Eating out aint so great

[Decade]

AND I'M TALKING ABOUT FOOD. :duh: I hate not being able to edit your thread title :box:


I cant seem to link to the video on cnn.coms mainpage right now, but there's a video of story they conducted about the actual fat and calorie content of eating out in chain restaurants and even fancier ones.

It shouldn't be surprising to hear that they're not exactly healthy, but what WAS surprising to hear (at least to me) is that a lot of their food is actually WORSE for you than fast food chains like McDonalds! :eyepop:

If someone could link to the video, I'd appreciate it (I cant seem to get it on my work comp), but basically heres the major results they found:

- Eating a burger at a chain restaurant (I.E. Ruby Tuesdays, Uno's, Chilies, etc) averages at about 141 grams of fat and over 2000 calories, that's equivalent to FIVE Quarter Pounders from McD's :eyepop:

-Ruby Tuesday's Chicken and Veggie Pasta is equivalent to eating 2 ceasar salads, 2 baked potatoes, and 2 Sirloin steaks. :eyepop: that's a hefty meal!

-Uno's pizza skins are equivalent to 3 personal pizzas. This shouldnt be such a surprise, but seeing the food alongside each other in the video was eyepopping.


As I said, it shouldn't come as any surprise that restaurant food (I BELIEVE they said that most other restaurants, even non-chain restaurants) isn't that good for you. It's just mindboggling when they really put it in perspective. With these stats though, is it really any wonder why Americans are so fat?

Regardless, I'll take 1 salad, potato and Steak anyday over a pasta. And I aint eating any burger that was served to me by a guy in a hat either (though I'm going to seriously have to lower the Chilie's burgers I eat to at MOST twice a year now :gloomy: )

[andrewt]

hmm... that's interesting.
eating out is still great tho. =)
one of my favorite things to doooo!!!

that's kind of how i plan trips too... eating good local food is wonderful

that said - i generally don't eat chili's or ruby tuesday... and rarely eat burgers

[Firefly]

I'm actually not surprised...
Although what REALLY makes me wonder,
is how come I could make myself a pasta and veggie salad, and it would have half the calories...but when I order it at a restaurant...it's got enough calories to feed someone for two days...

[japanat]

I'm actually not surprised...
Although what REALLY makes me wonder,
is how come I could make myself a pasta and veggie salad, and it would have half the calories...but when I order it at a restaurant...it's got enough calories to feed someone for two days...It's a question of both quantity and dressings/goodies used. The pile of parmesan cheese really adds up!

[haterllnation]

I wonder who wins this battle: Chipotle vs McDonalds. I know McD's owns Chipotle; Chipotle is class compared to McD's IMO. I am surprised by that, in a sense. However, when you go to a restaurant and get a juicy hamburger you set aside the fact that it wasn't made by a lamp (which is negative to begin with) and don't look at the grease, the melted cheese.....or the delectable onions sauteed soo nice like it's flavor country on your tongue.

But I digress, I would like to see this as well. Firefly poses a good question.

[ZylitoL]

I think that the view on McD's and other fast food restaurants are overly exacerbated. I don't blame them, but in comparison to other restaurants they're not that much worse.

Now most of the fast foods got rid of trans fat, or so they say. I don't wholly trust this but it's certainly got me a bit more optimistic.

[kilreli]

I wonder who wins this battle: Chipotle vs McDonalds. I know McD's owns Chipotle; Chipotle is class compared to McD's IMO. I am surprised by that, in a sense.
Chipotle is Delicious.....My stomach groans lustfully thinking of it.
But i do know people who put on some weight by eating it too much. It's NOT that the food is bad for you, its that its way more of your daily whatever than you need. But honestly, after eating one of their burritos, do you even need to eat during the rest of the day? :D
Yay for chipotle!!!

[Vic_Rattlehead]

When I eat out, I eat out at a proper cultural resturant. McD, KFC and Burger King are like mere snaks to me. (even if they're a ripoff)

Greek Restaurants forever!

[xtine]

McDonalds does not own Chipotle, I think they only lent them money when they were trying to establish and that certainly does not entail them owning or running them in any way.

[Pierrot le Fou]

First of all, meat in general, as in the steak example, is pretty low-cal. Chicken breast, especially, is really healthy. Pasta, on the other hand, is super-carbolicious, which raises the calorie count significantly.

