Not eating properly - what damage am I doing?
Discussion
Hi Guys,
I promise I'm not trolling here - I say that because when I think about it and compare my diet with other's posts it seems I should be dead. What damage am I really doing to myself with my diet? For about the last 12 months or so, due to various crap reasons such as smoking cigarettes, medication mentioned below and generally getting out of the habit/routine of eating, for a lot of the time, and certainly the last few months, I've been eating 1 meal a day, at about 8:00pm. Normally something reasonably substantial, a bolognese, sometimes something I try and chuck a bit of broccoli at, occasionally KFC or some other junk, sometimes some cereal later in the evening. I also drink virtually every day - maybe a couple of beers and a couple of glasses of red wine. I've been on and off anti-depressants and my blood pressure if I recall correctly was last time 140/95 or similar. I have a pretty high stress job and work long hours. I'm 33 and amazingly don't feel too bad, though I'm sure I could be feeling a lot better. What risks in the short term am I putting myself in? Apart from the obvious smoking related issues - my intention is to start feeling a bit happier and stronger and then have a crack at giving up - but then that's what every smoker says I'm sure. I also get virtually no exercise. My family health history is very good, no history of heart issues/cancer etc.
So go on, scare me (not too much) into making some (small, incremental) changes please... (but I'm not stopping drinking). And thanks in advance.
I promise I'm not trolling here - I say that because when I think about it and compare my diet with other's posts it seems I should be dead. What damage am I really doing to myself with my diet? For about the last 12 months or so, due to various crap reasons such as smoking cigarettes, medication mentioned below and generally getting out of the habit/routine of eating, for a lot of the time, and certainly the last few months, I've been eating 1 meal a day, at about 8:00pm. Normally something reasonably substantial, a bolognese, sometimes something I try and chuck a bit of broccoli at, occasionally KFC or some other junk, sometimes some cereal later in the evening. I also drink virtually every day - maybe a couple of beers and a couple of glasses of red wine. I've been on and off anti-depressants and my blood pressure if I recall correctly was last time 140/95 or similar. I have a pretty high stress job and work long hours. I'm 33 and amazingly don't feel too bad, though I'm sure I could be feeling a lot better. What risks in the short term am I putting myself in? Apart from the obvious smoking related issues - my intention is to start feeling a bit happier and stronger and then have a crack at giving up - but then that's what every smoker says I'm sure. I also get virtually no exercise. My family health history is very good, no history of heart issues/cancer etc.
So go on, scare me (not too much) into making some (small, incremental) changes please... (but I'm not stopping drinking). And thanks in advance.
Not sure about the exact things but in a similar vein a friend of mine is similar. For the last 7 years or so he has eaten very badly. Not regularly, generally it is microwave meals, ready meals, pukka pies, chips etc. No vegtables at all. No exercies and he isn't in bad shape considering. Average body shape. Fitness is a bit of an issue, but not that bad. Unfortunately hae has developed some form of IBS and is now possibly Gluten Intollerant.
Aside from the regular risks of stress you could develop something like this? I'm not a medic, just speaking from experience.
If you know something is bad it's best to change it.
In the last few years I found my natural fitness and body shape slipping so I took action, started eating sensibly, hit the gym and just cleaned up. I feel much better, more energy now.
Aside from the regular risks of stress you could develop something like this? I'm not a medic, just speaking from experience.
If you know something is bad it's best to change it.
In the last few years I found my natural fitness and body shape slipping so I took action, started eating sensibly, hit the gym and just cleaned up. I feel much better, more energy now.
Guy I used to work with in the office - Burger van at Lunchtime & used to eat late at nights (takeaway's & ready meals) no real exercise. (He was a bit overweight but not morbidly obese)
Early 30's he was rushed to hospital due to problems with his bowels, ended up getting a colostomy bag (sp?).
He was told this would remain in place until he got fitter / lost a bit of weight and they would then see about operate on him.
Give him his due this guy changed his lifestyle / eating habbits and started with regular exercise but didn't get shot of the bag while I still worked with him (over a year later)
It was a wakeup call for me at 21yrs of age and I didn't go to the burger van every day after that.
(Although I do have to thank him for introducing me to "Chilli Dog's)
Andy
Early 30's he was rushed to hospital due to problems with his bowels, ended up getting a colostomy bag (sp?).
He was told this would remain in place until he got fitter / lost a bit of weight and they would then see about operate on him.
Give him his due this guy changed his lifestyle / eating habbits and started with regular exercise but didn't get shot of the bag while I still worked with him (over a year later)
It was a wakeup call for me at 21yrs of age and I didn't go to the burger van every day after that.
(Although I do have to thank him for introducing me to "Chilli Dog's)
Andy
To put this into other terms, imagine putting rubbish watered down fuel into a Ferrari, using low grade oil, and never running the engine regullaly, and although it would run for a while, at some point it's going to break down (ignoring the fact that it's Italian of course).
