2013 Health Challenge

[kellwolf]

How has it been while you're on the road? The wife and I are doing WW with good results, but it's easy for me right now since I'm not at work. I don't know what I'm going to do when I go and have to spend 3 weeks in Houston for requal.

This is the main reason I've never even tried WW. It'd be easier (and cheaper) if I could just take those meals on the road. From what I gather, the point system is a simplified way to rank things like protein, carbs, sugars, calories, etc. Using the calorie counting method, it's gotten better for me on the road, and I take food whenever I can. Any time I find myself eating in an airport, I'm on my phone checking nutritional information either on the MyFitnessPal app or on a website. It might not be as healthy or get me where I want as quickly as WW would, but it helps me make more informed descisons. Most of the time I even make better ones.

 

[jtrain609]

This is the main reason I've never even tried WW. It'd be easier (and cheaper) if I could just take those meals on the road. From what I gather, the point system is a simplified way to rank things like protein, carbs, sugars, calories, etc. Using the calorie counting method, it's gotten better for me on the road, and I take food whenever I can. Any time I find myself eating in an airport, I'm on my phone checking nutritional information either on the MyFitnessPal app or on a website. It might not be as healthy or get me where I want as quickly as WW would, but it helps me make more informed descisons. Most of the time I even make better ones.

I've got a WW app, so I can look things up just as easily.

Also, are you referring to WW meals? If so, if they even exist (I have no idea if they do), we don't use them.

 

[Cav]

How has it been while you're on the road? The wife and I are doing WW with good results, but it's easy for me right now since I'm not at work. I don't know what I'm going to do when I go and have to spend 3 weeks in Houston for requal.

You'll be fine. I bring granola bars with me that I eat for breakfast and maybe grab a banana from the hotel (or galley) mid morning. For lunch I find a Subway or get a salad some place. For dinner I usually get something I'm looking forward to. I've found a grilled chicken sandwich or a burger (both minus cheese or mayo) with a garden salad and balsamic instead of french fries are easy to find anyplace. I actually have more difficulty eating my total points on the road rather than going over. If I get hungry between meals I'll usually grab fruit or have another granola bar. When eating out on the road I've had good luck going on line and looking at menus ahead of time and logging my points for the day that way I plan the whole thing out and don't make a mistake. You'll be fine.

 

[Cav]

I've got a WW app, so I can look things up just as easily.

Also, are you referring to WW meals? If so, if they even exist (I have no idea if they do), we don't use them.

The app is the key. kellwolf you might want to try WW. I find it extremely easy both at home and on the road. The app allows you to look things up by restaurant (per-programed point values) or just build it yourself if 1) it's a restaurant not listed...like a local place or 2) it's food you brought yourself. Totaling calories would drive me crazy. It takes me max of a minute to log any meal on the WW app. YMMV and obviously if what you're doing is working then I might not change it either.

 

[kellwolf]

Yeah, I've just been doing the calorie counting using an app, so I'm in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mode. Wasn't aware there was a WW app that would convert things to points. My fear would be "Well, time for lunch at the airport....AAAAAND I'm out of points for the rest of the day."

As for totaling calories, with the MFP it's pretty much the same thing as you just described. You can look up most of the stuff, add it if it's not there and if it's a meal you make at home, you can build and store your own recipes. If it's not in the app, scan the barcode, and it'll search the web to find it. If it doesn't find it THAT way, you can enter everything on the fly. I think I've had to do the latter once or twice max. The app sets it up where it determines your ideal number of calories per day, and then you can add exercise and food as you go. Like I said, it's been working well for me, and the app was free. Looking into getting the FitBit Flex band when it comes out, and it'll sync with the MyFitnessPal app automagically.