Furthermore, you have massive quantities. That's bad.

[Nuigurumi]

McDonalds does not own Chipotle, I think they only lent them money when they were trying to establish and that certainly does not entail them owning or running them in any way.

Actually, I'm pretty sure they do own it. I've worked for McDs for about 6 years now (the pain and horror!) and we actually discussed the different food chains and how McD's actually owns Chipotle and Boston Market. (McDs wants one of each "fast food group").

Though I'm not sure about the details, they did pretty much take over while they were going under (I think they pulled out of Boston Market recently, or some other place).

Anyway, enough of that digression. PLF is right. Not that it takes me saying that at all. But sometimes I see regulars at McDs come in and get a Double Quarter meal large sized everyday. (some even come for breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Yet, some aren't the largest people in the world (certainly they are not healthy, but they aren't visably fat). Metalbolism sure is interesting.:watson:

[seiji]

Furthermore, you have massive quantities. That's bad.
QFT. I think a lot of Americans still believe on some subconscious level that leaving food on their plate is equivalent to actively witholding that food from hordes of starving children in China/Africa/Mexico/wherever. We don't understand it's perfectly okay to cut your meal in half and take the leftovers home for later--or even throw it away!--if it's too big.

I had half a rack of ribs and a pile of fries leftover once, and I gave it to a homeless guy outside the restaurant. It was cool.

[Neon Pink Shoehorn]

Whenever I go out to eat, I usually take half of what they serve and put it in a doggie bag for later.

[Pierrot le Fou]

It's actually been proven, seiji, with research like this (http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55810):
Oct. 5, 2004 -- The more food college students are served, the more they'll eat, according to a new study that offers an explanation for the infamous "freshmen 15."

Researchers say the results also provide evidence that the growing size of fast-food portions may be at least partially responsible for American's expanding waistlines.

"The more food we served to the college student volunteers in our eating study, the more they ate," says researcher David A. Levitsky, professor of nutritional sciences and of psychology at Cornell University, in a news release. "Since we know that restaurants are serving larger and larger food portions, we think that larger portions could be a major factor responsible for the increase in overweight and obesity that is so evident today."

Serve More, Eat More

In the study, researchers asked 13 volunteers to eat a buffet lunch consisting of soup, pasta, breadsticks, and ice cream three times a week for two weeks.

In the first week, the portions remained the same. But in the second week the students were served portions that either weighed the same, 25% more, or 50% more than those they were served in the previous week.

Researchers found the volunteers who were served the largest portions ate an average of 39% more food, measured by weight, during the second week than they did in the first. That translates to an average of 273 extra calories.

"From a public health perspective, the results of this study are extremely encouraging," says Levitsky. "If it's correct that the increase in portion size is a major cause of the epidemic of obesity, then it should be possible to stop and possibly reverse this trend toward increased body weight by taking control of the size of portions served to the American people."
(You can find the full study if you search for it)

[Masa the Masta]

AND I'M TALKING ABOUT FOOD


WELL I...er...uh...um..


Hm.


...So..



.....Damn. IT. :bang:

[TygressVirgo]

Like PFT said different foods have different calorie counts. Also, there are different types of fats, some good and some bad. Judge your foods based on that and you will already be better off.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Like PFT said different foods have different calorie counts. Also, there are different types of fats, some good and some bad. Judge your foods based on that and you will already be better off.
What the dickens is 'PFT'?

[Decade]

"Pretty fuckin trippy?" :P

[Pierrot le Fou]

Perhaps a reference to Az's girlfriend's largest fear of going with him to the US? "Perilous Foreign Tits"?

[haterllnation]

Actually, I'm pretty sure they do own it. I've worked for McDs for about 6 years now (the pain and horror!) and we actually discussed the different food chains and how McD's actually owns Chipotle and Boston Market. (McDs wants one of each "fast food group").


Yes, McDonalds owned them. Then, in 2006 of October, Chipotle spun off on its own. So, :karate: to the one who crossed me :). Chipotle is a great place. I don't like that there are only like two or three of them spread out over the state (which seemed plentiful in California). Oh well.

Piss Foam, Theodore.:watson:

[Decade]

Pool flooding troll?

[Hatsumomo]

I work at Einstein's on campus and our serving sizes aren't large or anything (our muffins are pretty small compared to some places), but the calorie count is out there. One muffin or one chocolate chip cookie is 400 calories each. The sandwiches are 600+ calories easy.

