Sithious

Hah. I wish I had your good food discipline. I slip a lot, which is why it's essential for me to have my meals ready. And run like a fiend.

If running is not your cup of tea, I know a lot of people who substitute with swimming and love it.

Anyhow, let me know how it works out for you.

GI is definitely the reason why I pick sweet potatoes over regular potatoes, other than the fact that I think they taste better. And I really don't think it takes that long to prepare them. I just peel 'em and chunk 'em and they take care of themselves. Mind you, I usually cook everything over the weekend or some odd week night and freeze it or fridge it and it's ready when I am.

As for lentils, I rarely eat them raw. If I am having lentils, they're likely in a soup.

And how much I run varies. I usually try to get at least half an hour in or fifteen/twenty minute suicides outside. On a good day, I'll be able to jog through a whole movie on my treadmill. But I've always been a cardio powerhouse. Even when I gained weight in college, I still could outlast anyone on the soccer field. It's my only saving grace, considering I'm not always a good little girl on a diet.

What's your regime look like?

I really don't discriminate on where my tuna source comes from. I'll actually just get it from the can (water-based, low sodium) and mix it with my oatmeal in the morning. I also live off turkey cold cuts.

My major carb sources are low GI rice, oatmeal, rice cakes, pumpernickel, cous cous and sweet potatoes. And while I'm not supposed to, I'll also have cooked barley and All Bran Buds. Before workouts, I'll usually have whatever I have planned for my snack that day. Either a rice cake with peanut butter or a fiber bar. Sometimes a banana.

But honestly, I put off my work outs. It'll be 11:00 or sometimes 2:00 am (not uncommon) at night and I realize I still haven't got my cardio in and I'll go for a run outside, helter skelter. I'm usually running on whatever my last meal of the day was (usually around 9:00).

When in doubt, tuna and skinless, boneless chicken are your best friends. Salmon is also a good thing to load up on, but I personally hate it. But really, there are no optimal foods. Just pair any source of lean protein product with any carb and vegetable(s) under a GI of 70 from any of your 3/6 meals a day and you'll be good to go; this principle is something my trainer swears by. It helps boost metabolism and keeps you fuller longer. (But then again, it really depends on what you're trying to do; I'm just toning up right now).

I also mix a scoop of glycemic powder with an 8oz glass of water immediately before work outs. It really makes a difference on your energy levels. Also, if you happen to do weights with cardio on the same day, make sure you do weights first.

And that's all I really do. I don't count calories.... although I technically should be keeping my eye on my sugar intake (under 20 mg a day) but I surpass that by at least double. It's one thing to know all this stuff and work out a schedule, and another thing to stay on track.

And I cheat. A LOT.

Basically. There is a whole lot of pattern to it, but it is a very intuitive and subjective 'art'.

All of them. It's not an exact science by any means.

lol - i guess i'm not quite familiar with people here yet...

uber-fail on my part for not reading thoroughly.

oh, my bad - i misunderstood your post. you were talking to me but you were talking to sookie. sookie was talking to me at the beginning of her post so i thought you were continuing on her thought process (talking to me).

hefalumps and woozelz are very confuzzled.

*laughs* Have I now?

Good!

It'll be ok. *patpat*

You'll be alright. I just have a ton of stuff I should be doing. And also, I'm fine. I always am.

I wish I actually lived in Antarctica... or rather, that my poor little self could withstand the cold well enough to live in Antarctica. I <3 penguins!!

HI hi.

Not sure, maybe.

Boo!

Sithious, thank you for being so kind to me! <3

I am, it was just disgusting that she had to drag me there. I am very critical of it and you should have seen the eager nurses, wanting to stab everyone with that poison, when I said I wasn't taking it!!!!!

Hehe.
Thank you.

LOLz. A South Park classic