Help me totally change my eating habits... PLEASE.

[Wu36]

check your pm

[RunDownHouse]

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I could bike like 15 miles without getting winded. On the other hand I probably last like 3 miles on a treadmill. I imagine it's like that for most people.

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I wonder if you could do those 3 miles running in under 30 minutes. Its completely anecdotal, but it seems to me like there's no gym cardio that's remotely like running on the road. It'd be great if someone more informed could expound on the differences a bit.

[bills217]

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Food: Grill chicken breasts, lean beef, etc. on your Foreman. Buy bagged salads and add some low fat dressing. Frozen veggies can be made quickly and made tasty with cheese, garlic, butter, etc. while remaining healthy.

Exercise: You definitely need to do cardio, and rowing machines are a good source. Definitely walk or bike whenever you have the chance, and possibly run or swim if possible.

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I can't wait until summer so I can actually BBQ some fresh asparagus. Do frozen vegetables actually taste good on the foreman grill? I've never actually tried to cook anything other than burgers and hot dogs on it.

What I find really odd is that if I went and played basketball right now, I'd be winded quickly. Yet if I go to the gym and bike for 35 minutes (on a high level, sprinting for a minute every other minute... this is in case I want to start playing hockey) I won't lose a breath. WTF?

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The exercise bike is a waste of time. You burn far less calories per hour than any other cardio activity besides maybe walking. That you get winded much more quickly playing basketball should not be a surprise at all. I see so many people at the gym not only on the exercise bike, but doing it half-speed while reading a magazine, and I'm just like, why bother?

Running is good, but personally I prefer the elliptical, as my feet blister easily. Really though, I think cardio is overrated in general. Good for losing weight/getting in shape initially, not so much thereafter. I did a lot back when I was first getting in shape, but now I'm eating healthy and on a regular weight-lifting routine so I consider it largely unnecessary. When you lift and add muscle, you increase the amount of calories you burn while resting.

Given your build I'd also recommend getting on a protein supplement (I recommend www.bodybuilding.com), preferably a low-fat one. You can lower your cholesterol and gain weight (muscle) at the same time.

Weight-lifting > cardio. (Although in your case it wouldn't hurt to do some at least for a little while.)

[bills217]

Also, if you're a weight-room n00b, no worries. There are plenty of websites online that lay out specific training programs and also show you visually how to do any exercise imaginable. Muscle and Fitness magazine also has a lot of good info and workout programs in it.

[fmxda]

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I could bike like 15 miles without getting winded. On the other hand I probably last like 3 miles on a treadmill. I imagine it's like that for most people.

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I wonder if you could do those 3 miles running in under 30 minutes. Its completely anecdotal, but it seems to me like there's no gym cardio that's remotely like running on the road. It'd be great if someone more informed could expound on the differences a bit.

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Takes me around 25 minutes. I usually run indoors in my college's rec center, but I don't see a big difference between a track or a treadmill.

[Habib Marwan]

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Healthy Choice/Lean Cuisine/etc. frozen dinners. They have been a godsend for me. 5 minutes in the microwave, very healthy, and the food isn't bad at all.

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any male with a decent appetite can easily eat 3-5 of these. i'm certain you can find a more cost effective meal solution.

[pokerspite]

Zatarain's has some cheap and quick meals out of a box. Things like jumbalaya and red beans and rice and a bunch of other stuff. Usually around a couple of bucks and less than a half hour to make.

[bluef0x]

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Food: Grill chicken breasts, lean beef, etc. on your Foreman. Buy bagged salads and add some low fat dressing. Frozen veggies can be made quickly and made tasty with cheese, garlic, butter, etc. while remaining healthy.

Exercise: You definitely need to do cardio, and rowing machines are a good source. Definitely walk or bike whenever you have the chance, and possibly run or swim if possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't wait until summer so I can actually BBQ some fresh asparagus. Do frozen vegetables actually taste good on the foreman grill? I've never actually tried to cook anything other than burgers and hot dogs on it.

What I find really odd is that if I went and played basketball right now, I'd be winded quickly. Yet if I go to the gym and bike for 35 minutes (on a high level, sprinting for a minute every other minute... this is in case I want to start playing hockey) I won't lose a breath. WTF?

[/ QUOTE ]

The exercise bike is a waste of time. You burn far less calories per hour than any other cardio activity besides maybe walking. That you get winded much more quickly playing basketball should not be a surprise at all. I see so many people at the gym not only on the exercise bike, but doing it half-speed while reading a magazine, and I'm just like, why bother?

Running is good, but personally I prefer the elliptical, as my feet blister easily. Really though, I think cardio is overrated in general. Good for losing weight/getting in shape initially, not so much thereafter. I did a lot back when I was first getting in shape, but now I'm eating healthy and on a regular weight-lifting routine so I consider it largely unnecessary. When you lift and add muscle, you increase the amount of calories you burn while resting.

Given your build I'd also recommend getting on a protein supplement (I recommend www.bodybuilding.com), preferably a low-fat one. You can lower your cholesterol and gain weight (muscle) at the same time.

Weight-lifting > cardio. (Although in your case it wouldn't hurt to do some at least for a little while.)

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Well, I was using the bike since that's what I read is great for hockey. I really just want to get into shape first, as I get winded so easily playing basketball. I didn't feel like I accomplished anything on the bike though, so I guess I'll try the treadmill. There's no where to really run around my apartments and I rather not look like an idiot.

[bills217]

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Healthy Choice/Lean Cuisine/etc. frozen dinners. They have been a godsend for me. 5 minutes in the microwave, very healthy, and the food isn't bad at all.

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any male with a decent appetite can easily eat 3-5 of these. i'm certain you can find a more cost effective meal solution.

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Two should be plenty for a normal person. I typically only eat one a time, but sometimes I'll eat 4 or 5 meals a day, which is healthier than eating larger meals less frequently.

Initially I thought there'd be no chance they could fill me up either, but my belief now is that I was actually overeating on a regular basis before (and I think most people do for that matter).

It takes a minute for you to feel full when you're eating. So, especially if you're a fast eater like me, it's very easy to overeat and only feel full later. I've found that, even w/ portions as small as the Healthy Choice dinners, if I eat while doing something else (playing poker/watching TV etc.) that I'll feel full say 15 minutes after finishing and have no desire to eat anything else. But that's just me.

Now I'm actually trying to gain weight (and OP should be too if his build is any indication), so I don't prefer the Healthy Choice meals from a low-calorie perspective so much as I do a convenience perspective. It is not easy to eat healthy when you don't have much time to prepare meals.

You can eat out healthy through select items at select places. I am a fixture at Subway and Chipotle.

Edited to add: Really depends on the item of course. Meatball Marinara, not so much. Ham, turkey, and/or roast beef, on wheat, w/ low-cal dressing? Sure. And you can get detailed nutrition facts online for chain-type places. Hint: Much harder to find healthy things at Quizno's than Subway. You'd be surprised at how much/little is in certain things when you look them up. One of the least healthy things in my chipotle burritos/burrito bols were the peppers, because of the fat from the cooking oil.

Also, if you drink milk (and you should, at least a little), switch to skim. Really does not taste that different, especially once you get used to it. And you eliminate a ton of fat.

[bluef0x]

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You should pick up some kind of beginners nutrition guide. this is the first hit on amazon, I have no clue if its any good, but jesus dude, you sound like a five year old with this [censored].

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I basically am. I've never cooked (parents + gf = wtf would i?). Now, groceries cost a lot and there's not a whole lot of healthy food I eat. I'd like to change it and asked 2+2. I appreciate the help I've received so far.