No wonder college students gain weight. This is what is served on campus. There are few healthy and low-cal options. Not to mention that the healthy stuff to buy at the grocery store is significantly more expensive than the processed crap. I just bought some spinach, mushrooms, green beans, and steak and that cost me more than if I had just bought some ground beef and a Taco Bell kit (those kits are like 4/$5).

The best one can do is eat the food and go to the gym for 2 hours a day. But then that's another problem. Once you get into college life, you don't have much time for the gym. Classes, papers, studying, club/organization meetings, work, projects, and somewhere in there, you have to eat and sleep. When things on campus shut down at like 5-8PM, you can't get to the gym. The only time I can fit in the gym is at 9PM, but that's when it closes. And I need to get my fat ass to a gym.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Wahahahaha! No time in college?! RICH!

* wipes the tears from his eyes *

And gyms at universities are free to boot! I'd have to shell out $100/month (plus startup fee), go there several times a week (and it's further away than your campus gym is most likely), plus I have work all day and chores at night.

In college people blow time like it's going out of style.

And think of someone like japanat with 1400 kids, living out on a dinghy in the middle of the Seto inland sea -- he can't gym it at all.

THINK OF JAPANAT!

[Hatsumomo]

Maybe you blew your time in college. Some of us actually have to *gaspshock!* work and study. And do a whole bunch of extra crap because graduate schools in my field of study require a substantial amount of research experience.

My "blowing time" is done between 10PM-2AM and that's either reading or if I can no longer brain anything, kill some brain cells on the Internet or watch a movie. I got my bullshit semester when I studied abroad.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I find it difficult to believe that you have no free time at all in 30-60 minute segments during the day twice or three times a week. I work a 45-50 hour week and still have assloads of free time, and I know that college students don't take 40 hours of classes a week (plus they don't have to commute, cook their own meals generally, or a boatload of other time-wasters).

Honestly, living at college is just assloads of free time. If you're that busy then you're doing it wrong.

[TygressVirgo]

What the dickens is 'PFT'?

:eyepop: so sorry >.<

that was suppose to be PLF

[SlickWilly440]

Ever since I entered college I stuck to eating ramen/cup noods 3 times a day and sometimes srambled eggs on the side for over a year and I lost over 35 pounds.

[Pierrot le Fou]

:eyepop: so sorry >.<

that was suppose to be PLF
Palestinean Liberation Front? You listen to terrorists?!

Goddamn this board is going downhill.

[Hatsumomo]

The only thing I don't do is commute because A.) I live on campus and B.) I don't have a car, which causes simple errands like grocery shopping to take longer than they should because I walk to the stores off-campus. I cook all of my meals except for one a day (I didn't go with a meal plan this year because it's a waste of money and I prefer cooking anyway).

I do have an hour break between two classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, but it's not worth it because 30 minutes alone would be taken up by the walk from the building from one end to campus to the gym at the other, then I would need to take a shower at my apartment and change into my uniform and then walk to class, after which I have work. Friday I just have my Stats class and there's a bit of a break before I have work, but that's when I usually do my grocery shopping and whatnot because I can at least take the bus that runs a loop around campus on my way back since I have bags full of crap.

I would have 9 extra hours of time each week if I weren't repeating Statistics and taking Forensic Psychology. I don't necessarily need the latter, but since it's a field I'm pursuing, I'm taking the class. And I'm repeating Stats because I suck and got a D the first time around which is a major force that's fucking up my GPA. Then there are three other psych classes that I'm taking, plus running and participating in experiments for extra credit. And I don't think I'm studying enough because I'm not doing too well on the tests and quizzes. And I need to start studying for the GREs that I'm taking in March and April (I have to take the general GRE and the psychology subject test that has only one date in April). And I need to write these two essays for the Peace Corps application. And next month I'll have to start prepping for the huge-ass lab report for my Psych of Learning class (it's on the semester-long experiment we're doing on rats).

[Pierrot le Fou]

I love to hear college students whine. It's like a fetish. C'mon, tell me how busy you are baby, tell me about your stress...

Yeah...

* fap fap fap*

[Hatsumomo]

*eyeroll* I'm sorry, I forgot that you're the only one who can give people permission to have stress and be busy. God forbid that people younger than 30 don't go out drinking every night and play video games on days that aren't school-sanctioned breaks, right?