What is the reason for your eating habits? If it is work then you should be entitled to a lunch break, and if it's lazyness, then your habits will continue until something inside of you cant take it anymore and you'll get ill, you're also putting yourself more at risk for things like diabetes with a very bad diet.
Unfortunately I dont think scare tactics will work, you need to want to make the change and it's all too easy to ignore what you're doing to yourself until something particullaly nasty happens.
You're relatively young at 33, so your body is probably compensating for your bad diet/smoking/drinking, but I personally cant understand neglecting your body so badly. It's an amazing "machine" far more incredible and advanced than anything mankind has ever built, and yet some people worry more about what fuel they put into their car than what fuel they put into their bodies, total lack of respect and appreciation for what they have.
Sorry for the lecture, im far from perfect but I make sure I have 5 fruits/veg a day, eat 4 or 5 reasonably healthy small meals a day, drink the right amount of water, and max 2 cups of tea or coffee a day. Alchohol is about 4 units a week, and I also excercise regullaly, so reading what you're doing to what sounds like an otherwise perfectly healthy body makes me cringe!!
Do you have no appreciattion for your health or your body? Do your bodies requirements mean nothing to you? How much are you willing to risk before you make the necessary changes, are you waiting for something serious to happen to wake up to it?
People often take health for granted, but when you are faced with a major health issue or scare then they start realising what they had, all too late. Think of people who have health issues through no fault of their own, they must look in amazement at people lucky enough to have good health throw it away.
It might be worth visiting a hospital, see people with heart disease and other illnesses that can be brought on by bad diet/lifestyle, could give you a real shock and make you want to change to avoid being the one lying there.
What is the reason for your eating habits? If it is work then you should be entitled to a lunch break, and if it's lazyness, then your habits will continue until something inside of you cant take it anymore and you'll get ill, you're also putting yourself more at risk for things like diabetes with a very bad diet.
Unfortunately I dont think scare tactics will work, you need to want to make the change and it's all too easy to ignore what you're doing to yourself until something particullaly nasty happens.
You're relatively young at 33, so your body is probably compensating for your bad diet/smoking/drinking, but I personally cant understand neglecting your body so badly. It's an amazing "machine" far more incredible and advanced than anything mankind has ever built, and yet some people worry more about what fuel they put into their car than what fuel they put into their bodies, total lack of respect and appreciation for what they have.
Sorry for the lecture, im far from perfect but I make sure I have 5 fruits/veg a day, eat 4 or 5 reasonably healthy small meals a day, drink the right amount of water, and max 2 cups of tea or coffee a day. Alchohol is about 4 units a week, and I also excercise regullaly, so reading what you're doing to what sounds like an otherwise perfectly healthy body makes me cringe!!
Do you have no appreciattion for your health or your body? Do your bodies requirements mean nothing to you? How much are you willing to risk before you make the necessary changes, are you waiting for something serious to happen to wake up to it?
People often take health for granted, but when you are faced with a major health issue or scare then they start realising what they had, all too late. Think of people who have health issues through no fault of their own, they must look in amazement at people lucky enough to have good health throw it away.
It might be worth visiting a hospital, see people with heart disease and other illnesses that can be brought on by bad diet/lifestyle, could give you a real shock and make you want to change to avoid being the one lying there.
Edited by Vagabond on Thursday 4th June 15:16
Half the worlds population lives on rice and a lump of greasy fish bones. Most rarely eat vegetables. Your diet is probably better than they get, averaged out for daily protein and vitamins.
Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
King Herald said:
Half the worlds population lives on rice and a lump of greasy fish bones. Most rarely eat vegetables. Your diet is probably better than they get, averaged out for daily protein and vitamins.
Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
So they have about the same quality food as the OP, don't drink or smoke as much and have a life expectancy a decade or two less than the UK average.Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
I think you've just proved our point for us!
As long as you want to snuff it before you retire Mr Bot, then you're going the right way about it.
I tend to stick to the everything in moderation rule. Including moderation.
BigAlinEmbra said:
So they have about the same quality food as the OP, don't drink or smoke as much and have a life expectancy a decade or two less than the UK average.
I think you've just proved our point for us!
But what do they die of? I'll wager it is not heart conditions. It is not obesity. It is not diabetes. And it is not malnutrition. I'd bet it is probably lack of medical care, and lack of correct medication. I think you've just proved our point for us!
I'd guesstimate that the average westerner could live happily and healthily on HALF the food intake they now have.
King Herald said:
BigAlinEmbra said:
So they have about the same quality food as the OP, don't drink or smoke as much and have a life expectancy a decade or two less than the UK average.
I think you've just proved our point for us!
