Healthy Survey

I saw this survey on Carrots 'N Cake and nutrition on the run,  two blogs I read.    Since I do try to eat healthy and stay healthy I thought you, boys and girls, would like a little insight into what an old man does to stay healthy.  

What did you eat for breakfast?

My breakfasts are boring for the most part.  I exercise every morning leaving the house at 6:30 to 6:45. I either ride my bike, (Fri., Sat., Sun.,  and Wed) or run (Mon., Tues. and Thursday). I leave for work at 8:30, so you can see I don't have a lot of time to eat.  

My quick weekday breakfast is 1/4 cup of old fashion oatmeal, 1 tbs of plain, organic, peanut butter, 1/2 cup of plain no fat organic yogurt and 1/2 cup of fruit i.e. banana, strawberries, or blueberries  or an occasionally cantaloupe - all mix together.    

On Wednesday's I make an egg McOldman - 1 microwaved egg, Canadian bacon, America cheese on a toasted whole wheat english muffin or homemade whole wheat bread.  I also have a side of fruit with 1/2 cup plain no fat yogurt.

 

Sunday is a cheat day, sort of. I have a big breakfast  - 2 eggs sunny side up, 2 pieces of bacon, fried potatoes, whole wheat toast, juice, tomato or OJ and sometimes cranberry,  1/2 cup fruit with plain no fat yogurt, and coffee.  I don't eat lunch on Sunday's so I feel it's OK to eat like a king.
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.2. How much water do you drink a day?

While I don't consciously push drinking water, I do drink a lot of water.  I take a water bottle - large 24 oz - on my rides or runs .  I drink that during and after my exercises. If my exercise is longer than an hour I also take 24 oz of Gatorade or Powerade.  I drink water the rest of the work day, at my desk, in my car on the ride home, and at lunch in in the afternoon.  No decaf soda before 6 pm and no caffeine drinks after 11 am. 
 

3. What is your current favorite workout?

I guess right now, since I have a new bike, my long rides on the weekends.  I ride with the Estero Flatlanders and get a real good aerobic workout with these rides.  Everyone is young and stronger than me, so once they crank it up (24 to 28 mph) after 12 -15 miles I get dropped.  Recently I have another rider who stays with me, Nurse Payne and we come back together.  Saturday's rides are 30 to 45 miles and Sunday's ride are 50 to 108 miles.

4. How many calories do you eat a day?

I don't really count calories but I am aware of calories.  In other words, I know my burn is somewhere around 1,000 to 1,800 calories a day.  To maintain my current weight I need to eat approximately 3,400 to 5,200 calories depending on my exercise of the day. I rarely eat that much.
 

5. What are your favorite healthy snacks?

Snacks for me are planned.  10:30 am I eat a Chewy Bar and a piece of fruit usually a banana for it's potassium.  4:00 pm is green tea, almonds and some yogurt with fruit.  9:00 is a frozen fruit bar or an apple with peanut butter or both if I'm hungry.

6. What do you usually eat for lunch?

I have a bowl of soup and a big salad with some kind of protein i.e  4 oz rotisserie chicken, fish or egg. A large glass of water with lemon or lime and a cup of decaf coffee with a half a cookie for desert.

Every week I make some kind of soup from the carcass of the rotisserie chicken.  This week it was lentil.  Sometimes I made minestrone or pasta figoli  or vegetable, it just depends on what I have in the frig and what I feel like making.  

Soup in a Pumpkin

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train?

The heart.  I  love the aerobic workout running, swimming, biking.

8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train?

I hate stretching.

9. What are your “bad” food cravings?

Beer, chocolate covered nuts and pasta!
 

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?

I have never really taken much in the way of over the counter drugs unless you count sunscreen!  I don't believe in vitamins - they just come out in your urine - I think a well balanced diet and exercise is a key to long life.  I do use a sunscreen moisturizer everyday and a 50 SPF sun block when I exercise.
 

11. How often do you eat out?

Rarely.    I like to cook so we eat at home, except Tuesday's when it is pizza nite.

12. Do you eat fast food?

I can't remember the last time I had fast food - other than takeout pizza.  I don't drink coffee except for breakfast and decaf at lunch.  No Starbucks, no McDonald's etc. 

13. Who is your biggest supporter?

Joanne is my biggest supporter.  She is my race photographer, alarm clock and laundry person.
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Joanne in Italy

14. Do you have a gym membership?

 My community has a fitness center with all the machines, weights, balls, etc that you could want.  I just don't like working out inside.  We have 300 days of summer here in Southwest Florida so I don't want  like to exercise inside.  We also have 5 pools in our community, two of which work well for lap swimming, so I don't have and excuse for not swimming. 

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night? 

I sometimes, well many times, fall asleep on the sofa watching TV.  I'm in bed by 10:30 most nights.  I try to get 7 hours of sleep and wake up at 6 am every day.

16. Do you have a “cheat” day?

My cheat day is Sunday.  It's a long bike day so I have a big breakfast.  I'll have 2 light Yuengling lagers, cheese and crackers or hummus and veggies.

17. Do you drink alcohol?

I love beer - Yuengling America's oldest beer is my favorite.  I also enjoy red wine and single malt scotch.  

18. Do you have a workout buddy?

Yes, my best friend Tony rides, runs, and swims with me.  

 

We work together well on the bike but he is faster than me on the run about even on the swim. 
 
Also, I train with a great group of athletes, the Flatlanders, many in our group have done Ironman races including age group winners at IM Kona and IM Florida and we do local races together. Several are former pro cyclists.  So they are very knowledgeable and helpful people around me that are helpful in my training.  I can always find someone who want to ride or do an open water swim at the local beach.  

19. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy lifestyle?

I was a triathlete before I was diagnosed with melanoma and a brain tumor. I made the commitment to lose weight and keep it off a long long long time ago.  I've trained for so long I can't remember what it is like not to train for something.  
   

20. What was the last healthy thing you did?

I made whole wheat sourdough rye bread for the week to go with my lentil soup.