[erbiumfiber]

Continues derailing thread topic...

I was never so busy as I was in college (engineering sucks!). Even working, going to law school at night, and being a single mom was easier than being an engineering major...

Back on topic.

I often order appetizers as an entree in U.S. restaurants as I dislike doggie bags and fear that I will eat the giant portion brought to me as an entree.

[Hatsumomo]

Ew, engineering? The math would kill me alone. More power to you on that.

[TygressVirgo]

Palestinean Liberation Front? You listen to terrorists?!

Goddamn this board is going downhill.

haha you are such a troll >.<:duh:

[Masa the Masta]

I love to hear college students whine. It's like a fetish. C'mon, tell me how busy you are baby, tell me about your stress...

Yeah...

* fap fap fap*

Girlfriend not putting out? You have my deepest sympathies.


And this is coming from a guy who gave up orgasms altogether for lent.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I'm just fucking around. While I'm sure there are hapless college students who feel they need to do engineering, or actually do class reading, or otherwise fuck up what should be the best 6 years of your life, of the whiners, 99.99999% are just expert procrastinators who lack time management skills and like to exaggerate the amount of demands on their time.

Though this is a massive tangent from the original point of the thread, I find it absurd that a college student has no time for the gym. If you don't have time in college, you won't ever.

[Y.T.]

May I remind you, that if it weren't for people who *fucked up* the *best years of their lifes* studying, you wouldn't be able to use a computer, and very likely get whatever synthethic hallucinogen you use these days.

You know, some people consider partying and having fun a waste of time.

...

But I agree... someone claiming that he doesn't have time for gym. Pfft. Gym on campus ..
I used to go 3 times a week apart from P.E... these days I don't live on campus, but I still can find the time to exercise..

Myself, I don't have problems with my weight. Being too lazy to eat when doing something interesting probably helps maintain my body weight..

[Jay]

I don't have a problem with my weight... not sure what the subject is, so I'm taking what Zakalwe said and running with it.

My weight's fine. I'm a tubby bastard and I'm happy. :D

[japanat]

he can't gym it at all.

THINK OF JAPANAT!'Sniff, sniff...' Pretty Fuckin' True!



BTW, Hatsumomo - a little advice? Make the time to exercise. I know you don't feel you have the time to go to the gym, but exercise can actually help you deal with the schedule better, and help you concentrate better as well. Just buy a set of adjustable dumbbells (20-lb set) and a balance ball (maybe $20-25 total at Target) and do 10min/day at home to start.

I worked 40-80hr/week depending on the season (city recreation mgmt) while attending class full-time and living in a frat and holding office as well. Playing volleyball for an hour or two per day, 4 or 5 days per week was my sanity saver. And when I didn't exercise, my energy levels dropped, as well as my grades.

Now, what with running my own school, plus my kids' (all 1400 of them) schedules, I've allowed myself to gain a fair amount of weight. And my energy levels are shit compared to even a year ago. It'll also be much harder to get rid of than it would have been to not put it on in the first place.

[andrewt]

I'm just fucking around. While I'm sure there are hapless college students who feel they need to do engineering, or actually do class reading, or otherwise fuck up what should be the best 6 years of your life, of the whiners, 99.99999% are just expert procrastinators who lack time management skills and like to exaggerate the amount of demands on their time.

Though this is a massive tangent from the original point of the thread, I find it absurd that a college student has no time for the gym. If you don't have time in college, you won't ever.

i was an engineering major... electrical engineer... still found some excercise time in there... no need to change yer point of view.

[4letterwords]

too tired to read the thread but did someone make a sexual joke about the title yet? if not, well haha@u

[RandomPasserby]

too tired to read the thread but did someone make a sexual joke about the title yet? if not, well haha@u
The thread starter made.

[xtine]

If you don't have time to exercise, wake up earlier. Even waking up an hour earlier to do some exercise in the morning will give you WAY more energy than that extra 30-60min of sleep will give you.

Exercise makes you healthier, look, and feel better. It's just a choice we have to make for ourselves, and some of us have more excuses than others.

[Firefly]

My roommate somehow works 35-40 hours a week, has 5 classes as a graduating senior, is in a business fraternity, goes to the gym, and somehow finds time to talk to his girlfriend on the internet for hours at a time...talk about time management :eyepop:

[h2orowe]

My roommate somehow works 35-40 hours a week, has 5 classes as a graduating senior, is in a business fraternity, goes to the gym, and somehow finds time to talk to his girlfriend on the internet for hours at a time...talk about time management :eyepop:
Maybe he's Blinx.. that one cat that had a game for Xbox that could control time.



