Health and Fitness

[Sqthreer!]

I remember there was one of these threads on a0 or an older version of s.net or something, so I'm going to recreate it since it's a pretty important subject.

Recently, I've been paying a lot more attention to my general health, and researching nutrition, weight-loss, hygiene, etc., and it's one of the few things I'm genuinely interested in. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions anyone has, because I think everyone can benefit from this kind of information. I'm no expert nutritionist, but I've lived in a very healthy family my entire life, and have picked up little factoids here and there, as well as my own personally acquired info.

So let us all join hands and discuss a topic that is not discussed nearly enough in the world. If you have any questions, tips, links, or WHATEVA then post them here.

I have a question to get things going... just out of curiosity, how many of you s.net residents (Snetters?) floss on a regular basis?

[Spectere]

Yeah, definitely!  I'd love to talk about this.  Just a sec, I'm going to go pick up a couple of double quarter pounders at McDonald's and a couple of energy drinks and then we can get started.

Okay, I'm retarded.

I haven't been paying enough attention to my health and stuff, mostly thanks to my job's bizarre-o hours.  I regularly go for 24-hour periods without eating now.  Ugh.  Protip: DO NOT DO THIS.

I also only got about 8 hours of sleep between Monday and Thursday of last week.  Protip: THIS IS REALLY BAD.  DO NOT DO THIS.

Strangely enough, my body doesn't seem to hate me yet.

I have a question to get things going... just out of curiosity, how many of you s.net residents (Snetters?) floss on a regular basis?

Erm...define "regular." *shifty eyes*

[Sqthreer!]

Well, I think to effectively floss your teeth enough to be considered "regular" it'd have to be at least once a day... or often enough that your gums don't bleed every time :p

Better question: do you ever brush your tongue? It's actually a really good thing to do that's often overlooked. Your tongue accumulates tons of crap throughout the day, especially in the back, and actually contains most of the bad bacteria in the mouth. Unlike flossing, it's much easier to incorporate tongue brushing into your routine since you can just do it right after you brush your teeth.

One thing I know that deters people from flossing is how much of a pain in the ass it is to have to wrap the floss around your fingers the right way, then reach into your mouth and try to figure out where the spaces between your teeth are and all that shit. But I'd recommend investing in a floss tool. It's pretty much just a neat little handle with replaceable floss heads. There are also ones that you wrap the floss around yourself, but they're not as handy.

By the way, Spec, just reading the first few lines of your post makes me feel sick XD

[Jupi]

I've been trying to lose weight for some time now.  My diet for the most part is pretty good, although I have some days where I'm just all "ARRGH FOOD! MOAR! NOMNOM"

Here's probably the most recent picture of me...in a ridiculous outfit. 


I'd -LIKE- to lose 60 or 70 some pounds, but meh.  I really don't see that happening. 

Exercise is awesome and all, but I literally can't do most of it right now because my right knee is pretty much completely shot right now.  I'm lucky if I can stand up for more than an hour at a time most days, which pretty much fucks me over for any jobs I'd like to get right now.

Fortunately, the pool across the street from my house opened up yesterday.  Swimming won't kill my joints.  :3  And I really enjoy it.  So if I can manage to lose maybe 30 or so, my knee won't be quite as much of a problem, and I'll be able to lose more weight because I can handle different forms of exercise.


Also, I don't really know what I "look" like I weigh...but odds are whatever number someone thinks I weigh is a lot lower than my actual weight.  I've always been "freakishly strong" - as my friends would describe for a girl (yes, I'm a girl believe it or not) that doesn't do any weight training. 

[Spectere]

Well, I think to effectively floss your teeth enough to be considered "regular" it'd have to be at least once a day... or often enough that your gums don't bleed every time :p

They rarely bleed.  My gums are tough as nails, mafackah.

Better question: do you ever brush your tongue?

Very yes.

It's gotten to the point where I don't feel like I even brushed my teeth unless my tongue gets a good going-over.

By the way, Spec, just reading the first few lines of your post makes me feel sick XD

Sweet.  Mission accomplished.

[Jupi]

Why do you insist on disgusting people?

[Spectere]

I dunno.  Something to do, I guess.

brb, going to wash down the DQPs and Monsters with some Nyquil and Vodka.

[Jupi]

Sounds like my kind of night.  To watch at least.

[cristian989]

brb, going to wash down the DQPs and Monsters with some Nyquil and Vodka.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, *dies from laughter* that's sooo me.

[Sqthreer!]

post

The one thing I have learned through all my years of trying to figure what works is that you have to establish a "greater good" for yourself, and do everything you can for it. That term applies to a lot of situations, but especially with diet.

