Ask Ade: Lifestyle advice after major surgery, adjustments to diet

Wed, 10/15/2008 10:43 AM  |  Health

Ade Rai is Indonesia's most famous bodybuilder and a passionate advocate of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Every second week, he will be offering professional advice and answering your questions through this column.

Dear Ade,

I have had a triple by-pass about three months ago. My doctor told me to go easy with physical activities, but he did recommend I begin a cardiovascular training program soon.

How do you suggest I start my cardiovascular program, because my doctor simply told me to just hire a personal trainer.

I am 56 years old, 168 cm, and 81 kg.

Thank you for considering my question.
-- R. Djumari

Dear Mr. Djumari,

First of all, please adhere to whatever your doctor says because he has the most knowledge about your condition. More specifically, the time you are allowed to start an exercise or nutrition program and how much you can perform, should be determined by your doctor.

Second, it is wise to try working with a certified personal trainer, and please make sure the personal trainer is informed about your condition.

I would also recommend you to get your personal trainer and doctor to work closely together. Your doctor may advise your personal trainer about your physical capacity (how much you are allowed to do), and your trainer would be the one to adhere to it with a suitable training program and exercise supervision.

In return, your trainer should also be able to provide reports of your fitness progress to your doctor, and your doctor can confirm the reports by performing various tests on you.

It's also wise to start cleaning up your diet. The list of foods to leave on your kitchen shelves and in fridge include butter, margarine, ghee, cooking oil, coconut cream, whipped cream, egg-yolks, animal intestines (such as brains, colon, giblets, liver, lung, tongue, which are very popular in many Indonesian dishes), table sugar, table salt, canned or preserved foods, sodas, any foods or drinks that contain even a tiny bit of high-fructose corn syrup, refined flour, partially-hydrogenated oil, sucrose, glucose and dextrose.

Replace all these with a new list of healthier choices, such as extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, fish oil, garlic, folic acid supplements, unsalted herbs and spices, multi-grain muesli, low-fat dairy products, low or zero-sodium salt, low-calorie sweeteners and green tea.

Please make sure to have at least three servings (bowls) of fresh salad (for example: a mix of green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, colorful capsicum, onion, red beans, a slice of beet or pineapple with a dash of your favorite olive oil and vinegar dressing plus a tiny bit of low-sodium salt) every day to go with low-fat white proteins such as chicken breast, tempeh, tofu, turkey breast, or fish.

Stop smoking (if you did and still do), don't skip your meals, take in enough rest, stay positive, omit unnecessary stress, love and laugh more, learn to read food labels and practice good hygiene, just to name a few.

All the very best with your endeavors to create a healthier life. Please keep me updated with your progress.

Hi Ade,

I have been following a certain type of diet for two weeks, and am wondering what your opinion is of it.

I started with some recommendations from various types of diets and figured out one that was quite low in calories.

I usually start my day with a bowl of milk and cereal or two slices of bread with no-added-sugar fruit jam and a cup of orange juice.

For lunch, I go for fruits because I figured they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants.

Then come evening time, I drink a cup of popular dietary milk. And whenever I feel hungry again at night, I just eat an apple.

Oh, I also have two multivitamin and mineral pills every day to make sure I have my nutrients covered.

Well, what do you think? I think it's a healthy diet and I'm quite happy with it so far.

-- Shawna

Hi Shawna,

Well, I think your diet may sound or look OK on the surface. It is quite rich in energy and health-boosting micro-nutrients. However, I do think it can be improved with some of the simple adjustments below:

1. Replace your milk with or "low fat" or "non-fat" varieties.

2. Have your bread with vegetables and canned tuna to make a nice sandwich. Make sure your bread is wholemeal.

3. Select your cereals carefully. It has been reported recently that about 50 percent of the cereals on the market are high in simple sugars, and less than a handful earn a measly "fair" nod on health benefits. Go with muesli, rolled oats or whole grains.

4. Cut out the juice and replace it with scrambled egg-whites or protein powder.

5. Have a normal lunch with palm-sized low-fat proteins, half a fist of complex carbohydrates and a bowl of vegetables

6. Have only a piece of fruit for your mid-afternoon snack.

7. Have a dinner pretty much like your lunch, but cut out the carbohydrates.

8. Your diet milk can come in handy as a pre-bedtime protein drink.

Don't forget to exercise three times a week, at least 30 minutes each session. The U.S. Surgeon General reported in 1996 that failure to do so is just as bad as smoking a pack of cigarette everyday!

There you have it, Shawna. Now you have with you a more nutritious meal plan to get you through your active lifestyle.

Have an exercise or diet question? Fire away via ask_aderai@yahoo.com

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