This looks like a job for detective Joey... :watson:

[drdan]

Most people don't realize how healthy many fast food places are if they order the right stuff. A grill chicken sandwich with light mayo and a salad at McD's, now that's good stuff. In the movie Super Size Me the main character (forgot his name) gained a whole bunch of weight and screwed up his body eating at McD's. But there have been many others, who have their own websites, that have lost weight and also ended up with healthier bodies by eating only at McD's. It all depends on what you order and the quantity.

As far as college. Depending on the major you may or may not have "ass loads of time". A communications major is probably not going to spend as much time with school as a biochem major for example.

[SlickWilly440]

My head went straight to the gutter when I read the title of this topic, so with that mind set, does it really taste like FISH?

[Decade]

too tired to read the thread but did someone make a sexual joke about the title yet? if not, well haha@u

...wow. Just wow.

You're lucky I like you :gloomy:

As this is turning into a eating better and working out thread, I'll share my story too.

My gym at college was over a mile and a half away, and while some may say its hard between classes and work, I DID have time to go to the gym to workout, I was just to lazy for what I used as the excuses (distance, time, tired, etc).

So, I ended up going on an extreme diet Sophmore year. If anything, it was anything BUT healthy, but it basically consisted of:

1) Cutting out ALL carbs (and I mean ALL, even the good ones. I didnt even drink SKIM MILK, even the LOW CARB skim milk!)
2) Cut out all sweets. entirely.
3) Cut out all fast food. till today I still look at fast food as pure poison
4) Treated myself to carbs ONCE a week, and that was a sushi dish for a dinner. THAT'S IT. Even then I felt I could do better, so I cut that down to 2 weeks at most.
5) Dont eat after dinner. Dinner is the last meal that day. Hungry afterwards? Drink some water. drink till you dont want to eat anymore.

Doing that, it didnt leave me much to eat. I ended up eating just meat on a plate and lettuce with tomatoes (call it a salad if u want, but it was just the leaves and slices. No dressing).

Not gonna lie, it was HARD. For 2 weeks. After that, my mind was programmed for the diet, and even though I could have gotten off it quickly, the diet basically lasted me for about 8 months.
I had lost 30 lbs in the first 6 weeks and remained there until at very least the end of that summer. I had gotten down from about 160 lbs to 130 lbs. Fuck, I weighed less than some of my CHICK friends (I could still take em though :karate:).


In other words, even if you dont work out, it's possible to still lose weight with the right diet. I wouldnt recommend what I did (it was TERRIBLY unhealthy, I was always tired and without energy, etc), but it shows that even without going to the gym (which you SHOULD do, I DO promote it over what I've done), you can still lose weight if you're determined to.

Come to think of it, I'm trying to think of a safer diet to do again now in comparison. Im back to about 160 now (God damn job slowed my metabolism down HORRIBLY) and I want to at least lose 10 lbs, hopefully 15.

Anyway, thats my tale. What are good carb foods I should eat this time around? I need energy for my job :meh:

[Fumi]

Anyway, thats my tale. What are good carb foods I should eat this time around? I need energy for my job :meh:
Bread, rice, potatoes (not fries) and pasta. Just leave the butter/cream/cheese out.

Avoid refined sugar entirely.

[Plekto]

It's really what you eat. Nobody got fat from eating veggies or a baked potato. ;)

[ZaichikArky]

so decade's diet was basically atkins.... there is so much complete wrongness about the atkins diet, but I won't go into that.

Uh back to the original topic. couple days ago I saw the video on cnn.com. I tried to track it down for y'all however it's not longer on the front page and I was unable to find it. I actually knew that certain restaurant meals were far worse than fast food before I even watched the video. It didn't surprise me in the least.

The reason this shouldn't be surprising is the sheer girth of certain restaurant meals. Compare this to the portions of *insert fast food chain*'s "number 1" meal option. Chances are unless you're very slim, you will be able to pack away the fast food meal with little problem and then MAYBE later feel guilty that you packed away about 1000 calories. However compare this to an entree at any diner-like restaurant. If I were to order a burger meal, unless I was VERY hungry, I'd have a lot of problems finishing it, just because it's so freaken huge. The fries often usually steak-cut and there is a ton of them and the burger is usually bigger than a quarter pounder. And this is just the typical "burger meal". I'm glad I am so anti social that I rarely go to diners :p. Anytime I gather with friends, Denney's or another similar diner is where we go, though.

