short takes

[cellio]

Thursday when we were at my parents' house they showed us their new George Foreman grill. It looks like it would be really handy! It's sloped so the grease automatically rolls out the front (they provide a drip pan), and it's double-sided (like a waffle iron) so the food cooks from both sides at the same time. They said it cooks chicken breasts (on the bone) in 5-7 minutes. Five to seven minutes! I could do a lot with that. I don't often get tool envy, but I think I've got it this time.

Since I wasn't home for the first two nights of Chanukah, the latkes had to wait until last night. Dani walked into the kitchen while I was grating potatoes and said "You know, latkes are not biblically mandated". Yeah, sure, whatever; I like latkes, and once a year I try to make them. This was my best batch so far, and Dani even complimented me on them.

"Andromeda" has been very spotty this season. About this weekend's show I can say only this: stupid, stupid plot (don't they have security protocols in the far future?), but very pretty incidental music. It sounded similar to some of the music in "Earth: Final Conflict"; I wonder if it's the same musicians. (It's the same studio, so it could be.)

Tomorrow night we are getting together for "D&D Smackdown" -- no role-playing, no consequences, just combat. It's a way of helping both the players and the GM explore options in a safe environment. It should be fun. (Ralph did this once before, but Dani and I couldn't make it.)

According to the nutrition information printed on the sides of most food packages, a generic person should consume 2000 calories, 50 grams of protein, 60 grams of fat, and 320 grams of carbs per day. I wonder if those are actually reasonable target proportions; I don't really know anything about stuff like this. (Lately I seem to be coming in a little high on protein, somewhat low on carbs (but not anything like Atkins levels), and more or less right on fat.)

Comments

[alienor.livejournal.com]

2000 calories seems high, but it depends upon your height and target weight and musculature and activity and all sorts of stuff.

When we went for nutritional counsuling (when Richard was diagnosed with diabetes) they had some fancy formula to calculate an ideal calorie intake. I don't remember how they did it, but it was based mostly on height and weight (and sex). They fudged Richard's some since his job required lots of physical exertion.

My ideal calorie intake for a day (at 5'4" and ideally 130 lbs) was about 1350. Richard's ideal intake (at 6'3" and ideally 220) was 2200 (after adding 100 or 200 for his job).

They focused on calories and carbs (since it was diabetic counsuling!), and they suggested 15 carbs = 1 serving and I was only supposed to have 4 or 5 servings a day and Richard was supposed to have 7 (I think).

If you're really serious I'd suggest at least reading in the library or perhaps seeing a nutritionist for specific questions you may have.

George Foreman grills

[tangerinpenguin.livejournal.com]

I'm very happy with mine; it makes grilled chicken or fish really convenient, which in turn saves me having to pay more for "convenience packaged" pre-cooked microwave filets.

Two definite caveats, thought: first, because the grill surfaces aren't removable (and the whole unit obviously isn't watertight) it can be harder to clean thoroughly. Second, make very sure you're getting one in the size you want - the packaging for George Foreman in particular makes it look like you're getting a larger grill than you are, and it's even worse if you're ordering off the Internet to get a discount and are only going by the factory description. I have the "medium" size model, and that's about the right size for one large or two smaller "sandwich sized" filets. The smallest one (which is also the one you always see on sale) is really dorm sized, IMHO.

[cellio]

Thanks for the information. By the way, I've been averaging about 1600 calories per day, not 2000 (I meant to write that). 2000 seems high for the amount of exercise I (don't) get. I'm assuming that the protein/fat/carbs numbers scale down, so I should be aiming for 80% of those numbers.

From talking with other folks (some of whom are doing the Weight-Watchers "points" thing), it sounds like 1600 is too high for me. I'm (slowly) losing weight, and I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies (whose calories don't "count" as much, according to the WW folks), so I'm not making a conscious effort to lower this number yet.

I should probably see my doctor for a physical at some point (it's been several years) anyway, so maybe I can get better info from him (directly or via a referral). Thanks for the suggestion.

[alienor.livejournal.com]

I did the eDiets thing for awhile and they started me off on a high calorie level and gradually worked it down as I got used to eating smaller portions, so that's an option for you as well.

From what I remember eating veggies is more important than eating fruits since the fruits are chock full of sugars (natural sugars, so not as bad as refined sugars, but still sugar nonetheless). According to the counsuling we had, fresh veggies are 'free', but fruits still count.

Good luck!

[goljerp]

Dani walked into the kitchen while I was grating potatoes and said "You know, latkes are not biblically mandated". Yeah, sure, whatever; I like latkes, and once a year I try to make them.

Dani's right, but only because Hannukah isn't biblically mandated at all. :-) I actually got into trouble when I suggested that latkes made with olive oil would be more appropriate, since olive oil was found in the land of israel in biblical times. It was pointed out that while this was true, potatoes weren't.

The recipe that I use (well, have used the two times in the last 10 years that I've made latkes) can be done with a food processor, which really helps with the grating.

[cellio]

Dani's right, but only because Hannukah isn't biblically mandated at all. :-)

Well yeah -- a point that confuses some of my non-Jewish acquaintances. (What? Chanukah's not a bigger deal than the festivals? But there's all this fuss about it!")