For example: say there's one of your favorite unhealthy food items sitting in front of you, waiting to be devoured. You're not hungry, but your mouth is watering, and you know it's going to taste fucking delicious. You have two options: eat it or don't eat it. If you're the kind of person who is health-conscious, then both of those outcomes are good. If you eat it, it tastes great and your saliva glands will return to normal. If you don't eat it, tomorrow you will think, "Wow, I'm proud of myself for not eating that. If I could do it then, I can do it again "

Trust me when I say I know that isn't always an easy choice to make. I'm a very 'instant gratification' kind of person when it comes to a lot of things, so there's always two voices that fight with each other in situations like that. Until recently, I got used to letting the wrong one win, and it got to a point where I just couldn't take the constant repetition of self-disappointment (because without fail, the next day [or even later that day] I would be filled with guilt and self-loathing when I chose the "lesser good") and just decided not to take it anymore. Now, every time I run into a issue like that, when a choice has to be made between the greater and lesser, even seemingly innocuous things (put a dirty sock on the floor into the hamper, or walk past it to my next destination and take care of it later?) I ALWAYS listen to the greater one.

Wow, that was quite the pep-talk. I know this kind of thing doesn't apply to everyone. Some people have a very well-functioning decision-making ability, but others, like me, have a really hard time with internal struggles over the stupidest shit.

I forgot to mention that this thread is for mental health, as well, considering it's more common of a problem. 'specially with me :[

[MortifiedocAlot]

Damn, just reading this thread made me brush, floss, and mouth wash my teeth. It burned because I hadn't done it in so long. Also I use this (http://www.dentist.net/plackers.asp) which makes me feel bad, considering how much plastic is wasted everytime I floss. Also yeah, I brush somewhat regularly and floss + mouth wash maybe once or twice a week and my dentist says my teeth are in much better condition then most people my age.

Also I've been trying to "bulk up" on and off for a couple of years now. It started with doing 15 to 20 push ups and 30 pull ups before taking a shower, and now I do about 30-40 push ups and about 40-50 pull ups (just started again recently). I've only noticed some change in the middle of last year and now I've basically run into a wall, and I haven't changed much at all. Also I REALLY need to do some sort of running/biking (would love a shitty BMX bike). I can't even run a couple acres without having to stop to breath, and now that my push mower broke (push mowing an acre is surprisingly hard) I get like no exercise.

[Bobbias]

I do not brush or floss nearly enough. My main problem is that I need to get a routine started, but considering how fucked up my hours tend to be, it's VERY hard to get into a decent routine.

I'm kinda scrawny, so my friends say. I weigh 130-145lbs (it fluctuates over time), and I'm something like 5'11" or something. I'd like to bulk up, and to get rid of this annoying bit of stomach flab, but once again, the routine issue. Now, I'm up more at night than I am during the day, which makes something like weight lifting kinda impossible right now, since I don't want to wake everyone in the house (the home gym in my basement is kinda loud).

I drink WAY too much caffeinated stuff, and not nearly enough water, milk, or other drinks that are actually good for you. My staple drink is coke, and I get minor caffeine withdrawal if I don't have like, 6+ a day, give or take. I get actual cravings for coke.

[Jupi]

I do not brush or floss nearly enough. My main problem is that I need to get a routine started, but considering how fucked up my hours tend to be, it's VERY hard to get into a decent routine.

I'm kinda scrawny, so my friends say. I weigh 130-145lbs (it fluctuates over time), and I'm something like 5'11" or something. I'd like to bulk up, and to get rid of this annoying bit of stomach flab, but once again, the routine issue. Now, I'm up more at night than I am during the day, which makes something like weight lifting kinda impossible right now, since I don't want to wake everyone in the house (the home gym in my basement is kinda loud).

I drink WAY too much caffeinated stuff, and not nearly enough water, milk, or other drinks that are actually good for you. My staple drink is coke, and I get minor caffeine withdrawal if I don't have like, 6+ a day, give or take. I get actual cravings for coke.

If you ever have a week or so off and you want to cut down/cut out caffeine, just do it right then.  Flat out stop.  The first few days are a bit of hell, but eventually your body learns how to function without it.  I did it last winter over my holiday break. 

It didn't last all that long though.  Probably for six weeks at best.  All of a sudden when school started back up for me, I couldn't stay awake for more than an hour at at time, and caffeine was literally THE only way I had any hope of getting through a class.  Fortunately that went away after about a month. 

[Bobbias]

Honestly, I'd go fucking insane if I stopped drinking coke flat out. You know how smokers get when they are quitting. That's how I'd be. Seriously. I'm that fucking addicted.

I've tried (semi-successfully) to lower the amount of coke I drink, but that usually results in the coke getting drank by everyone else so that when I do have a serious craving, there's no fucking coke to drink. And that craving does not go away until I get the coke. If there's no coke for 10 hours, I'll have that craving for those 10 hours, non-stop.

[Jupi]

Perhaps meth would be a good option then. (!)