I'm not going to talk about my dieting tips, because they're even worse than Decade's. Actually, scratch that, at least I try to incorporate most of the food groups into my "meals" >_>.

Basically I have a string of yoyo diets. It works this way:

I BARELY eat
My stomach gets used to feeling empty and it bothers me less
I eat only up till I feel full
I lose 15 lbs at most
I gain some of it back eventually

I usually stay around a set weight. I fluctuate tremendously. This is a very unhealthy diet. I do not condone it, however it works for me and right now I've almost lost my 15 lbs I've gained over the summer. I got about 5 lbs to go.

[Ceirnian]

At least it's easier to digest most restaurant meals, sometimes fastfood just makes me feel ill.

[Decade]

Bread, rice, potatoes (not fries) and pasta. Just leave the butter/cream/cheese out.

Avoid refined sugar entirely.

Most of that is actually the worst carbs you could eat (besides MAYBE bread, as long as you get whole wheat. Even then I don't really think it's that good for you). Rice is a VERY bad carb for you (I can think of anything thats a white grain or bread is basically gonna be a bad carb for you).

As for baked Potatoes, I heard actually that that's not that good for you either (neither is corn). So, if you really wanna eat the right veggies, you gotta eat the greens and maybe some of the reds.

But hey, that's only what I've heard from a few people I've asked who've lost the weight. I'm in no way knowledged in the actual nutrition facts over them.

[Lan]

Wait, what's wrong with rice? Unless I was eating at a non-Asian restaurant (and even then, I'd sometimes order a rice dish), I haven't missed a dinner with rice....ever. And this is white rice. Sometimes Chinese, sometimes Korean, sometimes Japanese grains. But I can't stand the texture of brown rice >_>;;

I'm going to go a-googling after my midterm this friday. =d

[Decade]

Well, lookin on google one of the first sites I found was:

http://www.pechsiam.com/allabout_nutrition.htm

And, supporting your argument, it states:

Nutritional Information

Rice is an extremely healthy food for a number of reasons. Rice is a complex carbohydrate, which means that it contains starch and fiber.

Complex carbohydrates are digested slowly, allowing the body to utilize the energy released over a longer period which is nutritionally efficient.

However, the chart above it DOES state that it contains about 82 grams of carbs for every 100 grams of rice. That's still a LOT, considering most people eat more than 100 grams of it per serving.

This site

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21UI.html

Also states rice is rather healthy, but it's not so great if you want to lose weight, which is ultimately what I and millions of other Americans would love to do.

If you study the second site, you'll see by looking at the 3rd chart that eating rice wont actually help you lose weight, it might help you maintain it though. If anything, it can be cooked so as to help you gain weight in a healthy manner (body building I guess, but I would imagine they'd want more protein from stuff like Chicken instead).

So, healthy? Maybe. Good to help you lose weight?

Not so much :gloomy:

[Jetsetlemming]

Stuff that helps you lose weight is less likely to be "healthy" than rice, bread, and potatoes. :P The only "good" part is the losing weight. You're certainly not getting a balanced, nutritional diet.

[Soli]

Silly op9ers, off-topic posts are for the RWPR. :P

On-topic! That suprised me greatly. In my mind, I rest easier when I eat out at a restruant rather then fast food. But now, no one's safe! Maybe we all should just stop eating.

[Lan]

Maybe we all should just stop eating.

You eat little enough Caro.

EAT!

Anyways, Decade, I like your links =D And it's quite true that a standard portion of rice is half a cup, uncooked. I'm not actually sur ehow much that is. But yes. rice is nice.

I read through this thread but I forgot whether this has been said already. Eating out at a bar and grill is quite different from eating out at a nice place with three or four courses. Generally, those places have much smaller portions of each course, and even added up, will not equal an entree at, say, Applebee's or something. Just because it costs that much mroe for quality ingredients ._. I like eating out, but just can't afford to much, cause if I eat at a bar and grill, my stomach complains and it's just not worth that.

[Soli]

You eat little enough Caro.

EAT!