 

[falconvalley]

I've been using "Lose It!" for keeping track of meals. For me, consistency has been key to my success. I'm a calorie counter and Andrea is a WW. We've both done well with consistency. This doesn't work for everybody but my primary daily routine is to workout and eat my breakfast/recovery meal by the time I've been up for 3 hours. Some people need to eat much sooner than that. I guess the key is balance along with that consistency. Without the 2, it's hard to perceive what is working for you and what is not. Easier said than done for a crewmember and that is why I carry breakfast and lunch with me in my bag. I always have plain oatmeal, with no added sugar and 50 calorie containers of natural applesauce for breakfast. If I worked out, my primary protein is whey powder. Lunch has a wheat bread or rice, raisins or Craisins, maybe some crackers and hummus and either chicken sausage, peanut butter or peanuts or cashews. I try to hit 1000-1500 calories by lunch. I eat out for dinner on the road (unless I can't get to a place to get food so I would substitute a lunch) and I try not to worry about what it is other than how many calories are in it. If I can, I will balance dinner, because I can tell the next day if dinner wasn't that good for me, but I don't sweat it. Protein and carbs are a big deal for me and I will allow some fat. If I choose pizza, for example, it has a tendency to not digest as efficiently as other foods, which means my weight won't flux down as quick between meals. In other words, some meals will make it appear that you either gained weight or did not lose any weight when even if you left yourself 500 calories short. That's why I like consistency and keeping my meals predictable helps me tremendously. That way, I know what's coming and I can easily estimate what smaller restaurants' meals contain.

 

[Carbon]

Eat healthy, exercise thats all there is too it. The problem is one persons version of eating healthy is very different from another's, ditching fast food and soda are a great start. As mentioned in another post here though simple carbs, sugars are not good either, even eating a lot of fruit isn't great as it is sugar. Thats not saying eating fruit is bad, just that if you replace a 1/2 cup of ice cream with 3 cups of strawberries you aren't doing that much better. Veggies are key, and the more you can eat raw the better.

Exercise is different for everybody too, but I like what somebody mentioned about just getting outside and doing something you like to do. Exercise doesn't have to mean going to the gym and lifting weights or running on a boring treadmill. It could be anything that you do that gets you off the couch and actively moving for the next hour. If you can get your heart rate in "the zone" for a consecutive 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week you'll be doing your heart a favor. As pilots you can handle a little math...your zone is: 220 - your age = your max heart rate, max heart rate *.7 = what you need to be above to be in "the zone", keep it below .85 unless you talk to doctor and know your heart can handle it, I'm not liable

 

[JustinS]

As I'm getting older, I'm realizing that a good diet is the ultimate key to not feeling like junk everyday. I'm only 22, but I'm trying to avoid drinking so much soda, eat more fruit and vegetables, and lay off of fast food, specifically fried food. Working out is something I need to start considering as well. Gotta stay young some how...

 

[Patrick]

The couple years that I lived in KC I slacked off on the mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, etc and enjoyed a bit too much craft beer and delicious BBQ. Since moving to Denver, I am back at it hardcore with the sports, still drink too much good beer, but have reverted back to a solid diet. A good friend is a nutritionist and turned me onto Isagenix, which is a complete lifestyle change and the results are impressive. I'd be more than happy to talk to anyone here about the benefits and/or refer anyone over to my buddy.

As to the challenge, I belong to a couple health and fitness site that I frequent semi-regularly, and I think the real value of all this is to share best practices and to keep the energy going which motivates all of us.

 

[Low&Slow]

After being inspired by a couple of JC members at a m/g in KZO, I'm down 20 lbs since late Jan2013. I didn't think I could do it, but now I feel like I can't fail. Need to be careful with those kinds of complacent thoughts. I'd like to go another 5-10 before summer.
I don't count calories, but I've learned to recognize proper serving sizes of various foods, and I've eliminated probably around 90% of the sugar I used to consume. I eat lean meats, usually chicken or deep/cold water fish, mixed nuts and sunflower seeds, LOTS more veggies (usually raw, but sometimes steamed), fruit everyday. I'll still eat a burger, but usually only once per month. I try to avoid breads, waffles/pancakes, sugary drinks and/or foods. I drink lots of purified water everyday, its almost exclusively the only thing I drink.
I do lots of PT too, but really credit the change in diet as having the greatest impact on my weightloss strategy. Running and working out is a critically important component, but it's only the tip of the iceberg when compared to the groceries you throw down your throat.