Day 110-2 (W, 120419) — Info Dump

While You Wait…  I’m still working on my “Why I Chose Low Carb” post.  In the meantime, here’s a long list of things to keep you busy.

• Healthy Things to Do While Watching TV ★★★★☆ — Very good.

I hate TV.  Loathe it.  It sucks away my time and I never get those moments back.

A few years ago, when we moved into a new house, I took the plunge and ditched our beloved satellite dish and DVR.  For a year or so, I still occasionally watched a few series on the Internet and I searched for ways to watch hockey games.  Then I stopped even that.

Now, when I get home, I spend four hours a night on Facebook instead. (Just kidding. ;-))

Actually, I talk with my family, do some chores and honey-dos, and help with learning.  What a concept.

If you can ditch the oh-so-appropriately-named idiot box, I encourage you to do so.  If that’s just too much to ask (believe me, I understand that feeling), this article has a few tips which can at least make it less of a health-sucking monster than it otherwise would be.

(Unfortunately, what it does to your mental condition will stay the same.)

See also:

• Television and Your Future Self – Barry Eisler ★★★★★
• How to Live on 24-hours a Day – Arnold Bennett ★★★★★
• 11 Reasons to Ditch Your TV – Man vs. Debt ★★★★☆

• Burn More Calories in Less Time ★★★★☆

Very good. Mostly stuff we already know but it’s good to have it all in one place. I’d add isometrics.

• Phys Ed: Does Exercise Make You Overeat? ★★★☆☆

Uses food-reward as its basis.  Conclusion?  It depends.

• To Cheat or Not to Cheat? ★★★☆☆

Pretty good.  Some tips about HOW to cheat if you are going to, and how NOT to if you want to stay good.

• The Truth About Stevia—The So-called “Healthy” Alternative Sweetener ★★★☆☆

A good review of the facts about stevia.

• How to Lose Weight Even If You Feel Hopeless ★★★☆☆

Two good points here: be honest; do it small but (as) consistently (as possible). Great quote: “Life is happening now, not ten pounds from now.”

• Ways to Be Healthy Without Exercise ★★★☆☆

Decent advice (though it does fall for a few clichés such as “don’t eat before bedtime”).

• Find Your Perfect Weight – Part 1 ★★☆☆☆

So-so. Still stuck on BMI but at least it adds waist-to-hip ratio in to help, ahem, round out the advice. BMI doesn’t account for frame or muscle mass. WtHR requires measuring body parts which I have always found to be devilishly tricky to do consistently. IME, there is NO single measurement which will encapsulate your health. Either use a combination of things to help estimate your status, or find some other way to gauge your progress and satisfaction. See also:  Waist-to-Hip Ratio Estimates Health Risk

• How to Stop Sugar Cravings ★☆☆☆☆

All mental tips. Why not adjust your body chemistry through low carb and not FEEL those cravings anymore?