Haha, I was just joking. :) I do eat though! I just made myself pancakes. Yummy.

But I've been bad. I've been skipping breakfast and lunch. :box: I spend my lunch in the library where I can get my homework done, go on the computer, and read old People magazines. That beats lunch anyday in my opinion! And my lunch is too noisy and crowded, and the library quiet. So all is good. :P

[Lan]

Pancakes. =\ I still have some ready-to-make pancake flour in my cupboards. All I need to do is add eggs. But I find cooking pancakes for myself is awful depressing ._. It's like...there's no one to share the with.

People magazines don't sound particularly nutritious. Too bad you can't eat in your library =d. Do they allow sandwiches? You could do wonders with sandwiches to make them unboring then eat while reading. I love doing that.

[RandomPasserby]

Rice helps you lose fat and gain muscles. Ninjas and samurai ate rice and who has heard of a ninja/samurai who wasn't made of pure muscle?!

[Cool Bones]

Rice helps you lose fat and gain muscles. Ninjas and samurai ate rice and who has heard of a ninja/samurai who wasn't made of pure muscle?!

http://occhonji.at.infoseek.co.jp/kakuron/beverly/hill2.jpg
J'tai cassé!

[h2orowe]

Damn it, Cool Bones, I told you not to post my pic in this thread! :(

[mawande]

Bread, rice, potatoes (not fries) and pasta. Just leave the butter/cream/cheese out.

Avoid refined sugar entirely.

Since someone had a hissy-fit about this one, I hasten to point out for Fumi that the question being answered was "what are GOOD carb foods?"

Myself, these days for bread in my household here in Japan I tend to purchase Rye Bread, or sometimes Rice Bread. I've picked up multi-grain when I can. I choose milk and yoghurt for a low-fat, high-protein and high calcium index. (actually, I choose my bread much the same though calcium isn't a factor) I often make myself a fruit smoothie for breakfast. This means two + tablespoons of milk, two of fruit juice (usually orange or grapefruit), a banana... all that follows is frozen: two strawberries, two cherries, two pieces of diced mango, a handful of black currants, a handful of blueberries and a handful of rasberries.

I'll be out of cherries soon and, unless I can find them again, will either up one of the other ingrediants or freeze something else.

I don't generally eat a lot, but I do eat ENOUGH for my body. I'm not sure about my balance in the end, though.

[spaik]

man, all this talk about good carbs, bad carbs, fat, etc... it's really simple how you lose fat. make sure you use more calories than you take in per day. a 'healthy' diet just means that a) you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need and b) you are still running an energy deficit.

on the topic of college students not having enough time, i had hella time during college, but man, was i ever a slacker. my friend is going to law school right now, and the only way he can keep affording to go is if he gets a full scholarship for the entire duration. he pretty much spends hours and hours reading and reading (i don't think ive ever seen as much reading as in law school) and working his ass off to get perfect grades... and yet even he still has free time to do with as he wants. in all honesty, if you have the free time to post on this board, you have the free time to hit the gym instead.


You know, some people consider partying and having fun a waste of time.

...


...

Wow. I'd love to meet someone who considers having fun a waste of time, so that I can punch them in the face. You would have to be the most fucked up masochist EVER to want to live a life where you find NOTHING enjoyable.

[Cool Bones]

Damn it, Cool Bones, I told you not to post my pic in this thread! :(

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[mawande]

Now, let me hit my collection of links I assembled while dropping 20 lbs.

Oh dear, some of the links are dead.

Hmm. Not the one I used, but funny: http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-3-71-682-6121-1,00.html

http://www.oka-chan.com/etc/diet.htm

[Cool Bones]

Ultimate proof that diets are for gays:

○Fall in love
If you fall in love, the feeling that you want to become more beautiful for him would become the motive to carry on your diet.

[Decade]

Since someone had a hissy-fit about this one, I hasten to point out for Fumi that the question being answered was "what are GOOD carb foods?"

It was not a HISSSSSSYYYYY FIIIIIIITTTTT! :( :mad: :bang: :gloomy: :innocent:

Wow. I'd love to meet someone who considers having fun a waste of time, so that I can punch them in the face. You would have to be the most fucked up masochist EVER to want to live a life where you find NOTHING enjoyable.
QFT

Seriously, you're gonna make an argument like that?