But what do they die of? I'll wager it is not heart conditions. It is not obesity. It is not diabetes. And it is not malnutrition. I'd bet it is probably lack of medical care, and lack of correct medication. I think you've just proved our point for us!
I'd guesstimate that the average westerner could live happily and healthily on HALF the food intake they now have.
Top 3 causes of death in developing countries according to WHO are HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory infection and ischaemic heart disease. We can probably knock off the first one, and I'm sure stress, smoking and drinking will lower the risk factors for the others.
BigAlinEmbra said:
King Herald said:
Half the worlds population lives on rice and a lump of greasy fish bones. Most rarely eat vegetables. Your diet is probably better than they get, averaged out for daily protein and vitamins.
Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
So they have about the same quality food as the OP, don't drink or smoke as much and have a life expectancy a decade or two less than the UK average.Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
I think you've just proved our point for us!
As long as you want to snuff it before you retire Mr Bot, then you're going the right way about it.
I tend to stick to the everything in moderation rule. Including moderation.
Thanks for the replies guys
Know what I mean?
Thanks again.
BigAlinEmbra said:
As long as you want to snuff it before you retire Mr Bot, then you're going the right way about it.
I appreciate that and am well aware that some serious lifestyle changes will have to be brought about at some stage in the near-ish future. However, I guess what I was wondering was if anyone had insight into short term damage being done through potential malnutrition (if it counts as that, which I guess is the subject being debated by quite a few). Or not so much necessarily damage, are there symptoms I should be experiencing such as lethargy, depression, etc that can be attributed to eating not very often. When I start eating properly again can I expect to get uber-fat on account of my metabolism having slowed, etc? Will my body think it's in malnutrition mode and store what it can around my middle? Are dark rings around my eyes a symptom of some of the above - in which case what... Know what I mean?
Thanks again.
Your body will cope with a huge amount of abuse, but only up to a point. Once you reach that point you may well be in trouble.
You're probably not malnourished, it's not really too hard to get enough nutrients into your body. If you're really concerned, take a multivitamin. The food you're eating isn't inherently bad for you, except you are probably getting too much of your caloric intake from fat and sugar, and are probably getting too much salt if you're hitting the fast food. That could cause high BP.
We have evolved to certainly cope with eating once a day, indeed there are diets which promote it (see the caveman diet, although that is based on eating healthy food!). However as you've suggested it's entirely possible to feel lethargic, depressed, short of energy and so on. Your blood sugar will probably be all over the place making you feel like you have very little energy.
Personally I'd say don't panic. You need to change your lifestyle, but if you change it all at once you're probably more likely to relapse. So start making small changes and see how you get on. Maybe start for example by eating breakfast, some muesli, or brown toast or even a banana smoothie or something. Try to raise your heart rate a bit a few times a week, go for a walk, jog, bike ride. Exercise is good for you in so many ways, reduces stress, raises metabolism, and so on.
Meanwhile, smoking and alcohol will be doing you a lot more damage than your diet.
Cheers,
FT.
You're probably not malnourished, it's not really too hard to get enough nutrients into your body. If you're really concerned, take a multivitamin. The food you're eating isn't inherently bad for you, except you are probably getting too much of your caloric intake from fat and sugar, and are probably getting too much salt if you're hitting the fast food. That could cause high BP.
We have evolved to certainly cope with eating once a day, indeed there are diets which promote it (see the caveman diet, although that is based on eating healthy food!). However as you've suggested it's entirely possible to feel lethargic, depressed, short of energy and so on. Your blood sugar will probably be all over the place making you feel like you have very little energy.
Personally I'd say don't panic. You need to change your lifestyle, but if you change it all at once you're probably more likely to relapse. So start making small changes and see how you get on. Maybe start for example by eating breakfast, some muesli, or brown toast or even a banana smoothie or something. Try to raise your heart rate a bit a few times a week, go for a walk, jog, bike ride. Exercise is good for you in so many ways, reduces stress, raises metabolism, and so on.
Meanwhile, smoking and alcohol will be doing you a lot more damage than your diet.
Cheers,
FT.
sagt550 said:
BigAlinEmbra said:
King Herald said:
Half the worlds population lives on rice and a lump of greasy fish bones. Most rarely eat vegetables. Your diet is probably better than they get, averaged out for daily protein and vitamins.
Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
So they have about the same quality food as the OP, don't drink or smoke as much and have a life expectancy a decade or two less than the UK average.Why do most people feel they'll die if they don't get three squares a day, every day????????
No the medicines are a different matter....
I think you've just proved our point for us!
As long as you want to snuff it before you retire Mr Bot, then you're going the right way about it.
I tend to stick to the everything in moderation rule. Including moderation.
I'd suspect there's possibly a link between poor nutrition and lifestyles and infant mortality too, so they're not entirely unrelated, are they?
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