Bars Archives - Betty Rocker

Oh, energy bars?! That is interesting to me, I've read a little bit about protein shakes, other than the ones purchaseable from most gyms that is, there was a peanut butter one I tried a short time ago and it was nice but I'm pretty sure it was incredibly calorific but I totally want to get into the green smoothies, I saw some more expensive blenders similar to mine in the Lidl store the other day and they were all heavily featuring green smoothies and drinks in their point of sale materials.

[kyuuei]

Oh, energy bars?! That is interesting to me, I've read a little bit about protein shakes, other than the ones purchaseable from most gyms that is, there was a peanut butter one I tried a short time ago and it was nice but I'm pretty sure it was incredibly calorific but I totally want to get into the green smoothies, I saw some more expensive blenders similar to mine in the Lidl store the other day and they were all heavily featuring green smoothies and drinks in their point of sale materials.

Yeah it's in in a big way in the health community.

As an aside, there is such thing as powdered peanut butter that takes a lot of the fat out of it.. it's more just for flavor for people super addicted to PB and watching their weight, but it's pretty good stuff. I stick a teaspoon into oatmeal with chocolate chips sometimes.

My favorite energy bars, which is really just portable food, is dried figs, dates, pistachios, almonds, and chocolate pieces and dried strawberries pressed into the top.

[Lark]

Yeah it's in in a big way in the health community.

As an aside, there is such thing as powdered peanut butter that takes a lot of the fat out of it.. it's more just for flavor for people super addicted to PB and watching their weight, but it's pretty good stuff. I stick a teaspoon into oatmeal with chocolate chips sometimes.

My favorite energy bars, which is really just portable food, is dried figs, dates, pistachios, almonds, and chocolate pieces and dried strawberries pressed into the top.

I cant do the chocolate, although I have heard speculation about dark chocolate as it is supposedly good for the heart, even if it raises blood sugar, all the other things you mention there I think I love too, I am a big peanut butter lover but I have to say that I've tried some of the healthier ones and they dont taste the same. There is a lot of fat but I've heard its not fat but sugar that's the enemy now, I like the sound of that because of the diabetes I've always thought sugar was the enemy.

[Tilt]

I cant do the chocolate, although I have heard speculation about dark chocolate as it is supposedly good for the heart, even if it raises blood sugar, all the other things you mention there I think I love too, I am a big peanut butter lover but I have to say that I've tried some of the healthier ones and they dont taste the same. There is a lot of fat but I've heard its not fat but sugar that's the enemy now, I like the sound of that because of the diabetes I've always thought sugar was the enemy.

Cacao beans (where chocolate is derived from) are considered to be a superfood....it's mostly the dairy and sugar added to them that make them unhealthy.

[Tilt]

I just want to start getting a little more active and maintain my weight.

[kyuuei]

I cant do the chocolate, although I have heard speculation about dark chocolate as it is supposedly good for the heart, even if it raises blood sugar, all the other things you mention there I think I love too, I am a big peanut butter lover but I have to say that I've tried some of the healthier ones and they dont taste the same. There is a lot of fat but I've heard its not fat but sugar that's the enemy now, I like the sound of that because of the diabetes I've always thought sugar was the enemy.

Diabetics are better off with a bit more fat in their diets (though, overall, if diabetes was caused by obesity and out of control eating, the bigger priority is dropping weight). For example, apples alone aren't so great.. adding peanut butter is important to keep sugar levels from spiking up and down. Even though apples are healthy, diabetics can't handle those sugar spike ups... the fat mellows it all out.