[Ceirnian]

The arguement was going out partying getting drunk etc, taking it out of context you make it sound like they hate fun. Perhaps this small correction will make things abit more clear.
You know, some people consider partying and "having fun" a waste of time.

[Fumi]

Complex carbs are still carbs, they will still get stored in your body if you overeat them.

If you want to lose weight, start counting calories. You can only lose weight if you burn off more calories than your intake.

[akitaka]

Wow. What an amalgamation of topics...where to start...

...well for one thing eating out is great given that you're doing it for company and a bit of recreation. Having been a cook, I'll tell you that for the most part, we don't care about how you feel about your health or if what we're making is screwing up your system. We were more worried about making menu items that would sell, taste great, and for some establishments, are made just by a few minutes of deep-fat frying so that we can make up for overhead restaurant costs. The same goes for fancy establishments. That white sauce over your dover sole? The base is BUTTER, CREAM, AND FLOUR. And maybe some cheap white wine for the sake of the menu description, though I'll admit that I still find it very tasty, myself.

With this said, it's no wonder that most restaurants sell items that are far from life-prolonging, let alone appropriately-sized for the average person's appetite. This applies especially to franchises, which follow every other restaurant's recipes, down to the table-spoon of stock used to spoon all over your steak. Some places are wising-up, and even teaming with dieting corporations such as Weight Watchers (who have stuff on the Applebee's menus which I found to be pretty tasty). Changes are being made to more and more places, but you're still better off eating at home to have any control over your meal.

Even as a server I used to laugh at the yuppie jokes who would tell me over the ordering phone that ordering "a side of steamed vegetables" instead of say, a starch side, was healthier, when the said establishment more than often cooked them with a tablespoon of sugar and butter to enhance the flavor.

[Soli]

Pancakes. =\ I still have some ready-to-make pancake flour in my cupboards. All I need to do is add eggs. But I find cooking pancakes for myself is awful depressing ._. It's like...there's no one to share the with.

People magazines don't sound particularly nutritious. Too bad you can't eat in your library =d. Do they allow sandwiches? You could do wonders with sandwiches to make them unboring then eat while reading. I love doing that.

I use special pancake mix. Just add water and pour! AndI know what you mean. :( Making food for others is much more fun then just for yourself.

I'm sure I could eat in there. I'm a library assistant in a different period, and the librarian is my friend's mom. :P So it'd be no problem to bring a sandwich in there. But I'm never hungry, hence the switch from sitting in lunch reading to sitting in the library. I love eating and reading too. Yummy sandwiches.

[Lan]

Switch to eating and reading. Any less meat on you, and that toothpick comment will sadly become all too true =\

[Psychochink]

Two observations.

1) Losing weight is 100% caloric intake. Yes, exercise can help and is an essential part of your routine, but that's because it uses energy and increases your metabolic rate.

Having said that, a good proportion for your daily intake is to get 40% of your calories from protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. Obviously, better sources for these foods is preferred (low GI carbs, good fats, etc). High protein so that the weight you're losing is fat, not muscle mass and make sure to incorporate strength training in your routine. In the absence of activity, muscle will be broken down in preference to fat (for a whole slew of reasons). So you'll get skinny, but stay flabby.

No ladies, you do not have the genetics to look like a female bodybuilder, unless you take steroids. At most, you'll look like a fitness model (oh no!).

2) "I don't have the time" What. A. Load. Of. Crap. I'm not a fitness junkie, but I'm making an effort to eat right and lose some weight at the moment. Wanna know what my schedule last Friday looked like?

Between 6:00am and 7:00pm was spent getting ready for work, working and going home. I then had to pay some bills, cook my own damn dinner, make sure I had something vaugely healthy to eat for tomorrow and get 40 mins of cardio.

I still had enough time to sit on my ass and watch 3 episodes of Heroes and fuck my fiancee. And I'm a fat, lazy bastard. Seriously - I am.

I currently do cardio 5 days a week, strength training the other two. Only 2 days spent in the gym - and that's all you need, unless you're doing a body part split (i.e. Monday: back, Tuesday: chest, etc.) which is not necessary for beginners.

In university and don't have the time? Please. If my boss can work a 60 hour week, finish her MBA full-time externally, raise two kids and go for a 5km jog every day (and still manage to be surprisingly relaxed) then you can get your ass in some sneakers for a half an hour a day.

I can't wait until you college types get into the real world. (Not that I wasn't any different, mind you)